Category: songs and poetry

“Keeping Safe the Waters” – Traditional Saibhrean Song

Andrew Michael Miller2 Comments

The song "Keeping Safe the Waters," translated below into the common language, is a song that was written about the historically significant victory against tyrannical rule that played such a crucial role in the political and social formation of the continent and the isles. Sung in the old style, the song survives to this day as an important part of the Saibhrean heritage. The songs sung in the old style are rhythmically diverse, are never accompanied by instruments, and are typically sung alone.

“The Gifts of War” – A Poem by Cesario de Torium

Andrew Michael Miller1 Comment

Cesario de Torium, one of the great clerics at the turn of the first millennium in the Age of Kings, wrote this poem in response to what he considered a "tragic glorification of the terrors of war," after sentiment began to grow in his lifetime for a supposed "reconquista," or a reclamation of land within Caelon once belonging to the Torian Empire, from the Warathi conquerors who now inhabit it. Being old enough to have lived through the Northern Campaign that ended at the Battle of Gelgadongo, as well as being an ardent scholar of history, he sought to stymie sentiment for a new war as he feared it would only bring further destruction, death and decay throughout the land.

“Waves Will Bring You Home” – Song by the Sea Bard

Andrew Michael Miller1 Comment

One of the most famous contemporary songwriters of the Age of Kings was Siacas Donn, a traveling bard from the Saibhrean Isles. Known for his melancholy songs sung in his signature dulcet tone, Siacas often included themes about water and the sea in his work. This earned him the colloquial moniker "the sea bard" in the mainland, a title he carried with him even in the isles, where he was most prolific. While perhaps not as famous as some other bards such as Bróccan, and often criticized for his refusal to adhere to clerical guidelines for proper poetry, Siacas ultimately earned his place in history as the writer of the anthem and the chronicles of the War of the Broken Seal. In this, one of his earliest yet most fondly praised songs, he describes a dear friend who passed away and the apparent mark he made on Siacas' life.

(Fantasy) Fifth Excerpt from “Cantar del Primer Hijo”

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Continuing Cantar I of the epic poem of Cantar del Primer Hijo, (Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4) the following lines describe the first major battle against a large demon with three heads. The significance of the battle is multiplied by the fact that the First Son, the leader of the band, was absent from the camp when the demon attacked.

“Three Swords, Three Fates” (Poem)

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Continuing the exploration into the Ten Saints who followed the First Son on his crusade against the demons of the land, today we highlight the three swordsmen of the original band. Perhaps the best way to do this is by simply presenting the poem that best describes the legend of the three swordsmen, "Three Swords, Three Fates" - which was written some 300 years after their first journey from the White Walled City.