Bard

Humming as she traces her fingers over an ancient monument in a long-forgotten ruin, a half-elf in rugged leathers finds knowledge springing into her mind, conjured forth by the magic of her song—knowledge of the people who constructed the monument and the mythic saga it depicts. A stern human warrior bangs his sword rhythmically against his scale mail, setting the tempo for his war chant and exhorting his companions to bravery and heroism. The magic of his song fortifies and emboldens them. Laughing as she tunes her cittern, an elfin weaves her subtle magic over the assembled nobles, ensuring that her companions’ words will be well received. Whether scholar, skald, or scoundrel, a bard uses their unique abilities to weave magic through words and music to inspire allies, demoralize foes, manipulate minds, create illusions, and even heal wounds.

The Art of The Bard

Although words and music are just vibrations of air for the common person, the way the bards learn to utilize them they are vocalizations with power all their own. The bard is a master of song, speech, and the magic such sounds are able to bring out from the weave. Bards say that the planes were spoken into existence, that the words of the gods of the fate gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation still resound throughout the weave. The music of bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells, giving arcane powers through the strumming of instruments, the whispering of words or the humming of song. This places them in a similar, but still different, category than the wizards, sorcerers or warlocks. Where such mages use their knowledge of, or their innate intiution of the weave to directly and forcefully change its composition, the bards simply strum on its strings, which creates magical effects that can be as potent, but are generally considered less destructive, than their mage cousins. Where mages need be careful not to misuse their powers to disrupt the weave, bards generally do not need to worry about such things, as they simply "flow with" the aether of the weave, redirecting it slightly to create magick.
The greatest strength of bards is their sheer versatility. Many bards prefer to stick to the sidelines in combat, using their magic to inspire their allies and hinder their foes from a distance. But bards are capable of defending themselves in melee if necessary, using their magic to bolster their swords and armor. Their spells lean toward charms and illusions rather than blatantly destructive spells. They have a wide-ranging knowledge of many subjects and a natural aptitude that lets them do almost anything well. Bards become masters of the talents they set their minds to perfecting, from musical performance to esoteric knowledge.

Learned Through:

Although talent has something to do with a bard's success, raw talent and connection with the weave is less important for the bard than for example the sorcerer. Like the wizard, the bard's flavour of manipulation of the weave can be learned, but unlike the wizard who acquire a baseline of natural mana, anyone can theoretically learn to become bards, although an ear for and a talent for hearing and creating sound is naturally, an advantage.
What defines a bard's flavour of power, is what branch of bardry they know, and what college they have studied at. All throughout the continent there are dozens of colleges of bardry, small and big, that each focus on one or several flavours of sound-manipulation its students learn to use.
Note: Different ways of performing bardy are called "colleges", like the college of valor or the college of creation, but so are the schools at which the bards traditionally study, such as the college of Raphana in Karamorn, or the college of Veria in Thenia. All bards have a college/art of bardry, but not all bards have studied at a college. To become a certified bard or performer, a certificate from a college is necessary, but many adventurers and outcasts do not care for such flimsy papers however, and rely solely on their talent and abilities to prove themselves worthy of their class. Many colleges of bardry are combined with wizard academies, and occasionally schools of druidism, so that students interested in the weave can learn from one another.

College of Swords

Bards of the College of Swords are called blades, or sometimes bladesingers, and they entertain through daring feats of weapon prowess. These are the least "bardic" of the bard subclasses, due to its users being far less focused on the art of sound, and rather train its students in swordmanship and melee combat. This does not mean that blades are not capable of using instruments or their voice to play the weave however, and in addition to learning to perform through other means, they are taught the basics of sound manipulation to augment their melee attacks if necessary.
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. Their talent with weapons inspires many blades to lead double lives. One blade might use a circus troupe as cover for nefarious deeds such as assassination, robbery, and blackmail. Other blades strike at the wicked, bringing justice to bear against the cruel and powerful. Most troupes are happy to accept a blade’s talent for the excitement it adds to a performance, but few entertainers fully trust a blade in their ranks.
Although the college of swords has long been recognized as a branch of bardry, and that it is a popular art practiced in many different colleges accross the continent, the college of swords is a fairly new discipline, and some older and more prestigious colleges frown upon those who focus so intently on the art of combat, rather than the manipulation of the weave. Those from the college of lore in particular tend to view those from the college of swords as simple thieves and jugglers. The teachings of the college of swords was originally created in Veileux, and it is here most colleges teach the art still.
Colleges who teach the art of the sword (Veileux, Deirim and the imperial south not included):
The College of Veria (western Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College of Posona (southern Thenia): Only the college of swords
The College of Lamia (southern Thenia): Several bardic arts

