Bard

Bards use the power of words and musical notation to cast a plethora of useful spells. Their natural charisma and ability to inspire those around them makes them desirable allies.

Bards in Arthos

Practice

To become a bard is to access the magic of The Source through creative means. Most often this talent manifests through musicality, though there are notable exceptions to this rule. As part of their training, musical bards will be expected to learn an instrument, however they may take up singing instead. A frequently asked question is how bard magic works, which is inevitably a difficult answer to articulate to those without bardic experience.

"Yes, the world has a heartbeat. The tempo changes with her mood and you just have to listen for that; be a good listener. More importantly you have to bring something of your own to the conversation, a creative spark, a vulnerability. It's not enough to just play the tempo back at Arthos. You have to add a melody and that takes guts to 'yes and' to your muse like that. To go off the script. But when that magic happens, the bliss is palpable like first love. That's why bards do what we do." --Heinja Kord, lyrist

Anyone can be taught musical technique but the intuition to channel Arthos' beat must come through sincere focus. For those who discover the tempo, whether they realize it or not, it becomes a lucrative profession and a lifelong passion.

Performers

In order to earn a living, bards often get their start working as regular musicians. They may work as soloists, buskers, or band members playing for passersby or tavern guests. So long as people are present to appreciate the bard's craft, they can at least scrape together a modest living and hone their craft in the process.

Court Musicians

For many, the ultimate goal of performing professionally is to land a job playing for the outrageously wealthy and privileged. The allure of gaining such high prestige and salary makes it a competitive position that few achieve. In addition, suitably powerful court musicians can protect their audience from magical ambush in lieu of a court wizard, an oft unappreciated benefit of having loyal bards on your payroll.

Orators

Orators, sometimes referred to as "poets" by the bardic community, are bards who use the art of language itself to fuel their magic. They accomplish this by perfectly timing their spoken meter to Arthos' heartbeat. Orators can be outrageously charismatic figures, insinuating themselves into the social fabric as politicians, religious leaders, and revolutionary thinkers.
Note: Some player characters are listed as Orators. This refers to a depreciated homebrew class from an earlier version of Arthos' game system.

Bardic Artists

A somewhat rare variation of bard are those who work within the visual arts: painters, sculptors, even architects. These bards tend to be humble compared to musical bards, especially given how their art lacks the immediacy required for bardic magic in practical applications.

Adventurers

Bards are the darlings of adventuring parties. Their charisma makes them natural candidates for the 'face' of the group and their largely supportive repertoire slots them neatly into any party composition. Bards who turn to adventuring are likely seeking wealth, fame, or inspiration. Though any number of personal reasons can push a bard out of their safety zone.

Resources

• Roll20 Compendium
• D&D Beyond