Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Oh, Tower...!

I received this today, got permission to post it:

"My group has just played through Tower of the Stargazer (and believe it or not none of them died!). It was great fun and wife has even written a ballad, composed by a bard during the carousing funded with the gold found in the dungeon (quick google translation, but should be ok):

(the original Italian version is here)

From the hills to thick forests
True adventurers and shady types
wondered what was the cause
of the thunderbolt which fell without a pause

Fearful was the lightning
upon the tower that still stands
it is said to have belonged to a magician
of which a vague memory remains

One day arrived there without fear
from Retoril defying the thunder
four worthy and valiant men
a mysterious elf and a dwarf

Among them, the great warrior Calistasio
with a magnificent steed
Derrimaldeo of the Golden Dawn
whose wart offended decorum

Dargan followed with sharp ingenuity
ready to explore the depths
Hedstrom the barbarian whose speech
was poor, but mighty in arms

Suddenly they met on the ridge
the body of someone that ended badly
challenging the beam from above
they reached him with a jump

Having examined those remains
they did not lose their courage
running they reached the door
without becoming dead meat

The entrance of that high tower
already suggested dangers
inside they found objects and old horrors
until they met the mirrors

Of these one was fruitful
One created a double warrior
The Barbarian seemed lost in another
But the elf and the dwarf came to the rescue

Perhaps it was the end of the adventure
the mirrors seemed enough to scare
To Retoril they returned for cures
and to consider what to do

The dwarf and elf in the city they remained
the four instead one day went again
ready to do everything possible to discover
what the tower could offer

Way up the hill they went in very early
in the mysterious place again
they found a bizarre elevator
and at the top in amazement they reached

Precious manuscripts and strange vials
those halls filled in thousands
but then an amazing discovery
what seemed to be a magician's diary

The pages spoke of an evil
that with death was at ease
He wanted to rule the bodies
and dark dimensions visit

Behold, suddenly in a room
that villain with his boldness
proved to be an old charmer
imprisoned by his servant

Threats uttered the old man
talking about a supernatural power
but a circle kept him locked
next to an egg of unclear use

Our heroes were not deceived
leaving him they continued to explore
Finally coming to a big room
that held treasures in abundance

Alas coffers awaited proudly
protected by magical barriers
An arcane mechanism ruled them
But nobody knew how it worked

Much time was needed for reflection
to find the position of the levers
the enterprise was almost inhuman
seemed to take an entire week

But finally, with his usual cleverness Dargan
in a pebble found the key
and looking beyond appearance
understood the essence of the levers

Crossing the now harmless barriers
they emptied the rich big chest
And loaded of gold and silver and jewels
they ignored the magician's lament

Quickly out they went
the adventure was over now
Batuseo would explain the magic
In Retoril between partying and gifts

I relate this adventure as a bard
There seems to be nothing worthy of respect?
Perhaps because there were no killings
battles or conquests of bastions

Do you think the value of the hero
is only in the fight and fuss?
I say no, not just this
and I'll explain why oh quick:

our four worthy adventurers
deserve beautiful verses and thoughts
since they stopped at nothing
wonders, mysteries and horrors they faced

Thanks to the courage they found the treasure
we'll sing of them and their cunning
but what deserves them a place in the annals
is the parties, and the bacchanalian revelry

In fact, that night was memorable
to the city droves and legions rushed
to be there in the great celebration
they must have been more than eleven hundred!

Music and jumps, wine and rivers of beer
in the street beautiful scents of roasted boar
and all ate, knights and fools
a painter immortalized the great revelry, too

Many other deeds the heroes did
perhaps more noble, but always for us
will remain the eternal memory of Retoril
that night when all hell broke loose!"

1 comment:

  1. For those who can read Italian, the original version, with full rhymes, is here: http://terretormentate.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/la-ballata-dei-quattro-eroi-di-retoril/

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