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Minstrel

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Minstrels were a variety of traveling entertainer in the Realms.[1][2][3]

Etymology[]

The term "minstrel" was often used interchangeably with "bard",[1] as the average person couldn't differentiate them,[4] though there were distinctions between the two.[1] The term also carried a more negative connotation among average folk compared to "bard", being used to refer to performers that they felt were of a mediocre or worse quality.[4]

Description[]

The minstrel profession involved singing ballads, playing a wide variety of instruments,[2][5] and putting on mummery shows.[6] Telling stories that were fabrications or recounts. And because of their traveling nature, they often carried gossip and news between population centers.[3][7] The relaying of news or messages was one of the many means by which minstrels earned coin.[8]

The ballads minstrels sang were usually of great events, such as the battle that ruined the Falling Tower,[9] of far off lands, such as Rashemen[10][11] and its Wychlaran or Thay and its Red Wizards,[11] of wild tales of the lives of princes and princesses, of great adventurers,[12] of criticism towards the nobility,[13] of regional folklore or legends,[14][15] of local rumors,[15] and love songs.[16]

In addition to ballads, minstrels would dramatically recite poems, memorize crucial scenes from old plays,[17] and sometimes modified popular songs with their own verses, such as The Ballad of the Dream Weaver or The Knights of Dragon Down.[18]

Minstrels were typically socially active individuals.[19] They sometimes traveled in troupes. Besides other minstrels,[20][21][22] these troupes could consist of bards, dancers, and spelldancers.[23]

Distinction From Bards[]

Minstrels lacked the thorough, formal training and mastery of arcane magic that bards had. They also often lacked a bard's grand skills in memorization, forcing them to rely upon books or other methods to aid them in recalling stories.[1]

Unlike average folk, guilds and positions or jobs that were court or noble-sponsored took the distinction between "bard" and "minstrel" quite seriously.[4]

Culture[]

Minstrels could be found throughout Toril.[24] In Faerûn they were most commonly found in Cormyr,[25] in the Border Kingdoms,[26] in Dlusk,[27] in Selgaunt,[28] in Sembia, in Zhentil Keep,[29] in northwest Faerun,[30] in the Vast,[31] and across the Sword Coast in cities such as Baldur's Gate, Berdusk, Beregost,[32] and Waterdeep.[33] Especially during the festival of Masks,[22] in various establishments during Shieldmeet,[34] and in the city's Jester's Court.[35] Beyond the city itself, Waterdhavian minstrels could be found in Caer Callidyrr.[36]

Further afield, minstrels could be found in the lands of Kara-Tur, such as in Shou Lung[37] and Wa. Notably, the government of the Wanese city of Tifuido kept minstrels on a salary and had them play in the streets.[38] In Chult, many a tabaxi lived as minstrels, traveling from settlement to settlement by themselves or in a troupe and garbed in bright clothes adorned with feathers and shells.[39] Minstrels could be found across Zakhara, often at its bazaars selling their services for 3 to 5 gold pieces.[40] And they could even be found in the Underdark, with deep gnomes being one of the races that commonly took up the profession.[41][42] In the Elemental Plane of Air, there were djinn who lived as minstrels to entertain the noble djinni.[43]

A unique variety of minstrel, the elven minstrel, were common throughout the island of Evermeet and could be found traveling the byways of Faerûn. These were most often silver elves, though sometimes gold elves took up the profession, and minstrels of both races had very different styles of song.[44]

Festhalls, Inns, and restauraunts were seen to hire minstrels to play background music. Such as the Pride of the North, Everwyn House the Pleasing Platter,[45] the Moonlight Touch, the Wizard's Pit,[46] the Jovial Juggler, and The Way Inn.[47] As well as at clubs, such as the Osculatory, the Masked Mermaid,[48] and The Three Towers.[13]

In terms of religion, minstrels in Faerûn were drawn most often to the Church of Milil, whose Tuneservants protected and rescued minstrels across the land and whose musical deity Milil sometimes appeared in the form of an old minstrel.[49] Beyond the Church of Milil, the clergy of the Church of Oghma often assisted, sponsored, and taught minstrels.[50] And the clergy of the Church of Eilistraee were expected to pay any minstrel they met for an evensong or two.[51]

Equipment[]

Many minstrels used tale sashes to help them in the memorization of stories and to provide audiences a visual of whatever they were telling.[1]

The variety of instruments they played often included bells, harps, kazoos, lutes, and simply the stamping of their feet.[2] In elven minstrelry, the harp and various flute-like horns were most prevalent.[52]

History[]

Minstrelry as a profession existed on Toril as far back as the days of Netheril, where the services of some could be purchased on the Karsus Enclave.[53] Long after Netheril's fall, elves of the Kingdom of Cormanthyr developed their own minstrels, the elven minstrel.[54]

Minstrels, along with caravan merchants and peddlers, were among the primary carriers of news and salacious rumors prior to the introduction of broadsheets.[55] Though following the rise of broadsheets, minstrels were still valued in the 14th century DR by many as a source of news.[8]

Notable Minstrels[]

Trivia[]

