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Offline Achkaerin

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The Chorus of Life
« on: April 12, 2022, 04:14:24 PM »
The Chorus of Life is written by Phoebe Wolfe, the youngest Queen of Songs in the history of the Cult of Namis, the book contains the words, music and history of Achkaerinese songs from the national anthem and provincial anthems to the favourites of the Edelweiss festival and folk songs. Song has long been a popular medium in Achkaerin, typically seen on Footlights Avenue where the home of Musical Theatre is or in the concert halls across the nation but before we had songs telling of how fictional characters wrestled with many things, we had songs that tell of what happened in ages gone by.

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2022, 05:17:49 PM »
I Vow to Thee My Country

I vow to thee, my country,
all earthly things above,
entire and whole and perfect,
the service of my love;

the love that asks no question,
the love that stands the test,
that lays upon the altar
the dearest and the best;

The love that never falters,
the love that pays the price,
the love that makes undaunted
the final sacrifice.

And there's another country,
I've heard of long ago,
most dear to them that love her,
most great to them that know;

We may not count her armies,
we may not see her King,
her fortress is a faithful heart,
her pride is suffering;

And soul by soul and silently
her shining bounds increase,
and her ways are ways of gentleness,
and all her paths are peace.

Where better to start than with the National Anthem I Vow to Thee My Country? The words are inspired by the words of Empress Djana Azurewind on the 1st of November 1708 during her first Covenant Address, shortly after she had signed the Constitution of Achkaerin. The anthem composed by Richard Wells draws on the themes of promise, hope, and love that the Empress expressed during that address including using her own words from the address in the first half of the anthem. There has been suggestion that because of the events that ended the civil war two months earlier that the focus on love comes from its roots in those events.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2022, 05:25:24 PM by Achkaerin »

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2022, 04:47:20 PM »
Rose of Freedom

Grown in one land alone,
where proud winds have blown;
There's not a flow'r born of the show'r
braver than Rosemoor's own.
Though gales of winter blow,
piercing hail and snow,
shining she stays,
bright as in days of yore,
Old Rosemoor's pride still blossoms
fresh on freedom's shores!

Rose of Rosemoor,
thou shalt fade not here!
Proud and bright from rolling
year to year!
Red shall thy petals be
as rich wine untold,
shed by thy warriors
who served thee of old!

Rose of Rosemoor,
breathing freedom's air,
flow'r of chivalry
beyond compare!
While hand and heart endure
to cherish thy prime,
Thou shalt blossom
to the end of time!

Rose of Freedom is a slightly more modern song than most in this book, emerging during the Battle of the Northern Ocean during the Great War era the song became a symbol of hope and defiance through the 1930's through to the mid 1940's. Following the end of the war it was adopted as Rosemoor's provincial anthem.

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2022, 07:42:26 PM »
Flower of Aelmoor

O flower of Aelmoor
when will we see your like again
that fought and died for
your wee bit hill and glen,
and stood against him
proud Edward's army
and sent him homeward
tae think again.

The hills are bare now
and autumn leaves lie thick and still
o'er land that is lost now
which those so dearly held,
that stood against him
proud Edward's army
and sent him homeward
tae think again.

Those days are past now
and in the past they must remain
but we can still rise now
and be the nation again that stood against him
proud Edward's army
and sent him homeward
tae think again.

This song, the provincial anthem of Aelmoor province, is generally believed to focus around the story of Erin Ayanami and the knights of St James that she led during the 1130's during the crusade era. The Edward mentioned in the song is Edward Saint-Grael, the King of Jerusalem at the time and who is believed to have had a hand in the blood libel of 1135. Recent archaeological discoveries concerning Jocelyn of Rhodes have seen scholars speculate that the scope of the focal point may also refer to Jocelyn of Rhodes aka Anezaki Ayanami and the Knights Hospitalier.

