A collection of some of my favourite Empire tunes 

A Marcher, a Marcher! Empire LARP playlist

Wonderlust

Green Lungs

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

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

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

Nobody fights like the Marchers do: fully armed and filthy.

LYRICS

I’m a fighting Marcher and a Marcher I’ll remain,
Crawling out the mud with but a billhook to my name,
Apple in my pocket just in case I meet the grave,
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray.

Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray
Oh!
Step in time, bills in line,
March into the fray!

I’m a fighting Marcher and a Marcher I’ll remain,
Grinding up the Jotun and Mathilde’s traitor knaves,
Blood will feed the barley and the barley’s what we crave,
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray.

Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray
Oh!
Step in time, bills in line,
March into the fray!
Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray
Oh!
Step in time, bills in line,
March into the fray!

I’m a fighting Marcher and a Marcher I’ll remain,
Fighting through our enemies and fighting through the pain,
We’ve got all to lose, but we’ve also got all to gain,
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray

Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way, oh!
Drag the field sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.

Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray
Oh!
Step in time, bills in line,
March into the fray! X2

I’m a fighting Marcher and a Marcher I’ll remain!

Drag The Field

Commission for Marcus Vine to commemorate a legend of the Empire LRP game setting: Tomothy Crowle and his fighting Hedgehogges - long may they fight the good fight.

LYRICS

My mother was a soldier,
My father was a drunk,
He told the old landlord to pour it faster.
Well it would be my luck,
That the two of them would fuck,
Now I’m a Marcher soldier and a bastard!

Singing aye, aye, aye,
Yeah we’ll fight until we die
And our enemies are gone forever more
(Forever more!)
Stacking bodies in the mud,
For the nation that we love,
We are the fighting Hedgehogges,
The bloody pricks of war!

My mother came to see me,
In the camp one day,
She’s served twenty years yeah she’s a sergeant.
My mate said she was hot,
I said you better not!
She’ll tie you up and use you for a target!

Singing aye, aye, aye,
Yeah we’ll fight until we die
And our enemies are gone forever more
(Forever more!)
Stacking bodies in the mud,
For the nation that we love,
We are the fighting Hedgehogges,
The bloody pricks of war!

The most beautiful shaft,
That I did ever see,
I dreamt that one day I’d get my hands on it.
I finally got my way,
I grasp it every day,
It’s the only one for me and it’s my billhook!

Singing aye, aye, aye,
Yeah we’ll fight until we die
And our enemies are gone forever more
(Forever more!)
Stacking bodies in the mud,
For the nation that we love,
We are the fighting Hedgehogges,
The bloody pricks of war! X2

Hedgehogge War Song

LYRICS

When I was just a bravo,
And yet to make my name,
I longed for reputation so I played the Reaper's game.

I drank and fought for money,
I doubled down for show,
And earned my reputation because:
You reap what you sow!

I'm a Crimson Reaper, I'm
Black and red and bloody fine,
Sing our tales of blood and wine,
Brash and bold until I die!

By blade or winter magic,
We take our weight in gold,
And live life hard and fast until the Reaper takes its toll.

By cutlass, coin or cunning
Our reputation grows!
Nothing given, always earned
'Cause you reap what you sow!

I'm a Crimson Reaper, I'm
Black and red and bloody fine,
Sing our tales of blood and wine,
Brash and bold until I die!

We're friends in every nation's eyes,
(I'm a Crimson Reaper, I'm!)
Packing thrones and rich in pride,
(I'm a Crimson Reaper, I'm!)
Drinking, fighting, shaking dice!
(I'm a Crimson Reaper, I'm!)
Dashing, daring, dressed so nice,
But cross us and you'll pay the price!

I'm a Crimson Reaper, I'm
Black and red and bloody fine,
Sing our tales of blood and wine,
Brash and bold until I die!

I'm a Crimson Reaper, aye!
Cross us and you'll pay the price!

