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Action Id: 3135 Crisis: Participants: Evaristo, Helena and Raymesin
Status: Resolved Submitted: Feb. 7, 2019, 4:34 p.m. Public: True GM: Puffin

Social Resources: 180
Action Points: 10

Action by Evaristo

A few months back, Evaristo and some friends were talking about life and death. He'd just read about Death's doctrine (from the book that Aureth wrote), due to the dream he had seeing the Queen of Endings. Raymesin said something that stuck in his mind and he decided to write a song. What Raymesin said was 'Life is a near death experience', so that is the name of the song. The song is a faintly humorous take on how life can be vicious one moment and then turn around just as quick. And to remind to live your life when you have it, because Death comes for all. He met Helena who proved to be an amazing poet and they combined forces to write the lyrics, with her way with words and his musical style fitting well together. It is in honor of Death, the Queen of Endings as much as a personal desire to perform. When Evaristo gets a fun idea he can be quite focused and get it done and with Helena's help and Raymesin's encouragement with just how he is, this went better than he thought. Or... well, so he thinks. Who knows how it will be received?

The song lyrics:

CHORUS
Sometimes you can't win for trying
but you can smile through your crying.
The trick is to see you've got what it takes
to learn from your mistakes,
embrace the journey and get off the fence:
life is a near-death experience

VERSES

We all know the story of the lovable cad
who made a play for a lady he shouldn't have;
Her lord heard the gossip and started a brawl --
I know, I was there and I saw it all!
Fleeing for his life, his life bleeding out,
our rogue would've died, I have nary a doubt
If it weren't for meeting a physician so sweet,
who nursed him and got him back up on his feet.
Not two months later, that rogue did propose,
And now they're even married, or so it goes.

And have you heard of young lady fair
Who hated tea parties and accepted all dares;
They say sometimes pride goes before a big fall
Especially climbing a tree that's too tall!
The lass going high to see where eagles rest
the branch was too thin for aught but the nest.
And down, down she fell, got scratched all the way
Until she came to rest in a pile of soft hay
In the bed of a wagon just happening by.
"It's not your time yet," the wind seemed to sigh.

We all know the story of young tanner Blair
Who sold all his wares and made silver to spare
But the spirited walk towards home that dark night
It ended in knife wound and terrible fright
The silver got taken by bullies so hard
Now poor as a mouse, he cried for the Guard
And lo and behold, comes the Ironclad Riv
He snorted and said, "Get up, you will live'
One look at each other and love struck them both
And now the news is that they're newly betrothed.

There once was a boy who escaped his own fate
He hid on a ship, stow-away, which was great
The captain, first angry, was easily charmed
the boy given chores instead of coming to harm.
Soon pirates took over, and put the whole crew
On an island remote, what now should they do?
For months before rescue Death gave them a nip
The young man decided 'I'll get my own ship!'
He worked really hard cause on Death do not dwell
And now he's a captain of a small caravel

There's hundreds of stories that no one will tell
Of people in Arvum who stumbled and fell
Sometimes the Queen comes to take us by hand
To carry us off to her inbetween land
where we'll serve her as subjects and have fancy tea
with spiders and word play and immortality.
Some say that if worthy the Queen makes a deal
Putting us back for a spin on the wheel
So matter the story told in your own song
It's a sure bet one day the Queen will be along.


Action by Raymesin

Raymesin's not much use as a cowriter. What he /is/ good for is sarcasm, puns and pointed wit. He makes a good sounding board and a very good pointer out of those times when something just doesn't scan. But, well, what he's really good at is persuading people to leave Evaristo's fingers unbroken, Evaristo's mouth unpunched, and Evaristo's coin with Evaristo.

Of course, what he's going to demand for /that/ particular service is as yet unknown...


Action by Helena

Helena's one of the co-writers of the song, specifically one of the lyricists. The princess is certainly no musician nor a performer herself, so she's a behind-the-scenes only. She met with Evaristo a few times to brainstorm ideas for the song and wrote many of the lyrics, based on the melody he came up with and Raymesin's great refrain.


Result

Life, or so the song goes, is a near death experience. It's a popular song, and it's taking the taverns by storm. The song reminds people to live, and to enjoy the journey while they're doing it. It's hugely welcomed in the Lowers, and among the youth of the city, who can be heard carousing in rambling groups of singers, usually just before doing something ridiculous (or ridiculously brilliant, depending on how drunk one is) and daring.

It's a reminder to live every day, to embrace all that life has to offer, and to not worry too much about death - as the Queen waits for everyone at the end. It's a catch melody, and Evaristo, Raymesin, and Helena are lauded for their efforts.

By everyone except the Iron Guard on patrol through the Wards, who seem to be on edge as soon as they hear the chorus, because these days it mostly means someone is about to do something incredibly stupid.

Sometimes you can't win for trying
but you can smile through your crying.
The trick is to see you've got what it takes
to learn from your mistakes,
Embrace the journey and get off the fence -
life is a near-death experience