Skald

Come now, great chronicler, tell us another good tale before you go. - Party Guest

Skalds are a well-known profession across the Continent of Norria going by many names such as poet-chroniclers, musicians, and storytellers who preserve history, inspire warriors, and entertain communities through their art. They wander the land from place to place and are welcomed at every fire, for they only bring excitement and inspiration to all who listen to their songs and tales. They are one of the few things in this land that are not twisted by the wars and grudges that seem to run rampant

Career

Qualifications

Quick Wit: It often takes a keen mind to take up the role of a Skald, as they need to add flare to what they sing and talk about to have people pay attention to them.
Good memory: Considering how many songs and tales exist, it takes someone capable of remembering them all word for word to make sure they say it at heart.
Music Skills: The ability to sing and play an instrument is mandatory to becoming a Skald as it allows them to gain the crowd's attention and emphasize the importance of what they say.

Career Progression

Starting as a Skald can be difficult at first since there are so many of them who can do the same thing. It is quite a learning experience, and the more they learn and travel the land, the more they understand what works and doesn't when performing for others. Those more songs and tales they know will allow them to gain more attention and fame as their name becomes better known by those across the land.

Payment & Reimbursement

Skalds are often paid for every tale and song through coins, food, drinks, lodgings, and even gifts from the wealthy.

Other Benefits

Hospitality : A skald is always welcomed into every lodging, no matter affliction, gender, or race.
Protection: Skalds are often protected as they are said to be favored by the gods, and to kill one will only bring bad luck.
Fame: Those who tell their stories well and play a good tune will often gain recognition with their name known and coin pouch full.

Perception

Purpose

The primary purpose of a skald is to learn and record songs and tales of events that have transpired over the years. Skalds are used to entertain and record the history of famed individuals and the feats they accomplished in their lives. Some even make their own stories to give life lessons about keeping values alive and maintaining them so they do not wither and die out.

Social Status

Skalds are often seen as the embodiment of tradition and values many across the continent hold. They help maintain the past with each performance and, in doing so, inspire anyone who listens to live up to them. It is why a Skald is always welcomed in any home or hall, as their status makes them sought after by the poor and wealthy alike. It has made them become placed in high regard for their knowledge and skills rivaling any famed warrior or influential noble.

History

Keepers of Tales

The history of the Skalds often originates with the gods, when Einra, goddess of the arts, bestowed upon mortal kind music and creativity to celebrate the beauty of creating something uniquely their own. She descended from the heavens carrying a lyre crafted of starlight and windsong, her voice like the first dawn breaking over an eternal night. With her divine gift, she taught the early mortals how to weave melodies and carve tales into the fabric of existence. Thus were born the Skalds, the keepers of memory and masters of song and story. The first Skalds crafted instruments from the bones of the land — flutes of hollowed reeds, drums of taut hide, and strings from sinew and wood. Their hymns celebrated the world's wonders, from the howling winds of the mountains to the gentle rustling of leaves in the sacred groves. The gods themselves would pause to listen to these songs, for in the voices of mortals, Einra’s gift came alive in ways even the divine could not foresee.
These songs captured joy, sorrow, love, and triumph, transforming fleeting moments into eternal echoes. As time passed, the Skalds observed a troubling truth: mortal lives, no matter how extraordinary, faded into obscurity with the passage of years. Great warriors who fought valiantly, wise leaders who guided their people, and lovers whose sacrifices shaped their tribes were all at risk of being forgotten. It was then that the Skalds took upon themselves a sacred duty. They would immortalize these deeds in song and story, ensuring that no worthy life would vanish into the void. Through their words, the Skalds wove legends that transcended time, carrying the essence of heroes to future generations, becoming the people's voice, their songs a mirror reflecting the soul of humanity.

