“I joined with a flute and left with a scream. The songs never stopped. They just got sharper.”
You were trained not to lead armies, but to lift spirits. You were a musician, an artist, a companion to war—not its wielder. But the battlefield didn’t care. What was once performance became survival. Now, your songs are soaked in blood and memory. You are no longer just a bard—you are what remains when music learns to fight.

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 2 skill proficiencies from: Survival, Athletics, Insight, Performance and Intimidation.

Tool Proficiencies:  You carry the tools of both creation and survival—learned in blood, sweat, and silence. Whether maintaining armor between battles, crafting instruments from bone and leather, or tuning the warpipes before a charge, your hands remember the rhythm of necessity. You know that what you wield off the battlefield can be just as vital as what you swing on it.

Equipment: A battered kit carried by survivors of the Hollow Campaign—those who marched with music in their hearts and blood on their boots. Each item tells a story: a weapon kept sharp, a song unsung, a token of the dead, and the tools to keep going.

Spell List

These spells count as bard spells for you. You always have them prepared, and they don’t count against your spells known. Your DM may allow you to choose a limited number from this list based on level.

Spell Level	Spells
Cantrip	thaumaturgy, toll the dead
1st	cause fear, dissonant whispers, heroism, shield of faith, wrathful smite
2nd	calm emotions, shatter, warding bond
3rd	enemies abound, fear, motivational speech
4th	freedom of movement, greater invisibility, phantasmal killer
5th	hold monster, synaptic static, wall of force

Suggested Characteristics

d8	Personality Trait
1	I don’t sleep well unless I can hear the wind. Or something crying.
2	My music isn't pretty anymore—but it still hits hard.
3	I talk to my instrument when no one’s around.
4	I respect silence. It means someone survived.
5	I start sharpening something when I get anxious.
6	I don’t raise my voice. I don’t need to.
7	I write songs I’ll never sing for anyone else.
8	I don’t perform—I remember.

d5	Ideal
1	Survival. I outlived them. I owe them that much. (Neutral)
2	Purpose. The war didn’t end for me. I just haven’t found the next one. (Any)
3	Compassion. The ones who broke stayed broken. I won’t let that happen again. (Good)
4	Vengeance. What I lost will be paid for in full. (Evil)
5	Legacy. If I die, let my music outlive me. (Any)

d4	Bond
1	I carry medals from those who fell. I remember their names.
2	My pipes are made from my enemies, my regrets, or both.
3	There’s one comrade I still write to—even if they’re dead.
4	I survived. That means I don’t get to rest—not yet.

d4	Flaw
1	I can’t stand celebrations. It feels like dancing on graves.
2	I lose control when I hear certain sounds.
3	I keep people at arm’s length—they always leave.
4	I would burn the world to make someone hear the song I wrote for them.