Zee Shanty Entry Thread

Sunless Sea
21

Here’s mine:

Oh across the Dark Zee,
Oh across the Dark Zee,

As Zailors we travel,
Far from the lights of any city.

Oh across the Dark Zee,
Oh across the Dark Zee,

From Station III to Shepherd Isles
From Adam’s Way to Abbey Rock.

Oh across the Dark Zee,
Oh across the Dark Zee,

We Zail for knowlege, treasure,
Goods and curiousityyyy.

Oh across the Dark Zee,
Oh across the Dark Zee,

We bring reports to the Admiralty
And Masters await in London city.

There’s no place like it
Underneath in the eerie Dark Zee.

22

[li]Well this little ditty sums up my dear characters life, from Fallen London to Sunless Sea.

From Fallen London A poet I be,
With my new crew, I fled to the Zee

For devils wait,
(For your soul to take)
Yes devils wait,
(Less we sink at zee)

On and on we sailed through the black,
Stone, Salt and Storm, let me never go back,

For devils wait,
(For your soul to take)
Yes devils wait,
(Less we sink at zee)

No more food, but the crew need to feed,
Maybe back on the shore was safer for me,

Where devils wait,
(For your soul to take)
Yes devils wait,
(Less we eat at zee)

Fallen London is © 2015 and ™ Failbetter Games Limited: www.fallenlondon.com. This is an unofficial fan work.

23

[To the tune of Here Comes THE SUN]

THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN

THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN

THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN

THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN
THE SUN THE SUN

I’ll come up with a real submission later ;)

24

&quotLondon’s Light&quot

Light the coals, turn to the dark
Out into eternal night (Response 1)
Set to Zee on a madman’s lark
Past the glow of London’s light (Response 2)

We head past teeth and ragged claws
(Response 1)
Beyond the reach of mortal laws
(Response 2)

Will we carry silk, or sapphires, or honey?
(Response 1)
It doesn’t really matter if we get the money
(Response 2)

Keep your mind off of the waters
(Response 1)
Lest you be mourned by your sons and daughters
(Response 2)
edited by Elias Caspar on 2/7/2016

25

&quotThe Compass Rose&quot

&quotTo the West is Mother London,
Home, humility, safety.

Look not North.

To the South is the Elder Continent,
Mystery, colony, luminosity.

Look not North.

To the East is the Khanate,
Enemy, perfidy, degeneracy.

Look not North.

And Irem in glass, the Republic in Iron,
Clay Polythreme and frozen Whither.

But look not North”

Really liking what everyone is coming up with!

26

Well, I guess I will try, but short compositions aren’t my best scenario… Althought I have to say that It was pretty funny to create this piece. Just for ambientation and a little roleplay game, I’ ve pictured the song to the tune of a little shorter &quotAll for me grog&quot, wich would be half sang, half whispered, by tripulations of &quotZeekers&quot looking for they own demise on the sea. Or zee, we might even say.

All for me Name

|.
And it’s all for the name, the damned, bloody, name:
all for his Name, and our zeekiiiiiin’!
Dizgrace 'pon us, on our shoulders shame,
'til we rest 'nder northern waters, 'longzide the Faaaaaathomking!

||.
Where are me man, me wretched, ztained crew,
they’d be all gone from hunger and terroooooor!
For the robust, dripping meat… if only did they knew
how we now all carry inside a piece of zea-faaaaaarer!

[Repeat |]

|||.
Well blow me down if I ain’t zick,
for I’m still zcanty!
Nor stain, scar, chain is my wiiick…
Haul! To Ocean I pledge too; the Zeek, my shaaaaanty!

[Enjoying the creativity out of everyone’s mind in the post!]

27

Fallen London!

It’s a far away town

Victorian style

But deep underground

Fallen London!

Full of weasels and teeth

abducted by bats

and brought to the Neath.

Fallen London!

Now be sure to stay whole

The devils are coming

And they’re eyeing your soul!

Fallen London!

Yes, we’re right next to hell

But some things are worse

Don’t talk to the well!

The Masters are Watching

The Sun’s Moving In

A revenge is coming

For a great wicked sin

The Sixth City’s falling!

But I have no fear

'Cause when London’s drowning I’m

BEHIND THE MIRROR!!!
[li]
edited by SouthSea Rutherby on 2/9/2016

28

Wow, I am completely flummoxed by the 100 word limit! My first attempt was 237 and I’ll have to cut out two verses to go under 100 (never mind the fact the poor thing won’t make sense). But I’ve enjoyed these and making up tunes to them.

