unlike the twisted progeny of my brethren, you are possessed
of fragments of mine own being. Let your souls sing as the
power of Life reverberates among you. Arise, my Viren,
and take your place as rightful sovereigns of this world.
arts beyond the loftiest aspirations of lesser races. This long life, however, also lead to a kind of paralyzing inertia in elven art. Elven bards practiced magic by simple rote and memorization of melodies passed through the ages. Rather than press forward with genuinely creative work, they simply improved their own preci- sion and skills. Only with the rise of the infinitely adaptable humans did art truly become innovative.
The El’Thamian Empire rose to prominence during the Epoch of Thulkas, when it spread across the breadth of Scarn. Because of their strong fire magics and the favor of Thulkas, this civilization flourished and eventually grew decadent. Their culture quickly rose to heights unseen among their barbaric forefathers. With worked metals and cooperation engendered by civilization, the El’Thamians were able to create great sculpture and architecture, focusing around a flame motif. This fire symbolism persisted in El’Thamian music as well, which was said to draw upon the deepest “fires of the soul.” Their music was always sung in the Dark Speech of Thulkas, and it was always either boisterous and rejuvenating or terribly discordant and destructive, much like fire itself. Bardic magic was advanced greatly during this age, as devising new music and songs of power was said to honor the “flames of inspiration” and thus the Father of Fire, Thulkas. With the fall of this great empire, the music of fire has mostly been lost from the Scarred Lands, although to this day vestiges are still heard in the strange ululating music of the Ukrudan tribesmen.
The bardic tradition survived, albeit in a lesser form, among the barbaric hordes who had ensured the destruc- tion of the great El’Thamian Empire. Bards served as the loremasters and storytellers of their tribes, preserving their history orally so that the past would not be lost to the mists of time. Once again, bardic magic fell back to an ecstatic state, echoing the nature of the barbarians who fought alongside these primitive bards. The splintering of cul- tures during this time allowed bards to develop new and different styles based upon aspects of tribal mythology, their environment, and tribal history and heroics.
Beginning in southern Ghelspad, civilization slowly began to reestablish itself. The coming of the Epoch of Mesos allowed scattered tribes to come together, armed and protected by the power of arcanists. As towns and cities became more prevalent, bards transformed from tribal lore keepers to wandering minstrels and entertain- ers. Those with well-developed magical talent were better able to find training as arcanists, and the bard’s role as a tribal lorekeeper began to decline in importance as arcanists rose in prominence. With the number of bards decreasing, individuals who possessed the rare talents of a bard were forced to travel between communities to meet the de- mand for history, news of the outside world, and entertainment. Although arcanists could protect their communities, they could never replace bards as the soul of the people.
Though they were never forced to be as secretive as their wizard counterparts, bards soon saw the value of grouping together in colleges and societies to ensure the spread of knowledge and culture. Thus, this age saw the codification and intermixing of styles of music and art that had been developed during the tribal periods of the Epoch of Hrinruuk, a process that continues throughout the Scarred Lands to this day.
Like their countrymen, a large number of bards turned to the worship of the gods. Unlike the amoral titans, gods such as Tanil and Idra seemed to actually care for their worshippers, which attracted idealistic young bards. With the coming of the Divine War, many realized that allying with the gods was their only real hope of survival, swelling the divine ranks even more. Fortunately, the war was not especially hard on bards, who often served as messengers, military leaders and tacticians, or even keepers of pre-war era knowledge. The Divine War also saw the birth of new bardic gods, such as Syhana and Trelu.
The heroics and perils of the Divine War have provided enough background to generate bardic epics for the next several hundred years. Indeed, since the war, bards have played a significant role in regenerating the history and culture of their lands. The great bardic colleges have been reestablished in prosperous nations such as Vesh, Darakeene, and Calastia. The post-Divine War era has also seen the rise of new bardic styles, reflecting the new focus on the gods as well as the events of the war. Unfortunately, the Scarred Lands is a harsh world, and the importance of the bards’ role in the creation of culture is often overlooked in authoritarian nations such as Dunahnae and frontier nations in the Plains of Lede. Still, bards exist in some degree throughout the entirety of the Scarred Lands, from the forsaken elf master trilyrists to the lowliest orcish tribal storyteller.
BARDIC TRADITIONS
Bards hail from each of the myriad cultures scattered about the Scarred Lands, practicing varying traditions of music. Although these variations are deep, traditions vary in type of music, instruments played, types of perfor- mances, and societal role, all bards are united by their creative spirit. This section describes but a few of the more prominent bardic traditions found in Ghelspad and Termana. These classifications are not very rigid, as many bards draw their skills from multiple traditions and some migrate traditions as their skills grow. These are not the sum total of the bardic traditions available in the Scarred Lands; rather, these are a description of some of the best known ones, and a starting point to allow GMs and the players of bards to design their own.
