An Octapus's Songbook

[Acaris]

A weathered songbook has been left open upon the sands of the Traverse's main island. Left there by an Octapus Siren named Guinemere, the book is open to the first two pages of songs. While most songs seem to be shanties, there are some songs that are not shanties contained within the pages of this book.

The cover page features pictures of ships, anchors and a variety of differently designed compass roses. The borders of each page are covered in designs that bring rope used on the high seas to mind. The headers are bedecked in sheep wheels of various styles, while the footers are bedecked in lighthouses. The staff lines are covered in seashells, while the musical notes are shaped like sails and the treble clefs are shaped like anchors.

The lyrics themselves are drawn in such a way that they ebb and flow much like the sea upon the page. The symbols for crescendo are seagulls while decrescendo are depicted as flying over waves. Finally, page numbers are stylized as compass points.

The music composed by the octapus fills each page, each word and symbol hand drawn. Starting with the first song, a shanty about breaking chains.

'Out on the waves, where the wild winds blow,
There's a tale of courage, let the whole world know.
Of sailors bold, with hearts of fire,
Breaking chains of oppression, reaching higher.

Break the chains, let freedom ring,
In the ocean's embrace, we'll dance and sing.
With each wave that crashes, and each gust that blows,
We'll break the chains, let our spirits grow.

Through the darkest nights, and the stormy seas,
We'll fight for freedom, with every breeze.
With strength in our hearts, and salt in our veins,
We'll break the chains, and cast off the reins.

Break the chains, let freedom ring,
In the ocean's embrace, we'll dance and sing.
With each wave that crashes, and each gust that blows,
We'll break the chains, let our spirits grow.

No longer bound by the weight of our past,
We'll sail toward freedom, free at last.
For in the vast expanse of the open sea,
We'll find our freedom, wild and free.

Break the chains, let freedom ring,
In the ocean's embrace, we'll dance and sing.
With each wave that crashes, and each gust that blows,
We'll break the chains, let our spirits grow.

So raise the sails high, let the banners fly,
As we break the chains, beneath the endless sky.
For in the heart of the ocean, where the wild winds blow,
We'll break the chains, and let freedom flow.'


While the second page is in the style of an opera, denoted by the ship's flags of notes decorating the sides of the page, closest to the rope borders.

'In the heart of the storm, where the heavens cry,
We dance with abandon, beneath the weeping sky.
With every step, the raindrops play a tune,
A symphony of joy in the misty monsoon.

Dancing in the rain, our spirits take flight,
In a waltz of passion, through the darkest night.
With every twirl and every spin,
We find our solace, where the raindrops begin.

The thunder roars, but we pay no heed,
For in this moment, there's all we need.
With every leap, we defy the storm's wrath,
Our dance a testament to life's hidden path.

Dancing in the rain, our spirits take flight,
In a waltz of passion, through the darkest night.
With every twirl and every spin,
We find our solace, where the raindrops begin.

In the rhythm of the rain, we find our grace,
A moment of serenity, in this wild embrace.
With every puddle and every splash,
We find our freedom, in this watery bash.

As the rain starts to fade, and the clouds part ways,
We dance on, lost in the beauty that stays.
For in this dance, we've found our release,
In the gentle caress of the rain's masterpiece.

Dancing in the rain, our spirits take flight,
In a waltz of passion, through the darkest night.
With every twirl and every spin,
We find our solace, where the raindrops begin.

So let the world watch as we twirl and we sway,
For in this moment, all sorrows drift away.
In the dance of the rain, we find our refrain,
A melody of joy, in the midst of the rain.'


A strong gust of wind whips up on the beach, closing the cover of the songbook for now. A lone figure with tentacles along their back and sides can be heard humming a beat, with at least one more song in the works already.

[Acaris]

A breeze blows upon the main island of the Traverse, a weathered songbook being blown open. The wind flipping pages until an unfinished piece is presented to those that would gaze upon the page.



While not the musician's best work, it is also not her worst. The following page containing another unfinished piece that awaits its own special ending.



While this second piece is unfinished it has lyrics scrawled beneath the musical arrangement. Clearly the song is about a darker time in the songwriter and composer's life.

'In the shadows of my mind, I roam
Lost in a labyrinth of thoughts unknown
Whispers echo, voices call
In this chaos, I start to fall

Reality's a distant shore
As I drift into the core
Of madness' grip, its twisted dance
In this trance, I take my chance

Dancing in insanity's embrace
Lost in a kaleidoscope of space
Where the boundaries blur and fade
In this madness, I'm unafraid

I chase illusions in the night
Guided by a fractured light
Echoes of laughter, screams of pain
In this madness, I'm both sane and insane

A carnival of twisted dreams
Where nothing's ever as it seems
I'm the puppet, I'm the puppeteer
In this madness, I'm both far and near

Dancing in insanity's embrace
Lost in a kaleidoscope of space
Where the boundaries blur and fade
In this madness, I'm unafraid

In the chaos, I find my song
In the madness, I belong
With every step, I lose control
But in insanity, I find my soul

Dancing in insanity's embrace
Lost in a kaleidoscope of space
Where the boundaries blur and fade
In this madness, I'm unafraid

So let me dance in this wild refrain
In the realm where sanity's slain
For in madness, I find my truth
In the depths of insanity's trough'

The wind blows once more, the book closing for now as the wind kicks up. Leaving the songbook to rest upon the sands of the Traverse. The songbook's owner however, is visible not far from it with a violin in her webbed hands. Playing the beginnings of a soft yet mournful melody as the sun begins to set.