Bard

Bards are professional storytellers with a flair for performance. Some are employed by patrons (such as monarchs or nobles) to commemorate one or more of the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities. Others travel the lands, making coin and leaving legends where they pass.

Bards are generally well-received in settlements and social situations around Ilisara. Unlike the other professions, bards do not create crafted items. They have a few background benefits suitable for their status as entertainers. They also have Signs of Influence (inspired by D&D 4e) which can be invoked in any village, town, city, or settlement that reveres bards.

 

Bard Benefits

Bards have two unique benefits:

Once per day, you may re-roll any Charisma check and use the new result.

You may choose one musical instrument that you are proficient in. You gain a +5 bonus to checks made to perform using that musical instrument. If you do not choose a musical instrument, your +5 bonus applies to one of the following alternatives instead:

• Making jokes and puns
• Singing
• Miming
• Dancing

 

Bard Signs of Influence

Demand Audience

Whenever you are in a village, town, or city that reveres bards, you can receive an audience with someone representing the ruling power within 24 hours, and you are guaranteed safe passage to that audience by the local authorities. You can use this ability no more than once a month in a particular settlement.

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Benevolent Tradesmen

Whenever you are in a village, a town, or some other civilized location where a person lives who is capable of repairing armor, once per day you can have any item repaired for free if it normally has a material cost of 150 gold or lower, provided that the tradesman is not hostile toward you.

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Travel in Style

Whenever you are in a village, town, or other civilized location where horses, carts, and carriages can be obtained and where bards are revered, you can procure horses for you and up to five of your allies, plus a single cart or carriage at no cost, from someone in that location. Before you can use this ability again, you must return the horses and cart or carriage, leave them at a predetermined location, or pay for them. At the DM's discretion, you can obtain other modes of transportation of a similar value when available. For example, when visiting Winterheart, you might be able to obtain reindeer to carry you through the snow, provided that the elves who live there value the use of reindeer similar to that of horses and carts in the mortal world.

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Welcome Guest

Whenever you are in a village, a town, or a city that has a public inn where bards are revered, you can use your influence (and perhaps the promise of a performance) to obtain meals and a comfortable room for you and up to five of your allies for the duration of your stay in that location.

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