The College and Academy of Aurelion (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College and Academy of Raphana (southern Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College of Gaston (western Karamorn): Several bardic arts

The College and Academy of Manafell (western Lostrath): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College of Umberdeen (central Lostrath): Several bardic arts

College of Spirits

Bards of the College of Spirits, sometimes called weavers, are eccentric and misunderstood among other bardic colleges. They seek tales with inherent power -be they legends, histories, or fictions- and bring their subjects to life. They are the most unique subclass of the bard, and much of their discipline is shrouded in mystery.
Using occult trappings, these bards conjure spiritual embodiments of powerful forces to change the world once more. Such spirits are capricious, though, and what a bard summons isn't always entirely under their control. These bards are completely unique in their special abilities to weave story to life through a combination of magic from the weave and trace echoes of words spoken of heroes from fairytales, warriors long forgotten, creatures in bed-time stories or legends of famous individuals. The spirits conjured are not real and have no proper connection to their mythical or historical counterparts, but are rather figments of the weaver's imagination, combined with powerful magicks and given personality and appearance through old tales. Some are adamant that the spirits summoned are more akin to ghosts however, and that they have their own wills and stories, just itching to be told. Whether this is true or not is a matter of debate however, but regarldess, the powers the weavers wield is not to be scoffed at.
These bards often use a magical foci; a candle, crystal ball, skull, spirit board, or tarokka deck, to channel their spirits, and the spirits can even partly possess the weaver to tell stories through them.

Colleges who teach the art of the spirits (Veileux, Deirim and the imperial south not included):
The College of Veria (western Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College and Academy of Pontypridd (eastern Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College of Aigissa (eastern Thenia, destroyed): Only college of spirits

The College and Academy of Loneir (northern Callimoria): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Aurelion (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The Academy of Calen (central Calen): Several bardic arts, wizardry and druidism

College of Eloquence

The most widespread, and perhaps best-known branch of bardism. Adherents of the College of Eloquence master the art of oratory. Persuasion is regarded as a high art, and a well-reasoned, well-spoken argument often proves more powerful than objective truth. These bards wield a blend of logic and theatrical wordplay, winning over skeptics and detractors with logical arguments, and plucking at heartstrings to appeal to the emotions of entire audiences.
These are the bards everyone thinks of when they think of a typical bard. Masters at wordplay, of dressing fashionably and of the most beautiful performances, using their voice or their instruments to enthrall the audience. They are especially adept at everything oratory however, often prefering their voice and their words to conventional insturments. By mastering their art they learn how to make the weave dance by words alone, and they are masters at granting inspiration to allies and to sow doubt in enemies, sometimes by conventional, but oftentimes by magical, means.
Colleges who teach the art of eloquence (Veileux, Deirim and the imperial south not included):
The College of Veria (western Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College and Academy of Crainlisle (central Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College of Lamia (southern Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College and Academy of Pontypridd (eastern Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College of Magoria (southern Thenia): Only college of eloquence

The College and Academy of Moonleigh (central Callimoria): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College of Windermere (western Callimoria): Only college of eloquence
The College and Academy of Loneir (northern Callimoria): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Aurelion (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College and Academy of Raphana (southern Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry
College of Saint Ayanna (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts
The College of Gaston (western Karamorn): Several bardic arts

