The Strangers Three

"My guides assured me that the song had already been translated into Common as best they could by those far better than them, and offered to have their talented kinsmen sing it for me. While I have recorded the lyrics below, there are no words to describe the feeling that went through me when the three voices rose in perfect harmony together in parts of the song. Despite the heat still lingering in the evening and coming from the growing bonfire, I had goosebumps for most of the performance and a while afterward..."
An Excerpt from 'An Exploration of the Scorched Wastelands by The Valadrin Research Department'

Summary

The song covers the events of a deadly attack on the Cleargaze Tribe of the Kandar Wanderers that they only survived because of three strangers that had been talking to them. [Lyrics to come]

Historical Basis

This was based directly on an actual incident that befall the Cleargaze Tribe and that they only survived due to the intervention from the visiting strangers, who appeared so alike that the survivors believed them to be triplets, and the nearby tribes who investigated after the noise and helped the survivors until they had enough resources to be self-sufficient again. This was also a time period where the Sand Snakes Cult was particularly active in raiding and attacking at this time and began to lessen again after the 560s.

Spread

While originally just a song of the Cleargaze Tribe it eventually spread to be a folksong of all the Kandar people, both a remembrance of what tragedy befell and of the kindness that could also be offered by strangers. While there is some slight variation between some tribes, the biggest is the translation into Common, though it is little known outside of Kandar still.

Variations & Mutation

Translation into Common while keeping the rhyming pattern lost some of the details in the original. For instance, the word 'gold' in the last line has two separate words in Kandar, one for gold the metal and one for gold the money. In Common, however, both of these are just 'gold' and using the specific word for money didn't fit. It also harkens back to a common Kandar saying of 'we shall not be bound by gold', meaning that while they are happy to help visitors and guide them, there are some things they will not do and unlike many foreigners will not sacrifice their scruples or safety for payment. The use of 'invader' also loses some of the vitriol that it carries in the original Kandar, as that is a very derogatory way of referring to forefingers for a people that usually greet everyone with kindness and hospitality.

Cultural Reception

For most of the people of Kandar, this is a popular folksong with some history and fable to it as well. For those of Anvulmar it's a rather inspiring tale of a set of triplet Wanderers and a reminder of the good they can do.

Date of Setting

540s

Related Ethnicities