#bardic instruments

Example: The Foldable Grand Piano

Adventuring Gear (Wondrous Item), Rare

This object appears as a small toy piano that can be held in one hand. It weighs 1 pound and floats.

This item also has two Command Words, each requiring you to use an Action to speak it.

One Command Word causes the toy piano to grow in size into a grand piano 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 2 feet deep.

CAUTION: Not ALL these instruments are Medieval and from Europe, so you High Fantasy Nerds out there may get a little disappointed... 

1. Octobass

Constructed in 1850 by certifiable genius and fan of massive string instruments Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, the Octobass is a chuffing massive double bass that stands at 3.48m tall.

Which is ridiculous!

Apparently Berlioz was a fan, and wrote about it in his treatise on orchestration.

2. Cello Horn

A self-explanatory title.

This hybrid made the pages of Popular Science Monthly magazine back in 1936.

The sound created by bowing the strings came out of the brass horn instead of via a traditional wooden body, reportedly producing a sound somewhere between strings and brass.

3. Fluba

The brainchild of legendary tubist and general low-end enthusiast Jim Self (with the help of brass manufacturer Robb Stewart), the Fluba is exactly what you might imagine it is - a hybrid of a flugelhorn and a tuba.

Which means it's a tuba-sized flugelhorn.

Self-explanatory, really.

4. Contrabass Balalaika

The contrabass balalaika is a Russian folk instrument that was developed in the late 17th century.

It looks strange because unlike other stringed musical instruments, it has a triangular body.

Played with fingers or leather plectrums, this instrument is normally equipped with extension legs resting on the floor and comes in various sizes.

5. Pikasso Guitar

Designed by Manzer, the Pikasso guitar is a notable instrument whose name was derived from its likeness to the appearance of the cubist works of renowned artist Pablo Picasso.

This instrument is basically a harp guitar that has four necks, two sound holes and 42 strings.

6. Crwth

Try Pronouncing That One!

A crwth is an ancient stringed musical instrument that is sometimes called as “crowd.” This musical instrument is believed to have been played in Wales since the 11th century.

7. Wheelharp

The wheelharp is known to produce the rich sounds of many stringed instruments at once.

It is basically a keyboard that controls 61 bowed strings, allowing a single musician to sound like an actual orchestra.

8. Nyckelharpa

Nyckelharpa is a Swedish musical instrument that is composed of 16 strings and 37 keys.

It was introduced early 1350 C.E. and is considered as the oldest existing instrument today.

AND THAT’S IT! 

ALL 8!

And if you know of a Weird Instrument to Play that is SO much better than just a regular old Lute...

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All that good stuff!

But for now...

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Maddening Melodies

When You join the College of the Abyss at 3rd Level, You begin to learn the subtle art of weaving Maddening Magics into Your Music.

You Gain Knowledge of the Cantrips Thaumaturgy and Chill Touch, and they count as Bardic Cantrips to You.

Music Of The Mad

At 3rd level, you play an insane tune that originates from the Layers of the Abyss, one that drives all Creatures that hear it, mad...

As an Action, choose a Creature You can see and that is within a Range to hear you speak.

That Creature must make a Wisdom Saving Throw (Against Your Spell Save DC), taking 4d4 Psychic Damage on a Failed Save, or Half as much on a Successful Save.

You can Expend a Number of Bardic Inspiration Dice to increase this Damage by the amount rolled.

A Deafened Creature is immune to this Effect.

Maddening Gaze

As an Action, You turn Your Maddening Gaze towards One Creature that You can see within 120 feet of You.

That Target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw (Against Your Spell Save DC).

Unless the Target is Incapacitated, it can avert its eyes to avoid the Gaze and to automatically Succeed on the Save.

If the Target does so, it can't see You until the start of Your next turn.

If the Target looks at You in the meantime, it must Immediately make the Save.

If the Target fails the Save, the Target suffers from Your "Maddening Gaze".

At 6th Level, You have One Effect of Your Choice selected from the List Below.

At 14th Level, this increases to 2 Effects of Your Choice selected from the List Below.

