Bard Lore and Questions

[Q'nahli]

So, I've been meaning to find out all I can about the lore on Bards in XIV. So far, it has been a bit of a chore. From what I have seen from the lore buffs here, the bard that we play as a job in game has fallen into disuse 100 years prior to the start of the game. Now, that has changed recently with Jehantel training some of the Godsquiver' to be bards. 

 

I am still have trouble with how one would learn how to be a 'true bard'. So far, I have RPed my character, Nahli, as having a mentor who is an elderly man that was one of the few remaining bards. She has just been taken under his wing, though she met him when she was a little girl after her Mother and her moved to the Shroud. She doesn't remember him. Is this even okay to happen? This mentor is not the Godsbow. I RP him as having powers shown by most Bard NPCs. Nahli will have similar skills. 

 

I know these things: 

 

- Moogles supposedly can teach you to be a bard if they like you. 

- Being a bard went 'out of style' during the Autumn War 100 years ago.

- Recently there has been a revival thanks to the Warrior of Light and Jehantel. 

 

Questions:

 

- Do you need a soul crystal to be a bard?

- Are there any other bards out there other than the Godsbow?

- Is it alright to RP my bard with the powers of a typical NPC after she has learned to use those powers? 

 

Thanks for your time everyone!

[Ciel]

So, I've been meaning to find out all I can about the lore on Bards in XIV. So far, it has been a bit of a chore. From what I have seen from the lore buffs here, the bard that we play as a job in game has fallen into disuse 100 years prior to the start of the game. Now, that has changed recently with Jehantel training some of the Godsquiver' to be bards. 

 

I am still have trouble with how one would learn how to be a 'true bard'. So far, I have RPed my character, Nahli, as having a mentor who is an elderly man that was one of the few remaining bards. She has just been taken under his wing, though she met him when she was a little girl after her Mother and her moved to the Shroud. She doesn't remember him. Is this even okay to happen? This mentor is not the Godsbow. I RP him as having powers shown by most Bard NPCs. Nahli will have similar skills. 

 

I know these things: 

 

- Moogles supposedly can teach you to be a bard if they like you. 

- Being a bard went 'out of style' during the Autumn War 100 years ago.

- Recently there has been a revival thanks to the Warrior of Light and Jehantel. 

 

Questions:

 

- Do you need a soul crystal to be a bard?

- Are there any other bards out there other than the Godsbow?

- Is it alright to RP my bard with the powers of a typical NPC after she has learned to use those powers? 

 

Thanks for your time everyone!

 

Technically, in terms of the canon, there are other bards but it's not explicitly stated that there -has- to be a soul crystal involved.  I look at it in terms of capitalization: Bard = the Bard.  You were taught by Jehantel and you have a soul crystal.  Doing it this way, there would be only one in the scope of the game, but the existence of one of any job within an RP setting like Balmung is something which has been hotly discussed a number of times. 

 

If you're just a bard, well... Thancred claims to be a bard as well. We know he doesn't have a Bard soul crystal.  Guydelot is also a bard.  If he has one, it's never mentioned.  So it seems safe to say you -can- be a bard, and have bardly abilities without being The Bard, if that makes any sense.

 

And I mean, hell, the world would be pretty boring without entertainers.  There's a whole troupe of us and no one complains if we call ourselves bards, so the short answer it yes. Sing your heart out.  Have fun crafting your own story, you needn't necessarily rely on hard lore to tell you how you got there.

[Capheira]

As you know despite the fact she is levelled as one; Odette is a musician, not a bard. She doesn't have any magical abilities, or manipulate the aether. She's just someone who learnt to play an instrument and does so very well. So, in that sense she doesn't have a soul crystal, she doesn't use a bow nor does claim to be anything more than a performer.

 

I don't think that's the answer you're looking for though.

[LiadansWhisper]

- Moogles supposedly can teach you to be a bard if they like you.

 

They didn't actually teach you to do anything. They held onto Jehantel's stuff that he wanted to throw away (in frustration and guilt) because they believed he would find someone worthy.

