College of the Dirgeweaver

Bards of the College of the Dirgeweaver master music that resonates with grief, memory, and the thin veil between life and death. Their performances carry a haunting beauty that can inspire courage in allies by connecting them to ancestral strength, while striking terror in enemies by reminding them of their own mortality. In many cultures, Dirgeweavers serve essential social functions — conducting funeral rites, preserving the stories of the deceased, and offering comfort to the bereaved. Their ability to weave emotion into melody allows them to help communities process loss and connect with their shared history.

Requiem of Shadows

At 3rd level your music carries echoes of those who have passed beyond, offering protection to the living. When you bestow Bardic Inspiration on a creature, that creature also gains temporary hit points equal to the Bardic Inspiration die roll + your Charisma modifier.

If these temporary hit points are depleted by damage before the creature uses its Bardic Inspiration die, the creature can immediately use its reaction to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and deal psychic damage equal to the result to one creature within 30 feet that dealt the damage. Using the ability in this way consumes the Bardic Inspiration.

Elegy of the Lost

At 3rd level you learn the chill touch cantrip, which counts as a bard cantrip for you and uses Charisma as your spellcasting ability. When you cast chill touch, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to add the value of the Bardic Inspiration die to the spell’s damage roll. If the target takes damage from this enhanced chill touch, it has disadvantage on the next Wisdom saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in the History skill if you don’t already have it. If you are already proficient in History, your proficiency bonus is doubled for checks you make with it related to historical events, genealogy, or legendary figures.

Wail of the Grave

At 6th level you can unleash a mournful cry that resonates with the anguish of countless departed souls. As an action, you emit a keening wail in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d8 psychic damage and is frightened of you until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t frightened.

The damage increases to 4d8 at 10th level and 5d8 at 14th level. Additionally, when you use this feature, you can choose a number of allies equal to your Charisma modifier within the area to be unaffected by it.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Phantom Chorus

At 14th level you can perform a haunting melody that summons the voices of those who have passed beyond. After performing for at least 1 minute outside of combat, you conjure a phantom chorus that occupies a 15-foot-radius sphere centered on you. The chorus moves with you and remains for up to 1 hour, until you dismiss it as a bonus action, or until you are incapacitated. While the phantom chorus is present:

• You and friendly creatures within the chorus’s radius gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.
• When you cast a bard spell that deals psychic damage, add your Charisma modifier to the damage it deals.
• When you or an ally within the radius drops to 0 hit points but isn’t killed outright, they automatically stabilize and gain 1 hit point. Once this benefit is used, it can’t be used again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Hostile creatures that enter the area for the first time on a turn or start their turn there must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed by you until they leave the area and for 1 minute afterward. A creature that succeeds on this save is immune to this effect for 24 hours.

The chorus appears as faint, translucent figures that sing in harmony with your performance. Their song is audible but doesn’t prevent normal conversation, though it creates an unmistakable atmosphere of melancholy and reverence. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.