Bardic FireDancing and Barbarian Inner Fire

I was thinking (as I often do) that perhaps a barbarian viewing a Fire Dance could simply watch it, and avoid getting MR hits for up to a certain amount of time being so mesmerized by the skill of dancing, that perhaps it fills a barbarian's thoughts, with the recent memory of seeing a Bard Fire Dance. This then goes into a special temporary pool, that buffers a Barbarian's Inner fire hits, basically if a Barbarian would have taken a hit to IF due to an enchante, it takes a hit from this 'buffering-pool' instead. A barbarian would have to view a complete Fire Dance from start to finish for this ability to activate.

The theory behind this 'shared' ability: By viewing a Fire Dance, a barbarian becomes temporarily impervious to magical enchante effects. Because he'll be thinking of and remmembering from time to time a Bard leaping and jumping admist the flames. This takes his/her mind off the fact that the bard is using magic, and has the barbarian instead thinking about the recent fire dancing show, thus... creatively bypassing the need for an MR check.

(Perhaps even getting that very message whenever a would be hit dips into the buffering-pool.) This only effects hits taken from active Bardic enchantes, not spells at all.

Future Possibilities: This could become a minor profit-making opportunity for bards. Just think a bard dances for a certain time, making barbarian immune. Then say, barbarian goes hunting or to war and passes through several active enchante areas, each time he would have taken a serious hit, it draws the hit from this special temporary buffering pool.

Contemplations

ZIRITH
The cold fire? · on 10/11/2004 2:51:32 AM
336
So, I just meditated on this log right...
Fingers of flame flutter from the log on the floor.>lick log You lick the log and discover that it's rather tasteless.

-----
Yeah, it's inconsistancies like that all over the game that sorta make things not very real for me.
What probably should have happened...
>lick log You bend down and lick the log, catching your tongue on fire you scream horribly batting your tongue with your hands wildly jumping around the room.

'Ahhhh!' You attempt to speak but can't get your burned tongue to move, time to see an empath.

sing enchante You attempt to sing but can't move a burned tongue.

>lick (object) You lick (blank) the skin from your burnt tongue sloughs off, bleeding badly. (incremental damage increases) internal head.

Other notable inconsistancies.
You can climb Mount Hara'jaal but you can't tie a rope to the summit and rapel off it. You also can't go suicidal or crazy and jump off. (the game assumes nobody would really be that stupid. but it could add an element of danger to role-play.)

When crossing a river, you can't tie a rope to your horse, mule or wagon, and tie the other end to a friend who can't quite seem to cross on their own without drowning.

You can't target the strange sea-creature that's always disturbed on the Riverhaven to Langenfirth crossing. You can't climb on the rail and jump off most ferries either.

Can't leap from the balcony of the crossing Bard's guild, can't leap off or climb up/down balconies anywhere in game even when sometimes it seems very likely/possible.

You can rub an apple but you can't polish it. Same with most items.

Can't bestow characters other titles like Honorary Bard/Empath/Cleric/Barbarian/Thief/Trader/Warrior Mage/Moon Mage
Honorary meaning they'd make a darn good one if they joined the guild or are very useful to have around a certain guild.

I think it could only be bestowed by people with a huge RPG award history... if it were ever made.

The Pyre and a ship.

OMG, it seems like only yesterday he said he was going to fix the thing, and it's done, fixed!
*sings*
Praises to Dartenian! He is the mighty god of fixes!
Praises to Dartenian! Now I'm happy with the prospect of playing my Bard!
Praises to Dartenian! La La laaaa!

Dartenian: "I do think it will give Bards a very powerful offensive weapon in their arsenal for those times when something just needs to die. Horribly."

Sircha rubs her hands together and thinks of a crisping Miw. Horribly.

Yes I'm terrible right? and I'm 'still' holding onto a year-old grudge. I don't think I should come back at all, until I'm over that. Nope, just won't be healthy for me to go back while I'm still having those kinds of thoughts. Really. But, I am sorely tempted to go back, I mean, the ships, yes, I know I'd strip Sircha down, dump everything onto her bro-turned-mule. And hunt Sircha till I developed severe case carprol tunnel syndrome, and I'd hunt beyond that with just two active fingers barely able to move... Just for the newest, most best thing... which reminds me I owe a lot of folks in DR plats, many plats. *sighs* Maybe I should have let things go, but I'm not really the kind of person to forget a slight. I brood over my slights, each and every one going back 17+ years.

But to give Sircha her own ship.... *wistful*

We (Sircha and I) should tick another thing off the 'things to make DR better list' I think personal ships was one of them.

Awwww!

by: Rodal. I was lucky enough to get this done the other night in the sea caves...the quote is a variation on the one on the web site for the Society of the Honor Guard - Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (http://www.tombguard.org/site.html)You tap a steelsilk-strapped soldier's thigh quiver branded with historical scenes that you are wearing.>look quiver>The wide steelsilk straps of the quiver buckle around the thigh providing a lightweight but secure container. Soft yet tough leather pads the quiver to give protection against any weapons puncturing it. Several sections on the quiver are burned with elaborate scenes. Each of them shows an image of a famous hero from the past, including Lanival the Redeemer and the great Bardess Siryn Mistbringer. A phrase has been stitched in intricate emerald thread upon a leather strap.There appears to be something written on it.>read quiverA soldier's thigh quiver reads:"Heroes only die when they are forgotten. Bards never forget."

Playing Badly, I like the idea!

