History: Bard College of Calabay

Originally Calabay was a small fishing village. But the leaders of this village, a long string of interrupted men of the Calabay line, wanted more for their village. They helped some refuges who were filled with scholars and asked only for tutors to teach their children so they would be better prepared and learned. The scholars agreed, especially since it meant safety for their people, and over the years the people of Calabay became more and more educated. A running joke among the southern Houses is Calabay is the "Educated Barbarians of the North".

After awhile, and once they became the House Calabay, one of the sons of the House became quite talented as a bard and begged his father to start a college for all levels of bards so there would be music available for all. Since the people of Calabay were happy to help their people on every level of wealth (this changes a bit before Noshi Bluecrystal's Northern Alliance, but only for about fifty years) the college was built.

Originally all people were admitted, no matter if they could pay to be trained or not. But as the years passed more and more of the poorer people were not let in unless they had a sponsor, which didn't happen often. In game terms the further your player characters are from the Time of the Chosen the more likely they will have to pay or find a sponsor.

Here everything is taught from musical instruments to story telling. Also tutors are trained here to teach the wealthy or any who can afford such things. If a person is trained here part of their training is to stay for two years to teach their subject at the school, usually under the supervision of some long standing teacher. If a person is very talented the school will ask them to stay or return at a later date as a permanent teacher.

Students stay anywhere from just a few years to a decade of training, depending on what they are studying. Room and board is part of the tuition and a lot of students do small teaching jobs (like teaching someone to read or write) to help supplement their income.
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