Anyway, Bard RTD is progressing...slowly. I'm trying to balance Lone Wolf Bards and those who work with other players in Troupes, and inverting the usual 'everything is a dump stat but charisma'
-Strength based Bards are the Strong Man entertainers-they embellish their stories and songs with displays of raw strength and combat skill.
-Endurance based Bard are usually long winded storytellers and musicians, who capture theirs audiences attention and keep them enthralled for hours on end without losing steam.
-Agilty based bards use acts of daring, sleight of hand, and acrobatics to wow the crowd and earn a shower of money.
-Intelligence based bards use trick magic, and an understanding of science unknown to simple peaseantry, to dazzle their audience. When facing a higher caliber of crowd, they employ wit and satire like modern day stand up comedians.
-Charisma based bards are the standard to which all others are held, being balanced-they do best alongside other bards, narrating the highlights of the story while it is being acted out.
1. Plains of War
Inhabited by all sorts of tribal humans, Greenskins, demi-humans and Animalmen, the Plains of War have hosted many of the greatest conflicts of the age-it's a land steeped in history, and the ruins of the civilzations that thrived and fell here dot the landscape. There's ample opportunity for a bard looking for work-if he can find an audience. Many people here live in either small villages or as nomads, with only a few medium sized cities serving as trade hubs. Since many of the tribes still follow oral traditions regarding storytelling, it's easy to attract large crowds. There's also many bored mercenaries from many nations, with plenty of gold to spend, who like dangerous and risky acts.
The Plains themselves are featureless and flat, and most of the native life is fairly docile. Unfourtunately, the remnants of past wars still linger-armies of undead and restless spirits, summoned demons, malfunctioning war golems and hordes of deserter soldiers and mercenaries who have turned to banditry.
2. Dawning Mountains
The Dawning Mountains are the traditional home of the Dwarves, Gnomes and Halflings. It's a massive mountain range which splits Magnamund in half, and provides a barrier against the Darklands to the North. Dwarves are traditionally not very friendly to Non-Dwarf bards, being an insular and conservative people not used to new thoughts and ideas, but a Bard who shows wisdom and respect can find a place in the Dwarves Alehouses and Taverns-where gold flows into eager hands as easy as Plump Helmet Wine.
What's more, one can find entrances to the Underworld from the Dawning Mountain-Spider Elves, Dark Dwarves, Trolls, Kobold's, Ratkin...there's an entirely different sort of untapped audience down there, if your brave enough to find them.
3. Jungles of Primordia
A bard whose willing to ford these dangerous lands will find the jungle is rich is forgotten lore and magnificent treasure, and audiences who have had little outside contact, and are eager for any entertainment. It's the home of the Drake Tribes, Jaguarmen, and Wild Elves among others-but only the strong survive here.Wild beasts, and many say, ancient demons roam unchecked by border or boundary, consuming foolish Bards for breakfast.
Noted for its endless green vegetation, brown rivers, misty peaks and vicious predators, the Jungles of Primordia are mostly unexplored, predictably.
4. Sommerlund
The center of the Western kingdoms, Sommerlund is a stolid human ruled kingdom, situated amongst towering evergreen forests and magnificent marble towers. The people here live a high quality of life-food is plentiful, and strife is unheard of, partially due to the Order of the Kai, which has traditionally protected the land and its inhabitants since time immemorial. Sommerlunders enjoy a good epic adventure or witty prose, and also like acts of daring and strength.
It might be difficult for a Bard to find work here-the market is crowded, but what work there is, will be safer and more profitable than anywhere else. Mostly-Darkspawn are always sneaking through despite the Kai's vigil, and there's many dangerous wild animals and an unhealthy amount of "Gentlemen" bandits, who are very polite when they rob you. The Kai themselves are rarely seen as anything more than fleeting Green cloaks trailing into the underbrush, but they do hire the most legendary Bards to entertain the monastery during holidays-and pay truly outrageous sums for the honor.
Sommerlund is composed of ancient, untapped forests, high mountains, low valleys and pleasant rivers and brooks. It's a wonderful place to travel in the summer-the origin of it's name, but in the winter, it's much more dangerous.
5. Darklands
The minions of the Darklords need to be entertained-perhaps more so than any others. Giak, Gourgaz, Dark Elves, and of course, debased Humans all scratch out meager lives here, if only because they would killed on sight in other places as monsters or criminals. They have many of the same traditions and pastimes ordinary people do, and freely spend gold as they do-they are just more careful on what they spend it on, since the Darklords agents operate with no restriction. A Bard who travels into this land risks his soul and life, but also can reap the profit of bringing a little cheer to the bleak, joyless masses.
The Darklands live up to their namesake, as you can imagine-black blasted earth, dreary weather, evil monstrosities roaming and the shadow of oppression cast over everything. Anyone whose willing to face the horrors of the many abandoned fortresses and holds of the Darklords can still find treasures, and hopefully bring them into the light.
6. Frostheim Frontier
Located across the icy sea from Kalte, Frostheim is the land of bitter cold and evil wind. It's sparsely populated, except for Barbarians and people that prefer their privacy. Adventurers and explorers have established a few frontier outposts which deal in artifact trading, and a Bard who makes his business here and expect an exciting time, to say the least-there's not really enough of a population to warrant staying here long, though.
Most of it is permafrosted woodlands, intersped with massive Shadaki cities and vaults that were abandoned in a forgotten age-which is what brings most people here.
7. Eastern Lands
Known for it's unpredictable weather, constant wars, beautiful architecture, and uncontrollable magic, those who live the Eastern Lands are fiercely devoted-to God, family, clan and nation, in that order. The locals tend to be even more suspicious of outsiders than Dwarves-a necessity in such a dangerous land-and Bards will have a hard time finding shelter in any place but the Imperial Cities, which are in turn very restrictive of those they allow in, and for how long.
There's wealth here-warfare is a constant, as fierce generals and warlords fight over the rich, untapped resources available, and with war, comes potential to profit for a bard following the armies, and learning heroic legends.
Adventurers have a tougher time, though. Even the ruins in the Eastern Lands are often fiercely defended by ancient monastic orders, and the flows of chaotic magic have produced many highly intelligent, highly dangerous creatures. It's comprised primarily of rolling hill plains, scattered jungles and sweltering deserts, and is considered an extraordinarily beautiful country for those with an eye to nature.
Author
Topic: Roller's Block (RTD Brainstorming Thread) (HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY) (Derm is 5k) (Read 730530 times)