Translated Excerpt from the Babylonian Cuneiform Tablets (recovered 1923)
On the Sixth Day of Simanu, Under the Reign of King Marduk-apla-iddina II
The expedition has failed. The gods have turned their backs on us. We are far beyond the hand of Marduk, Enlil, or Ea. There is a foreign presence out here, deep in the hollow places where even the desert spirits are silent. Our prayers falter in our mouths like spoiled words, and the stars shift unnaturally in the night sky.
When the king commanded that we march east into the desert wastes, it was with the hubris born of conquest. The priest-scholars claimed they had glimpsed a vision – a forgotten seat of divine power buried beneath sands that shift like restless water. A tomb of gods who fell before men first spoke. We raided salt caravans for provisions, laden with offerings to appease the ancient forces we thought might dwell here. But the offerings burned in our hands. The desert devoured it all.
Now, the Expanse whispers to us – softly at first, then louder.
Two Nights Since Discovery
I was the first to see it. I will regret that for all my days.
The dunes parted before us like an unraveling scar, revealing something no man was meant to behold. A tower of black stone, smooth and cold as death, jutted from the earth. It was broken midway, as if torn from its apex by claws greater than any storm or war machine we could imagine. Yet it was no ruin. It did not age.
We walked its perimeter for hours, searching for a way in, but there was nothing – only cold, unyielding stone. Its presence alone was oppressive, humming low and ceaselessly like a fly’s wing against the minds of men. Some of us fell ill, others murmured to unseen things.
Then, at dusk, the entrance appeared. It was not there before. It yawned open without sound, without explanation, as though the stone itself bent to an unseen command.
On the Twelfth Night – Beneath the Tower
The priests believed we were chosen, called forth to descend into the heart of what they now called Ekur-Naggur, “The Black House of Whispering Gods.” They offered chants and rites to no avail. The air below the desert reeks of something ancient: a rank, damp stench, as though this stone tomb has lived – and died – for millennia.
We descended into a spiraling passage carved with symbols no priest could decipher. They weren’t Sumerian nor Akkadian. Even the oldest rites bore no resemblance to the madness etched into these cold walls. Some carvings pulsed softly, emitting a faint glow that flickered like dying embers.
The first man who touched the carvings screamed… and did not stop. He clawed at his own face, scratching deep grooves into his flesh, babbling in tongues none of us could understand before he collapsed, dead where he stood. I ordered that no one else lay their hands on the walls, but the priests… the priests, drunk with obsession, claimed this was a test of the gods. Their arrogance will doom us all.
Midway to the Heart – Date Unknown
The labyrinth defies the laws of creation.
We walk in circles yet do not return to where we started. The corridors twist like entrails, impossibly long and narrow in some places, vast and cathedral-like in others. Our oil lamps now illuminate details too strange to ignore. The walls writhe faintly when not observed directly. Shapes suggestive of faces press at the stone, only to fade when the light draws close.
The whispers now come from all directions. They grow louder with every hour. They do not sound human.
The priests believe they are hearing the voices of the gods. I believe they are something else entirely – something older.
The Chamber of Inversion
We have found it. Whatever lies at the heart of this monstrous place should never be disturbed again.
The priests led us to what they called the “holy chamber,” but there is no holiness here. In the center of the vast room lies a black circle carved into the floor, ringed with symbols that hurt to look at for too long. The air vibrates violently, and those closest to the circle began to bleed from their noses and eyes. The priests, undeterred, began chanting, their voices raw and fervent.
From the dark circle something rose.
It was not a being. Not in any sense I can articulate. It was a shape, the suggestion of something monstrous and alive. A presence that stretched the air and warped the world around it. And it spoke. Not in words, but in feelings – in pain, dread, and overwhelming insignificance.
We fled. Most of us simply ran and wept, abandoning reason, purpose, and faith. As we scrambled back through the twisting labyrinth, some walls collapsed, others closed like the jaws of a ravenous beast. Those who did not flee… did not remain men. I do not know what they became.
Final Fragment – Tablets Left in the Desert Sand
I am alone now. How many days it has been since we left the accursed tower, I cannot say. When I sleep, I can feel its pull, its voice worming into my dreams. The others are gone. Either swallowed by the dunes or by the thing that called to us in the dark.
I was a scribe for the great king’s court, tasked with recording his glories. But now I record this for the sake of warning. Let no man come to the Whispering Expanse. Let no ruler send armies to claim what sleeps there. For what dwells beneath will one day rise to devour the very stars, and the folly of men will pave its way.
Let the sands bury what we have disturbed. And may the gods forgive those of us who dared awaken it.
Summary: The events of 789 BC document an ill-fated Babylonian expedition to uncover an ancient, forgotten power. They unknowingly awoke an eldritch presence beneath a black tower that defied time and space. The expedition left behind fragmented accounts of their harrowing descent, warning that what they found would one day stir again. The sands consumed their temple, but their terror lingers in whispers, waiting for the next soul unfortunate enough to stumble upon it.
You might be intrigued by the rich tapestry of ancient civilizations and their mythologies in “The Whispering Expanse, 789 BC.” Speaking of **Babylonian culture**, you might want to check out the fascinating link on Babylonia, which delves into the history and achievements of this iconic civilization. If you’re curious about the **gods of Mesopotamia** who influenced so many aspects of life and belief, you can explore more about them in this comprehensive article on Mesopotamian religion. Lastly, for a deeper understanding of the **cuneiform writing system** that recorded these ancient tales, be sure to visit cuneiform, which sheds light on one of humanity’s earliest writing forms. Enjoy your exploration into a world where myths weave through the sands of time!
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