Some of the skills listed for these traditions are not class skills for bards. Members of this tradition must still pay cross-class costs for ranks in these skills.
Spells in this section marked with an asterix (*) are from Relics & Rituals; those marked with a double asterix (**) are from Relics & Rituals 2: Lost Lore. Those marked with a cross (†) are from The Divine & the
Defeated; those marked with a double cross (††) are from
Appendix Three of this book.
B
AEROVIANC
HANTERSDeep within the great cathedrals of Hedrad, one can constantly discern the low reverberations of the Baerovian Chanters. Named for Saint Baeron, a famous loremaster and the first Hedradan bard, these hymnists perform masterful chanting prayers and praises to the Judge. They often provide musical accompaniment to important ritu- als and holiday services. Finally, the Baerovian Chanters are known as lorekeepers and masters of meditation. They spread knowledge and oral history and help others achieve a calm state of mind for meditation.
The Chanters are master vocalists, but they also rou- tinely use the tingsha, bell and dorje, dragon horn, and gong. They often multiclass as clerics of Hedrada and monks.
Favored Feats: Chanting Meditation (see Appendix
I), Enhanced Knowledge (see Appendix I), Extend Spell, Iron Will and Skill Focus (Concentration).
Favored Skills: Concentration, Knowledge (reli-
gion), Perform (sing, percussion instruments, wind instruments), Sense Motive and Spellcraft.
Favored Spells: Baerovian Chanters prefer spells
that allow them to focus their minds and divine the future, such as: 0-lvl — know direction. 1st — comprehend lan-
guages, remove fear, Salamar’s quiet contemplation*. 2nd — bend sounds, calm emotions, detect thoughts, enthrall, fox's cunning, locate object, sharpen senses††. 3rd — clairaudience/ clairvoyance, dispel magic, mind raid, scrying, see invisibility.
4th — legend lore, mind over matter, song of the gods*, zone
of silence. 5th — greater dispel magic. 6th — analyze dweomer, find the path, greater scrying, mass fox's cunning.
B
LADESOFTHEN
ORTHAlbadians are well respected for their martial prow- ess, and smart Albadians appreciate the value of a dangerous reputation and the power of intimidation. Albadian bards focus on martial pursuits and physical intimidation, such that their countrymen often refer to them as Blades of the North. Training in a variety of instruments as well as epic storytelling and the unique Albadian sword-dance, the Blades often serve as adventuring bards and leaders of war bands. Furthermore, these bards are, along with the Helliann sorceresses, responsible for maintaining the sub- stantial oral tradition of the Albadian tribes. The Blades have developed a fearsome reputation for ruthlessness in combat, even beyond Albadia, and have been known to stun opponents into immobility through a simple glance or threatening gesture.
Blades of the North often multiclass as fighters, rangers, or barbarians.
Favored Feats: Acrobatic, Combat Expertise, Dodge,
Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (two-bladed sword), Great Fortitude, Improved Critical, Persuasive, Two-Weapon Fighting, War Song (see Appendix I), Weapon Focus.
Favored Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Jump,
Knowledge (history), Perform (dance, oratory, sing), Sur- vival and Tumble.
Favored Spells: Blades of the North prefer spells to
aid their martial skills or enhance the abilities of their allies, such as: 0-lvl — know direction, flare, message. 1st —
cure light wounds, remove fear. 2nd — aura of menace*, battlecry*, blur, calm emotions, cat's grace, cure moderate wounds, eagle's splendor, fox's cunning, heroism, mirror image, rage, song of heroes*. 3rd — assassin’s senses*, blink, cure serious wounds, displacement, good hope, haste, see invisibility. 4th — cure critical wounds, freedom of movement.
5th — greater heroism, mass cure light wounds. 6th — heroes'
feast, mass cat's grace, mass cure moderate wounds, mass fox's cunning, mass eagle's splendor, song of champions*.
B
ROTHERHOODOFTHEL
AMPScholars speculate that the art of binding genies arose during the decline of the Empire of Flame. Sorcerers with an affinity for fire first discovered their ability to summon and control fire elementals and efreeti. As their knowledge of summoning grew, these sorcerers rose to power in Zathiske, an ancient and decadent nation. Abandoned by their people, these summoners later fled Zathiske in disgrace and used their great power to found the Empire of Elz.
Elz held remarkable power and elevated the art of summoning and genie binding to new heights. But after the gods bound the genies to their magnificent cities, Elz lost access to their allies and rapidly dwindled in power.
