Ruby Mirage

As seen in

The Ruby Mirage

They may swing hammers by daylight, but by sundown they swing hearts. The Ruby Mirage isn't just a band — it's the sound of scraped knuckles, hard days, and a little hope at the bottom of your mug. – Local saying in the Blood and Sand

Overview

The Ruby Mirage is a well-known Half-orc band that plays regular sets at the Blood and Sand tavern in Bard’s Gate. Known for their raw, rhythmic sound and unexpectedly skilled harmonies, they’ve earned a loyal following among dockhands, mercenaries, adventurers, and even a few nobles slumming it for “real music.”
The name is an inside joke among the band — a "mirage" of glamor and stardust on stage that fades with the morning light when they return to their day jobs.

Style and Sound

The Ruby Mirage blends forge rhythm, bardic folk, back-alley blues, and work-song soul into something unique. Their music is percussive, heartfelt, and occasionally haunting. Every member sings, creating surprisingly rich harmonies that contrast with their rough exteriors.

Core Members

• Gruk "Snaps" Hargan – Percussion, Rhythm Bones, Harmony Vocals A former bricklayer with a broad chest and missing two fingers, Gruk plays bone slabs, forge plates, and anything else that echoes. His deep baritone voice anchors the group’s harmonies. He's the steady heart of the group, and the one most likely to settle a tavern brawl before it starts.


• Drogar "Dustboot" Marn – Bass Strings, Harmony Vocals A tall, quiet dockhand with a gentle soul. Drogar plays a double-stringed harp made from freight crate wood. His voice is smoky and low, like a lullaby for tired bones. He’s also known for tinkering with instruments between songs and has crafted much of the group’s custom gear.


• Kel "Teethbite" Vorl – Lead Strings, Male Lead Vocals A scrapyard worker with nimble hands and a sharp temper. Kel plays a shard-lute made from broken instruments and salvaged steel. When Sira Velle is absent, he takes over as the band’s lead singer, bringing a rougher, more visceral energy to the stage. His voice is raw charm and bruised velvet.


• Rokka "Chains" Varrun – Drums, Forge Bells, Harmony Vocals A smith’s apprentice with arms like anvils and a voice like rolling thunder. Rokka built his percussion set from old bellmetal, chain links, and smithing scraps. He rarely speaks offstage, but when he sings, his deep harmonies are unforgettable.

Guest Vocalist

• Sira Velle – Vocals, "The Mirage" A half-orc woman with a voice like velvet dusk and a reputation wrapped in mystery. She comes and goes without warning, performing only when she chooses. Rumors swirl — some say she was once a noble’s concubine, others claim she ran contraband through the eastern passes. Whatever her past, her presence on stage is undeniable. When she sings, time seems to pause. The band shifts when she’s gone, but they never try to replace her — only adapt.

Setlist Favorites

• Black Iron Waltz – A haunting three-beat ode to a forgeworker’s first heartbreak.
• Bottle and Bellows – A tavern-stomper guaranteed to have the whole room pounding mugs on the table.
• Dust on My Boots – A slow-burning lament about leaving home and forgetting your own name.
• Stoneflower – Often sung by Sira; a bittersweet ballad about love that couldn’t survive the city walls.
• Chainlight Rhythm – A heavy, driving instrumental set that features Rokka and Gruk’s pounding percussion duel.

Reputation and Rumors

• Nobles occasionally sneak into the Blood and Sand just to hear the Ruby Mirage, often in disguise.
• Some claim Sira Velle once sang for a royal court under a different name.
• A few shady types have tried to lure Kel into higher-end gigs — he’s turned them all down flat.
• Drogar may be building a strange new instrument in his spare time — something magical.

Type

Entertainment, Music band