You know, I've played rp-intensive games for a long, long time now, and I've always loved bard/entertainer characters. And now that I've stumbled on EFU, I've decided that I really like EFU and bard/entertainer characters, so...I was thinking that the server could really use some sort of entertainer's organization.

To illustrate just how neat this might be, I'll refer to another online game called Dragon Realms (and I hope it's okay for me to talk abotu a different game). Anyway, in the game, bards like all other professions have guilds, but, their guild is the neatest thing I've ever seen in an on-line game. It almost became a artistic and cultural thing. The bards in that game wrote background for parts of the campaign (embellishing on things that were already defined), created and nurtured a sort of community of game-themed poets (writing about in-game events, etc.) They even put on large shows, and were hired for special events by others, etc. They just were very involved, and I fell utterly in love with the guild.

EFU has some of the best roleplayers I've seen, and I've explored quite a bit (and I think the setting, combined with the player base, is what makes EFU so cool). So, I know that there are definite limitations for characters to script things in NWN (setting short lines to macro keys, etc.), but I think it could really work here. I think that a community of artists would be neat, and that it would add a lot to the game.

To that end, I plan on writing a lot of pieces that are EFU-themed, and I'm going to look for others who might be into the idea of an organization of some kind for entertainers. I imagine anyone, of any profession could join as long as they had a serious lean towards song, poetry, dance, or even comedy. Bards would probably be most drawn to this, but I don't see why others might not be artistic as well. So, let's discuss this. I'd love to hear others ideas, or if there is any support for something like this at all on the server.

Thanks for your time! Lily O

Welcome to the server, I hope you continue to enjoy your time playing here in EfU. I think that an artistic group/troupe would add some color to a rather dreary and survivalist world, and would provide something in game that many characters may find interest in. Know also, however, that retaining characters in a set group structure can sometimes be difficult in this setting due to the harsh environs. Otherwise, bards of any type seem to be few and far between. I wish you luck.

We always need more bards.

^^^LOL! love the band :P and welcome to the server Lily and have fun :)

Hasn't something like that been tried before and failed? But I guess if you're real determined and make a name for yourself this should be easy. I'm just having a damn hard time with writing songs.. But since I only need to make the lyrics and no melody blabla it's kinda easy again.

Okay, so I think I know how I'm going to pursue this, and I thought I would offer an outline for anyone who was interested.

To start with, a strict organization of entertainers is, I think, unworkable and silly. Instead, I'm going to set this up as a loose event. I was thinking of running a concert/play, thrown twice a week, at opposite ends of the clock (like Monday morning and Thursday nights). To start with, I'll perform a new piece that I write each week (probably an efu-themed poem/song), just in case no one else wishes to perform, and hopefully that will draw enough attention to the idea that others will contribute as well.

From there, I think it would be neat to build an in-game circle that critiques and helps each other in composing new works...like an artistic workshop. So, those are the two things that will tie into this rather loose group.

The mission for the group is mutable, but will probably revolve around encouraging the arts and culture in Sanctuary, offering social events, and developing new talent (by helping out new artistic-themed characters).

I'm probably going to try to find donors for the group (people who wish to contribute to the arts in Sanctuary), and we will probably also accept donations at the events. The money will serve primarily as payment to the performers, although the pay will remain reasonable (like several hundred gold per performance, depending on length, I imagine). That will be a sort of encouragement for others to add and contribute (and give a good IC reason for doing so).

I also imagine that if the group is making massive amounts of money through it's activities (which is questionable), that the extra money might be vested in the city for cultural/arts projects (like a performance hall someday far in the future). The group could also act as a sort of charity, in that excess funds could be donated to other good causes as well.

The group's definition will probably change with each new member that joins it. Likewise, membership in the group will not mean that anyone owes any loyalties to anything at all. You just have to be punctual and professional in your activities with the group (like showing up at concerts you promise to perform at, etc.). And members of this organization will be completely free to join other groups as well. Also, I couldn't see restricting the group to any one class...I think that any character who performs at an acceptable level would be allowed to join. I really want the group to be super inclusive and friendly.

Oh, and last, as a display of good faith, my characters won't be taking any payment at all from any of this until way off in the future, when they are no longer central to running the group.

So, if anyone feels compelled to be heavily involved, please let me know. I'm frequently on IRC as lilyophelia. Also in game as either Lyra or Faeylin.

If you're interested, but not willing to devote a ton of time to helping in setting this up, then just watch around in-game and in the announcements forums for the IC stuff to happen. It'll come along shortly, I think.

Oh, and I'd love thoughts about this idea as well...just don't be mean to Sune.

Feeling inspired, lilyophelia

P.S. I think the name of the group might be, "The Collective."

One of my characters had an idea for a Song Guard to augment the Spellguard and was working on implementing it during his Council term. Maybe that was the real reason he was murdered.