Erithi and the Sea

Below is information on erithi sea shanties, also known as irijala as provided by Chief Scholar Isienaka to Zenlynn Veythorne Illistim.

Original Letter

A creamy vellum parchment embossed with a tiny blue lotus
My dearest Curator,
I must once again express my appreciation for your leadership during the recent expedition to Maelshyve. It was refreshing being out in the field away from Atan Irith. I formed many bonds during my time visiting and will be writing up my insights for months, if not years, to come. I thought I would share a quick tidbit of lore from erithi culture. Given the recent forays to Kraken's Fall, I thought you might be interested in some information on those erithi that take to the sea.

Along the coastal regions of Atan Irith, it is not uncommon for a young erithi to turn their eyes to the sea. And like all seafaring groups, erithi sailors turn their voices to song to pass the time. Known to the erithi as irijala, these ‘songs of the sea’ in the vernacular run the gamut from ribald to romantic, dolorous to derivative, lively to lyrical. A young scholar from one such coastal region has spent the last several years traveling and recording myriad irijala. We are fortunate to have a full compendium of her collection at the Great Library, and one of the most popular is included in this missive. I'll have a more musically inclined colleague send along the tune composition for any who wish to sing it. While most irijala are in Erithi, it isn’t unusual for Common versions to be sung as well, especially for those sailors who mayhap strayed a bit farther from our shores than was prudent before we made ourselves known to you.

Given the prevalance of sea shanties across most races and cultures, I would be interested in any resources you may share as well.

With sincere friendship and scholarly affection,
Isienaka, Chief Scholar of Atan Irith

Erithi Sea Shanty: To The Waves We Go

To The Waves We Go
Traditional Erithi Sea Shanty

Raise the sail and wave to the shore
C’mon lads, there will always be more
Roll with the waves, leave your love behind
C'mon lassies, there’s always more time
Sing to the moon, and call to the sun
A sailor's work is never done

And it's to the waves we go, my love
It's to the waves we go
Sail to the jade green seas, my love
It's to the waves we go

Hoist the jib and set the course
C'mon lassies, sing yourselves hoarse
Take the wheel, follow the whale
C'mon lads, it'll make a great tale
The setting sun hits the deep blue sea
Gather round sailors, and listen to me

And it's to the waves we go, my love
It's to the waves we go
Sail to the lotus shores, my love
It's to the waves we go.

Sail to the lotus shores, my love
It's to the waves we go.

Original Posting

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