F’ash (lit. “crazy man” in Kuglimz'Seitre) is a Kuglim bard from the Trk’matiu region. Captured and mutilated by the Losh-Oc Orcs, he managed to survive and escape, make his way to Southern Sarvonia and was installed in the Compendium as one of the foremost Northern archivists and Kuglimz translation experts.

Image description. One of the most famous bards of the Trk'matiu Kuglim and later archivist, F'ash, who survived orcish imprisonment. Picture drawn by Bard Judith.

Appearance. F’ash is a young Trk’matiu Kuglim in his early thirties. He was once an extremely handsome youth, but was brutally mauled and mutilated during his time with the Losh-Oc orcs. He is missing the top part of one ear, has a permanent limp from a broken and badly set foot and his face and body are savagely scarred from the teeth and claws of the orcs.

Like most Kuglimz, F’ash is fairly tall, about 2 peds, with long, very dark red hair which he wears in two braids, each with only one iron ring braided into it, since he is, by his own admission “…a bard, not a warrior!” He is slender rather than muscular and his fair skin has lightened further, for the once popular and outgoing bard tends to bury himself in his work and rarely ventures beyond the Library.

Personality. The former bard is now very reclusive and tends to avoid people beyond his fellow scholars at the Compendium. He says that he chooses not to “inflict his visage on an unsuspecting public,” and indeed, the frequent stares and comments that his appearance draws are not something one would voluntarily endure. He is very serious most of the time, with an occasional hint of a dryly ironic sense of humour. Although he still retains his stunningly beautiful voice with its near four-octave range, he is rarely willing to perform publicly, claiming that “the audience would need to be blindfolded to enjoy it”. However, when pressed, he will sing for a small group of friends occasionally, usually scholars, other bards or fellow Kuglimz. He is well-known to sage Artimidor, Turik of Barsalon, Bard Judith, and several other notable individuals. He is very good friends with Alysse the Santharchivist, though he says he despairs of ever teaching her to behave herself.

Biography. Born in the fall of 1634, F’ash was christened Heir’gor, (lit. "Dark River") and displayed an interest in and talent for music at a very early age. By the time he was four or five years old, he could play tunes on most of the popular Kuglim instruments such as the multiple reed pipes, drums, lap harps and the herder’s flute. Once his voice settled in his teen years, he was famed throughout the Kuglimz peoples for its range, strength and beauty. The fame went to his head somewhat and he became quite proud and a little self-centered. During this time he learned basic Tharian from traders that came through the area.

In the early spring of 1660, the young Heir’gor was traveling along the Luquador River with his tribe. They were settled at a site near Worldquest, and he went exploring south along the Quest River to find a place to play without being disturbed. Recently he had fallen for a lovely Kuglim girl and their parents were beginning to discuss the arrangements. The bard was writing a musical piece in her honour and wanted to be alone.

He was attacked by a hunting tribe of Losh-Oc orcs, brought to their cave, and given to a high-ranking orc family for the children to practice hunting skills on. However, the orcs were impressed enough with his bardic talents that they decided not to kill him right away, and so he survived. After living with them for 10 weeks, during which he was viciously mauled and mistreated, he managed to escape (see "The Tale of F’ash", in the Library). When he finally encountered people, they thought he was mad, and, first in anger and then with reluctant humour, he called himself F’ash, or “Crazy Man”.

Horrified by his altered appearance and unwilling to return to his beloved as the gruesomely scarred “damaged goods” he felt himself to be, the young bard went to Southern Sarvonia. In the late fall of 1660 he traveled overland to New-Santhala, with Turik of Barsalon, who introduced him to the Compendium authors. They were happy to welcome him into their midst. He spent most of his fist year in New-Santhala studying and improving his command of spoken and written Tharian, (reluctantly giving voice lessons to earn his keep during that time) but then settled in and began to work for the Compendium in earnest.

Importance. F’ash has been able to add a good deal to the Compendium knowledge about the Losh-Oc tribe and Northern Sarvonia. Currently, along with Alysse, he is undertaking the considerable work involved in translation of some of the Kuglimz songs. This is an extremely difficult task as the Kuglimz have a largely oral tradition and there is only a very simplified form of written language at all., not to mention that Kuglimz'Seitre is a simpler language and does not have the complexity of written or spoken Tharian (see Love Poems and Lullabies, in the Compendium Library). Being a bard, F’ash has an excellent memory for languages and a strong appreciation for nuance and style. At some point he would like to go to Bardavos and study there, but until then, is content to occasionally corner the Masterbard and question her over a cup of cha or two. He has a great deal of respect for her knowledge and appreciation for a fellow artist with whom to discuss musical style and technique.