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2022, 07:20:17 PM »
Rockmount the Brave

Let Ardia boast of her gay gilded waters
her vines and her bowers and her soft sunny skies
her sons drinking love from the eyes of her daughters
where freedom expires amid softness and sighs

Rockmount's blue mountains wild where hoary cliffs are piled
towering in grandeur are dearer tae me
land of the misty cloud land of the tempest loud
land of the brave and proud
land of the free

Enthroned on the peak of her own highland mountains
the spirit of Namis reigns fearless and free
her green cloak waving o'er blue rock and fountain
and proudly she sings looking over the sea

Here among my mountains wild I have serenely smiled
when armies and empires against me were hurled
Firm as my native rock I have withstood the shock
of Abydos, of Ardia, of Rus and the world

But see how proudly her war steeds are prancing
deep groves of steel trodden down in their path
the eyes of my sons like their bright swords are glancing
triumphantly riding through ruin and death.

Bold hearts and nodding plumes
wave o'er their bloody tombs
deepeyed in gore is the green fabrics wave
shivering are the ranks of steel
dire is the horseman's wheel
victorious in battlefield Rockmount the brave

Bold hearts and nodding plumes
wave o'er their bloody tombs
deepeyed in gore is the green fabrics wave
shivering are the ranks of steel
dire is the horseman's wheel
victorious in battlefield Rockmount the brave

Victorious in battlefield Rockmount the brave



Unlike most songs found in this book, no one is entirely sure about the origins of it, there are two theories as to this. The first and most popular theory is that it was dreamed up by front line soldiers during the Great War, the second is that it's derived from an old Maiden Sister song, this is possible but no such song is recorded though it could be one of the "lost melodies" - a collection of teachings and songs associated with the Maiden Sister Order that are believed lost. The song draws attention to Namist theology of the fight between the three Goddess's and the forces of darkness, all believed to have happened in the Rockmount Mountains. It was adopted as the provincial anthem of Rockmount in 1952.

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2022, 04:39:55 PM »
The Riders Song

We're riding, riding, dashing over the sand
the sun is setting behind Djana-Ville
roaming here are many unclean spirits
because of the shadow fallen on the glacier
Gods, lead my horse, the last part will be long
Gods, lead my horse, the last part will be long

Shush, shush, shush, shush! A fox ran on the rocky hill
dry she wants to wet her mouth with blood
or maybe someone was shouting
in a strange, bold, male voice
outlaws in south lands, are maybe gathering sheep for wages
outlaws in south lands, are maybe gathering sheep for wages

We're riding, riding, dashing over the sand
it's getting dark at Valkyria
the lake queen is harnessing magic
it's not good to be in her path
I would give my best horse to reach down to Leonaise
I would give my best horse to reach down to Leonaise

I would give my best horse to reach down to Leonaise!

Perhaps the most unsurprising of the provincial anthems, it pays tribute to the history of the people of Greencliffe and their expertise in horsemanship, a theme that prevails to the modern day, the province having boasted many renowned riders in the arena of sport. The song traces its roots to a folk song of the sixth century but the current wording is from the nineteenth century.

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2023, 03:49:53 PM »
The Song of Silverlea

Silverlea, behold, thy daylight now is dawning
The threat of night has now been driven away
The skylark calls across the light of morning
The blue of heaven lets it have its way
And now the day the powers of night is scorning:
Thy daylight dawns, O Silverlea of ours!

Silverlea, arise, and raise towards the highest
Thy head now crowned with mighty memory
Silverlea, arise, for to the world thou criest
That thou hast thrown off thy slavery
Beneath oppression's yoke thou never liest
Thy morning's come, O Silverlea of ours!

One of the more theological of the Provincial Anthems. The song carries a hopeful and optimistic tone, reflecting on the origins of the realm of Silverlea before the Holy Empire of Achkaerin (in what's known as the eight states period). The first known record of the song dates to the early days of the Achkaerin Civil War.

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2023, 04:30:22 PM »
The Icebridge Hymn

Guard her, O Lady,
as ever Thou hast guarded!
This Motherland
so dear whose name we bear!
Keep her in mind
whom Thou hast made so fair!

May she/he who rules,
for wisdom be regarded!
In master mercy,
strength in man increase!
Confirm us all,
In unity and peace!

