Within the universe, there are three types of magic. The first is divine magic, and calls upon the power of a deity, invoking its name and its power into the world. The second is arcane magic, which calls upon the elements, charging an area with its power and causing an effect of immense proportions. The third is bardic magic. Bardic powers are a little more difficult to understand than the previous two.

Bards call upon their talents, their creative abilities, to call effects into the world. At the beginning levels, these start off simply as talents. The ability to sing, dance, draw, or create in some way which, while often beautiful, is fairly mundane. The power of bards to spread their powers, influencing those around them, comes later, and reflects them using their talents to inspire those around them. When this form of bardic power is formed, it bolsters people, allowing them to do things that they could not do normally.

There is a third level of bardic power, known as Inspiration. Inspiration is the power to tap into the primal energy of creation, causing an effect upon reality which is longer lasting, and often self-sustaining. Few can reach this level of creative energy, and those who do rarely understand its significance. Many simply believe that they have learned to truly tap into their art, or their muse, and sometimes take a stance on it that approaches idolization, if their “muse” wasn’t already a deity. Those who understand its significance become little better at it, and while the phenomenon of Inspiration has been understood by some mages and clerics of Orn, few among them have the talent necessary to truly tap into the powers of creation as talented bards can.

Learning Bardic Inspiration

To be inspired, first a bard must have a path for their inspiration. Each path has its own unique effect on how the bard expresses himself in the world, and can dramatically alter how a bard can use his magic. A bard may only have one path at a time, and cannot buy any of the bardic Inspiration Skills until one of the following paths is chosen.

Composer: These bards focus not only on making new works, but have a special insight into performance pieces. By spending a tag cost equal to that of the performance piece, and 1 gold per tag on “inspirational material,” plus 1 gold on the material on which to write the piece itself, composers may create a new Inspirational Performance Piece. To use this ability, the character must also have either an Inspirational Performance Piece or a Performance Work with the desired ability on hand to use as a model. The form of the piece is a writing of the performance, while its effects and cost are determined by the Piece or Work used as a model.

Actor: Actors are masters of the stage, and of improvisation. While performing an Inspirational Performance Piece, no verbal or somatic portion of the piece can be disrupted for the actor unless the actor is completely silenced and immobilized.

Musician: Musicians have a special insight into the nature of performance. They receive a –2 tag cost to performance pieces for each patron the bard can have, instead of the usual –1.

Sculptor: Sculptors have a unique form of artwork, which is hard to get rid of and rarely loses its ability to affect those who see it. They may choose to make any effect permanently embedded within their art or choose to make the piece that holds the art indestructible for the duration of the effect, at their option. This will raise the tag cost of the piece by 50%. If either option is chosen, no more than one effect can be put into the piece.

Painter: Painters have a special insight into the nature of art. They receive a –2 tag cost to artistic pieces for each patron the bard can have, instead of the usual –1.

Designer: These bards focus not only on making new pieces, but have a special insight into artistic pieces. By spending a tag cost equal to that of the artistic piece, and 1 gold per tag plus an additional gold piece on the material with which to create the piece, designers may create a new Inspirational Artistic Piece. To use this ability, the character must also have either an Inspirational Artistic Piece or an Artistic Work with the desired ability on hand to use as a model. The form of the piece is chosen by the Designer, while its effects and cost are determined by the Piece or Work used as a model.

Creator: These bards not only have an ability to use bardic works, but can use these works to fuel the efforts of those who create devices. A creator may act as a helper for any Clockwork or Alchemy creation, using 2 artistic tags for every tag added, or 4 performance tags for every tag added. A creator can also identify Diagrams after a ten-count.

Storyteller: These bards not only have an ability to use bardic works, but can use these works to fuel the efforts of those who use elemental magic. A storyteller may act as a secondary caster for any Magic Ritual, using 2 performance tags for every tag added, or 4 artistic tags for every tag added. A storyteller can also identify Magic Scrolls after a ten-count.

Chanter: These bards not only have an ability to use bardic works, but can use these works to help those who use divine power. A bard may act as a secondary caster for any Divine Ritual, using 2 performance tags for every tag added, or 4 artistic tags for every tag added. All modifiers that apply to secondary casters due to deity also apply. A chanter can also identify Divine Scriptures after a ten-count.

Writer: These bards have no ability to use works, but have an exceptional ability to create what they can use. A writer has the ability to create copies of scrolls at normal cost, or at –1 tag cost if the character has minor scrolling. A writer can also identify a Magic Scroll, Divine Scripture, Diagram, Inspirational Performance Piece, Inspirational Artistic Piece, or Work after a ten-count. A writer can create a written version of any item he has identified with this skill at a cost of 1 gold per tag of the item involved, and an equal tag cost, all tags coming from either artistic inspiration or performance inspiration. All tags are assumed to be of equal value for these purposes. The character cannot, however, use any bardic ritual.

