Break Time!

The Summer of Lore is taking a week-long break, so I can think up some more lore for you guys to read

Summer of Lore #58: Special Effects

Like most Shokiyan plays, "The Song of Magic is not without special effects. In addition to show spells, it also has:

--stage combat
--creatures as live actors (including rare instances of canine and feline live actors.  Larger creatures, such as bears, remain puppets.
--aerial combat (this is usually done by avri actors or actors trained in aerial combat)
--water performances (done by a group of female actors trained to do this--it is not unlike synchronized swimming in our world, only with more emphasis on time spent underwater                                                                                                                                                                             

Summer of Lore #57: A Night at the Theater

A digital viginette showing Miresa and co. seeing "The Song of Magic" in Taraka, done in dialogue:

"Wow! This is beautiful!"

"Plays are a grand spectacle, Arune, so even the theaters are a sight to behold."

"What play are we going to see?

"Today we're seeing 'The Song of Magic'--Dorian's performed in this one."

"Really?"

"He has narrated and played the lead role in addition to playing in the chorus."

"But I thought the minstrel was a girl..."

"Some directors feel the part is best played as a boy, Arune. But no matter what the title character's gender is, it is a thrilling story all the same."

"Is Dorian performing this time?"

"Yes--he is narrating the story."

"Quiet down! The show's starting!"

Summer of Lore #56: The Chorus

In addition to the orchestra, the dramatic adaptation of "The Song of Magic" is notable for having a chorus that also plays instruments as well. Among the 20 chorus members (4 of each type of voice), there is

--a flute (used to mimic birds, the female voice, ghosts and spirits)
--drums
--the narrator's harp (some plays will have more than one harp in the chorus besides the narrator's

A general percussionist is also part of the chorus (handling small drums and rhythm instruments for sound effects)

Summer of Lore #55: The Orchestra

When performing "The Song of Magic", a theater requires a small orchestra and a chorus of about 20 speakers and singers (this includes the speaker for the large puppets if the puppeteers nor the minstrel that narrates are performing the voices.

At the very least, the orchestra for this play will have about 30 performers (most of them percussionists), but an orchestra with up to 70 performers is not unheard of.

For our purposes, the orchestra has 60 performers:

--half of that is percussion (eg. drums, bells, small rhythm instruments, and various tuned percussion)
--Of the remaining 30, 15 are strings (fiddles, harps, lutes, etc.) and the other 15 are wind instruments (flutes,whistles, horns, and an okina pair)

Summer of Lore #54: The Main Roles

Here are the main roles of "The Song of Magic"

Kere (pronounced Care)--the heroine of the story, she is a soprano voice. The actress playing her should know how to sing, play a variety of instruments, use a bow, and cast some show spells. If the character is being played as a male, the male name is Kern (kurn), and the actor should be a tenor.  For our purposes, the character is being written as a female.

Dagan-A renowned wizard who wrote 80% of all that is currently known about spellsong. He serves as Kere's  teacher. He is a baritone voice on the bass side, and the actor playing him should know some show spells.

Mithar-A teamed wildcat that serves as Kere's companion. He is portrayed as a large puppet big enough for a person to sit on. He is one of the more complex common creature puppets to operate, requiring six puppeteers to operate--two of these support a rider. He is a tenor voice, and his lead puppeteer should know how to cast some show spells

King Anduin-The human king in charge of Selance--Leria's distant ancestor. He is a baritone voice on the tenor side 

Meikon-The guardian of Shokiyu, this is one of the rare plays where she is portrayed as a live actor (many plays portray her as a puppet) She is a mezzo soprano on the alto side, and the actress playing her should know how to use a variety of weapons, martial arts, and show spells.

Katva-The demon lord, he (and other demons) are always portrayed as a puppet (as Shokiyans believe it is bad luck to portray a demon as a live actor) Katva puppets may range in complexity from a simple hand puppet to (as he is in this play) a large puppet requiring at least three puppeteers to operate.

