Drow Poetry
Sslig'ne Yath (Defence of the Fane)
by Vlondril Ust'dalharil, Statha Telanthur d' Qu'ellar Vir'ednith
with translation into common by Nol Drek
*** Editor's Notes ***
There are those who will argue that the
Drow have no music or poetry. This is not the case, however, as during my
travels I managed to stumble across these 15 stanzas. They are apparently
part of a much larger work.
*** The original text of the Drow poem ***
L' Sslig'ne yath
L' wa'q zhah jal retlah d' da'rex lu' sarolen,
Harl vel'dos reiben z'haanen l' har'ol eairthin,
Gaer fre'slan l' Ilharess kyorl a ilta dalharilen,
Ji saph l' isto nindel veldrinn tarthe l' sssiks,
Xuil Charinida wun sluda ky'ostal,
Vel'dos z'ress wun da'rex gumash tlu g'jahall a naust,
'zil Pellanistra pholor l' reibe maglust,
Wun t'puuli da'rex saph Lolth l' Valsharess il knif.
Ilta bran b'luthelen ph' a ilta vrunen,
Ilta elg'cahl b'luthelen pholor muan qee'lak elghinn belbau.
Il mir wun rah ilta sithyrr gareth,
Gaer natha b'luthel xuil tela d' dhyn skikudis,
Ji kr'athin ulu bneir'pak il maglust fotus wund
Ilta muan vel'uss ust ilta z'ress zhal'la satiir,
Ji kr'athin ulu bneir'pak l' Errdegahr's dalharil xunus fre'sla
Vel'drav Orcus rewt il elggen lu' jal ukt dalharen.
L' vreg'nth ilharess ssussunel pholor ilta talwien
Dal videnn ulu videnn, dal reibe ulu reibe il z'haanen,
Il conamorin jal ilta akhen xuil wiles ssinjin,
Lu' ril killian lu' kulggen il kyorl,
Whol ril ssrig'luin kr'athin ulu thalra ilta mua
Sel s'lat'halinen il ragaren lu' sel sarolen.
L' Yathrinen wund l' obok wa'q
Ulu Orbb Valsharess whol elamshinae lar lu' ul'nusst,
"Lolth, zotreth harl lu' lassrinn l' vholk killian
D' vreg'nth Gwenders xuil elakar orthae rahi,
Qua'laen elakar kaas ukt s'lat'halinen xun z'hin,
Ukt Eldalie vlos ori'gato doeb pholor nindolen thac'zilen;"
Nindolen kaztirth xunus inbau wund ilta haren
Whol jal Lolth nym'ueren lu' jal il kampi'unen.
'zil l' wa'q orioren ulu dormagyn iltan,
Gwenders z'hins ukt s'lat'halinen areion l' har'ol;
Jal l' shinduago lodias Gwenders sila've pholor,
Xuil bwael quarth, ap'zen lu' lloun,
Qua'laen nindol wa'q uk talinthe ulu thrityh,
Ukt s'lat'halinen wun draa akhen t'yin sevir,
Tu'fyr mina sithyrren fre'sla, lu' sarolen morfel
Ulu luth natha khaliizi, natha b'luthel, xor natha kyil,
Dal vel'bolen saph arshes zotrethen lu' sel nizzre'
Qua'laen l' reiben khaliizin lu' b'luthelen tiu.
Ukt nesstren a da'rex rath ukt akhen pholor ur'ac,
L' b'luthyrr nesstren kyorl l' suulen lu' kla'ath whol alti'uin,
Uk belbaue l' madari, ji ultrine zhah l' xonathull
D' nindyn nindel takrome xuil b'luthyrren lu' luth xuil khaliizin,
Folt marala d' b'luthelen lu' khaliizin tiu jal bauth,
Nindel mzil c'rintri ol silara ulu elghinn,
Fol el, lu' fol ph' myar jivviim charnag,
Mzild mumbaro dal l' har'ol ulu l' ser.
L' gareth rivven, retlah d' morn'lo lu' kor,
Z'haan pholor s'gos ulu natha verve resk'afar,
Phor ninta karliiken nind morfeth natha izznarg reibe
D' vholk, a valm mzil natha kulggen lu' kulggen,
Fol xuil ninta sarolen nauvost bneir'pak lu' luth,
Lu' izznarg akhen d' zik b'luth'olen chath,
Fol kl'ae ninta xund pholor l' verve resk'afar
Ulu quanth l' verve resk'afar lu' tangis' ol xuil l' eairthin.
L' Ilythiiri malar rath, drill wun ninta charnag verve resk'afar,
L' velkyn s'lat'halinen ser nintan dal jivviim,
L' reibe morfel d' kulggenen seren al tir
Tu' kyilen lu' takrome, lu' sslig'nen qua'laen jal ninta jusron.
Drill nin l' vholk illyiff pholor l' reibe suul,
Mumbaron ukt karliik pholor ultrine lorulm illyiffen,
Natha zhennu gareth lorug xuil natha saqos karliik d' vholk,
L' reiben lu' videnn ph' tahta a ukt sreen.
