SANX 301 - The I.st Games of the Winter Vexilliad (VexGames)
 
                          

The Hymn and History of the Games of the Vexilliad:
 
 
 
 
THE VEXGAMES HYMN
 
composed by: Espiritos Gregorious
words by: Horatio Dela Santo
298
   
Hail these, O the athletes!
May glory preceed before them,
(glory has found favour with them)
Throughout these Games!
   
From land to land,
They gather(ed) before us! Before us!
Let splendour pervade this place!
Bless these, O our athletes!
Bold are they who come to compete,
Let peace sing from every voice on high,
The time for our brotherhood is nigh,
For today the VexGames are set to begin,
Begin, begin!
(Tommorow the VexGames will begin)
   
Vict'ry is in thine struggle,
From passionate hearts and minds thy spirit wields you,
This day is yours, let ev'ry soul be glad, be glad!
The VexGames are about to begin!
(The VexGames have now come and gone)
    
Rise then!  O ye brothers,
Citizens of this globe, our mother,
Choirs raise your voices up on high,
Together all the nations flags do fly,
These VexGames are opened here today!
Are opened here today!
Today!  Today!
(These VexGames are concluded here today!)
   
Glory, Peace, Love!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
History of the VexGames:

The VexGames go back centuries (starting around 1,500 years ago), although not under this name.  In Delphi, Morania, lived a wealthy king of that city state. 
He was a noble and gracious king and often held many festivals for his subjects. One of these festivals was a celebration in which soldiers from neighbourings kingdoms would compete in a week long festival to see who would be the greatests soldier.  The competed in many sports: chariot racing, wrestling, swordsmanship, archery, running and hunting.  The winners would receive golden crowns and a handsome sum of money. 

One day, the king became very ill.  He suffered for months until he finally died after his long sickness.  The subjects the bound his body and took it to a plain outside the city to cremate.  When they laid his body on the pyre and ignited it, the fires which consumed his body never went out.  After many years through rain and snow, the fire still burned.  
Scientists have realized that the site where the body was burned sits under an oil pool and natural oil keeps the flame ignited, and the flame was probably ignited from harsh sun rays or lightning, but this still doesn't extinguish the legend. 

After the king's death, the subjects would light a torch from this flame and carry it to the arenas where the competitions were being held so that their king's spirit could still preside over them.  In fact, for many centuries, this king was regarded as a god, and today by some neighbouring Meringue tribes, he is still worshipped as the god of fire and of battle.  He is called Trutechte or Techte.  The last record of these Games were around 736 years ago. 
Today, the VexGames torch is ignited from this very spot and still carried by runners, boat, planes, automobiles and trains to the site of the Games where the cauldron will be lit during the Opening Ceremonies.

 
 
 
 
 
The Modern VexGames
 
About seven years ago, researchers devised a plan to study these ancient Games around the site of Delphi where the were held (about 36km from present day downtown Delphi).  The leader of this reseach team, Moranian Renford Schwarzentrecher III found that these Games used rings as a symbol of unity and friendship.  Also the team found many finds: broken vases, spearheads, human remains, and remains of what might have been arenas built of stone. 
   
Schwarzentrecher decided to ressurect these Games, but wanted them at first only to be for Moranian athletes.  After gaining support from other nations however, such as the IWK, San Patricio and Christiana, the first Games were held last year in Morania City.  Delphi, the original site of the Games lost their regional bid in 298 because of lack of funds, and were bitterly disappointed.  Perhaps Delphi will run to host the 301 Summer Games, although winning them would be almost impossible just 2 years after Morania City hosted them.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Techte's Pyre outside Delphi
 
 
 
 
 
The VexGames Today... and Tomorrow
 
On January 27, 300, Renforn Schwarzentruber III died after complications after being in a car crash.  He was post-humously knighted by Prince Joseph I of Morania, and a statue of him stands outside the Palace of Sport in Morania City.  Currently his sucessor Vice-President Raimundo Hyresta of Morania is the current president of the IVC until elections take place in January of 302. 
  
This year at the IIIrd and IVth conferences of the IVC, the IIIrd being held in Delphi, Morania and the IVth at Christianhavn, Christiana the hosts of the next winter and summer Games will be decided.
 
NOTE: All information on this page courtesy of the IVC Web Page at http://www.geocities.com/grcboy2/ivc.html