  • The avatar of Vergadain occasionally took the form of a traveling minstrel.[64]
  • Olothontor was known as "the Minstrel Wyrm" and one of his life goals was to hear from the finest minstrels throughout the world.[24]
  • A friendly minstrel was one of the forms that the shapechangers known as uthraki were often likely to take.[65]

Appendix[]

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Video Games

Neverwinter Nights series (Neverwinter Nights 2 • 2: Storm of Zehir) • Neverwinter

External Links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Ed Greenwood (2013-12-24). Tales Hanging by Threads. Forging the Realms. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2017-08-27. Retrieved on 2017-08-27.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 So Saith Ed Aug–Oct 2004. (25-11-2021). Retrieved on 12-03-2022.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ed Greenwood (2020-01-27). How Bards Are Viewed Vs. Other Entertainers (Tweet). theedverse. Twitter. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved on 2022-02-11.
  5. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), p. 11. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  6. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), p. 48. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  7. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 5, 17. ISBN 0786960345.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 31. ISBN 0786960345.
  9. ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 94. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  10. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), A Grand Tour of the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 120. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 William W. Connors (November 1995). Wizards and Rogues of the Realms. Edited by Anne Gray McCready. (TSR, Inc), p. 58. ISBN 0-7869-0190-X.
  12. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (March 2006). Power of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 15, 103. ISBN 0-7869-3910-9.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Ed Greenwood (2006-12-06). Minstrel's Songs a Hit. Waterdeep News. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2009-06-02. Retrieved on 2019-02-24.
  14. ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 2000). Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate II. Edited by Duane Maxwell, David Noonan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 116. ISBN 0-7869-1626-5.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), p. 82. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  16. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 150. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  17. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 34. ISBN 0786960345.
  18. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), pp. 82, 98. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  19. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (March 2006). Power of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 108. ISBN 0-7869-3910-9.
  20. ↑ Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 233. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
  21. ↑ Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls, Robert J. Schwalb, Adam Lee, Christopher Perkins, Matt Sernett (November 2017). Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 65. ISBN 978-0-7869-6612-7.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 28. ISBN 0786960345.
  23. ↑ Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 37. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 29. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  25. ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 26, 44, 67–68, 75, 83, 134, 201. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  26. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (March 2006). Power of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 143. ISBN 0-7869-3910-9.
  27. ↑ Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 61. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  28. ↑ Richard Lee Byers (June 2000). “Shamur's Wager”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #273 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 57.
  29. ↑ Kevin Melka, John Terra (March 1995). “Campaign Book”. In Julia Martin ed. Ruins of Zhentil Keep (TSR, Inc.), pp. 7, 91. ISBN 0-7869-0109-8.
  30. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1993). Volo's Guide to the North. (TSR, Inc), pp. 11, 22, 74, 97–98, 164, 192. ISBN 1-5607-6678-6.
  31. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 1998). The City of Ravens Bluff. Edited by John D. Rateliff. (TSR, Inc.), p. 147. ISBN 0-7869-1195-6.
  32. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), pp. 8, 11, 29–30, 153, 157, 226. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  33. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb (September 1988). City System. Edited by Karen Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 15–20. ISBN 0-8803-8600-2.
  34. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 30. ISBN 0786960345.
  35. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Adventurer's Guide to the City”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  36. ↑ Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 32. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
  37. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume I). (TSR, Inc), pp. 7, 33, 43. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  38. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 182. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  39. ↑ Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 16, 233. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
  40. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Andria Hayday (April 1992). Arabian Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 92. ISBN 978-1560763581.
  41. ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1999). Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark. Edited by Jeff Quick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 40. ISBN 0-7869-1509-9.
  42. ↑ Christopher Perkins, Adam Lee, Richard Whitters (September 1, 2015). Out of the Abyss. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 106. ISBN 978-0-7869-6581-6.
  43. ↑ Wolfgang Baur, Steve Kurtz (1992). Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix. (TSR, Inc). ISBN l-56076-370-1.
  44. ↑ Anne Gray McCready et al. (March 1994). Elves of Evermeet. (TSR, Inc), p. 110. ISBN 1-5607-6829-0.
  45. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1993). Volo's Guide to the North. (TSR, Inc), pp. 74, 97–98. ISBN 1-5607-6678-6.
  46. ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 75, 134. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  47. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), pp. 30, 67. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  48. ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 26, 44. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  49. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 117. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  50. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 132. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  51. ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 23. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
  52. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 188. ISBN 0786960345.
  53. ↑ slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 97. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  54. ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), pp. 9–10. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
  55. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 5. ISBN 0786960345.
  56. ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 94. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  57. ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  58. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 156. ISBN 0786960345.
  59. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Shadowdale. (TSR, Inc), p. 46. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  60. ↑ Ed Greenwood (August 2012). “Eye on the Realms: The Lost Dragon of Waterdeep”. In Steve Winter ed. Dragon #414 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4.
  61. ↑ Obsidian Entertainment (November 2008). Designed by Tony Evans. Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir. Atari.
  62. ↑ Ed Greenwood (January 1996). Volo's Guide to the Dalelands. (TSR, Inc), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-0406-2.
  63. ↑ Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  64. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 1990). Dwarves Deep. (TSR, Inc.), p. 18. ISBN 0-88038-880-3.
  65. ↑ Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Monstrous Compendium”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 978-0786901395.
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