Amber Spark

The Last Bard of Taufa

Gwin "Amber Spark" Glisnettlae

Do not throw away your life
For a trinket or prize
Come on, hurry — Come on!

— Excerpt from Amber Spark's last performance

Gwin "Amber Spark" Glisnettlae was a Gnome bard, hailing from the city of Taufa. Well known in their time for their "unearned" arrogance and ego that saw them trash talk every other bard in the city, they are now better known for their heroic actions during the city's collapse.

History

Childhood

Gwin was born in 3195 in the majority-Gnomish city of Taufa, the oldest of three siblings. Their parents both hailed from a travelling acting troupe in the city, with this connection enabling the three children a great deal of access to performances of many kinds. Gwin soon showed an aptitude for singing and musical accompaniment, and spent much of their adolescence serving as a member of the troupe.
Their most noteworthy performance under their own name was as the lead in the troupe's staging of a popular musical in 3233. Critics praised their singing and dancing, but had some criticism for their acting skill, noting that Gwin was 'too cocky and smug' to suit the down-to-earth kindness of the role they had been cast for.

Career

After this starring role, Gwin decided to leave the troupe and the stage to strike out as a solo artist under the stage name "Amber Spark". They were able to trade on the good reputation of the troupe to find a handful of gigs throughout the city, and slowly established themself as an energetic singer and talented harp guitar player.
Despite this, Amber never quite broke through into being a mainstream success, and was unable to host performances at some of the city's largest and most popular venues. This apparently discouraged the young bard, who in 3245 all but vanished from the local scene, with their occasional collaborators assuming they were taking time to reflect on the direction of their music.
Amber returned in 3247 with fresh energy, and bragged that their gap in performances was from them having gone on a huge tour of all the Laslin cities.

If Amber Spark over here did a sold-out tour of all the Laslin cities, I'd toss my hat off the world's edge. Only possible way is if they were in a troupe, and I can't fathom a troupe taking them on with that ego.

— Kuamba Hutrevabs, Fellow Performer

Bolstered by their tour claims - which were backed up by documents that seemed fairly legitimate - Amber was able to book more illustrious gigs and collaborate with a handful of backing bands and other vocalists in large performances. Critical reception was positive, and it seemed likely their career would continue to grow over the coming decades.

Fall of Taufa

On 20/1/3256, Amber was performing a solo gig at the bustling Might Cherry Inn in Taufa's north when one of the city's primary support structures gave way, dragging a chunk of the city into the ocean below. Chaos rippled throughout as the city shook, and the venue descended into panic.
When members of the city guard arrived to help evacuate the audience to a safer location, they were unable to get the attention of more than a small handful, drowned out by nervous chatter and distant rumbling.

Amber, noticing the guards, dragged them up onto the stage and resumed their music, quieting the crowd and enabling the guards to shout their instructions. They continued to play throughout the evacuation of the building and as the group progressed towards the northern docks, attracting more people as they went.
Once there, Amber swapped to a calming melody. This did not necessarily succeed, especially as nearby sections of the city started to shake and collapse, but kept the growing number of evacuees together.

Amber wasn't what I'd call an "all-time great" - They were good, don't get me wrong, a voice with nice range and a talented hand. Main thing they were, though, was captivating. Can hardly imagine any other performer managing a crowd like they did.

— Pish Thadleem, Audience Member

Once rescue boats arrived from nearby Balkehir, Amber left the docks alongside the guards to head back into the city to find those who might be sheltering in place and unaware of the growing dangers. This was despite the pleas of many of the evacuees that Amber should also board one of the departing boats, a request they refused point blank.
Shortly after they re-entered the city, one of the largest remaining sections of it collapsed into the ocean. Amber has not been seen since.

Legacy

As the evacuation of Taufa came to its end, those from the northern docks began to talk about Amber's efforts during the fall, and how they had likely saved many of them from certain death. The improvised tunes they had sung during the collapse were passed around and repeated, soon entering many a Taufan bard's catalogue, though each performed them slightly differently based how they were remembered.
Once the so-called "Taufa District" was constructed in Balkehir to house many of the refugees, a statue of Amber was erected in one of the town squares, as a reminder of those who had fallen with the city in an effort to help others. This statue was mocked by fellow performers for the nigh-angelic way Amber were depicted, which stood at odds with their memory of Amber's colossal ego and brattish behaviour after performances.
This mixed reputation spurred a number of bardic competitions in which each side would argue for their 'version' of Amber through song, with the favourable side quickly calling them the "last bard of Taufa", and the unfavourable side labelling them as "more memorable for their death than their song".

Contemporary Depiction of Amber Spark by Isaac Thompson

Species

Gnome

Age

61

Life

3195 3256 61 years old

Circumstances of Death

Presumed drowned or swept over the edge during the city's collapse

Birthplace

Taufa

Place of Death

World's Edge

Pronouns

They/Them

Ruins of Taufa by Y S

Laslin City

At the start of the year 3256, there were five Laslin cities. These grand feats of architecture are large settlements that are held above the ocean by massive pillars, and are mere hundreds of metres from the roaring waterfalls of the World's Edge.
Unlike all other locations in the world, the Laslin cities are virtually stationary against an ever-present Current which pulls everything towards the edge. This has granted them a stability few other locations can boast, and has seen them take in wave upon wave of refugees from doomed lands throughout the centuries.

I've lost my home twice now. First fell the blossom-filled island, and now the city of pillars and stone. I thought these were meant to be safer.

— Verond Esrus, Displaced Halfling

Taufa's Fall

The city began to fall when one of the massive pillars in the old quarter abruptly fractured, allowing it to be pulled along by the current. This saw streets buckle and heave under the strain, and swiftly the city's old quarter collapsed into the ocean.
As the old quarter was the most stable part of the city, it no longer supporting the rest of the city's pillars meant that many of them began to fail as well. This was particularly noticeable in the districts closest to the World's Edge, which felt the current more keenly.
No-one has yet determined why the first pillar failed, with theories ranging from a lack of maintenance to an attack by a powerful creature or demon. Few are brave enough to venture to the remains of the pillars to investigate.