Bardic Colleges of the Realms

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

This is some info that Ed Greenwood gave in reply to a question somewhere, thought it might be useful for some aspiring bards to help build background stories.

Fochlucan: The college of Fochlucan once stood on the northeastern edge of Silverymoon. After it closed, the college stood empty for many years before being reopened as Utrumm’s Music Conservatory. Utrumm’s Music Conservatory has since been moved to Southbank, and Fochlucan has been reborn as the House of the Harp. (See Elfsong, pages 10, 171, and Silver Marches, page __.)

MacFuirmidh: The college of MacFuirmidh once stood on the isle of Alaorn in the Moonshae Isles, south and east of Caer Callidyrr. (See Elfsong, pages 170-171.)

Doss: The college of Doss once stood in the shadow of the High Lady’s Castle in the city of Berdusk where Twilight Hall, the base of the western branch of the Harpers, now stands.

Canaith: The college of Canaith now lies in ruins along the northern stretch of the Hillstrail about 70 miles south of Zazesspur, its long-abandoned buildings put to the torch during the Black Days of Eleint in 1347 DR. (See Elfsong, pages 175.)

Cli: The college of Cli once lay within the eastern reaches of Baldur’s Gate, but its buildings have long since been torn down and replaced. The only remnant of this school is Elfsong Tavern, an adventurers’ drinking-place and hiring house notable for the ghostly elven female voice (once a student at the college) that can be heard from time to time. (See Volo’s Guide to the Sword Coast, pages 17-18.)

Anstruth: The college of Anstruth once stood in the heart of Sundabar’s trade ward. As recently as 1364 DR, only one building remained, a once-beautiful structure converted into a warehouse. The founding of the Silver Marches confederation and the refounding of Fochlucan in Silverymoon has given renewed energy to efforts by a handful of bards to refound Anstruth. (See Elfsong, pages 154-156, and Silver Marches, page __)

Ollamh: The college of Ollamh once stood on Rivon Street in Waterdeep’s Trade Ward, where the House of Song, guildhall of the Council of Musicians, Instrument-Makers, and Choristers, now stands, although many mistakenly believe it lay in Castle Ward, where Halambar Lutes & Harps now stands. In 1366 DR, Danilo Thann and members of the above-mentioned guild refounded the college as New Ollamh, located in Waterdeep’s Castle Ward in the old Cliffride villas of Heroes’ Rest and Stormwatch. (See Elfsong, pages 217, 243, City of Splendors: Campaign Guide, pages 40-41, 46-47, and City of Splendors: Waterdeep, pages __, and Dragon #__, page __.)

These are references to the Bardic Instruments and where they came from I found in another forum.

According to Magic of Faerun, a bard from the Moonshaes named Falataer created the first of the "Instruments of the Bards", one of which is the Fochlucan Bandore.

According to Complete Arcane, a bard named Falataer created the first of the "Instruments of the Bards", one of which is the Fochlucan Bandore.

According to Complete Adventure, a Fochlucan lyrist is a bard/druid trained at the Fochlucan College, often in the use of the Fochlucan Bandore.

According to Silver Marches, the Focluchan (spelled that way) bardic college was in Silvery Moon, though it exists now as The House of the Harp.

What does Fochlucan (or Focluchan) mean? Why is the creator of the bandore from the Moonshaes and the college in Silvery Moon?

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Falataer created first Instruments of the Bards to use them as reward [and testing] to students in his bardic college which was divided into seven levels of skill to mimic the old system in which a bard would study in seven bardic colleges, each improving his skill untill he would attain the Magna Alumnae degree. The seven colleges (and order in which bard would attain them) were:
- Fochluhan (located in Silverymoon)
- Mac-Fuirmidh (located on Moonshae islands)
- Doss (located in Berdusk)
- Canaith (located near Zazesspur in Tethyr)
- Cli (Baldur's Gate)
- Anstruth (located in Sundabar)
- Ollamh (located in Waterdeep)

So Falataer called his seven instuments Fochuchan Bandore, Mac-Fuirmidh Cithern, Doss Lute, Canaith Mandolin, Cli Lyre, Anstruth Harp, Ollamh Harp presumably to honor the memory of those seven ancient Bard colleges [and he created instruments those colleges were known for].

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

New Olamn: One of Faerûn's few bardic colleges, New Olamn occupies the site of former mountaintop villas on Mount Waterdeep. With luck, this newly reopened incarnation of the college will rival the schools in Silverymoon.

*Got this from the Realmslore Archive, already mentioned above with a different spelling.

