Ruin: The Coming of the Bard

Ruin reached the doorway of the dining hall just as the song began. He hesitated immediately, and might have just left, but he was carrying his son Rune -- and Aesa was right behind him, carrying their daughter Rose -- and Anica, Tarric, and Werendril were already seated at one of the tables, waiting for them to arrive. Vendril, at least, was nowhere to be seen.

"What is it?" asked Aesa, slowing automatically to match him and looking around for danger. Then she focused on the song and said, "Oh."

Come now and sing of Ruin's worth
And of the god that called him forth
From Duendewood his place of birth
a'roving would go he

For Ruin was a hero bold
His rage was fearsome to behold
He swore to cost them blood and gold
'Til Duendewood was free

Ruin, Ruin, brave child of Corellon!
Ruin, Ruin, will fight until he's won!

Grandfather, you utter bastard, he thought immediately, which was the second-closest thing to an actual prayer that he'd ever offered in his life. Somewhere, he was sure, the All-Father of the Elves was looking down on his circumstances and laughing His divine ass off.

The elf was young, only a century or so old -- loosely equivalent to a human just coming into their twenties. He'd turned one of the small tables into an impromptu stage, and was playing this... thing... at the priests and paladins and others who'd gathered for their morning meal. 

"Oh," Aesa repeated, and then added: "Oh, my."

But then at last he chanced to die
Was slain by Vecna's evil eye
But he refused to merely lie
And rose again as bone

And with companions just as brave
Swift justice to the priests he gave
The four returning from the grave
Were known as the Twiceborn

Ruin, Ruin, brave child of Corellon!
Ruin, Ruin, he'll see the god's will done!

"So this is what he meant," Ruin said absently, half-frozen by the mixture of amusement and dread that swirled within him. 

"What who meant?" asked Aesa. 

"Corellon," said Ruin, and glanced at her. "I... I kind of prayed to him last night. Just to let him know what was going on."

"Really?" Her face lit up. "That's..."

Ruin shook his head, fondly exasperated at her enthusiasm. "You know my relationship with the gods is more... adversarial... than yours. I'm beginning to think that I might know how I came by that."

But Corellon had more in mind
A plan to help restore our kind
A mission Ruin soon would find
In Amun's sacred shrine

Eight maids or more by now he's laid
Of children he is unafraid
He's come to clean the mess he made
And bring back Elves' bloodline

Ruin groaned. Annnnd of course he went there. There was a looming presence behind them, and Tavros said, "Pardon me." Then the half-dragon paused, listening, and looked over at Ruin.

"Oh, good," he said. "It's not just me anymore." Aesa stepped aside, and Tavros strolled off towards the counters where the acolytes were serving the food. 

Aesa started laughing, and in fairness he couldn't blame her. Anica's face had gone red with (he thought) a mixture of humor and embarrassment, but Werendril had sunk down on the wooden bench and was laughing almost too hard to breathe. Tarric was laughing too, but his expression was half disbelief. 

"Hold the toddler," Ruin said. "I'm going to murder him."

Aesa turned to him, still laughing. "Come on," she said. "If you're going to be punished by the gods, it's best not to do it on an empty stomach."

And at that point Ruin gave in and laughed as well. "Fine, fine, I won't kill him." But I might ask Geddy to make fun of him, if this gets too bad...

And soon by Corellon's great grace
The dark one of Fanax he'll face
To keep the sacred seal in place
And cast the dark one down

Ruin, Ruin, Corellon's Champion!
Ruin, Ruin, he'll cast the Dark One down!

 

Honestly, I'm not 100% sure whether this is actually a bard, or whether the young man is a charisma-focused cleric with a solid perform skill, or some mixture of the two. I'm sure at some point he'll tell me.