The days pass by like drops of rain,
The full moons go and come again.
In endless slaughter, drawn-out wars
We pass the seconds, minutes, hours.
Or do you ever pause to think,
And rest your feet and have a drink,
And listen to a gleeman's song?
If not, you do yourself a wrong.

I've been too long a-wandering, and now
My path has led me here. I don't know how
Or why this byway came to bring me here, nor
What my chief pursuit in these dark lands was for.

I'm tired--joints ache, limbs sore, my eyes
Have seen too much, ears heard the cries
Of too many fallen friends and foes.
A deep weariness this old soldier knows.

For each comrade-in-arms who now is dead
A memory has risen in his stead;
My column is now half of phantoms made,
And whispers we trade,
Shadows dealing words of life gone by
While ravens o'er us soar the twilight sky.

There's a silver sail on a golden bay
Where the sun lays down to rest.
There my love, eyes bright as the twin full moons
Sojourns in the distant west.
Not a day has passed since he sailed away
That I haven't shed a tear-
Not for sorrow's sake, neither for heartache,
But an offering for my dear.
They are salty prayers to the Ocean Lord,
Might Uthlin, King of Seas,
That he calm the waves of the golden bay
That he rein the gusting breeze,
That the silver sails bring my dearest home,
Back to green Alensha's shore,
And then hand in hand, shall my love and I
Thank the Sea-King evermore.

On a full-moon night by the firelight
Sat an old hill troll in his hillside hole,
Till he heard a sound and his eyes they found
On a nearby pass a young human lass.
On a nearby pass a young human lass.

From his hole he crept, on the girl he leapt,
And I needn't tell how the lady fell,
How she quickly died and her corpse was fried
On the old troll's fire that became her pyre.
On the old troll's fire that became her pyre.

But a strange thing then when the feast began
And the troll's first bite didn't taste quite right-
No, it had the taste of a muddy paste
Or a maggot stew where a fungus grew.
Or a maggot stew where a fungus grew.

'Twas shuddeni meat that the troll did eat,
With the bitter taste of the eyeless race,
And he slept that night in a sort of fright
At the moonlight's trick and his head so thick.
At the moonlight's trick and his head so thick.

Next day in the sun had the troll begun
To review the loot from the night's pursuit.
There were rings, and some silken underthings,
But he found no more for his treasure-store.
But he found no more for his treasure-store.

Then he scratched his chin with a sheepish grin,
Feeling somewhat heady, he put on the teddy!
Like a wound-up squirrel, he spinned a twirl--
The silk underclothes had a smell of rose.
The silk underclothes had a smell of rose.

Then the hill troll laughed, and he said, "I have
To go to the spring, and check out this thing!"
So he leapt and bound o'er the rugged ground
Running smooth and swift in the silken shift.
Running smooth and swift in the silken shift.

Most unlike a troll from a hillside knoll,
To the spring he sprang as his laughter rang
But it died right then when he looked down in--
The reflection there gave the troll a scare!
The reflection there gave the troll a scare!

'Twas the human girl with her teeth like pearl
And her dark blue eyes opened with surprise!
At the shocking site the troll slipped in fright
And he fell below, down into the flow.
And he fell below, down into the flow.

There he nearly drowned in the silken gown,
Till by luck the hem snagged a drooping limb
And he clambered out with a girlish pout,
And his head confused, feeling like he'd boozed.
And his head confused, feeling like he'd boozed.

As the weeks would pass since he ate the lass
With the nasty taste of the eyeless race,
He would oft-times dare, in the underwear,
To go prance around like a giddy clown.
To go prance around like a giddy clown.

Why, he didn't know, but his heart would grow
Full of strange emotion, like a stormy ocean--
When he wore the shift all his cares would lift,
And his heart would swirl, like a giddy girl.
And his heart would swirl, like a giddy girl.

Over time he dared to stay underweared,
And to walk around near a human town
Spying on the folk from behind an oak
Thinking how they'd taste with a butter baste.
Thinking how they'd taste with a butter baste.

On Quickening Day as the troll did stray
Near the human town in his silken gown,
He heard sounds and noise, many girls and boys
Singing lusty tunes to the stars and moons.
Singing lusty tunes to the stars and moons.