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

**sidebarr from Complete Adventurer**

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

**Map from Complete Adventurer**

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

**This is a few lines of text from an article on the wizards web site, the full entry can be found in my 'Known Books' section.

Cressaed Wood, a skilled Cormyrian bard who lived around 1200 DR. Though talented in magic, his interests were more in music and teaching than adventuring, and after he made a name for himself he founded a small school in Arabel to teach music and magic to persons of talent

**Any information relevant to this school that anyone can find references in a realms book would be great!**

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Information from pg 21-22 of 'Champions of Valor' in the Character Options section.

Bardic Tutelage

Bards are highly respected in Faerun (mainly because of the actions of the harpers) and bardic colleges are praised not only for the musical talents of their graduates but their traditions of magic and worldly knowledge. Wealthy folk pay to have their children taught by bards, and traveling bards sometimes sponsor enterprising young students. These people are taught the history of music and lore and their roles in shaping civilized society. Graduates of good aligned colleges see themselves as guardians of the past and present, using historical models to right today's injustices.

Region: Any with a bardic college.
Automatic Languages: as region.
Bonus Languages: As region, plus any one (including dead languages).
Favored Dieties: As region.
Regional Feats: Arcane Schooling (bard), Artist, Education.
Bonus Equipment: (A) masterwork instrument, chain shirt, and 50 gp; or (B) masterwork chainmail; or (C) two scrolls of cat's grace.

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

**Though not properly a Bardic College, I've included this here, since it is very similar, from the WoTC official website**

The Herald's Holdfast

Few inhabitants of the Silver Marches can claim to have visited the remote and mysterious residence known as the Herald's Holdfast. Those who know of its existence call it a repository of lore or a storehouse of much that has been forgotten in all other places.

Herald's Holdfast (Outpost): Magical; AL N; special gp limit; Assets special; Population 5; Integrated (dwarf [20%], elf [20%], gnome [20%], half-orc [20%], human [20%]).

Authority Figures: Old Night, female human Brd6/Rgr4.

Important Characters: Dargin Stoneweaver, male shield dwarf Wiz7/Lor2; Llyllanndra Havenstar, female sun elf Wiz7/Lor3; Naithee Uvarkk, female rock gnome Wiz7/Lor1; Hakan, male half-orc Bbn3/Sor3.

Symbol: The Herald's Holdfast uses as its recognition mark the emblem of an open book, in silver, on a dark gray field.

A day's rough journey north and west of Silverymoon (or south and west of Quaevarr), the Herald's Holdfast is within an isolated dell hidden in the southern eaves of the Moonwood. A short stone tower (more like a fortified manor house than a genuine stronghold) squats in the dell like a misshapen woodland idol. Three-quarters of the tower is set against the slope of a steep hill that surrounds the dell. Only one door is set into the tower wall, and it is a moss-covered stone portal worn smooth by time and use. So well concealed is the tower within its wreath of vegetation that even those who know what they are seeking must make a Spot check (DC 20) to identify the tower, and a Search check (DC 20) to locate its single entrance. The tower door remains unlocked at all times, and it swings open freely to the touch.

Brief History
Where did this place come from? Who built it, and why? And how has it remained untouched by the orc hordes and other creatures of the region? The tower's caretaker, a knowledgeable woman named Shalara Swordshigh who insists on referring to herself as Old Night, receives these questions with patience and an enigmatic smile. Her replies are cryptic at best, however, and not terribly useful. Old Night and her companions have lived in the Holdfast for untold decades, possibly centuries: No one can be certain exactly how long they have been here. The elves of the High Forest believe that Old Night is a member of an obscure and tiny secret organization known as the Heralds (hence the name of the tower), and that the group dedicates itself to collecting and preserving Faerûn's past. They count among their enemies any who would destroy or revise history, and number among its allies the Harpers, who give them aid from time to time. Others claim that there is a portal that leads to Silverymoon located somewhere hard by the Holdfast that only Old Night and her associates know about. (Old Night won't answer questions about these topics, either.)

Important Sites in the Herald's Holdfast
The following locations are among those that adventurers will most likely see and visit.

Out of Character
Locating a particular piece of information or a specific volume of lore in Old Night's library is easier said than done. Each character that seeks something in the library may make a Search check. Calculate the DC for the check as follows:

Character has ranks in a Knowledge appropriate to the topic of his or her inquiry (arcana, history, local, and so on):

DC 20 -1 for every Knowledge rank above 5 (to a maximum of +10).

