I'm going to start this off with the giant caveat that I am NOT an events GM. I'm not even a CE GM. That's not to say I have no involvement in either, but just making sure people are clear on wher I'm coming from.

Since I haven't done a conversation starter in awhile, and it's popped up recently, what sort of things would you like to see in future Bardic events?

Good Answer:

Invasions that kill Bards. I like these because of X Y and Z. Also I'd like to see some answers to A B and C and have always wondered if we'll see more lore development behind Q.

Bad Answer:

The release of new abilities! The release of new spells! The release of XYZ!.

The fact of the matter is we've got quite a few things in the works right now, so requesting events for the release of specific ones is rather pointless -- They're coming one way or another. However the feedback here might shape the way they're presented, or just be used for some fun -- by no means all events need to lead up to releases.

-Raesh

"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose

Lore Submission:
Ed the Folksinger spent years locked in the basement of the Crossing Bard Guildhall developing the Weirding Way, a truly unique method of bard combat based on a low carb diet and healthy living. The focal point of the Way is the ability to mush heads and topple oppenents through a combination attack of sonic blast and bad breath. Through a series of late-night gweth infomercials, Ed has recently made the Weirding Way available to all bards through a set of 14 scrolls, all for three monthly installments of just 19.95.

For more information, see the horrible 1984 film adaptation of Frank Herberts Dune. I dare you.

~Brian/Bahb

In the future I would like to see an event that explained, even if it's a very simple explanation, the conversion from using enchantes like we do now until spells. I hope very much that this explanation involves Karovaas or the naga.

I'd also love to see events that involve the Bardic council. More about the songsworn and why they were originally put there, who they are, etc. I would like to see more direct involvement with Dragon Priest NPC's attacking Bards directly and randomly and then having both Bard PC's and sometimes NPC's respond to the issue at hand.

I'd love to see some songsworn fight. I know that they're supposedly really awesome, but I want to see that first hand.

I want to know why Selinthesa has tattoos on the back of her hand like that and why she is the only guild leader I usually see with a Songsworn protecting her (Saechihlya or whomever).

Any events using PERC HISTORY as a base are welcome in my book, and I really love that current events have been utilizing this ability. I'd like to see more developed with the Ezruh/Oane storyline as well.

Like Leilond said, I'd like to see some lore behind screams. I'd like to see just how much the Sisters of Peri'el have taught us and why. Is there a deeper connection between them and the Bard's Guild or just a common bond uniting us?

>>I remember the other day Terra asked to spar someone and that person was like, "lol why you're just going to scream at me."

This is pretty crazy, the only reason I ever use a scream (our trump card) is if I'm severely outclassed and have no tactical advantage, someone is using their guilds cheap-shot ability, or I'm about to die. But yes, I'd like to see it more in line with other guild abilities for less whining.






- Terra

<<I would like to see more direct involvement with Dragon Priest NPC's attacking Bards directly >>

this actually did happen when the bards guild first opened up. recently i visited the bard guild library with my bard and read about the opening of the bards guild - a very interesting read. been exploring, been to all the guildhalls except the one in hibarnhivdar, that one comes next - probably i'll hit that one sometime today.

Always interested in exploring more of the lore aspects of the game. Also, it has to be said, that not all of the dragon priests oppressed the bards - it was only when the priesthood came under D'zree's rule - and those who follow her in "spirit' -- that that was the case. Under sh'kial the priesthood and the bards got along just fine.


By the way, I also did some recalling up in muspar'i. I found it very interesting, and highly recommend it.

---

You've seen life through distorted eyes;You know you had to learn;The execution of your mind;You really had to turn;,the book is read,The end begins to show,The truth is out, the lies are old, But you don't want to know - Black Sabbath

You know why I enjoyed the event with Karovaas SO much? There was no simple "good guys vs. bad guys" equation. I like Bard events where people have to actually consider their actions and alliances. There was real debate and dissent which made for excellent RP. I know some people like happy happy joy joy wrapped up in a bow events, but I think it's boring. Some people felt like fools for their choices during the event. Some people got a lot of flack for not going the obvious route. I really enjoyed the problem-solving and puzzles involved too. It doesn't matter as much to me if there is some big prize at the end if the event makes for ongoing RP opportunities as a Bard.

~Tashya~

<<Make someone who can make the general populous fear a Bard.>>

We call him Issus. Because of him, everyone is afraid to be a... oh.

(Seriously, if people aren't afraid of what Bards can do, they're freaking loopy. They're just about as OP as Clerics.)


GM Jaedren

...Solution

1. Karovaas goes off the reservation again.
2. We hunt him down inside the Sentinel and kill him.
3. ?????
4. Profit.

I second the idea of a Bard baddie. Possibly even work the awesome Swordsworn in as the saviors of the day. Possibly even make it more guild orientated than general invasions and war. Could always be some ancient Elven Bard who just doesn't think the Guild is being ran like it should, has a lot of run ins with the Bard Council, constant bickering with them. End with him pretty much throwing up his hands and saying, "Fine but you ain't heard the last of me." Insert epic invasions of the Bard's Guilds targeting off the Leaders and then some of the Songsworn swoop in the save the day in the end and imprison him instead of just killing him so that he might resurface some day as a threat someday. Heck, he could even hire the Blue Cloaks to help him in his invasions as well as have his own devout followers. I dunno, just me rambling out idears.

Great post Issus, could not have possibly put it better myself. In fact i went to bed last night thinking how this would be a perfect time to re-introduce the Named Blades as well. Also using the NPC rumor system would be a great interactive way to introduce/gather information about the event (or its side quests) and would also help to include other Guilds on a certain level as well.


