Quote Originally Posted by AndrewTall View Post
Dabbling in magic is surely a Khinasi national sport? The disdain sounds like an anomaly - it may be that 'proper dnd' bards - spellcasters with useful skills are valued, but 'vagabond bards' - people wandering from place to place scratching a life from itinerant music and petty larceny - are scorned.

If looking purely at the vagabonds, stageshow hands, dancers, and thespians then the khinasi disdain makes sense as these people cross castes, don't settle down, likely hold to different customs than the locals, etc.

Just as a temple might discuss 'paladins' in terms of 'any warrior in its service'not 'Paladins' being 'holy warriors with the specific dnd paladin class' the saying could be referring to 'bard' in the non-RPG sense not 'Bard' in the dnd class sense.
a point can be made for this view.

From Cities of the Sun (pg 11)

In the Sun Coast, bards don't have the role of herald and lore-keeper Anuirean bards enjoy. In fact they're much poorer, leading a wandering existence. Most Khnasi view bards as vagrants and thieves: a common proverb in the city-state of Altane calls a thing of no value "as worthless as the word of a bard."

There is likewise a point to be made for an emphasis on "study"

Same source/page

Magicians are common among the Khinasi, since even unblooded characters study magic to enhance their standing.
As the Khinasi have a strong monastic tradition, many priests seclude themselves in study and silence.

I see a fairly large emphasis on the connection between "study" and social order.

Warriors (all types, save Paladins which are more connected with religious orders than being a soldier) are generally in the lowest class and thieves are shunned.

Now in 2nd ed there was no such thing as the spontaneous casters that exist in 3.5. It is very clear that spontaneous casting is the opposite of non-spontaneous casting and that non-spontaneous arcane caster must spend time in "study" to prepare their spells. Spontaneous casters (bards, sorcerers and favored souls) all tend to be wonderers and not tied down to any specific place or location (it is part of the spontaneous thing). So a case cold be made to equate that to the reason to dislike a bard. Or the two can be combined into one (the reason for wanderering is the lack of a studious nature).