Help with Bardic Inspiration

[Axorfett12]

So in one of my games, we are starting a new campaign set in an archipelago of sorts. I have elected to play a bard, but am having some trouble. The character I have made is a selkie (A homebrew class that is basically a less versatile half elf that can turn into a seal). She was trained as a Sea Singer, a specialist in enchantment and illusion, in order to entice prey and repel predators. After a large band of Sahuagin killed her tribe, she was left to fend for herself on land, and met the party, but she always longs for the sea. (Drawing a lot from Selkie mythology). She uses her soft, haunting voice to cast spells and sings snippets of siren song. Usually, I have no problem coming up with fluff for spells and such, but I am drawing a blank on how to fluff her inspiration ability. I just cannot for the life of me think of how a melancholy singer whose main offensive capacity is sending psychic feelings of depression to her foes can inspire her allies to perform better. And so I turn to you, Playground, as the Playground knows all. Any help or suggestions you can give is appreciated. I can provide more info on the character as well if needed.

Basically my question is this: How do you fluff Bardic Inspiration for a depressing character?

[uraniumrooster]

There's a reason sad songs are so popular. They help us process complex feelings and, in doing so, feel better about ourselves. Your character could have a similar effect on her party-mates. Prolonged contact with her music and magic has had soothing effect, fortifying their psyche and boosting their morale just as she depresses the group's foes.

[Asmotherion]

She can inspire through a hymn to the dead, and people that were unrightfully killed that seek vengence from their friends and fammily (who happen to be the PCs, and it inspires them with determination to their task). Or sing of the death of the enemies, effectivelly inspiring confidence to her allies.

If you want to make it really depressive for the enemies and play on the psychology of the other PCs, make her sing a Requiem Mass for the opponents.

[Cyan Wisp]

uraniumrooster has it right.

Even more, I often find sad songs to be things of beauty in and of themselves. That beauty - of the mellow, tender voice, the poignant melody, the poetic lyrics - could easily fill one's heart with a touch of the sublime. It could even inspire a kind of sympathetic love for the Selkie, urging her friends to be the light in her life, to ease her burdens and make things right.

Who says inspiration can't be felt with a tear in one's eye? :smallsigh:

[Regitnui]

"I'm sorry, but today you're going to die." it's a classic gentleman's taunt, and would work well as a selkie song for your character. It can also describe how terrifying your party members are; "He has killed a thousand men, but not one who gave him no cause. Lay down your arms and let him by and you'll live to dawn once more"; and boost their morale that way. Obviously I'm better at prose than poetry, but you get the idea.

[Belac93]

A question; Are you using the options (http://www.tribality.com/2015/02/18/from-the-depths-bards-college-of-the-sea-singers/) from Tribality? (http://www.tribality.com/2015/01/02/5th-edition-aquatic-builds-selkie/) Or maybe the earlier ones from Rich's blog?

[Axorfett12]

I am using the options from tribality. I asked the dm if it was ok to actually reduce the power of the 14th level ability though. It now allows for dual concentration only if both are enchantment or illusion spells.

Those are some excellent ideas. If she is singing abiut how she'll "Slice his throat with a bloody dagger, shoot him through the heart with a loaded crossbow, feed him to the hungry sharks for dinner, early in the morning etc..." That would demoralize the enemy, giving my allies greater results. It's simply a reverse way of thinking of it. My inspiration does not improve my allies capabilities, but reduce that of my enemies.

[Regitnui]

My inspiration does not improve my allies capabilities, but reduce that of my enemies.

Yet it works the same way mechanically. Refluffing is so much fun.

[Slipperychicken]

She was trained as a Sea Singer, a specialist in enchantment and illusion, in order to entice prey and repel predators.