Regards,
Vteec

PS. Ill be Issus evil sidekick if I can have a lifetime supply of bardic blue wine. Really though I think giving Bards a choice to play a good or bad character may help in breaking the popular belief that we are all happy-go lucky do-gooders. Just a thought.

1) A completely new plotline for bards: The DP stuff can tie in, but honestly at this point let's do something new.

** I hear ya. I'm doubtful that a BIG event could come out of DPs at this point; they were pretty big stuff during the big bard persecution, so for them to be as big again as to seriously go after the guild would likely need to FIRST involve their gaining power within a province or provinces.

2) Multiple tiers of engagement: Some bards cam be abducted, some bards can be murdered, some bards can be engaged in discussion. Make this more than the usual "We're being persecuted, let's strike back"

**Like. Not a fan of "I can't fight these guys, so I'll just not play my bard until it's all over".

3) Multiple tiers of investigation: Have items, locations, and NPCs provide different information that leads to the solution, or at least provides clues.

**Also like.

4) I can't stress enough: Something new! Introduce creatures with a specific vulnerability to enchantes...Maybe new ways that enchantes can be found offensive (though Magic 3.0 might screw with this, imagine something along the line of creatures that are used to extremely dry climates: If Merelews Legacy were played where they were, they'd be acting under foreign conditions due to the more damp/humid atmosphere, etc.)

**Like the involved thinking about how to attack a foe's vulnerability.

5) Involvement with other guilds: While bards themselves should have a leg up in bard events, make us earn it. Involve a lot of lore from the guild (that, really, probably only Bard players know) but keep it to stuff other people can get into if they do their research.

**Like - but then, I really liked the involvement of bards within the paladin guild events, and would like to see that kind of multi-guild involvement continue.

6) Items: This is the item addict in me talking, but consider involving items of significance in the event. Revive the Named Blade storyline, or introduce a new rare item that benefits only bards. Have powerful NPCs drop them upon death, have RP heavy NPCs gift them to those they deem intellectually worthy, have guildleaders give them to those they trust: Items are cool.

**Items are indeed cool. It can get difficult to handle with events, in that you do have to face the potential for someone to cry favoritism. If Selinthesa were to have a Big Item to entrust to a bard, for instance, then from an IC POV several of the Theren area bards would make sense as recipients b/c of the familiarity from the Theren concert series; but it would VERY quickly also lead to people pointing the "GM favorite" type of fingers. So drop-at-death-of-critter/badguy is a pretty safe fallback. Not to say that a GMPC *could never ever* give a PC an item; but it would definitely need to be VERY clearly justified (and the bigger/better the item, the clearer and bigger the reasons would need to be).

7) Make it big: While I don't expect every event to by Lyras level, I think it would be good to make this a slow starter. Those of us on the islands don't necessarily find out about events immediately, so making the event start small and grow as it goes would benefit everyone.

**Possible drawback to big events is that they're much more easily derailed by RL or other demands. If we are looking at a BIG event, it will likely need to be something episodic that could pause (with at least passable IC justification) after any of the episodes.

Just my input!

-V.

"Reject me not, sweet sounds! oh, let me live,
Till doom espy my towers and scatter them.
A city spell-bound under the aging sun,
Music my rampart, and my only one."
-Edna St. Vincent-Millay

>These things are especially challenging in translating the event into plat

Didn't you hear? They've decided they aren't going to do anymore events in Plat.

:P

---

"Your suffering amuses me" -GM Raesh

Hunta Talna Kortok, built by Gor'Togs, for Gor'Togs
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/caraamon/home.html
Blunts for Sale:
http://www.elanthipedia.com/wiki/User:Caraamon#Wares

>>**Like - but then, I really liked the involvement of bards within the paladin guild events, and would like to see that kind of multi-guild involvement continue.

This, soooo much.


- Terra

Random thought.

How about an NPC Bardish thingie that shows up and starts telling twisted and wrong tales of history. Give some people a chance to show off their loregasms.

Who said NPCs always have to tell the truth?

---

"Your suffering amuses me" -GM Raesh

Hunta Talna Kortok, built by Gor'Togs, for Gor'Togs
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/caraamon/home.html
Blunts for Sale:
http://www.elanthipedia.com/wiki/User:Caraamon#Wares

how about a bard (monster) we could hunt and kill or just take our general rage out upon.
There's already traders we can kill. Could even give em a few different recalls- why would you join the bard guild anyway?

<<How about an NPC Bardish thingie that shows up and starts telling twisted and wrong tales of history. Give some people a chance to show off their loregasms.>>

great more bard lies.

_________________________________

An old cranky ogre with no legs says, "Naarg wives all this Naarg wives now."

>>How do you know a Bard is lying...

Beware of falling mammoths, Caraamon.

-V.

"Reject me not, sweet sounds! oh, let me live,
Till doom espy my towers and scatter them.
A city spell-bound under the aging sun,
Music my rampart, and my only one."
-Edna St. Vincent-Millay

>How do you know a Bard is lying...

Sheesh, I softballed a joke to you guys and no one took it?

---

"Your suffering amuses me" -GM Raesh

Hunta Talna Kortok, built by Gor'Togs, for Gor'Togs
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/caraamon/home.html
Blunts for Sale:
http://www.elanthipedia.com/wiki/User:Caraamon#Wares

when it's on the ground.


_________________________________

An old cranky ogre with no legs says, "Naarg wives all this Naarg wives now."

I'm sure you saw this coming. Keep it on topic, please.

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Sidatura