Bardic Songs
!WIP! Song info pulled from the old game. Page is for reference, but things may be different now. !WIP!
Magical Songs of the realms
Banshees Lament - NEW
Verse: "TBD."
You need to be 1st Tier to perform this song, with an instrument of quality TBD.
Causes damage periodically to all creatures in the area.
Champions Anthem - NEW
Verse: "TBD."
You need to be TBD Tier to perform this song, with an instrument of quality TBD.
Increases the melee damage output of all players in the area.
Celebration Night
Verse: "Let your spirits soar on the wings of eagles, let music wash the sleep from your eyes."
You need to be 3 level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 1.
Celebration Night is one of the simplest uses of song-magic, and the most well-known song in the realms. The song describes the preparations for a great party, and seems to be directed at getting a despondent young man (who, from the lyrics, the writer was in love with) to shake off his weariness and go join the festivities. The song itself is a most invigorating tune, and millenia of use caused it to insert itself into the weave, it's stirring tune gaining magical enhancement. According to the Lore of the Bardic College, this was, in fact, the first "magical" song known-it's powers gained from an unknown source. However, since that time, by studying the subtle magics of this song, many others have been created. This song invigorates the bards allies who can hear it, washing away fatigue at several keypoints in the song. A truly talented bard will increase the song's effectiveness, both by adding even more emotion to the tune itself, and by subtly changing the song itself, increasing the keypoints.
Lost Song: Much bardic song magic, which was still new over 1000 years ago, has been lost to the passage of time.
Radiance's Rhyme
Verse: "Lyre burn with golden light, cut through the dark of night."
You need to be 4 level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 2.
Radiance's Rhyme is another simple use of song-magic, and is one of the most common songs in the realms. According to the histories of the Bardic Loremasters, Radiance's Rhyme was the first successful "experiment" to create a magical song, after having studied Celebration Night, and it's relationship with magic. This song, therefore, was written purely for utility, and by a bard who had more love for the magics of the song than the beauty of it's music or lyric. The magical effect of this song is almost as simple as the lyrics themselves - the song creates a soft, glowing nimbus of white light around the bard while the song is in effect. Most of the populace consider this song to be little more than a child's rhyme (after all, it tells no story,and it's words seem to simply repeat the need for light), however, a gifted bard can extend the song, and use subtle musical shifts, causing the light to flicker and dance, as well as change color. As such, it is often used in advanced bardic competition, with judges grading on the visual effects, rather than the aural ones.
Lost Song: Much bardic song magic, which was still new over 1000 years ago, has been lost to the passage of time.
Wanderer's Ballad
Verse: "Come along with me, love, come along with me."
You need to be 4 level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 3.
The Wanderer's Ballad has a long history as a favorite travelling song, long before it was infused with magic centuries past. It is a light tune, narrating the many disasters that befell two travellers (a couple), and how after every hardship, the husband (a bardic adventurer) has to convince his wife to continue, telling her how lucky they had been at every turn. Since it was such a popular and common song, it was reasoned, usually sung as people traveled, then it was only logical for it to gain magics that would help in that task. While singing the Wanderer's Ballad, the bard's allies are wrapped in a subtle enhancement magic, increasing the length of their strides, their ability to jump and their senses of balance. The song's power is so well focused that it allows people hearing it to cross nearly any terrain, jumping over obstacles, and even making climbs that would normally require ropes or other gear.
Curious' Canticle
Verse: "Now Curious, get it in your head, if you follow me, then you'll be dead."
You need to be 5 level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 2.
Curious' Canticle is a song about, of all things, a cat. The song tells the tale of a cat, named Curious, who is repeatedly told to stay home, but follows her master anyway, with dire circumstances. The song has nine verses, with the cat losing one of it's lives at the end of each. The chorus is a return to the noble telling the cat to remain where it is safe, and not to follow. The music for this song is light, as befits such a comedic tale, and even cat-lovers find this song a delight, despite the fate of the poor kitty in each verse. The Half-Elven Muse Alvara is held responsible for adding the magic to this song, and it's effects are quite fitting, considering the moral of the story. While the magical effects of this song exist, opponents will not follow people who need to leave in combat, scared by the lessons that Curious did not learn.
Lost Song: Much bardic song magic, which was still new over 1000 years ago, has been lost to the passage of time.
The Warrior Bard
Verse: "The minstrel boy to the war hath gone, in the ranks of death you will find him."