At 20th Level, the Choice of Magical Effects caused by your "Maddening Gaze" increases to 3 of Your Choice selected from the List Below.

After You have used this ability a Number of Times equal to Your Spellcasting Modifier (Minimum of 1), You cannot use Your Maddening Gaze again, until You Finish a Long Rest.

Maddening Gaze Effects:

Beguiling Gaze: The Target is stunned until the start of Your next turn or until the Target is no longer within Your line of sight.

Hypnotic Gaze. The Target is Charmed by You until the start of Your next turn.

You choose how the Charmed Target uses its Actions, Reactions, and Movement.

Because this Gaze requires You to focus on the Target, You can't use Your Maddening Gaze again, until You Finish a Short or Long Rest.

Insanity Gaze. The Target suffers the Effect of the Confusion Spell without making a Saving Throw.

The Effect lasts until the start of Your next turn.

This Spell requires Concentration.

CONCENTRATION

Some spells require you to maintain concentration in order to keep their magic active. If you lose concentration, such a spell ends.

If a spell must be maintained with concentration, that fact appears in its Duration entry, and the spell specifies how long you can concentrate on it. You can end concentration at any time (no action required). 

Normal activity, such as moving and attacking, doesn’t interfere with concentration. 

The following factors can break concentration:

Casting another spell that requires concentration. You lose concentration on a spell if you cast another spell that requires concentration. You can’t concentrate on two spells at once.

Taking damage. Whenever you take damage while you are concentrating on a spell, you must make a Constitution saving throw to maintain your concentration. The DC equals 10 or half the damage you take, whichever number is higher. If you take damage from multiple sources, such as an arrow and a dragon’s breath, you make a separate saving throw for each source of damage.

Being Incapacitated or killed. You lose concentration on a spell if you are Incapacitated or if you die.

Songs of Hope

At 3rd level, you learn three Two Song of Hope Options: 

Sun’s Song, Zelda’s Lullaby, and one other option of your choice.

You learn an additional formula of your choice at 6th, 9th, 14th, and 17th levels. 

To use any of these options, your Ocarina must be within reach. 

If an Song of Hope option requires a saving throw, the DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.

3rd Level Song of Hope Options

Scarecrow’s Song -  When played, this song summons forth a Scarecrow.

A summoned Scarecrow disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when you stop playing.

The summoned creatures are friendly to you and your companions. 

Roll initiative for the summoned Scarecrow, which has their own turn. 

They obey any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you). 

If you don't issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions. 

The DM has the creatures' Statistics.

Sun’s Song - While you play this Song, the effects of the Daylight Spell are in place.

Zelda’s Lullaby -  While you play this Song, the effects of the Sleep Spell are in place.

Saria’s Song - While playing this Song, the effects of Your Bardic Inspiration can be increased by 1 Additional Die.

For Example, a level 2 Bard has 1d6 Inspiration Dice. While playing this Song, this increases to 2d6.

Epona’s Song - . While you play this Song, the effects of the Phantom Steed Spell are in place.

Song of Storms -  This song summons forth a rainstorm, that rages for a small amount of time.  When played, a short, swirling beam of yellow light surrounds you, creating whirling gusts of elemental air.

While playing this Song, you can use a bonus action to fly 25 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.

6th Level Song of Hope Options

Serenade of Water - This teleportation song transports You to the Elemental Plane of Water, You arrive in front of the entrance to the Citadel of Ten Thousand Pearls.

Minuet of Forest - This transportation song teleports You to the Feydark, on the Plane of the Feywild, You arrive in a cavern, filled with skeletons and dried, splattered blood.

Requiem of Spirit - This teleportation song transports You to the sandy desert of Raurin, You arrive in front of the entrance to a sand covered ancient tomb.

14th Level Song of Hope Options

Bolero of Fire - When played, this teleportation song transports You to the City of Brass on the Elemental Plane of Fire, You arrive in front of the entrance to the Mosque of Blistering Atonement.

Prelude of Light - It transports You to the Layer of Eronia on the Plane of Elysium, You arrive in front of a large flaming brazier.

Fascinating Performance

At 3rd level, you learn Fascinating Performance, a new use for your Bardic Inspiration.

