Bard
Contents
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. 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
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.
