Larp Songs

Empire

Navarr

The sounds of Anvil

Empire!

By far the most musical theatre of any song I've ever written. Make of that what you will. This was a rare occurrence of the chords and the melody coming together with surprising ease and then the words taking months of frustration. In the end it was a collaborative piece with my wife Emma (Malhann to those of you in the field), without whom I would still be banging my head against a wall.

The Moments In Between

This is what happens when you want a better recording of one of your old songs and your wife has amazing harmony ideas. Song is Wheel Keeps Turning, my Prosperity based song for Empire. Musically, this extra special edition takes a bit of a departure from the WM musical brief, so it is unlikely to be heard in the field in exactly the same way, but damned if I'm not happy how it came out. Big props to Emma (Malhann) for the sweet, sweet harmonies.

Wheel Keeps Turning (Extra Special Edition)

Continuing adventures in multitrack recording!

This was the second song I wrote for Empire. It's great to get it recorded as I honestly felt it was starting to get a little stale as It represented 33% of my repertoire for a long time. I had a bit of fun with the stereo mix for this, so can recommend headphones for the best creepy-voice effect. At some point I will redo the drums as I'm not entirely happy with them (I'm not a percussionist and we have neighbours which limits re-tries without pissing off the neighbourhood). Aside from that, each track here was able to be done in a single take which is very nice. I mean, there are a total of four chords in the whole song (Am, F, G, E) so it's hard to get it wrong, but still.

Rise Up (Rise Further Edition)

Wonderlust

Our Call

A song made hastily for Profound Decisions' Empire LRP festival - celebrating Taric Thornsbane's famous drink!

Woeful-looking but wonderful-tasting: the 'Bregasland Brew'! Fresh from the heart of the Marches.

LYRICS

Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
One Bregasland Brew.

Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
One Bregasland Brew.

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew!

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew,
Oh they long for the Bregasland Brew!

Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Two Bregasland Brews.

Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Two Bregasland Brews.

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew!

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew,
Oh they long for the Bregasland Brew!

Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Three Bregasland Brews.

Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Three Bregasland Brews.

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew!

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew,
Oh they long for the Bregasland Brew,
Oh they long for the Bregasland Brew!

WAHEY

Bregasland Brew

A song written for William Guildenstern: the soon to be folk hero and legend of the live action roleplaying system 'Empire'.

LYRICS

I'll entreat you to a tale about a name you might recall,
Of a man named William Guildenstern, a hero to us all.
Not one detail here is wasted, not one detail's overblown,
Let my voice become your chisel as we write this down in stone.

Well he started as a blacksmith when he marched away from Dawn,
Fought the minotaurs in Skarsind and with grace he slew them all.

Then he joined up the militia, seven years he served to tell,
Of when he nabbed the bloody butcher and all of Temeschwar as well!

Then assassins came to bleed him, all attempts they tried did fail,
He's a man who's duelled trogoni and has lived to tell the tale.

He's a senator, a skirmisher, all brains as well as brawn,
And got so much damn charisma that he's even liked in Dawn!

Woah, oh ho!
I sing of William Guildenstern!
Senator and skirmisher, a league unto his own.
Woah, oh ho!
I sing of William Guildenstern!
A just and true commander, he's a hero to us all!

Fought in Skarsind, unto Holberg, unto Mournwold, unto Karsk,
Even fought a Jotun war-prince and he beat him on his arse!

Battled monsters, battled dragons, battles far beyond belief,
Defeated ogres in a hurricane in nothing but his briefs!

Guildenstern is strong as stone and no assault can pierce his hide,
Caught a falling star within his chest, and still he didn't die!

Took a troll curse to his mind so that the Marcher-folk would thrive,
Like a blackened blade it ran him through, but Guildenstern survived!

Woah, oh ho!
I sing of William Guildenstern!
Senator and skirmisher, a league unto his own.
Woah, oh ho!
I sing of William Guildenstern!
A just and true commander, he's a hero to us all! X2

William Guildenstern!

I Sing Of William Guildenstern

A song for Profound Decisions Empire festival event that celebrates one of the faction's newest generals: Amberlain P Black, the Fire of the Marches! Long may she lead!

LYRICS

I sing of a Marcher,
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
Of a Marcher who walked out from Dawn.

With a sword primed for battle,
And flames in her hair,
She’s the fire of the Marches oh ho!

I sing of a soldier,
Hi ho! Hi ho!
One courageous and dangerous and strong.

Punched the teeth out and ogre,
And bashed twenty more!
She’s the fire of the Marches oh ho!