Natha ravhel izil nesstren t'yin ori'gato l' khaliizin
Rei rathrea, l' sarol rein harl
Lu' rrhovoren harl l' videnn harl l' reibe,
Ji rein l' Ilythiiri sslig'ne d'lil wa'q,
Ol lassrinnen l' skikudis kri'sha dobor wun inlul in'loilen,
Lu' zotrethen l' jas d'lil dalninin's karliiken,
Lu' pholor l' elgg d'lil reiben lu' khaliizin,
Zet ninta vlos ninta siltrin lu' illingen bauth.
'zil l' s'lat'halinen d'lil shinduago akh
Ser ninta s'gos xonathull lu' sseren malar,
Pellanistra desu bneir'paken ilta sithyrr,
Lu' il bneir'paken mzil natha elghinyrrok elg'cahl b'luthel;
Nau skikudis tela b'luthel tiu dal sithyrr gareth
Drill nindel fol vlos l' verin sarol cas,
Vlos d' fol s'gos d'aron xor sil'in nesst,
Whol nindel vhaid b'luthyrr jabbress xun naut lor whol yibin nibele.
L' ust il zotrethen wund l' rivvil mua
Zhah l' s'gos dalharuk d' Keoland sil'in valuk,
Uk fridj ann'ishen p'los l' Wa'q's alust videnn,
Vel'drav il lest tiu natha b'luthel dal l' sithyrr,
L' vreg'nth skikudis lassrinnen lu' krik'vlicss ukt rahkri'sha,
Lu' areion ukt ditronw rah l' b'luthel nacta natha resk'afar;
Jivviim ji dal malar, uk z'klaen tanook,
Uk ul'nusst whol jiv'undus, drill shar'tleg phish mzild whol kor.
'zil Hoddypeak fre'slan ulu kyorl l' malar
Phor pholor l' obok eairthin, tarthe ulu v'dre natha jyzumar,
Natha elghinyrrok b'luthel pholor ukt karliik zotrethen,
Uk ul'plyr phor ukt rah ulu satiir l' k'lar,
Vel'drav natha drada b'luthel ilindith seke lu' ditronw,
Lu' nacta ukt rah ulu ukt jivviim jindurn,
Uk rei, lu' xuil ukt vlos uk p'obon l' thac'zil,
Ukt comson vlos ori'gato a l' jabbress' rah.
Redmod l' Hargluk fre'slan au l' reibe,
Naut kyorl jal sreen, lu' jal sarn',
Lu' nin ukt gareth talwien z'orr phor l' reibe,
Pholor ukt ditronw sol uk atsar natha elghinyrrok jivviim,
L' sithyrr jabbress' huthin b'luthel alus areion ukt ditronw sol,
Lu' lassrinnen fotus natha buki obsul wun ukt plica;
Uk rei elggor harl nindel reibe,
Vel'bolen gajen uk khaless al z'orr lu' nez.
Beek Gwenders ulu l' Eyebiter uk telanthen,
Vel'uss inbal ukt uyl'udith kulggen lu' ultrine b'luthyrr,
"Nindel zhaunus lu' khaless kulggen ori'gato uns'aa plynn,
Usstan zhaun nindel kulggen zhah naut izil tlu nacta,
Phor nindol elgg videnn orn Usstan sultha morfeth,
Lu' sultha ust, l' resk'afar zhah menah lu' ugul,
L' draeval uriu doer nindel Usstan zhal'la morfeth ussta zhennu
Z'ress lu' khalith izwin ulu nindolen Ilythiiri Usstan phlith."
Uk uriu fridj telanth lu' inbau l' kulggen,
Vel'drav pholor ukt mamulen natha qee'lak b'luthel zotrethen ukta,
Lu' morfel natha menah lu' izznarg resk'afar areion nindel aglust,
Vel'klar h'uena ukt s'gos xukuth zhahus drill nin zhah tanook.
Pellanistra nindol b'luthel xunus chath,
Lu' ori'gato l' Ilythiiri lodias dumo ilta rah whol ol,
Whol a nindel takrome il xunus sslig'ne mina jal nindel tangi
Dal verin ply'uss, dal elghinn lu' zhaunus paxil.
- Vlondril Ust'dalharil, Statha Telanthur d' Qu'ellar Vir'ednith
*** Translation notes from the editor ***
After months of painstaking research, I was able to produce a
literal translation of the poem into the common tongue.
The result was less than satisfactory, as the author of the
original poem cared little for rhyme or rhythm.
With a little creativity, I managed to get the poem into
a form that maintains the spirit of the original work while
being easier on the ears of the listener.
*** The poem translated into Common rhyme scheme ***
The Defence of the Fane
All full of arms and weapons was the Fane,
Beneath whose walls the cavern floor did run,
There stood the Matron guarded by her train,
So like the night that hides away the sun,
With Charinida draped in cloth of chain,
Whose strength in arms could be surpassed by none,
While Pellanistra on the wall alone,
In silver arms like Lolth the Queen she shone.
Her rattling quiver at her shoulders hung,
Her poison bolts on foes quick death to deal.
