Musical Instruments
Instruments
Most bards would not be caught dead without at least one musical instrument upon their person or near at hand. Many of their special abilities rely upon the use of an instrument. Instruments are also used as status symbols, trade symbols, and as part of the bard's personal garb. Some instruments take on a life of their own, gaining more fame than the bards who play them.
Music Eras
| Code | Era | Time Span |
|---|---|---|
| A | Ancient World | prior to A. D. 450 |
| D | Dark Ages | A. D. 450-1100 |
| M | Middle Ages | A. D. 1100-1450 |
| R | Renaissance | A. D. 1450-1600 |
Musical instruments are very rare, expensive, and complicated devices. Only a master craftsmen would even think of constructing a lyre or herald's trumpet, let alone a pipe organ. Bards not only understand how these rare and complex devices work, they can use them to produce beautiful sounds. By simply working the strings and keys of these devices, bards can bring a crowd to tears or have them leaping for joy (all this without even using their kit's special benefits).
Most bardic colleges agree that the instruments of the time should be divide into four general categories: wind, stringed, percussion, and keyboard. Common instruments within each of these categories follow in Table 20: Musical Instruments (as well as an "Other" category for several instruments that do not fall into the four general categories). After each instrument is a one-letter code that identifies the time period during which this instrument was developed and used; these periods coincide with the following dates.
Musical Proficiency
There are now well over 50 musical instruments for bard players to choose from. Although such a large selection is nice, players might wonder if they have to spend a proficiency slot for each instrument they wish their bards to master. Fortunately, the answer is "no."
The instruments in Table 20 have been broken down into convenient categories and grouped appropriately into an indented outline format. A number in parenthesis appears after each level that contains subentries. This is the number of proficiency slots that must be spent in order to gain proficiency in all instruments indented beneath that level. For example, for five proficiency slots, a character can become proficient in all wind instruments; for only three slots he can limit himself to becoming proficient in all instruments in the flute family. Those instruments that don't have a number next to them cost a single slot to gain.
Proficiency Slots
Note that proficiency in an instrument or category includes not only those instruments listed, but any others in his campaign world that fall into the same category. Thus, if a bard spends two slots to gain proficiency in bagpipes, he isn't limited to just the dudy and zampogna. He knows how to play any bagpipe that exists in his campaign world.
Cost and Weight
Note that some category names, such as "Bagpipes," are also the names of specific instruments. These categories have a gold piece cost and weight in pounds listed next to them so you can buy the instrument of that name. However, purchasing a generic bagpipe does not mean that you have both a dudy and zampogna--you have only a generic bagpipe.
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