Nevermore

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Name: Nevermore
Alignment: Neutral
Gender: Male
Race: Tiefling (Gnome)
Class: Bard: College of Spirits
Level: 5
Age: Whatever the Gnome equivalent of early 20s is.

Description: Like all tieflings he has horns and a tail, although his height of barely over three feet, slight build, and large pointed ears suggest he is indeed of gnome descent as he claims. His hair is a shock of white between dark horns that curl backwards, his skin a pale lavender colour, his eyes solid black.

Ability Scores

Strength: 8 (-1)
Dexterity: 14 (+2)
Constitution: 12 (+1)
Intelligence: 11 (+0) (+1 from Tiefling)
Wisdom: 13 (+1)
Charisma: 20 (+5) (+2 from Tiefling, +1 from Shadow Touched)

AC: 13
HP: 33
Hit Dice: 5d8
Speed: 25' (because Gnome)
Proficiency: +3

Melee Attack: (Str) -1 / +2 (Dex) if the weapon has Finesse
Ranged Attack: +2
Spell Attack: +8 (+10 with Drum)
Spell Save DC: 16 (18 with Drum)

Initiative Bonus +2
Passive Perception 11
Passive Insight 13

Spells

Spell Slots:
Level 1: 4
Level 2: 3
Level 3: 2

Cantrips known: 3
Thaumatury (Tiefling)
Guidance 60' (College of Spirits)
Minor Illusion
Mending
Message

Bard Spells Known/Prepared: 8
Level 1
Inflict Wounds (Shadow Touched) - 1/long rest or use a spell slot
Dissonant Whispers
Faerie Fire
Healing Word
Unseen Servant

Level 2
Invisibility (Shadow Touched) - 1/long rest or use a spell slot
Hellish Rebuke (Tiefling) 1/long rest
Phantasmal Force
See Invisibility
Silence

Level 3
Speak With Dead

Saving Throws

Strength: -1
Dexterity: +5 (P)
Constitution: +1
Intelligence: +0
Wisdom: +1
Charisma: +8 (P)

Languages Known

Common, Infernal, Gnomish (swapped for third musical instrument proficiency)

Proficiencies

Light armour
Simple weapons
Hand crossbows
Longswords
Rapiers
Shortswords
Musical Instrument - hurdy gurdy
Oracle deck (swapped for musical instrument)
Disguise kit (Charlatan)
Forgery kit (Charlatan)

Skills

• Performance (Cha)
  
• Insight (Wis) x2 (Expertise)
• Stealth (Dex)
• Deception (Cha) (from Charlatan)
  
• Sleight of Hand (Dex) x2 (Expertise) (from Charlatan)
  

Feats

Shadow-Touched (+1 to stat, Invisibility, 1st level illusion or necro spell)

Traits and Features

Darkvision 60'
Hellish Resistance
Hellish Rebuke 1/long rest
Bardic Inspiration d8
Jack of All Trades (1/2 proficiency bonus to non-proficient skills)
Song of Rest
Guiding Whispers: You can reach out to spirits to guide you and others. You learn the guidance cantrip, which doesn’t count against the number of bard cantrips you know. For you, it has a range of 60 feet when you cast it.
Spiritual Focus: Your practice of contacting spirits can employ special tools. You can use the following objects as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells: a candle, a crystal ball, a talking board, a tarokka deck, or a skull.
At 6th level, when you cast a bard spell that deals damage or restores hit points through the Spiritual Focus, roll a d6, and you gain a bonus to one roll of the spell equal to the number rolled.
Tales from Beyond: You reach out to spirits who tell their tales through you. While you are holding your Spiritual Focus, you can use a bonus action to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and roll on the Spirits’ Tales table using your Bardic Inspiration die to determine the tale told. You retain the tale in mind until you bestow the tale’s effect or you finish a short or long rest. You can use an action to choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you (this can be you) to be the target of the tale’s effect. Once you do so, you can’t bestow the tale’s effect again until you roll it again. You can retain only one of these tales in mind at a time, and rolling on the Spirits’ Tales table immediately ends the effect of the previous tale. If the tale requires a saving throw, the DC equals your spell save DC. Table here (opens pdf).
False Identity - You have a false identity that includes documents, established acquaintances, dosguises etc. You can also forge documents including official papers and personal letters as long as you have seen an example of the ype of document/handwriting. Font of Inspiration - BI refreshes on a short or long rest. Countercharm - As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required).

Saving Throws - Dex and Cha

Background

Charlatan

Gear

Rapier, Dagger, Leather armour, hurdy gurdy
Hand crossbow + 40 bolts
Entertainer's pack with backpack, bedroll, 2 costumes, 5 candles, 5 days' rations, water skin, disguise kit,
Fine clothes
Oracle deck (spellcasting focus)
Rhythm Maker's Drum (rare +2)

While holding this drum, you gain a bonus to spell attack rolls and to the saving throw DCs of your bard spells. The bonus is determined by the drum's rarity.

As an action, you can play the drum to regain one use of your Bardic Inspiration feature. This property of the drum can't be used again until the next dawn.

13GP

Character Backstory

Nevermore was born of gnomes, but there was an infernal legacy somewhere in his bloodline. He doesn't know the specifics as his parents resumed adventuring when he was an infant (or at least that's what he was told - sometimes he wonders if they simply didn't want a tiefling child) and he was raised by his maternal grandfather. He doesn't remember it but he almost drowned when he was very young, which left him touched by the Shadowfell, and he suspects this is where his affinity with the spirits of the dead comes from.

For a while he made a living running haunting cons, faking ghosts with magic and illusion. His genuine contact with spirits gave him credibility, and it was easy enough to capitalise on local superstitions. It wasn't a particularly enjoyable way to make a living and he gave it up when he fell into his present company.

His instrument of choice is a green-painted hurdy-gurdy given to him by his grandfather, although he generally uses his oracle deck for spellcasting instead.