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A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level.

Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.

At 7th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a swift action.

Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both.

If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description). A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.

If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.

Countersong (Su): At 1st level, a bard learns to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components.) Each round of the countersong he makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard’s Perform skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.

Distraction (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the Distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the Distraction is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the Distraction, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.
Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The Distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.

Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect.

Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.

Inspire Courage (Su): A 1st level bard can use his performance to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive the bard’s performance. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The bard must choose which component to use when starting his performance.

1st: Color Spray, Comprehend Languages (D), Endure Elements, Feather Fall, Identify (D), Mage Armor, Magic Missile
Cantrips: Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic (D), Detect Poison (D), Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic (D), Resistance

Any 2 Knowledge skills at 7 ranks (multiple at 1)
Any 3 metamagic or item creation feats (1)
Skill Focus (any knoweldge) DONE.
Able to cast 7 divination spells, one higher than 3rd level. (Can cast 6 sub-3rd)

Iymbrydam has only ever known Evermeet. He was born there in the Year of the Arcane Guise, 170 winters past. His mother died in the birthing, leaving Iymdam’s father bereft. He took to wandering Evermeet’s most remote reaches for long seasons, rarely accepting the company of any. Iymdam’s great-aunt, the truly ancient Imrae “Starshoulders” saw to his upbringing.

A frail, almost gaunt woman at the center of many highborn social circles, Imrae interested Iymdam in them almost as soon as he could talk. He grew up doted on, but also with certain expectations that he occasionally struggled to meet. The lad had a natural charm and gift for the harp that drew favorable attention, but in too many things he took after his great-aunt. Much tutoring, which Starshoulders insisted upon, never made a bladesman of him. Nor did he take to the bow as an elf might.

His absent father was a master of both and Iymdam’s lack drew unfavorable comment. Aunt Imrae understood and tried not to push too much, but they were essential skills for a highborn elf. When Imrae entertained, the matter might go with no more than a glance or a slight remark. When Iymdam went among his peers, his charm could not conceal or long manage the lack. Elves might like him, but he gained a reputation as a pleasant ornament rather than one to respect or trust.

A keen mind might have done much to compensate for all that, but Iymdam rarely elicited much interest in scholarship as a youth. By choice he played his harp, sung, and memorized endless ballads. Those were perfectly acceptable skills for an ordinary noble, but not at all sufficient for the noble of a great house. Many came to think him rather dim, or pleasant but tedious with his penchant for reciting at such great length.

They misjudged Iymdam badly. In truth, he found their company a touch insipid and much preferred the society of tomes and scrolls. His interest in ancient songs had led him to the study of elven history. His noble birth and youth isolated him from many of the lorekeepers he would have preferred to mix with, which left him with an ill-matched social circle he would rather avoid. He came to magic late, largely through history. Imrae tried to interest him before then, but her own intuitive approach to spellcraft lacked much appeal. Iymdam could appreciate its beauty and enjoy its workings, but never felt a great urge to wield Art himself.

Only slowly did Iymdam’s interest in Art awaken, as he came more to appreciate its central role in shaping all elven history. His interest progressed steadily from tales of brave warriors and kings to mysterious mages and their great workings. Better understanding them took him to tomes of the history of magic, which were frustratingly vague and not of much help to those unlearned in the Art. Iymdam eagerly sought Imrae’s teaching now, burning with a passion to learn.

They awakened Iymdam’s talents through music with ease, but that was not nearly enough for the young scholar and soon he was apprenticed to a distant cousin who nurtured his passion for Art to equal that of his love for history. He was actually doing those great things, or tiny echoes of them, himself and it brought a fantastic new level of understanding to Iymdam’s work. His studies proceeded apace and he entered by far the happiest period of his life despite all the tragedy and loss that he learned of.

Then Iymdam’s father finally pined away to nothing. His happy life promptly collapsed. Imrae could not expect to live much longer, perhaps a century, and Iymdam must at once be initiated into all the House’s mysteries, learn his duties as the heir, and see to producing heirs of his own. Imrae began arranging pointed meetings for him with prospects, which he slowly ran out of luck at dodging as his studies of Art and lore ground to a halt.

Despairing of ever returning to his studies, Iymdam took the only option left to him: he fled for Faerun through an elfgate, taking only what he needed and hoping he might find some suitable place to continue his study. It would be full of humans and orcs, and not at all to his standards, but he might recover something there lost by the grind of years and n’tel’quess and restore it to the elven people. To more carefully hide himself, he shortened his name still further and declined to use his house at all. Even on Faerun, someone might know an Alastrarra.