You need to be 5 level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 3.
An ancient tune held by the bardic college, the Warrior-Bard is a ballad which describes the battle, capture and eventual death of a young warrior-bard, who was so true to his ideals that he would not play for his captors, even under threat of death. The Bard in the song is captured fighting against a large group of slavers, allowing those he swore to protect to escape. The raw emotion of the song has long been used to rally members of Bardic Colleges throughout the realms, reminding bards of the price of freedom, and their duty to stand and protect those who cannot protect themselves. Because of the song's widespread use as a rallying tune, a young bard name Jacorus studied it, and infused the score with song-magic. Now, while the song is being sung, all allies of the bard who can hear the song are inspired, enhancing their drive and effectiveness in combat.
Sweet Comfort
Verse: "Relax, my child, sleep and dream, for things aren't as bad as they seem."
You need to be 6 level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 4.
Sweet Comfort was originally a lullaby, used to calm children with quiet words of reassurance, that things were not as bad as they appeared. This song was primarily used amongst the poorest and least- fortunate people within the realms, who were, in fact, lying to their children. As Nexus grew properous, the song became little more than an interesting tune for centuries, until the discovery of song-magic. By using song-magic to enhance the power of the underlying falsehood of the tune and lyrics, bards suddenly gained the ability to comfort their enemies, making them believe that their losses and wounds weren't as bad as they appear, and so steadying their resolve and morale, making them unlikely to take flight, even in the face of overwhelming forces.
Run Runaway
Verse: "See chameleon, lying there in the sun, all things to everyone, run, run away."
You need to be 7 level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 3.
This is an ancient traditional song, whose nonsense, fun lyrics and infectuous, fast-paced music made it a favorite amongst the people. In fact, this song has been played at every single festival and fair held in and around Nexus for centuries, and is often used to "stir up" a crowd when no one is dancing. Being such a popular song in the standard bardic repatoire, no one was much surprised when a bard named Trael infused it with song-magic. The magic of the song seems to be drawn from it's tune and chorus, and while sung, it causes the bard's allies to dance in the standard side-stepping jig the song inspires at festivals. While so dancing, the bard's allies can neatly side-step a creature who would try to prevent them from leaving, the pace of their dance magically enhanced to the point that it is almost hypnotic to those watching who are not dancing themselves. The combination of these two effects gives the allies of a bard singing the magical version of this song the ability to escape nearly any creature, despite that creature's intent to block the allies' escape. Bards are, however, reminded, that when they leave an area, they take their song - and magic - with them, possibly trapping allies who have yet to escape.
Lost Song: Much bardic song magic, which was still new over 1000 years ago, has been lost to the passage of time.
Huntsman's Tune
Verse: "Where, uncle, have the animals gone? her small voice asked before the dawn."
You need to be 6 level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 3.
The Huntsman's Tune is an old, traditional hunting song, telling the tale of a young orphan girl named Dara going out into the woods with her uncle, to find food to feed their starving family. Through the story, while Dara learns woodslore from her uncle, they find no food, and begin to set off for home, empty handed. On the way home, they stop to rest in a large clearing, and Dara sings a sad song. Out of nowhere, several rabbits emerge into the clearing, seemingly drawn by the music, and happily, the family can eat. This song's tale seems to indicate the first ever use of song-magic, if it is true, though most scholars have dismissed it as being a fanciful tale, or perhaps, the work of Erisar, as this song predates the godswar. However, the Huntsman's Tune itself was infused with the very song-magic it describes. While the song is being sung, creatures around the singer are more likely to emerge from hiding, investigating the source of the music. This effect is a double-edged blade, however, as it works on all sorts of creatures, including those far more dangerous than rabbits.
Lost Song: Much bardic song magic, which was still new over 1000 years ago, has been lost to the passage of time.
Merchant's Lament
Verse: "Remember the rewards for the acts so cold that you commit in the pursuit of gold."
You need to be 7th level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 4.
