I was way up North doing a companion's quest, and quite frankly, it was the most amazing virtual landscape I had ever been in. It was quiet but for the wind, I had a couple of polar bears to deal with, and it was just gorgeous.

Then, there was a random (?) encounter and one of the Bard dudes I had met before had a short battle with some bandits (under dressed for the weather I noticed). Anyhow, I paid the guy 25 gold and he starts singing a goofy song in the middle of this pristine winter goodness.

Sure, I didn't have to pay him to sing, but I was amazed that he was there in the first place, and then ust pulled out his lute and in the middle of this freezing tundra started to play.

Crazy.

Ok, so you met a traveling bard.

Bards rock so hard their awesomeness heats up the atmosphere surrounding them. Hence no need for apropriate clothing.

You probably met Talsgar the Wanderer. He's a lousy bard, sounds like [censored] and only knows two songs. Buy he's cosy to have around, especially when you meet him in far-out places like the northernmost wildmark.

No one but him would give a performance on an ice-flake for only 25 gp, lol.