Wednesday, July 20, 2016

The Bardic Sculptor

And we come now to the last kind of art, sculpture.  Unlike the other art forms, I've divided the table below not on specific sub-medium but on the subject of the artwork.  Representational statues are of a specific thing (a person, creature, or tableaux).  Totemic statues are more abstract, attempting to sculpt intangible properties or indescribably beings (we don't have full-on abstract sculpture until, I believe, the 20th c. so this is as close as we get).

Bardic sculptors would still choose a concentration: wood, metal, stone, glassblowing, or wax.  They would then be able to choose the subject of their sculpture, representation or totem, which would determine which column to use as a source for the artwork's magical effects.

Also, I wanted to make explicit that the Totemic category goes remarkably well with Alexis' work on Fetishism.

Roll
Representational
Totemic
1
The figure depicted is majestic, refined.  Increases the demand for luxury goods by 20%, as well as the chance to find rarer items.
The statue can only be properly viewed in the light of the full moon, wherein it calms the restless dead and grants the ability to see fully in moonlight for a lunar cycle.
2
The figure is industrious and focused, inspiring others to be the same.  All projects finish 20% faster.
The figurine is ghoulish and crude.  It scares away evil spirits as a cleric turns undead.
3
The statue commemorates a great deed, reminding passers-by of their old glories.  Increases nativism, increases morale by 1.
The statue is forbidding and fearsome, warding off outsiders as a Magic Circle, but is seen as friendly to those living near it.
4
The statue depicts a Divinity.  Where such depiction is allowed, belief is further strengthened, increasing the power of divine spells cast nearby.  Where such depiction is forbidden, the statue increases resistance to the faith's teachings, decreasing the power of divine spells cast nearby.
The totem is designed for a specific (wilderness) location.  After 1 year of being placed, the statue will be covered in plant growth and reach its full potential.  It showcases the eventual triumph of nature over the machinations of mortal-kind and boosts druidic magic in the region.
5
The statue is of a local military leader, increasing pride in the military and also boosting the enlistment/volunteer rate from the region by 10%.
The statue appeals to the spirits of wild creatures, allowing them to flourish.  Wild animal-based industry flourishes by 20%.
6
Depicting different creatures and races collaborating in common cause, the statue fosters cooperation between unlikely allies.  Persuasion attempts are easier nearby it.
The totem is grotesque and ugly, attracting hatred and vandalism from the local community and providing a focus for their resentment.  Happiness for the majority population increases, while minority groups are ostracised and victimized.
7
The statue attempts a cultural fusion, merging symbols and figures from a distant place with local ones.  Local views will change for the better or the worse as per the intentions of the bard.
The totem is precariously placed.  When creatures of ill intent pass by, it will topple.
8
The statue draws on divine or unholy imagery, sanctifying or desecrating the area around it.
The totem is hollow on the inside and can trap incorporeal creatures who draw too close.
9
An array of statues makes the chosen installation imposing and powerful.  Commands given from within the array are more likely to be followed.  Increases patriotism.
The totem absorbs magical energy over time.  Meditating or praying near it has a heightened chance of summoning a powerful spirit to converse with the supplicant.
10
The statue does not depict an actual individual or creature.  The community's collective unconscious creates a new myth surrounding it, which has a chance of becoming real.
The totem is linked to a local population - if the community is 'good', the totem grows beautiful; if the community is 'bad', the totem becomes malformed.


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