29

Ahoy, zhanty-bards! A quick questions to you: is there rum in the Neath? What would a hardened zailor drink? Definitely not Greyfields, I figured. Need this for the zong!

30

Not sure why there wouldn’t be rum imported from the surface, though I couldn’t find any references. Ale is known to be exported to Carnelian Coast and sold in dockside tavern(s), as well as certain peculiar porter I haven’t yet tasted (nor I most likely will). Morelways '72 is also quite popular.

A really hardened zailor would, of course, have a flask of the good stuff.

31

An online search confirmed that rum does indeed exist in the Neath. I would post the snippet, but it has the honour of being the least important Fate-locked snippet that forum rules have ever barred.

32

The Honey-Stuck Lover

Solo Singer: Oh, I once met a lad
Who seemed mighty sad
While having a grin on his face-oh.
He beckoned me in
With a right sticky grin
And told me of a marvelous place. Oh,

He showed me the jars
And hummed me some bars
Of a love song, deep and true.
He told me to stay
And with him come away
To honey dreams, &quotMe and you.&quot

Crew: What did you say?

Solo: I said…

Chorus: I must away
To the zee, I say,
To the salt and the brine and the sunless sky.
So lubber, turn away,
And don’t anything say,
'Cause I can’t bear to see you cry.

33

The Masters and Jack hunt me tonight
They’ll get no stories from me (refrain)
I’ll seek for riches far from here
And find them across the Zee,
But from Frostfound down to Venderbight
refrain

By Polytheme’s shore Crabby came in sight
refrain
We best be having 'im for tea
Or else cook’s coming after me,
His eyes and knife are ever too bright
refrain

Storm, Salt, and Stone are ever right
refrain
We Drownies sing for the Fantomking
On this we do agree,
That all shall be well, shall be well
And all matter of things shall be well.

Fallen London is © 2015 and ™ Failbetter Games Limited: www.fallenlondon.com. This is an unofficial fan work

Sung by me: Google Drive: Sign-in
edited by Parelle on 2/18/2016

34

The Sinking of the Violant
~–~–~–~–~–~–~–~–~–~

Off in the East
We showed 'em what for
[ul][li]Ocean of glass, hold fast[/li][/ul]All hands on deck
All Hands on the shore

  • London gunners unsurpassed

Whispers of scintillack
Clinking of gold

[ul][li]Branches on mast, hold fast
[/li][/ul]Rustle of stowaway
Deep in the hold

  • London gunners unsurpassed

Storm in the engine room
Salt in our sight
[ul][li]Drownies’ Mass, hold fast[/li][/ul]Child-sized fingers
Reach in the night

  • London gunners unsurpassed

[/i]Harbor reflection
Showed us the truth

[ul][li]London at last, hold fast
[/li][/ul]Ape for a captain
Soulless for crew

  • London gunners unsurpassed!

&——
Fallen London is © 2015 and ™ Failbetter Games Limited: www.fallenlondon.com. This is an unofficial fan work.
edited by TheThirdPolice on 2/18/2016

35

lines in brackets indicate the crew,
everything else is sung by the Shantyman.

A Toast
To Our ForeBearer Tobias Fulchard,
Whom we would not be here
without his gift of Steamer,
Gold and Advice.

Mad was the ma-an,

[To-bi-as Ful-Chard!]

Captain, The Flecker
A steamer, Like no other.

[Zailor of the Zee,]
[Man a Mystery!]

We sing a song,
with a swig a rum.

[in Honor o-of Thee.]

His bones may lay forgotten,
near the isle a-a Mutton.

Yet the name lives on
As the ztory preys upon…

[The Zailor of The Zee!]
[A Man a Mystery!]

Confronted by,
the eye a danger,
and an empty manger.

[He Still Ro-ode On!]
[Until He Wa-as Gone!!!]

…

To - Bi - As Ful - Chard!

[A Man Like No Other!!!]

Zailed Across The Zouthern Zide,
A The Zee!

(repeating song)

Because!!!

(go back to the top)

(If your wondering who Tobias Fulchard is, I stumbled across his name in one of the loading screens for sunless sea, and there I found a note that said that we got the beginner’s steamer from him and so In honor of out late family member of indistinct origin we toast him for this opportunity to join the ranks of great zee-men and women. I also got lucky I’m assuming and my ship was named the Flecker which fit perfectly with my rhythem)
edited by GreatDerpression on 2/18/2016

36

Sung with swing in the soul. To zing the Zailor’s Hymn, extinguish all lights, and light a candle on the bow. As the zailors and captain go about the duties, they zing, hoping desperately to catch the (merciful) attention of the aloof gods of the Zee.

