Hell's Rebels: A Rebel Song


Hell's Rebels


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Excerpt from Folk Songs of the Chelish Civil War by Valeria Baladin
Published by Skavner's Fine Tomes, Ordellia, Magnimar, 4714.

"Hail Ye Chelish Lords"
Author unknown (c. 4633)

Tune: Varisian folk song, "Came He O'er the Sea"

Hail ye Chelish lords! Hail ye dukes of Isger!
Abbie plays at swords and wee devils with her.
Do you know the place called the Stallion's Hammer?
I saw Abbie Grace dallin' with a lemure!

Before the tears had dried for the dead Azlanti
Abbie she connived for to up the ante--
Marked old Gaspie's deck in her game of Towers
And Gaspie cashed his cheque for a wreath of flowers!

Abbie went to Hell! There is little doubt here
For that awful smell that always clings about her.
Who will stand his ground? Davy will defend it!
He'll wear the Chelish crown, though dented he will mend it!

Milani sent the call to Cayden and to Desna
To make the curtain fall on Abbie's fell adventure.
Davy's holding strong his Ostensan vira
While Abbie's gazing long in her infernal mirror.

Hail to Bobbing Don! And the Inheritor's Lady!
Hail to Lancer Tran-- her dancers all a-ready!
Davy's back in town and like an angry daddy
Take her knickers down and spank the bum of Abbie!

(Repeat first verse)

History:

Loyalist folk song from the Chelaxian Civil War (4626-4640), in support of House Davian. This song stands out for its thinly-veiled yet coded language, sardonic and crude sexual humor, and vitriolic anti-Thrune sentiment.

Attributed by Chelish authorities to the halfling bard Chimon of Kintargo (4598-4641), who was convicted of penning this song and was executed in Egorian for it. Most scholars outside of Cheliax doubt this authoriship, citing significant stylistic differences with other known works by Chimon. The internal rhyme scheme and coded language strongly suggest Varisian authorship, especially in comparison to the Varisian folk song "Came He O'er the Sea," which shares the tune. (See below)

Copies of this song were printed in Kintargo in handbill format in 4634-5 and widely circulated. All printed copies were ordered to be destroyed per Imperial Order 7-4321.1 subsction F, issued by Her Infernal Majestrix Abrogail I in 4640. Any person caught performing this song was to receive 30 lashes and have his or her tongue cut out.

The tune used is from the Varisian folk song, "Came He O'er the Sea," a similarly-satirical retelling of the First Battle of Conquorer's Bay (4405) near Korvosa. That song tells how an outnumbered Shoanti quah successfully repelled the first attempt to invade Varisia by Chelish forces.

line-by-line explanation of meaning:

1. Hail ye Chelish lords! Hail ye dukes of Isger!
2. Abbie plays at swords and wee devils with her.
3. Do you know the place called the Stallion's Hammer?
4. I saw Abbie Grace dallin' with a lemure!

5. Before the tears had dried for the dead Azlanti
6. Abbie she connived for to up the ante--
7. Marked old Gaspie's deck in her game of Towers
8. And Gaspie cashed his cheque for a wreath of flowers!

9. Abbie went to Hell! There is little doubt here
10. For that awful smell that always clings about her.
11. Who will stand his ground? Davy will defend it!
12. He'll wear the Chelish crown, though dented he will mend it!

13. Milani sent the call to Cayden and to Desna
14. To make the curtain fall on Abbie's fell adventure.
15. Davy's holding strong his Ostensan vira
16. While Abbie's gazing long in her infernal mirror.

17. Hail to Bobbing Don! And the Inheritor's Lady!
18. Hail to Lancer Tran-- her dancers all a-ready!
19. Davy's back in town and like an angry daddy
20. Take her knickers down and spank the bum of Abbie!

1. A call to unaligned Chelish lords (including those in the province of Isger) to unite under Davian's banner.

2. A warning against the rise of House Thrune:
"Abbie:" Duchess Abrogail Thrune of Egorian (later Queen Abrogail I).
"plays at swords:" double-meaning: an inexperienced military commander, and Varisian slang for having many male sexual partners.
"wee devils:" dismissal of Thrune strategy of reinforcing its ranks with called devils.

3. "Stallion's Hammer:" Infamous brothel in Egorian specializing in male whore-slaves.

4. An insinuation that House Thrune must debase itself to devils:
"Abbie Grace:" referece to Duchess Abrogai's title
"lemure:" foul, dim-witted infernal creature that is the least of devil-kind.

5. "dead Azlanti:" Aroden

6. (through line 8) An extended analogy of the war as a card game.

7. Accusation that House Thrune consipred against King Gaspodar.
"Gaspie:" King Gaspodar
"marked the deck:" cheated at cards; by extension betrayed the king.
"game of Towers:" double-meaning: both the well-known card game of Towers, and the political side of the war.

8. Accusation that House Thrune assassinated King Gaspodar.

9-10. House Thrune is tainted by its deviltry. Also a direct insult.

11. "Davy:" House Davian

12. "though dented he will mend it" (the crown): When it gains the throne, House Davian will re-unite a fractured Cheliax.

13-14. Hyperbolic claim that the gods are on the side of House Davian. Note that all the gods cited are diametrically opposed philosophically to diabolism.

15. House Davian successfully defended Ostenso from a Thrune offensive in 4532.
"vira:" A Chelish estate

16. Unclear. Perhaps this line calls out the hubris of House Thrune's belief in being able to control its infernal allies.

17. The last stanza is a rallying cry for allies of House Davian
"Bobbing Don:" Admiral Donwell Crispin (4592-4639)
"Iomedae's Lady:" probably First Sword Knight Pontia Voralius of Kintargo (4602-4644)

18. "Lancer Tran:" probably General Trania Davian (4598-4640).
"dancers:" probably a reference to the 19th Cavalry Brigade, "Darwath's Dancers."

19-20: Prediction of House Davian's victory in the war. Analogy that Abrogail is a child throwing a tantrum that needs to be disciplined by her father. Also note the sexual overtones of the final line.


I wasn't able to finish the above poem before the submission deadline for Wayfinder #11, so I humbly submit it here.

The poem is inspired by the Scottish Jacobite folk song "Cam Ye O'er Frae France".

The analysis is similarly inspired by ethno-musicologist analysis of folk songs. Like this one.

For the "Hell's Rebels" AP, I could imagine present-day rebels dusting off an old anti-Thrune song from the days of the first civil war.


Yoink!

This looks pretty damn cool, mate.


Brilliantly done. I love it!


Thanks!


I'll just be over here, falling in love with this.


I love it - Defy the tyrants, don't be silent!


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Don´t know about anyone else, but with this AP the soundtrack will be a lot from the band Ghost B.C. for me.

Grand Lodge

I like it! Death to all tyrants!


Hayato Ken wrote:
Don´t know about anyone else, but with this AP the soundtrack will be a lot from the band Ghost B.C. for me.

For me, Ot3p


This is absolutely brilliant! My players will love it. But who in Cthulhu's name would hail the lords of Isger?

The Exchange

A good opener for my group will be Last Night of the Kings.

Cool folk song there, Haladir. Love it.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Fantastic stuff, and really well thought out with regards to the line-by-line explanation. Will be using it in this weekend in my game, so I'm hard at work practicing :).

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