She’ll fight for the Marches,
She sings and she dances,
With hair made of summer realm flame.
If you don’t know her now,
Well I’ll tell you her name is:

Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
Strength in my arm and the sword at my back.
Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

I sing of the general,
Hi ho! Hi ho!
I sing of the general hi ho!

Who’ll fight back the Jotun,
And free Bregasland!
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

I sing of the general,
Hi ho! Hi ho!
Who gets victory clean from defeat.

She’s knocked out the Grendel,
Put slavers to sleep,
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

She’ll fight for the Marches,
She sings and she dances,
With hair made of summer realm flame.
If you don’t know her now,
Well I’ll tell you her name is:

Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
Strength in my arm and the sword at my back.
Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

She’ll free us from evil when all the while risking her neck.
She’s headstrong enough to keep Guildenstern firmly in check.
She’ll fight for the Marches,
She sings and she dances,
With hair made of summer realm flame.
If you don’t know her now,
Well I’ll tell you her name is:

Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
Strength in my arm and the sword at my back.
Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

The Fire Of The Marches

This is a song for the Profound Decisions' live-roleplay system Empire.

It was recorded in my front room in one take, so it is very rough.  Thanks to Jez Lawrence for recording equipment and expertise.

Redhound

This is a song for the Profound Decisions' live-roleplay system Empire.

This was recorded at my home.  The percussion and guitar were meant to be guide tracks only, but I liked the sound of the track with them included, so I left them in this version.

I also had a lot of fun with the backing vocals for this song and Thorn Battle Cadence.  I even created characters in my head for the four singers with very different voices, because... you know... roleplayer.  Doing this helped to keep the sound ugly and brutal.


Lyrics:

Call:
Navarr Navarr run in Wintermark

Response (repeated after each call)
Navarr Navarr run in Wintermark

Calls:
Navarr Navarr run in Wintermark

Navarr run striding over hill and over grass
Navarr Navarr are the terror in the dark

Navarr Navarr all barbarians do fear
Navarr will slaughter every enemy that's near.

Navar run fast.  Navarr run far.
Navarr fight hard.  Navarr kill fast.

Your blood. Your Loss. Your death.  Your cost.
Your life. Your loss.  Your head.  Your cost.

Navarr Navarr run in Wintermark
Navarr Navarr run in Wintermark

Navarr Running Song

Still a work in progress, but while I learn how to home record, I thought I'd share.

This one has been done to a click track.  Guitars were recorded using two mikes: my semi-acoustics's pick ups and a shure sm58 placed up close. 

Audacity effects applied: compressor and reverb.

Lyrics:

Verse 1
Under distant skies,
Far from home am I,
A home denied,
Are the grasslands of Segura.

Oh! Those golden plains,
Of my childhood days,
So far away,
How I dream of my Segura.

Pre-Chorus 1
But stand tall.
Our time is nigh,
And we all,
Shall answer to the cry

When the Corsairs come,
The sound,
Will shake the ground,
The deaf'ning pound,
Upon the drum!

Chorus
When the Corsairs come,
With their swords as bright as flame.
When the Corsairs come,
Like a blaze across the plains.
When the Corsairs come,
How the enemy will flee.
When the Corsairs come!

When the Corsairs come,
They're the storm and they're the flood.
When the Corsairs come,
They're the fire in the blood.
When the Corsairs come,
How we'll sieze our destiny.

When the Corsairs come,
Our homeland will be free.

Verse 2
Through these ruined walls
And these broken folds,
I still recall, 
The day we lost Segura

All that still remains
Are the dark blood stains
And shallow graves,
Where we fought for our Segura

Pre-Chorus 2
But that pain,
Will surely disappear,
And our rage,
Will conquer any fear!

When the corsairs come,
The din,
Upon the wind.
Their blades will sing,
And dance as one!

Chorus

Bridge
Hear the Corsairs (x2)
Hear the Corsairs Come!
(Repeated)

Ah! (x7)

Coda – As chorus with finishing on F Dm E Am
Hear the Corsairs come...
(Then as chorus x2)
Our Homeland...
Our Homeland...
Our Homeland will be free.

When The Corsairs Come

This is a song for the Profound Decisions' live-roleplay system Empire.

It was a recorded, engineered and mixed at home on my somewhat rudimentary studio equipment.  I would like to add percussion to this at some point. Maybe redo the main vocal and add more guitar.

This is my first proper recording using Reaper - a Digital audio workstation software that I think I am going to stick with because it is awesome.

Lyrics:

Intro
Nigh-anighy-yighy-yah, Anighy-yighy-yay
Nigh-anighy-yighy-yah, Anighy-yighy-yay

Verse 1
Bold Hercynia,
Where the ancient pine grow,
On the mountain side,
In the dawning light.

