Inside the Hall, Outside the Gate

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V6-MINI

Inside the Hall!
Inside the Hall!
Mind the door and mind the wall!
If the stairs have changed again,
Take a drink and count to ten!
Then repeat.

The moment the song leaves the Guild Hall, the music changes.
The pub rhythm slows down dramatically.
The fiddle becomes mournful.
The bodhrán becomes sparse.
The pipes stretch out long notes.
The singer sounds like an old fisherman telling a story nobody should hear after dark.
This section isn't about the friendly Fae visiting the Guild.
It's about the wild shapes outside.

He sees something moving along the shore.
Not a deer.
Not a man.
Something with antlers.
He watches it cross the mist.

“I saw the Antler Maze where the old road bends...”

Something circles overhead.
But there is no body.
wings, claws, and a beak.

Something enormous moves beneath the water.
Then its crowned head rises.
The fisherman doesn't describe it as a monster.
He describes it like an old sailor describing something he wishes he hadn't seen.

A shape follows the boat.
Every time the fisherman looks away, it gets closer.
When he finally sees it clearly:
it's shaped like him.
But it's walking backward.

The tavern chorus from the first half becomes a much darker fishing refrain:
Outside the gate...
Outside the gate...
Don't call them close and don't tempt fate.
Let them wander, let them roam,
Keep your lantern, steer for home.

The Empty Deer
moving through the fog.
The Thousand-Toothed Ribbon
wrapped around an old wreck.
The Hundred-Legged Door
standing alone on the shoreline.
The Backward Beast
walking toward the sea.

The Shape That Watches Back.
This one should never be fully described.
The fisherman says he looked toward it...
and afterward couldn't remember what he'd been looking at.

The fisherman believes these creatures are hunting people.
Then he realizes they're actually gathered around something else.
Something larger and worse.
The creatures aren't surrounding the village.
They're surrounding the Silence.
They're keeping it away.
That makes the fishing tale suddenly tragic.
The things everyone calls monsters are actually standing watch through the night.

The two styles finally merge.
The tavern musicians pick up the fishing melody.
The cheerful pub rhythm returns, but now the audience knows what the creatures outside are doing.

Inside the Hall, raise your glass,
Doors will move and shadows pass.
Outside the gate, don't fear the strange,
Those crooked things keep watch through change.

Inside the Hall!
Outside the Gate!
Drink with us and tempt your fate!
Inside the Hall!
Outside the Gate!

Thank the things that guard the shore and wait!

Inside!
Outside!
Inside!
Outside!
Hall!
Gate!
Hall!
Gate!

“If you're afraid of what you see outside... be glad you don't know what they're keeping out.”

3072/7500

The doors move. The stairs change. The pantry refills. The food changes flavor. The paintings move. The mirrors misbehave. The shadows wander. The Clags swap colors. Fae and Spectrals wander through. The ocean is overhead. The Hall is bigger inside. Someone always knows a room that shouldn't exist. Inside the Hall! Inside the Hall! Mind the door and mind the wall! If the stairs have changed again, Take a drink and count to ten! Then repeat. The moment the song leaves the Guild Hall, the music changes. The pub rhythm slows down dramatically. The fiddle becomes mournful. The bodhrán becomes sparse. The pipes stretch out long notes. The singer sounds like an old fisherman telling a story nobody should hear after dark. This section isn't about the friendly Fae visiting the Guild. It's about the wild shapes outside. He sees something moving along the shore. Not a deer. Not a man. Something with antlers. He watches it cross the mist. “I saw the Antler Maze where the old road bends...” Something circles overhead. But there is no body. wings, claws, and a beak. Something enormous moves beneath the water. Then its crowned head rises. The fisherman doesn't describe it as a monster. He describes it like an old sailor describing something he wishes he hadn't seen. A shape follows the boat. Every time the fisherman looks away, it gets closer. When he finally sees it clearly: it's shaped like him. But it's walking backward. The tavern chorus from the first half becomes a much darker fishing refrain: Outside the gate... Outside the gate... Don't call them close and don't tempt fate. Let them wander, let them roam, Keep your lantern, steer for home. The Empty Deer moving through the fog. The Thousand-Toothed Ribbon wrapped around an old wreck. The Hundred-Legged Door standing alone on the shoreline. The Backward Beast walking toward the sea. The Shape That Watches Back. This one should never be fully described. The fisherman says he looked toward it... and afterward couldn't remember what he'd been looking at. The fisherman believes these creatures are hunting people. Then he realizes they're actually gathered around something else. Something larger and worse. The creatures aren't surrounding the village. They're surrounding the Silence. They're keeping it away. That makes the fishing tale suddenly tragic. The things everyone calls monsters are actually standing watch through the night. The two styles finally merge. The tavern musicians pick up the fishing melody. The cheerful pub rhythm returns, but now the audience knows what the creatures outside are doing. Inside the Hall, raise your glass, Doors will move and shadows pass. Outside the gate, don't fear the strange, Those crooked things keep watch through change. Inside the Hall! Outside the Gate! Drink with us and tempt your fate! Inside the Hall! Outside the Gate! Thank the things that guard the shore and wait! Inside! Outside! Inside! Outside! Hall! Gate! Hall! Gate! “If you're afraid of what you see outside... be glad you don't know what they're keeping out.”

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