Zee Shanty Entry Thread

Sunless Sea
41

My little contribution to the competition. It’s to the tune of Loch Lomond. The refrain is sung by everyone, and the verses are sung by whoever is leading the song.

For many years, I have drifted these zees,
I am weary of the black waters sprawling,
Now I wish for the light of the brightly shining Sun
The winds of the highlands are calling.

(refrain)
Oh, from Wolfstack to Hunter’s,
From Polythreme to NORTH,
Our hearts yearn ever to wander,
To explore every wave of the windless, waveless zee,
For to feel light of Surface yonder.

Oh, that I could return to my home in the hills,
That daffodils bloom in the meadows,
But now silent rivers flow in my veins,
And the black roses wilt in my window.

(refrain)

Ehh, doesn’t really fit the tone of a zee shanty, but I thought I’d submit it anyways.

EDIT: Acht, I forgot the disclaimer thingy. Fallen London is © 2015 and ™ Failbetter Games Limited: www.fallenlondon.com. This is an unofficial fan work.

–

Soon-to-be Correspondent TheWolfoftheStars! More than happy to help with social actions, just shoot me a request. http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/TheWolfoftheStars
edited by TheWolfoftheStars on 3/6/2016

42

Here’s mine:

NO MORE TO VENDERBIGHT (A Zee shanty)

I’ve sailed by shifting stars, from Varchas to the Keep
But no more shall I see the feared Tomb Colony.

Refrain:
Zail To the Crying Heights,
But no more to Venderbight!

I’ve been through Horneman’s Stag and seen the bandaged dead
And In the Charnel Lounge I smelled their dusty breath.

Refrain

I’ll carry shrieks and glim, and even smuggle souls
But no more shall I let dusty dead inside my hold.

Refrain

There was a hungry dead who found us at the Mourn
He cost us fifteen men when the captain let him board!

Refrain

I recorded it too: https://soundcloud.com/curtinparloe/no-more-to-venderbight
You can’t trust those Tomb-Colonists…
edited by curtinparloe on 2/27/2016
edited by curtinparloe on 2/28/2016

43

A bit late to be asking, but is it just one entry per person for this contest?

44

None of the previous contests had a one entry limit, so probably this one doesn’t either unless it’s explicitly stated somewhere and I’ve missed it.

45

If it is explicitly stated anywhere, I haven’t found it either. Right, two more shanties it is then. Or will be soon. goes back to tinkering

46

I was pretty sure I read about a one shanty limit but I’ve found no evidence of it.

47

Hey all, when I tweeted Failbetter, this is what they said about multiple entries:
“You can enter more than once but we’ll only shortlist one entry per person, so you may want to focus on one!”

48

My little contribution; the Stay-Sane-Shanty ™. Italic parts are the bosun’s, non-italic ones the crew’s.

Gather around, bully boys,
gather 'round and zing along!
Come raise your voice,
let’s zing a glad zong!

Cheer up, me mates,
there’s still fuel in the tanks!
There’s still food on our plates,
and for that we give thanks!

The Zee may be vast
and yes, we’re adrift,
but the captain’s steadfast
and our ship is swift!

[i]If everyone now raises his voice
we might scare off the fiends tonight,
we can drown out their noise
and might not have to fight.

[/i]
Worry not about shadows,
for we do still have light,
mention no woes,
we shall be alright!

49

[quote=TuppencePies]Hey all, when I tweeted Failbetter, this is what they said about multiple entries:
&quotYou can enter more than once but we’ll only shortlist one entry per person, so you may want to focus on one!&quot[/quote]

Yes! Thank you! My terror about instant disqualification is now greatly reduced. :cool:

50

The Batty Castaway’s Song
(Chorus joins in on the parenthetical parts.)

We put to zee in a tub and a sieve
(The rat, the cat, the bats and me)
Storm took the tub, Salt the sieve
(And all we saved was the slug-curd cheese!)

The cheese it was foul (ugh)
The rat she was tough (arrgh)
And the cat he disagreed with me (owow!)
But the zee-bats can stay
For they wake me each day
With a cup of the darkdrop and company

(The cure for all calamity
Is a cup of the darkdrop and com-pan-yyyyyyyyy!)

51

Chelonate Earworm

Uncle Ankle needs a toebone for to sell (yes he does)
Uncle Ankle needs a toebone for to sell (oh yes he does)
Uncle Ankle needs a toebone
So why not lend him yo’ bone?
Uncle Ankle needs a toebone for to sell (damn right he does)

Uncle Ankle needs a skullbone for to sell (run and hide)
Uncle Ankle needs a skullbone for to sell (oh well you tried)
Uncle needs a brand-new skull
And we need cash to patch the hull
That’s why we’ll all come out a head if we sell yours (it’s bona fide!)

52

Zailor’s Warning

By light of ship
And glow of zee
Let me warn ye of the deep;
Hope to never see The Dawn
And finally get some sleep.

[Chorus]
Stir up the Bazaar
We’ve gone so far
In this ship of ratwork fine.
I brave the horrors ‘o the zee
With this crazed captain of mine.

We pay the master’s taxes,
But it’s the gods we fear;
For drownies hold no candle
To wind wailing in ear.

[Chorus]

Don’t be burnt by devils,
Don’t get caught in Spite;
Remember the shine of dirigible stars,
For down ’Neath there’s only night!

Fallen London is © 2015 and ™ Failbetter Games Limited: www.fallenlondon.com. This is an unofficial fan work.[li]
edited by Ace Unknown on 3/2/2016

53

Irrigo

A song we shall sing (x2)
That you’ve never heard before;

It goes like this:
A wave and a twist
And silence evermore.

