Land of the Nifty

Land of the Nifty

National anthem of Shireroth
Lyrics	Scott Alexander Jess Heimer (funerary)
Music	Gryphon Avocatio, Before 1499 AN
Adopted	Before 1499 AN
Relinquished	1661 AN

“Land of the Nifty” is a formal national anthem of the Imperial Republic of Shireroth (used until 1661). The music was composed by Gryphon Avocatio, during the reign of Raynor XI, and did not originally have lyrics. Three verses were later written by Scott of Alexander, two in 1505 AN and a third in 1544. The anthem was unique in that it also has specifically funerary lyrics, written by Jess Heimer in the same year as the addition of the third verse.

Having fallen into disuse during the 17th century, with the general reaction against the dubious concept of “nift”, it was finally consigned to oblivion in 1661, being replaced by “The Benacian Beast”, a paean to Shirerithian expansionism penned by the King of Goldshire. The first four lines of third verse, "Bless the Realm and Death Spare the Kaiser", was the imperial hymn, with slightly altered lyrics.

However, after the Kalirion Fracture, The Benacian Beast was considered to be improper for the changed circumstances of Shireroth. As such, the old national anthem was dusted off, and brought back in the re-worked form, taking the imperial hymn, and the last four lines of the second verse, became the new national anthem, "Bless the Realm and Death Spare the Kaiser".

Original Lyrics

First verse	Second verse	Third verse	Funerary verse
Shireroth, the land of the nifty, Hallowed by our toil; Shireroth, the land of the happy, Our own patch of soil; Shireroth, the land of the rebel, Blazing our own ways; Shireroth, the land of the noble, Let us sing thy praise!	Shireroth, the land of the nifty, Hallowed by gods and Fate. Where small clods of soil and filth Can merge into something great. Shireroth, the land of the rebel, Breaking from ways of yore. Shireroth, the land of the noble, May Death spare thee evermore!	Bless the realm and Death spare the Kaiser; Long may his strength increase. May he slay all demons of Balgurd, Keeping the land at peace. May he slay all treacherous Babkhans, Vengeance both just and swift. May he be both mighty and noble, Bringing his people nift.	One of those Kaisers die, Another one bites the dust; And those seven Yardistani angels Bring another angel home.