Fochlucan - the what and the where [Archive] - Wizards Community

Fochlucan - the what and the where [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Pystian
03-05-06, 11:35 AM According to Magic of Faerun, a bard from the Moonshaes named Falataer created the first of the "Instruments of the Bards", one of which is the Fochlucan Bandore.

According to Complete Arcane, a bard named Falataer created the first of the "Instruments of the Bards", one of which is the Fochlucan Bandore.

According to Complete Adventure, a Fochlucan lyrist is a bard/druid trained at the Fochlucan College, often in the use of the Fochlucan Bandore.

According to Silver Marches, the Focluchan (spelled that way) bardic college was in Silvery Moon, though it exists now as The House of the Harp.

What does Fochlucan (or Focluchan) mean? Why is the creator of the bandore from the Moonshaes and the college in Silvery Moon?
Ripe
03-05-06, 02:49 PM Falataer created first Instruments of the Bards to use them as reward [and testing] to students in his bardic college which was divided into seven levels of skill to mimic the old system in which a bard would study in seven bardic colleges, each improving his skill untill he would attain the Magna Alumnae degree. The seven colleges (and order in which bard would attain them) were:
- Fochluhan (located in Silverymoon)
- Mac-Fuirmidh (located on Moonshae islands)
- Doss (located in Berdusk)
- Canaith (located near Zazesspur in Tethyr)
- Cli (I can't remember where this one was located)
- Anstruth (located in Sundabar)
- Ollamh (located in Waterdeep)

So Falataer called his seven instuments Fochuchan Bandore, Mac-Fuirmidh Cithern, Doss Lute, Canaith Mandolin, Cli Lyre, Anstruth Harp, Ollamh Harp presumably to honor the memory of those seven ancient Bard colleges [and he created instruments those colleges were known for].
Pystian
03-06-06, 04:03 AM Wow, that's awesome. Thank you. Where is all this detailed?
Ripe
03-06-06, 04:27 AM The part on Instruments is from Magic of Faerun. The part about bardic colleges is from 2nd edition stuff and Elfsong novel by Elaine Cunningham.
Lord Karsus
03-06-06, 07:26 AM -That guy sure gets around...
Evergreen_Aldaron
03-06-06, 07:32 AM Very nice Ripe....very nice.
Ripe
03-06-06, 08:03 AM -That guy sure gets around...
Yeah, they would get around a lot. Which was the point because that way thay would learn songs and stories from different lands.

Then again upon graduating from Ollamh, and attining Magna Alumnae degree that bard would be 23rd level so all that traveling would pay up.

But as of 1364 DR [when Elfsong took place] none of those colleges were active, and most of them were abandoned long ago (Focluchan was reduced to House of Harp, Mac-Fuirmidh was in ruins, the only building left from Anstruth was Great Concert Hall which was used as storage facility, and I believe that famous Mother Tathlorn's House of Pleasure and Healing are located on ruins of Ollamh college). Following the events of Elfsong, Danilo Thann did reorganize Ollamh college but that is mere shadow od ancient one.
Valgard
03-06-06, 03:36 PM Now that you talk about Fochlucan (or Focluchan, whatever is spelled), how does the Fochlucan Lyrist PrC fit in? what does that to do with druidic tradition. As Complete Adventurer states, the organization seems more as an excuse to create a better bard-druid progression prestige class than anything else.
Ripe
03-06-06, 04:01 PM Now that you talk about Fochlucan (or Focluchan, whatever is spelled), how does the Fochlucan Lyrist PrC fit in? what does that to do with druidic tradition. As Complete Adventurer states, the organization seems more as an excuse to create a better bard-druid progression prestige class than anything else.
In today's Realms? It doesn't [and not just because there is no Fochluchan Bardic College which supposedly train them in today's realms ;) ].

