The Red Hair Cycle

The Red Hair Cycle is one of the few remaining tales that survived the Crossing. No original source remains for scholarly examination. It exists now only as it is frequently told by Bards to entertain their patrons. Over the passing of the centuries the tale has changed some from its original form, and each Bard tells the tale with their own particular spin. What follows is a bare-bones telling of the tale, without most of the bardic flourishes that typically expand the tale to epic proportions.

The Tale, in brief:

The tale begins with the three friends, Frog, Ochre, and Stev of Aan, deep in the Needle Swamp playing with fire-sprites. The friends are taking turns throwing the sprites at each other, causing the sprites to explode when they strike. The three friends engage in light banter and wordplay. This section of the tale reflects the character of the bard spinning the tale, and varies greatly from bard to bard, and even from telling to telling. One famous bard from the last century was known for spinning this section out to cover a full nights performance.
Next, the tale moves to follow Kembrali as she wanders in a fit of melancholy into the Needle Swamp. Oft times the cause of Kembrali's melancholy is explored by the bards performing the tale, the source of her sadness vary greatly depending upon the needs of the bard and the temperament of their audience. After some time passes, she approaches the place where the three friends from earlier are playing. She sneaks up to eavesdrop on what they are talking about. Ochre is spinning one of his grand tales. This one is about a magic wand that can change the color of a persons hair. Frog asks if it can turn hair red. Ochre responds that one would need a red wand to accomplish that trick. While the three friends continue their conversation, Kembrali recalls that Father Blue has a red wand in his sky-castle. She leaves the Nettle Swamp to retrieve Father Blue's red wand. What follows is a series of scenes where Kembrali cleverly outwits the chamberlan, cook, maid, and guards on her way to the room with the red wand. Upon reaching the wand room, she picks up the red wand, places it to her hair, and activates it. Unfortunately for her, it is a fire magic wand. She gets her red hair briefly as flames engulf her, and she dies from the flames.
At this point, some bards will play a haunting dirge for the loss of Kembrali. Whether they play a tune or not, the storyteller will entreat the audience to forgive them for letting the story get ahead of them. They will request the audience to cast their minds back a span of time so that the bard may show them the tale from the beginning.
The tale then introduces Pig and Hawk. Boos from the audience often accompany their introduction. A few quick examples are frequently relayed to paint Pig as loathsome and craven, and Hawk as aggressive and dismissive of those below him. Then, abruptly, the bard will begin to describe the unearthly beauty of Lady Sphinx. frequently the description chosen will be a reflection of the most powerful woman present. (There are tales told of bards fleeing from a nobles court for choosing the wrong Lady to pattern Lady Sphinx's beauty upon.)
Pig and Hawk have an innuendo laden conversation of what they would do with Lady Sphinx's favor. Eventually convincing themselves to ask her what tasks they can do to earn her favor. She sends them off to complete seven tasks together. Pig and Hawk, unsurprisingly, turn the quest into a contest between each other. The tasks are completed with Pig winning three, Hawk winning three, and the last they call a tie. They ask Lady Sphinx to judge the final task and declare one of them the winner. She condemns their actions, saying that requested them to work together. And, since they failed in that, they failed her test, and will never find pleasure in her eyes.
Gelin the Tailor, and Houre the Unwound arrive arm in arm with each other as Pig and Hawk are dejectedly leaving Lady Sphinx's court. They are laughing loudly at some earlier jest. "Lady Sphinx!" They exclaim in unison. "We have together accomplished all your tasks!" In some tellings their seven tasks are presented as a counterpoint to Hawk and Pig's failed tasks, highlighting the buffoonery of the pair when compared to true teamwork. Lady Sphinx says she has one more task for Gelin and Houre to accomplish together and beckons them towards the back of her estate. The doors close, shutting Hawk and Pig out of whatever happened next. In some of the more seedy bars and taverns, the tale can take a more ribald turn at this point in the story. As it is not academically relevant to the overarching themes of this tale, we will not be exploring those variants here.
Pig and Hawk are filled with spite and jealousy after being turned away by Lady Sphinx. So they decide to hold another competition between themselves. This time for the attention of Kembrali. Bardin the Lark catches wind of this farcical contest, and sings the pair a bitter and encouraging tune to egg them on. They perform several feats to try and sway Kembrali to their cause. Each feat more degrading and insulting to Kembrali than the last. Both Pig and Hawk mark her tears as points to be scored for themselves. Kembrali is unswayed in her contempt for the pair, but their barbs scar her deep. They are unrelenting and unhindered by her discomfort. Bardin the Lark sings a spiteful verse cruelly mocking her for turning back the advances of the "noble" Pig and Hawk.
Frog happens to walk by and witnesses the cruelty of Pig and Hawk. He attempts to do Kembrali a kindness and put an end to the cruel game, but Kembrali rebuffs him thinking he is a part of the game. Pig and Hawk continue their torment of Kembrali with nary a pause. Frog flees Kembrali's sharp words, and goes into the Nettle Swamp to find his friends Ochre and Stev.
After escaping Pig, Hawk, and Bardin the Lark, Kembrali tries to find Frog to apologize, but overhears Frog and Ochre talking about red hair and wands. Thinking that Frog would like her with red hair, she goes to get her father's red wand ...

It is said that great bards can bring dukes to tears at the melancholic turn of the story back to its tragic beginning. But whatever the skill of the storyteller, the Red Hair Cycle is beloved by all folks of the Coastal Realms. Even if the true tale is lost to time and an ocean away.

— Loremaster Rovert Ornald

Characters from Old World tales:

• Bardin the Lark
• Father Blue
• Frog the Forgotten
• Gelin the Tailor
• Hawk the Bold
• Houre the Unwound
• Kembrali the Sad
• Lady Sphinx
• Ochre the Talespinner
• Pig the Craven
• Stev of Aan, the Cunning