What instruments do you think the Bard will get? (Cont)

[Artagel]

Originally posted by Penitent Paul:

In the scriptures, music is very special; the city of Jericho fell to the Israelites when they used a powerful [TRUMPET] set, which was somehow blessed or magical, to crumble the city's walls.

It'd be an interesting mechanic to have a ram horn that could blow through a door, essentially mimicking the Barbarian's ability. Maybe cause special walls to crumble, creating a portal between two room where there is no door, or secret passageways to reveal themselves.

Originally posted by Penitent Paul:

David was said to be an accomplished musician, whose musical talents with the [HARP] were sought after by King Saul. David would play music for this king in his court, and also fight his enemies on the battlefield - A skilled bard, no doubt.

Also, it's tough to account for the many concurrent "Harps of David" that would have to be sprinkled among so many bards, when there's probably supposed to be only a few, possibly there was only one, in existence which he played for Saul (similar to how the Communist historians magically creating "Millions" of American Indians that could NOT logically exist to begin with, to then "die off" in some "mass murder" that couldn't logically happen, which is why they memory-holed their reasoning but kept repeating the "Millions" mantra).

It also sounds like "End-Game" material since these are the most famous instruments; David's personal Harp, Pan's Flute, Trumpets of Apocalypse, etc.

So in addition to David's personal Harp/Lyre/Kinnor/etc...maybe Ironmace can use a family of the "Lesser" instruments that are "associated" with David, but not his personal possession (which would be an extremely rare find). Maybe the instruments with "of Bethlehem" nomenclature, or the "Levitic" instruments that the appointed musicians, or the "Davidian" instruments that David made or commissioned himself after he became King.

There's plenty of leeway in all eras for this kind of expansive Lore.

I've mentioned that I would like to see Ironmace start low and slow, so that there's a lot of head-room for growth and progression. Don't immediately skip to Gold coin, start with Copper Pennies (Then go to large Copper or Bronze). Don't skip to Fully quilted Gambeson, start with Hemp Rags, then Cotton Rags, then Linen Rags, then Woolen Rags, etc. Don't skip to "Magical" protective and healing potions (make their ingredients and recipes hard to get), start in normal apothecary with Marigold tinctures and Yarrow salves.

You shouldn't have to dip into Biblical or famously Named Medieval instruments until MULTIPLE expansions and patches beyond the initial Launch. Just start with the crudest monochords and bone flutes and rawhide percussion.

Edit: Removed the "over-quote" by Bec_Son

[Artagel]

Originally posted by Penitent Paul:

There's also the idea that the devil was, before his fall, some sort of musician or choirmaster, and in regard to his instruments in Ezekiel 28:13 it says,

"The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.”

There's a popular interpretation that the timbrels and pipes refer to Lucifer's Heart and Voice - not that the Morning Star "plays" the instruments, but that he IS the instrument.

It's related to one of the oldest truisms;

The greatest musical instrument is the one God gave us.

I wonder if and how Ironmace plans to incorporate singing skills and written songs. It might be interesting to have a musical system whereby specific songs and singing skills and types (skills trees like Tenor, Soprano, Bass, Range, Coloratura, etc) are paired with specific instruments and THEIR skill trees.

Plenty of opportunity for Bard customization and emergent play styles.

Originally posted by Penitent Paul:

Imagine looting a musical instrument that belonged to an angel or a demon, what powers might such an artifact possess? I can picture healing and buffs for the heavenly instruments, and fire damage and debuffs for the hellish variety.

For some reason, I recall seeing demons or "fauns" or "devils", etc, playing a Shawm-like instrument in media - I don't think it was a Medieval trope, more of a modern creation? Or it could be a carryover from the aulos played by Satyrs in Greek Myth?

In the Divine Comedy, I think there was a lot of disturbing imagery describing demons playing humans as if they were instruments, and sounding plenty of horns and trumpets of ill-omen.

[Artagel]

[Moving away from the Abrahamic side of things, what about the [LYRE] used by the Greek god Apollo? Said to have been used by the god to calm the sea and terrify his enemies.

More interestingly, I think, in Egyptian mythology Isis is said to have been known for her mastery of an exotic instrument called the [SISTRUM] and with it she had the power to raise the dead!

There we have a potential precedent for a sort of bard resurrection ability, or it could raise skeleton warriors to fight the bard's battles and zone enemy players..[/quote]

Apollo's son, Orpheus, also has an interesting story of returning from Hades' realm using his Lyre, although the Lyre itself didn't possess the ability of Resurrection.

But it did have another interesting use: The Lyre canceled the hypnotic song of the Sirens while Orpheus was an Argonaut. Being able to nullify your enemy's spells, essentially "Silencing" their casting abilities, is a powerful attribute worthy of the Lyre of Orpheus.

Originally posted by Penitent Paul:

In Japanese mythology, musical instruments play an important role. The most iconic of these is the [BIWA], an ancient stringed instrument believed to have originated in China around 3000 BC. It is traditionally associated with the mythical figure Futo no Mitama and was believed to bring fortune and luck to those who played it.

Perhaps such an instrument could increase the likelihood of finding good loot in unopened chests for one's party.

I've sat through one of those performances. And it definitely "debuffed" me. I daresay, that music can also wake the dead.

There's a trope where Biwa masters have a reputation for "second sight" - sometimes they're characterized as being functionally "Blind". So maybe one attribute would be to make hard-to-see treasures or secrets "Glow" in the dark.