Idea by: BEVERAGEK

Playing Badly · on 11/13/2004 6:11:44 PM
550
It just came across my thinking that, once you get good at an instrument, it's impossible to play it badly of your own free will. When we get a play write or whatever, maybe it could be considered to add in a play badly or play horrible option. I hate when someone plays something and then I say, "Ohh, well I'm pretty bad at playing too..." And then something like this shows up: With total concentration, you tap a gentle melody, mastering each combination of note and beat.Maybe I'm the only one who enjoys it, but it's so fun just to fool around on the piano, sorta messing up on purpose just for laughs. It'd be cool to do that in game too, in my opinion.

And if I may add my 2 kronars which I will since there's no one to stop me here!
Bard's are well sneaky, crafty folk, (or at least we try to be) this comming from the bard who invented Bluff Dead. There's no reason why we couldn't possibly have this, we are masterful performers, and if I remmember correctly, Deryka probably did write down all of my fascinating, but terribly funny performance numbers for the instrument messaging updates.

On the otherhand, I could just take this idea, and Roleplay it straight up as an out of practice bard. Playact start... Sircha plays her oboe so loud and and off-key, it sounds like she's killing a rubber ducky.
then I could just... cringe and wince a few times, and try again...
Sircha plays her oboe marginally well, if you excuse the occasional piercing "Squeeek" that continues to eminate from her oboe.
ooh, oooh then, throw voice oboe honnnk.
Your oboe says, 'honnnk'

Hehe, I think I will do that when I get back.

Tinctitures

DR_Jeramael:
CHIZILI'S AND SISTERS-IN-LORE OFFERS NEW PRODUCTS · on 11/15/2004 10:10:33 AM
1276
Both alchemical shops have started to offer both grain alcohol and tincture jars for sale!HOW TO MAKE A TINCTUREWith the arrival of tincture jars an alchemist can now create potent tinctures from most of the healing herbs.This is done by placing 4 parts grain alcohol to one part dried and crushed herb in a tincture jar.Next you close the jar and wait about ten minutes.Next, you shake the jar, wait ten more minutes, then shake the jar again.Finally, after waiting another additional ten minutes you open the tincture jar and if everything went well you should have created a tincture with the extracted virtues of your herb.*WARNING* The leading alchemists have confirmed that there are some possibly dangerous side effects when tinctures are consumed internally.NOTE:: Let me point out again that not all herbs will make a tincture.

Hmm, yup, I can't wait to get back and try that too, I'd love to try that out, and the entire new herb system for my Bard/alchemist. Okay, well, I just like making home-brewed herbs because it's interesting, and fun, and okay, I admit it, Cheaper! Than buying them. *Plus there's that bonus of brewing beers, and fine wines ya, ya.*

Can I drool over bad eggs? Me Harties!

DR-Jeremael: The sailable waterways have now been expanded some 40+ additional areas, which translates to about 34 hundred square miles of water.All the ocean area covered by the current Elanthian map is now sailable. This also includes the Segoltha River from west of Crossing to Ain Ghazal Isle which stands astride the Segoltha between the Journelai Range and the Himeneldar Shel Mountains.Though there isn't any dockable access to Ain Ghazal as of yet there is plenty of work being done that will make it so in the future.There will also be more future ports of call along the Segoltha as well as other parts of the Reshal Sea. Currently there is a useable dock for Tiger Clan on the Segoltha.

I'm drooling, I am, no really, all over the face. I bet you can swim in those areas! Treasure hunt in those areas maybe? Yes? Please? Underwater areas too, they must be if you can sail in them. I bet so! and now sailable! I'm happy, happy, happy, happy, wow. I think I'm going to have to book a cruise ship in DR and have a BIG party in my honor. Yes, me the gloryhound, Bard. I bet anything Dartenian had a hand or at least half his body involved in that one!

Water Maidens: Enchante

Untitled
Type: Enchante
Duration: Cycling
Based On: all original material

An enchante that summons water sprites in the rain.

Water sprites form of the water, into 3 lovely maidens, they reach out to encircle BARD lengthening their arms to almost comical lengths, they begin to dance around the Bard singing a sylvan melody:

The sprites will only protect the bard that summons them, ignoring anyone else in the group, unless they attempt to stalk or snipe.

Melody is sung in elven, only elves and Bard's know what being is sung.

The water sprites sing a quick, flowing lullaby in sylvan, they dance around Bard, encircling her.

Every so often, the water sprites sing a verse:
1st verse:
We are the affection of believing Eluned's songs
Our hope lies here in the moment of innocence
To be remmembered and sung about in the rain


I will sing the blessed water
Dancing under rain clouds
Ring around the bardy, we dance here tonight
Deep in the waters, around we form

(okay, so I've lost my patience for poetry, someone else can write it.)

What actually happens:

The sprites form a circle around the bard at Pole Range. In combat assess, you'll see 3 water sprites at pole range with Bard. This also means a bard can't retreat with critters at melee and with the enchante up. They stop or slow any creatures advancing from missle and force any creatures that were at pole range back to missle range.

A bard can however, slay all the critters at melee and then move with a group. Using the enchante, does not automatically disband a group.

However, if the bard decides to advance upon a creature, the spirits part to let the target opponent thru, sometimes whispering things like, "Now your going to get it, best to surrender now." or throughouly mussing hair or soaking clothing.

However once an opponent is inside the circle, they need to make a reflex save vs. the power of the water spirits or else they get pushed back to melee range, and on their knees. The spirits then mock those who retreat saying things like. "Afraid ?" "Death comes at the heels of your retreat." "You think it's so easy, to retreat and hide like a cowardly fool? Think again."

