Bard

Bard Guild
Image copyright of Simutronics Corporation
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.

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