Assess risk
personal - GemStone IV EBON GATE 5112

EVENTS

- Ebon Gate 5109 -

- Krystanne's and Caleanon's Wedding 5109 -

- Highman Games 5110 -

- Grawood Festival 5110 -

- Mist Harbor Eastern Harbor Street Festival 5110 -

- Ebon Gate 5110 -

- Zifku's Vodka Drinking Game 5111 -

- Droughtman's Challenge 5111 -
             Challenger's view
             Best Heckles
             Key Moments

- Mist Harbor Anthem Ceremony 5111 -

- Ebon Gate 5111 -

- Ebon Gate 5112 -

- The wedding of Erienne and Nordred -

- Highman Games 5113 -

- Gweniveer and Japhrimel Wedding 5113 -

- River's Rest Pickle Festival 5113 -

- River's Rest Pickle Festival 5114 -

- River Rest Pickle Festival 5115 -

DEATHLY DIRGES

Suddenly, deep, distorted laughter emanates from the nearby shadows. A white-painted, elongated face becomes visible within the darkness, positioned as if atop an immensely tall body. As it leans forward out of the shadows, the large, bulbous red nose comes into view. A scratchy voice emanates from the face, although the red-painted, grinning mouth does not move. "The Death Dirges contest will begin shortly at the in the Cedar Clearing." The message is punctuated by impossibly high-pitched laughter as the face fades back into the darkness.

[Feywrot Mire, Cedar Clearing] Draped with soft blankets of moss that flutter to-and-fro of their own accord, spindly cedar trees ring the area. Their branches stretch out overhead, creating a brittle web across the dark sky. In the center of the clearing, the ground is slightly lumpy, though firmly packed, and riddled with a light dusting of ashes. Several blackened cedar stumps jut out of the ground in front of a particurlarly wide arc of grey-green moss. You also see a winter white canvas tent held down by pale golden silken ropes, a spring raccoon and a games sign up list. Also here: Huckster Zeebo, Ashanor who is sitting, Tdem, High Lord Spert, Teiana, Lady Sianan, Astinos, Annemone, Eugenides, Arpelli Obvious paths: north

Zeebo strolls in. Zeebo waves.

Zeebo says, "Tonight is the last night of games at this fine festival."

Tdem smiles at Zeebo.
Arpelli begins pouting.
Tdem begins pouting.
Arpelli exclaims, "Boooo!"

Zeebo says, "I'm sure you're all extremely sad by this fact."

Zeebo says, "To celebrate the end of the week, we'll sing about the end of lives. Tonight's contest, "Death Dirges" is a competition comprised of original songs/poems about death."

Zeebo says, "Anyone who wishes to perform will have 5 minutes to sing/recite their piece. They will be judged on content, sticking to the time limit, and sticking to the theme."

Zeebo says, "I'm going to open the list, feel free to JOIN it if you wish to share a song."

>read list

The sign up list contains the following names:
(1) Eugenides
(2) Asenora
(3) Tdem
(4) Arpelli
(5) Bremerial
(6) Astinos
(7) Evia
(8) Eldrec
(9) Lysistrata

The sign up list is open with room for 32 signups.
Leaving the game for more than a few minutes is NOT allowed.
Leaving the room is allowed. You MUST be back by your turn.
You may only be on ONE list at a time. Joining another will remove you from the first.

Zeebo says, "Let us go in order of the list."

EUGENIDES

Speaking patiently to Zeebo, Eugenides says, "A moment. I must... fancify."

Eugenides plucks at the strings of his mandolin, checking the tone.
The string makes a sharp ringing pitch as he releases it.
Eugenides adopts an agreeable expression.

(Eugenides holds his broken and bloodied hand up high for all to see.)

Eugenides gravely informs, "Too much of a good thing can be bad. Too much of what you love can kill you."

(Eugenides violently strums the strings of his mandolin with a flinch, the chord more noise than music.)

Eugenides sings smoothly:
"There once was a man, a performer with skill.
He loved what he did with all of his will.
His songs were inspired, they gave women chills.
But never once did he consider that thrill."

(Eugenides strums the mandolin once more, staining the strings with blood as he produces another terrible chord.)

Eugenides sings smoothly:
"For in his mind there was no other.
No friend, no wife, no mistress, or lover.
Only the words that spilled from his mouth.
Only the songs that brought down the house."

