The Intoner

“When we think of acquiring eternal life, we think of deals with unknowable eldritch entities, of secret arcane rituals, of pacts with fiends of immense power, but we rarely think of the method most easily available to most of us: memories.

A piece of us stays alive through the memories that others have of us. Pouring a glass for those that are not there, reminiscing about the moments we spent with them, we call these rituals ways to “keep their memory alive”. We understand that this is a way to extend the life of someone past their lifespan."

Intoners understand this too, and take it to its logical extreme. If they can manage to live in the memories of those around them, if they can make people wish they would live forever, they will never truly vanish, never truly die.

A Bard starts the process of becoming an Intoner through a song. It's called their "Magnum Opus" and they can spend decades wirting it. A true Magnum Opus isn't just a song, but a spell weaved into a melody. The rituals needed to create a Magnum Opus can vary, but the effects it has are the same in the end. Embedded within the Magnum Opus is a piece of the Bard's soul and for however long at least one person remembers this song, the Intoner can never truly die.

When they finish their Magnum Opus, the Intoner-to-be sets out on Adventures, travelling the world, playing their Magnum Opus to whoever will hear it. For some, this song becomes an ear-worm, wiggling into their head and getting stuck there.

In order to truly become an Intoner, the Bard must die in a last, great performance of their Magnum Opus, called their "Swan Song". When the Swan Song is complete, the Bard will rise again in Undeath, as an Intoner.

Those who heard the Magnum Opus and kept it as an ear-worm now become the Intoner's living phylacteries, keeping them alive with their memory of them and their Magnum Opus. As long as at least one person who has heard it still lives, an Intoner will always reform and rise again after some time.

But there is a catch: As soon as a Bard becomes an Intoner, they can no longer perform their Magnum Opus, now having to rely on others to spread it for them. To ensure this goal, some Intoners become beloved composers to inspire aspiring musicians to learn how to play their Magnum Opus, while others become brutal tyrants who force their Magnum Opus onto people. What kind of Intoner a Bard will become is entirely up to them.

Extra Proficiencies

At 3rd Level, you may choose 3 extra proficiencies, 1 with a musical instrument and 2 with a Charisma-based skill. If you are already proficient in all Charisma-based skills, you instead gain Expertise in two Charisma-based skills.

Song of Hope and Despair

Starting at 3rd Level, you may use an action to perform either an uplifting or a chilling melody.

If you perform an uplifting melody, choose three allies that you can see and who can hear you. You and these three allies gain advantage on Saving Throwas against being charmed or frightened until the start of your next turn.

If you perform a chilling melody, choose one enemy creature you can see and that can hear you. That creature must succeed on a Wisdom Saving Throw against your Spellsave DC. On a failed save, that creature can't regain hit points by any means until the start of your next turn.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Modifier and regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Phoenix Song

Starting at 6th Level, whenever you drop to 0 Hit Points while at least one person, who remembers your Magnum Opus, is still alive, you do not roll Death Saves and instead reform and rise again within five feet of a creature or player character of your choice who has heard your Magnum Opus at the end of the next Long Rest. To determine if someone remembers your Magnum Opus, roll 2d100. If the second roll is greater than the first roll, at least one person remembers your Magnum Opus. Work with your DM to determine possible modifiers for these rolls. If no one remembers your Magnum Opus, you die instantly, your body crumbling to dust.

Rejuvenating Orchestra

Starting at 14th Level, you can, on the same turn, use an Action and a Bonus Action to fill a sphere with a 25 ft radius, centered on yourself, with the sound of distant orchestral music. Each enemy creature within the sphere must succeed on a Wisdom Saving Throw against your spellsave DC or break into song until the start of your next turn. If a creature fails the Saving Throw by 5 or more, they can't take an action during their turn because of their singing. You regain 2d6 Hit Points for every affected creature.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier and you regain all expended uses upon finishing a Long Rest.