While you perform, each creature within 60 feet of you that isn’t hostile to you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your bard spell save DC at the start of its turn. 

On a failed save, the target is charmed by you until the performance ends or the target leaves its radius. 

CHARMED

A charmed creature can’t Attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful Abilities or magical effects.

The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.

If you or another creatures draws or brandishes a weapon or casts a spell, each charmed creature can make a new Wisdom saving throw to end the effect. 

If any of the targets take damage or is otherwise harmed, this effect ends for all of them. 

If you make an attack or cast a spell that affects anyone but yourself, this effect ends. You cannot use this Feature is you or any other creature that would be affected by it is currently in combat.

Eviscerating Warble

At 6th level, you learn Eviscerating Warble, a new use for your Bardic Inspiration. 

You can perform it to plant the seeds of doubt in your foes’ minds, using barbed insults and scathing satire to undermine their confidence. 

While you perform it, each hostile creature within 60 feet of you that can understand you must make a Charisma saving throw against your bard spell save DC at the start of its turn. 

On a failed save, the creature has disadvantage on all ability checks while it remains in the performance’s radius. 

On a successful save, the creature becomes immune to this performance for 10 minutes.

SEEDS OF DOUBT

Beginning at 6th level, you can sow the seeds of doubt in your enemies, making them reluctant to attack you. 

As an action, choose a creature within 25 feet of you that can hear you. 

For 1 minute, the next time that creature attempts to target you with an attack or harmful spell, it must first make a Wisdom saving throw against your bard spell save DC. 

On a failed save, it must choose a new target or lose its action. 

This effect doesn’t protect you from spell effects that don’t target you directly, such as the explosion of a fireball. 

If you make an attack or cast a spell that affects anyone but yourself, this effect ends. 

Creatures that cannot be charmed are immune to this effect.

Dreadful Tootle

At 14th level, you learn Dreadful Tootle, a new use for your Bardic Inspiration. 

You can perform it to cause a feeling of dread to creep over your foes.

While you perform it, each hostile creature within 60 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your bard spell save DC at the start of its turn. 

On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened until the start of its next turn. 

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Spiritlord’s Lore

When You join this College at 3rd Level, You learn of the Undead which roam the Jungles of Chult, and You learn of their strengths, and their weaknesses.

You know the Spells Chill Touch and Spare The Dying, and they count as Bardic Cantrips to You.

Additionally, You gain Advantage on Intelligence Checks related to Undead.

Child of Ubtao

At 3rd level, You learn to use Your Magic to create a powerful bond with a Creature of Chult.

This Animal Companion assumes the Form and Game Statistics of either a, Velociraptor, Pteranodon, Hadrosaurus or a Dimetrodon (Player’s Choice) and it always obeys Your Commands, which You can give to your Animal Companion while it is within 120 feet of You.

While this Animal Companion is within 30 feet of You, You gain an Advantage to Wisdom Saving Throws and Wisdom (Perception) checks.

While this Animal Companion is within 30 feet of You, they cannot be Targeted by any Spells of the Necromancy School of Magic.

You can see through the Companion’s eyes and hear what it hears while it is within 300 feet of You. 

In combat, You Roll Initiative for the Creature and Control how it acts.

If it is Slain by a Creature, You gain Advantage on All Attack Rolls against the Killer for the next 12 Hours.

Chultan Spirit

At 6th level, as a bonus action, when you fall below 0 Hit Points, your body merges with your companion’s form.

While merged, you take on the game statistics of your companion, and you can use your action only to Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, or Search.

During this time, you gain the benefits of Your Companion’s Abilities and any benefits you may gain from bringing within a certain Range of the Creature. 

You return to normal when your Hit Points are above 0.

The Slain & Fallen

While Your Animal Companion is within 30 feet of you, You gain Advantage on Death Saving Throws, and Resistance to Necrotic Damage.

Additionally, whenever You Cast a Spell from the Necromancy School of Magic, and that Spell is of 1st through 5th level that Spell, that Targets only One Creatures, You can instead select a Number of Creatures equal to Your Spellcasting Modifier to be Targeted by the Spells Effects..