From the introduction: Bards of the College of the Opera have honed their craft on the grandest of stages: the dazzling splendor of the opera hall. Such bards are no mere tumblers, tale-tellers, or lute-strummers. They aspire to the pinnacle of musical artistry by shaping their voice into an instrument that can move an audience to tears. Your bard could be a member of a performing troupe who aspires to greater heights, a disgraced prima donna seeking revenge on a rival, or a star soloist who enjoys the thrill of adventure between performances.