I'm starting to play a pirate character in 5e, and I've decided to make it so that he knows a couple of songs. Nothing on a Bard level, but just a couple of sea shanties for him to hum or sing during a long journey. I've written them down and picked tunes for them, and I'm just curious to know whether anyone else has done the same.
So, besides Artemis' Hangman and the Treasure Cycle, has anyone got any original songs or lyric sets for their bards or other characters to perform?
I'm starting to play a pirate character in 5e, and I've decided to make it so that he knows a couple of songs. Nothing on a Bard level, but just a couple of sea shanties for him to hum or sing during a long journey. I've written them down and picked tunes for them, and I'm just curious to know whether anyone else has done the same.
So, besides Artemis' Hangman and the Treasure Cycle, has anyone got any original songs or lyric sets for their bards or other characters to perform?
Drunken Sailor, of course.
Would you care to share such a piece? I can share Artemis' Hangman as well if you like.
I believe it's one of the more popular sea shanties, but maybe just in Canada~ :P (Link)
Nice! I've just written my own lyrics over these two songs:
"Artemis' Hangman" over "La Belle et Le Capitaine"
"Look at her shining silver eyes
In the dark skies
Above the sea
Hung in the night
From Artemis
Pale light eternal
Watching us all
Forevermore
Selene's eternal dance
Round, round and round and round she goes
Circling the stars
Above the sea
Hung from Se-e-l-e-ene's ga-a-llows
Where the north wind blows
Forevermore
Caught in the stars
My eternal
Love, Artemis' Hangman
Hung in the night
Forevermore
Selene's eternal dance
Weaving through stars
Forevermore
Arte-e-mis' Hangman
Watching us all
Forevermore
Selene's eternal dance
Up to the stars I gaze away
Longing for no day
Forevermore
That I might see her face 'til I die
Hung in the night sky
Forevermore
Weaving through stars
Above the sea
Artemis' Hangman
Watching us all
Forevermore
Selene's eternal dance
Artemis' Hangman"
and "The Ballad of the Dragonfury" over "The Fisher Who Died In His Bed"
"Gather round and hear a tale
A tale of those wand’ring through the sea
They sail’d on that thrice-accursed ship, nam’d Dragonfury.
Oh, what glory they’ve held in their hold
‘Massing riches throughout the sea.
Their rise was bought from gold,
As the fall from glory.
Their bane came unknown
A small ship showed mighty
Their men number’d score and three score again
To just twenty-three.
Their lives were undone that day
Destiny show’d her treachery
O my comrades dead and eternal
Of the Dragonfury..."
I would recommend some of the sea shanties your crew sing in Assassin's Creed Black Flag. They may inspire you.
I was running into a similar problem, but with my bard. I was able to find a bunch of D&D themed bard tunes, you could probably adapt a few of them into sea shanties. https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/bard/13759-bardic-lore-fail-searching-for-the-songs-of-the