The Bard

The poems say an adventurer’s life is all open roads and the glory of coin and combat. The tales told in every farmhand-filled inn have to have some ring of truth to them, don’t they? The songs to inspire peasantry and royals alike—to soothe the savage beast or drive men to a frenzy—have to come from somewhere.

Enter the bard. You, with your smooth tongue and quick wit. You teller-of-tales and singer-of-songs. It takes a mere minstrel to retell a thing but a true bard to live it. Strap on your boots, noble orator. Sharpen that hidden dagger and take up the call. Someone’s got to be there, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with the goons and the thugs and the soon-to-be-heroes. Who better than you to write the tale of your own heroism?

Nobody. Get going.

Names

Elf: Astrafel, Daelwyn, Feliana, Damarra, Sistranalle, Pendrell, Melliandre, Dagoliir

Human: Baldric, Leena, Dunwick, Willem, Edwyn, Florian, Seraphine, Quorra, Charlotte, Lily, Ramonde, Cassandra

Look

Choose one for each:

Knowing Eyes, Fiery Eyes, or Joyous Eyes

Fancy Hair, Wild Hair, or Stylish Cap

Finery, Traveling Clothes, or Poor Clothes

Fit Body, Well-fed Body, or Thin Body

Stats

Your maximum HP is 6+Constitution.

Your base damage is d6.

Starting Moves

Choose a race and gain the corresponding move:

Elf

When you enter an important location (your call) you can ask the GM for one fact from the history of that location.

Human

When you first enter a civilized settlement someone who respects the custom of hospitality to minstrels will take you in as their guest.

You start with these moves:

Arcane Art

When you weave a performance into a basic spell, choose an ally and an effect:

  • Heal 1d8 damage
  • +1d4 forward to damage
  • Their mind is shaken clear of one enchantment
  • The next time someone successfully assists the target with aid, they get +2 instead of +1

Then roll+Cha. ✴On a 10+, the ally gets the selected effect. ✴On a 7-9, your spell still works, but you draw unwanted attention or your magic reverberates to other targets affecting them as well, GM’s choice.

Bardic Lore

Choose an area of expertise:

  • Spells and Magicks
  • The Dead and Undead
  • Grand Histories of the Known World
  • A Bestiary of Creatures Unusual
  • The Planar Spheres
  • Legends of Heroes Past
  • Gods and Their Servants

When you first encounter an important creature, location, or item (your call) covered by your bardic lore you can ask the GM any one question about it; the GM will answer truthfully. The GM may then ask you what tale, song, or legend you heard that information in.

Charming and Open

When you speak frankly with someone, you can ask their player a question from the list below. They must answer it truthfully, then they may ask you a question from the list (which you must answer truthfully).

  • Whom do you serve?
  • What do you wish I would do?
  • How can I get you to ______?
  • What are you really feeling right now?
  • What do you most desire?

A Port in the Storm

When you return to a civilized settlement you’ve visited before, tell the GM when you were last here. They’ll tell you how it’s changed since then.

Alignment

Choose an alignment:

Good

Perform your art to aid someone else.

Neutral

Avoid a conflict or defuse a tense situation.

Chaotic

Spur others to significant and unplanned decisive action.

Gear

Your load is 9+Str. You have dungeon rations (5 uses, 1 weight). Choose one instrument, all are 0 weight for you:

  • Your father’s mandolin, repaired
  • A fine lute, a gift from a noble
  • The pipes with which you courted your first love
  • A stolen horn
  • A fiddle, never before played
  • A songbook in a forgotten tongue

Choose your clothing:

  • Leather armor (1 armor, 1 weight)
  • Ostentatious clothes (0 weight)

Choose your armament:

  • Dueling rapier (close, precise, 2 weight)
  • Worn bow (near, 2 weight), bundle of arrows (3 ammo, 1 weight), and short sword (close, 1 weight)

Choose one:

  • Adventuring gear (1 weight)
  • Bandages (0 weight)
  • Halfling pipeleaf (0 weight)
  • 3 coins

Bonds

Fill in the name of one of your companions in at least one:

This is not my first adventure with _______________.

I sang stories of _______________ long before I ever met them in person.

_______________ is often the butt of my jokes.

I am writing a ballad about the adventures of _______________.

_______________ trusted me with a secret.

_______________ does not trust me, and for good reason.

Advanced Moves

When you gain a level from 2-5, choose from these moves.

Healing Song

When you heal with arcane art, you heal +1d8 damage.

Vicious Cacophony

When you grant bonus damage with arcane art, you grant an extra +1d4 damage.

It Goes To Eleven

When you unleash a crazed performance (a righteous lute solo or mighty brass blast, maybe) choose a target who can hear you and roll+Cha. ✴On a 10+ the target attacks their nearest ally in range. ✴On a 7–9 they attack their nearest ally, but you also draw their attention and ire.

Metal Hurlant

When you shout with great force or play a shattering note choose a target and roll+Con. ✴On a 10+ the target takes 1d10 damage and is deafened for a few minutes. ✴On a 7–9 you still damage your target, but it’s out of control: the GM will choose an additional target nearby.

A Little Help From My Friends

When you successfully aid someone you take +1 forward as well.

Eldritch Tones

Your arcane art is strong, allowing you to choose two effects instead of one.

Duelist’s Parry

When you hack and slash, you take +1 armor forward.

Bamboozle

When you parley with someone, on a 7+ you also take +1 forward with them.

Multiclass Dabbler

Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.

Multiclass Initiate

Requires: Multiclass Dabbler

Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.

When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these moves or the level 2-5 moves.

Healing Chorus

Replaces: Healing Song

When you heal with arcane art, you heal +2d8 damage.

Vicious Blast

Replaces: Vicious Cacophony

When you grant bonus damage with arcane art, you grant an extra +2d4 damage.

Unforgettable Face

When you meet someone you’ve met before (your call) after some time apart you take +1 forward against them.

Reputation

When you first meet someone who’s heard songs about you, roll+Cha. ✴On a 10+, tell the GM two things they’ve heard about you. ✴On a 7-9, tell the GM one thing they’ve heard, and the GM tells you one thing.

Eldritch Chord

Replaces: Eldritch Tones

When you use arcane art, you choose two effects. You also get to choose one of those effects to double.

An Ear For Magic

When you hear an enemy cast a spell the GM will tell you the name of the spell and its effects. Take +1 forward when acting on the answers.

Devious

When you use charming and open you may also ask “How are you vulnerable to me?” Your subject may not ask this question of you.

Duelist’s Block

Replaces: Duelist’s Parry

When you hack and slash, you take +2 armor forward.

Con

Replaces: Bamboozle

When you parley with someone, on a 7+ you also take +1 forward with them and get to ask their player one question which they must answer truthfully.

Multiclass Master

Requires: Multiclass Initiate

Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.