Bard stories [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bard stories [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
snakeman830
03-29-07, 09:20 PM To really get into roleplaying a bard, you need a few stories/peoms/songs to share along the road. Anyone else have some tho share? here's mine that I wrote in 30 minutes.

When daylight goes to sleep
And the night awakens
I will tell you the sad, sad story
Of the noble knight Haveken.

He was known for his fair judgment
And for his healing hands
And it was only great evil
Of which he tried to rid the land.

He had his virtuous friends
And he glowed in their eyes
But nobody would ever suspect
That soon they would despise.

They traveled the world
Cutting down fiends and undead
The world saw only one hero
And the others soon wanted his head.

It went this way for many years
And more evil was brought to and end,
Before Havekan noticed
All was not well with his friends.

In his rage he felled his companions
Then overwhelmed in strife
Haveken put down his corrupted sword
And quickly took up the knife.

He continued his crusade
But his perceptions were twisted;
He fought against the oppressed
And the angels overhead.

Haveken continued this
For many, many years
Until his once grand name was spoken
In incomparable fear

Much later he returned to the spot
Where he had killed his friends
He was only then overcome with grief
And brought about his end

His companions’ spirits were laid to rest
As his noble heart awakened
And so ends the mighty tale
Of the fallen knight, Haveken.
Thugorp
03-29-07, 11:00 PM To really get into roleplaying a bard, you need a few stories/peoms/songs to share along the road. Anyone else have some tho share? here's mine that I wrote in 30 minutes.

When daylight goes to sleep
And the night awakens
I will tell you the sad, sad story
Of the noble knight Haveken.

He was known for his fair judgment
And for his healing hands
And it was only great evil
Of which he tried to rid the land.

He had his virtuous friends
And he glowed in their eyes
But nobody would ever suspect
That soon they would despise.

They traveled the world
Cutting down fiends and undead
The world saw only one hero
And the others soon wanted his head.

It went this way for many years
And more evil was brought to and end,
Before Havekan noticed
All was not well with his friends.

In his rage he felled his companions
Then overwhelmed in strife
Haveken put down his corrupted sword
And quickly took up the knife.

He continued his crusade
But his perceptions were twisted;
He fought against the oppressed
And the angels overhead.

Haveken continued this
For many, many years
Until his once grand name was spoken
In incomparable fear

Much later he returned to the spot
Where he had killed his friends
He was only then overcome with grief
And brought about his end

His companions’ spirits were laid to rest
As his noble heart awakened
And so ends the mighty tale
Of the fallen knight, Haveken.

im not sure that really counts as a poem, it didnt ryme. and even if it wasn't suposed to it should, if it, were a poem have a meter (such as but not nessisaraly iambic pentamiter). it was an ok storie though. However in the case of it beeing a storie it should have been wrighten in paragraph form instead of what you had, which is what poets use to brake the sentences up wherever the author wants the reader to paws. (and like always sorry about my spelling)

any way as to the question and the topic of the board: I usually like to use real poams like for instance, I like to recite The Road not Taken which can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_Not_Taken , every once and a while when we have to choos one of two forkes in a road and we have absolutaly no idea which one is the right one. Or for those times when we are deeling with a hakneed fire element vs. cold element, situation i would quote the poem Fire and Ice, by Robert Frost:
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

really there is enough poetry out there to keep a bard going for ever, its just a matter of looking for it.
snakeman830
03-30-07, 05:53 PM im not sure that really counts as a poem, it didnt ryme. and even if it wasn't suposed to it should, if it, were a poem have a meter (such as but not nessisaraly iambic pentamiter). it was an ok storie though. However in the case of it beeing a storie it should have been wrighten in paragraph form instead of what you had, which is what poets use to brake the sentences up wherever the author wants the reader to paws. (and like always sorry about my spelling)

Not sure I follow. The second and fourth lines did rhyme (read it again and you'll know I'm right). The first and third weren't supposed to.
Plus, not all poems have meter (The Odessy, anyone?).

I'm not claiming to be an expert at this. (remember, I wrote that in 30 minutes).

Anyone else have stories/poems/songs they've used?
Azarias
03-30-07, 08:28 PM First off, this is a great idea. Writing poetry for your bard - I like that.

