The Ensemble is the Valorian college of bards and musicians. It is the most renowned such school in the world.
The organization is extremely loose and unstructured, to the point of being anarchic. It has no clear leader, no clear rules, no clear requirements for graduation. However somehow despite the anarchy the college functions (to a degree) and can act in concert when needed.
“Picture the most raucous democratic congress you can imagine. A bunch of self absorbed narcissistic front men that have not only never heard of Robert’s Rules of Order but literally make their living through the sound of their own voice. The word “chaos” does not even begin to describe it. It’s seldom violent but my god is it loud.
These are people that can argue for days over not only is truth beauty and beauty truth, but the proper way to tune a Gubson twelve string.
And then imagine that occasionally that same group suddenly, for no obvious reason known to man or god, snaps together and acts in concert like the most professional and perfect three hundred piece orchestra.
That’s the Valorian Ensemble.
It’s glorious”
Rufus the Well Travelled on the Valorian Ensemble.
In addition to all things musical, the Ensemble library and the bards themselves are a world renown repository of lore. The library itself is rumored to contain every book ever written, however the cataloging system is extremely odd and makes no sense except to the artistically inclined.