Factions of the Guild

Writers
Poets
Storytellers
Scribes
Musicians
Composers
Instrument Makers
Teachers
Historians
Mathmaticians
Scientists
Entertainers
Performers
Conjurers
Dancers
Actors

The Bard Guild covers most of the performing arts practiced in Shadow Star. These arts are divided up into specializations, also called factions. All wanderers are required to specialize in at least one area for their mastery test. The various factions can be divided up into four main groups: Writers, Musicians, Teachers, and Entertainers. Most bards usually specialize in one or more subgroups of the four major groups. A bard who specializes in one of the major areas is expected to be proficient with all the sub-areas as well.

Writers: Masters of the written word. It is a given that writers can read and write at least Commontongue, though the majority often know more than one language. Usually this is a racial language (Gnomish, Wyrlaen, Khori~nath) or possibly an animal language, but is sometimes the Ancient Tongue. Tests, however, are mostly exclusively over Commontongue only. Writers are also proficient at making paper and binding books. The mastery test for a writer is to read some of their works out loud; they are usually judged on content and not performance unless they are also being tested as a performer.

Poets: Poets convey emotions through the written word. Their studies tend to be more rigid than the other writers. They learn a variety of poetic structures and meters. Poets are also adept at reading poetry. Poets often seem to be more magically inclined than the other factions and the poetry they write has a magical ring to it, as though bells and harps play while the poem is read aloud. Some teachers use poetry as teaching devices. Poets often also specialize in performing or some area of teaching. Their mastery test is to read a few of their poems aloud.

Storytellers: Writers of prose, they fill their books with everything from fables and plays to fiction and textbooks. Many historians often specialize as storytellers to better record their knowledge. Their mastery test consists of reading all or part of one of their works.

Scribes: Scribes are one of the most common factions of bards. Experts in reading and writing, often in multiple languages, they take dictation for people and read written material aloud. Clear enuciation is a requirement. They are the link between the illerate population and the written word. Scribes in general are often teasingly poked fun at by the other, more "creative" factions. The test for a scribe is to read aloud a sample letter and to take a dictation.
Messengers are a subdivision of scribes, concerned with the relaying of messages and materials. Writing is not a strict requirement of this group; only relaying the message in the fastest possible way is. Hence, the rise in rank for messengers tends to come much more quickly, but at the expense of being teased by other guild members, even scribes, for taking an easy path.

Musicians: The masters of song and tune. Being able to read music is as much a requirement for a musician as being able to read the written word is for a writer. Many, many musicians specialize as performers. The tests for a musician are usually specified by the subgroup(s) they specialize in; some musicians are tested on their abilities to sing and/or play a simple scale and to read a piece of music.

Composers: Composers are writers of music. They often play one or more instruments and have an ear for harmony both between notes and also between various types of instruments. Some composers take jobs as conductors as well.

Instrument Makers: Instrument makers often have some artisan background. They are skilled at picking excellent materials and finely shaping instruments to produce optimal sound. Many also tinker with existing instruments or invent new ones. Being able to tune a wide variety of instruments is a must. Their test consists of presenting an instrument they have made, possibly performing on it, and also tuning an instrument of the judges' choice.

Teachers: Since the end of the Age of Darkness, teachers have been highly sought after to bring knowledge back to the people of Shadow Star, but are rare in number. The druid Marcan, tutor of King Ryntan, is often considered the father figure for all teachers. More prestigious teachers tend to land good jobs in the main cities while lesser known ones live and teach in small villages. With most bards having the benefit of being taught by a teacher at one point in their lives, few will tease a teacher the way scribes are gently poked fun at. Their test is to give a sample lesson--often children or wanderer bards are brought in to judge the effectiveness of a lesson, or to have the privilege of the lesson, if the wanderer being tested is well known.

Historians: Historians are concerned with discovering the past of Shadow Star and preserving it. Nothing makes a historian happy like an ancient, decaying book. Historians are skilled at preserving books and restoring them. A historian's mastery test is rather difficult; they must discover and deliver a report on some facet of Shadowstarian past. Some historians also specialize as poets or storytellers and deliver history in poetry or prose.

Mathmaticians: Whereas a writer's language is words and a musician's is melody, the language for a mathmatician is numbers. Math is not a highly developed science and so there are few master mathmaticians. Their test is usually along the lines of a teacher's test. However, a wanderer who can present the panel with a new theorum is practically guaranteed a mastery.

Scientists: Some scientists have a mage or healer background. Scientists often further specialize into a specific field; astrology, astronomy, and geology are the major ones, though some choose physics, biology, architecture, acoustics and other such fields. Most study theory rather than practical use; few are inventors. Their test is like a teacher's test, though a scientist with a new discovery is almost certain to pass.

Entertainers: Entertainers are called by some the life of Shadowstar. Most are travelers, though a few more well-known entertainers can secure spots in big cities. They usually travel alone as one-man shows performing on the streets, or as small troupes. It is every entertainer's dream to secure and deliver a good show at one of the annual balls and festivals held in Cascadia; as such, the city is often considered the entertainer's heartland. Their test, of course, consists of putting on a good show!

Performers: These people deliver the products of musicians and writers. A signifigant number write their own material, and many are adept at playing instruments, often multiple instruments. They know all the secrets to projecting sound in a variety of places and emphasize their delivery with their whole body. For their test, performers perform a few pieces. These may be their own if they are being tested as a writer or composer.

Conjurers: Entertainers adept at sleight of hand, juggling, and other such tricks. Conjurers rarely work with other conjurers. Some use magic to aid their performances, but most consider it cheating. They are also skilled with jokes and puns. If a conjurer can make the judges laugh or, more rarely, manages to pull a trick over them, their test can usually be considered successful.

Dancers: Dancing is a highly popular specialization, especially among young girls. They use their bodies to convey what a performer does with their voice. Dancers are often started young and trained in gymnastics as well. Many use percussion instruments in their performances and some also specialize as conjurers. Many choreograph their own dances. Their test is twofold: one dance to a pretermined choreography of the testee's choice, judged on aestetics and difficulty, and then a second dance is done on the fly, to a song of the judges' choice (though usually well known).

Actors: Actors are entertainers combining their voices and bodies to take on a new persona. Some specialize as storytellers, writing their own plays. Actors usually travel in troupes, sometimes in the company of different types of entertainers. They are also masters of costume and disguise; it's said that some thieves take tips from skilled actors or enlist their help. Their test usually consists of a monologue; a storyteller may use one they have written themselves.