Summer of Lore #53: About the Play

"The Song of Magic" is about an average length for a Shokiyan play (about 3-4 hours) However, versions exist that are longer than this.

While the main character is written as a girl, it is not unheard of for the character to be written male. Usually, if the main character is written male, it is usually made a britches role for a female. The role has, however, been played by a male (with Dorian being one of the more memorable male performers)

The main character's instrument differs with the actor--usually something the actor can play (in Dorian's performance, it was a harp) If the actor can't play the instrument for real, they pantomime playing it while someone in the orchestra provides the sound.

Summer of Lore #52: The Song of Magic, The Play

As I mentioned in a previous post, the story "The Song of Magic" has been adapted for the Shokiyan stage,and Dorian has played a role. For the next few weeks, you will get to see the cast, staging info,and even the script of the play

Summer of Lore #51: The Hidden Lover

The song tells the story of a young warrior desperately searching for his beloved, who has been hidden away (some versions say she was kidnapped or went into hiding of her own will)

It has become a never ender because of the many verses that have been added describing where the warrior has looked in vain. (Dorian's record is 40 verses in one sitting, many of them audience suggestions)

The rarely sung final verse reveals where the beloved is--hidden in the back room of the shop the whole time he was looking, oblivious to her clues.  

Summer of Lore #50: The Windsinger's Guardian

This song is an episode from Cadessa's sisters' adventures--she had quite a few adventures in her own right in addition to her elder sister.

In this particular song, she stands up and protects Cadessa from a treacherous soldier that wants to kill Cadessa (usually by hanging), and take the throne for himself. He does not count on Cadessa's sister fighting back, eventually driving him off.

A few sample verses:

"So you want to rule Selance yourself?
I will not allow one who sheds pure blood
To take the throne and rule!"

A silence fell within the room
As the rogue pondered what the princess said
If he really wanted to complete his plot,
Both her and Cadessa had to be dead!

But the princess had her weapon drawn,
Ready to stand and fight!
She was not about to see her kingdom fall,
She would protect its holy light!
 

Summer of Lore #49: My Precious Treasure Mine

This song tells the story about a fathers favor to his son (who he is teaching to mine jewels) to take a certain jewel (what jewel this is differs between minstrels--Dorian likes making it a diamond) to town to appraise it. On the way, a thief meets the boy by a river and tries various ways to get the boy to part with his jewel, only to be thwarted every time.

A sample verse:

"Then won't you let me," the rogue did say
"Fashion this jewel  into a ring that will sparkle and shine?"
"I know you plan to steal this,
My precious treasure mine...  

Summer of Lore #48: The Lion's Share of Bravery

This song tells the story of a young elven hero (though some minstrels make it the Third Gemsinger) that slays a lion monster using her skill at the bow. After a long battle, some of the loot she finds the monster has been hoarding is a  pair of swords, so she keeps one for herself and one for her mother.

Today, these swords are in the royal treasure vault,and they are only brought out for display three times a year

Summer of Lore #47: The Proof is My Song

This song tells an episode from the Third Gemsinger's story--while on the run from a treacherous noble that wishes to have the Gemsinger's powers for himself,  she arrives at the shrine in a nearby town. The Seer, however, doesn't believe her, and asks her to prove herself in various ways (what they are vary among  minstrels), culminating in her inadvertently singing the Gemsinger's spellsong to drive her pursuer away. The Seer finally believes her and grants her shelter for the night.

Summer of Lore #46: The Night Taijin Was Freed

A song about the great avri heroine Taijin, many stories have been passed down (and subsequently collected by minstrels of other races) about her many adventures. Together, her adventures create what is known as the Taijin Cycle, which is required learning for any avri--an avri will be more than happy to tell you about Taijin upon request. With over a thousand (and counting) tales known, and with new tales being written and discovered every day, it is very unlikely, if not impossible, to read or perform the whole cycle in one sitting!

