Bard

This article is about in-universe bards. For the Blizzard April Fools joke, see Bard (April Fools). For the frostsaber, see Bard (frostsaber).

“Through the strings of my lute and the sound of my voice, our warriors gain immortality.”

— Russell Brower^[1]

Bards are artists who perform songs, poems, and storytelling in public or after being hired. Their songs are attempts to capture a place, a time, which they play to ear and eye.^[2] Through the strings of their instruments and the sound of their voice, the heroes from ages past are kept alive with songs and gain immortality.^[1] Among their services, they can notably write and play ballads, sagas, rhyming poems, epic tunes, love songs, lighthearted ditties, bawdy drinking songs,^[3] and even sea chanties.^[4]

Background[]

Long ago, Helgus was a vrykul bard who lived in Nifflevar and wrote three sagas: the [Saga of the Twins], the [Saga of the Winter Curse] and the [Saga of the Val'kyr].^[5]

Night elf bards were known to perform in Darnassus,^[6] notably in parts of the Temple of the Moon, where they played music as soft as Elune's light and as soothing as the gentle splash of falling water.^[7]

In the Wildhammer clan, all the great Wildhammer heroes from ages past are kept alive through songs.^[1]

Prior to the First War, the bards were noticeably sketchy when it came to the matters involving the Guardian of Tirisfal Medivh.^[8]

During the Argent Tournament, the bards told tales of travelers offering winter hyacinths to a lonely maiden in return for gifts.^[9]

Known[]

Items[]

April Fools[]

Main article: Bard (April Fools)

The Bard hero class was announced on April 1st, 2008, as a Blizzard April Fools' Day hoax. They were described as such:

The deeds of every great hero inspire countless songs of triumph, virtue, and epic adventure. But although a hero’s glory endures in song, the creators of those songs are seldom remembered. After ages spent singing of the heroic exploits of others, the bards of Azeroth are finally stepping into the spotlight on their own terms, proving once and for all that while just about anyone can pick up a sword or cast a spell, only a true hero can vanquish evil with the power of ROCK! The time has come for the bards to claim glory for themselves. No longer will they remain shrouded in obscurity while less-talented adventurers are hailed by the masses.^[10]

Notes and trivia[]

[LeBlanc's Recorder] and [Kowalski's Music Box] are musical instruments treasured by the bards of Azeroth.
After they helped him write his song, the faerie Daffodil wondered if the adventurers weren't bards in their previous world.^[11]
Since King Varian Wrynn lived a remarkable and dangerous life, his trials made for rousing tales that bards could sing before swooning ladies.^[12]
According to Wind Trader Zhareem, the [Bladefist's Seal] is a daring acquisition that the bards should put pen to parchment for.^[13]
According to Vintner Thesnala, the Royal Meat Rack's wine is so unbelievably horrendous that bards may write songs about its legendary awful texture.^[14]
Chen Stormstout hoped the bards would do true justice with their songs to immortalize the heroic deeds of The Thirty-three and his romance with Yalia Sagewhisper.^[2]
Russel Brower used music to heal, buff, and attack in combat during [30-35] Wild, Wild, Wildhammer Wedding and [35 Daily] The Protectors of Hyjal.
In the MOTHERLODE!!, some goblins and workers high on [Kaja'Cola] spouted out random ideas such as "Bards!".^[15]^[16]
Like in World of Warcraft, bard isn't a class in the pen & paper game of the Off-Duty Cadets, playing in a basement of the Proudmoore Keep.