(Eugenides slaps his hand against the soundboard of his mandolin, leaving a bloodied print behind.)

Eugenides sings grimly:
"And so it was on one busy night,
That his love for his craft would give him a fright.
For a woman was there, a woman you see,
With emerald eyes as deep as the sea."

(Eugenides saucily sways his hips back and forth while playing a few terrible chords.)

Eugenides sings ponderously:
"His song sought her heart and squeezed it quite tight,
She'd think on his words for the rest of the night.
Though he sung for himself she thought it for her,
Ideas in her head, her vision a blur."

Eugenides sings teasingly:
"Ivasian was she, and pleasure she sought,
But the performor was not quite all that she thought.
She told him of love, and her burning desire,
After the performance while sat by the fire."

Eugenides sings romantically:
"He gazed at her eyes, a smile on his face,
And she knew that he'd fall into place.
She reached out to touch, to brush and to hold,
She knew that he'd warm her, protect her from cold.
Until.
He stated..."

Eugenides plainly states, "No."

(Eugenides pounds his broken hand against the bridge of his mandolin with frustration, sending flecks of blood through the air.)

Eugenides sings angrily:
"She cursed him on high, she cursed him on low.
She cursed him to the depths of his soul.
"If you can not love me, your live will inspire!"
"You'll love what you do until you expire!"
She spat in his face, but he didn't care.
All he could do was offer a stare."
Eugenides sings hauntingly:
"And so that it was, the performer did play.
He picked up his mandolin once more that day.
With a tentative strum, the sound was quite sweet,
Which led him to rise and stand on both feet."

Eugenides sings hauntingly:
"For he was a man, a man with great skill.
He loved what he did with all of his will.
His songs were inspired, they gave women chills,
But never once did he consider that thrill."

Eugenides sings clearly:
"He started to play! But one song at first.
But played once again after the verse.
He wanted to stop, but found that he couldn't.
He loved what he played and knew that he wouldn't."

Eugenides sings ploddingly:
"He played for a day, then played for three more.
He played until hands dripped blood on the floor.
He played for a day, then played for three more.
He played until hands dripped blood on the floor."

(Eugenides begins to violently strum his mandolin, the stained strings flaying the flesh from already torn and broken fingers. The sound is far from melodic.)

Eugenides sings ploddingly:
"He played for a day, then played for three more.
He played until bone shards fell to the floor.
He played for a day, then played for three more,
He played until he could play no more."

Eugenides sings grimly:
"With no hands to play, the mandolin went down,
Joining the blood and the bone on the ground.
But he could not stop, for he was cursed you see,
He also loved his own poetry."

Eugenides drops a black ash mandolin with segmented mithril rods reinforcing the bridge.

Eugenides recites grimly:
"For he was a man, a man with great skill.
He loved what he did with all of his will.
His poems were inspired, they gave women chills,
But never once did he consider that thrill."

Eugenides takes a deep breath.

Eugenides recites clearly:
"Despite all the torture, despite all the pain,
He loved what he said so he said it again.
Despite all the torture, despite all the pain,
He loved what he said so he said it again."

Eugenides's eyes glaze over as he stares, unfocused, into the distance.

Eugenides recites slowly:
"Despite all the torture, despite all the pain,
He loved what he said so he said it again.
Despite all the torture, despite all the pain,
He loved what he said so he said it again."

Eugenides's eyes glaze over as he stares, unfocused, into the distance.

Eugenides recites monotonously:
"Despite all the torture, despite all the pain,
He loved what he said so he said it again.
Despite all the torture, despite all the pain,
He loved what he said so he said it again."

Eugenides breathes in slightly.

Eugenides recites weakly:
"Spilling forth with verse and prose,
The performer's throat began to close,
For he spoke with great reason,
And he spoke with great rhyme,
And he was doomed to repeat it time after time."

Eugenides clears his throat.

Eugenides recites breathlessly:
"His voice became strained, both cracking and dry.
With tears in his eyes he looked to the sky.
The moisture didn't stream because the pain was much worse.
He cried and lamented the loss of his verse."

Eugenides breathes almost without making a sound.

Eugenides recites breathlessly:
"For his life was soon ending,
His soul was soon gone.
And he knew in his heart
That he couldn't finish the so-"

Eugenides makes a choking sound.
Eugenides clutches his throat with a piteous whimper.
Eugenides falls over.
(Eugenides isn't moving.)
Lysistrata adds her name to the sign up list.
Lysistrata lets out a sigh of relief.