However, the opponent is partially protected from other attackers advancing upon them from missle range.

This enchante doesn't effect things that are still at melee range.

Attempts to stalk the bard: If the target is originally outside the ring of dancing sprites, the target must make a successful reflex, agility and strength save vs. the dancing sprites.

A failed stalk attempt:
The water sprites become agitated for a moment, and then form themselves into a massive arcing wave that spreads outward knocking back and revealing a faenrae stalker.

Attempts to snipe the bard: If the target is originally outside the ring of dancing sprites, the target must overcome the sprites inherent agility saves.

A failed snipe attempt example when the ring is already established.
You snipe at Bard. A dancing water faery dives infront of Bard, deflecting the bolt in the nick of time! You hear a watersprite say in your thoughts, "Leave the Bard alone if ye know what's best for ye!"

PreReqs: Aether Wolves & Demmeris' Resolve.

Verb interactions like hug, smooch, kiss, etc.
The sprites watch you carefully with pale blue glinting eyes, viewing you as a non-threat they let you pass by unhindered.
You duck under the arm of the water sprites and give bard a quick hug.

Combat Systems Equipping the Conscripts

Okay, so I was thinking about last year in DragonRealms the whole big war in Shard thing. I was thinking about the NPC conscripts. What if, a commander or his/her lieutenants were to collect enough arms and armor to upgrade the equipment of say a whole company of elothean archers under their command?

So I propose a new system that ties in to that. If a commander, lieutenant, or captain collects or buys enough of a certain item. In this example, let's say a commander happens to be a high-ranking member of the ranger guild, and he decides to hold extended hunting parties with his lieutenants and captains in Arzmous on Hara'jaal. They kill and perfectly skin 300 of the beasts then tan and cure the skins, cutting them into 150 suits of leather armor. The commander or commanding liutenant then bundles these up into a permanent cache with the superior leather statistics. Which can be appraised to show how many are inside of it. Then they place them either in a special vault, or armory area which gives special vaults to the commanders to hold such things.

Then when the commander gets his conscripts he can, Order his conscripts to Equip from Cache. This command takes several hundred seconds, but when all is done, his conscripts have until he retires them, 150 superior leather armors. This gives his conscripts a morale bonus of +2. After all, they do have a higher chance of living in the finest armors available, and the armors are new so they're very good. The conscripts also gain the protections of the armor, making them harder to hit, and hurt.

The way I see it, is a commander could possibly hire a standing army of soldiers for 5 cp/each a week. This commander could then train these soldiers as he saw fit, which brings me to soldier levels.

Conscripts start at level 1, but later with numberous battle wins against other troops, gain a level, which can then be trained. Once they become level 2, they are now professional soldiers bonded to the commander. After they're dismissed, after the big battle or whatever, a commander may choose to keep a special troop that has served him well available in the town, for use in war time.

The commander has to pay for their continued room and board, and like anyone, he needs to order them to groom, stand at attention, and practice. Practice points accumulate slowly but surely as the commander/lieutenant commands the troops around, drilling them, or even taking them on hunts. Practice points can be used to drill agility, strength, wisdom or any one of the other abilities into troops, as well as possibly teaching the troops new commands and stunts.

The Flaming Pyre

There's more?! I knew it, I knew it, I knew there had to be more! *waits, lurks and watches*

DM Dartenian- "Not unless you want your own backpack blowing up. However...Let's just say Vaeldriil and I did some testing of how it should work in the test instance. My reaction was a mild, "Cool". On the other hand, I had to pick up Vaeldriil's jaw off the floor, and wait for her to find some other word to say other than, "wow'. It took a while.I won't kid ya. It's not gonna be an enchante you'll want to use all the time. Naphtha can be pricey, and hard to use. The enchante itself isn't going to be the easiest to use effectively. However, I think once you figure out how the enchante is supposed to work, you'll be far happier with it than you are now. Far far happier. The folks on the receiving end? They'll probably be screaming in terror.Let me get this Bug properly squished and the results checked out. I don't think you'll be displeased."
Shavay's take on it: So if this fix works as I think it will, instead of watching them bleed to death we'll want to keep Phoenix's Pyre going to watch them turn into tiny little charbroiled crispy bits. Fun fun fun!

Aether Wolves

3 manaA slender thread of melody emerges from the dark landscape of Sasabee's singing.So low that it can barely be heard, the sound of what seems to be a large creature growling arises from somewhere beside you. The deep rumbling grows in strength, as if the creature producing it were slowly pacing closer, and closer.Abruptly, the growling ceases, to be replaced by a bone-chilling howl!You duck, covering your head![Roundtime: 9 seconds.]

That's the enchante I dreamed up, and it's live in game, I'm so proud! Happy Bard Lurker!

Self-Assesment

So it's here!! Yes! *beams* Great job, kudos to Deryka, Dart, Vaedrill and Godrich. Now... to wait for some unsuspeccting bard to post exactly what happens so I can post a copy here, when said ability is used. *waits and lurks*

Slick with grease

Slick with grease
Ability: Minor
Activation: Prank slick (object), Prank drop (object)

Some bards just take pride in their pranks, this is one such naughty prank a bard might pull.
Prank slick 1 gold kronar. Bard snickers to herself as she pulls out some lard from the kitchen and rubs it into 1 gold kronar. Bard looks around furtively and lets a small object tumble to the ground, before slipping unobtrusively away. (by dropping your object you automatically make a hide check to try and slip into hiding.)