After a large band of Sahuagin killed her tribe, she was left to fend for herself on land, and met the party, but she always longs for the sea. (Drawing a lot from Selkie mythology). She uses her soft, haunting voice to cast spells and sings snippets of siren song. Usually, I have no problem coming up with fluff for spells and such, but I am drawing a blank on how to fluff her inspiration ability. I just cannot for the life of me think of how a melancholy singer whose main offensive capacity is sending psychic feelings of depression to her foes can inspire her allies to perform better. And so I turn to you, Playground, as the Playground knows all. Any help or suggestions you can give is appreciated. I can provide more info on the character as well if needed.

Basically my question is this: How do you fluff Bardic Inspiration for a depressing character?

People can do music differently from what they've been mainly trained to do. It really is that simple. Even if you spend all your practice time singing exactly the same music as your job requires (she could have sung happier tunes in private?), you can turn your voice to different tunes once you learn them. Same goes for a classical musician later picking up jazz or metal. You don't have "sad musicians" who are literally unable to play things that aren't sad. That's just not how musicianship works. You might not really feel like playing things that aren't sad, but you could still do it to your skill level if you had to.


She could also just psychically broadcast different feelings, such as aggression, malice, calm, confidence, and so on. If that's not familiar to her, then you can remark on that in-character (or even have her reluctant to do it; perhaps she feels that joyful music is disrespect to the loss of her people because she's in mourning) and use that for some degree of character development.

[Axorfett12]

My game is starting tomorrow, and I wrote a more fleshed out backstory. She had some messed up things happen to her when she first ventured onto land. Because of this, her heart is filled sorrow, and she sings of her pain to help calm the storm inside her soul. Releasing this pain brings intense sadness to her enemies, but is cathartic to her allies, as they too release some of their inner pain. She is capable of singing joyous melodies, but does not. She sang of loss on the coastal rocks, curiosity in the village by the sea, and pain when her first glimpse of human society was a dark alley and drunk thugs. She sang of conflict during the long months, when her knowledge and her belly grew, and joy when her child was born. When he grew sick she sang of better days, and when he died she sang a song that made the gods themselves weep. This is the reason Mhara of the Sea croons melodies of pain and torment. She holds a sorrow to rival the ocean depths inside her heart, and her songs empty it a teaspoon at a time. And so she keeps singing, for what else is she to do? What else but wander this earth, searching for something, anything, to remove her pain. Perhaps by helping others, she can help herself. It is a false hope, but she clings to it.

Sorry for the depressing wall of text, I fell in love with this character from the moment I heard her voice singing in the back of my mind. She's gotten a little out of control, but all the best characters have a life of thier own.

[Slipperychicken]

Sorry for the depressing wall of text, I fell in love with this character from the moment I heard her voice singing in the back of my mind. She's gotten a little out of control, but all the best characters have a life of thier own.

That is a wonderful thing. I recall more than one character I loved that way. You should play your PC to your vision of her, in ways that convey the qualities most essential to her personality, motivations, personal history, and perspective while still allowing those to interact with the game's events. Sharing that kind of passion with the right friends can be a rewarding experience. At the same time, I try not to get too hung up over whether my friends see my PC exactly the same way I do; that extra perspective can expose new avenues for development and exploration.

[Axorfett12]

Thank you for the advice. I'm currently unaware of the other player's characters and choices, due to the DM wanting our first meeting to be more realistic. I have a feeling we will have some interesting roleplay though. Mhara is by nature a curious person, but that curiosity is tempered by a heavy dose of suspicion. She guards herself closely, and only opens up when she sings. She comes across as shy, but only because she fears the results of being outgoing. She opens up far more easily to women, which is perfectly understandable. Men (and I say this as a man) are just the worst. She actually has a habit of tensing her shoulders involuntarily when she meets a male stranger. I forsee interesting relationships between her and any male party members. Hopefully nothing bad, just interesting. As for your concern over viewpoints, I actually hope that they see her differently than I do. It adds more realism and creates better roleplay.

Thank you all for your wonderful advice and assistance. Mhara literally would be different person if you hadn't offered your ideas.