A colour arise,
Envelop and sighs;
She’ll soak you to the core.

A song we shall sing (x2)
From memory never bore.

With a wave of her hand,
She’s forgot you and ran;
Absent in all but lore.

Left you alone,
Lost far from home;
In remembrance you are poor.

A song we shall sing (x2)
That you’ve never heard before;

It goes like this:
A wave and a twist
And silence evermore.

[Repeat until forgotten]

Fallen London is © 2015 and ™ Failbetter Games Limited: www.fallenlondon.com. This is an unofficial fan work.[li]
edited by Ace Unknown on 3/2/2016

54

Man, it’s almost March 4th - time flies, huh?



Shovel That Coal

There’s darkness in the North today,
All warmth and light are gone;
Shovel that coal, raise the zails,
We must continue on.

The Drownies quiet, moon-pearls wane,
The North yet haunts our dreams;
Shovel that coal, raise the zails,
Ignore your shipmates’ screams.

The captain calls, “Approach the Void!”
And we send Stone our prayers;
Shovel that coal, raise the zails,
And pray that someone cares.

The dark-glass Nomad hunts us now,
A warning not to roam;
Shovel that coal, raise the zails,
And hope we make it home.

55

This is my first time on the forums and my goodness the Fallen London/Sunless Sea fandom is brimming with talent. It’s such a joy to read all the entries! :D Anywho, here is my Zee Shanty based on the most adored abomination in the Neath, the Dawn Machine! This ‘zhanty’ is of the zailors struggle to shun it’s tyrannical, yet beckoningly beautiful, light. :)
- - - - - - -
TURN
Cast to the mast a rope and a light.
The glowing is growing; blood borders our sight.
i[/i]
Turn, turn, turn, turn,
Steer and turn, away from THE SUN.

Sparks in the dark! The horizon aflame!
But cold as the gold that inspires its name.
i[/i]

We drift o’er a rift; scarlet carpets the waves.
We veer ever clear lest we don gilded graves.
i[/i]

We burn and we yearn and threaten to deal,
Our brain for the reign of a star born of steel.
i[/i]

Turn x7
Steer and turn.
Turn x7
Fear and burn.

56

My humble entry, the Brave Lad

The Brave Lad was smooth and fair
And he went to zee without a care
But never happy will he be
For he lost his soul to the Unterzee

Blue Blemmigan chark,
Glim falling spark
He is sailing north into the dark

Was he mad or was he fool
When he sank his teeth into the jewel
Or did he know what no one knew
Spoken to him by Drownie lips blue

Blue Blemmigan chark,
Glim falling spark
He is sailing north into the dark

57

Well, for better or worse, her is my attempt: &quotOur first captain of the underzee&quot

Our first captain of the underzee
(Who is she?)
A thieving lass from London piers
spirited yet green behind 'er ears
longing for fame and wealth abundantly
(Cops don’t swim, practice piracy!)

Our fierce captain of the underzee
(What does she?)
Hunts treasures, steals fright,
challenges Khanagians to fight
Does trading, exploring, even piracy
(Watch for the Navy, they are aiming for thee!)

Our glorious captain of the underzee
(Where is she?)
She fought rodents on Pigmote Isle
stole their crown (Oh how vile!)
and now all the cavies call her ‘Your Majesty’!
(All hail Queen Taimi, becoming furry royalty!)

58

Ahoy mateys. I humbly present my entry, &quotCaptain, take me home&quot

(Words in brackets are to be sung in chorus)

I’ve felt the cold of the Avid Horizon
Dined at Hunter’s Keep
Surrendered my soul in the Empire of Hands
(Half my life at zee!)

So look to the oars and look to the engines!
(Captain, take me home!)
Full steam to London, with holy protection!
(Salt and Storm and Stone!)

Changed by the laws of the Iron Republic
Zailed South of Adam’s Way
Dragged down below the Fathomking’s Hold
(The zailor’s price to pay!)

So look to the oars and look to the engines!
(Captain, take me home!)
Anchors aweigh, and pray for protection!
(Salt and Storm and Stone!)

59

[This shanty is ninety-nine words in total. The one-hundredth word was stolen by an ill-fated urchin.]

We’ve shoveled the coal and we’ve loaded the grog,
Wey-hey, blow winds blow!
But where in the unter has gone our dear mog?
Wey-hey, away we go!
Where to, the zee only knows!
A ratter by nature, a zailer by trade,
Wey-hey, blow winds blow!
Our dear captain’s favored, good luck she doth bade,
Wey-hey, away we go!
Where to, the zee only knows!
If you take one word zailor, take it from me,
Wey-hey, blow winds blow!
A ship with no mog’s just a tub in the zee!
Wey-hey, away we go!
Where to, the zee only knows!

60

right, ok i’ll give it a go - i kind of hear it as two groups swapping verses back and forth:

"theres light on the buoys,
theres light on the docks,
so close to home now boys
and trapped in these rocks

now we’re damned boys we’re damned!
yes, another fine death!
the song of the zee
in our last gasping breath

theres light on the buoys,
theres light on the docks,
and our legacies carved out
all over these rocks

now we’re saved boys we’re saved!
our scion lives still!
the song of the zee
in his ironclad will

theres light on the buoys,
theres light on the docks,
and theres light in the windows
far beyond these cold rocks."

100 words exactly - may it keep you warm on the cold nights at zee.