Crimson Reapers

Original Song written for EMPIRE LARP

Lyrics

V1.
A storm is a' brewing 
On a far way shore 
I sit there perusing 
In a cloak you once wore

The cup in my hand
As a trickle of rain
Swallows the mainland
And eases the pain

Ch.
Call me young
And call me silly
To hold my tongue
You're far too pretty 

For fears to water 
Your kind soul
Oh sweet marauder 
You will be whole

V2.
His eyes were honey
His laughter was warm
The weather was sunny 
When we danced in the swarm

He offered me heaven
He promised me stars
He taught me a lesson
As he strummed his guitar

Ch.
Call me young
And call me silly
To hold my tongue
You're far too pretty 

For tears to water 
Your whole life 
Oh sweet marauder 
You will be fine 

V3. 

We found a small lighthouse
Covered in leaves
Repaired it and painted
Without expertise

We slept by the lantern
We rose with the sun
Whatever I'd wished for
I knew I had won

Ch.
Call me young
And call me silly
To hold my tongue
You're far too pretty 

For fears to water 
Your kind soul
Oh sweet marauder 
You will be whole

V4.
I woke up that morning
But he wasn't there
A letter forewarning
A storm in the air

He left me defenceless
All crumpled in white 
I thought we were endless 
In joy and in strife 

Ch.
Call me young
And call me silly
To hold my tongue
You're far too pretty 

For tears to water 
Your whole life 
Oh sweet marauder 
You will be fine 

V5.

I stayed in our lighthouse 
Awaited you there
Just riddled in my doubts
Of our sweet affair 

I pray to the ocean 
I pray to the shore
Though my heart might be broken
To see you once more 

Ch.
Call me young
And call me silly
To hold my tongue
You're far too pretty 

To hope for someone
To return 
Oh sweet marauder 
For you, I will burn

I will be young
I will be silly
My tongue is sharp 
And oh so pretty 

For I will wait
A whole lifetime 
//Oh sweet marauder 
I will be fine  x3//

Lighthouse - Empire LARP Song

Second attempt at recording one of my first ever songs. Still not entirely happy with the mix, but it makes for a fuller sound than the original "singing into my phone" version.

Nowhere I'd Rather Be (v2)

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

Wrote this one bloody ages ago, but it made its proper Anvil debut at E3 2023 during the Virtue's Roar performance. The recording lacks a certain something compared to the live performance (such as another 15 bards all playing along).

This is another one that started off as an idea for a filk that I couldn't actually make work, but i liked some of the lyrics i had and so I just rewrote the music around it. 

The sharp eyed/eared may hear the ghost of the original inspiration in the lyrics of the second verse, especially if they are of a musical theatre persuasion. ;) 

My thanks to Emma for providing the epic backing vocals for this one (and for the gift of the portable studio device it was recorded on).

I still suspect that the scream at the end is too much, but it continues to make me smile and so I'll continue doing it in the field whenever I have the voice to belt it out. 

FUN FACT: The final vocals for this were recorded in my car after I drove to the middle of a building site with my porta-studio as I was too self conscious to the shouty-screamy vocals at home where the entire neighbourhood would hear.

What We Came For

Kiss me

Ambient recordings from the larp Empire, by Profound Decisions

Empire 22

One Beat

A song of Vigilance. As of the end of E1, it has not yet been performed at Anvil due to a loss of voice on Friday night.

Although my softest song, it is also possibly the most barbaric in terms of musical stylings as I still find writing to style hard.

I See You (vigilance)

Award winning composer, sound designer and multi-instrumentalist based in Wiltshire, England - Silgor designs sound and music for use in television, film and video games.

Whilst adept at synthesiser programming and song writing in several genres, he is best known fantasy orchestral soundtracks and as a pioneer of "medieval tavern rock". His latest music offerings come include the album "Journey On" which helped to earn him the "Bard of the Year" award at the 2024 UK LARP awards following support from music and fantasy fans.

I Sing Of William Guildenstern

Silgor

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