Bernard

Bernard is the Construct guardian of the Arcane Tower in the Underdark. Created by the tower's owner, Lenore De Hurst, Bernard was designed for both protection and companionship.

“

New sounds through damp and dark oppression break / Is it the foe, that foul, contemptuous heel?

„

— Bernard

Involvement

Act One

Created by the former resident of the tower,  Lenore De Hurst, Bernard guards the Arcane Tower on the top level and wields the  Light of Creation.

Bernard speaks only in poetry. If the player character has read the book,  The Roads to Darkness on a desk in the Arcane Tower third floor / bedroom, they get the option to respond in kind with "Or art thou friend, a rescue from my lonely wake?". optionally the player character can answer in other ways, only one of them causes Bernard to become hostile: "There is light in every living thing. / It's crawling t'wards the surface to survive." Bards have an optional  DC 18 History Check to remember / unlock all verses from the play.

If the party reply to Bernard with the appropriate line from the play, it acknowledges them as its master. It is then possible to speak additional lines from the play to cause Bernard to take certain actions:

Commands

Line	Action	Required book
"How can I trust? How will I ever know? / How can I show myself, my darkest me?"	Bernard gives  Guiding Light to the player character.	Threadbare Book (first floor / greenhouse)
"These empty sheets are all that's left of you. / The last of all the thoughtless gifts you gave."	Bernard gives the player character a  Potion of Greater Healing.	Patched Parchment (table next to Bernard, fourth floor)
"The silence stretches on - I'm all alone. / Please, can I hold your hands, for just a while?"	Bernard hugs the player character and reassure them. It speaks as if the player character is Lenore.	Torn-Out Paper (third floor / bedroom)
"Or art thou friend, a rescue from my lonely wake?"	Bernard acknowledges the player character as their master, and remains passive.	The Roads to Darkness (third floor / bedroom)
"There is a light in every living thing. / It's crawling t'wards the surface to survive."	Bernard and the nearby Animated Armours become hostile and attack.	Evil's Ascent (second floor / main entrance, marked as Dusty Book before reading it)

Choosing any of the first three responses grants the ⁠Heart of the Creator to characters with the  Entertainer background.

Act Three

An  Automaton Component, which appears to be Bernard's head, can be found on a table in the Steel Watch Foundry. The head cannot be interacted with but the Narrator briefly comments on it. A note next to the head states that a scouting party from  Ketheric Thorm's army found it at the Arcane Tower and delivered it for research.

Combat

Attacks and abilities

 Multiattack ()   –  Light of Creation

Damage: 16~44

1d10 + 6⁠Slashing

+ 1d6⁠Lightning

+ 1d10 + 6⁠Slashing

+ 1d6⁠Lightning

Aim multiple attacks at a target.

 Range: 2.5 m (8 ft)

 Recharge: Per turn

 Static Overdrive ()

Damage: 2~16

2d8⁠Lightning

Emanate a static discharge that buffs nearby constructs and hurts all others.

Nearby constructs deal an additional 2d4Lightning to weapon attacks. All others take 2d8Lightning per turn and can't take reactions.

 Range: Self

 Recharge: Per turn

Honour Mode

 Leaping Static

Damage: 3~24

3d8⁠Lightning

Strike an attacker with lightning, dealing 3d8Lightning. Three more bolts will leap from the target, electrifying as many as three other characters within 6 m / 20 ft.

 DEX Save

 Range: 18 m (60 ft)

 Recharge: Per turn

 Legendary Action: Leaping Static

Once per round, Bernard can spend a Legendary Action to immediately launch  Leaping Static at a foe after being attacked.

Allies

• 4x  Animated Armour (on Explorer and Balanced difficulty)

OR

• 6x  Animated Armour (on Tactician and Honour difficulty)

Notable loot

• Antique Key
• Guiding Light, if not given through conversation.
• Light of Creation

Bugs

• Acid does not apply to Bernard.

Gallery

• 
  Concept art by Tan Burci