The object in question remains slippery, and will 'slip' out of hands onto the ground, when attempted to be moved or put into another item, for up to an anlas.

Gypsy's Dance

"Wild, exotic, and dangerous as her whirling blades, the Gypsy is a species of bard to be wary of."

Swordplay
Ability: Minor
Activation: Verb

A bard can use this ability to instill fear in lesser opponents, or to attract the attention of all possible superior opponents in the room, almost like flashing a sign that says, "attack me." Using the Swordplay verb before or during a fight gives a bard a quick advantage to balance and position. But be wary of using it too often, as your opponents can take advantage of the bard that over-uses this ability by guessing the bard's next movements and attacks.

Whirling her blades and skirts around the gypsy becomes an exotic and alluring whirlwind, dangerous, yet seductive all the same.

Dervish Dance
Ability: Major
Activation: Dance Dervish

A bard of great combat skill, RP fame, and performing lore can perfect the art of swordplay combos by going into a dervish dance. The dance gives a huge bonus to strength and reflexes, dropping combat roundtimes, and sustaining a bard's fatigue. (meaning said bard regains fatigue faster while dancing)

Movement Mastery
Ability: Major
Activation: Verbs: Jump, or Tumble

A bard with a lot of performing lore can apply it getting out of bad situations. By using Movement Mastery, a bard can get out of combat instantly, at will. Everyone in the room sees: Bard jumps up into the air somersaulting over (if at melee) opponents. All critters that were attacking bard look around confused and dumbfounded.
OR if underground or in shelters with roofs:
Bard drops to the ground, performing a series of quick acrobatic tumbles and rolls between the legs of (if at melee) opponents. All critters that were attacking bard look around confused and dumbfounded.

Slashing Blades
Ability: Minor.
Activation: Slash with

Melee' weapon roundtimes drop significantly for a set time dependant on the bard's weapon ranks and performing lore.

Dance of Death
Ability: Minor
Activation: Behead

Bard can make a series of quick aggressive attacks leading to a beheading attack. Cannot use other fight commands while this ability is activated.

Elaborate Parry
Ability: Minor
Activation: Automatic.

A bard can use multi-opponent, parry, + lore skill to block and parry attacks. Has some additional flashy messaging added to bards who have aquired this ability.

A Thousand Cuts
Ability: Major
Activation: Requires the use of Desert's Maelstrom to be in effect, jab thousand.

Once per week Roundtimes on all jab attacks are reduced to 0 for 10-100 seconds depending on a bard's lore skill.

The BladeSinger's Tune

"Art, swordplay, and arcane magic a bard can meld all of these into a harmonious whole."

Balance
Ability: Minor
Activation: Automatic.

A bard can apply their knowledge of performing arts and acrobatics (General Lore skills) to making reflex saves.

Diplomacy
Ability: Major
Activation: Verb diplomacy

A bard finding themselves in dire straights in the middle of combat or such, can once a day attempt a parlay with all creatures in the room. Calling a halt to all combat in the local area. This can be used but not abused during war-time.
A bard's success at parlay is his or her RP Fame + charisma + lore.
Note: Can only be used on intelligent or semi-intelligent but not dumb creatures.

Song of Celerity
Ability: Major
Activation: Sung at a bard using a 1st tier enchante.
Can be sung only at another bard who is singing an enchante. The enchanting Song of Celerity temporarily converts any 1st tier enchante into an instantaneous room spell effect. It also causes the song it's effecting to end. But can be used to initiate fast bard-effects.

Song Fury
Ability: Minor
Activation: Recall Song Fury

Song Fury, is an inner voice, a mental song played in the bard's head of remmemered lyrics and tunes from learning Song Fury.

When a bard makes an attack with 1 weapon and nothing in other hand while the Song Fury is activated, the first attack round time is reduced to 0, while the second is always normal.

Dancing Fae
Ability: Minor
Activation: Bardic Spell

Dancing Fae is a cantrip bardic spell, a bard can by drawing on the songs of the elemental forces, call the fae to them from the enchanted realm. Dancing Fae increase a bard's charisma by enchanting all around bard with their sweet charisma.

Simple Image
Ability: Minor
Activation: Bardic Spell

Simple Image creates one image of a bard's design up to 68 characters in length. The duration is up to 1 hour, and can be dispelled at any time.

prep simple image 6
cast simple image
Casting Simple Image Please specify appearance.
>A silver unicorn hoof.
Image accepted.
A poof of smoke rises up as you raise your hands, chanting an arcane phrase: Lir, andwen coronoa!
The smoke vanishes leaving a silver unicorn hoof in it's place.
Look hoof.
You see a silver unicorn hoof.
Get hoof.
Your hand goes through the illusion disturbing the spell matrix enough to cause it to collapse in a faint shimmer of light.

Bear Warrior: Barbarian Ability

Bear Warrior
Ability: Major
Manifestation: Quest
Activation: Verb

Inner fire manifests into an inner vision of a bear surrounded by a wreathe of flames. By focusing in on that bear, a Bear Warrior uses his Inner Fire to transform himself into a grizzly bear. Doing so, is one of the ultimate uses of Inner Fire, that of outer transformation thru the use of mental beliefs.

