Plan B Forum

Not my own work, but I just think it's cool.

3 were taken, 3 I'll keep
From the fiend who rules the north;
Stolen far and hidden deep
In lands where fire issues forth.

Seek ye out the melted fane
Standing west of fiery stack;
'Neath the god of blood and pain
Bravely step and don't look back.

The gem is held with stoney eyes
By the beast in the burning pit;
The wand beyond hot geysers lies
Left where the undead sit.

The magic stone you've yet to find
In tripled-double pyramid;
All the fixed, and you are mine
To serve or perish, as I bid.

I care not, mortal king or fool
What men you deign to send;
As slaves they'll heed my darkest rule
Or meet their fiery end.

But nobody else does!

Does what?

RPG

Does what?

Thinks it's cool...

Frankly Jarl, I remember when I first read this, and when I saw a phrase like "Cum Amore" in the subject line I expected it to be something dirty...

I was disappointed...

No offense Jarl, I just cannot stand "plinky plonky" rhyme.

Uhh...WHAT?!?!

It was written as a "hook" for a Dungeons & Dragons scenario (also called Ex Keraptis Cum Amore) that I played in at a convention. It's a map on how to get through the thing.

Told ya RPG

A rocket propelled grenade?

Jarlaxle wrote:Uhh...WHAT?!?!

It's a bit

Dum, tee dum, tee dum, te dum.
Tee dum, tee, dum, tee dum.

If you see what I mean..

"In lands where fire issues forth"

Well in a minor 'plaint, that line actually doesn't scan unless one pronounces "fire" with two syllables as "Fie - er". Or the single syllable fire followed by a pause to take the place of the second syllable.

But yes, I thought it was obviously a gamer thing (rather than a poetry thing) rather akind to the 'One ring to rule them all' bit from that (better) work

Meade

Yes, a "gamer thing"...as I said, the verse is a guide to solving the dungeon.

3 were taken, 3 I'll keep
From the fiend who rules the north; (Keraptis stole three things from the demon-king Iuz)
Stolen far and hidden deep
In lands where fire issues forth. (They're in a cluster of volcanoes called the Burning Cliffs.)

Seek ye there the melted fane
Standing west of fiery stack; (It's under a ruined temple just west of an active volcano.)
Beneath the god of blood and pain
Bravely step and don't look back.(The temple was to a god of torture.)

The gem is held with stoney eyes
By the beast in the burning pit; (It's used as the eye of a statue, guarded by a dragon in a cave with lava.)
The wand beyond hot geysers lies
Left where the undead sit. (It is beyond a room full of geysers, guarded by undead...it's to the left of the guardian.)

The magic stone you've yet to find
In tripled-double pyramid; (The room it's in consists of six small pyramids, one from each wall & the ceiling.)
All the fixed, and you are mine (Combining the pieces sends the characters to "Keraptis".)
To serve or perish, as I bid. (He's an egotistical fuck, ain't he?)

I care not, mortal king or fool
What heroes you deign to send;
As slaves they'll heed my darkest rule
Or meet their fiery end. (He's a hell of a blowhard.)

Jarl, Strop doesn't like poetry that rhymes, much as he doesn't like bands that anyone else has heard of or movies that made any money...

He's just too good for those sorts of things...

and movies where Marlon Brando plays fat thugs...

Have you gotten into the ale?