ASENORA

Speaking to Asenora, Zeebo says, "You are next to perform. Whenever you're ready."

Asenora nods at Zeebo.
Asenora tosses back her head and straightens out her wings.

Asenora states, "I've known so many different deaths myself, and I'm sure there are many more...but here is a study of twenty-six of particular note."

Asenora airily announces, "A Cavalcade of Corpses, or A Litany of Lifelessness."

Asenora tosses back her head and straightens out her wings.
Smiling in anticipation, Asenora brings her eager fingers to her lyre, then strikes up a difficult tune emblazoned immediately with an ostentatious display of added grace-notes and snaps.

Asenora sings rollickingly:
"Ainsley ate an apple and asphyxiated on the core
Bevan bent his waist, but broke his back from the weight he bore"

Asenora quips, "Instruments can get rather heavy, especially for older bones."

Asenora sings resonantly:
"Cliona caught a common cold, but couldn't contain her cough
Daring Daefea demonstrated devotion during dice, but didn't dodge enough."

Asenora laments, "She tried to cheat a cheater, so he had to cut her throat."

Asenora sings trillingly:
"You will bite it!
Why try to fight it?
Immortality is not for you or I.
Your life will leave you,
Then we will grieve you.
There are so very many ways that you could die."

Asenora thumps her lyre's soundboard with both hands, then returns to plucking strings, only to start tapping the soundboard again with the left hand while the right hand races up and down the strings with wild abandon.

Asenora sings rhythmically:
"Ellanna's egregiously erred embraces earned her an elbow to the eye
Fromer forgot to fend off foes while foraging for fiddlehead fern, poor guy"

Asenora confides, "I've done the same thing myself."

Asenora sings tunefully:
"Gindreth got garroted, from grinning at some other guy's girl
Habal had a hunger for haunches so much that he hurled."

Asenora comments, "That dwarf gave himself the worst stomach ache of his life."

Asenora sings trillingly:
"You will bite it!
Why try to fight it?
Immortality is not for you or I.
Your life will leave you,
Then we will grieve you.
There are so very many ways that you could die."

With flamboyant gestures, Asenora alternates octaves in the melody while she strikes the base chords on her lyre like a tiger rolling rocks in a mountain stream.

Asenora sings tersely:
"Isola ignored illusions and is now in agony
Jovial Jandrian jumped for joy, he just jumped too jubilantly."

Asenora bemusedly remarks, "He always was a clumsy boy."

Asenora sings flowingly:
"Khirdahn kissed a kobold so it knocked him out cold
Laelithonel loves libraries and likes to linger as I am told."

Asenora regretfully murmurs, "She forgets to eat, poor girl."

Asenora sings trillingly:
"You will bite it!
Why try to fight it?
Immortality is not for you or I.
Your life will leave you,
Then we will grieve you.
There are so very many ways that you could die."

Asenora's fingers sweep over her lyre, producing an absolutely boisterous rendition of a flamboyant reel, emblazoned with wild ornamentation.

Asenora sings gravely:
"Master Murkshev met his match in a monstrous murky mire
Navaeve noticed nothing wrong until her nose caught note of fire."

Asenora laments, "Her nose was too late, sadly."

Asenora sings airily:
"Orpius ordered ostrich egg, only its odor made her forlorn
Pulsegiver possessed a penchant for preparing popped corn."

Asenora warns, "Those kernels aren't meant to be inhaled."

With flamboyant gestures, Asenora alternates octaves in the melody while she strikes the base chords on her lyre like a tiger rolling rocks in a mountain stream.

Asenora sings trillingly:
"You will bite it!
Why try to fight it?
Immortality is not for you or I.
Your life will leave you,
Then we will grieve you.
There are so very many ways that you could die."

Asenora sings sonorously:
"Quiet Quildor caught a questionable quill in the quick of his nail
Ruabadra rolled underneath a rolton, releasing a rowdy rail."

Asenora states, "She's tiny, no wonder the rolton didn't see her."

Asenora sings liltingly:
"Sapphryn slapped a squirrel so she started a swarm attack
Tollyfrock tickled tigers' toes until the tigers tickled back."

Asenora mutters, "Slashed to ribbons."

Asenora sings trillingly:
"You will bite it!
Why try to fight it?
Immortality is not for you or I.
Your life will leave you,
Then we will grieve you.
There are so very many ways that you could die."