She held in hand her crossbow bended strong,
Therein a shaft with tip of mortal steel,
So fit to shoot she singled forth among
Her foes who first her quarries' strength should feel,
So fit to shoot the Demon's daughter stood
When Orcus fat she killed and all his brood.
The wicked matron lightly on her feet
From gate to gate, from wall to wall she flew,
She comforts all her bands with speeches sweet,
And every sword and buckler did review,
For every need prepared her foe to meet
New regiments she placed and weapons new.
The Priestesses within the temple high
To Spider Queen for favor call and cry,
"O Lolth, strike down and break the iron lance
Of wicked Gwenders with thy righteous hands,
Against thy name his army does advance,
His Elven blood pour out upon these lands;"
These cries within her ears did gain entrance
For all Lolth hears and all she understands.
While thus the fane prepares herself to save,
His armies Gwenders marches through the cave;
The surface folk all Gwenders forward brought,
With goodly order, providence and art,
Against this tower to attack he thought,
His army split in two does then depart,
Between them crossbows stood, and engines wrought
To cast a stone, a quarry, or a dart,
From which like thunder strikes and lightning new
Against the bulwark stones and lances flew.
His men at arms did back his bands on foot,
The archers guard the flanks and serve for wings,
He gave the sign, so mighty was the rout
Of those that shot with bows and cast with slings,
Such storms of shafts and stones flew all about,
That many noble Drow to death it brings,
Some died, and some were gravely wounded deep,
More driven from the cavern to the keep.
The hardy humans, full of heat and haste,
Ran boldly forward to the ditches large,
Above their heads a roof of iron vast
They built, by joining many a shield and targe,
Some with their engines ceaseless shot and cast,
And volleys huge of arrows sharp discharge,
Upon the ditches some employed their pain
To fill the trench and even it with the plain.
The Drow fought back, but in their trenches deep,
The hidden squadrons kept themselves from scath,
The curtain made of shields did well off keep
Both darts and shot, and scorned all their wrath.
But now the ram upon the rampiers steep,
On mighty beams his head advanced hath,
With dreadful horns of iron tough tree great,
The walls and bulwarks trembled at his threat.
An hundred able men meanwhile let fall
The weights behind, the engine tumbled down
And battered flat the gate beneath the wall,
So fell the Drow defenders of the town,
It crushed the steel shod door in pieces small,
And beat the helmet to the wearers' crown,
And on the ruins of the walls and stones,
Dispersed left their blood their brains and bones.
While thus the worthies of the surface crew
Maintained their brave assault and skirmish hot,
Her crossbow Pellanistra often drew,
And many a deadly poison bolt she shot;
From crossbow stout no steel tipped shaft there flew
But that some blood the evil weapon got,
Blood of some valiant knight or man of fame,
For that proud shootress scorned weaker game.
The first she hit among the human peers
Was the bold son of Keoland's noble king,
Before the Fane's front gate he scant appears,
But she a bolt did let fly from the string,
The wicked steel his gauntlet breaks and tears,
And through his right hand thrust the piercing sting;
Disabled thus from fight, he must retire,
He groaned for pain, but reddened more for ire.
As Hoddypeak stood to behold the fight
High on the bank, withdrawn to breathe a space,
A fatal shaft upon his forehead light,
His hand he lifted up to feel the place,
Whereon a second bolt aimed true and right,
And nailed his hand unto his wounded face,
He fell, and with his blood he stained the land,
His crimson blood shed by the mistress' hand.
Redmod the Dwarf stood near the battlement,
Despising perils all, and all mishap,
And upward still his hardy footings bent,
On his right eye he caught a deadly clap,
Through his right eye the archer's next shaft went,
And in his neck broke forth a bloody gap;
He underneath that bulwark dying fell,
Which late to scale and win he trusted well.
Beek Gwenders to the Eyebiter he spake,
Who held his greatest shield and mighty bow,
"That sure and trusty target let me take,
Impenetrable is that shield I know,
Over these ruins will I passage make,
And enter first, the breach is wide and low,
The time has come that to these Drow I hate,
I should make known my strength and courage great."
He had but spoken and received the charge,
When on his chest a sudden shaft him hit,
And through that part a hole made wide and large,
Where once his stout heart pulsed but now was quit.
Pellanistra this bolt did discharge,
And let the Drow folk bless her hand for it,
For by that shot she saved them all that day
From bondage vile, from death and sure decay.
- Vlondril First-Daughter, Official Bard of House Vir'ednith
*** Editor's notes ***
In this endeavor I was aided greatly by the Drow translator
of House Maerdyn.
http://www.grey-company.org/Maerdyn/resources/translator/
Rather than edit the original Drow text to correct Drow
syntax, which would most likely be appreciated by only a handful of people,
I instead wrote the poem in a format which can be cut and pasted directly
into the Drow translator, producing results that give the general meaning
and flavor of the poem, though lacking in style and grammar.
I also owe a debt of gratitude to Torquato Tasso, and to
the Edmund Fairfax translation of his Jerusalem Delivered. In particular,
the eleventh Canto's description of the defence of Jerusalem.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Tasso/
*** The contents of this page are copyright 2005 by Nol Drek ***