Bards

A bard is someone who possesses the supernatural ability to mimic the sounds primordial Words of Creation spoken by the gods to bring the world into being.

About
A bard is a master of sound, speech, and the magic they contain. The words of the gods spoke the multiverse into existence, and bards are able to mimic these sounds to create arcane effects, including spellcasting. They typically use a musical instrument or their voice to do this. Bards also often acts as lore-keepers, thriving on stories, legends, and tales from all corners of the world.

Many bards are considered jacks of all trades, usually as a consequence of their desire for knowledge. They rarely stay in one place for long, and often travel far and wide to find new stories, learn new skills, and seek adventure.

Colleges
Bards typically learn their trade in one of the many Bard's Colleges across Somara, which teach the bardic arts to prospective students. There are currently ten recognized Bardic Colleges in Somara:


 * College of Battledancing
 * Battledancer Bards practice a technique called battledancing, entering into combat with lethal grace and poise, moving in a fluid yet unpredictable manner.
 * College of Creation
 * College of Creation Bards specialize in spontaneous creation, and are able to create an animate objects to aid them.
 * College of Eloquence
 * College of Eloquence Bards excel at persuasion, and are trained speakers and leaders.
 * College of Glamour
 * Based in the Feywild, College of Glamour bards harness Fey magic to control and manipulate others.
 * College of Lore
 * College of Lore Bards absorb any scrap of knowledge that they can find, and become keepers of numerous tales and legends.
 * College of Satire
 * Satirist Bards (called "jesters") excel at comedy and are good at raising the spirits of those around them.
 * College of Spirits
 * Able to speak to the dead, College of Spirits bard speak with spirits to collect both stories and knowledge.
 * College of Swords
 * College of Swords bards are excellent duelists, and typically have a flair for the dramatic.
 * College of Valor
 * College of Valor bards are more combat-focused than other bards, and are typically found in tribal societies, where they are responsible for keeping the tribe's oral history alive.
 * College of Whispers
 * Based in the Shadowfell, the College of Whispers trains spies and thieves who can use shadow magic to blend in to any crowd and temporarily steal identities.