**NOTE** Ages are the ideal values, you may still volunteer if you do not fit the description.
**NOTE** Voices are also ideally described, please do not attempt to strain your voice to match the one I described. Please record in a natural sounding voice, even if it is different. I will message you to tweak performance and if you do not fit that role I may relocate you to another.
You may contact me here, at the_epicness@live.ca or at my deviantART accound: In CloakingShadows. There is no current deadline, not until more people decide to join
Picture the scene:
A fire burns in a clearing surrounded by thin, tall, dead looking trees. Behind the trees rises a sheer wall of rock and you just know there is no one around for miles upon miles. A figure is bound to a tree at the wrists, which are tied above his head and his rich clothing is dirtied and torn, a look of fear in his eyes as he takes in the nine peasants who dragged him to this godforsaken place. Each carries a weapon of sorts, anything from a roughly cut club to a scythe or a pitch fork. Several of them, are bloody from the encounter they had with the nobleman's guards. They stand in a semi circle around the noble but one man in the middle stands ahead of all the rest, reflecting in his eyes the combined hatred and grim determination that can be seen on all the scarred faces of the other men and women. It is the dead of night, and in this setting, even the noble is smart enough to know that no one at all will hear him scream.
The poem takes place before any violence occurs however, this is the speech that these poor people deliver to their "Lord" before they have their way with him. He is a horrible Lord, he mistreats his people, demanding huge taxes and occasionally using violence and sexual harassment as a weapon to get his way. This group decided enough is enough, and they want him to know exactly what he has done to bring this upon himself. The characters are nameless, but each has a specific tone of voice, ranging from mournful to pitiful to flat out berserk angry. Each character has four lines said in one stanza, except for the leader, he has four lines at the beginning and four lines at the end of the poem.
My Lord
ACTOR ONE, MALE.
[Silence for a few seconds. You hear a fire crackling in the background and possibly the sound of crickets. These lines are said in a voice that echoes some authority, as if the person knows every word is being listened to closely by his followers. The voice is slow, kept low, but audible, with every word being pronounced.]
Though cloaked in darkness we may be [A short pause, the next words are said quicker but with a slight whisper to them, the words "hiding, and "shadows" are drawn out]
And hiding in the shadows [Another short pause. The word "cowards" is snarled or spat out as a look of hatred envelopes the face of the speaker.]
There are worse things than being cowards [The last line is said in the same tone as the first]
Just ask those on the gallows.
ACTOR TWO, MALE.
[The speaker is a boy, likely in his teens, but closer to being twenty than thirteen. He is angry and it is evident, but he is not baring his teeth or impeding his speech. Each comma represents a very short pause in his lines, long enough to be evident but not so long as to stop the flow of the line. Each section (broken by commas) is almost delivered as a separate line.]
You ride us down, on horse, in mail ["left, and right" the words are almost sung, each word drawn out and said in a different note, except for "and", "and" is pronounced so quickly it almost sounds like "nd"]
Swinging your sword left, and right [A slight pause]
When all along, beneath that helm [The next line is said quicker than those before it, said in a lighter tone of voice, again almost sung in staccato notes]
Your face contorts with fright
ACTOR THREE, NOT SPECIFIC
[The speaker delivers the lines as if talking to a small child. With exaggerated sarcastic praise and volume at first.]
The finest shield and sword you have [Short pause]
And armor made of gold [The next line is delivered in a sober tone, the speaker's volume dropping, the words "dear, sweet lord" drawn out and the last word spat out sarcastically]
But just remember my dear, sweet lord [The last line is said even quieter, evenly and soberly]
Hatred makes men bold
ACTOR FOUR, MALE *PART TAKEN*
[The speaker is sadistic. They want to see their prey pay for years of torment, and they want it to be as painful as possible. The more scared the noble is, the happier this speaker will be. Imagine them gripping a bloody dagger, holding it up for the noble to see as they deliver their lines with a blood-lust-born grin on their face, a grin that shows off all of their teeth.]
Today you felt the bite of steel
And that is death for some [The word "scream" is yelled out for emphasis]
And now you scream for help my lord [The chuckle lasts lasts 2-3 seconds, and the last part of the line is delivered in a murderous whisper]
But help (chuckle), help will not come
ACTOR FIVE, NOT SPECIFIC
[This actor is the defiant one, the one who has told themselves that this is the only way. Their tone is mournful yet defiant, they have come to terms with this decision. The tone of voice stays even throughout the stanza]
For those who trod us in the dust
And bring us down so low [A pause]
I promise you one thing my lord [The word "VERY" is emphasized and the word "slow" is said after half of a pause]
Your death will be VERY slow
ACTOR SIX, NOT SPECIFIC *PART TAKEN*
[This speaker is bitter, they have lost faith in humanity from these vile acts and believe they are speaking to the scum of the Earth. The quoted words are said louder than the others.]
What have I done? You may scream
What have I done to you and yours?
Many things you have done my lord [The last line is broken up, the "Tr" in "Treating" is said violently, as in the "pe" in "petty" and the "wh" or "whores"]
Treating us like petty whores
ACTOR SEVEN, FEMALE
[The speaker is a woman on the younger side, but not exactly a teenager. The first lines are delivered in disbelief, accusingly]
You eat of our bread and salt
Taxing us insane amounts [The words "gluttonous fool" are said in hatred]
Let me enlighten you, gluttonous fool
Our villagers starve beyond count
ACTOR EIGHT, FEMALE *ROLE TAKEN*
[The speaker has seen her children starve, and the children of others starve, and is shaken and upset by all this vile man has done.]
We have mouths of our own to feed
Those not of noble blood
And while you sit in your silks and jewels
We wallow in the mud
ACTOR NINE, MALE
[The speaker is straightforward, they want to scare this man but only to prove a point. The words "my brave, brave lord" are said with sarcasm, slowly.]
And if you should die, my brave, brave lord
Oh how the people would cheer
You may have come expecting love [The next line is said ominously, quietly]
You will not find it here
ACTOR ONE
[Said as the first stanza was said]
Though cloaked in darkness we may be
And hiding in the shadows
When we are done with you my lord
You'll envy those on the gallows.
Originally Posted by Figmoomoo