Secondly: you can't go far wrong with Frost. Well actually you can, but Fire and Ice and The Road Less Travelled (is that the title? I forget) are perfect for a d&d bard, really. The former would be rather good for an evoker or kineticist of a poetic bent too.

Other suggestions: Ted Hughes's Crow poems have a totemic, mythical quality which would do well for a bard. The Yoruba hunting poems are also fantastic and would fit the bill. I don't have links but you could google any of these.

But it's much more fun to write your own poems for your own bard. If that's what you want, here's a few suggestions:

(1) Rhyme and rhythm: these are nets for catching poetry; they're not the poetry itself. If you are going to use them, though, think about what they're for. Both are essentially forms of repetition. What does repetition do for the reader? Why is it pleasing?

Neither rhyme and rhythm have to be perfect. But you want to be able to do them perfectly before you start jazzing them up. The half-rhymes in the piece of writing above don't play around with perfect rhyme so much as they miss the point of it. Have a look at the two Frost poems mentioned and see what he does with rhyme: then have a look at a Paul Muldoon poem called Why Brownlee Left (again, sorry for linklessness; Google it and you'll find it online) and see how a poet can use imperfect rhyme intentionally.

(2) Bards are (traditionally, and on the whole in-game) poets working in an oral tradition: in that tradition, all those repetitive tools have the added function of aiding recitation. They'll help you, too, if you're reciting your poem at the gaming table. Keep in mind that precise repetitions will do eactly the job for you that they traditionally did for the performing bard. For this, you'll want to look at something like this -
http://www.geocities.com/pagantheology/myth/rymer.html
- which is a good example of oral poetry that has survived in written form.

(3) There's nothing wrong with writing a poem in 30 minutes: many poets write poetry like this, and some make a habit of not rewriting (DH Lawrence never allowed redrafting, for example). But poetry is like singing; everyone can try it, but that's not to say it's easy to do it really well. The main thing is to keep practising. I think it's a fantastic idea to try and write poetry for your bard. Keep at it, and you'll only get better.

(4) Have a think about using some of the other repetitions traditionally used in oral (and written) poetry. Assonance, alliteration, and straight phrasal repetition will all give your poetry depth and richness if you use them carefully. For an example of this, have (another) look at Jabberwocky (Lewis Carroll): see how the first and final stanzas pull it together.

(5) Finally: all these tools - rhyme and rhythm, assonance and alliteration, and pure chant-like repetition - be aware that they're powerful tools. Use them sparingly and with care. Overuse them, and the poetry in your poetry will be blasted into nothing. Don't think for a moment that these things
are poetry. They're your nets: poetry is a much more beautiful and slippery thing than that.

Happy hunting!
snakeman830
03-31-07, 05:00 PM :bump:

I'm still looking for other people's stories/poems/songs. I agree that the famous poets are great, but I was looking for some player-written stuff.
Azarias
03-31-07, 06:47 PM A Wanderer's Curse

Promise me you won't forget
and I will promise something slight:

that all your journeys will be my journey
where no one stands waiting
at your stations

that all your homes will be my home
where the clock's tick
seeds its age
into your bones.

Promise me you won't forget
and I will promise what you'll get:

that looking for evening air
or space alone, or someone there
under the red night of cities -
windows and river-lights laid out
like cut stone on a jeweller's cloth -

all you will find is distances,
a fear of falling,
a need to run.

Remember I will still be there.
I promise I'll never forget
the deadbeat of your heart
in the dark,
the belling of your laughter there.
Remember that I won't forget
and you will always have my fear.

After The Cursing

When the cursing is all done,
when the words are made and gone,
don't stop yet. Wait and sit

in the midpoint of the night,
while the day and new day join,
and the far coordinates

of the starlights gently turn
let the heat of hatred burn
out into the breathless space

sit in the heart's pause
while the moon loses its light
and the dawn is weak as thought

all around the rim of Earth
softly sit and softly laugh
for the freedom, and the dearth

where the hatred used to writhe
let the hatred be a wreath.

Close your eyes on all of this and breathe.
RPGfan
03-31-07, 06:56 PM Not an actual peom, but still woth a mention.

