Navarr and Empire

Wonderlust

Those Who Wander

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 Navarr Running Song.  I even created characters in my head for the four singers  with very different voices, because... you know... roleplayer.  I think doing this helped to keep the sound ugly and brutal.

Call
As Thorn. As Thorn. Navarri fight as Thorn.

Response 1 (repeated after each line)
As Thorn. As Thorn. Navarri fight as Thorn.

Calls
As Thorn. As Thorn. Navarri fight as Thorn.

In the day or in the night we take our victory.
In the dark or in the light we're running through the trees.

Sure and swift, our arrows fly.
Upon our spears, all will die.

Know no mercy, heed no plea.
You cannot betray your enemy.

The blood will flow!

Response 2 (repeated after each line)
The blood will flow!

Calls
The blood will flow!

From the wounds of our foes!
From the wounds of our foes!

Their guts we'll spill!
With every kill!

KILL! KILL! KILL!
KILL! KILL! KILL!

As Thorn. As Thorn. Navarri fight as Thorn.

Response 1 (repeated after each line)
As Thorn. As Thorn. Navarri fight as Thorn.

Calls
As Thorn. As Thorn. Navarri fight as Thorn.

Know no mercy, heed no plea.
You cannot betray your enemy.

As Thorn. As Thorn. Navarri fight as Thorn.
As Thorn. As Thorn. Navarri fight as Thorn.

Thorn Battle Cadence

A very silly Malhann track first played at Empire E2 2023. Joined by Tarik (Andrew Ruddick) on the guitar and extra vocal flavour. To the bards of Empire : you rock. To the patrons of the bards of Empire: you rock more. 

Pay your f****ing bard

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

A song for star-crossed lovers, will-they wont-theys and passing ships in the night.

LYRICS

I met with a cambion
Was she Marcher or a Freeborn?
I don't know.

She looked in disguise,
But still her eyes invited me,
To see her show.

She told me she was leaving then she'd gone
If don't find the words to say then I would sing this song:

Come my love let's away together,
Dance all night for the world to see,
Tip our tankards in every bar,
So come, come and run away with me!

We'll up Highguard, down to Wintermark,
Then hit Navarr where the drink's on me
Take my hand 'cause the night's not over,
Come, come and run away with me!

I asked her "what's your poison?"
She said "Something with a taste you can't ignore"

I asked her what's her fancy
She said "Something that'll leave me wanting more"

She told she me was leaving then she'd gone
If I don't tell her how I feel, I'll never live this down.

Come my love let's away together,
Dance all night for the world to see,
Tip our tankards in every bar,
So come, come and run away with me!

We'll up Highguard, down to Wintermark,
Then hit Navarr where the drink's on me
Take my hand 'cause the night's not over,
Come, come and run away with me!

I'll never live this down...

Come my love let's away together,
Dance all night for the world to see,
Tip our tankards in every bar,
So come, come and run away with me!

We'll up Highguard, down to Wintermark
Then hit Navarr where the drink's on me
Take my hand 'cause the night's not over,
Come, come and run away with me!

Journey On

Come And Run Away With Me

A track to commemorate the deeds of a nation unsung in its altruism and loyalty: the Imperial Orcs - so may their nation sing this song to remind their neighbours, allies and foes that they are always a force to be reckoned with.

LYRICS

Ancestors, oh hear my deeds,
This is what the orcs have done for thee,
Died in Zenith to provide retreat,
First into the fray and the last to leave,
Give our weight in resource and steel,
Ball of death on the battlefield,
Loyal to the throne as a promise made
Loyalty’s a chain that an orc can’t break

When the singing caves were tamed,
All of the resources the Marches claimed,
“Share the wealth” said those in Dawn,
Arguing until the point of civil war,
Then the orcs said “fight no more”,
We will share the wealth of the brilliant shore,
So the Empire gets resource,
Price been paid by Imperial Orcs

We’re the loyal steel of the Empire’s stone
And we’ll break the bones of the Empire’s foes
Died in war to protect the throne,
So we earn our place in the Empire’s home
Nations fight over land and greed
We will give our wealth for the Empire’s peace
Blood unbroken in loyalty
This what the orcs have done for thee

Empire nations hear my deeds:
This is what the orcs have done for thee!
Mustered armies, mustered fleets,
Saved poor souls from the Feroz sea,
Freeborn who were trapped ashore,
Told by orcs they could come aboard,
Circumventing the Grendel threat,
Saved by orcs from the Grendel net!