This particular episode tells the story of how Taijin escaped from a notorious prison where it was said no  one could escape from (she was put in there because that region's inhabitants had never seen an avri before, and believed her to be a monster.)  How long it takes for her to break free and how she does it differs from teller to teller.

Losi has long admired Taijin for her courage, and will happily tell a Taijin tale on request--she has read and told about 300 tales, and has even written a few contributions to the cycle.

Summer of Lore #45: The Lucky Chain

One of Dorian's favorite songs to play, and one Miresa enjoys as well, because it features a mage prone to accidents like her.

The song tells the story of a young mage wanting to hone his magical skill,as he is prone to accidents with his spells. He befriends a minstrel, who tells him that a certain count is plotting to overthrow the king and queen that night. The mage takes it upon himself to save the kingdom, with the minstrel's help.

That night, the two of them sneak in the castle and mage successfully binds up the treacherous count in  magical chains, while the minstrel warns the king and queen in a song.

The count is executed, and the mage and the minstrel are hailed as heroes

Summer of Lore #44: A Soldier's Aid

A romantic story about Bradlin's father--this is one of the most common stories his mother told him to keep his memory alive.

The basic bones of the story (as Bradlin's mother tells it):

When Haldan was Bradlin's age, his father (Bradlin's grandfather) believed that adventuring and questing was too dangerous, and wanted him to stay at home and learn to be a smithy. But Haldan didn't want to just make weapons--he wanted to wield them like the many heroes the minstrels sang about.

So one day, while he was in another land making a delivery, he heard a rumor that the princess of that land favored a certain soldier. He disguised himself as a squire and got access to the barracks,where the soldier told him the king would only allow him to marry the princess if he slew a great monster that had brought terror on the land (what this is differs from teller to teller, but Bradlin's mother usually made it a troll)

So after a long journey and many other adventures (which are stories in themselves), the monster was slain,  and the soldier and the princess were married--although they never found out who the squire really was, and Bradlin's grandfather never knew what had really happened while Haldan was away.

Coming Up: The Week of Song

First of all, I hope you are enjoying the Summer of Lore.

But this upcoming week, the Summer of Lore takes a musical turn as we explore Shokiyan songs all week long

Summer of Lore #43: The Flaming Wings That Saved the Crown

This funny song tells the story about how Leria almost wasn't the queen of the humans, thanks to a scheming lord and the baby phoenixes that thwarted the plot.

The song's humor comes from all the places the lord looks for the royal crown, unaware that the two guardian phoenixes that guard the royal family have taken the crown and flown it back to Selance so Leria can be crowned. Audiences eagerly join in on the simple chorus:

Oh, the fire burned inside his heart.
As he turned the city upside down,
But little did the schemer know
Of the flaming wings that saved the crown!  

Summer of Lore #42: The Sleeping Lovers

A tragic reversal of the "Sleeping Beauty" story we know on Earth, this story is meant to teach that cheating in any form or fashion is not good.
The basic bones of the story (as Dorian performs it):

Two princesses are in town for a tournament, with the winner marrying the prince. Although both princesses admire the prince, the prince favors Princess A, which makes Princess B jealous.

The night before the tournament begins, Princess B talks the prince into putting Princess A to sleep so she can't compete. Of course, Princess B wins every event, but before Princess B can be declared the winner, Meikon speaks from the heavens and decrees that Princess B won by cheating. As punishment, both she and the prince are to suffer what they did to Princess A--eternally.

There are several interpretations of what becomes of Princess A--some say she never wakes up either, some say she does, and has many more adventures (this is Dorian's approach)

Summer of Lore #41: My Searching for a Shoe

This funny song tells about how a hero accidentally left a shoe behind, and the lengths his sister goes to to return it. The chorus gets longer every verse listing all the places she travels to (with no luck). It can become a never ender, because audiences can and do suggest ideas for the innkeeper to send the sister to. Dorian's record is 60 verses.

Summer of Lore #40: Meikon's Portrait

This funny story aims to teach the lesson "Things aren't always what they seem".