Barbarians get a new set of combat moves in bear form.
Knock-down blow: attacks drop opponents prone.
Roars: All roars can still be used effectively in Bear form.
Smack: Uses a barbarian's transformed brute strength to send an ally or opponent flying into the next room where they land prone and stunned.
Befriend Player: When in Bearform, using this verb allows players with active friendship with the bear to lovingly hug, stroke, and pet them (although I'm sure no barbarian would admit to allowing this, except in extreme circumstances involving family.)
Growl Warn Player: You growl a warning at player standing up to your full 7' height and showing all your teeth.
pummel: 4-claw attack combo in one verb. Similiar in attack value to bash or attack. Slashing damage based on a formula of Brawling, Strength doubled for bear form, innerfire and reflexes.
Maul: Rake an opponent with a bear claw, damages 3 adjacent bodyparts in 1 hit.
Choke: Chokes can still be used in bear form.
Bat: You can playfully bat a person, object, or creature around. Works a lot like a grapple attack in brawling, forcibly circling and pushing a character, object, or creature around.

Bardic Luck

Bardic Luck
Ability: Minor
Activated by meditating upon a spirit knot 1/day. Bard syntax: 'Lucky ' gives a large 10 second competetence bonus to the bard in said skill. Works with any skill. Limited Uses.

Slick Mentality

Slick Mentality:
Ability: Minor
Activation: Automatic
If a bard is held under a spell, a second check is made 10 seconds later to see if she slips free of it. A bard gets an additional third, fourth, fifth, and sixth check every several levels after ability is learned.

Dartanian & Vaedrill's list of things to do

DR-DARTENIAN

Polly's Perch

Re: Mech me Please! · on 10/21/2004 2:46:08 PM

4460

> Repair idea has alot of flaws because 49 out of 100 people would walk around breaking instruments. Goodness, and I always thought you were the cynic and I was the optimist, Tea! I woulda put the number at more like 93 out of a 100. Heh. Right now I'm banging my head against a few other projects, but amazingly enough I'm actually making a bit of progress finally. I've got about 5 Bard projects left to get into QC (yes, I said left...make of that what you will), and then I'll take a peek at repair/upkeep and see if there's anything I can do there without having to rewrite the entire system. This is all assuming I don't get a dozen new projects dumped on my from on high before then. - GM Dartenian Platinum Events Team Gnome & Kaldar Champion

DR-VAELDRIIL

Messenger of Things Bardic

Re: Mech me Please! · on 10/22/2004 4:52:29 PM

4469

<> This year will not be as dry as either Dart or I thought it would be. ::smile:: I have some stuff to to test. And build. And... -Vaeldriil

Does this mean I should stop for now, for... 6 months? Or just make nothing but finished draft after finished draft of ideas for bardic abilities until they want more? It would probably be less distracting. *ponders*

I like Dartanian's parrots. I'm a geeky, DR fan, and I love those 2 DM's!

New Consent Verbs

Verba movent, exempla trahunt.

New Verb/System to Help with Consent Clarification · on 11/5/2004 4:50:40 PM 1270 Within the next few days, we'll be testing releasing a new verb/system that should help out with consent issues in some cases, particularly for those of you who like to play out scenarios that could result in someone getting...hurt. Here's the information on how it works: Usage: WARN In this case, the verb is simply messaging, with no real functionality. WARN [of ] When this method is employed, an OOC message will be sent to the player, privately letting them know your feelings, to clear up any possible doubt about where you both stand. Records are kept of all communications issued and received, as well as whether they were acknowledged or declined, as applicable. WARN COMBAT Suitable for roleplayed conflicts where it is to the players' advantage to have consent on record. The receiving player will have an opportunity to acknowledge the warning so that any potential conflict can be settled to both parties' satisfaction. Note that the agreement terminates once either player dies or one hour has passed. WARN HARASSMENT Suitable when someone's actions have transgressed beyond the boundaries of acceptable, normal roleplay and are disrupting your enjoyment of the game. This should not be used lightly. You will be expected to behave yourself as well as the person to whom you issued such a statement. WARN INTERACTION Suitable for expressing to the other party that you wish to have NO INTERACTION WHATSOEVER with them. This option should not be used unless you are willing to remove yourself from the presence of the person to whom you issue it. Upon issuance, both players should immediately go their separate ways and cease all interaction with each other, including (but not limited to) conversations regarding the other player with third parties (besides staff members). Note that in all cases, this verb is simply for improved communication. Policy and handling of situations remains unchanged, and under no circumstances should the WARN verb be viewed as an excuse or license to take matters into your own hands, should the other party ignore your wishes. As always, your best course of action in such a situation is to place an ASSIST and speak with a GameHost. Obviously, I'll let you know when it's released. We hope to be ready for testing this weekend and then once we have the logging and everything working properly, we'll be adding in some other small features (for example, a way to jump right into CHALLENGE mode without the messaging for times when you want to beat someone, but not necessarily kill them, etc.).

I for one, am a happy bard over this improvement! It makes me more apt to come back to DR now that there is a way to clearly state my intentions with Miw. I'm still deeply (furiously) angry at that bastard son of a bastard. I feel like spilling into a frothing full-on barbarian's berzerk Rage whenever I think of him. I think that until I outgrow my anger for this individual I will be staying voluntarily IN retirement, away from DRPRIME, and yet, I will remain here in spirit writing the D'kara in hopes of improving the game for my friends.

Ability for Barbarians

Frightful Stance
Ability: Minor
At Fury level a barbarian's honor and fighting prowess have become legendary, when barb draws his blade opponents in the room, outside of group become panicked and shaken, nervously fleeing death.

