College of Cults

Every bard that joins this cult starts as an apprentice. They learn from their teacher about how to run a cult effectively until they are ready to start one on their own. They then make a cult of their own and join one of the cult chapters. They effectively use an animal and a skill (type of magic, skill proficiency, etc.) as part of the cult. They try to convert as many people as they can to follow them. In the cult chapters, one of the bards leads the rest in their monthly or bi-monthly devotion to The Supreme One. The leaders are visited by the spirit of The Supreme One often as it leads them with commands. It does not like to be betrayed, and its ultimate goal is to force the entire world under its control.

Chapters do not meet anywhere in particular, but usually wherever best fits their needs. They can usually accommodate someone who is not in the area to be able to reach the meeting.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Cults at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with persuasion, deception, and one other of your choice (can be a skill, language, armor, weapon, or tool).

Convincing Speech

Also at 3rd level, you have learned the basics of converting people to the cult and have become an expert at it. When a creature that you can hear and vice versa is within 60 feet of you, you may spend a use of Bardic Inspiration to add the result of the die to an ability check against that creature or advantage on it if you are trying to convert someone to your cult. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether it succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage.

The Animal Represents

At 6th level, you have studied the ways of effective cults to an extent that you have learned how to summon a symbolic animal to give your cult representation. You can now choose a beast that represents your cult. You may choose a beast no larger than large with a challenge rating of 1/2 or below. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast's AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or four times your bard level, whichever is higher. It can be summoned for an action, and after 30 minutes is disappears back into the Astral Plane. This ability can be used once per long rest.

The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help action, otherwise it will try to best protect you or your allies, in that order (including if you are incapacitated or absent). It does not need a command to take a reaction.

Remember, you cannot change the beast after the original selection

The Magic Drives

Starting at 14th level, you may choose a school of magic. Use this to supplement the non-beast side of your cult. After choosing this school of magic, any spells of that type can be learned instead of basic bard spells. When you gain this level and whenever you gain a level, you may choose one of the spells you know and replace it with another spell from the bard or the spells list of that school, which must be of a level for which you have spell slots.