Bard

Memorization is of critical importance. That and presentation, so charisma and intelligence are of upmost importance. Most bards are required to memorize their societies oral history traditions. The songs, ballads, poems, and lore they memorize provide the basis for education in cultural tradition.

Many want to be bards, but the training and limited number of paid positions makes it hard to become one. Usually a bard starts as an apprentice, then after several years becomes a journeyman then an official bard on say of their instructor.

Several forms of reimbursements are common. One is the local town pitches in to support the local bard as educator, entertainer, and information broker. Heralds are specific bards that study both lore and politics. Heralds are supported by royalty or rich patrons. Entertainers then sing for their supper or otherwise entertain to provide a service for payment. Even others use their knowledge to help with artifact recovery as a recovorist.

Bards are conveyers of oral history and recorders of protocol. They are often teachers, heralds, researchers, and Recovorists. In some societies they are the sole retainers of history, this is especially true in Orc and goblin societies. While their body of knowledge may be more limited than elvish bards, their conviction and effort is powerful.

Bards are given deference and cultural support. Among other things they tend to act as information brokers, and news deliverers. If they are among their own culture they are especially prized and cared for. Several clear indicators are used to know a bard an falsely wearing these indicators is considered a crime in most nations.
  Troubadours wear a feathered scarf as a token of their profesion. While Heralds wear a stole fastened at the neck and draped on the left for apprentices, right for journeymen, and down both sides for full heralds. Skalds wear a small drum with red threads and tassels off their belt. Minstrels will wear a white belt with a silver buckle. Elvish bards wear both the Minstrel's belt and a leather harness with hand carved decorations.