Re: Orlanthi poetry

From: ian_hammond_cooper_at_...
Date: Thu, 08 Mar 2001 12:01:08 -0000

Jane Williams wrote:
>By the time it's been twisted into Glorantha as well, there's no
> hope, and your players get the idea that ancient poetry didn't
>rhyme, didn't scan, and was generally impossible to fit to a drum-
> beat, much less a tune. (Of course, Beowulf isn't meant to rhyme:
>but expecting a bunch of PCs to appreciate alliteration and stress-
>counting after three beers and two Extended Contests is perhaps a
>bit much).

I had to write some OE poetry when I did my degree <sigh>. This is a good summary of the rules from the web:

http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~mwh95001/oepoetry.htm

It's harder when you have to do it in Anglo-Saxon. Trust me.

However if any one wanted to try and compose some Orlanthi poetry that conformed to these rules (or even produce a set of stock poetic phrases for Orlanth etc)...

Maybe we could have a competition to see who can produce the best or something, The Lament for the Dundealos, Starbrow, The Battle of The Hill of Victory - pick your topic and impress us with yur mastery of alliteration.