Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Minstrel's Prayer


And all these stupid silly songs
Keep trying to catch your ear
I'm trying desperately
It's just so hard to persevere
And even if you listened
I never had much to say
Cause it's the same old song
I've written for the day

Shelter me oh genius words
Just give me strength
Just to pen these things
And give me peace to well her wings
And oh, oh carry on all you minstrels of the world
We will catch our ladies ear
We will win for us the girl




All these minstrels through the ages
That is really all we are
Simply singing for the girl
That makes us try so very hard
To craft the perfect limerick
To wield unending woe
To write such silly songs
And the difference never know

Shelter me oh genius words
Just give me strength
Just to pen these things
And give me peace to well her wings
And oh, oh carry on all you minstrels of the world
We will catch our ladies ear
We will win for us the girl




And I'll hold on to the dream
Of this beggar's plea and optimistic fantasy
Just hold the hand and drop the knee
You're facing love
You're embracing melody

Shelter me oh genius words
Just give me strength
Just to pen these things
And give me peace to well her wings
And oh, oh carry on all you minstrels of the world
We will catch our ladies ear
We will win for us the girl

And carry on, oh carry on all you minstrels of the world
We will catch our ladies ear
We will win for us the girl!

- "The Minstrel's Prayer" by Cartel


Wanderer, entertainer, bringer of good will and merriment - such was the way of the Minstrel. They sung their songs, told their tales, and strung their harps throughout Medieval Europe, creating an image for themselves that has inspired countless individuals - J.R.R Tolkien included, who cast several of his fictional characters as minstrels. They were kept in royal courts and wandered the countryside, looking for audiences to captivate with their stories and songs of adventure and drama. Some have even been immortalized as figures of history, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of The Canterbury Tales. The Renaissance was the certain call for the minstrel; as it ushered in a new era of discovery, it also ushered out the old ways of the Middle Ages, and the minstrel along with it. But still, there are some, even today, who choose to honor the timeless, musical tradition the minstrel established so long ago. 

As we enter the new year, one of my resolutions is to really crack down on the progress of my main character, Ellishul the Minstrel. She's still not at level cap, and I've been deeding like mad to get her the proper traits to really boost her healing abilities. Among those things, I have also been trying my hand at creating an outfit that truly defines her as a character. Over the course of last weekend, I went through my entire cosmetic collection, looking for the perfect outfit that screamed "MINSTREL." I sifted through dyes and mixed and matched every piece of clothing I had. I did some sparse research into what minstrels of the Middle Ages wore - which was a gradual evolution from simple peasant garb to wildly colored attire with diamond-shaped patterns that resembled a Joker in a deck of cards (probably what inspired the vibrant Steed of the Minstrel). At last I settled with an all-purple outfit made of items both old and new. The vibrant colors and flamboyant design really appealed to me - I have always thought of my elf-minstrel as a cheerful person who is always looking for ways to make the best out of any situation, and this outfit matched her wonderfully. It also goes very well with the Steed of the Minstrel. 

I hope everyone enjoys it!

  • Head: Fancy Plumed Hat (Lotro Store)
  • Shoulders: Shoulders of the Mighty Verse (Moria, 21st Hall, Minstrel Barter Item) 
  • Back: Cloak of the Unwelome Guest (Great River quest reward)
  • Chest: Elven Leather Jacket (Rivendell Medium Armor Vendor)
  • Gloves: Pever-Durnvol (Dunland Drop)
  • Leggings: Elven Leather Leggings (Rivendell Medium Armor Vendor)
  • Feet: Gardening Boots (Farmer's Faire Vendor Reward)




5 comments:

  1. So purple! The classic Elven sets are timeless favorites and the combination with the Minstrel horse tack works so well!
    I love your new blog layout, it's really classy! :)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Hymne! Yes, I agree - the old elven armor are definitely classic, and they hold a special place in my heart. And thank you for commenting on the layout of the site! I did everything myself and I'm very proud of it :D

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  2. The Moria Mighty-Verse shoulders look great here.

    The one thing you can add that would be even better, would be the Lossoth Satakieli decorated harp. Mine always gets compliments - look into it!

    And, of course, thank you for the song, Minstrel. Good luck getting there. Me too!
    -Rasmius, Brandywine.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your praise, Rasmius! Indeed, I do have a Satakieli harp and I too find it quite lovely (I don't know why I didn't think of it, lol). It makes me wish all the instruments had their own unique look, like our Legendary weapons.

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  3. Wow. You make that purple POP!
    As always, your pictures are top notch.

    Great job on the site layout! :)

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