Asenora sings gravely:
"Unfortunate Ulial upended in an avalanche
Vain Viiolet voraciously itched a nasty rash."

Asenora remarks, "My sister always had skin problems."

Asenora sings ethereally:
"Wholenote went walking while not watching where she stepped
Xiandrena went extra and above the expectations of an adept."

Asenora's fingers sweep over her lyre, producing an absolutely boisterous rendition of a flamboyant reel, emblazoned with wild ornamentation.

Asenora laments, "Her poor twitching body just lie there, convulsing."

Asenora sings trillingly:
"You will bite it!
Why try to fight it?
Immortality is not for you or I.
Your life will leave you,
Then we will grieve you.
There are so very many ways that you could die."

Asenora sings loudly:
"Ycelacie yelled for help, yet no one yielded and then came BOOM
Zelia's kiss gave Zyzax zeal to zoom through rooms."

Asenora mutters, "I've always thought berserkers were crazy."

Asenora pauses dramatically in her exuberant lyre performance, only to pounce and charge into the next phrases with a bright steely tone.

Asenora sings trillingly:
"You will bite it!
Why try to fight it?
Immortality is not for you or I.
Your life will leave you,
Then we will grieve you.
There are so very many ways that you could die."

TDEM

Speaking to Tdem, Zeebo says, "That would make you next, whenever you're ready."

Tdem clears his throat.

Tdem recites:
"This tale is unique, that I proudly do boast
'bout how death's not the end, but the start for a ghost
Told from the perspective of one who'd know most."

Tdem taps himself on the chest.

Tdem recites:
"It's a hard life being a ghost."

Tdem recites:
"I may seem corporeal, but in fact i'm deceased
Despatched by my foe at my clan's evening feast
Doomed to wander the halls, 'til one day i'm released.
It's a hard life being a ghost."

Tdem recites:
"No rest for the wicked!" Isn't that what they say?
That statement's quite false. I was good 'til the day
That my enemies came, taking last breath away.
It's a hard life being a ghost"

Tdem recites:
"Now I will explain about my sad existence
When flesh folks appear, I just have no resistence
I must simply perform, at the Flesh folks insistence
Its a hard life being a ghost"

Tdem recites:
"Expectations of visitors to houses I haunt
To frighten flesh folk 'til they leave looking gaunt
Who often disparage the white sheet I flaunt.
Oh, It's is a hard life being a ghost"

Tdem recites:
"No one considers my feelings at all
Its not easy to walk through a door or a wall
To be constantly at those flesh folks' beck and call
Oh, It's is a hard life being a ghost"

Tdem recites:
"The flesh folks are rude when I have an offday
And am too tired to put on my usual display
They shout out
What a con!"
He's a fake!"
We won't pay!"
Its a hard life being a ghost."

Tdem recites:
"I never get days off. No Restdays alas
No romantic dalliance. Those days have long past
Have you tried kissing something, half ether, half gas?
It's no fun being a ghost."

Tdem sighs.
Tdem begins pouting.

Tdem recites:
"I can think of so many things i'd rather do
It's a challenging role. Flesh folks don't have a clue
There are only so many ways I can say 'Boo'
Oh, It's is a hard life being a ghost"

Tdem recites:
"I have crafted my art and have honed every skill
I can carry my head to scare flesh folk at will
I can rattle my chains til their urine they spill"

Tdem ponders.
Tdem grins.

Tdem recites:
"Actually.. that's a fun part of being a ghost!"

Tdem recites:
"And one day when I watch my ghost essence fade
Into the graveyard where my bones are laid
I'll find the release for which i've often prayed
But 'til then, all I am is a ghost"

Tdem inclines his head.

ARPELLI

Speaking to Arpelli, Zeebo says, "You are next, whenever you're ready."

(Arpelli walks slowly to the front of the crowd, her gaze fixed on the ground as if in deep thought.)

Arpelli smiles as she turns around to face those gathered. Raising the enshai to her lips, she blows a single, solid note to trumpet the beginning of her song and provide her starting note. She lowers the enshai, both hands still wrapped around the instrument's body and her fingers expertly placed against each hole.

Arpelli sings:
"A story passed from young to old,
Details of love and death unfold.
It's rather sad, or so I'm told.
Come listen to this song."