The College of Umberdeen (central Lostrath): Several bardic arts

The College of Rieev (northern Calen): Only college of eloquence

College of Creation

Bards believe the cosmos is a work of art - the creation of the gods of the Fate, most notably, the first songstress; Anthea, and also the aspects of the moon, the sun and the earth. That creative work included harmonies that continue to resound through existence today, a power known as the Song of Creation, of which dragons too are known to harness. The bards of the College of Creation draw on that primeval song through dance, music, and poetry, and their teachers share this lesson: "Before the material plane, there was the Song, and its music awoke the first dawn. Its melodies so delighted the stones and trees that some of them gained a voice of their own. And now they sing too. Learn the Song, students, and you too can teach the mountains to sing and dance."
The college of creation is one of the odlest arts of bardry, and is thus a respected and traditional sort of college, though perhaps less widespread today than it was millenia ago. Dwarves and elfin in particular, however, often encourage their bards to become students of the Song of Creation. Elves have also traditonally been bards of the college of creation due to their connection with the aspects, and it is also tradition among those who worship dragons, the Song of Creation is revered, for legends portray Bahamut and Tiamat-the greatest of dragons -as two of the song's first singers.
Colleges who teach the art of creation (Veileux, Deirim and the imperial south not included):
The College of Veria (western Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College and Academy of Crainlisle (central Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Moonleigh (central Callimoria): Several bardic arts and wizardry

College of Saint Ayanna (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts

The College and Academy of Manafell (western Lostrath): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The Academy of Calen (central Calen): Several bardic arts and wizardry

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.
Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses the bards’ reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason, these bards rarely reveal their true nature unless they must. They typically claim to follow some other college, or keep their true nature secret in order to better infiltrate and exploit royal courts and other settings of power. The college of whispers is widespread in Thenia and Veileux, but even here those who teach it only take in a small number of students, many who train to become assassins and spies, and the colleges themselves are private and often lie secluded.
The drow of the Dustlands, masters of subterfuge and the darker magicks, have since their creation been enthralled by the magicks of the college of whispers, and many dark elf seductresses from the underdark know how to utilise these powers well, and they have had a rich tradition of passing down these gifts to others with the talent to utilize them.
Colleges who teach the art of whispers (Veileux, Deirim and the imperial south not included):
The College of Veria (western Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College of Farpine (eastern Thenia): Only college of whispers
The College (??) of Dark Melodies (central Dustlands, underground): Only college of whispers

College of Glamour

The College of Glamour is the home of bards who mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of the Feywild or under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there, or have intimate knowledge of the plane. Sometimes tutored by satyrs, eladrin, and other fey, or often by druids or fey-touched, these bards learn to use their magic to delight and captivate others. Fey are known to be masters at the spoken word, and at making the weave flow where they want it to, and many are enthusiastic about teaching eager students their abilities.
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. Those colleges who teach this discipline often have fey tutors, or lie in countries such as Calen, where the veil between the material plane and the feywild is thin, so that the glamour students can properly learn to perform like the fey. They often cooperate with druids and other followers of fey, and have a deep connection with the goddess Eir.
Colleges who teach the art of glamour (Veileux, Deirim and the imperial south not included):
The College of Veria (western Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College and Academy of Crainlisle (central Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Moonleigh (central Callimoria): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Aurelion (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Manafell (western Lostrath): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The Academy of Calen (central Calen): Several bardic arts, wizardry and druidism
The College of Crann-Dromain (north-eastern Calen): Only college of glamour and druidism

College of Valor

Those who have studied at colleges of valor, alongside those who know the art of eloquence, are the most well-known bards of Antreia. Bards of the College of Valor are daring skalds whose tales keep alive the memory of the great heroes of the past, and thereby inspire a new generation of heroes. These bards gather in mead halls or around great bonfires to sing the deeds of the mighty, both past and present. They travel the land to witness great events firsthand and to ensure that the memory of those events doesn't pass from the world. With their songs, they inspire others to reach the same heights of accomplishment as the heroes of old.
This art of bardry first came to be among the jotnar of old, but has spread to inspire many groups of people all accross the continent. Many warriors combine the teachings of the college of valor alongside their magic or their melee abilities, which create passionate and inspiring fighters that excell at the battlefield.
Colleges who teach the art of valor (Veileux, Deirim and the imperial south not included):
The College of Veria (western Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College and Academy of Crainlisle (central Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College and Academy of Pontypridd (eastern Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Aurelion (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry
College of Saint Ayanna (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts
The College of Gaston (western Karamorn): Several bardic arts

The College and Academy of Manafell (western Lostrath): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College of Umberdeen (central Lostrath): Several bardic arts

The College (mead hall) and academy of Northgaard (central Northgaard): Only college of valor and wizardry