The basic bones of the story (as performed by Dorian):

A down on his luck artist gets the idea to try and paint a portrait for the king. But when asked who he wants a portrait of, the king asks that the artist paint the High Goddess! Not one to let an impossible task get him down, the artist puts out a call for models, but not one remotely resembles Meikon.

One night, a beautiful cleric asks if she can serve as his model. The artist agrees, but the cleric challenges him with three seemingly impossible tasks before she will pose (what these are and the spellsongs that solve them differ from minstrel to minstrel)

After completing all three tasks, the cleric reveals herself as Meikon in disguise, saying she wanted to test his faithfulness and resolve, and seeing as he passed all three of her tests with flying colors, she poses for his portrait.

The king is stunned by the portrait and throws a huge banquet in the artist's honor. He eventually goes on to be world famous, but he never forgets what he went through to paint the High Goddess

Summer of Lore #39: The Magic in My Heart Is Sealed

A tragic ballad told from the perspective of a mage whose lady (or in some cases, the genders are reversed and the beloved becomes a man) has left him. Although the mage lists off all the stupid things he did to cause the relationship to derail, he is still in denial, believing his beloved left him for no apparent reason

The most recognizable part of this song is the chorus:

Though the rowan tree will bloom again,
And the spring returns anew
The magic in my heart is sealed,
Since my beloved said adieu.

Summer of Lore #38: Araniel and the Battle for Coraira

Another one of Araniel's adventures, this story tells of how she helped the Fourth Gemsinger save Coraira from attack.

The basic bones of the story (as Fion tells it)

Araniel was returning from a journey when she was informed that drow were marching on Coraira. They had asked the Fourth Gemsinger to help them, but he had been delayed. Araniel went and warned the magistrate that the drow armies were coming,and they needed help.The magistrate, being a proud and arrogant person, refused, as he believed Coraira had plenty of troops.

The Fourth Gemsinger arrived that night,and Araniel told him what had happened. Thankfully, the Fourth Gemsinger had summoned plenty of troops with his spellsong

It was a long and drawn out battle, but just when it seemed the drow would take Coraira, Araniel sang her own spellsong (drawing on the Fourth Gemsinger's power) to drive the drow away

Summer of Lore #37: The Treasure of the Sky

This song tells the story about how a humble carpenter defeats invaders with a spellsong given to him from a jewel, fulfilling a prophecy. However, this was not always the song's storyline--originally, it was a romantic ballad with the carpenter going to any lengths to get the jewel for his beloved, but this version didn't prove popular, so over time, it evolved into the adventurous storyline Shokiyans know today.

Summer of Lore #36: The Legend of the Dragon Star

This tale tells the story of the first dragoon that was marked with a Dragon Star--this was always Bradlin's favorite bedtime story when he was younger

The basic bones of the story (as Bradlin tells it):

A knight's dragoon companion on the run from mercenaries sent to kill them finds shelter with a noblewoman one night. As they sleep, the woman dreams that "one with the mark of a dragon will defeat the mercenaries" (as they have been terrorizing her realm too.

The next morning, the knight arrives, and the noblewoman tells him about her dream. The knight explains he once heard of a protective pendant made from dragon magic, and spend most of the morning making the pendant.

Just then, the mercenaries catch up to them, and the knight and the dragoon flee into the mountains, which are renowned for dragon caves. One dragon (his color differs from teller to teller) offers to protect them, and the dragoon agrees.

The mercenary king threatens that he will kill any dragon found to be hiding our heroes. The dragoon reveals  himself, saying he will not allow anyone to harm the dragons. In the ensuing battle, some of the red dragon's enchanted fire burns the pendant's design (a star inside a circle, the traditional Dragon Star design) into his hand, granting him magic. Inspired, the dragoon uses his newfound power to drive the mercenaries away.