Bardic Fighting Finesse

I'm going to start making my own adapted Bard Quotes of the day, we'll see how long THAT lasts! Also going to start listing abilities as Major or Minor.
"When Bards pick battles carefully, a bard can become a deadly opponent, not to mention hard to pin down."

Fighting Finesse
Bardic Ability: Major
The Fighting Finesse ability opens new doors to fighting as a classical bard, and could lead to being named Songsworn.
This ability gives bards a series of weapon-related actions.
Criss-cross: A fanciful, if elaborate edged flourish, changes opponents appearance under injuries, and disguises a player's clothing with a temporary minor illusion: A creatures clothing hangs in tatters, the creature has some cuts and bruises across the chest.
Button: Using the tip of your (weapon) you casually pick off a button from creature's shirt. This ability creates a random color/appearance button on the floor. To make it virtually impossible for bards to become bored with this one, I suggest making 1,000 button types to be randomly picked from. Some may be more common than others. These buttons can later be used in custom alterations. Although I can just IMAGINE a bard doing this thousands of times trying to get a rare goldbark button or something similiar.
Flea: Carefully approaching, you quickly stab your weapon through the heart of an unfortunate bug, Squish-Ka-Barb!
Salute: You raise your weapon so that it's parallel to your nose, you then swipe it down in a quick flourish at (creature/player)
Flashy Fighting: Enabling this gives a bard a bonus to all feint attacks, as it has a chance of bedazzling the opponent through your sheer weapon prowess. Works same as Feint, just more fanciful descriptions for bards.
Fire: You dance and whirl, dancing as a whirlwind of flames, your weapon hungrily licks at (creature).
Grace: You raise your sword up to block. Works same as Parry, only defending bard gains a small competetence bonus to parries. ex. Creature one attacks, Parry. Creature 2 attacks. Parry. Creature 3 attacks, Parry. Room message: You watch with awe as Bard locks weapons with creature and creature and creature parrying 3 attacks with one swift motion.
Psychometric Gift: Your eyes go out of focus and you sense a crossing between the lines of fate and destiny within your weapon, you sense for a moment a glimpse of the future and without hesitating strike true. Single shot Huge, kick arse! skill bonus in weapon, does not stack with other enchante effects or attack enhancing abilities. Could take weeks of play to recover from using it.

Gift use is very hard on a bard's mojo, it can take a great deal of recovery time for a bard to recover from using the Gift. Indeed although some bards talk about it, many bards simply do not possess the proper lineage to use the deemed Gift. High pre-reqs before this part of Weapon Finesse can become useable. I call it something to look forward to.

Why Psychometry? Bards as a whole I've decided seem to have some Psychometric powers from the Instrument Bonding ability, I've been attempting to elaborate on these, and pushing them as far as the envelope will go or even bend.

Acrobatics: Bard bounces off the walls, literrally! Becomes a virtually untouchable whirlwind. Uses the Dodge command, but unlike dodge gives a significant bonus to the bard as long as bard is unhindered.

Acrobatic Charge: Charge to melee with a creature that others perhaps cannot engage. Like a critter that has 3 at melee with it. A bard can use the lunge command to commense on an Acrobatic Charge, putting the bard immediately at melee facing creature, and dealing combat damage. Different messages could accompany different settings:
Outdoors Rocky wilderness: Bard leaps over a boulder and with a startling yell charges straight into the melee knocking (random player) away from (creature/player)
Urban: Bard dodges through the crowd, jumps over a market stand and plunges his sword into (creature/player).
Ships On deck: Bard grabs ahold of the rigging and swinging wildly over the melee drops down from the line sword already swinging at (creature/player) with a loud "Har! Ye mates!"
Ships Below deck: Bard leaps over fishnets and bundles, tumbling end over end to come up on her feet at melee with (creature/player) .
This part of the system should remain open-ended so more terrains can be added later on as needed.

Fighting Finesse Combat Pool - this is gained by successfully using attacks without lunge or pole-melee charges, is used specifically for all Fighting Finesse abilities.

Acrobatic Mastery: Can climb or swim out of melee combat without needing to retreat if the option to climb or swim is immediately available.

Deabilitating strike 1:
Ability: Automatic. Can be toggled on/off. 10% chance permanently removes 1 pt. of strength from opponent. (this can be later retrained for players, with half the cost of the original one.)

Deabilitating strike 2:
Ability: Automatic. 10% chance of permanently removing 2 pts. of strength and 1 pt. of stamina.

DeAbillitating strike 3:
Ability: automatic. 10% chance of permanently removing 3 pts of strength, 2 pts of stamina, and 1 pt of random stat.

And before anyone says no, I'd like to point out that bards don't really want to hurt people, were nice folk really. But sometimes, the best deterrant to being picked on is the threat of an excellent counter-attack.

Bardic Wit

Bardic Ability
Abillity: Minor
Activation: Verbs
Wit (sharp, scathing, fury, cutting, barbed, sexy, quick, etc.)

Only works on creatures that can understand languages, but perhaps could work with Tongues to work with any creature.

I'm sure if asked, the rest of the guildsibs can add another dozen or 3 to the list.

Wit sharp (creature)
You sharply speak to (creature). "You clumbsy, bumbling, fish-toad lout! "
Failure:
Creature retorts defiantly. "Wat ya goin' do 'bout it ham hand?"
Success:
Creature drops it's weapons hunkers down and whimpers. (unless it's a player then player puts tucks em in player's backpack, even if backpack or pack is closed.)
Benefits: Creature goes defenseless until you attack it.

