Hail and well met my fellow travelers.  I have not been able to meet with my group for quite a spell and so I've been thinking of what is missing from the Bard Class.  I don't think they have enough tie-in with their favorite pastime, just sitting around playing music.  I thought that learning some specially intricate lute music (or whatever instrument your bard favors) should grant a spell ability to the bard in the manner of a ritual spell.

The first of these songs would be played to allow the Bard to have a 'private' conversation to a single person or a small group (like his whole party) that wouldn't be overheard (understood) even though you might be talking in a tavern or some other busy place.  The party could be heard talking but the conversation couldn't be understood by onlookers.  This would be granted at level 1, however, the bard's ability can only prevent level 0 and level 1 characters from knowing what was going on.  Level 2 and level 3 characters would know what was going on but still couldn't listen in (they would understand the bard's music was blocking them).  Higher level characters would know what was going on and could listen in with a successful intelligence check.  The ability goes up one level each time the bard gains a level.  If the party uses gestures they may be observed.  Anything else onlookers could see, such as a map, wouldn't be 'protected' either.

At level 5 the bard gains the ability to play a 'Detect Truth/Lie' spell while speaking to someone.  The bard's tune causes individuals to be extraordinarily uncomfortable if they tell a lie while hearing the music.  Their physical reactions; squirming, looking away, stuttering, give away they are not telling the truth but don't provide any information as to what the truth is.  The 'victim' can reduce the effect on themselves by telling half truths but the music will still create bad feelings inside them and the DM may wish to apply a saving throw against the music for the more savvy 'victim' but the DM would still have to respond with half-truths that the players might see through and figure out the truth.  Careful questioning by the players may allow the simple yes-no truth or lie answers to give them the information they are looking for.  The spell is fully effective on level 1 and level 0 characters.  Characters of higher classes get to save with either intelligence, wisdom or charisma, with a modifier depending on their class level relative to the bard.  A 5th level bard and a second level character would have a -3 modifier.  The ability scales up each time the bard gains a level.  So a level seven bard gives no save for a level 3 character.

At level 9 the bard gains the ability to play a song that allows him some other check such as visions of the future.  I haven't come up with the whole set of rules, but I think a bard playing an intricate piece of music allowing him a ritual type spell effect would be a good mechanic for the game and particularly for RP.  The ability would always scale with the level of the bard so as to reflect is improving skill as he advances his craft.  Let me know what you think.

I am a big fan of these ideas, of course like anything they may need refining, but overall they sound like extremely solid additions that aren't tok game breaking necessarily. It would also give the bard their own form of magic for detecting lies and truth which also would be more RP friendly and honestly be more in line with the standard traits of bards to begin with.

Oh, one other bit of Lore that goes with this is the bards are taught these melodies when they take their initial training.  It is through persistent practice that the bard unlocks the ability (which for game purposes corresponds to the bard gaining the prescribed level) to cast these spells.