Na'thornep was primarily an instrumentalist, but she also accompanied herself with her voice. Some songs she wrote herself, others she learned from other bards.
Unfortunately, her virtuoso instrumental music, reputed to amaze, delight, and move the spirits of all who heard it, has been lost. Only some examples of doggerel remain.
Here's to the City of Splendors!
Deep water where the edge of the sea
meets rivers of gold; all the coins ever made
flow past — gods, throw some to me!
This ancient tale, it must be told
of chasing greed in days of old.
I sing of Wizard Zogfendold,
or Zog, as he was known.One night when winds had gotten cold,
Zog entertained a few Kobolds,
and in the warmth of his abode
they told him their own tale.And as their story did unfold,
it was agreed by these Kobolds
to tell Zog of a treasure gold
far away by sea.The tale inspired Zog to hold
his mind to this imagined gold,
and then make plans, of these he told
nobody at all.Believing he was being bold.
Zog stole aboard a cargo hold.
The ship was bound for lands untold
but not unknown to Zog.His prison began growing mold,
but Zog persisted in the hold
imagining the piles of gold
that he would claim his own.Alas, he lost his tenuous hold
on life, in that dank cargo hold.
He found not his beloved gold,
but died a greedy man.To sacrifice our magic, though
we buy a wondrous thing with gold;
'tis foolish, we need not be told
lest we may end like Zog.Now friends, were dreams of ours be told,
how we'd wish we could behold
those mounds and mounds of shining gold!
May it all be mine!
Back in the daaaaayyys...
When men were iron, ships were wood,
we always knew just where we stood
within the gods' grand scheme of things,
and knew our place before our kings!
When life was fair and maids were sweet
at inns where they would rub our feet,
relieving us of battle's strain;
relaxing while we mourn our slain
who died in glory nonetheless!
Ah, those times, they were the best.Back in the daaaaayyys...
When men were men and sheep were scared
and maidens, willingly they bared
their breasts to us in welcome -- then
opened their legs to weary men.
(And this relieved the sheep, no doubt,
although they rarely were about
in villages where we'd look for
respite from dungeons' eerie horror.)We raise our glass and toast with ale
times not far gone, remembered well!
Let's not forget our comrades; how
they'd miss the revelry of now!
Drink to the past, when men were men!
We recollect great times from then:
Back in the daaaaayys!!
When the enemy's surrounding,
and we think our nerves will fail,
when we hear the trumpets sounding,
and they make us quake and quail,
grab your mug and we'll be pounding
down another round of ale!And we'll drink,
to the glory of adventure!If there ever comes the day
when we think that we are lost,
when we think that we must pay
that most dear and final cost,
we'll just pass around the tray,
and feel better when we're sauced!And we'll drink,
to the glory of adventure!When we're angry and upset,
'cause we ain't been getting paid,
when we're tired, cold and wet,
and a little bit afraid,
we'll keep drinking and forget
that we ever were dismayed!And we'll drink,
to the glory of adventure!When the boredom makes us jumpy,
and the motion makes us ill,
when the food is cold and lumpy,
a disgusting, slimy swill,
there's no reason to be grumpy;
tap the keg, and drink your fill!And we'll drink,
to the glory of adventure!When the captain's really sore,
'cause he thinks he's being mocked,
when he's pounding on our door,
and we're certain to get socked,
have a drink, and tease him more;
we'll feel nothing if we're crocked!And we'll drink,
to the glory of adventure!
Our subtle lies, our hidden shame;
a somber pit of bleak remorse.
Can we admit we are to blame?
Could we give rise to such a force?We make our choice, we shed our tears;
how great our thirst, how great our goals.
The best and worst of hopes and fears;
a nameless voice
which drinks our souls.
Tavern owners loved Na'thornep not only for her beauty and talent, but also because she induced many customers to buy another round. After a sad song, they'd drink more to quench their sorrow, and happy songs resulted in drinking more to enhance the revelry. Either way, they bought more drinks. Even as a widely renowned performer of great fame who regularly entertained the nobility, she never grew weary of playing in taverns for common folk. A tavern owner considered himself fortunate if Na'thornep chose to grace his establishment with her presence.
Na'thornep was known to sing many bawdy songs that we recognize today as "Elizabethan" folk music. In the 1950s, a sharp-tongued baritone bard named Ed McCurdy recorded many of these songs, so the music (mp3 excerpts) and lyrics are available to us today. Na'thornep is known to have frequently performed "Two Maidens Went Milking One Day", "A Wanton Trick", "A Virgin's Meditation", "Would You Have a Young Virgin", "Of Chloe and Celia", and "Tenement to Let".
Credits:
"Toast to Waterdeep" lyrics author unknown.
"Ballad of Zogfendold" and "Drink to the Good Days" by Alex Matulich.
Lyrics to "Glory of Adventure" and "Subtle Lies" by David Andrew
Moursund [moursound at hp dot com].
All music composed by Alex Matulich.
Alex Matulich