Ballads Of A New Empire

[Aetosion 2062]

A large hard-back score book can be found in the Imperial library, the office of the Chamberlain, or the literary collection of the Church. On its cover is embossed the words, "Ballads of the New Empire". It is a thick volume and is larger in length and width than an average book, and if opened would fall open to a page of parchment with musical scores and lyrics written upon each page, illuminated around the edges with images of soldiers, sparrows, and various iconography of the empire. Flipping through the first several pages, you would read through the following choral compositions with short notes on origin prefixing each.

 

Transcription, Notation, and Illumination funded by the August, Imperial Chamberlain Edward Winter II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fleet of Peter

 

Penned by the August, Imperial Chamberlain Edward Winter II, 1456

((Original lyrics written as poem, optional tune of O'er the Hills and Far Away, anthologized in Thomas D'Urfey's Wit and Mirth: Or Pills to Purge Melancholy))

 

 

"Look out to sea," the poor man said,

Stopping short of begging bread,

"See the banners of men thought dead!"

"Gold and black, and white and red."

 

"Look ye, look ye, 'cross the foamy sea,"

"The good god brings my emp'ror back to me!"

"Banners of red and black light aflame with glee!"

"The king of kings Peter sails back to thee!"

 

"Raise the imperial banners high!"

"Let black sparrow fly in golden sky."

"Let the old dragon the name Peter cry,"

"And may Oren and emp'ror never die."

 

"Look out to sea," the poor man said,

Stopping short of begging bread,

"See the banners of men thought dead!"

"Gold and black, and white and red."

 

"Look ye, look ye, 'cross the foamy sea,"

"The good god brings my emp'ror back to me!"

"Banners of red and black light aflame with glee!"

"The king of kings Peter sails back to thee!"

 

"Raise the imperial banners high!"

"Let black sparrow fly in golden sky."

"Let the old dragon the name Peter cry,"

"And may Oren and emp'ror never die."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Men of Oren

 

Penned by the August, Imperial Marshal Vibius de Sola, 1459

((Parody of Men of Harlech, from the Musical and Poetical Relics of the Welsh Bards, Anthologized by Edward Jones, London 1784))

 

 

Tongues of fire on Idris flaring,

News of foe men near declaring,

To heroic deeds of daring,

Call you, Oren men.

 

Groans of wounded peasants dying,

Wails of wives and children flying,

For the distant succour crying,

Call you, Oren Men.

 

Shall the voice of wailing,

Now be unavailing,

You to rouse, who never yet

In battle's hour were failing?

 

This our answer, crowds down pouring,

Swift as winter torrents roaring.

Not in vain the voice imploring,

Calls on Oren men.

 

Loud the martial pipes are sounding,

Every manly heart is pounding,

As our trusted chief surrounding,

March we, Oren men.

 

Short the sleep the foe is taking;

Ere the morrow's morn is breaking,

They shall have a rude awakening,

Roused by Oren Men.

 

Mothers, cease your weeping,

Calm may be your sleeping,

You and yours in safety now,

The Oren men are keeping.

 

Ere the sun is high in heaven,

They you fear, by panic riven,

Shall, like frightened sheep, be driven,

Far, by Oren men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Battle of Haelun'or Gate

 

Penned by "Edward the Bastard", 1460

((Original lyrics, tune of the Riordan Quartet's "Medieval Drum Dance"))

 
 

The great Vibius waited behind the gates of Haelun'or ready to kill,

Albrecht charged gallantly behind the enemy, their blood he would spill,

"Sally men! Charge!" cried Vibius and his men charged out down the hill,

Albrecht's men broke the enemy who's blood did chill!

 

Many a foe men fell and died,

And the sons of humanity were covered in blood dried,

"Ave Chivay, Ave Orenia!" the men cried!

 

The cowardly enemy broke their ranks,

Leaving their comrades to die on the banks,

For this Oren's men gave thanks!

 

It was a great victory that day,

For Oren's children kept the enemy at bay,

Though many a good man on the field lay,

It was a glorious death to die in the fray!

 

More compositions would follow...

[Aetosion 2062]

[Reserved]

[Aetosion 2062]

[Reserved]

[Devland99 180]

The Orenian Army marches towards Kal'Arkon for a skirmish listening to these tunes

[calculusdesola 1658]

"God bless the heroic Orenian peoples."

[Malaise 1570]

"Mayhaps the bards of the Imperium Tertius shall grace the taverns of the realm with such glorious ballads," Mutters the young Lord Rhys, as he returns to his martime studies, humming The Fleet of Peter to himself.

[Basil of Sabris 112]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8mjRxkMBkE

 

The Tears of Herendul

 

Penned by Ludovico of Ardvale, 1459.

 

Oh, oh ho, oh ho, oh ho,

 

The silver snowflake shines at night,

Their blue-grey banners a terrible sight,

Field and fountain, moor and mountain,

The sinful snowflakes run from the fight,

 

‘We don’t much like our Carrion king,’

‘We ought to slay him, chaos we’ll bring’,

‘We fear no rebuke, I’ll be archduke,’

‘We’ll endure by kissing John’s ring,’

 

‘O, we won’t call it treason, we’ll call it just,’

‘Even though we’ve lost the world’s trust,’

Power-hungry, power-greedy,

‘Our secret swords will never rust,’

 

But now the sparrow’s taken the crown,

And John of Darfey has been cast down,

What says the snowflake, ready to break,

‘We’re loyal to no priest in a gown,’

 

‘O, we won’t call it treason, we’ll call it just,’

‘Even though we’ve lost the world’s trust,’

Power-hungry, power-greedy,

‘Our secret swords will never rust,’

 

Soon the snowflake will melt for good,

Their plotting nature understood,

Where will they go, what will they do?

Flee back to Old John, if they could.

 

‘We’re sorry Father, for we have sinned,’

‘Our fealty to you has been thinned,’

Alleluia, alleluia,

The crow will leave them skinned,

 

O, we’ll call it treason, call it crime,

For House Winter, the bells will chime,

Death to Harold, death to Edward,

Away, begone with snowflake’s slime.

[Birdwhisperer 1174]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.