Upeksa (philosophy)

The sense of peace and well-being that is obtained from watching a bard perform, which provides a familiar and immensely satisfying experience. Upeksa is gained from watching a performance or through the obtaining of a fetish [placeholder], which causes the audience or single viewer to be affected. They are warmer in their hearts, they are a bit more interested in the world around them, they are more attentive. Our bard isn't the greatest of bards and the venue isn't the greatest of venues, but there has been a change.

The result it that for a period on one week after such an encounter, each person in attendance will gain a +1% experience bonus above that which they would normally gain. This gain is not cumulative; multiple performances will not raise the percentage of the bonus, but they will extend it until a full week has passed since the last of such encounters.

This bonus can be adjusted for a number of reasons, having to do with the bard's proficiency at performance, further affected by the scale of the performance and the number of performers involved. Large productions featuring high quality performers, supported by multiple artistic forms (such as dance, costume-making, staging and music supporting actors upon a stage) will create higher experience bonuses.

See Creativity, Sukha

Sukha (philosophy)

The experience that can be gained from viewing an original work of art (see Art vs. Product), as the viewer is affected by the power, effort and purpose of the creation that has been brought into existence. The benefits of Sukha can be obtained only once per original artwork, as presented by the creator of the artwork. The presentation of an artwork by a bard who is not the creator is discussed under Upeksa.

Before Sukha can be had, the bard must create a piece of original art (see Make Art). Once the artwork has been made, the amount of experience that is gained depends upon the amount of experience the bard possesses, affected by the creativity that has been put into the making of the art. The minimum sukha that can be gained will be 1% of the bard's total experience at the time that the art is completed ~ this total is then transferred to all who see the artwork, adjusted for the number of levels the viewer is below the creator.

For example, if the bard were 5th level and possessed 20,000 experience, the minimum Sukha resulting from a completed work of art would be 200 x.p. However, this total would be available only for those of 5th level or higher. For those of less than 5th level, the Sukha would be reduced by 50%, per level below that of the bard. A 4th level would receive 100 x.p. upon viewing the art, a 3rd level would receive 50 x.p. and so on. This reflects the capacity of less sophisticated persons to comprehend the art that the bard creates.

See Creativity

Art vs. Product

This page exists to give a distinction for game purposes between what is original created work and what is the reproduction of art that is made by other persons.

Product

Most of what a bard produces is Product. The songs sung at the tavern are familiar songs, the meter used to write a poem is a familiar meter, the story and movements made by a puppeteer are well-known, the food by a gastronomist is commonplace and recognizable. This is what most bards do ~ they take the stock forms of their individual artistic backgrounds and transform them to make proficient, workaday, conventional reproductions therefrom.

Most bards never do anything else. Common bards have a small collection of things they know, a repertoire that will grow as they become more able at their craft. But this improvement is not "original" ~ it is merely a better copy. Over time, it only looks unique and artistic because the masses are not sophisticated nor engaged enough in the field of art to recognize the difference between something new and different and something that is substantially reshaped from a previous bard's work.

Those inside the profession, however, know. The creators themselves are perfectly aware of the stealing they've done.

Art

This is the making of something original, something that has never been seen or conceived of before. Though part of an artwork may include elements that are substantially product, there will be an important element that subverts or completely alters the perspective of the viewer, including that of other bards. Art is that from which product is made. The creation of art is difficult and rare, often resulting in disappointment.

See Also,

Creativity

Make Art

Sukha