Oof! No Forest Gnome posts in 6 years?! Well, here's Rua's song from Bardfest, The Gnomes in Ta'Vaalor. I thought y'all might enjoy it.
Ruabadra says, "So, before I begin, I'd like to be very clear. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to history or ongoing gnomish plots to put those meanies in Ta'Vaalor in their place is purely coincidental."
Ruabadra grins impishly.
Ruabadra sings gleefully:
"Across the Dragonspine divide
Gnomes traveled from far and wide.
Lured by a festival they stride
On the road to Ta'Vaalor."
Seomanthe laughs softly, trying to hide her amusement.
Ruabadra removes a gnomish maple lyre from in her rabbit fur stole.
Kardos grins at Leifa.
Ruabadra skips around in a merry little circle.
Ahmeuseng snickers.
The air about Greganth stops shimmering.
(Thia nods slowly.)
Brevelan laughs at Ruabadra!
Ruabadra sings earnestly:
"The gnomes were happy and carefree,
But the poor things just didn t see
Exactly how cruel an elf can be
In the walls of Ta'Vaalor."
Elbromo grins.
Brevelan gasps.
With a toss of her head, Ruabadra places her hands on her lyre. Then, with a wink and a grin, she leaps gaily into a jaunty, lighthearted tune.
Thia says, "Uh oh."
Ruabadra sings grumpily:
"Up top their heads the gnomes were knocked.
Their stature and their language mocked.
The poor little gnomes were oh so shocked
By the elves of Ta'Vaalor."
Kardos appears to be trying hard not to grin.
Ausek smiles quietly to himself.
Ruabadra scowls and mutters for a moment, looking rather trod upon.
Lady Misun just came down a walkway.
Middian chuckles.
Greganth seems to lose some dexterity.
Ruabadra sings moaningly:
"Dendum was pinched and Kyna was smacked.
Dinkido and Rydgel’s backs were cracked.
I was killed! Can you believe that?
Oh, welcome to Ta'Vaalor!"
Brevelan giggles to herself.
Kaittee giggles.
Middian applauds.
Ruabadra taps the fingers of her right hand on the soundboard of her lyre, sounding like so many finger snaps while the beat goes on below.
Ruabadra taps the fingers of her right hand on the soundboard of her lyre, sounding like so many finger snaps while the beat goes on below.
Fremie sways back and forth.
Ruabadra sings sourly:
"The D'henar wanted them to slave,
The Vaalorians wouldn't even wave.
The gnomes knew they had to be brave
Against the elves of Ta'Vaalor."
Ruabadra scowls.
Barzillia laughs at Ruabadra!
Chanari appears to be trying hard not to grin.
Dendum's group just came down a walkway.
Middian nods.
Ruabadra sings rollickingly:
"With a bit of ale and a lot of mead
The gnomes chose how to proceed.
It would be theirs, they agreed
This place called Ta'Vaalor."
Japhrimel chuckles.
Middian nods.
Kardos agrees with Picler.
Barzillia seems a bit less imposing.
Seomanthe grins.
Using syncopated passages and unconventional chords, Ruabadra smiles impishly as she improvises on the jaunty tune.
With the melody continuing in the right hand with very melodic single note lines, Ruabadra deftly changes the lyre's levers with the left and modulates into a new key.
Japhrimel joins Leifa's group.
Ruabadra sings boisterously:
"Over their drinks they hatched a plan
That would be the bane of every clan
From the Nalfein to the Lassaran
Who wandered through Ta'Vaalor."
Merjinia grins slowly.
Drazaa flashes a quick grin.
Ruabadra removes a sapphire-chip inlaid pewter flagon from her belt.
Ruabadra takes a drink from her inlaid pewter flagon.
Ruabadra attaches a sapphire-chip inlaid pewter flagon to her belt.
Picler leans on Japhrimel, giving him a companionable grin.
Ausek fidgets.
Ruabadra sings cacophanously:
"All they needed was forest vine,
Some extra sturdy fishing line
And a special Burghal Gnome design
To punish Ta'Vaalor."
(Thia taps her foot in time to the song.)
Her phrasing brilliant and different, Ruabadra jaunts her way through several verses, showing off her considerable talent and virtuosity.
Brevelan fidgets.
Using syncopated passages and unconventional chords, Ruabadra smiles impishly as she improvises on the jaunty tune.
Barzillia leans forward and rests his chin in his hand, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Ruabadra sings confidently:
"Hidden deep in a secret grove
All night their little fingers strove,
And from those forest vines they wove
The downfall of Ta'Vaalor."
Brevelan softly says, "Ummm."
Misun walks over to the pews and settles down.
Ruabadra grins mischievously.
Aurien grins.
Ruabadra sings pompously:
"The fishing line was tightly strung
Around the gates, and pits were dug.
Finally the nets were hung,
Alas for Ta'Vaalor."
With the melody continuing in the right hand with very melodic single note lines, Ruabadra deftly changes the lyre's levers with the left and modulates into a new key.
Ruabadra plucks staccato notes in the treble then tosses off fleeting notes tumbling down the octaves, sounding like frogs leaping into the pond.
Ruabadra sings proudly:
"You may know that gnomes have a knack
For critter sounds from a bark to a quack.
Or even the shriek of a griffin attack.
In the walls of Ta'Vaalor."