Bard: "I cast Tasha's Hideous Laughter at the Ogre."
DM: "Isn't that a joke spell?"
Bard: "Only when a Wizard casts it."
Wizard: "Hey!"

Also, the songs from The Hobbit are pretty good.
snakeman830
04-02-07, 06:26 PM :bump: Finally! This is what I was talking about!!!
PurinaDragonChow
04-02-07, 06:47 PM There once was a gnome from Nantucket...
snakeman830
04-03-07, 07:18 PM :bump:
JulesCARV
04-03-07, 10:34 PM My last bard was a paladin/bard, so naturally all of his stories had to be moralistic, heavy-handed, and trite :).

I based one of the stories I told on James Thurber's "The Last Flower," except I made it about Athas instead of Earth. (hey, it kinda fits) Now, as for how my bard heard vague, distant rumors of Athas while on Eberron... that's a mystery. (of course, as far as he knew, it was all a myth)

I also liked Grushenka's onion story in The Brother's Karamazov. Seems like the sort of thing a paladin of the Silver Flame would like.

If I think of any more... I'll see.
docballen
04-03-07, 10:59 PM There is a movie called Reign of Fire. In it the hero and one of the other village men tell the story of a white wizard named Luke Skywalker who fights a black wizard named Darth Vader. They reenact the story using broomsticks as lightsabres. You could do something similar by retelling "famous" movie or TV show plots just make them sound "olde-fashioned".
JolanthusTrel
04-04-07, 08:56 AM I have a bard that specalises in Bawdy Tavern songs for a more comedic effect but he is quite smart when he needs to be. He just has a short attention span.

Anyway, This is one of his short songs.

There once was an elf from far away, a blacksmith he be
He once kissed a pretty fey, then sulked off in a tree
And that’s where I surprised him, I shot up from the ground
Kissed his little fishy lips and then disappeared back down

But then I thought he loved me as he came in from the cold
I wrapped my arms around him then asked a question very bold
With a massage of his shoulders and a nibble on his ear
I asked. “Shall it be your’s or my room, my handsome little dear?"

But fish boy didn’t love me, tried to stab me in the foot
He gave me such a heated glare, that could turn a forest into soot!
So fish boy doesn’t love me, and that’s the way it’ll stay
But I’ll still torment fish boy, for forever and a day!
snakeman830
04-04-07, 09:49 PM Some of these are intresting, so...
:bump:
Sands_Of_Chaos
04-04-07, 11:46 PM The bard who left one behind

Astros was truly a wanderer, leaving entire years behind in the haze of youthful waste and reckless adventure. No man is an island however, for he was wealthy in comrades from all walks of life both reputable and questionable. His happyness was easy shattered one day: not by sword or spell, but by parcel sent air mail. A long lost love, seeking nothing in return, informed foolish Astros of another left long behind. A child, no longer baby in stature; at least several years of age, smiling despite an empty home. Like a bolt through his heart, Astros sank. No longer did the looming fields of verden delight soothe his wandering soul. All that he sought was in a cottage of simple means, for not all the treasure in seven dead king's tombs could content a father seperated. Distanced by space and time, he must die in silence, inside and alone.
Rhuxley
04-05-07, 08:31 AM Plus, not all poems have meter (The Odessy, anyone?).

WTF are you talking about? The odessy totaly has a meter. I learned about it in college, and I remember failing that part of the exam.
snakeman830
04-06-07, 03:23 PM :bump:
baronvonboxy
04-08-07, 12:44 PM "Bard's Song" by Blind Guardian

Now you all know
The bards and their songs
When hours have gone by
I'll close my eyes
In a world far away
We may meet again
But now hear my song
About the dawn of the night
Let's sing the bards' song

Tomorrow will take us away
Far from home
No one will ever know our names
But the bards' songs will remain
Tomorrow will take it away
The fear of today
It will be gone
Due to our magic songs

There's only one song
Left in my mind
Tales of a brave man
Who lived far from here
Now the bard songs are over
And it's time to leave
No one should ask you for the name
Of the one
Who tells the story