Once we struck a pale orc down,
Looted back a treasured crown.
Though the treasure earned was ours,
We gave it back to Wintermark,
When the time came to repay,
We turned and looked the other way,
But the Markers’ won’t say no,
So they gifted Skarsind as our home!

We’re the loyal steel of the Empire’s stone
And we’ll break the bones of the Empire’s foes
Died in war to protect the throne,
So we earn our place in the Empire’s home
Nations fight over land and greed
We will give our wealth for the Empire’s peace
Blood unbroken in loyalty
This what the orcs have done for thee

Ancestors, oh hear our call!
We are orcs Imperial!
Few in number we stand tall,
Fighting for the nations we call home.
First in, last out is our creed
Charging to the front for loyalty.
Stoic in our deeds are we,
This is what the orcs have done for thee!

We’re the loyal steel of the Empire’s stone
And we’ll break the bones of the Empire’s foes
Died in war to protect the throne,
So we earn our place in the Empire’s home
Nations fight over land and greed
We will give our wealth for the Empire’s peace
Blood unbroken in loyalty
This what the orcs have done for thee

Ancestors, oh hear our call!
We are orcs Imperial!

Hear Our Call

A better version - or more accurately a remixed version done using Reaper.

Lyrics:

Verse 1
Long ago there was a mage,
A master of the night,
who sought Sadogua's might.

And to his arts he would slave,
But while he was away,
His wife, she loved to play,

With all the men, they say,
Throughout the night, and into the day.


Chorus
Lord Sadogua,
Give sustenance and praise.
Step into his domain,
And he'll amaze.

Lord Sadogua,
Gives succulence sublime.
Surrender to his sight.
And slowly slide.

Into the night... night... night... (slowly slide)
Into the night... night... night...

Verse 2
And so the mage, he made a pact:
All secrets be unsealed,
All mysteries revealed.

But when he caught her in the act,
He flew into a rage,
And screamed he was betrayed.

That this was kept from him,
Made him a foe of the Toad King.

Chorus
Bridge
The mage he learnt every ritual and spell,
To enter the night realm,
And overwhelm.

With untold magics, he traveled there alone,
And broke The Black Beasts throne,
All on his own.

But the brother of Wizards said, “Wait!
Look at the power you drew with your hate.
Though you insult me by coming here, still
This was my plan so I bare no ill will.
You got what you wanted, so why bare ill will?

Chorus

Verse 3
Of course, the mage he did reverse,
And The Black Sloth with a laugh
Gave him a magic staff.

But the staff, it bore a curse.
When the mage got home,
It flayed him to the bone.

For the Wyrm-King had lied,
And so the mage, he painfully died...

(Written by Jamie Wakefield)

Lord Sadogua

This song is written for and by the regulars of the drunken goose

The Drunken Goose

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

This was recorded at my home. I need to add bass drum and some more guitars, but I wanted to show the work in the progress.

Lyrics:

Wait, silent, and still.
Kneel, watching, ready for the kill.
Feel, the forest, beneath you.
Wait, we're holding, hidden from view.

It's time. There's a sign, from the left,
And we're moving.
Rise, from the ground, with no sound,
And we're making our way.
And we're picking up pace.
The touch, on your skin, of the leaves,
As they brush past your face
And we're picking up pace
Aware, the front lines, of both sides,
Have begun to engage,
But we're moving,
And we're sneaking,
And we're flanking.

The crunch, of a twig, on the floor,
It seems deafening.
The whip of the trees on our sides
But we've not been seen yet,
But we're picking up pace.
Catch, the first sight, on the right,
As their moving in place.
And we're picking up pace.
To stop, and disrupt, interrupt,
All their strategy and planning,
And we're moving,
And we're running,
And we're flanking.
Flanking.

Charge! We're running.
Whistling wind as the arrows are flying.
Charge! We're running.
Screaming out threats as the bloodlust is filling,
Our minds.
And we're picking up pace.
The fear, in their eyes, as their caught, by surprise, 
As we're running, 
And we're leaping
And we're bursting out the wood,
Spears colliding.

Duck, to the left, block the right.
Keep on moving.
Thrust, to the chest, and their lives,
You have taken away.
And they can't match our pace.
Weaving our way, through their lines,
Bringing death in our wake.
And we're picking up pace.
Sever, and break and dismember and take
Now we're leaving.
And we're running.
And we're breathing.
And returning to our wait...

...silent, and still.
Kneel, watching, ready for the kill.

