Bard

Bard Guild
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Primary Skillset:	Lore
Secondary Skillsets:	Magic, Weapon
Tertiary Skillsets:	Survival, Armor
Special Abilities:	Recall, Playact, Enchantes
Mana Type:	Elemental
Barbarian - Bard - Cleric - Commoner - Empath - Moon Mage Necromancer - Paladin - Ranger - Thief - Trader - Warrior Mage

Masters of Music, and well schooled in a wide range of skills and lore, a Bard drinks in all he or she can of the happenings of the lands and uses it to their advantage. To attempt to define a Bard is to try to put order to the sands on the shore -- they are warriors, performers, wanderers, teachers, scholars... and much much more.

A boon to any adventuring group, their area-affecting magic can be instrumental to its survival and success. Be sure to bring extra libations, for a Bard's job is thirsty work.

About 180 years ago, a darkness fell upon the Guild with their near extermination by the Dragon Priests, silencing their voice and scattering their unity. The spirit of Music was reawakened by the selfless acts of Siryn -- and the voices of those who sang for her. Much has been rebuilt since the Guild doors were reopened, a new spirit and unity grows within that portents to rival and surpass what once was a proud and vibrant past.

General Information

Information courtesy of Dragonrealms Website.

Guild Hall Locations

Crossing

Considered by some the 'main' Guildhall for Bards, this renovated structure is home to the famed Bard Silvyrfrost. (You can type DIR BARD for directions.)

Riverhaven

Rebuilt upon the location of its predecessor, the Riverhaven Guild stands tall with plenty of space for the Guild Leader Ezruh and his companion Simon.

Shard

Sequestered in one of the city's many drinking establishments, the Guild Leader Macfrae tends to his cups as well as those Bards that pass by his table.

Ratha

Located in the Theater District of the third tier of Ratha, the workshop is more of an office for repair work than a true Guildhall.

Muspar'i

Located near the Heketha Theatre and the Street of Performers, the Guildhall is cared for by the Bard Leader Selinthesa's watchful eye.

Forfedhdar

Found in Inner Hibarnhvidar. Also located in the Guildhall is Siryn's study, which is watched over by Guildleader Yaziyi.

Asery

The white sentinel is rumored to contain a large Bardic guildhall, unfortunatly access is currently unavailable.

Skillsets and Common Races

A bard's primary skillset is Lore. Magic and Weapon are secondary skillsets, with Survival and Armor as tertiary skills.

Bards break down into the following races:

Elven	50%
Human	18%
Prydaen	13%
Dwarven	9%

Guild Abilities

Vocal Technique

Anyone can sing, but a Bard is fully trained in using his or her voice, lending to it a refined vocal range (Examples: Tenor, Soprano, etc.). This vocal range stands out when SINGing or CHANTing, or with enough skill while leading a CHORUS of fellow Guildmates.

Instrumental Technique

Bards who keep their focus on their instruments can maintain a higher inspirational state, affording them a greater performing skill that can affect all aspects of their music.

PLAYACT

An advanced performance ability, PLAYACT allows a Bard to perform with greater effect and clarity for their audience. Using PLAYACT or PLAYACT 's (make sure you use the space when using the possessive) gives a Bard the ability to embellish their performance anywhere with custom movements. Abuse of PLAYACT or use during non-performance can result in it being removed from a Bard. Ask your neighborhood guildleader to see if you qualify to learn this amazing ability.

Playacting Guidelines (from the Bard Guild FAQ folder) [1]:

"The general guidelines for playacting are simple: If it's not something your character could do, were you in a real-life setting, then it's not something you should be playacting. However a great deal of leeway is given when it comes to performances, especially plays, because of the limited nature of our environment. Appending the name of your 'role' to your own name, using flourishes and theatrical techniques (such as producing a dagger from thin air) that a trained performer would be able to do are all perfectly fine.

Less tolerance is given to someone 'fooling around' by transforming themselves into a troll, flying around the room, or doing normally impossible feats for no other reason than to just do them. For this you likely wouldn't receive a warning, but rather a nudge via SEND to keep things on track. We all have a fun-loving nature and need to stretch our wings sometime, but we'll let you know if you're taking it too far.