This is a first draft that I’d like to share here. I’m rather satisfied, personally. I hope you all enjoy it.

Zailor’s Hymn

We’ve left our sons, our Sun, our psalms
Not one of us has any fam’ly.
Abandoned the crowds, the Master’s shrouds
To zail away, to zee!


Slaves to the mast, we’re home at last
In our sunless Underzee.


Gone are the lights of London bright
Gone are Jenny’s girls!
Instead all we have is cold, and fright
And bleeding Drowning-Pearls!


We zing our prayer, this zong today
To Gods only Zailors know!
Salt, and Storm, and far-away Stone
Remember these souls as your own.


Slaves to the mast, we’re home at last
In our sunless Underzee.
edited by Schurchk on 2/19/2016

37

This is my zee shanty, The last Zee Zong, a man who sentenced his fate to death because he found a zong that should have been stay unfound. Part in bold is the chorus, sang by all people hearing the song. This is go it goes:
After zailing the zee
I have found the real gold
Not souls or money
Not what’s beyond
For you I shall bring, friend
The last damned tones
Now zing with me this last Zee Zong
Been long forgotten by those who drown

Went down to hell
And zang with the Devil
Dance with forgotten
Souls who wanted me
Now I shall go
To find what’s beyond
Now zing with me this last Zee Zong
Been long forgotten by those who drown

Now zing with me this last Zee Zong
Been long forgotten by those who drown

&quotThose my last words on a London canteen. My ship was claimed by the Fathomking, thus my soul. But I’m happy. I found the secret unfound, the notes that no one wants to hear. Remember me, or thou shalt join me on tis’ my eternal song.&quot -Last entry found on a ship’s logbook near Fathomking’s Hold, with a shanty written on a strange alphabet.

38

I posted my shanty to my tumblr blog, but I might as well cross post it here for my forums friends. It’s a short re-telling of the Northbound Parliamentarian storyline with details from the six perspectives, so it has spoilers for that. I’ll put it in a spoiler box just in case. The tune is Two Fishermen (hymn).

~~
Zong of the Northbound

[spoiler]Six passengers who zailed
Towards the port of Venderbight
Suffered a twist of fate
Adrift during the starless night

Now Eaten watched them from the well
Then called her, ‘Seek my Name’
She change their course
The drunk captain
Was bribed with wine to blame

Vengeance will be mine
Zail North to seek my Name

And as they landed on strange shores
Twas scorpions they’d find
And pillars of abysm-glass
Xibalba they enshrined

The priest kings would not let them leave
But games they loved to run
Twas fair the game their Cardsharp played
Their freedom he had won[/spoiler]

39

The captain’s line hangs off the stern
Oh no, she’ll make us eat it!
Zee monsters she catches to learn
And then, she’ll make us eat it!

“Now come and see what’s on my hook.”
“Brave bully boys, come take a look.”

A hard-shelled thing with eye that blinks
It stares around as if it thinks

With skin of blue and damp and cold
A Drownie girl with hair of gold

A feathered thing that shrieks and sings
Truly a fish if it has wings?

When Captain’s learnt all she can learn
She’ll pass it on to Cook to burn!

(I hope the format I have is clear enough. It seems to be the standard on websites which have Shanty lyrics.

I want to add, 100 words seemed like plenty until I got started. I could have kept going easily!)
edited by dragonridingsorceress on 2/25/2016
edited by dragonridingsorceress on 2/25/2016

40

This shanty is featured in an upcoming opera by Miss Ravenscroft, called the Drowning Feast. The leader sings the &quotBless…&quot lines, and the zailors reply with the parenthetical lines.
[color=#000000]
[/color]
[color=#0066cc]Bless Storm who makes the waves to swell[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc](And might yet blow us all to Hell)[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc]Bless Stone who keeps us from our dying[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc](Though the drownies surely keep on trying)[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc]Bless Salt and each dark-fathomed beast[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc](May we never serve at a Drowning Feast)[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc]
[/color]
[color=#0066cc]Bless Storm who in the North does dwell[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc](And our loved ones in the city that fell)[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc]Bless Stone who tears of flint is crying[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc](And Her Light – that’s South - that we are spying)[/color]
[color=#0066cc] [/color][color=#0066cc]Bless Salt, the God who travelled East[/color]
[color=#0066cc](May we never be served at a Drowning Feast.)[/color]
[color=#000000]
[/color]