Flank Attack From The Forest

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

This song was originally written as part of my 30 day songwriting challenge raising money for Bardfest 2016 - and was first uploaded on Day 11 of the challenge. The challenge was by John Gathercole and it was to write a song entitled "Eagles over Therunin" which was to be set in the Empire LRP gameworld and be about Eagles seeing a massacre of Orc barbarians perpetuated by the nation of Navarr.

This is version 2.  The lyrics have changed since earlier versions.


Lyrics:

Verse 1
When the wind, in the South
Blows across the peaks of Morrow
See the eagles setting out
Gliding down into the bayou

There they soar, there they hunt,
For the snakes and eels they're fishing
But there's something in the swamp,
That they never were expecting

Chorus
Eagles, they’re gliding
And Eagles, they’re soaring
And Eagles, they’re climbing
For they are, flying over, 
Flying,

Over the fighting,
And over the falling
And over the dying
For they are, flying over,
Therunin.

Verse 2
There’s Navarr, in the trees
And they swing across the river
To a group of upon their knees
Waiting for their foes to follow

And the sound of the screams
Echoes to the cloudy heavens
Oh how strange this scene must be
To the eagles o’er Therunin

Chorus

Verse 3
There a flash, a sunlit blade.
There a spurt of blood projecting
Out across the sunken glade
Stains the mangrove deeply drinking

There it falls, and it sinks
As the arrows they are flying
Draws the creatures of the creak
Who will soon of orc be dining.

Chorus

Bridge
Through & through, Therunin
(repeated)
 
Chorus

Verse 4
When the wind, in the South
Blows across the swamps tomorrow
Breaks the stillness all around
And the silence in the bayou.

For the orcs, they have run
And the dead are disappearing
Fodder for the beasts and bugs
Soon the eagles will be feasting.

Eagles Over Therunin

Gabrielle_Joanne_-_Trees_of_Liathaven.m4a

A song to remind the Navarr that we have had great victories in Liathaven and we will one day again. Big thanks to The Norths for backing vocals/shouting ;) and backing vocals & drumming from Chris North.
IC names will be edited in when I know the spellings of them all...

7000 Thorns (original)

Ambient recordings from the larp Empire, by Profound Decisions

Empire 22

Swamp Theme

One Beat

Ambient recordings from the larp Empire, by Profound Decisions.

Original song by Idwyn Splitroot (Gabrielle Falquero).

Call to the Labyrinth

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

Painted

It's late, your campfire crackling against the sounds of the woods, a full drinking horn in one hand, and a drum at your feet. Your maps are spread out before you as you plan your way through the trods, avoiding Vallorn, orcs, and monsters.

Trodwalker

Work in progress.  Lyrics may change.   Will probably re-record and re-mix bits. This is version 4.

Lyrics:

Intro
We run fast and we stride,
And we run fast and we hunt,
And we run fast and we strike,
And we run fast and they hit the ground.
(repeat)

Chorus
We run and we… STRIDE!
(repeat)

Verse 1
Navarri, Grey Pilgrims, the 
time is soon nearing to stride.

(For the) feel of the trods, grants us
Magical purpose and pride.

When we,
walk with our stridings, we,
Fulfill a driving need,
To see our destiny,
End the Vallorn.

(Each) Morning we rise, and we’re
Revitalised,
And headily cry to the sky...

Chorus

Verse 2
(As we) cross the whole Empire there’s,
so much to learn and to see.

(Like the) Tombs of Necropolis
Witness our shared history

Or maybe we’ll journey far,
Into the Northern dark,
Well beyond Volodmartz,
Through Otkodov 

We fear not The Mallum, nor
Kalsea’s Jotun, so
Muster your courage and pride!

Chorus

Verse 3 (extended)
When the Bayous of Therunin,
Urge us to go out and roam…

When the Gold groves of Miaren,
Wave us good luck on the road…

Let’s go to Medruga.
Tassato, Segura,
to Weirwater, Semmerholm,
to Bastion.

To Kahraman and Bregasland
and on to Temeschwar  
To Kallavesa, Miekarova,
Casinea.  Still we’re roving 

North from Hercynia ,
West from Liathaven,
East from Brocéliande.
We walk the trods,

Through… Feroz, Reikos, Sarvos, Karov
Astolat or down to Morrow,
Sermersuaq, Hahnmark, Anvil
Ossium and all The Barrens

Mitwold, Mournwold, Upwold, Spiral
Skarsind, Holberg, Zenith, Redoubt,
Karsk.

Chorus x2

Outro
We run fast and we stride,
And we run fast and we hunt,
And we run fast and we strike,
And we run fast and they hit the ground.
We run fast and we stride
We run… and stride...stride...stride…

Navarr and Empire

Emily Rey