Hallowed Hymnal

In the grand hall of the Everlasting Edifice, where the Hierarch holds their speeches and the faithful gather, stands an altar. And upon that altar rests the Hallowed Hymnal, the very book that the Progenitor itself gifted humanity with its dying breath. Upon its delicate, golden pages is writ the entirety of the Eternal Hymn, with precise instructions on how to enunciate each and every vocalization.

Significance

Being the first and foremost weapon against the Adversary's boundless hate and the only means to imprison the evil god, the Eternal Hymn is without a doubt the most important piece of music ever written, and it was on the pages of the Hallowed Hymnal that it was immortalized upon, by none other than the creator of the known universe itself, the Progenitor.

The importance of the hymnal cannot be overstated, as it is not only an object of religious worship, but quite literally a bulwark against the encroaching darkness of the Black Forest, without which no new Orators could be trained.

Security

The hymnal is kept inside a locked vault guarded by Seekers from Pilgrim's Watch when there is no service in the Edifice. During service, the hymnal is placed onto its golden bookrest on the altar in the grand hall so that it is visible to all. The Seekers guarding the book will stand by its side for the whole service, after which it is returned into the vault.

During the Unveiling, a concerted attempt to silence the Eternal Hymn by the Congregation of Witnesses, some of the cult's deranged thralls attempted to assault the vault, but were quickly slain by its valiant protectors.

Qualities

One may be tempted to ask why would the church not just copy the contents of the hymnal, for which the reason is rather simple. Any attempts at jotting down what is writ upon the blessed pages of the hymnal onto paper of mundane origins has resulted in said paper spontaneously combusting, apparently unable to contain the notation of the divine.

Another peculiar feature of the holy book is that everyone seems to perceive the layout and ornamentation on its gilded covers to shift and change under one's eyes, often forming to depict a scene that has some kind of significance upon the observer. This quality manifests itself even when there are multiple observers, as each one will claim that the covers depict something wildly different from the others in the group. Theologians and priests suggest that the hymnal shows everyone their defining moment, a situation where their mettle will be tested.

Look now upon the Hallowed Hymnal, that which was gifted to man from the heavens!

See reflected in its gilded pages your own divine radiance! We have all been chosen, every one!

–The Hierarch during a sermon

by Midjourney

_{A depiction of the Hallowed Hymnal}