Bard villain/mastermind: how?

**Old Man** · Feb 5th, '12, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

I am finding the image of a bard-ruler on a throne, singing to his masses, a bit of a hard sell. Not impossible, though...

I don't see him on a throne so much as standing in front of it. More likely, though, you could ditch the throne and replace it with a pulpit.

**Markdoc** · Feb 6th, '12, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by Old Man

I don't see him on a throne so much as standing in front of it. More likely, though, you could ditch the throne and replace it with a pulpit.

Or a stage!

cheers, Mark

**Lethosos** · Feb 6th, '12, 09:27 AM

Point of note: It's not the music, but the power behind the music that you could tap into without "singing". In fact, Oratory is considered a performace art in its own right; a corrupt noble could easily whip up a frenzy in a crowd against someone/something and let it ride, just by a little public speaking.

Or look up "bladesong", which is more of "singing" the power into a weapon--which is pretty neutral by itself, TBH. your choice.

Still, if you wanted to include actual music, why not combine it with unholy powers? Think charismatic priest of some dark god...

**Ragitsu** · Feb 6th, '12, 10:13 AM

But, if you have a skilled speaker/general socialite, you pretty much drift away from "bard". To me, in this instance, it is the music/singing that is crucial.

**Lethosos** · Feb 10th, '12, 09:10 AM

I know, I'm just pointing out the other uses for "performance arts" as a bard.

Still, a warbard might be something I'd see as being evil; stir dark passions in men's hearts to incite anger/frenzy. Doesn't have to be on the battlefield to be sucessful--I recall the latest Valdemaar short story series includes an example of a bad use of Bardic power in this fashion.

**Enforcer84** · Feb 10th, '12, 12:22 PM

The storytelling/oration skills for bards is an integral part of them, not just the music/singing.

But if you need that, there have been plenty of examples, and a few more off the cuff:

A King leads his people in "religious" hymns that he weaves with his magic to ensure loyalty or whip into a frenzy for war.
The power behind the throne, a jester/minstrel who has ensnared his liege with magic songs.
The ruthless head of a spy ring, dedicated to a king/country and using their performances as cover for travel into foreign country

As to his motivations to be evil...any of them will do; such as:

He's sold his soul to be the most famous bard of all time and now his criminal empire stems from the lives he's corrupted along the way.
She seeks the finer things in life and uses magical songs to ensure she gets them.
He's a bloodthirsty killer of innocents and uses his magic flute to lead them to their dooms - but to ensure a steady stream of innocents he funds orphanages and "Bard's Colleges," where his agents and underlings screen for the perfect targets for him.
Egotist who uses his powers to influence other bards and highly placed figures to keep his fame alive

**gojira** · Feb 15th, '12, 09:23 PM

Depends on the type of campaign.

I was thinking about a "Dark Bard" as part of a Tuala Morn campaign. In that campaign world, Druids and Bards are part of the culture, and it might be considered proper for a noble man or some other social ranks to have formal training in the bardic arts. Just because you know how to play an instrument, can speak well in public, and know (in verse) the history of your people, doesn't necessarily make you a nice guy (or gal). I'd say villainy has nothing to do with that skill set, the two are completely orthogonal, and once you start thinking about them that way it's easy to see how a bard could be "evil."