Unless otherwise stated, a path allows a bard to identify all bardic Works and Inspirational Pieces after a ten-count, to create bardic Works, and to create bardic Pieces. Bardic Inspiration comes in two varieties, Performance and Artistic inspiration. Each type has a separate skill-set, and both sets can be bought by any bard.

Performance inspiration allows the bard to create works of music, drama, and comedy, creating effects in the world and bolstering allies much in the same way as they do with their powers, but often with more lasting and less immediate effects.

Artistic inspiration allows the bard to create novels, sculptures, and paintings. These pieces have the ability to invoke emotions within a person, allowing them to become more than what they were without them.

Inspirational Pieces, Works, and Pieces

There are three physical objects needed to create Bardic Inspiration. These are Inspirational Pieces, Works, and Pieces. Inspirational Pieces are naturally occurring or artificially created works of beauty. While not having any power in and of themselves as scrolls might, Inspirational Pieces can be used to inspire Works. Works are items created by bards in response to Inspirational Pieces, and while each is unique in its own way, a bard can use the works of another bard. Generally speaking, each Inspirational Piece can only inspire one style of work, although an Inspirational Piece can inspire a maximum of 3 effects. Inspirational pieces can inspire many different works. For instance, while one bard may look at a piece and create a play and another may create a flute solo, both will have roughly the same duration, the same requirements in materials (props vs. quality instruments, in this case), the same effect, and the same time to use as a Piece. The Piece is the implementation of the work, much as a ritual is the implementation of a scroll. The play, song, painting, or whatever that is created by the use of Bardic Inspiration is the Piece.

Due to the primal nature of Inspirational Pieces, they are obvious to the eye, cannot be dispelled, and are immune to all attempts at destruction. While rare, some are naturally occurring. Though obvious, the specific effects of an inspirational piece can only be determined by a bard of the ability to use Bardic Inspiration in some form.

The usable, secondary pieces, simply known as Works, turn the base creativity of an inspirational piece into a usable form. Each work is unique in its implementation, and is specifically named and designed by the bard during its creation. To create a Work, a bard must spend the amount of tags listed in the description on the Inspirational Piece, and spend an amount of gold equal to the amount of tags spent. This gold is not only spent on the work itself, but also on “inspirational material.” (Often wine, nice surroundings, and other luxuries) Once a work is created, it can be performed or used by any bard with the appropriate tags. One work can only create one piece, can be destroyed unless otherwise stated, and cannot be enchanted or altered in any way. Works cannot be dispelled and are obvious to the eye, but can only be identified by a bard of the ability to use Bardic Inspiration.

Creating a work

In order to make a Work, the bard must have the following:

• Enough tags of the appropriate type create the work. These tags are listed on the Inspirational Piece.
• The Inspirational Piece to be used for creating the Work.
• 1 gold piece per tag of the Inspirational Piece, to be spent on the Work itself, as well as on “Inspirational Material.”
• A Spell Guide - Please make all reasonable efforts to inform the appropriate Guides that you intend to cast a spell as far ahead of time as possible. Guides have the right to declare a spell a “dud” if not alerted ahead of time that a spell is to be cast. Casters are allowed some reasonable leeway on this, but don’t expect to cast a spell at 4am if you haven’t scheduled it with a Guide first. In extreme circumstances, failure to notify a Guide ahead of time may result in an automatic spell backlash.

During the creation of a work, a player may do things to change the tag value from that of the Inspirational Piece. Note that this will not make the creation of the Work more or less expensive, but may make the work easier or harder to use, and thus affecting the tag cost of the Piece. In no case can a Work be less expensive than half of the cost of the Inspirational Piece. Works take as long to write as they take to write IP, and although they are typically made in the time between games, can be created during a game itself. Note that the Work is not officially created until it can be presented, in its entirety, to a spell guide, and all costs are to be paid at that time or earlier. When presented to the spell guide, the Inspirational Piece must also be present.

Props may in some cases be omitted for a Work. The omission of a prop adds an additional 50% cost to the tags required to perform a Piece. This cost does not compound, so a ten tag Piece with one omitted component would cost 15 tags, and a further component omitted would cost 20 tags, rather than 23. Note that some props that are integral to the Piece may not be omitted; these are designated on the Work itself. Props can only be omitted during the creation of a Work, not during the creation of a Piece.

Somatic requirements are critical to the proper functioning of a performance piece. The Work will list all somatic requirements required for the piece. Somatic requirements, like props, may be omitted, but this confers an additional 100% cost to the casting of the spell. Also note that in some cases the somatic requirements are integral to the Piece and may not be omitted. Somatic components can only be omitted during the creation of a Work, not during the creation of a Piece.

Verbal requirements of a Piece, if present, can never be omitted or the Piece will automatically backlash.

Material requirements are critical to the proper functioning of an Artistic Piece. The material requirements for an Artistic Piece, if present, may not be omitted or the Piece will automatically backlash.

