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  1. #21
    Birthright Developer irdeggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndrewTall View Post
    Dabbling in magic is surely a Khinasi national sport? The disdain sounds like an anomaly - it may be that 'proper dnd' bards - spellcasters with useful skills are valued, but 'vagabond bards' - people wandering from place to place scratching a life from itinerant music and petty larceny - are scorned.

    If looking purely at the vagabonds, stageshow hands, dancers, and thespians then the khinasi disdain makes sense as these people cross castes, don't settle down, likely hold to different customs than the locals, etc.

    Just as a temple might discuss 'paladins' in terms of 'any warrior in its service'not 'Paladins' being 'holy warriors with the specific dnd paladin class' the saying could be referring to 'bard' in the non-RPG sense not 'Bard' in the dnd class sense.
    a point can be made for this view.

    From Cities of the Sun (pg 11)

    In the Sun Coast, bards don't have the role of herald and lore-keeper Anuirean bards enjoy. In fact they're much poorer, leading a wandering existence. Most Khnasi view bards as vagrants and thieves: a common proverb in the city-state of Altane calls a thing of no value "as worthless as the word of a bard."

    There is likewise a point to be made for an emphasis on "study"

    Same source/page

    Magicians are common among the Khinasi, since even unblooded characters study magic to enhance their standing.
    As the Khinasi have a strong monastic tradition, many priests seclude themselves in study and silence.

    I see a fairly large emphasis on the connection between "study" and social order.

    Warriors (all types, save Paladins which are more connected with religious orders than being a soldier) are generally in the lowest class and thieves are shunned.

    Now in 2nd ed there was no such thing as the spontaneous casters that exist in 3.5. It is very clear that spontaneous casting is the opposite of non-spontaneous casting and that non-spontaneous arcane caster must spend time in "study" to prepare their spells. Spontaneous casters (bards, sorcerers and favored souls) all tend to be wonderers and not tied down to any specific place or location (it is part of the spontaneous thing). So a case cold be made to equate that to the reason to dislike a bard. Or the two can be combined into one (the reason for wanderering is the lack of a studious nature).
    Duane Eggert

  2. #22
    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
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    As with several potentially conflicting things in BR I'm leaning towards taking whichever interpretation best suits the campaign in question.

    Laerme is Avani's child, ergo song, dance, music, love etc should be respected - Khinasi art appreciation seems as natural to me as Khinasi politeness, social grace etc. Indeed a PC with skill in destruction but no artistic ability should be pitied and scorned - much like the samurai the khinasi adventurer should be master of both pen and sword.


    Magic is cherished - both wizardly and clerical. To the layman 'spontaneous' or 'studied' both appear identical, and indeed there is nothing to stop you saying that 'spontaneous' casters study and train themselves to develop their natural skills as much as any scholarly wizard would - think of the psion approach with intense monastical focus and the like. So I can see an argument that bards and sorcerers would be revered - and as subject to the laws of Rilni as any other wizardly spellcaster

    That said, a pro-wizard/cleric society with strong anti-sorcerer/bard views could be quite interesting, mage war anyone?

    Disdain for traveling showmen and their associated flim-flam and petty theft seems natural as I see the Khinasi as caste ridden and obsessed with face and social cohesion - but a warm appreciation and great respect for the master of the Ariyan orchestra, choirmaster of the church, legendary composer of Shoufal, etc is equally reasonable.

  3. #23
    Excellent points on the discussion of bards. I will try to incorporate a bit more of it and expound on it as I can.

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