College of Skull and Bone
The College of Skull and Bone isn’t a traditional bard college – by any means. These bards gain their knowledge from the raw experience of a perilous life at sea: part survival, part technique passed down from a predecessor (assuming that mentor lived long enough to share their secrets).
Armed with keen vision and knowledge of the marine life, these seafaring bards help their crew seek prey and avoid predators. Whether alone or with a crew, they tell tales or chant songs, weaving the most frightful
aspects of the maritime into their magic.
These bards also learn to communicate with the fallen in Davy Jones’ Locker, and eventually… can send them there.
No two crew’s Bard of the College of Skull and Bone are alike. Some prefer infiltrating other crews for information or treasure, others in aiding their comrades in boarding a rival ship, protecting their ship and crew with the power of the marine elements, or even taking the helm directly.
While they could perform any of these roles, they are always formidable allies and dreadful enemies. Members of the College of Skull and Bone may reconvene from time to time in a tavern in port, but their alliances seldom last longer than an evening, and are generally for the sole purpose of gleaning information on naval routes or potential treasure locations from other crews’ loose lips.
The College of Skull and Bone around the Azure Sea
Whilst the islands of The Southern Chain may seem the most likely haunt of these bards, and indeed they can commonly be found in the taverns of Milford and Monmurg, it is not unusual for them to be found aboard Imperial ships and those of independent traders as well. In fact many members of this college trained at the Telvanta Academy or Keymouth Opera House before finding employment on board a ship. The College is rumoured to have been founded by the famous Halfling bard Hubert Deepburrow Thorow in 5326 AtD. The College of Skull and Bone is based on original work by Second Wind Games.
A bard of the College of Skull and Bone by Mariana G
College of Skull and Bone
Bonus Proficiencies. (Level 3)
When you join the College of Skull & Bone at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Navigator’s tools and two skills of your choice from the following: Acrobatics, Arcana, Deception, History, Perception, Performance, Sleight of Hand, or Survival.
Seafarer's Sight (Level 3)
At 3rd level, you gain Seafarer’s Sight. Seafarer’s Sight grants you darkvision up to 45 ft in shades of blue if one does not already have darkvision. If you do already have darkvision, this doubles. You also gain the ability to sense water-based enemies that are threatening to you within the range of Seafarer’s Sight. In addition at 6th level, the Skull & Bone bard has learned much about the sea. She knows about different types of ships in her surrounding area. When she investigates a ship for 1 minute, she learns the following things about it: the classification of the ship, the speed, and the capacity of the vessel. Once the investigation has been completed, she gains advantage on seeing that vessel at night.
Seafarer's Shanties. (Level 3)
At 3rd level, you gain Seafarer’s Shanties. You learn the shape water and thunderclap cantrips. Additionally, choose one Necromancy cantrip from any other spell list. These cantrips do not count against your total cantrips known.
Charon's Call. (Level 6)
At 6th level, you gain the ability to call upon the secrets of the depths. As an Action, you can cast speak with dead without expending a spell slot. This doesn’t count against your number of known spells. You may ask information of the deceased’s past, and they must not lie to you. However, they can speak half truths. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Gaze of the Deep. (Level 14)
At 14th level, you gain the ability to mental sink your foes into the murky depths. As an Action, select up to five visible enemies within 20 feet of you. Those creatures must each make a Wisdom saving throw. Upon a failure, each enemy takes 6d8 necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful saving throw. In addition, by expending the use of 1 Inspiration die, you can invoke disadvantage on attack rolls or saving throws on each enemy that fails their Wisdom saving throw for a number of rounds equal to 1d4+1/2 your Charisma modifier. Once you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you take a long rest.
When you join the College of Skull & Bone at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Navigator’s tools and two skills of your choice from the following: Acrobatics, Arcana, Deception, History, Perception, Performance, Sleight of Hand, or Survival.
Seafarer's Sight (Level 3)
At 3rd level, you gain Seafarer’s Sight. Seafarer’s Sight grants you darkvision up to 45 ft in shades of blue if one does not already have darkvision. If you do already have darkvision, this doubles. You also gain the ability to sense water-based enemies that are threatening to you within the range of Seafarer’s Sight. In addition at 6th level, the Skull & Bone bard has learned much about the sea. She knows about different types of ships in her surrounding area. When she investigates a ship for 1 minute, she learns the following things about it: the classification of the ship, the speed, and the capacity of the vessel. Once the investigation has been completed, she gains advantage on seeing that vessel at night.
Seafarer's Shanties. (Level 3)
At 3rd level, you gain Seafarer’s Shanties. You learn the shape water and thunderclap cantrips. Additionally, choose one Necromancy cantrip from any other spell list. These cantrips do not count against your total cantrips known.
Charon's Call. (Level 6)
At 6th level, you gain the ability to call upon the secrets of the depths. As an Action, you can cast speak with dead without expending a spell slot. This doesn’t count against your number of known spells. You may ask information of the deceased’s past, and they must not lie to you. However, they can speak half truths. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Gaze of the Deep. (Level 14)
At 14th level, you gain the ability to mental sink your foes into the murky depths. As an Action, select up to five visible enemies within 20 feet of you. Those creatures must each make a Wisdom saving throw. Upon a failure, each enemy takes 6d8 necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful saving throw. In addition, by expending the use of 1 Inspiration die, you can invoke disadvantage on attack rolls or saving throws on each enemy that fails their Wisdom saving throw for a number of rounds equal to 1d4+1/2 your Charisma modifier. Once you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you take a long rest.
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