Time required: 5d20 hours -1 hour for every Knowledge rank above 5 (to a maximum of -5).

Character has no ranks in an appropriate Knowledge:

DC 30

Time required: 10d20 hours

A character who possesses the Bardic Knowledge class feature gains a +2 synergy bonus on his or her Search Check.

The Chambers
Beyond the main door is the Chamber of Humanity, which is a single room dedicated to human history. Human arms and armor from various eras, along with numerous other human artifacts, hang from the walls; above them tapestries and the carved rafter beams depict important scenes from Faerûnian human history, as well as some human heroes and heroines. A doorway leads from the Chamber of Humanity to a corridor delved straight into the hillside. Therein are more chambers similar to that of the Chamber of Humanity, and each is dedicated to a single race, including dwarf, elf, giant, gnoll, gnome, goblin, orc, and halfling. According to rumor, secret doors exist elsewhere in the tower that lead to many other chambers. Each racial chamber is decorated with items created by or for the race it represents. Some of the items are priceless due to their extreme age or historical significance, while others are valuable for the precious metals or gems they bear.

The Library
At the very end of the corridor, beyond all the chambers, sits the structure's largest room: the library. Said to be a storehouse of knowledge equal to or even greater than the Vault of Sages in Silverymoon, the library contains a bewildering number of books, tomes, scrolls, stone tablets, all shelved or piled high on numerous tables. Almost all these sources of information pertain to the history or genealogy of the races to which the chambers are dedicated.

Old Night permits all visitors who conduct themselves politely and without aggression to examine the contents of the library, but visitors are not permitted to remove any of the books from the Holdfast. (They are welcome to make a copy of whatever information they find, however.) Old Night does not make a habit of aiding visitors with their quests for information, other than to point them to either the appropriate chamber or the library.

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

**Once again, not entirely on-topic, but worth placing here; a small amount of rules/information on Drow Bards from 'Drow of the Underdark 3.5 pg 57 in the alternate class featurres section.**

Drow Bard

When adventurers think of drow arcanists, they picture the horrifically deadly drow wizards or the demonically imbued drow warlocks. The bard would almost certainly be at the bottom of the list of arcane classes associated with the drow. What surface dwellers fail to realise, however, is that drow have an ancient bardic tradition - one that transforms the traveling entertainer, trickster, and storyteller of the surface into one of the most horrific taskmasters and assassins of the Underdark.

Deadly Knowledge

Drow bards do not travel the world, and thus do not gain the broad range of understanding other bards have. Instead they study a means of death-dealing normally associated with other classes.
Level:1st
Replaces: if you select this class feature, you do not gain the standard bard's bardic knowledge ability. In addition you can use your bardic music one fewer time per day than other bards (minimum 1).
Benefit: You are trained in the use of poison. You never risk poisoning yourself when applying poison to a weapon.

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Information given by Eric Boyd, some of this is redundant from earlier posts in this thread, but I included it anyways to back up earlier posts. In addition there is also a small amount of lore about the colleges that wasn't included previously.

Bard colleges all slid into decline less than 300 years ago, perhaps circa the time of the Harpstar Wars (1182 - 1222 DR), when a senior half-elven Harper like Iriador Wintermist (Garnet) would have been distracted serving politicians like Khelben. Note that Iriador was a contempory of Finder Wyvernspur, and traveled with him as a Harper (i.e. sometime after 1022 DR)
ere his exile a few years after 1058 DR.
- Elfsong, p. 154, 231, 254
- Code of the Harpers, pp. 24, 27

Fochlucan (Silverymoon, now the site of Utrumm's Music Conservatory)
- Elfsong, pp. 10, 111, 171

MacFuirmidh (Moonshaes, outside of Caer Callidyrr, surrounding wineries survive)
- Elfsong, pp. 15, 111, 170
I've decided it fell in the Year of Falling Menhirs (1137 DR).

Doss (in Berdusk)
- Elfsong, p. 175

Canaith (in Tethyr, near Zazzesspur)
- Elfsong, p. 175
- Lands of Intrigue (unpublished, found in original draft)
<<< The long-fallen ruins of the bards' college of Canaith
lie strewn along the northern stretch of the Hillstrail about 70 miles south of Zazesspur. Its three buildings were abandoned ages ago, but their remains were further destroyed by fire during the Black Days, as its remains were used as hiding places for the Black Tyrant Count Romar Miklaas and his family and the local halflings used fire to drive them out. >>>

Cli ()
As far as I know, we currently have no idea where this college was located. I would propose that it was located in Neverwinter, specifically the site that is now the House of Knowledge, a temple of Oghma. However, it may well be that Elfsong implicitly locates the last college by dint of discussing where problems erupt thanks to Garnet's machinations.
Volo's Guide to the North, pp. 133-134.

