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(Created page with "By Stheno - April 2020 On the dark and distant moors, a lone fire set to burning. As around the flames, yearning, sat a camp of only four. One: the trapper, young and strappi...") |
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By Stheno - April 2020 | By Stheno - April 2020 | ||
On the dark and distant moors, a lone fire set to burning. | On the dark and distant moors, a lone fire set to burning. | ||
As around the flames, yearning, sat a camp of only four. | As around the flames, yearning, sat a camp of only four. | ||
One: the trapper, young and strapping. | One: the trapper, young and strapping. | ||
Two: the navigator, lost. | Two: the navigator, lost. | ||
Three: a petty thief and cut-throat. | Three: a petty thief and cut-throat. | ||
The fourth a woman of the moss. | The fourth a woman of the moss. | ||
With eyes kind and old hands lined, she had happened on the band. | With eyes kind and old hands lined, she had happened on the band. | ||
Sensed their troubles with a look, and sat down to understand. | Sensed their troubles with a look, and sat down to understand. | ||
"Ole matron, where ye come from? We been thirstin' for a while. | "Ole matron, where ye come from? We been thirstin' for a while. | ||
Honest folk for honest work. We been walkin' now for miles." | Honest folk for honest work. We been walkin' now for miles." | ||
Here the others quickly nodded. | Here the others quickly nodded. | ||
They were cold and damp with mist. | They were cold and damp with mist. | ||
"Be ye a witch or wise woman? | "Be ye a witch or wise woman? | ||
Apothecary? Herbalist?" | Apothecary? Herbalist?" | ||
She just smiled and shook her head, muddy in her ivory cloak. | She just smiled and shook her head, muddy in her ivory cloak. | ||
She warmed herself by the fire and looked deep into the smoke. | She warmed herself by the fire and looked deep into the smoke. | ||
"I'm a servant of the wilds, come to help my fellow man. | "I'm a servant of the wilds, come to help my fellow man. | ||
Though you ventured out for gold, did you venture with a plan?" | Though you ventured out for gold, did you venture with a plan?" | ||
They told their story all at once, | They told their story all at once, | ||
with voices overlapping. | with voices overlapping. | ||
"The axle broke." | "The axle broke." | ||
"The blade blunted." | "The blade blunted." | ||
"The clouds came out. | |||
"The clouds came out." | |||
"The traps kept snapping." | "The traps kept snapping." | ||
Her face grey, the woman sighed. She had heard this tale before. | Her face grey, the woman sighed. She had heard this tale before. | ||
"Luck left you at every turn, until you lucked upon the Moor." | "Luck left you at every turn, until you lucked upon the Moor." | ||
At her back, the sun was setting. Or was it rising? | At her back, the sun was setting. Or was it rising? | ||
Was it risen? Was it climbing through silver veils of fog? | Was it risen? Was it climbing through silver veils of fog? | ||
When she spoke, her eyes were shining | When she spoke, her eyes were shining | ||
as she told them of the wealth | as she told them of the wealth | ||
that dear Nature was supplying | that dear Nature was supplying | ||
to keep Pri'alysh in perfect health. | to keep Pri'alysh in perfect health. | ||
"You can hunt the grouse for days. They are fat with silken down. | "You can hunt the grouse for days. They are fat with silken down. | ||
You can oil your swords with blood. You can drink from fertile ground." | You can oil your swords with blood. You can drink from fertile ground." | ||
"Fill pillows with fine feathers!" Now the trapper had the gist. | "Fill pillows with fine feathers!" Now the trapper had the gist. | ||
"And the snakes can't taste too bad. Help ourselves, if ye insist." | "And the snakes can't taste too bad. Help ourselves, if ye insist." | ||
"One long night here can ply your trades, | "One long night here can ply your trades, | ||
so you needn't want for much. | so you needn't want for much. | ||
You pile your wagon with the spoils, | You pile your wagon with the spoils, | ||
and I will lift it from the muck." | and I will lift it from the muck." | ||
