Septentria at War

Septentria at War

War Season XXXI, June - Aug A. S. XXXVII (Aug 2002)

From northern lands came Cynred bold

His spear at hand, his sword to hold

The badger from his den did ride

For word had come the Tygre died

Gaerwen led the scouts so quick

And archers with their arrows lick’d

Septentria rode south that day

All bless’d by the northern fey

The Dragon ‘croached on Eastern land

The Tygre called with furry hand

The Wolf descended to the East

Invited Bear to join the feast

The battle met in barren lands

And there two mighty armies stand

Septentria is in their midst

Our mighty fighters of the lists

Cynred leads us into battle

Cutting foemen down like cattle

The mighty Baron of the north

Whom Bards and Heralds shall call forth

Of stature small and heart immense

Of axe and helmet, shield of dents

A song upon his noble lips

Upon his sword red blood down drips

He is the one who leads us in

Through all the shouting and the din

The battles won and rarely lost

With him are all our futures tossed

As Cynred shoots the foemen down

Gaerwen of the never-frown

Does gleam his arrows from the grass

She the comely northern lass

From snowy lands she calls her home

She saddles up her horse to roam

Traveling to field and shire

Comfort found about a fire

She loves the land, it loves her back

Of love and patience not she lacks

And when she’s been down in her cups

She just may hike her tunics up

She who inspires all of us

Who march behind her to the tuss

She with the heart of Giantess

Our most beloved Baroness

Inspired by our nobles true

A Champion has come south too

A val’rous Lady I decree

Armed with a wyrm come from the sea

Her name you all know and honour

She with all our skill along her

For when Seonag takes the field

Septentria shall never yield

In tournament she met them all

Who with sword did come to call

And though she did not win the day

The Champion’s collar she took away

Her honour and her charity

Which on the field’s no rarity

With words of praise for all her foes

No utterance of her own woes

Led our great Thegn and Baroness

To her with copper collar dress

Now she our bravest Champion

She who inspires us to win

And with her trained and others too

To prepare us for battle s’true

Brandt the quick-foot, Brandt the swift-swing

Showed us how to make foe’s heads ring

With raven shield and shining suns

He leads the charge and swiftly runs

So fast we are all left behind

Courage greater is hard to find

He trains and teaches not just arms

He knows the ways of wood and farms

And armour he can help to build

For his keep is with it filled

He teaches till his students can

Teach others and so fill the land

With armoured fighters for the fyrd

With love and loyalty all stirr’d

To the front, his voice raised high

His eyes upon the blue-white sky

Is Hector of the plaid and skull

Who sings like dove and fights like bull

His words inspire love or fear

And people gather just to hear

And in the War he leads the way

For with him we shall win the day

We the rank and file army

March together in harmony

Shield to shield and sword to sword

Lands to cross and rivers ford

‘Fore our battle’s finally met

We charge into the foemen set

And all pure white and all pure red

The brave and loyal fyrd men bled

But not a one will turn away

Not a retreat will sound that day

Although we may fall to a man

The ursine banner still will stand

We will not flee, nor leave the field

Until Thaign’s honour is fulfilled

We are the army of our lands

We are the bearmen of red hands

Septentria shall always be

A land of truth and love and free

So long as people such as these

Live, love and play amongst our trees

We are the northmen we the Bear

We are the heart of Ealdormere

And I the Bard now rest my pen

To stand and hold my sword again.