[Estarra]

During Lusternia's Year Two Anniversary celebrations this weekend, the bard archetype was released. Bards receive the primary skill of music and then specialize in a musical style. Bard's write their own lyrics to songs which they then can imbue with certain magical powers. Thus, they sing their custom songs and release the magic! Bards also learn Acrobatics and another skill based on where they live. They are very mobile and excellent at supporting others.

The first of the bard's guild is known as the Harbingers Guild, founded by Nirrti of Glomdoring who won the Second Year Anniversary Poetry Contest. The song specialization for the Harbingers is called Shadowbeat. New bard's guilds will be released at the rate of one per week until each of Lusternia's four main organizations has a guild, each with their own unique music specialization.

[Gorgulu]

Note that if you've played Achaea or Imperian's Bard classes, Lusternia's bards are nothing like them - they're totally original (and much cooler).

[Estarra]

To update this thread, Lusternia has now released all four of its unique bard guilds:

The Harbingers Bard Guild: As the first of the bard guilds to be opened, it is situated in the Dark Forest of Glomdoring and practices a brooding musical style known as the Shadowbeat.

The Cantors Bard Guild: Situated in the City of New Celest, these bards have developed a style of music known as the Starhymn, which draws upon the power of the Light.

The Cacophony Bard Guild: Housed in the City of Magnagora, these bards are inspired by the Demon Lords of Nil to develop the loud and raucous style of music known as the Necroscream.

The Spiritsingers Bard Guild: Finally, the bards in the Forest of Serenwilde compose songs in the ancient style of Wildarrane, the music most closely identified with the fae.

Each "style" of music also represents a specialization--a skillset just for that guild (with about 15 unique skills each). Bards also take the skillset of Acrobatics. Finally, for the third guild skill, bards in cities get to choose between Illusions and Tarot while bards in forest communes get to choose between Illusions and Hunting/Ecology.

We hope these unique twists on the traditional bard archetype continues Lusternia's reputation as one of the leaders of developing innovative and creative systems.