Anstruth (in Sundabar, only one building remains and now serves as a warehouse for musical instruments)
- Elfsong, pp. 154, 176

Ollamn (in Waterdeep, now the site of the House of Song, although many believe it to have been located at the site of Halambar's Lute Shop)
- Elfsong, p. 206, 215
I've decided it fell in the Year of the Scourge (1150 DR), during a
time of plague in Waterdeep and the Sword Coast.
Note that if Ollamn was located on the site of the House of Song
(T19), that means that the site was not enclosed within the city's walls until 1064 DR. It also means that as of 1035 DR, there were not sufficient people out that far north to extend the wall even that far. (See City of Splendors: Campaign Guide, p. 30.) I'm guessing that the college grew up outside of Waterdeep amidst the farmland of the plateau and then was later incorporated into the city. Also the spelling seems to vary quite a bit, from "Olamn" (City of Splendors) to "Ollamn" (Elfsong) to "Olamh" (AD&D1 Player's Handbook).

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Candlekeep, while not a Bardic College in the truest sense, is without a doubt the greatest, or at least among the greatest lorehouses in the forgotten realms. Here is a compilation of canon matierial regarding Candlekeep, all written by Ed Greenwood.

www.candlekeep.com/library/articles/ck_scroll.htm

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

The Library of Denier, while not a Bardic College, is a great center of learning and the arts. Here is an article about it from the WoTC official website.

www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pg/20030730a

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Information from Magic of Faerun

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Song and Silence

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

This is a great web enhancement called The Leaves of Learning, it was cut from the Faiths and Pantheons sourcebook for space reasons. Yet another of the great lorehouses of the realms.

www.wizards.com/dnd/files/Leaves_of_Learning.zip

This one also expands upon the Fochluchan College, it's called Secrets of the Fochluchan College.

www.wizards.com/dnd/files/Secrets_Fochluchan_College.zip

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Magic of Faerun

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

This is the origin of the D&D Bardic Colleges, from the 1st Edition PHB, appendix.

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Waterdeep: City of Splendors

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Waterdeep: City of Splendors

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Silver Marches

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Bards do not cast spells; instead, they
sing their “Songs of Power” while playing
their chosen stringed instrument. By
tapping the magical power of other
planes through the proper sounds, these
Songs of Power have essentially the
same effect as certain of the magic-user,
illusionist, and druidic spells.
Bards do not carry spell books, nor do
they pray to a deity to receive their
Songs; rather, they memorize all their
Songs during their studies at the various
colleges, a new level at each of the five
lower colleges*. Afterwards, they simply
choose each day which Songs of Power
they will implant in their minds that day,
just as other spell-casters do.
It is also possible for them to research/
compose a new Song like other classes
can do with spells. However, it is vital to
note that all Songs (standard or original)
have (1) the verbal component of the
bard singing while accompaning himself
on a stringed instrument with which he is
familiar; (2) the somatic component of
playing that instrument, using both
hands while standing still or walking
slowly over an even surface; and (3)
generally, no other material component
besides the instrument. If the bard stops
playing or is disturbed in any way, the
Song fails and is wasted.

*The five lower colleges are: Fochlucan, Mac-Fuirmidh, Doss, Canaith, and Cli.

From Dragon Magazine #56, with notation by myself.

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

OOC: Below is a lecture on the history of the Fallen Seven Bardic
Colleges that I prepared and gave before an audience IC at
Alizarin. Most of this is actual bonafied realmslore, but I -did-
have to create a detail here and there. I only elaborated and
added my own details where the history was noted to be
uncertain in official source. The opening of the lecture is an IC
explanation of how the seven colleges from first edition, before
they were incorperated into realmslore, came to Toril.