The Kingdom of Icebridge bears one of the most striking origin stories of the Empire's lands. It is believed by the faithful that the island of Icebridge was once attached to Greencliffe's coastline but that masses of the Greencliffe people were wicked and turning away from the teachings of the Goddesses, so in a display of power the land was split by the Goddess Namis resulting in the faithful being safe on the island that now forms Icebridge. The the first verse of Icebridge hymn is traditionally taken as a song of praise to the Goddess from those that escaped and is the sole Provincial Anthem that is written in the theological literature of Achkaerin. The second verse a post civil war addition draws like the national anthem on the theme of Djana Azurewind's first Covenant Address and also contains a he/she option depending on whether it is an Emperor or Empress on the Achkaerinese throne.

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2023, 03:47:11 PM »
The Song of the Southvale Men

There is many a task for the Achkaerin folk,
and a man's a man always
who delves the coal and the iron ore
and shapes the potter's clay.

For this is the song of the Southvale men
In forge, in kiln, in mine,
our fires shall burn, and our mill-wheels turn,
and the knot shall be our sign!

There are many shires that light their fires
and bless the iron strong,
and the china bake and the potters make
as they sing the Southvale song!

For this is the song of the Southvale men
In forge, in kiln, in mine,
our fires shall burn, and our mill-wheels turn,
and the knot shall be our sign!

O, they come of a race of yeomen born,
whose drink is the best of beer,
our fields feed beasts for the Life Day feast
and you may share our cheer!

For this is the song of the Southvale men
In forge, in kiln, in mine,
our fires shall burn, and our mill-wheels turn,
and the knot shall be our sign!

We marshal our ranks on the grey pit banks
and our lads on the football field,
if the cause be right, we are game for the fight -
we never were known to yield!

And this is the song of the Southvale men
In forge, in kiln, in mine,
our fires shall burn, and our mill-wheels turn,
and the knot shall be our sign!

Aye this is the song of the Southvale men
In forge, in kiln, in mine,
our fires shall burn, and our mill-wheels turn,
and the knot shall be our sign!

A more modern anthem than might be imagined for the Province of Southvale. The words highlight the position the Kingdom of Southvale once enjoyed as the greatest and most prosperous of the eight realms by virtue of being an industrial heartland and it is still to this day considered the industrial heart of the nation. The song does also imply the fierce reputation that the warriors of Southvale had in centuries gone by.

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2023, 06:58:08 PM »
Men of Gowu

Hark! I hear the foe advancing,
barbed steeds are proudly prancing,
helmets in the sunbeams glancing
glitter through the trees.

Men of Gowu, lie ye dreaming?
See ye not their falchions gleaming,
while their pennons gailey streaming
flutter in the breeze?

From the rocks rebounding,
let the war cry sounding
summon all at Brianna's call,
the haughty foe surrounding.

Oh, men of Gowu, onto glory!
see your banner famed in story
wave these burning words before ye:
"Achkaerin scorns to yield!"

Mid the fray see dead and dying,
friend and foe together lying,
all around the arrows flying
scatter sudden death.

Frightened steeds are wildly neighing,
brazen trumpets hoarsely braying,
wounded men for mercy praying
with their parting breath.

See! They're in disorder,
comrades, keep close order!
Ever they shall rue the day,
they ventured o'er the border.

Now the Ardian flees before us,
Victory's banner floateth o'er us,
Raise the loud exulting chorus:
"Achkaerin wins the field!"

Men of Gowu is the folk song and anthem belonging to Gowu, created following the battle of Tenagra in the 1700's - the battle the climax of the Fushiri wars saw an Achkaerinese army led by Brianna Azurewind (cousin of Empress Djana) ride to the aid of a Toshikawan army fighting the Ardian Empire. Though the battle didn't end the war, that would come a few months later, it did significantly contribute to the Ardian Empire's eventual defeat and marked the first time that the forces of Achkaerin and Toshikawa stood together on the battlefield against a common foe.

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Re: The Chorus of Life
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2023, 09:55:51 PM »
Land of My Fathers

The land of my fathers is dear to me,
old land where the minstrels are honoured and free;
its warring defenders so gallant and brave,
for freedom their life's blood they gave.

Awhaele! Awhaele!
true am I to Awhaele,
while seas secure the land so pure,
O may the old language endure.

This, the last of the provincial anthems, is an old song of the Faejeon going back many centuries to the time the island was under occupation. It is typically sung in the Faejeon tongue.