Having a light source and two other held items does seem unrealistic. This is only because of the "You light the whatever and hold it."
Maybe that line should be changed to read something a little more believable, or just changed to take out the hold part.
You light the black heart of Gazar.
Then you're down to only two items held (three if you're a bard). Holding an instrument, problem solved.
ANd in the past bards did suck, then CoA became popular, Rigor became heavily useful, and Illusionists found a liking to the songs not being blocked by spell deflection.
And even if bard music will always be unblockable by spell deflection, in no_magic rooms, a bard shouldn't be able to play at all. No_Magic rooms should be more like Silence rooms.
