Camp into Crater [DOMS Act: 1 Song: 2]

[INTRO – Chorus in unison, heavy fog atmosphere] [CHORUS – Mixed voices, excited purposeful; timbre: deep, blended] Awake, make haste, First to task is the better for pace, Lowest tide fits neatest, for burden's sake. Insult island—still waits, until we with cupping hands and hollow shells, have dug deep as drowns the last. Velothi grave dust what dithers, diluted by inclusion in Lie-god's clay Swift leg Ushar, has scaled the slope already once, Has found a small complication, minor-test, what sweetens the object of our pilgrimage. Dense shroud of mist, as dulls all sense, hangs over the site of our duty. Still we're the better for it nothing deserved coming from easiest paths taken. We tarry too long still! Take up sledge, sling, and tack! (All together) Velothra! Velothra! Velothra! (chants and march songs carry on before fading as they scale the crater hillside) [instrumental procession march plays, strings, drums and chants] [VERSE 1 – Boethiah’s Champion] [USHARRARI – Male baritone, range A2–F4; timbre: metallic, forceful, percussive] Once Ushar already, has taken up to summit this height! The path was too easy, another way's best, pity the lazy, choose not their test! Follow on quickly, break not your step, Velothi once dithered, for their sloth, our own souls bereft. [CHORUS ECHO – Followers in fragments] Onward, upward, so down and a tide. Faltering footfalls, are those stoke the hive, or strangle those ankles, fat capped and wide Aye, we keep to our paces, as all know what's wise. [VERSE 2 – Azura’s Voice] [ZANSHAH – Female mezzo-soprano, range G3–B5; timbre: airy, flowing, legato] Mist is a mirror, Wait for the sign— Moonlight will whisper The true, straight line. Haste is a hunger That blinds the wise; Patience will open The veiled sky’s eyes. (Counter chant of grunts and tuts from Boethiah's faction and USHARRARI) [Chants subside amid pithy strings and down-tuned finger plucked lyres. [VERSE 3 – Mephala’s Threadbearer] [SHAHHAILU – Female contralto, range E3–G5; timbre: dark, sinuous, whispered inflection] Truth in both paths, merits commendable for those who judge best, we see gaps, all be-them mendable, charging in wildly benefits well the strong, for the slower, spindly it's wrong. Rather than waiting, anticipate, aye patience breeds no privilege, what keen minds won't scry Weaver in web knows sense but by touching, we'll benefit thus, spread the net, testing likeliest places Sledge poles as probes, then, will wit claim the day. (Tuts and groans from other groups in disagreement) [SHAHAILU rebutts, singing] Failing preparing, leaves fool, now snare wearing drained and web bound. [POLYPHONIC FRACTURE – All champions overlap] [USHARRARI:] We will see what path best, in trialing ours then! As you do in kind, tarry if will you, it's your loss to gain. [ZANSHAH:] Wait for light, hold the line— You'll see it better, when we approach more fresh from behind. [SHAHHAILU:] Threads will bind, threads will fray, Mephala's seen what odds have been made. [Echoed fragments by sub-chorus:] Break! Wait! Threads! [CRATER FLOOR – Ideals Declared] [USHARRARI:] Strength is law— our path true! [ZANSHAH:] Signs will speak, we wait ashore. [SHAHHAILU:] Webs decide— the blind stride fore feeling assuring our way. [OUTRO – Silence thickens, Ashimasi alone] [ASHIMASI – Female mezzo, range F3–A5; timbre: fragile, breath-heavy, breaking tone] Silence, why quiet? Wait a mome..nt Where are they? Of all days for long sleeping! (A hush of toy piano curls like a question, fading to silence.) [instrumental procession march plays, strings, drums and chants] [VERSE 1 – Boethiah’s Champion] [USHARRARI – Male baritone, range A2–F4; timbre: metallic, forceful, percussive] Once Ushar already, has taken up to summit this height! The path was too easy, another way's best, pity the lazy, choose not their test! Follow on quickly, break not your step, Velothi once dithered, for their sloth, our own souls bereft. [CHORUS ECHO – Followers in fragments] Onward, upward, so down and a tide. Faltering footfalls, are those stoke the hive, or strangle those ankles, fat capped and wide Aye, we keep to our paces, as all know what's wise. [VERSE 2 – Azura’s Voice] [ZANSHAH – Female mezzo-soprano, range G3–B5; timbre: airy, flowing, legato] Mist is a mirror, Wait for the sign— Moonlight will whisper The true, straight line. Haste is a hunger That blinds the wise; Patience will open The veiled sky’s eyes. (Counter chant of grunts and tuts from Boethiah's faction and USHARRARI) [Chants subside amid pithy strings and down-tuned finger plucked lyres. [VERSE 3 – Mephala’s Threadbearer] [SHAHHAILU – Female contralto, range E3–G5; timbre: dark, sinuous, whispered inflection] Truth in both paths, merits commendable for those who judge best, we see gaps, all be-them mendable, charging in wildly benefits well the strong, for the slower, spindly it's wrong. Rather than waiting, anticipate, aye patience breeds no privilege, what keen minds won't spy Weaver in web knows sense but by touching, we'll benefit thus, spread the net, testing likeliest places Sledge poles as probes, then, will wit claim the day. (Tuts and groans from other groups in disagreement) [SHAHAILU rebutts, singing] Failing preparing, leaves fool, now snare wearing drained and web bound. [POLYPHONIC FRACTURE – All champions overlap] [USHARRARI:] We will see what path best, in trialing ours then! As you do in kind, tarry if will you, it's your loss to gain. [ZANSHAH:] Wait for light, hold the line— You'll see it better, when we approach more fresh from behind. [SHAHHAILU:] Threads will bind, threads will fray, Mephala's seen what odds have been made. [Echoed fragments by sub-chorus:] Break! Wait! Threads! [CRATER FLOOR – Ideals Declared] [USHARRARI:] Strength is law— our path true! [ZANSHAH:] Signs will speak, we wait ashore. [SHAHHAILU:] Webs decide— the blind stride fore feeling assuring our way. [OUTRO – Silence thickens, Ashimasi alone] [ASHIMASI – Female mezzo, range F3–A5; timbre: fragile, breath-heavy, breaking tone] Silence, why quiet? Wait a mome..nt Where are they? Of all days for long sleeping! (A hush of toy piano curls like a question, fading to silence.) [OUTRO – Silence thickens, Ashimasi alone] [ASHIMASI – young Female mezzo; timbre: panicked and hurried] Silence, why quiet? Wait just a moment. Where are they, now? Of all days for long sleeping! For Vaermina tangled, dreaming! No others are here? No. Why would none wake me, fore leaving? Different burdens, but path is the same? Aren't they with me, at least for this day? How far from the path now, have I come to stray? Can almost just hear them. Quick my pack and my sleigh Up and alone then, I go up, over away. (A hush of brass curls like a question, fading to silence.)