College of Orpheus

After the tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice, the bard emerged from the Underworld and wandered alone — forsaking all desire to lay with beautiful women. He instead found pleasure in continuing his musical journey and seeking comfort in the company of young boys. Many women across Greece chastised him for his rejection of them. The most fervent of these women were Ciconian followers of Dionysus. Enraged, the women threw rocks and sticks at him. However, the tone of his lyre was so enthralling that the rocks and sticks would not dare touch him. Thrown into a frenzy, the women tore his flesh to pieces. His head and lyre still sang and tuned so the women tossed him in the river. His remains washed up on the isle of Lesbos and the inhabitants buried his head. It is said that the Muses themselves carried his lyre up to the heavens to place it amongst the stars.

Performative Defense

Starting at 3rd level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier. This does not stack with any other forms of AC such as Unarmored Defense.

Distracting Inspiration

Starting at 3rd level, when you grant a Bardic Inspiration die to an ally, they gain additional benefits. Before they consume the Bardic Inspiration die, they gain advantage on Hide rolls and can take the Hide, Disengage, or Dash actions as a bonus action. If they already have the ability to take these actions as a bonus action, they can take them again. You also gain the ability to place a Bardic Inspiration die on an enemy. When you do this, the target has disadvantage to attack anyone but you. When the target makes an attack or uses a harmful spell or ability directed at you, whether they hit or miss they take psychic damage equal to your Bardic Inspiration die as their mind is wounded for daring to harm something so beautiful. This does not consume the die. An ally may choose to consume this die by attacking the target and adding the Bardic Inspiration die normally.

Magnum Opus

Starting at 6th level, you master a musical piece that draws the jealous ire of aggressors and the admiration of all. As an action, begin your performance and force all hostile creatures within 60 feet to make a Charisma saving throw. If they fail the saving throw, they are forced to target you with their attacks and abilities as their jealously flies them into a rage. If a target is damaged by anyone except you, the target is no longer affected by this ability. If you move further than 60 feet away from a target, they are no longer affected by this ability. You may choose to stop your performance as a free action. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. Starting at 13th level, you gain an additional usage of this feature before requiring a long rest.

Everlasting Performance

Starting at 14th level, the very fabric of your existence is a vessel for exquisite music. Much like a legendary composition, you have become so iconic that you are extremely difficult to truly erase from this world. Upon reaching 0 hit points, you do not fall unconscious. Instead, your body becomes limp and useless but you retain the use of your eyes, ears, and mouth. If you succumb to death your body is lost forever, however you live on as a talking head. If your head is completely destroyed, you are truly dead. There are several methods for your continued existence.

I Am Reborn! The 7th level spell Resurrection is capable of fully restoring your body.

Dubious Means. With handful of talent and a heaping supply of moral flexibility, the Greater Restoration spell may be used to attach your head to a freshly deceased humanoid corpse. This messy process takes a full week to perform. After this week, you have full control of your new body but have disadvantage on all skill and ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for an addition week as you adjust to your new body.

Getting Ahead in Life. You choose to live on as a severed head. You no longer have the ability to take any action that would require the use of your body. You can, however, still cast spells using your lovely voice as a spellcasting focus. You may either be carried around by your very generous companions or employ a more magical means of transportation. You may exchange one of your spell choices from the Magical Secrets feature to the cantrip mage hand, having the spectral hand carry you around. Moving by this method requires near constant focus. You can take no actions of any kind besides moving and making idle conversation. Deactivating mage hand will cause you to fall, potentially incurring falling damage at double the usual rate due to your lack of ability to protect yourself.