Far away in the snowy North of the Ceald, immerse yourself in the rumbling echoes and chants of metal melters, blacksmiths, moneylenders, and winter hunters whilst they heartily sing about what it means to survive in the icy cold of their homeland. A song that has been smelted and sung for hundreds of years by the Elders of their villages and settlements, and known among their people of this rather frigid tundra, this is a deep ancient tune that is often taught to children when they are of age. Whether it’s forging salt free of impurity, debasing greed, traveling well through glacier fjords or pine forests, hunting wolf and bear, or sleeping warm by fire and wife, or building a house mended well with good wood and earth. Though simple in its story, it hammers hard the lesson of survival and their way of life, a beat that every Cealdish man desires and strives to be. Readily tapped with a leather skin hand drum, only the vast chortles of fur traders chanting in mead halls and in the night, can be heard, with the strange billowing of a winter wind continually blowing behind. 

Listen to the last remnants of a once powerful desert kingdom, Modeg, ruled by the High King, fall to ruin and lose everything he holds dear in the blink of an eye. In the hot yellow barren lands, it is governed by a King that knows all the secrets of old magic, a good husband to his lovely wife, and treats his subjects well. On this day, a beautiful market festival was being held in the city citadel. All is merry, and the nobility desire to be gay, drinking, gambling, bouting, dancing, eating, and otherwise enjoying a good time in the muddling music during a bright pink sunset. But what the High King does not notice, so caught up in the laugh of his wife and the glamor of his people, a war to the West is brewing against the fiefdom that defies him for his ancient ways. And among the great ruckus, a rancid black beast of an army, storm the city. In a slow soothing voice, and a sad strain of piano, witness the final moments of a honest lord, losing everything he loves close.

Sweet and soft, feel your heart swoon to this whispery romantic flair. In precious and pretty piano, listen to the story of a poor singer become enamored with a beautiful noble princess, locked away in a stone tower, wrapped in bristling green ivy and candle light. The woman being barred by her Baron Father to interact with the world around her or lesser, poor folk in the region, this young bard spots her one night by her tower window, looking rather sorrowful and lonely. Not only does he find her truly divine in appearance and kind in her word, secretly he hides under the ivy bower under her tall window, singing her tunes and telling her sweeter words. After doing this for many months, he questions if she judges him that he is dirty and poor, and the princess claims she does not, finding him caring and handsome, and is entranced by his songs. Begging her to run away with him, as he can see she is unhappy and trapped, aids her in escape, and they run off into the moonlit night, both their hearts thumping together in harmony. 

Lute finger-style plucking along the wan strings, a princess dances forlorn and alone in an ancient abandoned castle, that once held three powerful old Kings. From shattered stone and broken walls, cream-white snow rains down in the high ballroom hall, a woman gives her final dance, remembering the lords ghosts that once were. Though it is unknown how long the princess has been in the ruined castle, with each twirl, step, and leap, her glossy blue dress flapping out before her with a bent crown, recalls the fleeting and faint memories of each king, each with a different set of eyes: gold, silver, and emerald. A Poet King who was hung for preaching true word against the terrible law, a midnight king who commanded blood spells and fell to his own demise and disease, and a honest family man, who failed to win a war, and resorted to ending his own life. But to her, they are not just flickering dreams. There ghosts live on in the high halls, all treasured by her heart, as they had each cared for her in her youth in varying loving ways.

Done in teary slow piano, this song tells the sad and terrible events of what happens to a Priest in Tarbean who goes against the teachings and laws of the Tehulin Church. Since the Iron Law are backed by the Tehulins, priests and men with wicked tongues, would rather rob poor starving people, who can hardly buy a blanket, than help or provide shelter, medicine, food, or water for otherwise, struggling folk. In the song, a honest, goodnatured, a priest who is a good man, can see through the treacherous veil of the church and begins to bring aid to people in secret. He opens his doors to hurt, injured, and damaged individuals and lets them stay at his holy house, under his kindness, love, and care. A little girl beaten by her Father given a place to sleep, a hungry sick young boy left by his parents who is gifted herbs, toys, and food. A woman who was kicked out of town due to rucking with a foppish gentlemen, the stress causes her to miscarriage, therefore, the priest does not judge her harlot nature, but accepts her as a beautiful woman. A soldier who blames himself for his friends death in battle, and mangy dog who was whipped by their owner, before being left on the streets. All the while the old priest, shines sanctuary of these people, and disregards caring for himself, knowing full well, his time is coming to an end.

