Posted by Grallon on June 9, 2000 at 12:59:19:
In Reply to: What is the Bladesong?People talk about it and i don't know what it is. n/t posted by Just Wondering. on June 9, 2000 at 12:19:18:
Not sure what author/game started it. But it has become a standard (almost) idea for Elf warriors.
The Idea is that elves are so graceful and dextrous, that a Bladesinger actually dances when he fights, his blade moving so fast, and with such rhythm, that it actually hums or "sings" through the air...becomeing actually the music that the Elf is dancing to.
I have seen/read a few versions of the effects of this.
1) that it is just a beafed up form of finesse sword fighting, causing greater parrying and almost negateing your opponents parrying.
2) that the combination of the music and the hypnotic dance actually has a minor hypnotic affect on the opponent, allowing the elf to subtley direct the battle in a way he sees fit.
3) That the dance which creates the motion of the sword, that creates the music for the dance, goes into a positive feedback loop, causing the elf to almost loose conscious control of his body, but moving faster and faster and with more deadly precision and power, until either the elf is dead, or his opponent (in cf terms an aristaea/haste added on cumulatively every other round)
The idea of bladesong may have started with TSR (AD&D or just D&D) so many people who mud know of it. It is also in the description of a few elven mobs that they are "bladesingers". This has caused a number of Elven warriors in cf to think it would be a really cool character hook to be a warrior in search of the blade-song...hopeing to perhaps get a quest skill out of their chosen rp. This has led to a sort of "elf-warrior" subculture Myth about it actually being a quest skill that is just waiting to be earned by a character.
It is rumored that Ahvlannon received it (unconfirmed).
Now if he did or not, and if he did if it existed as a quest skill before him, or the imms made it for him...or if he didn't if it exists now as a quest skill or if the imms would make it a quest skill for those worthy is conjecture for anyone who is not an Imm.
Hope this helped.
fta