[glow=red,2,300]The Fallen Seven Bardic Colleges Part I[/glow]

Where and when the Bardic Colleges first came to Toril is a
mystery lost to time, and unrecorded in any known historical text.
What is known though is that the ancient colleges as we know
them were not in fact, the first Bardic Colleges to take on the
names of the fallen seven. It is speculated by scholars that at
least some of the original schools and traditions came from other
planes of existance alltogether and spread across our world. A
bard from the Moonshaes known only as Falatae crafted the
original models of the seven ancient bardic instruments. They
were known as the Fochluchan Bandore, the Mac-Fuirmidh
Mandolin, the Doss Lute, the Cainith Cithern, the Cli Lyre, the
Anstruth Harp, and the Ollamn Harp. Most learned bards agree
that he used these names in memory of the original schools, and
were changed if not in magical abilities, in form. The original
instruments are all thought to have been harps by the same
prefix, for example the Fochluchan Harp. This speculation arises
from examples of very old other-worldly antiques bearing
strikingly similar runes and magical endowments. Nothing about
the original traditions is known to us today, all we can do is
speculate that some of their knowledge was retaught by the
schools of this world. It is believed that the traditions set down
by Falatae mirrored closely the ways of the previous schools, in
that student bards were required to graduate from each
academy in turn, and recieve the appropriate instrument from
that school. A bard who graduated from each school and
displayed mastry of the seven instruments was titled as a master
bard and awared a degree known as the Magnus Alumnae.

Just what caused these once great schools and lorehouses to
close their doors, and allowed the once great traditions to wane,
can't be lain at the feet of any one cause. A major contributing
factor is thought to be that the masters and scholars of these
schools became too heavily involved in the politics of the lands
they were founded in. Other colleges were simply the targets of
ill luck, and natural disasters. What we know is that Bardic
colleges all slid into decline less than 300 years ago, around the
time of the Harpstar Wars from 1182 - 1222 Dale Reckoning.

The college of Fochlucan once stood on the northeastern edge of
Silverymoon. After it closed, the college stood empty for many
years before being reopened as Utrumm’s Music Conservatory.
Utrumm’s Music Conservatory has since been moved to
Southbank, and Fochlucan has been reborn as the House of the
Harp. Still teaching some of the traditions of Fochluchan, but no
longer bearing the name. It cannot be truly said that Fochluchan
survives to date.

The college of MacFuirmidh once stood on the isle of Alaorn in the
Moonshae Isles, south and east of Caer Callidyrr. What
happened to this school isn't known, but it's thought that natural
fire or arson brought about it's end. Today only it's sorrounding
wineries survive to remind of what was once there. The last
known date at which the school stood and operated was 1137
Dale Reckong, the year of Falling Menhirs.

The college of Doss once stood in the shadow of the High Lady’s
Castle in the city of Berdusk where Twilight Hall, one of the
publicly known bases of the Harper's now resides. A fitting place
for them to reside, but sadly they haven't refounded it as a
College. What caused it to close also is not known, though I am
sure the Harpers themselves could shed light on the history of
their home, that is, if they chose to.

The long-fallen ruins of the bards' college of Canaith
lie strewn along the northern stretch of the Hillstrail about 70
miles south of Zazesspur. Its three buildings were abandoned
ages ago in a time of financial crisis, but their remains were
further destroyed by fire during the Black Days, as its remains
were used as hiding places for the Black Tyrant Count Romar
Miklaas and his family. The local halflings used fire to drive them
out during the in 1347 Dale Reckoning.

Where Cli was located, and what happened to it is a topic of
some mystery and debate among bards and scholars. One theory
is that it once stood within the building that now houses The
House of Knowledge in Neverwinter, a great temple of the Binder
of What is known. Another theory, the more probable one is that
it once lay within the eastern reaches of Baldur’s Gate, where a
set of abandoned buildings was torn down and replaced. What
stands there now is Elfsong Tavern, an adventurers’ drinking-
place and hiring house notable for the ghostly elven female voice
that can be heard from time to time. Some bards claim they have
spoken with the ghost, and that she claims to have once been a
student of Cli.

The college of Anstruth once stood in the heart of Sundabar’s
trade ward. The last remaining building in the college ruins was
torn down in 1364 Dale Reckoning, a once-beautiful structure
converted into a warehouse. The founding of the Silver Marches
confederation and the refounding of Fochlucan as the House of
the Harp in Silverymoon has given renewed energy to efforts by a
handful of bards to refound Anstruth.

Ollamn closed it's doors after many of it's students and masters
died from a plague in the year of the scourge, 1150 DR. The
college of Ollamh once stood on Rivon Street in Waterdeep’s
Trade Ward, where the House of Song, guildhall of the Council of
Musicians, Instrument-Makers, and Choristers now resides. In
1366 DR, Danilo Thann and members of the above-mentioned
guild refounded the college as New Ollamh, located in
Waterdeep’s Castle Ward in the old Cliffride villas of Heroes’ Rest
and Stormwatch. As far as is known, New Ollamn is now the only
college in Fearun offering the Magnus Alumnae degree, a
controversial move on their part.

-The Bard, Darkharp