New Profession - Entertainer

[JohnK]

Hullo, folks,

I've been giving some elements of the game a few thoughts, and one of them is the Professions.

While there are a good deal of professions offered in the rulebook, it seems to me that there are a few missing. One of the ones I want to talk about is the Entertainer. There are quite a few mentions of Bards and the like in the rulebook as they exist in the world of Shadows of Esteren, but there really isn't a profession for them.

So, how common are entertainers on the peninsula? Are there entertainment troupes? What would be some of the entertainer's traits and personality elements for surviving on Tri-Kazel? What sort of guidelines exist for entertainers in the game world?

Once we hammer a few things out in this regard, and some of the people in the know add their thoughts, I think perhaps we can work out the game mechanics for the profession as per the write-ups on pages 203-205.

Thoughts?

[kjetilkverndokken]

Well, if the setting only by a glance mimics any real world medieval world, entertainers should not be uncommon in the bigger cities or as traveling crews.

[WoeRie]

Why not simply using the Bard profession on Page 203:

Artist, acrobat, musician, jester; the bard can play different parts.

[JohnK]

Hullo, Kjet,

Well, if the setting only by a glance mimics any real world medieval world, entertainers should not be uncommon in the bigger cities or as traveling crews.

That is certainly what you would think, but there's not a lot mentioned about entertainers, other than Bards, in the Book 1 - Universe material. That's why I was hoping for an expansion from one of the folks more familiar with the game world and setting.

I was thinking the Primary Domain would be Performance. The Secondary Domain could be Natural Environment (for the travel times) and one other. Thoughts?

[JohnK]

Hullo, WoeRie,

Why not simply using the Bard profession on Page 203:

Artist, acrobat, musician, jester; the bard can play different parts.

Because while the profession talks about the "sub-professions" that you mention here, these are merely "parts" that these people play as noted and discussed in other sections about the bards. They're more interested it seems in other...purposes in life... than the music or the entertainment. That's one of the reasons I thought that the Entertainer profession was needed for the game.

[iznurda]

Plop,

you have millions of questions, guys

In SoE bards, if they can do entertainment, are more than that. They know history and speaks well so they act as neutral arbiters and in political life too. They travel less than varigals wich are more rooted in present time (births, harvests from the nearby village, etc.) in more to be messengers. Bard, staying some time on different places, learn story and legends to tell, sing or play elsewhere.

It is likely that entertainment troupes exist, and more likely tarish. They are mostly nomads and it's a good way to earn some daols. We don't have lot's of description about tarish people but I imagine them as a mix between gypsies and laponic tribes : they travel on sleds or trailers pulled by caernides with their herd. They work as seasonal workers, artisans and small businesses to survive. Some spend the winter still in the same place, forging links with local people. Some other are small troups, like minstrels, dancers, fire eaters and other bear trainers.

Besides we found fairs and local games, on the model of Scottish games.

No mention in the book about theater, that does not mean it does not exist either.

Is it enough ?

iz

[iznurda]

oh damn, I was thinking I were in the universe parts ! Sorry guys.

I was thinking the Primary Domain would be Performance. The Secondary Domain could be Natural Environment (for the travel times) and one other. Thoughts?

It's a good start, but you can adapt according to the history of the character. In city relation may be more important than natural environment, for example. Feats seems good for an acrobat, etc.

Archetype in the core book on more indication than a obligation.

iz

[Clovis]

As far as I'm concerned, like WoeRie, I would simply pick the "Bard" profession for an entertainer. After all, the various occupations presented in the book are meant to be broad examples of what a Character can be trained in; not very specific definitions of all the possible trades in Esteren.

For example, if a Player creates a Character who is an assassin working for one of Tri-Kazel's dukes, he can take the "Rogue" profession, even in the initial description of the career does not closely match the Character's concept... and even in this case, if he wants his Character to be able to fight, he can take Close Combat as his secondary Domain, as the possibility is described in the "Crossed Professions" optional rule.

To sum up my opinion, creating an "Entertainer" profession does not seem necessary to me, since the "Bard" one already fits such a concept.

[JohnK]

Hullo, Iz,

Plop,

you have millions of questions, guys

And this is a bad thing?

In SoE bards, if they can do entertainment, are more than that. They know history and speaks well so they act as neutral arbiters and in political life too. They travel less than varigals wich are more rooted in present time (births, harvests from the nearby village, etc.) in more to be messengers. Bard, staying some time on different places, learn story and legends to tell, sing or play elsewhere.

This is what struck me about the bards, that they aren't really entertainers any longer, that they have agendas where the music making or other entertainment is just the means to an end. I don't see this as a bad thing mind you, but it makes me yearn to have an Entertainer type of character that doesn't have the same basis as the Bard.

I mean, who plays the lute and entertains the villagers on the cold winter nights? Or during the hot, summer months (well, as hot as they get on Tri-Kazel)?

It is likely that entertainment troupes exist, and more likely tarish. They are mostly nomads and it's a good way to earn some daols. We don't have lot's of description about tarish people but I imagine them as a mix between gypsies and laponic tribes : they travel on sleds or trailers pulled by caernides with their herd. They work as seasonal workers, artisans and small businesses to survive. Some spend the winter still in the same place, forging links with local people. Some other are small troups, like minstrels, dancers, fire eaters and other bear trainers.

I had considered the idea that the Tarish would make for good entertainers, especially in the troupe sense, for exactly the reasons that you state. This would definitely work for the Entertainer, but could Entertainers be other types of characters? Travelling carnivals, that sort of thing? Or do the dangers of travel on Tri-Kazel rule that out somewhat?

No mention in the book about theater, that does not mean it does not exist either.
iz

Does theatre exist on Tri-Kazel? If so, what forms does it take? (So many topics, so many topics...)

[JohnK]

Hullo, Iz,

oh damn, I was thinking I were in the universe parts ! Sorry guys.

Not your fault, Iz. I posted the thread here in the Game System section, but perhaps it should have gone in the Universe section. To be honest, it's hard to know at times, and I get a little stressed worrying about whether I'm putting stuff in the wrong sections or what. Heck, part of me wasn't sure that this stuff shouldn't have gone in the Secrets section.

I was thinking the Primary Domain would be Performance. The Secondary Domain could be Natural Environment (for the travel times) and one other. Thoughts?

It's a good start, but you can adapt according to the history of the character. In city relation may be more important than natural environment, for example. Feats seems good for an acrobat, etc.

Hmm, in other words leave the Secondary Domain as open, depending on the character? That makes sense to me. I'll write up the new Profession bearing that in mind.