No, he wouldn't be an actual bard, just a vassal knight of Salisbury that happens to start with 10's in Play (harp), Sing, and either Orate or Courtesy. The character would also, however, strive to be a Religious knight of the British Christian faith.

In terms of the rules, there is no problem as this is perfectly legal. Is it appropriate, however, in the SPIRIT of the game? Certainly not a problem for the average Christian knight; there are plenty of knights who are Christian who have no problem playing and singing the night away.

But what about that knight who is striving for that Religious bonus?

"Why, certainly you may," says the pious Christian hermit. "God, in his wisdom and love for you, has given you the gift of making music. You should share that gift with all those who find it pleasurable."

"Certainly not," replies the devout parish priest. "A knight who has devoted his life to God has not the time for such merrymaking in the noble courts of the world. It would be appropriate only in worship, and only if singing His hymns. Harps are for Pagans."

Hence a dilmma, as I see it anyway.

Thoughts?

I think you've answered your own question in that there are multiple perspectives conversing with each other within Christianity, and that one can pick and choose? Especially with British Christianity being more clannish and local than the bureaucratic Pope-centered Roman Christianity.


Harps are for Pagans."
Also for King David. I mean, if you look at things like the Psalms or the Song of Songs, there can be plenty of religious material for courtly aristocratic warriors. Like Psalm 144 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20144&version=KJV):
Blessed be the LORD my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight

Or Psalm 137 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20137&version=KJV), which seems very applicable to the Saxons:
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

If the Song of Solomon (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song%20of%20Solomon+4&version=KJV) isn't for singing in the company of pretty ladies, I don't know what is.



1Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.

2Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.

3Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

4Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

5Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

6Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

7Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

Oh baby. King James Bible (http://www.amazon.com/review/R2I04QBISDC2AX/ref=cm_cr_dp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0785200827&nodeID=2 83155&tag=&linkCode=) best bible, NIV is dry, boring, and dumb.

Also, maybe check up on the Goliards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliards): essentially medieval hippies, university students in a time when a student was essentially a clergyman who spent a lot of their time writing poems about love and getting drunk. And yet were they necessarily blasphemous or anti-religious, despite their antics? Probably, but not necessarily.

http://www.tylatin.org/extras/cb22.html

I'm with the god of the doorknob.
I see no problem with pious christians being singers and dancers. I imagine they would avoid unduly pagan fertility dances, and not sing vulgar sea shanties... It's just another opportunity to express your character.

Thanks for the replies :)

I had similar feelings as well. Didn't think that this type of character would be "out of bounds", but it never hurts to check, particularly when you have a forum of this caliber to bounce ideas off of. ;D

Hello I just Joined and was looking around and saw this post and decided to chime in the following.

If your looking for a good christian bard archetype then look on Pg 36 of the KAP 5th Edition book the courtier is a good example of a christian bard with following tweaks for game play 1 re roll all his traits I thought all the pregenerated characters were a bit low on the traits and 2 train up his courtly skills during game play I actually did this and had a lot of fun playing him he will be in my opinion closest you will come to a christian bard in the game.