Phantasma Prayers and Utterances

The Phantasma Cult is a secretive group of assassins buried deep within the K-Class, that carry on the traditions of the ancient Threavok of the past, before they split into the Skyavok and the Rethavok. They heavily worship the Silent Blade, an alternative name for Arkay, the Thantophor and God of Death and Decay. All members of the Phantasma Cult are capable of shadowjumping but also show signs of other shadow-based abilities, such as empowering physical attacks with darkness. Such Skyavok were often described as Shadow-Blessed and would be split off from other Skyavok and taught in secret, but, oddly, many Shadow-Blessed entities seemed to lack one or both parents, and often had strange heritages.

Phantasma Cultists (often just called Phantasmas) are trained to be powerful assassins, mastering blade, gun and shadow, and are taught Shadowtongue, a language given to the Threavok by the Silent Blade himself. While the Rethavok abandoned both the Silent Blade and the Shadowtongue language when they were split by the Panelix, the Skyavok continued to use the language, but it slowly fell out of use as the Skyavok found themselves beginning to work more with other races, before disappearing almost completely and only being used by the Phantasma Cult.

After the attempted assassination of then Vice General Ayvee-En Kesikonos (which later turned out to be a false-flag event), the Phantasma Cult was unwillingly disbanded by Elkay Athanasion, the Ksa of the K-Class, but the tradition of teaching the most powerful shadow-blessed Skyavok the Shadowtongue language was continued in secret. All remaining Phantasma cultists were split up and moved into other duties, and many of them now work for the D-Class in intelligence gathering, or alongside the Ksa of the K-Class as guards and protectors.

As part of tradition, the Phantasma Cult created several prayers and poems, as well as variations of other works, all spoken in Shadowtongue. The majority of prayers towards the Silent Blade end with the phrase Thanto Kat’olon, meaning “Death Below All”, matching the words “Alo opa otak sotanaht”, a similar prayer uttered by Banikans in their unique Banikanspeak language.

Below is the main prayer of the Phantasma Cult, with translations in brackets. This is often referred to as Siovourna, “The Silence of the Mountains”, or the Kyrymnos, “The Main Hymn”.

Sta Skys, Tha Path’neis, Tha Sio’o Vourna
(In the shadows, you will die, I’ll silence mountains)

Sto Skotah
(In the dark)

Tha Do oula
(I will give all)

Dos Me Ftra
(Give me wings)

Tha El’vo
(I’ll rise up)

Sta Skys, Path’neis
(In the shadows, you will die)

Sto Skotah
(In the dark)

Pa Se Ftra
(I Take your wings)

Tha Pefteis
(You will fall)

Sta Skys, Path’neis
(In the shadows, you will die)

Sto Skotah
(In the dark)

Oula-Ouranis Tha path’neis
(All skies above, you will die)

Ouranis Path’neis
(Skies above, you will die)

Sta Skys, Tha Path’neis, Tha Sio’o Vourna
(In the shadows, you will die, I’ll silence mountains)

Oh, Sta Skys, Tha Path’neis, Thanto Kat’olon
(In the shadows, you will die, Death below all)

Thanto Kat’olon
(Death Below All)

It is believed that the line “I’ll silence mountains” is a somewhat newer addition, added at the time when the Threavok split into two separate races, and the Skyavok and Rethavok briefly went to war. The Phantasma Cult was heavily involved in said war, and “silencing mountains” was often code for killing Rethan leaders. However after the two races became peaceful once more, the references to mountains was altered to just mean larger combatants, especially since Skyavok are a small species.

The shorthand prayer, often called Skotatha, is used most of the time, and consists of three short, simple sentences referencing the darkness. Skota (darkness) and Skys/Skya (shadows) seem to be interchangeable and have almost identical meanings in a lot of Phantasma writings.

Skota, tha dei oula. Skota, thiv me. Tha vrei sou.
(The darkness, it will see all. The darkness, give (it) to me. It will find you.)

The Phantasma also have a short lullaby, known as Mara Paida, which is sung to youngling Skyavok who have just developed their shadow powers.

Mikre Mikre Paida
(Small, small child)

Pote tha se Skotra
(Never will I harm you)

Agape me mila
(My love, speak to me)

Potha sou vothou?
(How will I help you?)

All youngling Skyavok are sung this lullaby as they hatch, even if they do not have shadow powers. Mata Paida is also the first thing young Phantasmas are taught as an introduction to Shadowtongue, and adults will often hum it when they are feeling anxious.

Finally, Veeyel’s Lullaby has a Shadowtongue translation as well, although the lines are slightly different.