College of Dirges
Dirgesingers voice melodies not of celebration and joy, but of sorrow and grief. They seek to spread this melancholy outlook far and wide, believing that only those who give in to their sadness can truly understand the world.
Dirgesingers hold high positions in death-obsessed cultures. Serving as members of a secret guild or as part of a hierarchy of death priests, they are entrusted with the serious responsibility of composing suitable laments for the dead. The more important the deceased, the more sorrowful and moving her lament is expected to be. No one will remember the dead queen in a few short generations, but a great lament might be sung a thousand years hence.
However, most dirgesingers do not belong to any special hierarchy or guild. Instead, they are rootless wanderers who travel from place to place, wrapped in inconsolable grief from some personal tragedy. These sad wanderers seek to express their grief through songs that teach the hearts of their listeners the meaning of true sorrow.
Anthology of Death
By 3rd level, you have developed a morbid fascination with death. You learn one Necromancy cantrip from any spell list. This spell counts as a Bard spell for you.
Additionally, when your Spellcasting feature lets you learn or replace a bard cantrip or a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher, you can choose the new spell from the Necromancy spell list or the bard spell list. You must otherwise obey all the restrictions for selecting the spell, and it becomes a Bard spell for you.
Haunting Melody
By 3rd level, your music has been known to take a sombre and menacing tone. As an action, you may spend a Bardic Inspiration Die and select a single creature within 60 feet that can hear you and start performing a Haunting Melody. When first activated, the creature takes an amount of Psychic damage equal to the result you rolled on your Bardic Inspiration Die. If a creature has to make a concentration check because of this damage, it is made with disadvantage. You can choose to maintain this melody by using your bonus action on subsequent turns, repeating the effect.
A target can escape from your Haunting Melody by ending its turn in a place where it can't see nor hear you, or if you don't use your bonus action to maintain this feature.
You can only have one Haunting Melody active at a single time. A single use of this ability can maximally last a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier (not including the round when the ability was first activated).
Don't Fear the Reaper
As you reach level 6, you have developed a strange connection to the other side, seemingly growing stronger as your life force fades.
You gain resistance to Necrotic damage and proficiency in Death saving throws. Additionally, when you are bellow half your hit point maximum, you may add your Charisma modifier on all damage rolls of spells from the school of Necromancy, as well as to the damage dealt by your Haunting Melody archetype feature.
Symphony of the Damned
By 14th level, you have learned to imbue your music with pure necromantic energy. When you use your Haunting Melody, you may choose for it to deal necrotic damage.
Furthermore, you may choose to add one of the following effects when you start performing a Haunting Melody.
One for sorrow. The target is stricken with grief and despair, unable to focus. The creature has a penalty to Wisdom saving throws equal to the number you roll on your bardic inspiration die when last activating your Haunting Melody. This effect persist as long as you continue performing your Haunting Melody.
One for dread. The target sees the shadow of the Grim Reaper caressing your visage, filling it with dread. Any creature affected by your Haunting melody is automatically frightened by you.
One for solitude. The target sickens at the mere thought of physical contact, trying to remain in seclusion. A creature under the effect of your Haunting melody can't willingly end its turn within 10 feet of another creature.
One for the dead. The targets very essence starts to decay, it's cognitive shadow slowly slipping into oblivion. A creature under the effect of your Haunting melody loses any resistance to Necrotic damage it may have. Additionally, while this effect is in place, the target can't regain hit points nor gain temporary hit points of any kind.
Art credit goes to ShinoShoe26: https://www.deviantart.com/shinoshoe26/art/Steam-Shotgun-Shield-Knight-374942372