The dragon pledges its loyalty to the dragoon, in return for his marking any apprentices he takes with the star marking when they come of age, as a reminder of how human and dragon fought side by side--a practice continued in Shokiyu to this day

Summer of Lore #35: The Reluctant Warrior

One of Dorian's favorite funny songs, this song tells the story of a thief who inadvertently winds up a competitor in a tournament (what kind varies from singer to singer) after stealing a key.

Dorian likes making it a tournament of magic, but he has also made it a warrior's tournament and an archer's tournament. Whatever type it is, most of the humor comes from the thief's lack of skill in the chosen area.

A few sample verses (from the tournament of magic version):

As each of the mages sang their song
The rogue's poor heat did race
"How can I compete with any of them?
I cannot keep the pace!"

More spellsongs echoed through the air
When he was called, the rogue did freeze
He prepped the lights in his gloves
And sang
Gran zirtan vin fangan miti...

Summer of Lore #34: Shokiyan Fireworks

To all my fellow American readers, Happy Independence Day!

If you're curious, Shokiyu does have fireworks--but they are magical in nature, instead of explosives like we see on Earth.

Shokiyan fireworks are made with special crystals called volida that explode when they come in contact with certain frequencies--so a spellsinger (or even the Gemsinger) is required to set them off if a band can't play. Different colors (and even multiple colors) are achieved with different colors of volida

Luckily, volida is a fast growing crystal, so it is very rare for a volida cave to run out. Just don't sing inside the cave, unless you want to be a part of a massive fireworks display!

Summer of Lore #33: The Knight of the Guiding Spirit

This story explains the origin of the knight statue in a certain town's square, commemorating how the ghost of a fellow knight's sister helped him reunite with his beloved.

The basic bones of the story, as Dorian performs it:

A regiment of knights is told that a rival king is threatening to invade, and they need to prepare for battle. The hero of our story, being a new recruit, is excited to see battle for the first time. That night, the ghost of one of his fellows' sister appears to him and (believing our hero to be her brother) warns him that the rival king is not all he appears to be, and teaches him how to spellsing.

As preparations for the battle mount, odd misfortunes befall the troops (the rival king's demonic scouts), but our hero sets things right every time with his spellsong. (what these are and how many depends on Dorian's mood.)

These misfortunes culminate in the princess of that kingdom (who our hero secretly loves) being kidnapped. But the ghost helps our hero save her (this section of the story is often told as a story in itself)

In the end,the rival king is defeated, our hero and the princess are married, and our hero gets the statue erected in his honor, which you can still see in that city today.

Summer of Lore #32: The Windsinger's Wisdom

Another episode from the adventures of the Windsinger Queen Cadessa, this song tells a Shokiyan version of the Sphinx myth in our world, with a dragon standing in for the Sphinx. However, many verses of the original song have been lost or forgotten, so the song has essentially become a never ender because of how many riddles and responses have been written over the years. (Dorian will usually sing about 10-12 verses in one sitting)

Summer of Lore #31: The Pendant of Spirits

First, Happy Canada Day to my Canadian readers!

This is a tale of romance against incredible odds--why the priestess is sad and why her father doesn't want her to marry the servant varies from teller to teller, as is the item the hero must retrieve. While the story is often told in one sitting, so many episodes of the servant's journey have been written down and told that it is considered a story in itself.

The basic bones of the story, as Dorian tells it:

A servant to a wealthy lord notices that the priestess of the town has suddenly gotten depressed and refuses to come out of her chamber, save for her duties at the temple.

The servant has known the priestess for a long time, so the two of them are as close as brother and sister. When he questions her father about it, he is ran out of the house, saying she is due to marry a rich man (who she has never loved)

Later the Seer of the temple says that he can still prevent the priestess from being married to someone she has never loved, if he finds one of the strongest pendants a priestess of her rank can wear--the Pendant of Spirits  (Dorian prefers the servant to find the pendant itself, while other minstrels may have him find pieces  of the pendant)

After a long journey, he presents the pendant to her as a sign of his love. Her father reluctantly agrees to let them  marry, and they all live happily ever after.