The story of the Bards Hall begins with the sad tale of the Church of the Holy Redeemer. This monsterous institution, together with the evil Republica goverment, controlled the city of Montfort for some time. The Church used an addictive drug called 'loosh' to ensnare the populace, and most of the citizens were placed under its sway.

In order to maintain control, the Church launched a systemized oppression of mages and others who opposed them. Mages were faced with the choice of joining the Church's Mageguard, or being ostracized and burned as witches. One group which suffered greatly under this persecution was the Politi mages, practicioners of weaver magic. Members of the Politi were captured and condemned to die in a special public "Cleansing" ceremony, which was supposed to mark the end of witches in Montfort.

The ceremony was to take place in the town square, with most of the populace attending. The remaing free Politi mages, led by Kallin So, launched a rescue operation, which was somewhat complicated when an unknown assassin shot two of the Church's highest officials. The assasination attempt was blamed upon the Republica, and the two despotic forces engaged each other in the middle of the city.

During the confusion, a group of frightened refugees took shelter in a warehouse, together with some of the Politi mages. It was there that Elwynn Evindem, Caylock the Bard, and Karyn Silversheen met for the first time. These three would later join forces to found the Bards Hall.

The fighting ended after a negotiated settlement between Kallin and the leader of the Church. At the Dragon's Inn, Elwynn, Karyn, Caylock, and another bard named Othello met together to discuss their future. Elwynn, an elf-maid and sorceress, knew that in the aftermath of the failed Cleansing, the Church would attempt to consolodate i t's power. In order to forstall this, she proposed construction of a Bards Hall just south of the city. Obstensibly a college and arts center, the Hall could also be used as a covert headquarters to continue resistance against the Church. It was decided that Elwynn would provide the necessary resources, while Karyn, Caylock, and Othello would form the nucleus of the Bards guild. The most experienced of the Bards, Karyn Silversheen was elected the first Bardmistress of the Hall.

News of the guild spread quickly, and more bards arrived to swell the ranks of the fledgeling institution. Stalwart members of the guild at this time included Krelosh the Drow, Quinn the Fox Man, Rook Sunspar, the faery dragon Ebony Rose, and Tarrah, a mysterious healer.

Drawing upon her vast financial and political resources, Elwynn Evindem summoned caravans of supplies from her homeland of Havenwood, which were used to feed the war weary populace and helped establish a positive public image for the new Hall. A group of Rangers of Havenwood, led by Dallan Dawnrider, arrived to provide security and protect the caravans. The job of constructing the Hall was contracted out to the Second Construction Battalion of the Dwarves of Esgrod Mountain. As conflict between the Church and it's enemies (called 'Refusers') escalated, Elwynn ordered the Dwarves to construct a wooden stockade around the incomplete Hall.

Disturbed by this new activity, the Church of the Holy Redeemer sent a delegation to the Hall. Under the pretense of negotiation, they hoped to capture Karyn Silversheen and convert her to the Church. The Church envoy was met by a delegation from the Bards just outside the gates of the Hall, and the parlay quickly degenerated into battle. The Bards barricaded themselves into the incomplete Hall and staved off an attempt by Church Mages to teleport the structure out from under them.

Joined by other resistance groups, the Bards began launching counter attacks against the Church in an effort to tie up their resources. A group of time-travelling Refusers led an attack against the Church compound, and killed the Church leader, Proctor John, with a magical sword. The battle ended when an unknown power generated a titanic explosion which levelled the Church and destroyed the entire city as well.

Warded against the effects of the fireblast, the Bards Hall survived the catastrophe and the Bards turned their efforts towards healing the suffering people of Montfort. More supplies were sent in from Havenwood and Esgrod Mountain, and the Hall became an infirmary for those who had suffered from the blast.