Corianne gives voice to a piercing shriek, sounding exactly like a griffin!
Ruabadra gives voice to a piercing shriek, sounding exactly like a griffin!
You hear the piercing shriek of a griffin come from somewhere nearby.
A low chirping sound comes from within a silver-edged rolaren cricket box.
Ruabadra sings resoundingly:
"With the help of a magic sphere
The gnomes began to disappear.
The shrieks of griffins you could hear.
All around Ta'Vaalor."
Seomanthe laughs softly, trying to hide your amusement.
Chanari grins slowly.
Middian chuckles.
With the melody continuing in the right hand with very melodic single note lines, Ruabadra deftly changes the lyre's levers with the left and modulates into a new key.
Galenblackbard chuckles.
Her phrasing brilliant and different, Ruabadra jaunts her way through several verses, showing off her considerable talent and virtuosity.
Ruabadra sings mockingly:
"In a panic the elven fighters raced
To defend their city gates
From the dark and dire straits
Now upon Ta'Vaalor."
Brevelan snaps her fingers.
Speaking in Gnomish, Ruabadra says something you don't understand.
Ruabadra removes a small shadowy black crystal sphere from in her rabbit fur stole.
Ruabadra throws a small shadowy black crystal sphere to the ground at her feet, where it explodes in a cloud of billowing black smoke. The smoke swirls around for a moment before dissipating. Once it has fully cleared, you notice that she has vanished!
You hear the piercing shriek of a griffin come from somewhere nearby.
Speaking softly to herself, Brevelan says, "Now I wish I'd made a song."
You hear the piercing shriek of a griffin come from somewhere nearby.
You hear the piercing shriek of a griffin come from somewhere nearby.
Drazaa laughs with delight, his eyes full of merriment.
Ruabadra fades in from invisibilty.
Ruabadra falls to the ground laughing hysterically!
Ruabadra struggles to stand, but fails.
Middian applauds.
Dremerie nods at Brevelan.
Ruabadra taps the fingers of her right hand on the soundboard of her lyre, sounding like so many finger snaps while the beat goes on below.
Dremerie grins.
Chanari squirms.
Archales chuckles.
Ruabadra sings playfully:
"But once outside the city wall
‘Stead of fighting griffins, proud and tall,
One by one the defenders fall,
The pride of Ta'Vaalor."
Ortar pulls Ruabadra closer to himself.
Ruabadra stands up.
Aurien grins.
Brevelan giggles.
With a merry grin, Ruabadra plucks an irreverent, puckish, musical thumb-to-the nose statement on her lyre.
Ruabadra sings with jollity:
"One by one the fighters trip
On fishing line and over the lip
They sprawl into the nets in the pits
All around Ta'Vaalor."
Ruabadra cackles!
Mikhyzabela appears to be trying hard not to grin.
Brevelan snorts!
Ruabadra sings jubilantly:
"The gnomes laughed and the gnomes cheered.
Of elves the city had been cleared.
Because they had persevered,
The gnomes owned Ta'Vaalor."
Dendum comes out of hiding.
Dendum lets out a cheer!
Leifa snorts!
Thia lets out a cheer!
Middian cackles!
Ruabadra taps the fingers of her right hand on the soundboard of her lyre, sounding like so many finger snaps while the beat goes on below.
Ruabadra sings amusedly:
"'Now what?' the gnome Gargamish chimed.
'What will I do now that it's mine?
Gnimble cried, 'Let's repaint the signs!'
'In Gnomish in Ta'Vaalor.'"
Seomanthe laughs out loud!
Aurien laughs!
Mikhyzabela chuckles to herself.
Merjinia giggles.
Middian gives a piercing bark of pure joy!
Ruabadra bounces around happily.
Brevelan softly says, "That'll be the day."
Archales chuckles.
Thia exclaims, "Huzzah!"
Ruabadra sings cheerfully:
"After a translator was tied and bound,
The gnomes yanked all the Elven signs down,
And erected Gnomish all around town.
Elves will be lost in Ta'Vaalor."
Brevelan giggles.
Leifa agrees with Brevelan.
Garvath chuckles.
Ahmeuseng grins.
Metadi chuckles.
With the melody continuing in the right hand with very melodic single note lines, Ruabadra deftly changes the lyre's levers with the left and modulates into a new key.
Ruabadra sings edgily:
"But even in their victory
The gnomes were not content to be
Stewards of an elven city,
Especially Ta'Vaalor."
Seomanthe bursts out in a sudden snort of laughter.
Brevelan softly says, "Tree elves never get lost."
As Ruabadra turns around, the hem of her satin skirt floats lightly in the air.
Brevelan grins at Ruabadra.
Ruabadra sings powerfully:
"Even once they were in charge,
It was too stuffy and much too large.
Even with a festival on the river barge,
It was still Ta'Vaalor."
Dendum nods sagely.
Using syncopated passages and unconventional chords, Ruabadra smiles impishly as she improvises on the jaunty tune.
Ruabadra sings teasingly:
"So the gnomes gave up their elven rule
Went home to Rest, Landing and of course Mule
Recalling brightly they day the fooled
The elves of Ta Vaalor. "
With nimble fingers and a flick of the wrist, Ruabadra plucks the last rollicking chords on her lyre, then stills the strings suddenly with both hands.
Ruabadra curtsies.
~The bouncing gnome
