This is a song for the Profound Decisions' live-roleplay system Empire.

It was recorded on my digital dictaphone in my front room in one take, so it is very rough. And I was improvising the guitar for the most part.

Lyrics:

Miaren, Miaren,
Will we meet again,
At journey's end,
Miaren?

Oh dream, oh jewel,
Of Terunael,
Do tell me when,
Miaren.

How I recall,
Your towers of yore,
That once filled the blue skies,
Now ruined and worn.

But then, Miaren,
We'll see you again,
In new Seren,   
Miaren.


Oh new, Seren,
Our only haven.
From you we will,
Rebuild.

Our dream, our jewel,
Of Terunael,
Begins anew,
with you.

But oh... the road,
Calls ever to roam,
And walking the long trods,
I long for my home.

But then, Seren,
I'll see you again.
At Journey's end
Miaren

 
But the road, but the road,
Calls ever to roam.
And walking the long trods,
I long for my home.


But then, Seren,
I'll see you again,
When journey's end,
Miaren.

When journey's end,
Miaren.

Miaren

Written by myself, Rhi, Val and Jake

Capo 1st fret
Ooo/Chorus: Cadd9-D-Em-A    Verse: Cadd9-D (A) 

(Ooooo….)

Once Upon a Time
There lived a timid bard 
She sang along with lovebirds
Her chords written by the heart

Guarded was this melody 
yet despite her fierce defence
Along came a brave young man,
gallant, without pretence 

Watching from a distance,
she strummed at her guitar,
and t'was her heart's melody
she sang from afar

If I am just your Songbird
I shall vow upon my death 
I'll drown the world in sweet melody 
I shall sing until my final breath

If that is what you ask of me 
If I am just a pawn  
Then I'll sing my pretty songs for you
Till the rising of the Dawn 

(Ooooo….)

His tales are bold and daring
As she writes them for the stage
But she kept his gentility,
His sorrow and his rage

My soul has an affliction,  
She cries, that wasn’t meant to be 
Composing heartaches into harmonies 
Just to hold you close to me 

‘Cus, if I am just your Songbird
I shall vow upon my death 
I'll drown the world in sweet melody 
I shall sing until my final breath

If that is what you ask of me 
If I am just a pawn  
Then I'll sing my pretty songs for you
Till the rising of the Dawn 

“I'd take any test of adour
Be the canary in a cave 
If I had wings I'd fly and scout ahead 
If it was your life I'd try and save 

But for now, I'm just your Songbird 
Making music from a cage
The nightingale in a tower
Just a tale upon a page”

But the bard kept her distance
and he could never hear
the sweetness of her melody
or see the trails of her tears

So now you share her secret,
the yearning that she cries,
and she asks of you, her lovebirds,
"Let me sing my last reprise..."

I know I'm just your Songbird
To you that's all I’ll be 
My worth is in my final breath
Once I've sung your last melody

Little do you ask of me 
Though I beg to be your pawn
I can be more than a songbird
For you, my Sun of Dawn
 
That, if I am just your Songbird
I shall vow upon my death 
I'll drown the world in sweet melody 
I shall sing until my final breath

If that is what you ask of me 
If I am just a pawn  
Then I'll sing my pretty songs for you
Till the rising of the Dawn 
(Ooooo…. x2)

Songbirds Lament - Empire LARP Song

A song for solemn farewells.

LYRICS

Sail on, sail on, gentle brother
Let a lantern light your way.
Now you don't have to fight any longer,
And your debts have all been paid.

So go on to the maze, you'll be welcomed
As the hero you became.
And your soul in my heart lives forever,
And I'll I never let you fade.

So sail away a lonely day
Until we meet, we meet again,
O sail away unto your calling,
O sail away
(x2)

I know in my bones there's an answer,
For the reason we're undone.
And I still hear your voice in a promise,
That you'll miss me when I'm gone.

But in life we still remain, to cast away the pain
And fall into the hole you left behind,
And I think "What would you say?"
With a smile upon your face,
Praying that we meet again someday.

So sail away a lonely day
Until we meet, we meet again,
O sail away unto your calling,
O sail away
(x2)

And we'll meet again someday,
When a lantern lights your way.

Sail Away

Daniel Keplin Performing Black Metal (Guide)

A cautionary tale of how things can end for those who stray from the path of old traditions and respect for their countrymen.

LYRICS

Comes the crooked tale,
Of a marcher lost their way again.
Sold away their land,
For the shadow of some personal gain.
Now the crop’s been low,
And the nation falls to strife.

But they know they can make right again,
When the Wickerman’s in flames.
They can burn and they’ll make right again,
In the Wickerman’s embrace.

So the marcher can,
Make amends for all the sin they’ve done.
So the marcher can,
Take the burden for the ones they love.
Oh the crop’s been low?
And tradition has been spurned?

But the Marcher can make right again,
When the Wickerman’s in flames.
They can burn and they’ll make right again,
When they die in flames!

Burn to the ash and the blackened bone.
Pray that the virtues save your soul, and
Only the good and the brave can go
To the Wickerman’s embrace.
Burn to the ash and the blackened bone.
Pray that the virtues save your soul, well
Only the good and the brave can,
Die in flames!
And we die in flames!
But the Wickerman remains.
Oh Ho!

I’ve come to tell you,
That there’s no place to run and-

Hide from all your sins,
And the weight of the mistakes you've made.
Things that can’t be cleansed;
No apology can make amends.
Now the crop’s been low,
And the nation’s life is struggling.

You’ll be glad you can make right again,
When the Wickerman’s in flames.
You can burn and you’ll make right again,
In the Wickerman’s embrace.

For the Marcher land,
You can make a noble sacrifice.
In the burning man,
For the nation you can still do right.
So the crop’s been low?
From the ashes we do grow!

For the Marcher can make right again,
In the Wickerman’s embrace.
They can burn and they’ll make right again,
If they die in flames!

Burn to the ash and the blackened bone.
Pray that the virtues save your soul, and
Only the good and the brave can go,
To the Wickerman’s embrace.
Burn to the ash and the blackened bone.
Pray that the virtues save your soul, well
Only the good and the brave can,
Die in flames!
And we die in flames!
But the Wickerman remains.
Oh Ho!

I’ve come to tell you
That there’s no place to run and hide
I’ve come to cleanse you
I’ve come to make the sacrifice
In the light, we’ll dance and we’ll be cleansed
Now strip yourself to skin and bone
And carry off our sins. I say!

Burn to the ash and the blackened bone.
Pray that the virtues save your soul.

Burn to the ash and the blackened bone.
Pray that the virtues save your soul, and
Only the good and the brave can go,
To the Wickerman’s embrace.
Burn to the ash and the blackened bone.
Pray that the virtues save your soul, well
Only the good and the brave can,
Die in flames!
And we die in flames!
But the Wickerman remains.
Oh Ho!

Journey On

The Wickerman

This is a cover of the song "Sail On Boys" from the musical Operation Mincemeat. In the show it is presented as a multi-part harmonious shanty. I, however, am a basic bitch without the skill to work out those harmonies. So you're getting it simple and stripped down.

In truth, this is more an accountability upload. I got a new piece of kit (Focusrite Scarlett 2i2) and I used this song as a chance to play around with it, mainly because this is a very gentle song that I can record without annoying the neighbours.  I'm planning on uploading at least one new recording each month and so starting off simple.

There is a version of this I sing at Empire, with only slightly tweaked lyrics to better fit the setting. At some point I'll get that recorded and add additional vocal parts and some percussion. 

Sail on Boys

Andrew Ruddick