Tomorrow will take us away
Far from home
No one will ever know our names
But the bards' songs will remain
Tomorrow all will be known
And you're not alone
So don't be afraid
In the dark and cold
'Cause the bards' songs will remain
They all will remain

In my thoughts and in my dreams
They're always in my mind
These songs of hobbits, dwarves and men
And elves
Come close your eyes
You can see them too

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
snakeman830 03-29-07, 09:20 PM	To really get into roleplaying a bard, you need a few stories/peoms/songs to share along the road. Anyone else have some tho share? here's mine that I wrote in 30 minutes. When daylight goes to sleep And the night awakens I will tell you the sad, sad story Of the noble knight Haveken. He was known for his fair judgment And for his healing hands And it was only great evil Of which he tried to rid the land. He had his virtuous friends And he glowed in their eyes But nobody would ever suspect That soon they would despise. They traveled the world Cutting down fiends and undead The world saw only one hero And the others soon wanted his head. It went this way for many years And more evil was brought to and end, Before Havekan noticed All was not well with his friends. In his rage he felled his companions Then overwhelmed in strife Haveken put down his corrupted sword And quickly took up the knife. He continued his crusade But his perceptions were twisted; He fought against the oppressed And the angels overhead. Haveken continued this For many, many years Until his once grand name was spoken In incomparable fear Much later he returned to the spot Where he had killed his friends He was only then overcome with grief And brought about his end His companions’ spirits were laid to rest As his noble heart awakened And so ends the mighty tale Of the fallen knight, Haveken.
Thugorp 03-29-07, 11:00 PM	To really get into roleplaying a bard, you need a few stories/peoms/songs to share along the road. Anyone else have some tho share? here's mine that I wrote in 30 minutes. When daylight goes to sleep And the night awakens I will tell you the sad, sad story Of the noble knight Haveken. He was known for his fair judgment And for his healing hands And it was only great evil Of which he tried to rid the land. He had his virtuous friends And he glowed in their eyes But nobody would ever suspect That soon they would despise. They traveled the world Cutting down fiends and undead The world saw only one hero And the others soon wanted his head. It went this way for many years And more evil was brought to and end, Before Havekan noticed All was not well with his friends. In his rage he felled his companions Then overwhelmed in strife Haveken put down his corrupted sword And quickly took up the knife. He continued his crusade But his perceptions were twisted; He fought against the oppressed And the angels overhead. Haveken continued this For many, many years Until his once grand name was spoken In incomparable fear Much later he returned to the spot Where he had killed his friends He was only then overcome with grief And brought about his end His companions’ spirits were laid to rest As his noble heart awakened And so ends the mighty tale Of the fallen knight, Haveken. im not sure that really counts as a poem, it didnt ryme. and even if it wasn't suposed to it should, if it, were a poem have a meter (such as but not nessisaraly iambic pentamiter). it was an ok storie though. However in the case of it beeing a storie it should have been wrighten in paragraph form instead of what you had, which is what poets use to brake the sentences up wherever the author wants the reader to paws. (and like always sorry about my spelling) any way as to the question and the topic of the board: I usually like to use real poams like for instance, I like to recite The Road not Taken which can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_Not_Taken , every once and a while when we have to choos one of two forkes in a road and we have absolutaly no idea which one is the right one. Or for those times when we are deeling with a hakneed fire element vs. cold element, situation i would quote the poem Fire and Ice, by Robert Frost: Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. really there is enough poetry out there to keep a bard going for ever, its just a matter of looking for it.
snakeman830 03-30-07, 05:53 PM	im not sure that really counts as a poem, it didnt ryme. and even if it wasn't suposed to it should, if it, were a poem have a meter (such as but not nessisaraly iambic pentamiter). it was an ok storie though. However in the case of it beeing a storie it should have been wrighten in paragraph form instead of what you had, which is what poets use to brake the sentences up wherever the author wants the reader to paws. (and like always sorry about my spelling) Not sure I follow. The second and fourth lines did rhyme (read it again and you'll know I'm right). The first and third weren't supposed to. Plus, not all poems have meter (The Odessy, anyone?). I'm not claiming to be an expert at this. (remember, I wrote that in 30 minutes). Anyone else have stories/poems/songs they've used?
