Bard

A Bard, instrument in hand, is a happy sight for many people.

“
*Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose!*
”
— Evendim Shilvers, Skald, taunts an enemy in battle.
**Bards** are inspiring magicians whose power draws inspiration from the music of creation. Bards are scholars, skalds, scoundrels, and everything inbetween. Nonetheless, all bards weave magic through their words, music, and performances to encourage allies and discourage enemies.

## Abilities

Given that wanderlust is almost necessarily a requisite for one to be a bard, Bards possess a broad range of abilities that make them tremendously useful to nearly all adventuring parties. Classic jacks-of-all-trades, bards are incredibly well-learned, and field an incredibly broad set of skills and abilities.

Bards are able to support their allies through bardic inspiration, empowering their feats with song and verse. As they grow in bardcraft, bards are able to greatly increase the efficiency of this support.

## Organizations

### Blackhurst Conservatory

The influent Blackhurst family runs the Blackhurst Conservatory within Effert's Woods in southern Erideon. The Conservatory is noted as a harsh place, wherein the lore of the College of Whispers is taught.

### Cloudsong College

Cloudsong is a famous college in which bardcraft, especially the College of Lore, is practiced.

### New Belvedere Harmony Club

The New Belvedere Harmony Club is a posh and opulent Bardic club. Selective and meticulous, only A-tier bards are invited to join the exclusive club, which helps its members secure lucrative performance opportunities at royal courts and other such gatherings. The Club also stages the annual Belvedere Harmonics, a competition of Bardcraft in which the winner, or winners, are invited to join the New Belvedere Harmony Club.

### Pineview College

*Main article: Pineview College*
Pineview is a college that instructs students in the Bardic arts.

### College of Glamour

The College of Glamour is the home of bards who mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of Sylvania or under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there. Tutored by satyrs, eladrin, and other fey, these bards learn to use their magic to delight and captivate others. The bards of this college are regarded with a mixture of awe and fear. Their performances are the stuff of legend. These bards are so eloquent that a speech or song that one of them performs can cause captors to release the bard unharmed and can lull a furious dragon into complacency. The same magic that allows them to quell beasts can also bend minds. Villainous bards of this college can leech off a community for weeks, abusing their magic to turn their hosts into thralls. Heroic bards of this college instead use this power to gladden the downtrodden and undermine oppressors.

### College of Lore

Bards of the College of Lore know something about most things, collecting bits of knowledge from sources as diverse as scholarly tomes and peasant tales. Whether singing folk ballads in taverns or elaborate compositions in royal courts, these bards use their gifts to hold audiences spellbound. When the applause dies down, the audience members might find themselves questioning everything they held to be true, from their faith in the priesthood of the local temple to their loyalty to the king.

### College of Swords

Bards of the College of Swords are often called songblades, and they entertain through daring feats of weapon prowess. Blades perform stunts such as sword swallowing, knife throwing and juggling, and mock combats. Though they use their weapons to entertain, they are also highly trained and skilled warriors in their own right.

### College of Valor

Bards in this college, occasionally known as skalds, are equally adept with sword and instrument. The most daring of bards, they are perhaps the most common Bardic adventurers.

### College of Whispers

Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst. Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their advantage. They appear to be like any other bard, sharing news, singing songs, and telling tales to the audiences they gather. In truth, the College of Whispers teaches its students that they are wolves among sheep. These bards use their knowledge and magic to uncover secrets and turn them against others through extortion and threats.

## Notable Bards

* Aricel Glitterstring, Elven Bard and Patroness of the New Belvedere Harmony Club.
* Aston Blackhurst, Half-Elven Bard of the College of Whispers, head of the Blackhurst family, and Headmaster of the Blackhurst Conservatory.
* Brand d'Escutaire, Headmaster of the Qualister College in Erideon.
* Carabell Blackhurst, Half-Elven Bard of the College of Lore and matriarch of the Blackhurst family.
* **Genevieve O'Mara**, Half-Elven Bard in the Lost Mines of Colmanth campaign.
* Ingeltore Vitenskert, famed Half-Orc Skald and member of the College of Swords (she wields a maul though).
* Thorred Skulfding, famed Goliath Skald and member of the College of Swords (although, ironically, he wields a handaxe).

## Appendix

Classes
Artificer • Barbarian • **Bard** • Cleric • Druid • Fighter • Monk
Paladin • Ranger • Rogue • Sorcerer • Warlock • Wizard

## References

1. ↑ Xanathar's Guide to Everything
2. ↑ Player's Handbook
3. ↑ Xanathar's Guide to Everything
4. ↑ Xanathar's Guide to Everything