 

- Do you need a soul crystal to be a bard?

 

Inconclusive. You could easily RP as a Bard that does not have the crystal and simply learned the "traditional" way.

 

- Are there any other bards out there other than the Godsbow?

 

Presumably.

 

- Is it alright to RP my bard with the powers of a typical NPC after she has learned to use those powers?

 

It's your character. Play your character how you want to.

[Sounsyy]

Do you need a soul crystal to be a bard?

 

Debatable. The first archers-turned-bards needed no crystals for their songs to hold power. There's a few clarifying texts below, but simply put - the songs just need to ring true and resonate with raw emotion for them to have power. The Soul of Bard crystals merely hold the memories of past bards and ballads of times lost. So in order to learn the songs of old, you'd likely need the soulstone, otherwise, no.

 

 

Are there any other bards out there other than the Godsbow?

 

Plenty of bards out there! There are... five in the last BRD quest alone? The Godsbow is merely a title gifted to virtuoso of the bow, not necessarily bards, it just so happens that the original Godsbow was also a bard.

 

 

Is it alright to RP my bard with the powers of a typical NPC after she has learned to use those powers?

 

I don't see why not. ^^

 

 

 

BRD Lore

 

When folks think of a bard, they conjure images of a minstrel wandering the realm, performing at banquets and in alehouses for the pleasure of king and commoner alike. But the bard I would speak of is one born from a battle-hardened archer - one who sings her songs in the heat of combat to inspire her comrades to ever greater feats of martial prowess.

 

As battles unfold, the distinction between the lines of friend and foe grows hazy. Yet the archer must stay ever alert, with arrow nocked and eyes trained upon the struggle. One need not have vivid imagination to appreciate the torrent of emotions that rages within her in that moment. Nerves near to fraying, her breast fit to burst, the archer does the only thing she can: she sings. And in that raw melody resides the power to stir the souls of men. That, my friend, is the true definition of a bard - a definition that you yourself have helped Eorzeans to remember.

 

Pick up your ears' date=' because I'm not going to say this again: it's the fervent desire to aid our comrades that bestows our songs with power. And no songs have more power than those you compose yourself![/quote']

 

A bow-bendin' bard' date=' are ye? That's a rare sight in this day an' age. Well, I happen to know jus' the weapon for ye. But tell me, have ye ever heard the word “Godsbow”? 'Tis an epithet what's given only to virtuosos of the bow. The first archer to be called such was one Gilbert, a man who lived durin' Gridania's fledglin' days. Legend goes he slew seven Ixali chieftains with a single arrow. And if that weren't impressive enough, they say the lucky sod was blessed with the voice of a bleedin' angel to boot. On account of which, he had a bow 'specially crafted to be weapon and instrument both. This tool of musical murder was called the Artemis Bow, an' for long years it was locked away in one of the fastnesses of the Gods' Quiver for safekeepin'. Alas, some while ago, said fastness was overrun by the Ixal, who struck from above in their war balloons. They gave the place a thorough ransackin', an' took the relic with 'em back to Natalan.[/quote']

 

The charm is a crystal known as the Soul of the Bard. Pukno Poki asked that you bring it to me' date=' aye, but he meant for you to have it. It is a gift from the moogles, bestowed upon those they deem worthy of walking the path of the true bard. The Soul of the Bard harbors memories of the past - verses and refrains sung by the bards of old. As you gain in worldly experience, more of these memories will find expression through your being, imbuing your songs with powers untold.[/quote']

 

At first' date=' the archer sang only to still the roiling within. But his voice chanced to carry to his comrades. It inspirited those engaged in combat, lending strength to their sword arms. And to those who lay upon the precipice of death, it granted a measure of peace. Realizing the tactical potential of song, yet loath to set aside skilled archers for that purpose, armies began raising dedicated regiments of minstrels. But the members of such units were no warriors. They knew naught of the burden borne by those who charge into battle - whose lot is to dance with death and sup on pain. And so their songs rang hollow, holding no power over the hearts of men.[/quote']

 

Would you believe that common bards, too, were born of archers? This may seem far-fetched upon first hearing, but it isn't so far a stretch. Ask yourself this: what becomes of soldiers when conflict gives way to peacetime? Some have lives they might return to, aye, but most needs take up a new trade to make ends meet. Well, it so happened that many who had once bent the bow took to strumming the harp.