Then again the Fochluchan College which train Fochluchan Lyrist is located on the shores of Loch Firnen near town of Oakenway [according to Complete Adventurer], while FR version of the college was once located in Silverymoon so it it quite possible that those two had nothing in common.
Borris
03-07-06, 10:38 PM Now that you talk about Fochlucan (or Focluchan, whatever is spelled), how does the Fochlucan Lyrist PrC fit in? what does that to do with druidic tradition.
The bard/druid concept is strongly anchored in celtic tradition, and there isn't a single place in the Realms with a more celtic feel than the Moonshaes. And since Falataer came from there, he most likely brought the tradition with him when he founded his bardic colleges. Maybe people were even trained as Fochlucan Lyrists in Silverymoon's Focluchan college, but I doubt the House of the Harp kept the tradition. Nowadays, it seems that the best place to learn the path of the Fochlucan Lyrist is all the way on the Moonshaes.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pystian 03-05-06, 11:35 AM	According to Magic of Faerun, a bard from the Moonshaes named Falataer created the first of the "Instruments of the Bards", one of which is the Fochlucan Bandore. According to Complete Arcane, a bard named Falataer created the first of the "Instruments of the Bards", one of which is the Fochlucan Bandore. According to Complete Adventure, a Fochlucan lyrist is a bard/druid trained at the Fochlucan College, often in the use of the Fochlucan Bandore. According to Silver Marches, the Focluchan (spelled that way) bardic college was in Silvery Moon, though it exists now as The House of the Harp. What does Fochlucan (or Focluchan) mean? Why is the creator of the bandore from the Moonshaes and the college in Silvery Moon?
Ripe 03-05-06, 02:49 PM	Falataer created first Instruments of the Bards to use them as reward [and testing] to students in his bardic college which was divided into seven levels of skill to mimic the old system in which a bard would study in seven bardic colleges, each improving his skill untill he would attain the Magna Alumnae degree. The seven colleges (and order in which bard would attain them) were: - Fochluhan (located in Silverymoon) - Mac-Fuirmidh (located on Moonshae islands) - Doss (located in Berdusk) - Canaith (located near Zazesspur in Tethyr) - Cli (I can't remember where this one was located) - Anstruth (located in Sundabar) - Ollamh (located in Waterdeep) So Falataer called his seven instuments Fochuchan Bandore, Mac-Fuirmidh Cithern, Doss Lute, Canaith Mandolin, Cli Lyre, Anstruth Harp, Ollamh Harp presumably to honor the memory of those seven ancient Bard colleges [and he created instruments those colleges were known for].
Pystian 03-06-06, 04:03 AM	Wow, that's awesome. Thank you. Where is all this detailed?
Ripe 03-06-06, 04:27 AM	The part on Instruments is from Magic of Faerun. The part about bardic colleges is from 2nd edition stuff and Elfsong novel by Elaine Cunningham.
Lord Karsus 03-06-06, 07:26 AM	-That guy sure gets around...
Evergreen_Aldaron 03-06-06, 07:32 AM	Very nice Ripe....very nice.
Ripe 03-06-06, 08:03 AM	-That guy sure gets around... Yeah, they would get around a lot. Which was the point because that way thay would learn songs and stories from different lands. Then again upon graduating from Ollamh, and attining Magna Alumnae degree that bard would be 23rd level so all that traveling would pay up. But as of 1364 DR [when Elfsong took place] none of those colleges were active, and most of them were abandoned long ago (Focluchan was reduced to House of Harp, Mac-Fuirmidh was in ruins, the only building left from Anstruth was Great Concert Hall which was used as storage facility, and I believe that famous Mother Tathlorn's House of Pleasure and Healing are located on ruins of Ollamh college). Following the events of Elfsong, Danilo Thann did reorganize Ollamh college but that is mere shadow od ancient one.
Valgard 03-06-06, 03:36 PM	Now that you talk about Fochlucan (or Focluchan, whatever is spelled), how does the Fochlucan Lyrist PrC fit in? what does that to do with druidic tradition. As Complete Adventurer states, the organization seems more as an excuse to create a better bard-druid progression prestige class than anything else.
Ripe 03-06-06, 04:01 PM	Now that you talk about Fochlucan (or Focluchan, whatever is spelled), how does the Fochlucan Lyrist PrC fit in? what does that to do with druidic tradition. As Complete Adventurer states, the organization seems more as an excuse to create a better bard-druid progression prestige class than anything else. In today's Realms? It doesn't [and not just because there is no Fochluchan Bardic College which supposedly train them in today's realms ;) ]. Then again the Fochluchan College which train Fochluchan Lyrist is located on the shores of Loch Firnen near town of Oakenway [according to Complete Adventurer], while FR version of the college was once located in Silverymoon so it it quite possible that those two had nothing in common.
Borris 03-07-06, 10:38 PM	Now that you talk about Fochlucan (or Focluchan, whatever is spelled), how does the Fochlucan Lyrist PrC fit in? what does that to do with druidic tradition. The bard/druid concept is strongly anchored in celtic tradition, and there isn't a single place in the Realms with a more celtic feel than the Moonshaes. And since Falataer came from there, he most likely brought the tradition with him when he founded his bardic colleges. Maybe people were even trained as Fochlucan Lyrists in Silverymoon's Focluchan college, but I doubt the House of the Harp kept the tradition. Nowadays, it seems that the best place to learn the path of the Fochlucan Lyrist is all the way on the Moonshaes.