Azarias 03-30-07, 08:28 PM	First off, this is a great idea. Writing poetry for your bard - I like that. Secondly: you can't go far wrong with Frost. Well actually you can, but Fire and Ice and The Road Less Travelled (is that the title? I forget) are perfect for a d&d bard, really. The former would be rather good for an evoker or kineticist of a poetic bent too. Other suggestions: Ted Hughes's Crow poems have a totemic, mythical quality which would do well for a bard. The Yoruba hunting poems are also fantastic and would fit the bill. I don't have links but you could google any of these. But it's much more fun to write your own poems for your own bard. If that's what you want, here's a few suggestions: (1) Rhyme and rhythm: these are nets for catching poetry; they're not the poetry itself. If you are going to use them, though, think about what they're for. Both are essentially forms of repetition. What does repetition do for the reader? Why is it pleasing? Neither rhyme and rhythm have to be perfect. But you want to be able to do them perfectly before you start jazzing them up. The half-rhymes in the piece of writing above don't play around with perfect rhyme so much as they miss the point of it. Have a look at the two Frost poems mentioned and see what he does with rhyme: then have a look at a Paul Muldoon poem called Why Brownlee Left (again, sorry for linklessness; Google it and you'll find it online) and see how a poet can use imperfect rhyme intentionally. (2) Bards are (traditionally, and on the whole in-game) poets working in an oral tradition: in that tradition, all those repetitive tools have the added function of aiding recitation. They'll help you, too, if you're reciting your poem at the gaming table. Keep in mind that precise repetitions will do eactly the job for you that they traditionally did for the performing bard. For this, you'll want to look at something like this - http://www.geocities.com/pagantheology/myth/rymer.html - which is a good example of oral poetry that has survived in written form. (3) There's nothing wrong with writing a poem in 30 minutes: many poets write poetry like this, and some make a habit of not rewriting (DH Lawrence never allowed redrafting, for example). But poetry is like singing; everyone can try it, but that's not to say it's easy to do it really well. The main thing is to keep practising. I think it's a fantastic idea to try and write poetry for your bard. Keep at it, and you'll only get better. (4) Have a think about using some of the other repetitions traditionally used in oral (and written) poetry. Assonance, alliteration, and straight phrasal repetition will all give your poetry depth and richness if you use them carefully. For an example of this, have (another) look at Jabberwocky (Lewis Carroll): see how the first and final stanzas pull it together. (5) Finally: all these tools - rhyme and rhythm, assonance and alliteration, and pure chant-like repetition - be aware that they're powerful tools. Use them sparingly and with care. Overuse them, and the poetry in your poetry will be blasted into nothing. Don't think for a moment that these things are poetry. They're your nets: poetry is a much more beautiful and slippery thing than that. Happy hunting!
snakeman830 03-31-07, 05:00 PM	:bump: I'm still looking for other people's stories/poems/songs. I agree that the famous poets are great, but I was looking for some player-written stuff.
Azarias 03-31-07, 06:47 PM	A Wanderer's Curse Promise me you won't forget and I will promise something slight: that all your journeys will be my journey where no one stands waiting at your stations that all your homes will be my home where the clock's tick seeds its age into your bones. Promise me you won't forget and I will promise what you'll get: that looking for evening air or space alone, or someone there under the red night of cities - windows and river-lights laid out like cut stone on a jeweller's cloth - all you will find is distances, a fear of falling, a need to run. Remember I will still be there. I promise I'll never forget the deadbeat of your heart in the dark, the belling of your laughter there. Remember that I won't forget and you will always have my fear. After The Cursing When the cursing is all done, when the words are made and gone, don't stop yet. Wait and sit in the midpoint of the night, while the day and new day join, and the far coordinates of the starlights gently turn let the heat of hatred burn out into the breathless space sit in the heart's pause while the moon loses its light and the dawn is weak as thought all around the rim of Earth softly sit and softly laugh for the freedom, and the dearth where the hatred used to writhe let the hatred be a wreath. Close your eyes on all of this and breathe.
