The College of Exquisite Arts is
Kureta’s only bard college. Those with the right skills can attend to gain the status of a ‘true bard’. The college teaches its students a range of skills, from music and dance, painting, sculpting and acting, to acrobatics, court etiquette and social graces.
The college itself also provides performers throughout the city. This includes various taverns and street performances to personal audiences for nobles and the royal family.
This prestigious college is where all bards must attend in order to attain true 'Bard' status, anyone else is just a 'performer'. This is the motto of all those who have attended or teach at the College of Exquisite Arts. This very selective school teaches a variety of artistic skills, including music and song, acting, painting and even social interaction (to name but a few). The college itself is located in
Kureta City and is easily identified by the elaborate architecture and persistent soft music emanating from within.
Graduates of the college can be identified by a special silver pin they receive on their graduating day. The pin is in the shape of a lute, with the neck depicted as an artist's paintbrush.
There are 4 masters at the college, each heading up one of the different Bard College's students can enrol in. These masters are:
Up to around 40 years ago, the college also had a "Master of Whispers", but the practice was seen as unsavoury and led to many accusations towards the college of training spies. The art was discontinued to save the institution's reputation.
As well as teaching, the 4 masters are responsible for the running of the college, including administration and management of the performers the college provides to the city.
Many of the classes are taught by experienced bards (either those who have graduated and remained to teach, or those who are still enrolled in the college and wish to levy their tuition fees by teaching new students).
Typically the college houses a maximum of 100 students at any given time, though more typically there will be around 40-50 students enrolled at once. Board and lodgings are provided at the college for a small fee, though many students choose to stay in local taverns and inns as a cheaper alternative, and a means of gaining work experience.
On average, a student at the college will spend 3-4 years training in their chosen area. Classes are usually small, with a maximum of 10 students per class on average. This allows for more 1-1 time between student and teacher, and much of the learning the students will do will be undertaken in private.
The college is also home to a well-stocked library. This library contains songs and sheet music which have been collected over the last few centuries. In addition to this, the library has a section for historic accounts (wars, heroes, major events) - as part of being a bard is creating and sharing tales of the past. Within this section of the library is a restricted area, which only the Masters are allowed access to. This restricted area contains some of
Kureta's most ancient texts, and so is kept away from anybody may not know the proper way to handle such documents. The library is open to the public twice a week, but appointments must be made in advance with the library's curator, Jean Bankson.
In addition to the library and classrooms, the college contains a theatre, auditorium, food hall, topiary garden and life-drawing room.
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