It had been awhile since he'd eaten in style
And he couldn't resist sneaking in their midst,
Joining in the the song of the frenzied throng
To select a youth that would suit his tooth,
To select a youth that would suit his tooth.

But to his suprise, widening both his eyes
When the songs did end and the rites begin,
A young lad drew near, whispered in his ear,
Saying come with me, here behind this tree.
Saying come with me, here behind this tree.

The troll smiled wide as he laughed inside
At the youth's desire, in his eyes like fire,
So he said "Why not? Let's see what you've got."
And he leaped and bound out beyond the town,
And he leaped and bound out beyond the town.

Finally stopped the rush in the underbrush
Where the youth and he had their privacy
And he turned and smiled at the lad so riled,
Waiting to embrace, now they'd run the race.
Waiting to embrace, now they'd run the race.

When 'twas time to lift up the silk shift
The lad cried aloud like a thundercloud
Instead of the girl with the teeth like pearl
'Twas the hairy troll from the hillside knoll.
'Twas the hairy troll from the hillside knoll.

If this song be true that I sing to you,
And a message bear for the wise to share,
Then you should take care if you think to bear
Or to try your fare in strange underwear.
Or to try your fare in strange underwear.

And you lads think right, come Quickening night
When the young folk play in the ancient way,
And you meet a girl with her teeth like pearl
And her darkling eyes telling you sweet lies.
And her darkling eyes telling you sweet lies.

Gone with the morning sun's first feather light,
The silent twins, like crystal spheres of seers
Grow faint, their stately dance hid from our sight.
The plains are wet with dew that hangs like tears
On tender blades of green, and golden spears.
The wheel-creaks and the footsteps soon dispell
What stories Arien's eventide would tell--
The west wind's whispered hints of woodland dreams
And silver-blue Dantaron's lullabies.
The swirls of wayside dust suffuse the beams
That emanate from towered eastern skies.

Icicle-quick, the Brintor frost
Paints somber pines a freezing white.
Boughs bend, following the ritual
Of acknowledging winter's weight,
Limbering for a truer mountain winter.
Hill giants in grizzled furs hunch down,
Form yellow-toothed bearded scowls
As the mountain slopes are secreted away,
Brown earth hidden under the pale chill.
Wrapping wolf-cloaks close, they dream
Giants' dreams by fires, dreams of warmer days,
A crush, a howl, a crunch below their clubs.
Soldiers steam-curse on Krilin's high watch,
As hoary frost invades the walk-worn stone.
The hollow sounds of steps in cold armor
Slip down from the battlement,
Fall to the courtyard.
All eyes are on the peaked horizon,
Ever vigilant for the rescue of the sun.

They slipped from southlands in shadow's dark,
Saliva streamed from their sharp-teethed maws--
From Sythtys' swamps came the silent hordes,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

From Nordath's keep came the quiet hosts,
Nine-hundred knights and their noble steeds--
With water templars to stay, watch guard,
The walls of Nordath to e'er defend.

The cavalry all in crimson clothed,
Brandished banners, the blue-winged hawk--
Their lances gleamed in glowing light,
The walls of Nordath to e'er defend.

The forces clashed on the flatland's fields,
Flames of srryn-fire filled the flats
And panicked steeds of the Nordath knights,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

The knights of Nordath in disarray
Were beaten down, their banners burned--
The Sythtys' spawn nine-hundred slayed,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

Supplies srryn didn't have need to bring,
The carnage they ate with the carrion crows--
From Sythtys' heart came the hungry hordes,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

2
The red-scaled raiders rounded the walls,
The air rang out with their rageful roars--
From Sythtys' deeps surged the screaming hordes,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

All snarling, scaling the age-worn stone,
Their hooks and ladders in cruel claws--
From Sythtys' swamps swarmed the raiding hordes,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

The black-hearts fell to the blizzard blasts
From templars tall on the towering walls--
They shone like stars in their auras white,
The walls of Nordath to e'er defend.

