the curse of the sword worlds

[jatay3]

Their is a legend in the Sword Worlds. Members of the original founding colony commited some atrocity(stories vary). When the clean up crew arrived one of the survivors said last words something to the affect of

Mighty Men of Gram, in battle were ye born
Great Kingdoms will ye found, in far stars plant thy corn
Yet you are born in unjust blood, and blood shall follow in your way
Kinsman slaying kinsman, this bane will follow every day
-------------------------
This is not good poetry-I am only a mediocre poet but it gets the idea

it fits the personality of the Swordies that they would make such a legend and write a poem about it.
It is also reasonably likly to be based on a historical event.
Desperate men far outside any civilization besides the impromtu one built by their leaders might be likly to snap. It is also not unreasonable that they would afterwords feel guilty and when the first civil strife arose people would remember the atrocity, and thus the legend of "the curse of the sword worlds" will be born.

by the way I would be glad to see other attempts to tell the story and make a poem like the above that sounds like a poem swordies might make

 

[jatay3]

As a side note we could say that when Tortenson(founder of Confederalism) wrote "Kinsmen" his title had a double meaning-he was in part refering to the poem

 

[jatay3]

Ok it should be "in far worlds plant thy corn-you can't plant corn in a star"

whatever

 

[jatay3]

elaboration:

In "Lay of the Great Voyage" a work held as a classic in the Sword Worlds, the convoy is coming to the end of it's journey a party is sent to buy food from some locals. At the time one of the locals is hunting and shoots an arrow at what he thinks to be his prey. Unfortunatly it turns out to be the commander of the party who has already seen much stress along the way.
by chance the arrow flies true and severely wounds the officer. In his rage he orders the nearby villiage massacared.
When another team comes down to investigate a local chieftain demands that the men responsible be turned over.
Unfortunatly the commander happens to be a high ranking officer in the council.
So the request is refused

Whereupon the cheiftain says

Mighty men of star-wandering Gram, cast forth to search forlorn.
Noble Kingdoms shall your chidren build, in far worlds plant their corn
Yet you are stained with unjust blood, blood shall follow all thy way
Kinsmen slaying kinsmen from morn 'til end of day
--------------------------------------
how is that?