For Love of the Song (book)

For Love of the Song

Weddings, though often held throughout these lands, are truly unique experiences unto themselves. One wedding will call for a ceremony of kissing roses, while another includes the offering of a pastry or wine on the altar to appease the Gods. It is this very diversity that can make weddings a challenge to prepare, and also such a joy to behold. Other differences you may notice in weddings is that instead of a chorus or selection of musicians that would perform music in the background prior to and following the wedding, you may see a single Bard in a wedding sing a song during the ceremony itself! It is about becoming one of these Bards that I write here.

When you perform for a wedding, you need only two things: a love for music, and a love for play. These two things alone will show themselves in your singing and add a dimension to your performances that cannot be matched by any other type of singer. Everything else you think you may need (nice clothing, song-writing, special accessories) comes with time, and with practice as you begin to grow more confident playing in front of a large group of people.

To start your career as a wedding Bard you will of course need a couple wishing to get married! There are many ways to meet them, and more often than not a Bard is found to be singing to a couple they befriended earlier in their travels. You can also find couples seeking a Cleric in their Guildhall, or by acquiring one of the common speaking gwethdesuans to listen for anyone asking for a Bard on the gweth- net. Many people wish to get married each week, and so long as you persevere you should be soon serenading a couple with your song.

After you have been asked by a pair of young love- birds to sing at their wedding, one of the first things you should do is ask the Cleric when they want you to sing. This will avoid any confusion later on in the ceremony. If you have time to tailor your song before the performance, too, this gives you a wonder- ful set of ideas on which to base your performance. For example, if the Cleric tells you that he or she wishes you to sing just before the rose bonding ceremony, you might sing a song containing hints about roses or about the joys of staying in love forever. It is not necessary, but it helps to tie the performance of the Bard into the wedding ceremony.

At this point you may also ask the bride and groom if they have any requests. Often one or the other of them will have a song that they have heard before, and would like you to sing at the wedding. Other Bards, too, have often written songs and would gladly lend you one if you need it. After checking with the Cleric about when it should be sung, you should be almost set for writing up the performance. Don't hesitate to offer them suggestions! After all you are the one performing for the wedding, and may have ideas they would love to use to spice up the ceremony. Just ask them!

Song, check. Time, check. So, you think you are all ready? Not quite! The actions you perform surrounding the song enhance the performance, tying in all of the details and making it into a true Bardic performance rather than a minstrel's singing. This is one detail that will most likely have to be created with weddings in which you have some time to prepare. Actions surrounding a song can include acting out a story, dancing to the music or around candles, or even the use of magical devices to enhance your acting. This is where you can let your imagination go, where it is most important that you envision exactly what you are doing and make sure that your performance is realistic for one performed by a Bard. If you 'magically' create tarts from air it will have less impact than if you invoked the Cleric's blessing on a candle which then flamed up and cast shadows in the image of a God's avatar. Use your judgment about what is best to do, and do not be afraid to ask other Bards for their opinions. It's what we're here for. (At the end of this article I have included some of my research into shops that contain items I have found useful in performances!)

The use of playact for a Bard is a wonderful enhancement, but not necessary for a perfect performance. It is one of those little things we have that adds the final touch to performing. If you are able to use it, remember that your playacting pool empties the more you use it, so be sure to spend some time resting and working on your musical skills just before the performance itself.

Another of those things that will tie in the Bard to the performance is their clothing. Unless you are acting out a jester in your performance, it may not be wise to show up in a multicolored outfit spangled with bells. Try to use little items to tie in what you are wearing with what either the Cleric speaks of in his or her ceremony, or what you have in your own performance. It need not be expensive, either: a simple raccoon charm pinned to your formal clothing would blend beautifully with a song about Rangers. Festivals provide an invaluable resource for small objects like this, as they are often sold with Clerical items or scattered among the tents. If there is no festival, however, do not despair! Shops around the mainland often hold inexpensive items that you can use or wear.

After all of this, the final advice I give you is to practice in front of your fellow Bards. They will provide priceless praise, encouragement, and suggestions about how to help polish up a song or performance before the big day. If you find yourself far away from any other Bards, such as on the islands, ask the wedding couple or Cleric if they could set up a rehearsal so you may get their opinions. Always remember that no matter how good or bad a performance may be, it will likely be one you learn from. And don't forget to have fun with this, you're a Bard after all!
-- Sunnie Goldragon

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Listing of only a few of Elanthia's more useful wedding supply shops: (Note: For flowers to last longer than a couple hours they will need a flower preservative potion from the Crossing Florist.)

While traveling in the province of Ilithi, the Cleric shop found inside Shard's Temple of Light can provide numerous useful touches to any performance, such as votive candles, jewelry in the shape of different animals, musical balls, and incense to add a pleasing scent to the room. For clothing, one can always visit the fortress in the Dragonspine Mountains, Chyolvea Tayeu'a, where they make voluminous robes for mages that will hide anything worn between neck, ankle, and wrist.

Southern Zoluren contains one shop made especially for preparing for a wedding -- Trevellyn's of Leth Deriel. This quaint shop is located inside the gatehouse of Tamsine's Abbey and contains a true plethora of formal clothing for brides, grooms, priests, as well as outer clothing and jewelry. While you are here, don't forget to take a brief tour of the Abbey's grounds, for their flowers are both beautiful and available to be picked by the passerby.

Visiting the crossroads of Zoluren, The Crossing holds several shops that can flesh out a performance. Among others, the Estate Holder's Curio Shop holds a variety of small trinkets from jewelry to odd foods to fans with magical properties. The Crossing's Cleric shop is not as extensive as its southern cousin, but they do carry another variety of musical bells there. Near the Barbarian Guildhall, the florist here provides fresh flowers, preserved arrangements that can be worn, and a real treasure -- a flower preservative potion. This potion you can carry with you to preserve any flower you pick, and you can easily test this by gathering up one of the many fresh flowers to be found on Jadewater Mansion's grounds.

In Therengia, few shops hold supplies for the per- former, but the florist here is a must-see. Like its southern counterpart, it carries several cut flowers and arrangements, but be warned that any fresh ones need to be preserved with a preservative potion. While here, you should also visit the sweets shop in the Halfling Quarter if you need any gifts for the new bride or groom.

In the city of Ratha on the island of Reshalia you will likely be traveling often from tier to tier, so be sure to carry several coins for fare, or have a map handy to travel the seedier ways among the tiers. On the second tier you can find a simple clothing shop that sells tartans and clothing pertaining to one's clan, and also a leather shop whose wares serve a dual purpose as armor and are fashioned in the shape of wild beasts. While on either the first or second tier, the bazaar of Ratha is a must-see. Here one can find soaps, bath accessories, many varieties of odd foods, and also an embroiderer who will put designs on any soft container you own.

The island of Surlaenis, strewn with fresh flowers along its slopes, streets, and graveyard, is truly a sight to see. Perhaps this is why its flower shop is so extensive, carrying dream pillows, wearable arrangements, fine perfume, and a selection of very finely made bouquets. One is advised only to explore the graveyard during the hours of daylight, however, as fearsome beasts prowl there at night. Preserve any beauties you pick carefully, for the nearest preservative potion can only be found in Zoluren. Also located in the town, the island's Cleric shop carries a fine selection of devotional jewelry and robes for priest and performer alike.