The Bards College is where nearly every bard in Skyrim learned their trade – ask any of them about their background and they’ll point you here. The three-storey building stands inside the walls of Solitude, near the Blue Palace. Expect flutes, drums, lutes, occasional classes and a lot of books, but not much else worth stuffing into your pockets.
What you’ll find
- Headmaster Viarmo – greets you shortly after you walk in and handles admission.
- Teachers and students – Giraud Gemane, Inge Six Fingers, Pantea Ateia, Aia Arria, Ataf, Bendt, Illdi and Jorn.
- Instruments everywhere and lecture halls on the upper floor.
Quests
- Tending the Flames – your entrance exam. Fetch a long-lost book about the treacheries of Olaf One-Eye from deep inside Dead Men’s Respite, help Viarmo fill the gaps in its verses, then join him before the Jarl to revive a banned festival.
- Find Finn’s Lute
- Find Pantea’s Flute – the flute lies in Hob’s Fall Cave.
- Find Rjorn’s Drum
Finishing all three instrument quests reportedly gives you an extra level in all 18 skills – the best music lesson in Tamriel.
Notable items
- Books including Brief History of the Empire, Book I, The Real Barenziah (Books I, II and IV), The Great War, Songs of the Return Vol 2, The Wolf Queen (Books II, III and V), The Arcturian Heresy, A Dance in Fire Book I and Report: Disaster at Ionith.
- Two Elven Arrows and a Potion of Plentiful Healing on the exterior balcony.
Tips
Get the quest for Pantea’s Flute before you pick it up in Hob’s Fall Cave, or Pantea may refuse to talk about it and the quest stalls. To reach the balcony loot, climb the barrels on the patio of neighbouring Proudspire Manor (before its patio upgrade) onto the arches, then cross the roofs. The Finn’s Lute cave also ties into a quest from Kjar in Windhelm – two birds, one lute.
Details checked against community wiki articles and the Skyrim game files, summarised in our own words.