 

They wandered the realm, singing passionately and earnestly of the war as seen through their own eyes - of sweet victories and bitter defeats, of sacrifice and cowardice. Their songs so captured the imagination of the people, nary a day passed that a bard was not called to perform, be it in humble tavern or some great lord's hall.

 

Alas, their popularity proved their downfall. Intoxicated by the attention of the masses, the bards took to embellishing their songs in a bid to outdo one another. And over time, each song was shorn of verity, till the bard's repertoire contained not one shred of truth. By now you will know that such songs have no purchase upon men's hearts.

 

For a blessing, this decline did not escape the notice of the moogles. As great patrons of the arts, they feared that the true power of song might be lost to mankind. So it was they labored to gather and safeguard those crystals known as Souls of Bard, that they might be bestowed upon worthy men and women.

 

Five hundred years ago, in the time when the city-states engaged one another in bloody conflict, Gridanian hunters were often forced to take up their bows to defend their nascent nation from outside invaders. These reluctant archers would strum their bowstrings and sing songs for their comrades, and it was from those encouraging, arching tunes that the inspiring melodies of the bard were born. Their lilting notes stirred the spirit, lending their fellow soldiers a tangible strength that could turn the tide of battle.

 

Witnessing the effect of those "battlesongs," each nation formed units of minstrels in an attempt to amplify the phenomenon, but these hollow, regimented choruses failed to produce the same mystical influence. The original performers, on the other hand, found themselves drowned out by ranks of military musicians, and one by one their voices grew quiet on the battlefield.

 

When not fighting wars, bards would travel from tavern to tavern to share the tales of their experiences. As the periods of peace grew longer and longer, however, they began embellishing their stories to appeal to a wider audience, and what was once a true recounting of battle became a form of entertainment by which the bard made his living.

 

A minstrel's raiments bequeathed by Jehantel the Godsbow. The archer-turned-bard may be a legend in his time' date=' but he is not the first to be claimed by one calling, then the other. The garb is ancient in origin, and was fashioned by a minstrel of yore as an act of devotion to Althyk the Keeper. That it was fashioned for an archer's use is clear from the telltale cut of the sleeves.[/quote']

 

A bard ensemble that first appeared around the thirteen hundredth year of the Sixth Astral Era' date=' the original Aoidos attire is notable for adopting elements of the Near Eastern garb that began arriving on the continent after trade routes with the lands of the East became firmly established. A style proposed by the legendary minstrel, Santhelme, the attire garnered much attention amongst the courts and clothiers of the age, and Near Eastern fashion saw a sudden surge in popularity. Aside from enthralling audiences with his haunting voice and fashionable appearance, Santhelme was also famous for his extraordinary skill with the bow. Citing the dwindling numbers of performers with similar martial expertise, many historians consider Santhelme's generation to be the last in which true battlesongs were sung.[/quote']

 

A longbow beloved by Gilbert the Godsbow' date=' he of much carnage. A mighty singer of songs as well as a slayer of Ixal, Gilbert dreamt of a bow whose form was sired by the noble harp, and set the finest smith in Gridania to the task of creating such a weapon. Keen ears claim that every arrow that flies true from the Artemis Bow sings a pure note as it charts its course.[/quote']

 

The bard weaves the borrowed aether of her allies into an archer's storm that bombards the battlefield with the rain of a thousand arrows. This technique was said to have been devised by the founding 1st Bow of the Quiver's Centaurs.

 

A battlesong that celebrates the courageous deeds of a Padjal of eld. The lyrics sing of the sage's exceptional healing arts as he braved the front line to tend to wounded soldiers.