There is only one true thing we have no tolerance on at all, and that is using PLAYACT to abuse, scam, or otherwise harass someone. Depending upon the severity of what occured, you can lose your ability to playact for any length of time, and/or rack up warnings and time out of the game. There are no second chances on this score, since you are warned by typing PLAYACT by itself that it is meant as a performance tool, nothing more" (-GM Deryka).

Bardic RECALL

Bards are the tellers of stories and the keepers of knowledge; they know countless stories of legends and folklore, and they remember. This allows them to be adept at learning information about the areas they visit through numerous means -- local gossip, rumor, legends, folklore, superstitions. With the right training, a Bard can tune into the lands and RECALL what was.

Enchantes

Bards use their skill with sound -- through their music skills -- to weave Elemental mana into magic songs called Enchantes.

Definition: (From the Bard FAQ folder) [2]:

"There has been much discussion and debate amongst bards regarding just what an enchante is. Is it like a spell, and composed of patterns and matrices? Or is it composed of music that is given life by magic?

Both of these are true.

A little background on magic: Spells are composed of patterns and matrices.

Pattern spells have a single effect that manifests, though the impact of that single effect is dependant upon the amount of mana that the mage is able to channel into the creation of the pattern itself. Stronger patterns could create more pronounced effects or longer durations of the effects involved.

Matrices are composed a pattern that serves as a template for a cascading sequence of ever more complex patterns, ones that manifest themselves as the mage is able to channel more mana through it. As the initial pattern grows stronger, it will spontaneously grow more complex, causing the effects of the spell itself to vary and grow.

This is, of course, a greatly simplified explanation. Still follow me, though?

Enchantes are examples of elementally-powered magical patterns and matrices created from the music that the bard performs. Music is often said to be mathematical in nature, and so it is. It can form patterns, whether simple or complex in nature, and so long as the bard has the necessary tools and skill, he or she should be able to sustain the pattern.

Due to the inherent nature of music, enchantes will often have the power to eventually form matrices, or cascading patterns, as the music forming the matter for each one becomes increasingly more complex and colorful. Thus, as more skill is gained in the areas of both music and magic, additional effects from enchantes may become apparent to the performer utilizing them.

Enchantes have the potential to reach as far as the voice or song of a performing bard can be heard, or so quietly reiterated that they only affect the singer themself. Very often enchantes themselves merely amplify the music that conveys them, allowing the most powerful and subtle effects: Stirring one's blood to bring them prowess in combat, calming them into a peaceful sleep, or amplifying the skill they already possess by focusing their mind on a specific area of knowledge.

It is on the strength of music that the bard performs, and their control of elemental that they channel through these patterns that the special effects of an enchante are created. However, the effects of enchantes, in and of themselves, need not be musical -- music is merely the medium through which they are brought into being.

Music itself, in the form of skillfully manipulated sound, has a strong hold over the elements. It may be of a frequency to cause sympathetic vibrations in the elements surrounding you. An example would be a deep bass note that rattles tin cans, or a high C note that shatters glass. The entire world around is subject to the vibrations coursing constantly through them, from the simplicity of speech to the glaring ferocity of a horn piercing the air, causing physical pain.

It is because of these things that some enchantes you will see (or hear) may also have spectacular elemental effects that reach throughout the room: The power to summon the fury of a storm, send objects into flame, or bring forth the earth itself to temple and rage. This combined with the subtle nature of enhanced music upon living beings gives bards both strength and power over any area of magic that they wish to become proficient in, and enough variety to aid them in whatever path in life they pursue" (-GM Deryka).

Whistling

Over the years Bards have developed several special techniques with whistling, from just being more expressive to being able to distract enemies with a piercing whistle. Rumor has it some Bards have also learned to effectively communicate via whistling.

Bardic Screams

Many a story has been told of Bards who have mastered the control of their voice to a degree where it can be used as a weapon in battle. While many of these legendary techniques have been lost, there persist to this day stories of Bards vanquishing their foes with a defiant scream.

Showmanship

Over the course of their career, Bards learn many techniques to aid them in performance. Among them are the ability to convincingly bluff their audience, or slip in some dazzling sleight of hand tricks. Bards have also been known to learn the art of ventriloquism, throwing their voice onto props, and, if stories are to be believed, even other people.

Miscellaneous Information

• Bard Titles