Troubadour
Character Type Description
A Troubadour is a skilled musician and storyteller, often itinerant.
Subtypes and Crosstypes
The subtypes of the Troubadour are as follows:
| Subtype | Distinctive Features |
|---|---|
| Poor Troubadour | In financial hardship. |
The crosstypes of the Troubadour are as follows:
| Crosstype | Distinctive Features |
|---|---|
| Enchanter Troubadour | Knows some magic (but not a full Enchanter). Uses music to evoke magical effects. |
| Fighting Troubadour | A troubadour with combat ability (but not a Troubadour Knight). |
Names
Refer to the Chart of Noble Names. When initially encountered, the troubadour may be described by where he is from.
Abilities and Secrets
Closed Abilities
These abilities are restricted to the Troubadour character type. Nobody who is not a Troubadour can take these abilities.
Satire (Courtesie) Satire is used to mock, satirize and shame a person, acting like an attack on their Courtesie which if successful will wound them. If present, they can oppose with their React, Orate or Sway abilities to attempt to maintain their dignity and composure and the sympathy of any onlookers. Otherwise they will need to hire you or another troubadour to restore their lost reputation.
Abilities on the chart will include:
- Cooking (C)
- Juggling (A)
- Story-Tell (C)
- First Aid (A)
- Melee Weapons: Dagger (V)
- Stealth (C)
- Conjuring (A)
- Acrobatics (V)
- Satire (C)
- Discern Truth (C)
- Sway (C)
- Savoir-Faire (C)
- Clerk (A)
- Sense Danger (A)
- Deceit (C)
- Disguise (C)
Music is an automatic free ability for all Troubadours.
Closed Secrets
These secrets are restricted to the Troubadour character type. Nobody who is not a Troubadour can take these secrets.
Secret of Orfeo Your character is capable, by playing his instrument and/or singing, of charming the audience to a supernatural degree. He can use this ability to move them to tears or laughter, or with a successful Sway ability check to move them to action. He can also cause them to fall into a charmed sleep from which they will not wake for hours.
Secret of Rumour Your character can always pick up useful rumours “on the street” and filter the truth out of them; he also knows how to spread false rumours and have them be believed.
Secrets on the chart will include:
- Orfeo
- Animal Speech
- Unwalked Path
- Contacts
- Disarm
- Hidden Pocket
- Signature Weapon (with musical instrument)
- Rumour
- Distraction
- Diplomacy
- Alcohol Tolerance
- Lore
Initial Attitude
An encountered troubadour will always be initially friendly and well-disposed to you.
Retainers and Companions
Troubadours are not typically found with companions.
Complete Worked Examples TO ADAPT FROM KNIGHT VERSIONS WHEN SYSTEM MORE SETTLED
Example 1: Black Knight (JH, 5S, 2C)
Choose a name for your Black Knight from the Noble Names Table if you like. We will refer to him simply as the Black Knight for this example.
The Black Knight’s pools are:
- Valour: Encounter card (Hearts) = 4 points (with Knight’s Valour bonus).
- Courtesie: Tens card (Spades) = 0 points.
- Artes: Ones card (Clubs) = 1 point.
His abilities are:
- Hearts and Spades, Jousting (Master).
- Spades and Clubs, Sword (Journeyman).
- Hearts and Clubs, Battle (Journeyman).
- Spades and Hearts, Sense Danger (Apprentice).
- Clubs and Spades, Aim (Apprentice).
- Clubs and Hearts, Sway (Apprentice).
He has the Secret of Knightly Discipline and no other Secrets.
His encounter card is a Jack, so his Key is the Key of Bloodlust.
He is hostile to you, because he is a Black Knight.
Example 2: Church Knight (QC, 10C, 5D)
Let’s call our Church Knight Sir Jaufre of the Sorrowful Countenance.
Sir Jaufre’s pools are:
- Valour: Encounter card (Clubs) = 2 points, with the Knight bonus.
- Courtesie: Tens card (Clubs) = 1 point.
- Artes: Ones card (Diamonds) = 2 points.
His abilities are:
- Clubs and Clubs, Battleaxe(Master).
- Clubs and Diamonds, First Aid (Journeyman).
- Clubs and Diamonds, First Aid (boosts ability to Master).
- Clubs and Clubs, Battleaxe (boosts ability to Grand Master).
- Diamonds and Clubs, Mace (Apprentice).
- Diamonds and Clubs, Mace (boosts ability to Journeyman).
His Secrets are:
- Secret of Knightly Discipline.
- Secret of Knockback (club, club, diamond).
His encounter card is a Queen, so his Key is the Key of Charity.
As a (non-evil) Knight he is friendly towards all comers.
Errantry copyright 2006 by Mike Reeves-McMillan. Released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License(approve sites).
These are notes for a work in progress. Don’t expect everything to be consistent or make sense.