Arpelli sings:
"Her hair was black as darkest night.
Her skin so soft, her eyes so bright.
She'd walk through town - a sight's delight.
And smile her wide-eyed smile."

Arpelli sings:
"A farmer's boy, all work no play.
The fields were where he made his pay.
A loving spouse he'll make some day.
He watched as she passed by."

(Arpelli raises the enshai to her mouth and taking a deep breath, blows firmly through the mouthpiece. Her fingers dance across the ebonwood as the haunting melody echoes through the air.)

Arpelli relaxes her hold on a brass-belled ebony enshai in her hand.

Arpelli sings:
"And then one day they met by chance.
A meeting caused by circumstance.
Their friendship turned into romance,
Their hearts became as one."

Arpelli sings:
"The time was right, it'd been two years.
He took her hand, his love sincere.
Intent had now become quite clear.
'I want you as my bride.'"

Arpelli sings:
"Reunion's eve, a fateful day.
For then he gave his heart away.
From her side, he'll never stray.
They married on that night."

(Arpelli strolls to her right, the enshai's bell pointed toward those gathered, as she repeats the eerie tune from before; a perfect echo of the sung melody. With a deep breath she lowers the enshai once again and continues her song.)

Arpelli relaxes her hold on a brass-belled ebony enshai in her hand.

Arpelli sings:
"But off to war he had to go,
And left the home so long ago.
What then became, no one would know.
She's now a widowed bride."

Arpelli sings:
"He died a hero, unafraid.
Impaled upon a sharpened blade.
Carried home by his brigade.
She laid his corpse to rest."

Arpelli sings:
"She sank into a deep despair.
Her broken heart beyond repair.
Why did his death seem so unfair?
She makes a deadly choice."

(Arpelli raising the instrument once more to her mouth, she puffs quick blasts of air through the mouthpiece, creating a string of staccato notes. She lingers on the the minor third in the melody line with a dramatic decrescendo.)

Arpelli relaxes her hold on a brass-belled ebony enshai in her hand.

Arpelli sings:
"'I loved you more than I can say,
My life has been in disarray.
Now with this note, I leave today...
I need you by my side.'

Arpelli sings:
"And with a thrust she drove the knife,
Into her chest and took her life.
No longer just a grieving wife.
She'll rest in peace with him."

Arpelli sings hauntingly:
"Lorminstra hadn't shown her hand,
Gosaena, though, did understand.
It wasn't quite what they had planned.
This day their music died."

Arpelli sings hauntingly:
"So as you walk through Feywrot Mire,
Think about their love, desire.
It burns aflame, eternal fire.
Beyond the Ebon Gate."

BREMERIAL

Speaking to you, Zeebo says, "You're to perform next. Whenever you're ready."

You stand back up.

You recite:
"Emrikan Clay was a human of note
Who discected his victims from groin to the throat
Removed upper limbs with an underarm cut
And sliced off the legs from just under the butt."

You recite:
"Each victim was found with the torso and head
Wrapped up in soft linen...layed out on a bed
The entrails protruding from abdomen cavity
A clear testatment to Emrikan's depravity"

You recite:
"His victims were numberless so it would seem
But of those that were found, they numbered sixteen
Of all races and creed. Did not discriminate
As the blood he collected in a dark mitril plate"

You recite:
"So how was he captured? I hear you all ask.
Surprisingly easily - No onorous task
He was caught at a town store, with a cart laden full
Of the limbs, raw and bloodied. All the fruit of his cull"

You recite:
"At his trial he was asked about death he had wrought
And the lives he had taken before he'd been caught
If he'd acted alone or with other's complicity
If he was insane or just courting publicity."

You recite:
"He smiled a dark smile, with malevolent air
At the crowd in the courtroom, assembling there.
Astoundingly chilling, he stunned all to silence
As he explained the main reason for his reign of violence."

You recite:
"Quite simple" he sneered. "Blame the deaths on each store
Laden full of rich items, from ceiling to floor.
Spidersilk, lace and linen. And fasceted gems
Ornamental white orchids with emerald stems."

You recite:
"But such items cost money, and I had no gold
Cost an 'An arm and a leg' is what I was told
So the limbs from those bodies I quickly divided
Arm and leg was requested
But sixteen were provided!"

