College of Mourning

Bards of the College of Mourning deal with death and all that comes with it. They use their music to raise the dead to help loved ones heal and say goodbye. They are less likely to travel than some bards, but when they do travel, they put these abilities to great use in a pinch to disturb their enemies and earn some peace and quiet.

Shade Speech

Starting at 3rd level, you have an intrinsic knowledge of the recently deceased who are closely connected to those you talk to. Part of the deceased person's spirit- known as a Shade- influences the souls of their loved ones for a time. This gives you a bit of insight into what their name was, their appearance, and how to call them to you. All necromancy spells count as bard spells for you and are added to your spell list, and you gain advantage on History checks regarding that person and their connection to the deceased.

Additionally, you can call a Shade you've encountered back to the material plane. The shade is visible as a ghostly apparition to all people within 30 feet. This lasts for one minute. Ten questions can be asked and answered in this time.

Beckoning Apparition

Starting at 3rd level, you know the Toll the Dead cantrip. This does not count toward the Bard cantrips you may know.

When a creature takes damage from your Toll the Dead, you may expend a use of Bardic Inspiration to impose a detriment to their next attack roll, saving throw, or skill check equal to the number rolled on the die. When a creature is affected in this way, they see a ghostly apparition of a deceased loved one beckoning them toward death.

Dirge of the Pallbearer

At 6th level, you learn the animate dead spell, which doesn’t count against the number of bard spells you know. Also, whenever you create an undead creature using a necromancy spell, it gains the additional benefits for 1 minute:

• The creature gains temporary hit points equal to your bard level.
• The creature adds your Charisma modifier to its attack rolls and damage rolls.
• The creature acts on its own as an Awakened Undead when you are not commanding it, and returns to its grave after 24 hours.

Black Parade

At 14th level, you can summon a ghostly progression from the minstrel spirits of yesteryear. You lead a number of spectral troubadours equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) that march in a tight formation behind you for 1 minute, whose music gives pause those would do you harm.

At the start of each of your turns, each creature of your choice within 60 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage for each minstrel you summon, and has disadvantage on their next attack roll.

Alternatively, you can create an Awakened Undead that possesses a normal lifespan. To do so, you replace the creature's subrace with one of the Awakened Undead subraces. For a number of days up to your Charisma modifier, the creature appears as if True Resurrection has taken place, but because you are not yet strong enough they slowly degrade into the appropriate undead appearance. Once you use either of these features, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.