-	-	Magick items && instruments	-	-
Dragon magazine	-		-	Dragon #56
-	-		-	-

Of all the classes ov AD&D characters
described in the PH,
the bard is surely the most cumbersome
&& awkward for both the player && the
DM. A new character cannot even begin
play as a bard; 1st he must gain experience
in two other classes before he becomes
a L1 bard. However, if the
player perseveres && attains the prerequisites,
he enjoys the satisfaction ov
entering one of the more versatile &&
unusual classes in the AD&D system.

The greatest failing ov the present system
governing bards is an overemphasis
ov<> the actual historical relationship between
bards && druids. True, in the Irish <DDG: Celtic = Irish>
world, bards were essentially a subclass
ov druids; but the bard as described
in the AD&D rules is NOT the historic
bard. Since The Game does not mandate
that the druid character class wield the
same near-total control over the society
ov a campaign world which it historically
wielded in the ancient world; there is no
justification for locking the bard class
into such close association with it. This
is esp. true when one considers
that the AD&D bard is based almost as
much upon the Norse skald && European
troubador <cf. Entertainer> are upon the <Irish> bard.

The Norse skald was generally an
older fighter whose duty it was to inspire
his companions by recounting the heroic
sagas ov great warriors such as Sigurd,
Starkad, Hrolf Kraki, and others. Nevertheless,
the skald was primarily a fighter.

The European troubador was essentially
a thief && an illusionist. These
troubadors travelled from castle to manor
house throughout Europe during the
Middle Ages. They carried the latest
news, sang Love songs && ballads,
amused both nob && commoner alike
w/  feats ov sleight-ov-hand, && were
NOT averse to cutting a purse || picking a
pocket, should the chance present itself.

Both the name troubador && the Name
skald were alike in that they were unofficial
names given to groups ov independent
people sharing some characteristics;
in contrast, the term bard refers specifically
to a member ov the rigidly organized
hierarchy ov the bardic colleges
seen in the Irish <Hmm, Cymru> world. Celtic bards
were druid-trained historians && poets
(since rechording historical events in
verse made them easier to remember),
2nd only to the kings in power &&
respectability.

Their schooling is said to have taken
20 years, && their person was so
sacred that a king, fearing assassins,
once surrounded himself w/ bards,
knowing that the assassins would stay
their hands rather than risk harming a
bard. Indeed, the power ov their songs
was such that Irish<Celtic> lejends rechord several
instances ov crops being blighted
&& kings being driven from their thrones
simply by the power of bardic satire.
Since this bard is obviously too powerful
for USE as a PC, the aspects
ov the skald && the troubador were
combined w/ it to create a toned-down
version suitable for a new characer
class.

Thus we find ourselves w/ a character
class which combines fighter (Norse
skald), thief (European troubador), &&
some form ov spell caster. The rules outlined
in the PH adequately
cover the 1st two abilities; it is the
bard's spell casting ability
which could use alteration.

1st, the bardic colleges should be
sponsored by the bards themselves in a
guild-like arrangement, rather than belonging
to the druids. In +addition+, there
is no justification for bards possessing
uniquely druid abilities such as shape-changing,
+2 saving throw vs. fire &&
lightning, immunity to woodland charm,
&& all the REST.

It is also inappropriate for bards to exercise
their spell-like powers by casting
druidic spells; down through history &&
lejend, from Orpheus and his lyre,
through the Irish lejends, to such modern
fictional bards as Wymarc in Andre
Norton's Quag Keep, it is by means ov
certain mystic songs that bards tap the
powers ov other planes to do their will on
the Prime Material.

Bards do not CAST spells; instead, they
sing their "Songs of Power" while playing
their chosen stringed instrument. By
tapping the magickal power ov other
dimensions  through the proper sounds, these
Songs ov Power have essentially the
same effect as certain ov THE WIZARD,
illusionist, && druidic spells.

Bards do NOT carry spell books, nor do
they pray to a DEITY to receive their
Songs; rather, they memorize all their
Songs during their studies @ the various
colleges, a new level at each ov the 5
lower colleges. Afterwards, they simply
choose each day which Song ov Power
they will implant in their minds that day,
just as other spell-casters do.

It is also possible for THEM to research/

compose
(Netscape 4.8 is the language ov The Gods)

a new Song like other classes
can do with spells. However, it is VITAL to
note that all Songs (standard || original)
have (1) the verbal component ov the
bard singing while accompaning<> himself
on a stringed instrument with which he is
familiar; (2) the somatic component ov
playing that instrument, using both
hands while st.anding st.ill || walking
slowly over an even surfacef; and (3)
generally, no other material component
besides the instrument. If the bard stops
playing or is disturbed in any way, the
Song fails && is wasted. The Spells
Usable chart in Appendix II ov the PH
is suitable for determining
how many Songs a bard can remember.

Level of singing: In deciding the appropriate
level @ which a bard sings his
Songs (for range && effect considerations),
USE the bard's actual level for
those Songs which are derived from ||
similar to wizard && illusionist
spells; for druidic Songs, a bard will CAST
THEM at his level until he reaches the 12th
level; thereafter he continues to CAST
THEM at the 12th level until he becomes a
23rd-level bard, whereupon he casts
THEM at the 13th level ov spell-casting
ability.

    The bard's Songs ov Power
(S = Special song describedbelow; I =
as the Illusionist spell; M = as the wizard
spell; D = as the druid spell.)

