The Minstrel

A minstrel is an entertainer who sings songs and playes musical instruments. The First Minstrels initially came from Harak, Dhelchrist and the Elven lands. Where a bard uses music as a way of communicating with words, minstrels are exclusively musicians. Their skill with musical instruments, as well as in singing or dancing, is unsurpassed in the World. Where bards are expected to create original work, or at least to carry the news of notable events, minstrels are simply expected to produce beautiful music.

Some minstrels do compose, but their emphasis is on the music, not the words. Like a bard, they may make money off original compositions, but they tend not to write about specific people, places, or events. Minstrels perform songs which tell stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels create their own tales, often they will memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they are retained by royalty and high society. Most however are wandering minstrels, performing in the streets. Minstrels are travelling entertainers, professional poets, who compose their own poems, and sing them to the accompaniment of a harp or other instrument. They roamed about from place to place, earning what they can from their performances.

Minstrels often gather at feasts and festivals in great numbers with harps, fiddles, bagpipes, flutes, drums, and other instruments. Additionally, minstrels are known for their involvement in political commentary and engage in propaganda. Although now really a part of their duties, they will often report news with bias to sway opinions and revise works to encourage action in favor of equality.

Minstrels often form guilds. A guild of royal minstrels resides in Harak and one also in Dhelchrist. In those kingdoms, Minstrels are required to either join the guild or abstain from practising their craft. Some minstrels are retained by lords not only for their music but as teachers, instructing the children of the rich with music lessons of various kinds.

Minstrel O.C.C.

Attribute Requirements: P.P. 10 or higher
Alignment: Any
Gender: Male or Female
Race: Any
O.C.C. Skills:

• Play Primary Musical Instrument (+30% professional quality)
• Play Secondary Musical Instruments (+10% each, select two, professional quality)
• Sing (+25%: professional quality)
• Dance (+10%; professional quality)
• Languages: Native longue at 98% and two of choice (+15%)
• Hand to Hand: Basic (no upgrades!)

  O.C.C. Related Skills: Select six other skills of choice at level one, plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency.

  • Communications: Any (+5% each)
  • Domestic: Any (+5%)
  • Espionage: None
  • Horsemanship: Exotic Only.
  • Labour: Any
  • Medical: first aid only
  • Military: Heraldry only
  • Naval: None
  • Performing Arts: Any (+5%)
  • Physical: Any, except boxing and acrobatics.
  • Rogue: Any.
  • Science: Math only (+5%)
  • Scholar/Technical: Any (+ 10%)
  • Weapon Proficiencies: Any, except Siege.
  • Wilderness: Any (+5%)

  Secondary Skills: Choose 10 at level 1, plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not get the O.C.C. bonus.

  Starting Equipment: The character's most valued possession is his primary musical instrument(s); starts with one primary item of very high quality. In addition, the character Starts out with (two extra musical instruments of any type (valued as a "secondary" inStruments). Other gear includes two sets of c1othing, one casual and one fancy. Each includes a large hat, cloak or cape, jacket, vest, shirt, pants, leggings, belt and shoes or boots. Also a lantern, a bedroll, a backpack, shoulder bag, tinder bolt, wine skin (and wine) and a water skin.

  Armour: The minstrel has no training in the use of armour, so it's best to stick to the light stuff. Using anything heavier than chain reduces the character's speed by half, and gives a -2 penally to strike, dodge and parry. Still, travel can be dangerous, so the character starts out with a full suit of quilt (8 A.R., 15 S.D.C.)

  Weapons: Any type of weapons can be used, but most prefer staves, clubs, throwing sticks and blowguns.

  Money: The character starts with 50 in Gold, which can be used immediately to purchase more equipment or saved. Additional money will come from payment for jobs and/or booty.

  Experiance and Combat Table:

  
  

  Level	Experiance
  1	0-2,200
  2	2,201-4,400
  3	4,401-8,800
  4	8,801-16,500
  5	16,501-25,000
  6	25,001-35,000
  7	35,001-50,000
  8	50,001-71,000
  9	71,001-96,500
  10	96,501-135,500
  11	135,501-180,500
  12	180,501-230,500
  13	230,5001-280,500
  14	280,501-335,500
  15	335,501-400,500

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