Together they doused the fire, and the moors did light provide, | Together they doused the fire, and the moors did light provide, | ||
like the wisps that haunt the fog to ask travellers inside. | like the wisps that haunt the fog to ask travellers inside. | ||
Shadows prowled on the edges, but the cut-throat waved his blade. | Shadows prowled on the edges, but the cut-throat waved his blade. | ||
"You can line your den with pelts," said the woman, unafraid. | "You can line your den with pelts," said the woman, unafraid. | ||
"Warm your children with the black furs, | "Warm your children with the black furs, | ||
string a necklace with the teeth. | string a necklace with the teeth. | ||
Look no further than the Moor, | Look no further than the Moor, | ||
and what it chooses to bequeath." | and what it chooses to bequeath." | ||
As the morning mist shimmered, it was easy to succumb. | As the morning mist shimmered, it was easy to succumb. | ||
Cold hunger in their bellies, and already counting sums. | Cold hunger in their bellies, and already counting sums. | ||
The three friends thanked their fortunes, and not one had stopped to think | The three friends thanked their fortunes, and not one had stopped to think | ||
how a frail old woman would lift their wagon from the brink. | how a frail old woman would lift their wagon from the brink. | ||
Opportunity had smiled when | Opportunity had smiled when | ||
they were tired of their poor frowns. | they were tired of their poor frowns. | ||
They would return to Loramere | They would return to Loramere | ||
to earn a living in the town. | to earn a living in the town. | ||
What would they each buy first? A pretty necklace for the wife? | What would they each buy first? A pretty necklace for the wife? | ||
A faster herd of horses? A sharper hunting knife? | A faster herd of horses? A sharper hunting knife? | ||
Deeper in the foggy curtain, their breath began to mist. | Deeper in the foggy curtain, their breath began to mist. | ||
The old guide stopped their journey at the bottom of the cliffs. | The old guide stopped their journey at the bottom of the cliffs. | ||
There she raised her fists to the sky, | There she raised her fists to the sky, | ||
spoke in a soft and unknown tongue, | spoke in a soft and unknown tongue, | ||
beseeched something they had not seen, | beseeched something they had not seen, | ||
that once sung could not be unsung. | that once sung could not be unsung. | ||
At the top of the climb, an obelisk of mirrored white | At the top of the climb, an obelisk of mirrored white | ||
yawned above their heads and into the thin clouds, out of sight. | yawned above their heads and into the thin clouds, out of sight. | ||
"Yelest," she called aloud. The obelisk began to howl. | "Yelest," she called aloud. The obelisk began to howl. | ||
A ghastly moaning from the spectres in their ragged cowls. | A ghastly moaning from the spectres in their ragged cowls. | ||
The first man looked to the second. | The first man looked to the second. | ||
The second looked to the third. | The second looked to the third. | ||
The third ran back across the moors, | The third ran back across the moors, | ||
having lost, like sovereigns, his words. | having lost, like sovereigns, his words. | ||
"Yelest! Yelest! Come divest me of the rest! Shed my form | "Yelest! Yelest! Come divest me of the rest! Shed my form | ||
and rend my breast! Take my skin and steal my breath! In the storm | and rend my breast! Take my skin and steal my breath! In the storm | ||
of your unrest! In the fury | of your unrest! In the fury | ||
of undeath! Take these men that luck | of undeath! Take these men that luck | ||
has left! Every coin they could have kept! | has left! Every coin they could have kept! | ||
Free them from the weighty flesh! And | Free them from the weighty flesh! And | ||
raise them up as soaring spirits in the safety of your sept! | raise them up as soaring spirits in the safety of your sept! | ||
For this chance, we have wept. A chance to serve you, sweet Yelest." | For this chance, we have wept. A chance to serve you, sweet Yelest." | ||
[[Category:Bardic Winners]][[Category:2020 Bardics]] | [[Category:Bardic Winners]][[Category:2020 Bardics]] |
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