A lore bard in our party is going for a Dr. Jones feel and wishes to share some of his aquired knowledge of other cultures at a gathering of scribes. There is not a specific desired outcome, and it's not really a part of the campaign – but it'll be fun side story for this player to connect his character to the world around him.
I thought of using this as an opportunity for the bard to gain some renown or support from the learned of the land. Over time the bard could progress from interesting, to credible, to trusted in academic circles – much like a background feature might be used.
So, is there a skill that the rules would indicate could be used to add a proficiency bonus against a progressively more difficult DC check to gain renown with academics? The bard currently has proficiency in History and Persuasion. He may get Performace later on.
Best Answer
Whatever skill would cover the material, but use Charisma.
Just about any subject studied at a university should fit into History, Arcana, Religion, Medicine, Nature, or Performance.
Of course we all know there's a difference between being an expert in the subject and being able to teach effectively. The difference between a Remus Lupin and a Severus Snape, in game terms, is that Lupin has higher Charisma (and Snape probably has higher Intelligence). This is a great use for the "Skills with different abilities" optional rule in the PHB. Getting your facts right is Intelligence (History) but getting your audience to care is Charisma (History).