Show us your domain entry for Vexdell
Excerpt From:
Roan Valgrim's
"Guide to the Middle Kingdom Volume 3 - Rhyddid and her Counties”
Most are familiar with the battle songs that were belted out enthusiastically during the time of bloodshed. The fall of the Empire of Xelias. When the mad king was cast down and a new kingdom arose from the ashes. That bloody age saw a great many peasant cast aside their farm tools and arm themselves.
One of the marching songs sung by bards in taverns across Alesia to this day is called: “The Rise”. Many regional variants exist, calling to local heroes or shared tragedies that were inflicted by Xelias during the many forced conscription or brutal punishments meted out. Of note is the recent trend for bards to insert lyrics regarding local lords should they fall out of favor with the masses.
Below is the most common variant, bereft of regional idiosyncrasies. It’s author is unknown seemingly to have risen up as an echo of the zeitgeist of that bloody era.
Rise now, rise now
sires of martyrs
Rise now, rise now,
Raise your banners high
Let them hear our cries
From lowlands low,
Twixt river and fenn
from peak to the vale
The Clarion call is sung
By the sweat of our brow
By the drum of our hearts
By the blood of our kin
We will never be slaves again
Rise now, rise now,
Mother's, Father's,
Rise now, rise now,
Son's and daughters,
Raise our voices high
Feel the rage of the forges
Do you hear the steel sing
Our swords will thirst for freedom
A land to call our home.
By the strength of our arms,
By the bite of our iron
By the song of our people
Who will not feel fear again
Rise now, rise now,
This is our solemn vow,
Our Clarion call
To our kin young and old
Let our drums beat,
Let our hearts sing
Until our blades drink deep
Of blue and gold.
Of note, is a unique regional variant found in the county of Vexdell. Home to the Crows, mortuary priests that distinguished themselves following the bloody reign of the empire by cleaning the battlefields, preventing contagion from spreading or vicious beasts from tasting Mann.
The passage below is sung as a dirge in response to uplifting marching song.
Rest now, rest now,
Oh soldiers come and gone
Rest now, rest now,
Lay down your arms,
Let your story be your grave
In the lands you have won.
Rest now, rest now,
Strayed spirits of war,
Rest now, rest now,
Upheld, the vow you swore,
Your country won,
Your blood the price,
Rest now oh menn of war.
Blue and gold
Spilled and cold
Silenced be, the song
Of madness and treachery.
Rest now, rest now,
You are finally home,
Let the living carry your song
In the grave of cities,
In the city of graves,
Beneath hallowed Halls of stone
Rest now, rest now,
Your time has come
Your work is done
Lay down your banners,
Slaked swords, amid broken shields,
Rest now, rest now,
In Heaven's memory
Publisher's Note:
The County name of Vexdell is is referenced in maps of old, during Valgrim's initial research, it appears that the county has since petitioned their duchess in the effort of updating new maps with a new name. For posterity Vexdell has not been renamed in this published paper.
