College of Law

Students of the College of Law are masters of semantics, and specialize in the formation of contracts. These bards also tend to take an interest in the affairs of otherworldly entities, and fervently hunt knowledge of the True Names of such creatures, in order to gain power over them. Bards of this college are often reviled, but may be sought after by certain unscrupulous individuals for dark purposes.

Tongue of the Fiend

When you join the College of Law at level 3, you gain proficiency in Persuasion. If you already have this proficiency, choose another skill instead. Your proficiency modifier is doubled when attempting to persuade a creature whose True Name you know. Additionally, such creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws against spells you cast. Most mortals simply use their True Name as their ordinary full name, but creatures of magic (such as elves, wizards and devils) will know to keep such information a secret, and discovering it may take some extra effort.

You also gain proficiency with Forgery Kits and learn two additional languages of your choice, plus Thieves Cant and either Abyssal, Sylvan or Celestial.

Ears of the Fey

Also at 3rd level, a creature that knows at least one language can expend a Bardic Inspiration die that you have given them to gain the ability to speak and understand all languages you know for one minute. While this effect is active, the creature's ears are dimly lit with a blue, red or green light (your choice).

Hands of the Celestial

At 6th level, when a creature attempts to target an ally under the effects of your Countercharm with a spell, it must first make a Wisdom saving throw - on a failure, they must choose a new target or waste their turn and spell slot. Spells with an area of effect are not affected by this ability. If you know the True Name of the creature, it automatically fails its save.

Unbreakable Contract

At 6th level, you can forge a magically sealed contract between two willing creatures. You write this contract on a sheet of paper or parchment, and both parties must willingly sign it. If one party cannot understand the contract, or if they are being magically influenced, the contract fails.

While the contract exists, both parties are considered to be under the effect of a 7th level geas spell, forcing both to follow the contract's stipulations. The contract disintegrates after one year, or if the terms of the contract are fulfilled. If the contract is destroyed by any means, this effect ends.

Although the parchment your contract is written on is fully mundane and vulnerable to all regular forms of damage, the ritual to create it is time consuming and costly, requiring you to expend 2 hours and 50gp worth of high-quality ink to draft and inscribe the supernaturally binding legal code.

Keeper of Names

Beginning at 14th level, if you know a creature's True Name, you can summon them to your side instantly as an action (expending a 7th level spell slot to do so). If the creature is unwilling, they must make a Wisdom saving throw to avoid being summoned, and if they are actively hostile towards you, they make this save with advantage. Creatures you summon are under no special obligation to follow your commands, they simply appear at a point you can see within 5 feet of yourself. The creature can choose to return after 1 minute passes - if they do not, they must find another way home.

You also learn the True Name of one creature in the fey/fiend/celestial group, with a CR of 5 or less.