In the same instrument of piano, this song is the continuation of the tale, I am a Humble Priest. These are the only two songs in the entire album that are connected. The Iron Law catches wind of the old priests illegal deeds of helping people rather than stealing their pennies, and burn down his chapel. The echoing sadness and loneliness felt in this song is prevalent and dire. This causes the holy man with only the gray robe on his back to be beaten nearly to death by Justices before being thrown out onto the street to die. In the winter snow, he stumbles and struggles along tar-ridden alleys, surviving only on moldy bread, getting robbed, and slumbering in crates. Eventually to escape the cruel world, he slinks into the dark of a charred house, and lives alone in a basement waiting for death to free them. Lonely and afraid, Unknown time passes, but the man soon starts to go mad and forgets his name, desiring the world to not remember him anymore. At some point, straggling starving children, both abandoned and disabled, wander into the basement for safety. For many years he loves, tends, telling stories, and cares for these helpless boys and girls, barely able to survive. Then someone, with red flame hair and bright green eyes appears one chilly autumn day, and saves the man’s aching heart. 

Flounced and filled with bountiful lute, is a tidy well kept song about the season of spring, and a young man’s appreciation of what spring may bring. Follow this happy tune, as you explore a jade green forest, understand the wood, smell the wildflowers, hear the birds chirping, the rustle of warm wind, fat mushrooms, and the sweet swell of chamomile tea, apples, and soft beds of grass and moss, and villages sparkling with plentiful milling and joy, become apart of the stones and tree’s, be grateful for such a season of merriment. 

Intense and emotional piano, this long swooping song, was written in two language’s. At the beginning of the notes and vocals, it is sung in Eld Vintic, an extinct ancient dialect that was once spoken by a race that no longer exists in Tearmint, that once had populated the Eld woodlands. Though the language itself is no more, this song has survived many centuries through history, keeping its true shape. Normally it is sung in good buttered Aturan, but the druidic speak has still decided to stay between the tree’s and the dreamless sleep. It is unknown who originally wrote the song, but it is one of the oldest songs that still make the rounds around taverns and inns, given that very few people can speak Eld Vintic poetry or read their elder songs and sayings. The second half of the song is what it means in Aturna. Regardless there is very little variation in meaning or difference in both languages for this specific song, other than the difference in medley and voice. This means the song can played differently in many ways but still holds its main theme. Fiery and powerful, it tells the simple story of a young woman who had fallen asleep by a summery lake. While in deep slumber, the lady dreams of meeting a comely man and they begin to romantically dance in a ballroom. During this, she imagines fine furs and red silk, sweet drinks and warm pillows. The dream brings the woman so much love and joy she refuses to not be disturbed or awoken. Vivid and sweet, the man tells her, he loves her and wants to be with her, as the ballroom shifts to a moonlit mossy garden. This makes the woman’s heart swell and finally feels she has found true love. But once she awakes at the lake and finds the man is not there, she weeps.

In sweet stringed lyre, this song tells the story of a young fair squire traveling into the Tahlenwood in the season of winter. Although it is not stated why the squire has done this, it is presumed he is either journeying through to somewhere else or in search of a beautiful witch that resides in the wood. Eventually after walking down a snowy path into a dell with a frozen pond, a glamorous and wise witches approaches the squire. At this time in the world, witches were relatively regarded as negative beings, who conjured black magic and dangerous craft to gain what they want. Yes, a stereotype of the people in this period. The beautiful witch begins to offer the young man unseen gifts and wishes in order to glean his love for her. As the witch starts to offer more grandly and more magical, the squire refuses all gifts given, as he believes this is false and wicked trickery. After fourteen gifts from midnight horses, gilded swords, rare gems, and sweet wine is mentioned with enchanting effects, the squire banishes the witch and leaves the forest. This causes the witch to flee, wail, and cry, failing at her task at gaining true love from a man, and if she had gained this love, she would have been able to freely leave the Tahlenwood forever.

One of the more ancient, elder witch songs and the final song in the Volume II album, haunting, eerie, and dreamy, this tune contains no instruments whatsoever. Only the soothing, calm vocals of a Faen\Druid\Moor child singing softly about the forest she lives in, the energy, Waystones, and tree’s that admit herself as a breathing living thing, the man who protects her, a horned Queen of the wood, and the girl they have conceived. Strange and echoey, this song will not only possibly send shivers down your spine, but also yank you deeper into the dashing devious dapples of the forest.