Traveling and Wandering

The Skalds were wanderers, unlike other artisans who stayed rooted to their homes. They roamed from village to village, from the grand halls of jarls to the humble firesides of farmers. Their arrival was heralded with joy, for they carried tales of far-off lands and deeds and the comforting familiarity of shared tradition. Skalds lived precariously, dependent on the generosity of those they entertained. Yet their role granted them a unique power: the ability to influence through their stories. A jarl might reconsider a war after hearing a ballad of ruin and despair, or a warrior might find their courage renewed through a rousing saga of victory.
Their role as historians, poets, and advisors made them respected and sometimes feared. To cross a Skald was to risk being cast as a villain in their tales, a fate that could tarnish a reputation for generations. Yet this did not save them from the harshest of times, such as the time of the Warlock Dominions with the Skalds being declared enemies of the Warlock Lords for what they represented to the people as a reminder of what was before they arrive giving them hope to be free once more with being forced to live out in the wilderness to survive and secretly passing on their knowledge to those that wished to be Skalds with the risk of death if discovered. For centuries, they would travel from to place, playing where they could for anyone they could, leaving soon after to avoid being discovered and waiting for the day they could play freely once more. When that day finally did come, and the tyrants fell, they would fill the land with their knowledge of stories and music and celebrate with them once more.

Following The Winds

The Skalds adapted as the world grew and old ways began to shift. They witnessed the rise and fall of heroes and villains alike as the seasons and stories that came with them changed. Continue to build upon more and more legends that unfold with each passing day that they bear witness to. Even seeing the end of the chaotic Age of Heroes and seeing the rise of the Kingdom of Norria has all but changed the continent. Yet, their purpose remained unchanged: to celebrate creation's beauty and ensure no story worth telling would ever be lost.
Even now, the Skalds endure in the shadow of time’s relentless march. Their songs echo in the halls of kings and the hearts of common folk. They remind humanity of its connection to the gods, to one another, and to the art of creating something beautiful — an eternal gift from Einra, the goddess who believed in the power of mortal hands and voices to shape the world. The Skalds, it is said, are more than mere storytellers; they are the keepers of memory, the voice of the past, and the heralds of the future. Their songs will live as long as the stars burn in the heavens, a testament to the enduring beauty of creation and the stories that define us all.

Operations

Tools

Instrument: A skald always carries an instrument when performing to add more atmosphere to songs and tales towards a crowd.

Dangers & Hazards

Performance Retaliation: There are often cases of Skalds performing songs and tales to insult someone which can result in those being targeted to bring harm to the Skald that tells it.
Dangerous Wilderness: Skalds general travel though wilderness and battlefields where they can easily end up killed if they are not too careful.

Alternative Names

Bard-Chroniclers, Saga Weavers, War Singers

Type

Entertainment

Demand

Common

Legality

Skalds are mainly found in Norria, and anyone is allowed to be one if they are good at it.

Famous in the Field

• Masha Songweaver

Used By

• Jarldoms Of Norria
• Kingdom of Norria

Preserving Legacies

by Jester%

As long as some are talked about, they never truly fade. - Magnus the Red

While a Skald must entertain to earn their keep with the many stories they know, they also ensure that the memory of those who made a name for themselves are remembered. Time will ensure that everything is eventually forgotten, as all those who come after will forget what had come before, and those who knew them will pass from this world. This is the task the Skulds have been given, to uphold those memories so that those stories never die, for in the end, stories are all we have to hold onto to keep us going.

Types of Skalds

by Jester%

Do you think that Skulds just sing about heroes? You need to meet more of them to truly understand their depth, my boy. - Father To Son

It can be a heavy task for any Skald, with many stories to learn. For this reason, they decided to take different paths to maintain certain types of stories so that they would not be mixed up with one another.
Lore Mystics: Skalds that have dedicated their lives to telling tales involving the gods and the many events that shaped the world. Many are said to have great connections to them and can witness prophecies from the people they meet.
Warrior Skalds: While most Skalds are not considered fighters, some go out of their way to be warriors to fight alongside those who will earn a name for themselves in their tales with their deeds and actions. They are also known to use their skills to inspire those they fight alongside, being energized by their words of charisma and song.
Legend Keepers: The most common Skald that ensures that tale of epic journies of heroes and tragedies that befell others to be both inspiring and cautionary to all that listen to them. For every song and tale they speak of, they pass on wisdom to all who listen to ensure they inherit to be used to guide them through their lives.