Order Name: The Colleges of Arts; Bards. 

Sub-Orders: Order of the Voice, Order of Songs, Order of Rhythms, Order of the Brush, Order of the Pan, Order of the Chisel, Order of Pen, Order of the Sword, and Order of the Book. 

Patron God/Founder(s): Zatolen, Fineth, and Casimiro Cigno. 

Renown Members: Casimiro Cigno, Aourell Hathwaye, and Mary Lavenza Gothique. 

Feats of Power: Aourell, believed to be the most powerful bard, cut a mountain in half with a stroke of a brush and brought down a mountain on her foes, as well as set an entire city ablaze, killing tens of thousands with her brush. Bardic Authors who complete their books create new worlds within Ithia; the greatest of which was Mary Lavenza Gothique, who created a whole new continent on Ithia proper. One unnamed bard erased an entire city from existence, making them one of the most terrifying paths of magic.  

Restrictions: – 

Power Source: Creativity. 

Forming Source: Art(s) 

The Drain: Consciousness and Awareness, using bardic powers, drains these two traits. Calling on too much power causes one to tunnel vision onto their art, the world outside becomes less and less important, the mind can’t fathom anything but the art, and one can find themselves forcefully pulled into their piece, forever trapped in their master piece; bardic novels always take too much power to survive crafting. Those who can tear themselves away from their work will suddenly feel fatigued, as every bit of power tears away wakefulness, and while one cannot sink into a coma, many bards spend extra time sleeping.  

Tools of Trade: Pens, Pencils, Easels, Brushes, Scrolls, Tomes, Pans, Utensils, Instruments, Shoes, and other forms of expressing art.  

While bards were originally unorganized, formal structures were established by Aourell Hathwaye, who founded the Colleges of Art. Bards can invoke emotion, change the very world around them by the expression of their art(s). They can cook food so tender, so sweet, so plentiful, bleed magic into every bite that no lesser skill or creative mind could hope to conceive the wonders and joy of cooking. Painters, sculptors, carpenters, dancers, singers, calligraphers, and minstrels can all channel Bardic Power; in fact, bardic magic can be channeled through anything considered art, be it a master of sword so beautiful mere dance bows before it, movements of the body in martial arts that defy understanding, it is the writing of books, the making of worlds! While bards have examples of some of the greatest casters, it should be noted that these great master bards are as rarer than the greatest masters of the arts and often come along only once every few hundred years.  

Bards take their creativity, their skill in one or more arts, and infuse it with power, making their muse influence the world around them. Their songs can make the world weep fresh, clean rains in areas of drought; they can paint landscapes and add roads across a great expanse; they can make meager food a feast; they can make worlds in books; and they can bend reality to the emotions of their works. Their magic is unaffected by iron and steel, which is nothing more than unblotted stains of ink.  

Bards work towards personal development, mastery of crafts, creating of master pieces, understanding the world around them, helping their communities, and mastery of themselves.  

Bards are trained and provided with room and board in large, secure campuses. They are funded by patrons, wealthy alumni, and a large trust from the Hathwaye family. They sometimes live with their patrons or seek out private studios, living in grandeur or squalor in pursuit of their art.  

Bards follow ranks of status and power. 

-Grand Master of Arts: Head of all the Colleges of Arts. 

-Grand Master of Lore: Head of all Masters of Lore. 

-Grand Master of Coin: Head of all Masters of Coin. 

-Master of Arts: Head of one of the Colleges. 

-Master of Lore: A bard in each College tasked with keeping a record of works produced by their students and alumni.  

-Master of Coin: A bard tasked with managing a college’s funds and student enrollment.  

-Master: A Master of a given art. 

-Journeyman: A midlevel bard in a given art or arts. 

-Apprentice: A graduate taken for further education by a Master. 

-Dreamer: A graduate of a college hoping to earn an apprenticeship.  

-Student: A current student at a College of Arts.