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AleksanderTheGreat
Seeker
90 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 08:35:56
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I'm looking for prominent bards, minstrels and music bands that are well known in Faerun or at least in their home realms. I would like to know in particular about people who did or are still doing something great apart from creating beatiful music. Maybe charity? Tutoring future kings/queens (if it's a scholarly Bard)? Preserving old pieces for future generations?
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Fighting for order! - Join me in the battle! |
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore
1221 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 08:38:35
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| I seem to remember The Pirate King mentioning a bard in an early chapter when a Waterdeep noble was gathering "famous and powerful heroes" from the area. I don't know if the character(along with a paladin also mentioned) was a pre-existing npc or an original creation by RAS. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31727 Posts |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 10:53:50
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Isn't there already a thread like this? Or is it Musical Intruments? |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3740 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 15:35:40
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| -Two that immediately come to mind are Storm Silverhand, and Danillo Thann. In Danillo's case, he's famous to us, but he's not particularly famous in the world of Faerūn at large. Storm, moreso, but the entire concept of "celebrity" or whatnot is going to be a lot more localized in nature there than it is here, with travel and communication a lot more limited. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 16:44:19
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| Actually, PHBR7: Complete Bard's Handbook describes a rules system governing a bard's reputation ... it's a dynamic thing which requires constant work (ie: quantity and quality of live performances) by the bard, it's actually quite easy to become "famous" in your local towns, but it becomes difficult to spread and grow your repute much beyond that. Danilo and Storm also divide their efforts into adventure, politics, and other activities; they don't dedicate every action of every moment towards stoking their bardic careers. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 16:51:04
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Canonically, it hasn't really been established exactly how famous Danilo is, but I know I at least have had characters in 1479-1480 that quote him like Robert Browning. In the 4e FR era, his work is at least *known* among the educated/literary.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Galuf the Dwarf
Senior Scribe
USA
572 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 16:53:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Canonically, it hasn't really been established exactly how famous Danilo is, but I know I at least have had characters in 1479-1480 that quote him like Robert Browning. In the 4e FR era, his work is at least *known* among the educated/literary.
Cheers
Just curious, sir... You mean characters in your novels or characters in play sessions of your own?  |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 20:01:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Galuf the Dwarf
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Canonically, it hasn't really been established exactly how famous Danilo is, but I know I at least have had characters in 1479-1480 that quote him like Robert Browning. In the 4e FR era, his work is at least *known* among the educated/literary.
Just curious, sir... You mean characters in your novels or characters in play sessions of your own?
Both, actually.
The great Elaine Cunningham actually wrote several lines of Danilo Thann poetry for me for my novel Downshadow, just to be sure they're in the bard's proper voice, and they went in as written.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3740 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2011 : 23:32:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Canonically, it hasn't really been established exactly how famous Danilo is, but I know I at least have had characters in 1479-1480 that quote him like Robert Browning. In the 4e FR era, his work is at least *known* among the educated/literary.
-Me knowing the songs and lyrics of local indie band, and them selling out their local bar gigs doesn't translate into their mainstream success. Not saying that he isn't the Shakespeare of the 4e Forgotten Realms, but. And, again, I'd contend that the concept of 'celebrity' and 'fame' are a hell of a lot different than they are here, today, making it harder for anybody- be they Danillo or Elminster himself- to be considered widely famous. Before we had all those quick and easy communication and copying methods, people we'd consider famous, like writers, philosophers, whoever else, were a lot more specifically local in their fame, or only particularly known within their field. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31727 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2011 : 02:01:02
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I've thought about this somewhat, given my own proclivity with Realms music. And, basically, it amounts to something like this:-
The lack of a true and dedicated Faerun-wide communication network makes communication [and, by extension, the concept of "fame and celebrity" about individuals] between cities, and regions for that matter, difficult... though not impossible.
Bards can ferry the music of other minstrels, just like news, between their various stopover points, from various points of interest.
We shouldn't forget merchants and adventurers either. While not always as "reliable" as a music-carrying bard, merchants and adventurers from foreign lands are often easily able to access different cities and places around the Realms, making the communication of music fairly easy along well-travelled trading routes, simply by whistling a tune they heard elsewhere. And visiting more remote regions, that don't often attract a lot of trade for example, may mean paying a few extra gold pieces to make it worth the merchant's effort to carry the music to the desired remote destination.
And it's important not to make blanket statements about the Realms regarding what people "know" and what their "opinions" may be about a particular aspect of the setting. Diversity and intimate subtleties give the FR setting so much more depth, and allows plenty of options for intriguing and unusual campaigns.
Thus, your common Realms folk may not know of or about such beings of great musical ability -- either by name, reputation, or what your grandmother said she once heard. It's important to remember also that anything individuals *do* learn about popular musicians and their music is likely almost entirely based on other bards tales, rhymes, or just fanciful speculations for example, which largely form the basis of most of the "public" knowledge regarding any famous personages of the Realms. Not intimate details, and certainly nothing specific, just rumour, hearsay, and idle speculation in the local tavern on a cold and wintry night. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2011 : 02:20:20
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| Could a catchy little tune be used to signal allies or convey orders to troops scattered across the land? I wonder if bards might unknowingly be mobilizing Zhent guerillas throughout Cormyr or instructing Red Wizards to report to Szass Tam (lol, perhaps through sending prearranged song-signals of their own). This could even lead to a musical cold war, exciting stuff. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Famous musicians in the Realms
