Base Class: Bard
The majority of people gladly welcome a bard into their midst, embracing the joy they bring. However, the bards belonging to the College of Whispers utilize this warm reception to their advantage. They present themselves like any other bard, sharing news, singing songs, and enchanting audiences with their tales. Yet, beneath this facade, the College of Whispers instills in its students the understanding that they are akin to wolves among sheep. These bards employ their knowledge and magical abilities to unveil secrets and utilize them as tools for coercion and intimidation.
Many bards from other colleges hold disdain towards the College of Whispers, perceiving it as a parasitic entity that exploits the reputation and standing of all bards for personal gain and influence. As a result, bards from the College of Whispers rarely disclose their true nature unless absolutely necessary. They often claim allegiance to another college or conceal their affiliation altogether, all with the intention of infiltrating and manipulating royal courts and other influential domains more effectively.
Psychic Blades
Upon reaching the 3rd level, you acquire the power to imbue your weapon attacks with a mystical toxicity that affects a creature's mind.
When you successfully strike a creature with a weapon attack, you have the option to expend one instance of your Bardic Inspiration. This expenditure enables you to inflict an additional 2d6 psychic damage upon that specific target. However, you can only employ this ability once per round during your turn.
As you progress in this class, the psychic damage inflicted escalates at certain milestones. It increases to 3d6 at the 5th level, 5d6 at the 10th level, and finally peaks at 8d6 when you reach the 15th level.
Words of Terror
Additionally, upon reaching the 3rd level, you possess the ability to infuse seemingly innocent words with a sinister magic capable of instilling terror.
When engaging in a conversation with a solitary humanoid for a minimum of 1 minute, you can endeavor to implant paranoia and fear within their mind. At the conclusion of the exchange, the targeted individual must make a Wisdom saving throw, aiming to surpass your spell save DC. Failure to do so results in them becoming frightened of either yourself or another creature of your choosing. This state of fear persists for a duration of 1 hour, until they experience an attack or sustain damage, or until they witness harm inflicted upon their allies.
In the event that the target successfully resists the effect by succeeding on their saving throw, they remain completely unaware of your attempt to frighten them.
Once you employ this capability, you must complete a short or long rest before being able to use it again.
Mantle of Whispers
Upon reaching the 6th level, you acquire the capacity to assume the guise of a deceased humanoid. When a humanoid perishes within a 30-foot range of you, you possess the magical ability to seize its shadow using your immediate reaction. This shadow remains in your possession until you choose to utilize it or until you complete a long rest.
You can employ the shadow as an action, causing it to vanish and transforming it into a magical disguise that manifests upon your person. In this altered form, you assume the appearance of the deceased individual, exuding a healthy and lively aura. This disguise endures for a span of 1 hour or until you opt to terminate it as a bonus action.
While donning this guise, you gain access to all non-confidential information that the humanoid would willingly share with a casual acquaintance. This encompasses general details concerning their background and personal life, though it does not include any secrets. The provided information enables you to convincingly portray the person by tapping into their memories.
Another creature can discern through your disguise by succeeding on a Wisdom (Insight) check, which is contested by your Charisma (Deception) check. However, you possess a +5 bonus to your check, enhancing the effectiveness of your deception.
Once you employ this feature to capture a shadow, you must conclude a short or long rest before being able to capture another one using the same ability.
Shadow Lore
Upon reaching the 14th level, you acquire the ability to infuse your words with dark magic, tapping into the deepest fears of a creature.
Using an action, you magically whisper a phrase that is audible only to a single creature of your choosing within a 30-foot radius. The target must then make a Wisdom saving throw, striving to surpass your spell save DC. However, it automatically succeeds if it either lacks a shared language with you or cannot hear your whisper. If the saving throw is successful, your whisper appears as incomprehensible mumbling, devoid of any effect.
Should the target fail its saving throw, it becomes charmed by you for the subsequent 8 hours, or until you or your allies attack or harm it. The whispered words are interpreted by the target as a depiction of its most horrifying secret.
While you remain unaware of the actual secret, the charmed creature is firmly convinced that you possess knowledge of it. While under the influence of this charm, the creature complies with your commands due to the fear of its secret being revealed. However, it will not endanger its life or engage in combat on your behalf unless it already had a predisposition to do so. It willingly extends favors and grants you gifts as it would for a trusted friend.
Once the effect concludes, the creature lacks comprehension of why it harbored such intense fear towards you.
Once you employ this feature, you must complete a long rest before being able to use it again.
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