LE We need a good Bard mod overhaul

[Dkboy24]

So there seems to be a good overhaul of the Bards college quest line. For me, it was the single most disappointing quest line in Skyrim. It started off pretty cool by getting to re-write an old tome and read aloud to the court, but then after that is just sucked. Three more boring fetch quests and you're done. You don't actually feel like you've become a "bard" but more like you got duped into playing errand boy for people who are afraid to get their hands dirty.

 

There are tons of bard music replacers on the Nexus but not any overhauls of the actual college quest line. Also there was a cool mod called "Become a Bard" but now I don't see it on the Nexus and on Steam only (I don't install mods from Steam...)

 

I LOVE the ideas of a bard that Dragon Age introduced in that a bard is more of a rogue/ spy/ assassin in disguise. I also loved the old D&D style of being a support character that buffs the party. Sadly none of that is in the current game.

 

I'm decent at writing but have zero experience / knowledge of creating mods. I've watched some modding tutorials but it does not seem to click with me. I've outlined a rough draft of my ideas and thought I'd post them here in case anyone else wants to run with them!

 

Objective: To make the Bards College more interactive and expand upon the extremely short and unsatisfying quest line.

 

Application: To apply for the Bards College you must either have knowledge of Skyrim's history enough to re-tell the tales of old, or have firsthand experience in adventures you have completed. There should be a minimum "books read" requirement (say 100? 200?) to join based on your history and knowledge of the world. Or you can join after you've completed one of the major quest lines (after you've slain your first dragon, after you've finished the Companions quest line, etc).

 

Once you've applied to the college the start is the same, go and fetch the tale of Olaf One Eye and bring it back to be read to the court and re-initiate the burning of the effigy. After which is where this overhaul kicks in as you must select your "major" in the college. Only one major can be unlocked and once you select one, the others will not be available. The three majors are "Bard's Arts" which gives you Thief abilities as you use your songs to distract people, "Troubadour's Arts" which gives you warriors abilities as you receipt the poems of ancient heroes to boost your combat, and "Minstrel's Arts" as you use your musical instruments to call upon the elements and boost your magic. No matter which path you choose, you will get an instrument to play and will be able to play at inns for tips (very similar to the way the "Become a Bard" mod works) so you actually feel like a bard no matter what specialty you selected.

 

Major in Bard's Arts: Speak to Inge Six Fingers to begin training in this art and he will send you to obtain his lute to begin. Part of the founding from the college comes from secret contracts to act as spies and saboteurs. The civil war has provided tons of work to be done and there is always someone somewhere who needs information. Inge's quest revolve around sneaking into places and obtaining information. This could be stealing battle plans, ease-dropping for a set time, or sabotaging certain locations (ie opening a locked door to a fort so the enemy can invade or disarming all traps in a certain area, etc). After you've accepted a number of contracts, you obtain the "Bard's Song" ability which increases the effectiveness of your allies and your stealth while nearby enemies and NPC's are distracted by your song.

 

Major in Troubadour's Arts: Speak to Giraud Gemane to begin training in this art and he will send you to obtain his drum to begin. As mighty warriors go to battle, poems of past heroes are often read to inspire the men and instill courage and rage into the hearts of all who hear. Giraud's quests will involve inspiring troops on the battle field and rallying men who are fleeing from combat. As you use "Rjorn's drum" near friendly NPC's in combat, you buff them. Sometimes, generals will enlist a troubadour from the college to inspire his men before battle, so you may be sent to inspire troops for "x" amount of time. After you've completed Giraud's quests you gain the "Warrior poet" ability and as you play your drum and receipt the poems of old, you earn buffs for attack/ defense for you and all friendly NPC's and companions in the area (it could even play a small 2 or 3 second drum animation).

 

Major in Minstrel's Arts: Speak to Pantea's to begin training in this art and she will send you to obtain her flute to begin. It is said that a skilled flute player can calm the rage inside even the wildest of beast. That the winds of magic will flow through a skilled flute player so they shape them as they see fit. Pantea's quests involve all things related to magic. Use her flute to calm creatures in the wild (you have to play it for "x" amount of time while you sooth a cave troll who will be attacking you or your companion until the time is complete), to summon creatures to aid you in battle (summon "x" amount of atronach's to "guard" revered places throughout Skyrim), or to aid in battle as you attack with the elements (use your flute to attack rogue antronach's with the proper element such as fireball against a frost antronach, etc). After you completed Pantea's quests you gain the "Spellweaver's flute" ability which will increase your Destruction damage and magic regen for "x" amount of time for your and your allies. Maybe a small 2-3 second flute playing animation can play while you cast it.

 

Maybe once you are done with your major and have earned your skill, you can continue to do radiant quests for your instructor who will offer a small percentage of the job's coin to you in return.

 

In conclusion, once you are done with the college and have passed your selected major you will have the following:

 

- The ability to play music at inns and earn coin

 

- The ability to buff yourself and your allies with voice, poem, or music

 

- A "playable" instrument that will play an animation and one of the music bards tracks from the game (instrumental only so it will apply to both male and females characters)

 

- The ability to continue to do radiant quests for your instructor to earn coin for you and the college