Bard Lore (A Realm Reborn only)
This page only covers what I’ve seen so far, so it’s safe for anyone still in A Realm Reborn.
In Eorzea, Bards are warrior-poets whose songs strengthen their allies in battle. You start as an Archer in Gridania before taking up the Bard’s path through the job quests.
Before the harp, there was the bow
As far as the game tells it, bards came out of Gridania. They weren’t trained musicians at first. They were hunters and archers who sang in the middle of battle to steady the people next to them, strumming their bowstrings like harps.
Later, nations tried to copy that effect with organised minstrel units. It never quite worked. Something about the original, a person singing because their friends needed it.
The Godsbow who put down his bow
My Bard story started in New Gridania, where Luciane at the Archers’ Guild told me about Jehantel. He was once one of the finest archers of the Gods’ Quiver, famous enough to be called the Godsbow. Now he lives in a little camp west of Quarrymill in the South Shroud and refuses to teach anyone archery. He’ll only teach song.
The reason is a battle more than twenty years ago, at Griffin Crossing, against the Ixal. Chasing glory, Jehantel left his post. While he was gone, his comrades were slain. He hasn’t been able to draw a bow since.
More coming soon…