The Gembound: The Price of Keeping Chapter 130: Bards of the Empire Stats

Read chapter 130 of The Gembound: The Price of Keeping by Taliorn on NovelPedia.

Bards of the Empire Stats SUSIE — The Wandering Voice Tier 3 Enhanced. Bond: Functional/Artistic (Traveling Harp). Imperial Bard (Wandering Representative). Older woman who volunteered for front-row miracles. Hair thin and gray before, now black curls falling to shoulders. Patched traveling cloak with bells sewn into hem. Walks like she owns every stage. Hasn't been quiet since twelve, won't start now. Seven cities' worth of performances poured into transformation. Regrets make the best ballads. ATTRIBUTES: MIGHT 8 — Not built for combat, endurance for performance GRACE 14 — Stage presence, dramatic movement, performer's fluidity FORCE 15 — Strong harmonic output, voice as weapon of joy WILL 12 — Decades of experience, bold personality retained HUNGER 9 — Needs audiences, stories to tell, stages to command PRESENCE 17 — Commanding stage presence, natural charisma, reckless confidence Traits: Harmonic Voice : Voice splits into three tones at once during transformation. Now speaks with rich, layered sound carrying natural harmonics that fill rooms. Can sing multiple parts simultaneously. Single voice becomes chorus. "My Empress... what did you do to my inhibitions?" "I didn't touch them." "Oh, then we're going to have fun." Performance Rejuvenation : Hair darkened gray to black, curls thickened and glossed. Back straightened—not stiff, but ready. Posture of born performer rediscovered. Still experienced, now physically vibrant. Youth returned through music. Traveling Repertoire : Harp soaked with thousand nights of performance—laughter under torchlight, taverns full of smoke and song, dancing on tables, singing alone on quiet roads. Seven cities' worth of charms and memories. All poured into voice that remembers every stage. Reckless Joy : Bold, loud, musical laughter. Makes inappropriate jokes. Will get arrested. Doesn't care. "If this kills me, please tell people I looked fabulous doing it." Confidence through decades of surviving by performance. Emotional Resonance : Voice carries weight beyond sound. Makes audiences feel what she sings. Not magic—pure skill amplified by transformation. People remember her songs because they remember how they felt. The Stupid Songs : Writes epics and sagas. But knows truth: "It's the stupid songs people remember." Dirty tavern ditties, marching chants after too much ale, half-rude melodies children repeat. Songs people hum while working. Makes them laugh when needed, strong when it hurts. Physical Form: Hair: Black curls (was thin gray), glossy, falls to shoulders Build: Older frame rejuvenated, straight back, ready posture Voice: Rich, layered, natural harmonics, fills rooms Clothing: Patched traveling cloak, bells sewn into hem Presence: Owns every space, commands attention naturally Eyes: Bright with mischief that survived decades Bearing: Stage performer, reckless confidence Bond Notes: Volunteered to see miracles from front row. Traveling harp—frayed strings, warped wood, decorated with seven cities' charms—became her anchor. Transformation struck like drumbeat. Ribs trembled, chest vibrated, spine reshaped in rhythm. Voice split into harmonics tearing her apart and rebuilding. Diaphragm expanded, throat glowed, ears fine-tuned. Screamed in three-tone harmony. Final crescendo shattered walls. Emerged laughing, glowing, reckless. Will travel with Yara's forces. Represents wandering performers. Uses: Morale through joy (stupid songs that stick) Emotional connection (makes audiences feel, not just hear) Cultural ambassador (seven cities' experience) Performance anywhere (travels with army) Tavern culture (dirty ditties, marching chants, working songs) Cost: Decades of experience poured into voice she can't quiet. Hair darkened, youth returned, but memories intact. Knows exactly how dangerous she was "in this face" before. Reckless confidence without restraint. Will get arrested. Knows it. Doesn't care. Bound to perform—needs audiences, stages, stories. Can't be quiet. Won't be quiet. That b