If, during the creation of a Work, players are added to a Piece, subtract one tag from the ritual for each player added. Note that this reduction is -2 if the primary Bard has chosen the Painter (in the case of Artistic Works) or Musician (in the case of Performance Works) path.

All pieces have a minimum time value. While this cannot be decreased, it can be increased, causing the ritual to take less tags to use. If, during the creation of a Work, the time cost is doubled, then the ritual will cost 10% less. This modifier is cumulative.

In cases where the Work costs a different amount than the associated Inspirational Piece, the Work must note these changes.

Performing Pieces

In order to make a Piece, the bard must have the following:

• Enough tags of the appropriate type to do the piece. These tags are listed on the Work.
• The Work to be used for the Piece.
• Any props or materials necessary for the Piece. Props are for Performance Pieces, materials are for Artistic Pieces.
• A Spell Guide - Please make all reasonable efforts to inform the appropriate Guides that you intend to cast a spell as far ahead of time as possible. Guides have the right to declare a spell a “dud” if not alerted ahead of time that a spell is to be cast. Casters are allowed some reasonable leeway on this, but don’t expect to cast a spell at 4am if you haven’t scheduled it with a Guide first. In extreme circumstances, failure to notify a Guide ahead of time may result in an automatic spell backlash.

All Pieces have a tag cost associated with them. These tags will specify Artistic, Performance, or General. For each of these, you must have the appropriate number of tags in the appropriate discipline in order to cast, except General, which may be cast by either discipline.

Some modifiers may reduce the overall cost of a Piece. Note that the primary caster must always maintain the highest tag burden regardless of modifiers on the Piece, and that in no case may a Piece’s cost be reduced to less than half the cost on the Inspirational Piece. Effects upon the Piece can alter the tag cost. Increases in tag cost always add General tags, regardless of what the initial tags of the piece were. When reducing tags, always remove the General tags first, and then Performance and Artistic tags are removed as desired by the primary caster. No piece can, under any circumstance, be reduced to less than 50% of the Inspirational Piece’s cost in tags. As an example, if a Piece initially cost 15 artistic tags and 5 general tags, as General tags are always removed first, its minimum cost would be 10 Artistic tags.

Additional patrons increase the bard’s ability to affect the world with Inspiration. For each patron the bard has beyond 3, the tag cost of the Piece is lowered by one tag. This may affect any form of bardic inspiration, but in a case where more than one is present, patrons will not count twice.

Some Pieces may require more than one person to create. Note that while secondary casters count for the purpose of this, anyone with at least Tuning can help in the playing of a Piece. Omitting players from a Piece is possible. For each person to be omitted from the Piece, add a cumulative, non-compounding 5% tag cost, rounding up to the nearest tag. So if 5 people were to be omitted from a ten-tag piece, the first costs half a tag, the second costs one tag, and the third costs a tag and a half, the fourth two tags, and the fifth two and a half tags, for a total (.5+1+1.5+2+2.5=7.5, rounds to 8+ the initial 10) of 18 tags.

Multiple characters may attempt to create the piece together, pooling their tags in order to cast more powerful spells than either could alone. Some Pieces may require more than one bard, although these assistants are not required to spend tags on the Piece unless specifically stated. Any characters assisting in the Piece may put one tag of their own into the piece. The Primary Caster must always put forth the largest number of tags, and there can never be a “tie” - two characters couldn’t each put in five tags in a ten tag spell, but one could put in six while another put in four. If three casters attempted the same spell, the Primary Caster could put in as few as four tags, while the other two casters put in three each. Note that while all examples listed have been roughly even disbursements of tags, there is no rule that requires it, so long as the Primary Caster always has the highest number. Any assistants wishing to put more than one tag into a Piece must give up two tags of their own per additional tag they wish to donate. If an assistant wishes to donate four tags, they would give up one tag for their first tag, plus an additional six tags for the other three they wish to donate, making a total of seven.

Once the Piece has started, any disruption to the piece, its materials and props, or its caster(s) will cause it to immediately fail and backlash. This backlash is immediate and instantaneous, and cannot be evaded, resisted or blocked in any way. If the casters survive the backlash, they may begin the Piece again at the point in which it was disrupted. This may in some cases cause multiple backlashes during the use of a single Piece. Backlashes take a number of forms, but most commonly affect the caster(s) or target(s) of the Piece. In some cases, a backlash may also affect objects, materials, or props within a certain range of the spell, although this is uncommon in all but the most powerful spells.

If a Piece requires a target, that target must be valid for the entire duration of the casting of the spell in order to be targeted. Examples of invalid targets are:

• Targets that are too vague when declared
• Targets whose player is not present
• Targets which must remain in a certain area that leave that area during the casting of the spell.
• Targets which haven’t been prepared properly for the spell. If a spell requires the target to be prepared in some way, the preparation will be included in the spell’s description.

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