The Merchant's Lament tells the tale of the spoiled, greedy and arrogant magnate of a powerful Merchant House who slowly loses everything he was born into from bad (and bitterly ironic) deals, and when his own workers could save him, they don't, because of his greed and bad treatment of them. The song has an obvious moral - that people who allow greed to control their actions and do not care for the people will fall if they ever need the people's help. Bards often performed this song in inns and taverns, to "ensure" a better income as people took, at least for a moment, the lesson to heart - and still do now, although the addition of song-magic has made the practice far more effective. When a bard plays this song, the people he directs it at will recognize it almost immediately, and it's bitter example-lesson will strike fear into them. Not wanting to be destroyed by greed will make these people more likely to part with their money, which, of course, means a greater income for the bard. This song does not twist the mind, forcing people into making obviously unprofitable deals, such as buying an object for more than it's value, for it's magic is more subtle. (Were it not, the song would, no doubt, have been outlawed years ago.) It simply reduces the greed of the people who hear it, causing them more likely to shave off from their profit margins. Merchants in the realms, however, tend to consider any listed price the real one, however, and will not move on those prices.
Draen's Tale
Verse: "Draen, throw your spells anew, know the weave will answer you."
You need to be 8th level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 4.
Draen's Tale is a story about a young wizard, who's small village (and mentor) were killed by Goblins in the first War of the Races. Draen tried to help, but his limited skills did little good, and the goblins left him for dead. Draen was nursed back to health by a wandering minstrel (who seems to be the voice telling the story), but while she was able to tend Draen's physical wounds, his guilt and self-doubt were overwhelming him. Even as Draen grew more experienced through many journeys, his magical skills never increased, locked away by a wall of his own creation. At the end of the song, Draen and the bard are the only two defenders of another small village, and, still, Draen's wall against his magic stands, preventing them from saving the town, until the bard recounts their tales to date in a song (apparently, this one) showing Draen that his magic is strong, and that only his doubts stand in the way. Draen seems to accept this, and with the fury of an Archmage, defends the town from the goblin aggressors. It seems that even as this song was being written, the bard was infusing it with song-magic which enhances the power of spells cast by allies hearing the tune - so that when the time came and Draen let loose his magic, he would be more likely to succeed, for a second failure would destroy the wizard that she had come to love. This song's power remains even today.
Lost Song: Much bardic song magic, which was still new over 1000 years ago, has been lost to the passage of time.
Tailog's Fall
Verse: "Vida spoke: My weapon and body may be small, but the strength of my heart will make you fall."
You need to be 8th level to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 4.
Tailog's Fall is an ancient song, describing the felling of a sly, evil and massively powerful Ogre, by a young hobbit girl named Vida armed only with a handmade, non-magical sling. In the song, the Ogre, Tailog, was terrorizing several villages, demanding tributes of money, livestock and flesh in exchange for not destroying them. The local guards of each town were killed in battle with the massive Ogre, and many women were taken as "tribute", vanishing forever. On the fateful day, Vida's mother was grabbed by Tailog as the next "tribute", and Vida stood before the massive Ogre in challenge. The Ogre roared with laughter when he saw the tiny thing in his path and the pathetic weapon she held, yet Vida hurled a jagged stone, piercing the Ogre's eye, and killing him. This was a popular song, often used to teach the moral that a single being can make a difference, even against what appears to be an overwhelming foe. This song seems to have gained its magical powers without anyone weaving magic into it, probably from the emotion it infuses into people who hear it. The song has become very popular in times of war because it's power allows the bard's allies to strike creatures that can only be hit by magical weapons, and it is difficult to equip an entire army with such weapons. Even adventurers find this song useful when they are separated from their favorite weapon, either by loss or breakage, and monks unable to properly focus their chi are always pleased to hear it's striking notes.
Lost Song: Much bardic song magic, which was still new over 1000 years ago, has been lost to the passage of time.
Lap of Luxury
Verse: "They say that money corrupts you, but I can't really tell, I got the whole world at my feet, and I think it's pretty swell."
You need to be 16 tier to perform this song, with an instrument of quality 9.
The Lap of Luxury is a farcical song written from the point of view of a very wealthy noble. The entire song has the noble spending king's ransoms on the most mundane of things, passing gold and platinum like it was water. The song was originally written to show the folly that can come with wealth, however, it has long stuck in some people's minds how the life described by the song is, in fact, the one for them. As such, this song became somewhat rare, only performed to the nobility themselves (most of whom did not notice the humour). An industrious bard named Sephari, having grown up poor, upon learning this song, decided that the Lap of Luxury was, in fact, the life for her, and infused the song with magic. The song's effects are simple, when being sung, the song seems to magically increase the size of treasure hoardes, protecting the items that monsters carry so that more of the items survive the combat.