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. The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit of beauty and truth, not in fealty to a monarch or following the tenets of a deity. A noble who keeps such a bard as a herald or advisor knows that the bard would rather be honest than politic.
The college’s members gather in libraries and sometimes in actual wizard academies, where they can freely learn from, and share, their lore with one another as well as the wizards they study alongside. They also meet at festivals or affairs of state, where they can expose corruption, unravel lies, and poke fun at self-important figures of authority.
Colleges who teach the art of lore (Veileux, Deirim and the imperial south not included):
The College of Veria (western Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College and Academy of Crainlisle (central Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College of Lamia (southern Thenia): Several bardic arts
The College and Academy of Pontypridd (eastern Thenia): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Moonleigh (central Callimoria): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College and Academy of Loneir (northern Callimoria): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The College and Academy of Aurelion (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry
The College and Academy of Raphana (southern Karamorn): Several bardic arts and wizardry
College of Saint Ayanna (central Karamorn): Several bardic arts

The College and Academy of Manafell (western Lostrath): Several bardic arts and wizardry

The Academy of Calen (central Calen): Several bardic arts and wizardry

History

No one knows exactly when the art of the bard was conceived, but it is known that for as long as people have existed on the continent, storytellers have been an integral part of the culture of every single community. Anthea awakened the aspects and created the world as we know it, and many bards believe that it was her echoing words and enthralling song that made her celestial feats possible. After Anthea there were the dragons, who learned to harness the spoken word to manipulate the weave in far less harmful ways than arcane spells did, and even later than that again the races of man found out the inherit magic that words, stories, song and melodies held.
The jotnar have been proud skalds since the dawn of their race, and from their knowledge the humans eventually learned of the art. Elves have long been interested in everything that has to do with the weave, and they quickly discovered their talent for weaving magic through songs. The dwarves have always loved stories, and it is through this love that they discovered how to unlock the mysteries of the word, and the races native to the south; the Kath'Rakhi and the Vulpine, although they have less tradition for the art, also discovered its usefulness through their traditional songs.
Although the art itself is old as time itself, the colleges that civilized society sees today, did not become commonplace untill humans expanded on Antreia. Although the high elves of the old empire had similar institutions, these were most often a sub-branch of wizard academies and other places of lore and knowledge. Humans, with their enjoyment of expansions and order, decided to create dedicated colleges to the mysterious art of the bards, and ever since then the art has been a key part of many human societies.

Demography

Today bards are quite widespread on the continent; a class for adventurers and advisors, performers and thieves, and nobles and peasants alike. Although the jotnar and humans in particular have proud traditions of utilizing the powers of song, people from all creeds, all nations and all races become bards.
In some places however, studying at a bardic college can be expensive, and as such is a priviliege reserved for the rich. Finding a mentor is often the easiest route to learning the class in those situations however, and many bards are also self-taught.

Appearance

Bards, especially those who have studied at a bardic college of some prestige, tend to show off their charisma through beautiful jewellery and clothing, that reflect their penchant of performance and art. This is true for bards both in the north and the south, although local variety, of course, exists. There are those bards who do not follow the norm however, those who would rather blend into society or wear arms and armour that grant them heightened agility and protection, and among those stylish leather attires are common. Bards are also generally considered to be beautiful seducers, and although this is rarely an universal fact, many of those who are drawn to the life of the performer, value their physical vurtues almost as much as their talents for song, music and storytelling.

Creating a Bard

Bards thrive on stories, whether those stories are true or not. Your character’s background and motivations are not as important as the stories that he or she tells about them. Perhaps you had a secure and mundane childhood. There’s no good story to be told about that, so you might paint yourself as an orphan raised by a hag in a dismal swamp. Or your childhood might be worthy of a story. Some bards acquire their magical music through extraordinary means, including the inspiration of fey or other supernatural creatures.
Did you serve an apprenticeship, studying under a master, following the more experienced bard until you were ready to strike out on your own? Or did you attend a college where you studied bardic lore and practiced your musical magic? Perhaps you were a young runaway or orphan, befriended by a wandering bard who became your mentor. Or you might have been a spoiled noble child tutored by a master. Perhaps you stumbled into the clutches of a hag, making a bargain for a musical gift in addition to your life and freedom, but at what cost?