Hear the water course,
through the deadly gorge,
See the long shadows,
Where we dare not go.

Cold Hercynia,
Where the rivers run fresh,
As the Northern breeze,
Stirs the mighty trees.

See the hunter stand,
Watching all the land.
Hear the silence fall,
When the Navarr call!

Half- Chorus
Nigh-anighy-yighy-yah, Anighy-yighy-yay,
Hear the cold Hercynian Cry.
Anighy-yighy-yah, Anighy-yighy-yay,
From the tallest treetops on high.

Verse 2
Brave Hercynia
Where the mountain lion lurks,
As the grizzly bear,
Sniffs the morning air.

See the badger stir,
'neath the fallen fir.
See the sly vixen,
In the foxes' den.

Old Hercynia,
Where the many herds roam.
On the valley side,
Where the hunter hides.

See the red deer sleep,
By the river deep,
See them run and flee,
When the Navarr scream.

Chorus
Nigh-anighy-yighy-yah, Anighy-yighy-yay,
Hear the cold Hercynian Cry.
Anighy-yighy-yah, Anighy-yighy-yay,
From the tallest treetops on high.

Anighy-yighy-yah, Anighy-yighy-yay,
Where the mountains reach to the sky.
Anighy-yighy-yah, Anighy-yighy-yay,
Hear the cold Hercynian Cry.

Bridge
Higher than the stars at night
Farther than the bird in flight.
Prouder than the bravest thorn.
Louder than the thunderstorm.

Higher than the curving sky,
Farther than the eagle flies.
Prouder than the raging boar.
Louder than the lion's roar.

Verse 3
So Hercynia,
When your rivers are dust.
And the woods we know
Are a faint echo

When the mountains grand,
have been ground to sand.
Though the world may die,
You'll still hear our cry!

Chorus x2

Hercynian Cry

Gabrielle_Joanne_-_Trees_of_Liathaven.m4a

A lament for the lost city of Terunael

Please forgive the dodgy mix, I'm still getting the hang of it all.

Terunael

Recorded on my phone because my PC was being a dick. Very basic recordings which I hope to replace at some point soon. All lyrics and melodies are my own, but the chords, rhythm structure and rhythm for Rise Up was heavily inspired by 'Believer' by Imagine Dragons. It's not a direct filk, exactly, but I certainly can't claim it as completely original.  More songs will follow as I complete the songbook. 

From an RP perspective, there is a reasonable chance that you could have heard these performed as Tarik wanders the trods and performs in taverns to pay his way.

Rise Up (Ambition)

Nowhere I'd Rather Be (Loyalty)

Ambient recordings from the larp Empire, by Profound Decisions

Empire 22

Last of my Striding

One Beat

Ambient recordings from the larp Empire, by Profound Decisions.

Original song by Idwyn Splitroot (Gabrielle Falquero).

Call to the Labyrinth

Voice of Navarr

Da! -Varushka Baby

A song about Navarri oath tradition, including one of my own oaths.

Painted

A song about Idwyn Splitroot's Past Life Vision

Rise and Build

"Stop! Please!" 
The Cambion woman begged. She looked on as her daughter held a blade to her own skull and began sawing through one of her horns under the command of the brutish Thule orc standing over her. Gritting her teeth Narelle forced the rusted metal through the ivory. Trembling, she held out her hand. Still clutching her bloodied horn. His grey face peered down at her with a sickening joy painted across its features. He paused for a moment, and grinned. And without breaking eye contact he said, quietly,
"Take the mother away."
 Narelle felt her stomach drop. She watched helplessly as her mother was dragged kicking and screaming through the dust-choked hallway. Overwhelmed by rage, brought to a crescendo by the pain in her head, Narelle hurled her broken horn at her captor with an almighty cry striking him square in the back of his skull. The orc turned to face her once more, a terrible fury burning in his eyes... 

Ivory Daggers is a song set and written within the world of Empire, a festival larp in the UK.
It tells the tale of a Cambion woman and her family, living under the tyrannical rule of the Thule when they seized the Runeforges of Treji in 373YE.

Inspired and derived from "Age of Agression" From The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Intro and outro clips taken from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PTM9lQncKc&t=34s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBD0GjGP6Ew&t=19s

Ivory Daggers

Originally sung in the prosperity bar, this old Varushkan folk song has morphed into the Varushkan Hearth Bass version that can be heard today.

Bushka has spent time capturing the whispers of his yaks and has let them ferment, to bring you this representation of Ladies From League.

We khope you enjoy that we a make a yes.  A YES!

Wheel Keeps Turning (Extra Special Edition)

Andrew Ruddick