The srryn's fierce templars of fire stepped forth,
They flourished swords as their flamestrikes flew--
Flames crackled as they clashed with ice,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

The fire and frost-blasts filled the air--
When steam and spark-lights the wind awayed,
A single templar on siege-walls stood,
The walls of Nordath to e'er defend.

3
Stood Serdon Shieldmark, the son of Srehld
In sole defiance of srryn-fire strong--
His flail he flourished with fearless force,
The walls of Nordath to e'er defend.

On wings of flame rose the floating foe,
Thensith, Srryn-Lord of Sythtys' thralls--
His toothed trident with blood-taint dripped,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

The flail turned trident, and trident flail
As parried, the pierces and pummels proved--
An hour the sun saw Shieldmark strive,
The walls of Nordath to e'er defend.

Till fall did Thensith from flaming wings,
All ice-blast injured, and ichored wounds--
To srryn below, who the struggle saw,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

Then shout did Shieldmark, the son of Srehld,
as black darts pierced him from beasts below--
malicious the missiles, with poison maimed,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

4
None now stood on the Nordath walls,
to turn the tide of the reptile tribe--
The broken gate, breached by battering rams,
The walls of Nordath were overcome.

The Nordath folk, in their fright and fear,
Like sheep were slaughtered, the srryn spared none--
They feasted freely on Nordath flesh,
The walls of Nordath were overcome.

They searched for corpse of the slain Shieldmark,
hung high his head on the banner pole--
Then srryn did songs to the Swamp God hiss,
The walls of Nordath were overcome.

The ruins remain of the rent stone walls,
But memory fades, is forgotten by folk,
of blue-winged hawk, and the battle bold,
The walls of Nordath to overcome.

a thin concealed blade
a quick clean thrust in the gut
make anguish flower

a bodiless head
atop a pile of entrails
sweetly sickening

accusing choirs
in harmony surround me
they're screaming murder

I am innocent
their accusations empty
there was no witness

In memory of Avendar's finest bandit.

  Chorus:
Oh Dyrck was a mighty bandit king,
A Raider through and through--
He could waylay anything,
And uppercut it, too.

1
Now once he went to Earendam
To visit with a whore,
He got lost in the catacombs,
And sadly, didn't score.
(chorus)

2
He travelled to the griffin cliffs
To get a lightning sword,
He left with great haste, to be sure,
Chased by a feathered horde.
(chorus)

3
He travelled to the northern lands
and walked the Titan's halls,
He peeked into a prison there,
Khil'ayum slashed his -----.
(chorus)

4
He visited the Giant town
To learn the giants' ways,
He met a love-sick giantess
And stayed for several days.
(chorus)

5
He flew the clouds of Enrien
To catch the scenic view,
He riled the lightning elements,
Was blasted near in two.

After lights grow soft and dim
The Shadow Chuckler strides the wall--
His darkling whisper droll and grim,
Some hear him oft, some not at all.

He stretches forth his fingers gray,
His sillhouetted eye irate--
And counts the tally of the day,
The empty cups beside my plate.

  Chorus:
We'll dance our nights in the twin moonlights
And strum on the lute till mornin'.
We'll stamp our feet to the wild-wood beat
And dance with the bears of Goran.

1
Young Elberdine loves Eril wine
And fancies he's a drinker,
But keep him away from firespray
Or he'll wind up in the clinker.
(follow with chorus)

2
A srryn and his shuddeni friend
Were boozing over dice.
They had to sneer at the poisoned beer,
The srryn said, "That tastes nice!"
(chorus)

3
Old man Nit found a maglat pit
And poked his head down in,
The maglat ate the duffer's pate,
But left the double chin.
(chorus)

4
A friendly bard went to Gogoth's yard,
To do some heroic labor,
He sang aloud to the zombie crowd
"Please won't you be my neighbor!"
(chorus)

5
They say Lord Falirn's rather gay,
And likes his guards in tights.
The new guards learn to take their turn
In Falirn's pillow fights.
(chorus)

6
You may suppose a titan's nose
Is shorter than a dragon's,
I've seen them both and by my oath
They'd both look fine on wagons.
(chorus)

7
Now don't you say the song we play
Is frivolous and folly,
You'll soon be humming with the tune,
And sing it in the holly.
(chorus)