You grimace.
Ashanor grins.
Pulsegiver chuckles.
Eugenides laughs!
Teiana chuckles to herself.
Evia starts chortling.
Sarvia snickers.
You chuckle.
Asenora cackles!
Maags laughs!
Maags claps her hands.
Teiana applauds.
Arpelli chuckles.
Zeebo laughs!
Ashanor applauds you.
Zeebo applauds you.
Telsas starts chortling.
Ashanor heartily exclaims, "Great!"
Evia applauds you.

You say, "Note - all - he was Human - not Dwarven."

You cackle!

ASTINOS

Speaking to Astinos, Zeebo says, "You are next to perform! Whenever you're ready."

Astinos says, "Here's a little ditty I like to call, 'The Young Lass from the Turnip Farm.'."

Astinos sings:
"A young lass from the turnip farm"

Astinos says, "Wait wait."

Astinos sings:
"A young lass from the turnip farm
A bust so big and a heart so warm
Left her poor family behind one day
On the road to the Landing hey hey!"

Astinos sings:
"She approached the warrior Thrak
Who said "My, what a mighty fine rack!"
"You can work behind my bar"
"Many sailor will 'tip' you, har har!"

Astinos sings:
"Now the young lass slaved away
Saved her tips for a rainy day
"I'll work hard" she thought, "And shut my muzzle"
While these customers drink, guzzle guzzle!"

Astinos sings:
"She was too naive know the kind of men
That would frequent Thrak's little inn
One eve she drank a tampered ale so black
Had to puke in the back, yak yak!"

Astinos sings:
"Unmentionables happened that eve
A few dastards had tricks up their sleeve
She woke up with her skirts all astray
The naughty sailors had had their way!"

Astinos sings:
"Her nether region burned so hot
By Koar, did it hurt when she squat
No longer could she perform her job
Heartless Thrak fired her, sob sob!"

Arpelli folds her hands in her lap.

Astinos sings:
"But the young lass knew just what to do
She said, "Big City, I'm through!" So off she went to Tykel's with glee
"REVENGE!" cried she, "Hee hee!"

Astinos sings:
"So back to the inn she'd go
Swinging her axe to and fro!
What a scene of macabre violence
With the sounds of utter silence..."

Astinos seems to be waiting for something.

Astinos sings:
"A young lass from the Landing fold"

Astinos sings:
"A young lass from the Landing fold
A bust so big and a heart so cold
Returned to her poor family one day
On the road to the turnip farm hey hey!"

EVIA

Speaking to Evia, Zeebo shouts, "You're up next, whenever you're ready!"

Evia clears her throat.

Evia recites:
"Dark The song I shall sing
Is rather bleak
Not of the kind for the meek or the weak
It isn't long
My little song
I call it The Song of the Fallen."

Evia recites:
"Song of the Fallen"

Evia sings grimly:
"Bitter bloom on sodden plain,
Beside a road gore drenched as rain,
Our foe in torment fell in pain,
Life pulse fleetly waning."

Evia sings gravely:
"Fallen on these shattered lands,
The last thing that it understands,
With writhing limbs, its clenching hands
Grasping for life draining."

Evia sings mournfully:
"Upward rolled its baleful eye,
Turned towards the dimming sky,
Knowing that its fate was nigh,
Blood soaked armor staining."

Evia sings:
"Haunting Dead eye fixed in stark disdain,
The only thing that would remain,
An ending to this sad refrain,
Was bitter bloom on sodden plain."

ELDREC

Eldrec fidgets.
Zeebo grins at Eldrec.
Eldrec stands up.
Eldrec bows.

Eldrec says, "Before I begin, I'd like to say that, well, Ive never really performed before so this is all new to me. My piece is duel- themed, one is death of course, and the gods that play a role in it. It tells about my experience with death. The other you shall hear shortly."

Eldrec recites sadly:
"With Luukos there was a fate beholden to be
He has plans reserved for fools like me.
Tried to kill myself at least a dozen times,
But nothing seemed to turn out right."

Eldrec recites hopefully:
"Now I'd rather wait many-a-century
Acting as his minion, dead--all belligerent and wrinkly
Even when I go blind and lose my mind,
Nothing seems to turn out right.
Something's got to turn out right."

Eldrec recites tenderly:
"If you want, then when we die,
We'll ascend to some place way up high.
At the gate, Lorminstra will show you through.
If she asks me, I'm with you."

Eldrec recites loudly:
"You're in my body,
You're, You're in my body.
You're in my body,
That's where I think about you."