Admittedly this is 'strong-arm' role-playing, but sometimes it's needed. *wink*

Wit Fury (creature)
You glare indimidatingly at (creature) and say, "I hate you, you useless meat-shield!"
Failure:
Creatures glares back at you and says, "I hate you too, you useless Bard."
Success:
Creature stares down at feet and breaks down into hopeless shuddering sobs.
Benefits: Creature becomes more succeptible to Offensive Bardic enchantes and abilities.


Wit Sexy (creature)
You smile smoothly at (creature) and say, "How about a round over at the Bar?"
Failure:
Creature breaks into a toothy grin and says, "Anytime Sweetheart."
Success:
Creature blushes and giggles.
Benefits: Creature becomes more succeptible to Charm-like Bardic Enchantes and Abilities.

Wit Quick (creature)
You raise your hand to give (creature ) a high five.
Failure:
Creature smirks and sniggers to itself ignoring your offer. You feel like the fool.
Success:
Creature moves to give you a high five, but you snatch your hand away just in time. Laughing.
You palm a silver piece that you just snatched from Creature. (I think the amt you steal should be relevant to a bard's stealing ability, which should be significantly more for bards than their thief counterparts to get anything more than a few coppers and other oddities.)

Actually, having in truth thought on this a bit more... *wink*
Perhaps you should make it so a player has the option, instead of it being a skill check, to accept or decline an offer which gives the bard automatic success if accepted, or failure if not.

Let Bards rule the world!

*evil laugh* Yes, for 4 hours I was alone, alone with the D&D Complete guide to Classes. I'm thinking, deeply thinking of the proposed Bard Sects. I could propobably adapt & base them off of Dervish, Drunken Master, LoreMaster, BladeSinger, Rage Mage and a few others. This would give the bards 8 different sects. I'm thinking sects available at lvl. 100! It's a nice, even, rounded number. If I were a DM, if I were a DM i'd probably try it, and go insane! Mwhaahahaha! Evil mood today. Prestige Classes in DR too!

I did my best to go through the entire book, yes I did, I did! And look at all the classes therein to try and pick, or adapt class abilities into bard abilities, and I sat, and yes, wrote them all down in my handy pad for 4 hours!

My thinking at the moment is to go through every D&D book, magazine, or resource along with all other written Roleplay material in existance and pick out potential bard abilities from those on classes, feats, and specials, then adapt and rewrite them specifically for DragonRealms Bards as super-awesome, kick-butt stuff.

Hmm, sounds like a LOT of work, I will solicity Shavay's help.

Ideation notes found!

So I was digging around, and I found a collection of my first ideation notes, dating from 2000. That was before I went all goth mentally for a while. I'm still looking through them, but I've found a bunch of older enchante raw concepts, and some nifty bardy ideas, which I've since revised, polished up multiple times, and refreshed the ideas on. Perhaps it's time to revisit and re-polish again by reviewing what I was thinking 4 years ago.

On the thought of Ideation, one of the teachers whose known me since I started at MVCC back in '99 told me yesterday "We need to find a job for you hun, one that lets you just sit around and make ideas for other people to carry out."

So yup, I'm looking! Seriously! On the otherhand, that had me thinking that maybe I should just start up my own business in a few years after I seriously contemplate things, and get finances and moola together. I'm thinking the Ideation Network, or Ideas and Innovations for the company name. Offerings would be improvements on additional products, feedback on company products, and new product ideas. Since it would be more a service business, I'd need to charge by the hour, and since I'd be on my own, I'd have to bill my hours at double what one gets for ordinary salary. Half of an entreprenuers earnings go straight to the IRS. I could perhaps stretch it, and declare myself a Crafter, from what I understand that would free me from a lot of taxes, and I would only have to pay the county for a temporary license to sell. Which I could renew/buy everytime I got a client. Which I think at first would be rather sketchy anyways.

Battle Tactics

A lot of combat has been re-written and changed lately, so I'm going to ask for a general call of submissions to Battle Tactics for material. A variety of topics, including the newest on weapons, spells, special abilities, is needed. email all submissions to SkaldSircha@yahoo.com Please include your character name so it can be used as a reference, or if I like your writing style enough, your entire article may be added!

Please write all submissions only from Direct Experience with the combat system, or thru interviewing other characters like Barbarians, Paladins, and asking them for their best moves.

Also I'll be expanding/improving the Legendary Weapons category, so if you have a weapon with a name, submit it with a weapon history, and how your character first found it!

Battle Tactics

Yes, I'm revamping the website in Yahoo's Online WYISWYG Wizard works editor. I have to say, I'm downright impressed so far with what it can do. Not nearly as confusing as the new Dreamweaver MX. To take a peek at my reconstruction efforts check out: http://www.geocities.skaldsircha.battletactics_main.htm

A lot of combat has been re-written and changed lately, so I'm going to ask for a general call of submissions to Battle Tactics for material. A variety of topics, including the newest on weapons, spells, special abilities, is needed. email all submissions to SkaldSircha@yahoo.com Please include your character name so it can be used as a reference, or if I like your writing style enough, your entire article may be added!

Since I don't play at this time I can't exactly offer any game goodies. But when I do come back anyone who submits, can probably see at least a silver piece coming their way.

Cravings...

Some women get chocolate cravings when the monthly thing comes around, me, I get irrefutable DragonRealms cravings everytime the monthly thing comes around. Maybe it's conditioning from all the adrenaline rushes I got from playing for over 6 years? I was day-dreaming of talking to Markhor IC, and wiring him some moola over Paypal for holding some things for me for a very long time. It's going to be a full year in December, a full year of cold-turkey from playing that game. God, I so want to go back, just a month, one month. That's all I need, just 1 month!!!