Years after the Titanswar, the Elzan culture and magic have begun to be rediscovered. Genie summoning magic and binding techniques remain inoperable, but the Brotherhood of the Lamp keeps the old pacts with the
V
ARI ANTR
ULE:
H
EDR ADANB
ARDSHedrada, as a god of knowledge, sees great value in the work of bards to spread knowledge and culture throughout society, but dislikes their chaotic and oft flippant manner. Thus, the Lawgiver has encouraged his bardic followers to collect lore and history through orderly and structured methods rather than relying on haphazard wandering. Bards in the service of Hedrada may therefore choose to be lawful neutral in alignment without affecting their bardic abilities. The Baerovian Chanters and the Loresingers of Lokil are examples of Hedradan bardic traditions. Such bards often multiclass as monks and clerics of Hedrada.
hope that the seal will one day be lifted. On the other hand, the Brotherhood has found that elementals, the lesser cousins of the genies, can be summoned and strength- ened with many of the old Elzan techniques. Sages debate whether this occurrence is due to new breakthroughs in magical theory, or simply the weakening of the divine bonds on the genie cities. In any case, the Brotherhood of the Lamp represents a growing tradition of bardic summoners that combines bardic magic with the legacy of Elzan magic.
Bards of this tradition often multiclass as sorcerers, wizards, clerics, or summoners.
Favored Feats: Augment Summoning, Craft Won-
drous Item, Extend Spell, Improved Familiar (elemental familiar), Legacy of Elz (see Appendix I), Magical Affin- ity, Pied Piper (see Appendix I), Spell Focus (Conjuration) and Spell Penetration.
Favored Skills: Concentration, Craft (alchemy),
Decipher Script, Knowledge (arcana), Perform (act, dance, oratory, percussion instruments), Spellcraft and Use Magic Device.
Favored Spells: Brotherhood of the Lamp members
prefer spells that enhance their allies, summon elemental beings, and bind other beings, such as: 0-lvl — lullaby,
message. 1st — animate rope, charm person, sleep, summon monster I. 2nd — daze monster, rage, rend the sovereign soul*, song of heroes*, summon monster II. 3rd — charm monster, crushing despair, deep slumber, haste, lesser geas, summon monster III. 4th — dominate person, shadow conju- ration, summon monster III. 5th — mind fog, shadow evocation, song of discord, summon monster V. 6th — geas/ quest, mass charm monster, summon monster VI.
CHORUS
OF THE AGESSaid to be the very memory of the titan Denev, Choristers of the Ages are well known for their piety and knowledge of ancient lore. Hailing from strongholds of Denev, such as the Ganjus, these bards traverse the Scarred Lands to keep the slumbering Earthmother aware of what transpires on her body. Choristers translate their observations into an ancient dialect of elven that is said to enable the speaker to communicate with Denev herself. Chorister compositions are performed in this ancient elven, creating a deep and eternal music, with an element of unexplainable longing and sadness arising since the Divine War.
Choristers have recently begun to worry that Denev has slipped so deeply into her slumber that not even their eldest and most sacred songs can reach the titan.
Favored Feats: Alertness, Enhanced Knowledge (Ap-
pendix I), Investigator, Iron Will, Memory of the Ages (see Appendix I), Pied Piper (see Appendix I), Skill Focus (any below) and Tattoo Focus.
Favored Skills: Concentration, Decipher Script,
Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (any), Lis-
ten, Perform (dance, oratory, string instruments, wind instruments, sing), Search, Speak Language and Survival.
Favored Spells: Choristers of the Ages prefer spells
that call upon the Earthmother or allow them to gather information, such as: 0-lvl — know direction, message. 1st — detect secret doors, feather fall. 2nd — animal messenger,
cat's grace, eagle's splendor, invisibility, locate object, sharpen senses††, summon swarm. 3rd — daylight, scrying, speak with animals. 4th — eagle song**, follow the shifting sands††, freedom of movement, legend lore, locate creature, repel vermin, speak with plants. 5th — dream, mind fog. 6th — analyze dweomer, mass cat's grace, mass eagle's splendor, greater scrying.
C
HORUSOFTHEB
ANSHEEThis style has reached great popularity in death- obsessed Hollowfaust, since its rebirth after the Divine War. In fact, the Chorus of the Banshee has achieved such great status in Hollowfaust that it has become one of that city’s guilds. They use magic and the music of the soul to understand ghosts, wraiths, and other undead driven by the passions of life. The Chorus also studies the channel- ing of negative energy and its effects on both the living and the dead.
Chorus members maintain a minstrel tradition rather than performing large theatrical pieces like those pre- sented by the Sowers of Fear. Many take levels of the mourner prestige class (see Hollowfaust, City of Necro-
mancers, pg. 113).
Favored Feats: Eschew Materials, Ghost Spell (see