Skald

Útgarðar has a long poetic tradition that manifests in the form of the Skald. The poet who wields words like magic and has magic in their words. It was said that the first Skald was Odin himself and that he gained the powers of poetry after drinking from the Mjǫðr of Poetery, the mead that makes any who drink it a master poet and wordsmith. It is said that after he stole it from the dwarves Fjalar and Galar in the form of a raven some of it fell to the earth and granted the peoples of the world the skill of the skald and of poetry.

There are many kind of skald but two large sub divisions stand out. Eddic skalds and Drott skalds. Eddic skalds tell the praises and deeds of the gods and of ancient kings. They are bards of Valor and Lore who tell old stories and speak tales of the gory and wisdom of the past. They also write stories of the exploits of the gods. These are almost always untrue but due to the nature of divinity they will come true in time. Some gods travel the land hearing stories about themselves to gain some foresight into future events.

There are also bards who are just in it for the money or fame of the role. These are no less impressive in there craft and are usually hired by kings and great people to speak of their accomplishments. They are Glamour skald who love the limelight.

Some people take advantage of the position a skald holds and perverts it for shadowy matters. These are skald of Whispers who scheme and plan at courts and dig up intrigue in mead halls. They are not all evil and some use there powers to protect their halls and patrons from vile plots by working in the shadows of the stage.

Other still use their song in battle with flourishes and flashes of swordplay. They seek to awe a crowd with their flashy blade work and witty retorts in combat. Most have a great skill on the battlefield inspiring their allies with their skill and leaving their enemies befuddled.

Some skald have taken up a legal profession or seek to advise and guide great leaders. They use their skill at works of words and knowledge of the past to deliver striking arguments and give sage advise. They are the masters of Eloquence across the land. I myself fall into this category.

Some are so talented that they, by telling the tales of creation, can influence the world itself. They are skald of Creation and they wield the powers of the very fabric of reality. They are highly regarded and are often given exorbitant gifts to show off their powers.

Finally are those who can call on the spirits of the world and of the story. They can animate the stories they tell of great kings and of heroes. They are sought for their powers to consult the dead and often act as advisors and court skald to kings and rulers. One should not disregard their advise lightly, this goes for all good skald.

And this is the end of my little overview on the power and majesty of the bards. Although I may be a touch bias here. -Snorri Sturluson.

Skald in other cultures.

• Elves: Poetry is a time honored tradition amongst all elves. It tends to be rather metaphorical and requires large amounts of contemplation to understand. Some nord skald use bits of elvish in their poems to add flavor.
• Dwarves: Most of their culture is oral with carvings on the walls of their subterranean dwellings recording grand events or acting as visual aids for their stories. They have developed a method of shadow puppets that accompany songs.
• Orcs: One of the things that both nords and orcs agree on is that a good song really gets your blood pumping. That and the best way to tell of someones accomplishments is to tell a story of them. They don't agree on much else, nords thing orc music is too hard and uncivilized while orcs think nord songs and poetry are too flowery.

Type

Entertainment

"Sᚢᚲᚺ ᛒᛖᚨᚢᛏᛁᚠᚢᛚ ᛗᚢᛋᛁᚲ ᛁ ᛞᛟ ᛚᛟᚹᛖ ᚨ ᚷᛟᛟᛞ ᛋᛟᚾᚷ"