But I have that student loan to pay off, and I still need to pay for another semester of college, and luckily I stay at home, with my parents otherwise. *shake* The hubby divorced me last year in december, I was so depressed, he said I was too messy, and too slobby to make a 'proper' wife, and that wooing and eloping with me had been the worst mistake of his life. I can't shake the confusion I feel because it was all him, he was always bringing me flowers, and telling me he loved me, and then the ring, I thought it was going quickly but, at the time it all seemed so right. Even though we were 'married' we both were still living in our parents homes. I still feel broken and hurt inside over it all. Within 6 months he re-married, yeah that was fast! This time, he says he knows what marriage really is, and he appologized for the hell he put me through by marrying me without knowing who I really was, and then revoking the marriage just like that when he did know. He told me that at the time his diabetes was totally out of control, and that most of what he had done, had been ruled by drastic mood changes caused by out of control diabetes type 2. I'm sorry, I just have a hard time believing it.

Then this old roleplaying friend came back into my life, and, were dating now after a summer romance. It was nice, and brought me out of my depression. He's been sweet, so sweet! And I feel I can actually talk to him, like really TALK you know! And he's insightful and thoughtful, really like a true muse, and I just feel so in love with him now, we both say I love you, but sometimes I find myself wondering if I really mean it. Knowing the kind of commitment he wants from me, marriage, sex, and at least 2 children. I've heard childbirth is really painful, and at 22 I just don't think I'm ready for it. I want to, at least be me, before I start having kids. Like, I just became an adult, I want to develop who I am, before I do anything else. Some is developed, but other aspects of myself I want, I need to do that myself, and I think it's going to take a few years.

Animal Empathy

Empaths, Rangers and Bards share something in common, an empathy towards all life. One cannot be a bard and not be somehow connected to the populace and life of Elanthia. The same goes for Empaths. A bard understanding and knowing how to soothe a human, can also soothe a wild beast, calming it's rage, they can therefore possibly tame a wild animal for use as a one-time ride with the concentrated aid from an Empath and Ranger. This does not extend to evil animals and will only work for large, huge or collossal sized creatures. The animal must be a living breathing entity with some intelligence. Now, what I thought would be really, really cool.

Taming beasts that are often hunted, (but it only lasts for 1 elanthian day) to carry the bard and companions to a single destination, and then dump them there, and take off, free again. Now I'm thinking... critters for this: la'tami (flight only but it could get over the chasm to shard faster than the gondola), leucros, crocodiles (water travel only), swamp trolls (piggy back ride), rock guardians, peccaries.

Ideation Thoughts

Hmm... well, Dartenian said anything combat, weapons, non-enchante ability type things for Bards to be put forward and proposed. He's presumably a minor coder for the game and all. *sigh*

Honestly, I think I dried up my well for bardic enchantes 2 years ago. Bardic abilities however... but with any and all powers, one needs to do a touch of research here and there to spark the imagination. So, having nearly exhausted everything I've seen or read in LOTR, Anne MacCaffrey, David Eddings, and the huge host of 1990's Hi-Science Fiction and Fantasy writers. It is time to delve into the unknown! I'm going to try and get Meek-Rob to let me borrow his Book of Feats published by AD&D (hasbro corporation) and try to come up with some new bardic combat abilities loosely based on said book, by looking through each feat, and thinking, bard, bard, where could I fit all I know about DR bards into here? I've already gone through my entire compendium of Palladium: Unlimited Superheroes, and done exactly that. See all posts on October 30th, 31st.

But of course, as usual, sometimes when I'm looking through material, I'll come across something that makes me think, oooh, perfect thief thing, or oooh, just the thing for a moon mage! Those too, get added to this blog although rarely do I think of something that doesn't already mimic a spell or ability these guilds already have.

As a lurker on the boards, I keep reading about people complaining how Bards are so broken. I have to say, I don't think that's true, bards are not broken, they never were. Underpowered and underdeveloped, yes. But never broken. What's broken in DR is any ability that gives one guild a power so massive, that it can kill indiscriminitely members of other guilds who have equal or greater skills. So following these lines, Barbarians, Clerics, Rangers and Moonmages are BROKEN! Just like being a Half-Giant, Half-faerie dragon giving you complete spell immunity, with 30 strength at CL adjustment 4th level is broken in AD&D. Or a thief and Black Guard Assasin who takes Improved Inititive, Quick Draw, and Flick of the Wrist is also very Broken!

Battlekindred Shared Ability Bard & Paladin

Battlekindred, allows a group of bards to close ranks in combat, arranging themselves back-to-back as combat starts. This prevents a bard in a group of 2 or more from getting flanked. Those with the ability Battlekindred, can aid each other, by attacking critters meleeing with those they're back to back with. They can also choose to use the command Defend to place their shield or even body over someone who just got hit bad, moving that person to the center of the group and out of melee with all critters, (but still at pole and ranged) if there is a group of more than 3 with the battlekindred ability together. Otherwise, if using defend with only 2 battlekindred, then Bard defending goes to melee with all the critters that were on the defended, and parries attacks that were aimed at the now defended.

This ability emerged over time, as travelling troupes of bards evolved a need to protect themselves and their friends from roadside bandits. Paladins observing some bards doing this selfless trick sought to learn it for themselves.