¶ Overview
This Creation expands Solitude's Bards College by adding a major questline that picks up where the base game leaves off, similar in scope to the other main factions, and several new major mechanics and mini-games (see Gameplay Explanations section below).
All of the new features are introduced naturally in voiced questlines, featuring the return of multiple original Skyrim cast members.
¶ Gameplay Explanations
Click the links below to read more details about the various systems that make up the Bards College Expansion.
- Music Playing: The player can learn to play music in combat to enhance allies while simultaneously using Shouts to assist the battle, or play for people in cities to earn gold.
- Insult Duels: The player can learn insults and retorts and enter battles of wit with other Bards found throughout the taverns of Skyrim to earn gold, expand their arsenal of phrases, and climb the ranks towards a final reward.
- Ballads: Olvus can write ballads that tell the story of the major questlines the player has completed. The player can influence the verses of these ballads, and then hear them played in town squares by groups of Bards.
- Become an Emissary: Valerine can teach the player how to use their words to influence. This starts a side questline that focuses on reading tells and personalities to manipulate people into doing what's desired by clients.
- New Shouts and Systems: In addition to several new Shouts, two new Shout-focused systems are introduced during the main quest. Resonating Crystals can be used to add additional effects to Shouts, and Chanting allows chaining together multiple shouts into a single effect.
- Location Finding: Tyriana can reveal map markers for the player to help them find specific things, such as Ruins, Word Walls, and other location types they might want to find in an immersive way.
- Sanctuary: During the main quest, the player will be introduced to a pocket realm they can visit any time. This realm has a variety of tools to help the player improve and practice their shouting.
¶ Quest Walkthroughs
The creation begins in one of two ways, depending on whether the player has done the base game Bards College quests or not yet.
New Characters (Haven't yet triggered the Bards College quest "Tending the Flames"): After the player starts the base game's Bards College questline started by Viarmo. When they exit the Bards College, they will be approached by a young woman named Helvana, who will offer to accompany the player on their quest.
Existing Character (Have already triggered or finished the Bards College quest "Tending the Flames"): Helvana will track the player down when they enter a major city.
Regardless of which way things kick off, Helvana will eventually point the player to the new characters brought to the Bards College who will start the various questlines and teach the new mechanics.
Click any of the quests below to view a detailed walk-through of the quest.
¶ Main Quests
- Tending the Flames
- Music, Merriment and Muckrakers
- Of Songs and Shouts
- Echoes
- Troubadour's Trial
- A Dragon's Dirge
- Requiem
¶ Side Quests
Emissary Questline
¶ Miscellaneous Quests
¶ Helvana's Affinity
Early on, the player will meet a character named Helvana. She will be silently tracking the player's interactions. Being nice, asking her questions, and helping her when they can will make her a valid candidate for the marriage system in the base game after the end of the quest line.