Bards have much to gain from the company of other bards. When bards come together, they can exchange news, stories, and songs, expanding their repertoires and base of knowledge.
The Circle of Song is an informal organization that can be found across Khorvaire. In principle it is open to all bards, but a bard who commits a crime against a fellow bard may be judged and expelled from the Circle. Outposts of the Circle are hidden in most major cities and many smaller communities; these are usually taverns or inns, with concealed areas accessible only to members of the Circle. The locations of these outposts and the passwords required to gain access to them are passed around the bardic community, often cleverly concealed in popular songs. Locating the nearest outpost of the Circle requires a Bardic Knowledge check with a DC of 15; if this roll fails, the bard hasn’t heard of the local outpost.
The Circle does not have any sort of official dues, but bards can expect to make some sort of donation to the local outpost when they make use of its services; this could range from a single copper to a platinum piece or even a valuable gem if fortune has smiled on the bard. The bards look out for those who maintain the Circle, and in exchange the Circle looks out for the bards.
The Circle provides bards with the following benefits:
- A Circle outpost always provides food and shelter for a bard. This may not be comfortable living—a bowl of gruel and a blanket on the floor—but it will stave off storm and starvation. The bard is usually expected to perform for other guests at the outpost (usually the regular customers of the inn or tavern); this serves to prove that the bard truly is a member of the Circle and not a poseur.
- Bards exchange stories and news, and an outpost usually has a small library tucked away. A bard receives a +2 circumstance bonus on any bardic knowledge, Gather Information, or Knowledge check he makes at the outpost.
- Finally, bards are often willing to exchange minor favors: gathering information, creating a distraction, ridiculing a particular noble. Few bards will agree to perform a favor that places them in danger, and bards always expect to have favors repaid in kind (which can form a good basis for an adventure).
- Bards are expected to put aside all personal differences while in a Circle outpost. Mortal enemies can meet and discuss past battles over drinks. Breaking this code of conduct results in immediate blacklisting.
All bards are welcome in the Circle of Song, but not all bards are members; it is up to the DM to decide whether a particular bard has heard of the organization. Likewise, it may be that a PC bard has yet to encounter the Circle and must be inducted by an existing member.
In Sharn, the local outpost of the Circle of Song is located in The Golden Horn, an inn in the University District of Upper Menthis.
A bard is a versatile individual, equally skilled at entertainment and espionage. These talents are perfectly matched to the city of Sharn, which is both the cultural heart of Breland and a nexus for intrigue and diplomacy. Bards have much to gain from the company of other bards, as they exchange news, stories, and songs. For this purpose, long ago a group of the finest bards in Sharn founded the Circle of Song, an alliance of entertainers and adventurers.
The Circle of Song is an informal organization, open to any bard who knows its customs and who can find an outpost. It has no membership dues; you’re expected to make a donation if you make significant use of the group’s resources. Membership provides the following benefits:
- You can always find food and lodging at a circle outpost, though you might be expected to entertain the patrons in exchange. If times are tough, your food and lodging might be a step lower than the usual quality of the inn, but at least it’s free.
- You have advantage on ability checks made to perform research or gather information while in a circle outpost, provided you have an opportunity to peruse archives and talk with other members.
- Circle members are often willing to do minor favors for other members—gathering information, embarrassing a minor noble, causing a distraction. There’s no cost for such a service, but anyone who helps you will expect you to provide similar assistance when they need it.
The first and oldest outpost of the Circle of Song is the Golden Horn in the University district of Upper Menthis; a few bards are almost always in residence and willing to share news and stories. Other, less elaborate outposts are maintained in Sharn, and over the centuries the circle has established outposts in most major cities and many smaller communities across Khorvaire. These sites are usually taverns or inns that have hidden areas accessible only to members of the circle.
Bards are expected to set aside personal rivalries while in a circle outpost, and any kind of combat or violence is prohibited. Violating this rule results in immediate expulsion from the circle, at the least.