Eldrec recites comfortingly:
"There's no one that imagines like you,
So convinced the Ebon Gate is the most beautiful place
Not a first-class trip to the abyss
Tell me, do you still feel this?
Tell me, do you still feel this?"

Eldrec recites jubilantly:
"As I drown in lakes of fire,
I will call your name as I expire.
It's the last thing that I'll do.
I will tell Lorminstra I'm with you."

Paying studious attention to his cittern's strings, Eldrec begins layering major seventh chords as a foundation to a song of inspiration.

Eldrec recites emotionally:
"In my body,
You're, you're in my body.
You're in my body,
That's where"

Eldrec recites urgently:
"Losing all hope, wandering aimlessly
As I approach that cliff, I'm starting to feel
If you could wake me up with only a touch,
I could die with you. Life would be enough."

Eldrec recites tearfully:
"When I face the one who made
My disgusting heart from a lump of clay,
Should she ask what got me through,
If she asks me, it was you."

Eldrec recites reassuringly:
"You're in my body,
You're, you're in my body.
You're in my body,
That's where I think about you."

Eldrec recites loudly:
"In my body,
You're, you're in my body.
You're in my body,
That's where I think about you."

Striking a final vibrant chord, Eldrec allows the song to fade into silence.

LYSISTRATA

Speaking to Lysistrata, Zeebo shouts, "You're up next, if you're ready!"

Lysistrata says, "You will forgive me, please, but I prefer to sing unaccompanied so the only instrument I have for you tonight is my voice."

Lysistrata says, "This song was inspired by a recent conversation, held barely a couple of days ago."

Lysistrata continues, "Still, it resonated with me and swept up my imagination in thinking that perhaps death is not the curse we believe it to be."

Lysistrata simply states, "This is titled 'The Immortal Lament'."

Lysistrata clears her throat.
(Lysistrata draws herself up with a straightened spine and clasps her hands formally over one hip before drawing a deep breath to begin.)

. Lysistrata sings confidently:
"Once was I young and wild, once was I sweet and new.
It felt like the earth cupped me gentle in her hands.
The sky of benign blue gazed sweetly upon me.
My future spread before me, wide as my demands."

Lysistrata sings with a warm alto:
"And in the way of young things, I fell in true love,
I fell into passion, I felt pain, I felt... life.
But they all died before me, they always left me.
All was tired, all became old, only boredom was rife."

(Lysistrata abruptly drops her poise and takes a small step forward, her hands clenched into fists. Her voice rises into a melodic entreaty with the chorus.) Clunk strides a few steps toward a brass-buckled heavy leather backpack.

Lysistrata sings:
"How could you leave me behind
And turn to Death's beloved face?
Can't you see that I need you?
Why can't I have Death's sweet embrace?"

(Lysistrata lets the chorus go and draws in a deep breath in the silence before continuing. Her voice changes from entreaty and builds to rage, her vibrato bearing echoes of a cornered beast's savagery.)

Lysistrata sings harshly:
"I will tear the world with my undying strength,
Burn out Death's favored in my envious fury!
The moons will feel my wrath and proud Arkati
Will fall broken, punish'd, to me on bended knee."

(Lysistrata's rage burns itself out as quickly as it came and her song seems to reach new depths of sorrow.)

Lysistrata sings wistfully:
"But no... no, even that will not help me rest,
For I dream only of yesterday's golden light.
It gains me naught to rage or even to give up,
Either way, I am barred from Death's eternal night."

(Lysistrata clasps a trembling hand to her throat and casts her mismatched eyes down. The last chorus, when it comes, is but a soft, carrying whisper of utter despair with an added line of outright pleading.)

Lysistrata sings softly:
"How could you leave me behind
And turn to Death's beloved face?
Can't you see... that I need you?
Why can't I feel Death's sweet embrace?"

Lysistrata sings hesitantly:
"Why won't Death take me, love me too?"

Lysistrata takes a few steps back.
Lysistrata hangs her head.

WINNERS

Zeebo says, "What a talented bunch you all are."

Zeebo says, "First of all, does anyone who sang for us wish a toy? You can choose spider or jester..."

Zeebo recites:
"In third place, we have a tie!
Asenora and Tdem!"

Zeebo recites:
"In second place
Arpelli!"

Zeebo recites:
"And in first place
Evia!"

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Assess risk personal - GemStone IV EBON GATE 5112

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personal - GemStone IV EBON GATE 5112