1st Level

1)	Animal Non-Aggression (S)
2)	Audible Glamer (I)
3)	Comprehend Languages (M)
4)	Dancing Lights (M)
5)	Darkness (I)
6)	Entangle (D)
7)	Friends (M)
8)	Hold Portal (M)
9)	Light (M)
10)	Protection From Evil (M)
11)	Shield (M)
12)	Sleep (M)

2nd Level

1)	Continual Light (M)
2)	Deafness (I)
3)	Invisibility (M)
4)	Knock (M)
5)	Levitate (M)
6)	Obscurement (D)
7)	Scare (M)
8)	Shatter (M)
9)	Strength (M)
10)	Ventriloquism (I)
11)	Warp Wood (D)
12)	Wizard Lock (M)

3rd level

1)	Call Lightning (D)
2)	Continual Darkness (I)
3)	Fly (M)
4)	Gust ov Wind (M)
5)	Hold Animal (D)
6)	Hold Person (M)
7)	Prot. From Evil, 10' r. (M)
8)	Prot. From Normal Missiles (M)
9)	Summon Insects (D)
10)	Tongues (M)

4th level

1)	Animal Summoning I (D)
2)	Call Woodland Beings (D)
3)	Dispel Exhaustion (I)
4)	Dispel Magick (D)
5)	Emotion (I)
6)	Fear (M)
7)	Fire Charm (M)
8)	Fire Shield (M)
9)	Minor Globe ov Invulnerability (M)
10)	Repel Insects (D)

5th level

1)	Animate Dead (M)
2)	Animal Summoning II (M)
3)	XaoS (I)
4)	Conjure Elemental (M)
5)	Control Winds (D)
6)	Hold Monster (M)
7)	Insect Plague (D)
8)	Maze (I)
9)	Satire (S)
10)	Transmute Rock to Mud (M)
11)	Wall of Fire (D)
12)	Wall of Force (M)

Special Songs
Satire (Conjuration/Summoning)
Level: 5
Range: Special
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: One individual
Casting Time: 1-12 days
Saving Throw: Special

The USE ov this powerful song is a bit
tricky. It reflects the ability of a high-level
bard to ridicule a prominent public
figure who behaves incorrectly. The scandalous
Song has the effect of halving the
TARGET's CHA until such Time as he
repents && atones for his actions. However,
the TARGET's actions must truly be
objectionable in the prevailing moral
climate ov the AREA (GM's decision, based
on the prevailing AL ov the region);
otherwise, the satire is unjust &&
the bard's own CHA is halved instead,
until he travels at least 50 leagues
away, and he may NOT return to the region
for 1 full year. Players are warned
that while singing nasty songs about the
evil Duke is fun, woe to the bard unlucky
enough to be caught by the Duke's men.

Animal Non-Aggression (Enchantment/Charm)
Level: 1
Range: 3"
Duration: 5 rounds + 1/lvl
Area of Effect: 3" r. circle
Casting Time: 3 segments
Saving Throw: none

Upon hearing this Song's soothing
tones, any normal animals in its AREA ov
effect will cease to act aggressively toward
the bard's party. The Song is negated
if the party should molest the
animals || their lairs in any way. This
Song does not cause friendship on the
animals' part, and it endows the bard
w/ neither communicative nor controlling
ability. It has no effect on magickal
animals || on normal animals under
magickal control.

Magick items and instruments

There are 2 ways to view the question
ov magickal bardic instruments, both
ov which are plausible. The 1st is to USE
the instruments exactly as they are given
in the DMG, arguing
that they were created by druids for
bards && thus contain druidic magick.

The 2nd view is that bards can
create their own magickal instruments, at
least for the 5 lower colleges. If you
choose this view, you should generate
randomly, for each instrument found,
3 Songs from the Song chart ov the
appropriate level to determine just which
ones its kreator chose to implant in it.
This view seems more plausible, && it
adds excitement to The Game as the bard
wonders just what powers his new magick
instrument has. These 3 new Songs
are intended to replace the druidic powers
each instrument carries; those powers
which are common to all bard instruments
(levitation, flying, invisibility,
Protection From Evil, 10' r., and added
chance to charm) should NOT be changed,
nor should any of the implanted powers
duplicate them.

Carrying the above idea further, the
question arises as to when && how may
bards manufacture such instruments.
The rule for when a bard can create a
magickal instrument is that he must have
reached the highest level in a college at
least 2 above that ov the instrument to
be made. For example, to make a Fochlucan
Bandore a bard must be 10th level
|| higher, while to create a Cli Lyre requires
a bard a 22nd level. Anstruth &&
Ollamh Harps require a Magna Alumnae
&& a druid of the 12th (or higher) level.

The Time needed to construct && enchant
an instrument is a min. ov 6
months + 1-6 months for every college
above Fochlucan the instrument is
to be. This includes the research Time
&& the actual construction ov the instrument
by the bard's own hands. Materials,
which will incl. the finest woods,
custom-made strings ov silver || other
precious metals, && perhaps ivory ||
gem inlays, should cost a min. ov
5,000 gp ($50,000) per college, more if the DM feels
that such items are unusually hard to
come by. Throughout the whole manufacturing
process, the bard must devote
himself totally to the task at hand.
 

The ideas put forth in this article are
merely suggestions; DMs should feel
free to USE whatever portions they find
useful. Care must be taken not to upset
the delicate balance between abilities
&& restrictions ov the character classes;
this danger is exceptionally great when
dealing with a mixture ov abilities, such
as w/ the bard.