 

This battlesong praises the valor of Josselin' date=' one of Gridania's greatest war heroes. Josselin left her mark on history as the first captain of the Wood Wailers.[/quote']

 

An ode to Oschon' date=' the god of travelers. Depicting the Wanderer as a carefree ranger wielding a bow of yew with consummate skill, this meandering tune is sung with great joy and gusto.[/quote']

 

Sung by the archers of eld on the field of battle' date=' these verses held the power to fortify the spirit of comrades, bringing blessings upon the victor and granting peace unto those on the precipice of death. But as the presence of bards faded, so too did the prevalence of battlesongs, and now it is only the musically inclined moogles who remember every melody and measure.[/quote']

[Q'nahli]

From what I've seen, there are bards, and then there are Bards. The difference being that the first sings and plays music to entertain. The second is as Jehantel describes: A battle-hardened archery who sings in combat to inspire their allies to ever great heights of martial prowess. While they may do the same things as the former, the archery and all that is also a core part of their identity. 

 

I was also under the assumption that unless you are trained to be a Bard, you cannot use your music to empower other people. Of course, I am not exactly sure of how bardic music works in FF XIV. I always assumed that the Bard weaves Aether into their song to produce an effect that imbues those who hear said song. 

 

Nahli's aspiration is to be a Bard. I have just seen lots of different conflicts stories about becoming a Job. Such as: You must be part of the Godsquiver' or no, you won't even be considered. Or that you need a soul crystal to learn any of the songs in a reasonable amount of time. 

 

So far, I have RPed that she is learning Swiftsong (The ability to use song to grant allies a burst of speed) and has abilities that are shown by most Archer NPCs. I've left it open so that if the need arises, she can be given a Soul Crystal should the story progress. My original intentions were that she learns without one. 

 

As far as her total abilities, I like to keep her within NPC range. Which brings up another question. Every Bard NPC seen in game has an ability called Voice of Valor. Is it possible for a character ICly to learn this ability? Sorry for all of this. I just wanted to make sure to iron out any wrinkles in my character's story. I do want her to be a Job, but I want it to be well within reason.

 

P.S - Thank you Sounsyy! So enlightening!

 

P.S.S - It would seem that the songs of eld have their own words, verses, and refrains. So you would need to have a soul crystal. Does this mean that abilities such as voice of valor would need a soul crystal as well? It isn't explained if the other bards have one or not.

[Q'nahli]

Alright, I have one final question! 

 

Do the Bard songs involve aether at all?

[Sounsyy]

It would seem that the songs of eld have their own words, verses, and refrains. So you would need to have a soul crystal. Does this mean that abilities such as voice of valor would need a soul crystal as well? It isn't explained if the other bards have one or not.

 

Purely theoretical, a bard who already possessed the knowledge of past songs - using Jehantel as an example - could teach anyone the verses, chords, etc. However, Jehantel also makes a point at the start of each Bard Quest to say something along the lines of this:

 

In facing this foe in mortal combat and understanding what drives it' date=' the Soul of the Bard will surely find [i']new expression[/i] through you.

 

Now this talk of "expression" is a reference back to this earlier quote on the Soul of the Bard:

 

The Soul of the Bard harbors memories of the past - verses and refrains sung by the bards of old. As you gain in worldly experience' date=' more of these [i']memories will find expression through your being[/i], imbuing your songs with powers untold.

 

To me, it sounds like these songs can be taught to anyone through word of mouth, but that each bard who possesses a soulstone will understand them differently and in so doing, sing them slightly differently, giving them newfound power. Without the soulstone, your bard songs may just be that - songs sung by an old bard, containing just the power of the old bard?

 

Which leads into...

 

 

Do the Bard songs involve aether at all?

 

This I don't know, because I haven't seen a definitive yes or no stated in the lore when I was sorting through BRD quest text.

 

The fact that bard songs drain mana while their effect is active can be used as evidence to support aether consumption to give songs power. Alternatively, lore text states that raw emotion and empathy are the most effective drives behind the songs. Is one way right or are both valid? I don't know, and I honestly don't think anyone has the grounds to judge you either way if you were to just RP it as whichever method you prefer.