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)

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

Dedicated to two of the best troublemakers the Marches will ever know. You'll never have more fun, but you'll never get in more trouble - totally worth it.

LYRICS

First up is a firecracker,
Feisty to the tee,
She's the girl with all the gifts,
Oh she's the Marcher known as Bree

And she's a troublemaker mind,
Oh I'll make you mind,

She's dealt with cads and murderers,
She'll put you in your place,
She jumped first into the senate,
To punch Fisher in the face,

She's a troublemaker mind.

She's a troublemaker I will make you mind her,
Beauty and her mischief is entwined,
Can't resist that fire in her face that's,
Ambition and love and pride.

But you better get in line,

Second is an entity of passion and of soul,
She's a buxom mischief maker,
but she's better known as Coal,

And she's a troublemaker mind,
Oh I'll make you mind,

She's got suitors lining up for her from,
Freeborn unto Dawn,
Oh her smile could sell you anything,
But mostly sells you porn,

She's a troublemaker mind.

She's a troublemaker I will make you mind her,
Beauty and her mischief is entwined,
Can't resist that fire in her face that's,
Ambition and love and pride.

But you better get in line.

She's a troublemaker make you mind, out (out)
x (a lot)

Oh their merry mischief making,
Is a sight unto behold,
Put the two of them together,
and shenanigans unfold,

Because they're troublemakers mind,
Oh I'll make you mind,

Their laughter's like a potion,
That'll make you misbehave,
All the fun and games and laughter,
Save yourself 'fore it's too late!

Cause they're troublemakers mind!

They're both troublemakers I will make you mind their,
Beauty and her mischief is entwined,
Can't resist that fire in their faces that's,
Ambition and love and pride.

But they're still troublemakers mind...

Troublemaker

Wassail might be over, but it comes back again next time. It's only goodbye until it's good morning - Merry Christmas and Wassail!

LYRICS

Marcher-folk, where else do I start?
When Coal and Bree they lead the festive charge
To sing Wassail from Highguard to the Mark
A time for joy where the Marchers show their hearts

But now the songs have stopped
And the nights are growing dark
But the heart yet beats the start...
Of one more song.

Wassail is over
But my love's forever
Wassail is over
But I'll be back again next time

I belong with you, and you belong with me.
And we belong with thee.

To the marching drum, unto the day is done
Sing along with me.

Festival of love, and festival of song,
And festival of glee.

Sing a song of home and dance around with me,
O sing along with me.

I miss it all so much,
Now the nights are growing dark,
But the heart yet beats the start...
Of one more song.

Wassail is over
But my love's forever
Wassail is over
But I'll be back again next time
Wassail is over
But my love's forever
Wassail is over
But I'll be back again next time

I'll miss you all so much,
And the nights are growing dark,
But the heart yet beats the start...
Of one more song.

Wassail is over
But my love's forever
Wassail is over
But I'll be back again next time
Wassail is over
But my love's forever
Wassail is over
But I'll be back again next time
I swear I'll don my mask and,
Bring Wassail to you

I belong with you and you belong with me
We belong with... (repeat)

(It's not goodbye, til it's good morning time)

Wassail Is Over

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)

Dig your heels in and fight hard for what you deserve.

LYRICS

I see smoke within your hearts,
And I see courage, I see fear.
Through the gate and unto battle,
For the lives that you hold dear,

This is my call - The call to arms,
This is my call - The call to arms,

Unto dust and and unto violence,
We will give them no reprieve,
Hold the line now, come together,
For the Empire we believe!

This is my call - The call to arms,
This is my call - The call to arms,

Hold the line on the field,
Hold together, never yield and,
Dig your heels in, oh yeah,
We're digging down!
We're digging down!

Nations come together to spill blood for shared belief,
When the council disregards us we will stand and grit out teeth,

This is my call - The call to arms,
This is our call - The call to arms,

They can talk of grace and virtue while we're broken on the wheel,
They cans tack the coins in Anvil as we die out in the field,

But we still go - We go to war,
This is our call - The call to arms

Hold the line on the field,
Hold together, never yield and,
Dig your heels in, oh yeah,
We're digging down!
Watch the cold enemy,
Come and break on my belief,
Dig your heels in, oh yeah,
We're digging down!
We're digging down...

You can push me til I'm broken,
You can cut me and I bleed,
You can beat me, you can break me,
But you won't take my belief!

I won't give up, I won't give in,
We're digging down, we're digging in
(x4)
We're digging down, we're digging in
(x7)
We're digging down!

Digging Down

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.

Wheel Keeps Turning (Prosperity)

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.