One of the two great Brœðralag (brotherhoods) in Vandalmál. Unlike Brœðralag Ulfveiðr who deals in hunting and dispatching more flesh and blood problems, Brœðralag Skaldi deals in esoteric problems, specifically the otherworldly rips in reality known as Tears. While these phenomena are rare, only Brœðralag Skaldi possesses sufficient knowledge of their nature to close them when they are found. When a Tear is suspected, Skalds will often dispatch a brother to investigate the validity of the information and attempt to close it. The Skalds also serve as keepers and writers of epic poetry, as performers (although not all performers are Skalds, nearly all Skalds are performers of some sort), and as curators of the arcane mysteries of song and verse.
The organization does not keep open places of business like the Wolf Hunt does, although some individual Skalds do live openly and keep residences within cities. Otherwise, the Skaldic families maintain old family estates that serve as central locations for Skalds to meet, to maintain libraries and other repositories, and to conduct research and train new Skalds. Concerned citizens occasionally entreat the Skalds at these estates with news resembling Tears, or often with other unusual mysterious goings-on. Skalds have also been known to be found in the employ of noble families throughout Vandalmál, be they true Imperial families or the 'nouveau riche' of the Confederacy, as the Eladrin would likely scoff.
Seven original families of Skalds:
All Skaldic families have some traces of Eladrin blood back in their history, but the remaining families have diverged into three groups. The first three are now largely human families with origins in Imperial lands. The next three are families with origins specifically in Hrim and thus ties specifically to Winter Eladrin families of old. The last family is a family known to be largely of Summer Eladrin blood, with some half-bloods.
Joining the Skalds requires taking a feat (Skald) at first level. It might be possible to join at a later date (DM discretion), but would still require the taking of the feat.