RPGfan 03-31-07, 06:56 PM	Not an actual peom, but still woth a mention. Bard: "I cast Tasha's Hideous Laughter at the Ogre." DM: "Isn't that a joke spell?" Bard: "Only when a Wizard casts it." Wizard: "Hey!" Also, the songs from The Hobbit are pretty good.
snakeman830 04-02-07, 06:26 PM	:bump: Finally! This is what I was talking about!!!
PurinaDragonChow 04-02-07, 06:47 PM	There once was a gnome from Nantucket...
snakeman830 04-03-07, 07:18 PM	:bump:
JulesCARV 04-03-07, 10:34 PM	My last bard was a paladin/bard, so naturally all of his stories had to be moralistic, heavy-handed, and trite :). I based one of the stories I told on James Thurber's "The Last Flower," except I made it about Athas instead of Earth. (hey, it kinda fits) Now, as for how my bard heard vague, distant rumors of Athas while on Eberron... that's a mystery. (of course, as far as he knew, it was all a myth) I also liked Grushenka's onion story in The Brother's Karamazov. Seems like the sort of thing a paladin of the Silver Flame would like. If I think of any more... I'll see.
docballen 04-03-07, 10:59 PM	There is a movie called Reign of Fire. In it the hero and one of the other village men tell the story of a white wizard named Luke Skywalker who fights a black wizard named Darth Vader. They reenact the story using broomsticks as lightsabres. You could do something similar by retelling "famous" movie or TV show plots just make them sound "olde-fashioned".
JolanthusTrel 04-04-07, 08:56 AM	I have a bard that specalises in Bawdy Tavern songs for a more comedic effect but he is quite smart when he needs to be. He just has a short attention span. Anyway, This is one of his short songs. There once was an elf from far away, a blacksmith he be He once kissed a pretty fey, then sulked off in a tree And that’s where I surprised him, I shot up from the ground Kissed his little fishy lips and then disappeared back down But then I thought he loved me as he came in from the cold I wrapped my arms around him then asked a question very bold With a massage of his shoulders and a nibble on his ear I asked. “Shall it be your’s or my room, my handsome little dear?" But fish boy didn’t love me, tried to stab me in the foot He gave me such a heated glare, that could turn a forest into soot! So fish boy doesn’t love me, and that’s the way it’ll stay But I’ll still torment fish boy, for forever and a day!
snakeman830 04-04-07, 09:49 PM	Some of these are intresting, so... :bump:
Sands_Of_Chaos 04-04-07, 11:46 PM	The bard who left one behind Astros was truly a wanderer, leaving entire years behind in the haze of youthful waste and reckless adventure. No man is an island however, for he was wealthy in comrades from all walks of life both reputable and questionable. His happyness was easy shattered one day: not by sword or spell, but by parcel sent air mail. A long lost love, seeking nothing in return, informed foolish Astros of another left long behind. A child, no longer baby in stature; at least several years of age, smiling despite an empty home. Like a bolt through his heart, Astros sank. No longer did the looming fields of verden delight soothe his wandering soul. All that he sought was in a cottage of simple means, for not all the treasure in seven dead king's tombs could content a father seperated. Distanced by space and time, he must die in silence, inside and alone.
Rhuxley 04-05-07, 08:31 AM	Plus, not all poems have meter (The Odessy, anyone?). WTF are you talking about? The odessy totaly has a meter. I learned about it in college, and I remember failing that part of the exam.
snakeman830 04-06-07, 03:23 PM	:bump:
baronvonboxy 04-08-07, 12:44 PM	"Bard's Song" by Blind Guardian Now you all know The bards and their songs When hours have gone by I'll close my eyes In a world far away We may meet again But now hear my song About the dawn of the night Let's sing the bards' song Tomorrow will take us away Far from home No one will ever know our names But the bards' songs will remain Tomorrow will take it away The fear of today It will be gone Due to our magic songs There's only one song Left in my mind Tales of a brave man Who lived far from here Now the bard songs are over And it's time to leave No one should ask you for the name Of the one Who tells the story Tomorrow will take us away Far from home No one will ever know our names But the bards' songs will remain Tomorrow all will be known And you're not alone So don't be afraid In the dark and cold 'Cause the bards' songs will remain They all will remain In my thoughts and in my dreams They're always in my mind These songs of hobbits, dwarves and men And elves Come close your eyes You can see them too