Deathsingers

[RaspK_FOG]

I had this idea today: what if a Rjurik bard becomes non-lawful and is exiled from his people? How would that affect the proud skald that has helped and encouraged his people as few others will ever do? Thus, this prestige class was born...

I know that some people diagree with such specific prestige classes, but I do not require that the character has the inspire greatness ability! Indeed, WotC published somewhat class-specific prestige classes...



Deathsinger
15-level prestige class for Rjurik eX-Skalds - a Sketch.

Deathsingers are proud skalds that were banished due to an unacceptable change of attitude; well, for their society at least. The feeling of betrayal thus born within a skald make him feel bitter, and bitterness leads to spite. Now, he is a cast-out, a blemish to all Rjurik...
Only Rjurik skalds with some influence amongst their people ever become deathsingers; other civilisations lack the approach Rjurik have towards bardic tradition, and thus fail to produce such people. It is paramount that a person has at least a couple of levels in the bard class for the prestige class to be accessible.
Hit Die: d6.


Requirements
Race: Human (Rjurik)
Alignment: Any non-lawful and non-good.
Special: Inspire Competence Bardic Music ability; must be an ex-skald.


BAB: Average (as Bard); BSB: F - High, R - Low, W - High.


Class Features

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: No additional.

Spells: Deathsingers take a different approach on typical bardic music; they can still use the spellsong, but their maddened state gives them such insight over the workings of lesser arcane magic that they can alter their spells in a dramatic manner.
Deathsingers continue gaining spell-casting ability as if they gained a level in the bard class. They choose spells from the bard spell list, with the difference that beneficial spells they acquire after becoming ex-bards must have a "Personal" range; other beneficial spells are substituted by their harmful counterparts (poison instead of neutralise poison, etc.). Whenever they may exchange an old spell for a new one, they may choose one of their old bardic spells not found in the Deathsinger spell list for the latter's counterpart.
[Deathsinger Spell List will be completed shortly; MUST 6th spell replacement - otto's irresistible dance for wail of the banshee]

Deathsong: Deathsingers gain extra uses and abilities of bardic music as if they gained bardic levels; effects are in reverse. For example, inspire dread replaces inspire courage, and it works on enemies the opposite way the latter works on allies: it gives them a morale penalty on attack and damage rolls, as well as saving throws against fear and enchantment effects. The same goes for the rest of the abilities.

Madness: Deathsingers add their Charisma bonus in place of their Wisdom bonus on Will saves. [1st-level]
At 1st level and every 3rd level thereafter, a Deathsinger's Wisdom score is permanently lowered by 1.

[irdeggman]

For one the prereqs are too low. The 3.5 DMG specifies that prestige classes require a character to be at least 5th level before meeting the prereqs. Unlike 3.0 (which didn't specify it) - 3.5 made it crystal clear. But then again 3.5 also did away with the premise that prestige classes weren't more powerful than regular ones.

Why make it a Rjurik oriented prestige class? This has potential to work as an assassin styled class (real close to the Athasan bard (master of poison) from Dark Sun).

Beef up the prereqs or it is not a prestige class just a different standard class.

[RaspK_FOG]

The idea was to make them an off-shoot of Rjurik ex-skalds, maddened by their loss of stature amongst their people. I guess requiring that he knows how to use Suggestion is fine, as bards gain that power at 6th-level...

An altogether different class? Yes, I am acquainted with the Athasian bard; nice guy...

One of the coolest proportions of the prestige class was the madness ability, which should now have it's last entry changed to: "At 1st level and every 5th level, Deathsingers have their Wisdom score permanently lowered by 1. This can only be temporarilly cured by the application of a heal or similar spell, which only cures the madness for 10 minutes per spell level (maximum 1 hour and a half). This cure also reverses the application of the Deathsinger's Charisma bonus instead of his Wisdom bonus on Will saves."

Note that the prestige-class has 15 levels; this allows for ex-bards to reacquire their abilities in reverse without getting them any sooner.

[tcharazazel]

Note that the prestige-class has 15 levels; this allows for ex-bards to reacquire their abilities in reverse without getting them any sooner.

Well, actually Mass Suggestion is at level 18.

[irdeggman]

A major conceptual (cultural) proble with this is the culture reactions of Rjurik to skalds. They will never harm them and will always offer them sanctuary.

If an ex-skald is going about harming people then this cultural philosphy is immediately called into question.

[RaspK_FOG]

Remember that Rjurik traditions are partly celtic-based; Celts never harmed skalds due to their role in battle: can you imagine how defenseless a bagpiper really is? It was honourless to attack a skald for this reason alone, and this is the reason attacking a bard can still be considered a problem in D&D mechanics...

Nonetheless, an ex-skald is someone who is not accepted by his people due to his own alignment; otherwise, a skald should be able to go on as a bard in any other culture... No, it is the failure of the former skald to abide to the traditions that made his people turn against him, yet in his maddened state, burning his scores and raping music and tales in his mind, he finds a new way to go on: by casting out his former shell, mastering this new form of spellsong, one the elves did not ever consider at all, and becoming a scythe of death and hatred...

Now that I think of it, adding a new requirement seems interesting:
Special: Must spend a month in finding a release in his madness, unleashing upon his music, and thus changing the nature of spellsong to fit his needs; he must study alone, and he must succeed at a check in the Perform sub-skill he has the most ranks (DC 15 + his bard level). Failing to master this new form requires another month of experimentation."

Any ideas?

[irdeggman]

Remember that Rjurik traditions are partly celtic-based; Celts never harmed skalds due to their role in battle: can you imagine how defenseless a bagpiper really is? It was honourless to attack a skald for this reason alone, and this is the reason attacking a bard can still be considered a problem in D&D mechanics.

Actually the role of the celtic bard was to keep the oral history of their people. They didn't have a written language per se and had to rely on bards to spread the news. This was why they were offered safe haven.


No the point about having an anti-bard causing problems is simple when one looks at the fact that the anti-skald functins pretty much like the skald as far as abilities go. The only difference is in the effect that is caused. Using this as a basis how could the people know the difference? That was my point the people keep a person that looks like a bard in high esteem and receive them well, especially if they are Rjurik. Now an anti-skald shows up and destrows this trust by attempting to harm them, how are they going to continue to trust a normal bard from that point on? This is what I meant by messing with the cultural aspects of the class.

[RaspK_FOG]

Hmm... I see what you mean (my reference to the celtic history was a bit fuzzy, but that was part of why they were not attacking bards; and the bards on the other sider on the field of battle qualifies as an enemy, either way...), and have to agree you are right.

But, my devious mind has not yet slept the slumber of giving up! Can you imagine such an awnshegh? A madened ex-skald that has run amok in such a way?

I think I like the idea... Any ideas of yours?

[irdeggman]

If you want an anti-skald awnshegh then make him a true anti-skald. Distort everything that the skald hold dear. Have him freely cast arcane magic (something that Rjurik dislike), have him lie and cause confusion, etc.

[geeman]

irdeggman writes:



> If you want an anti-skald awnshegh then make him a true anti-skald.

> Distort everything that the skald hold dear. Have him freely cast

> arcane magic (something that Rjurik dislike), have him lie and cause

> confusion, etc.



When it comes to making an anti-skald giving the character the opposed class

abilities is one thing that should be considered, but on the whole the

abilities should conform to an opposing theme for the class. When it comes

to some sort of "anti-bard" I think the better focus would be on something

more in-line with opposing the role of the bard in Rjurik society. That is,

where skalds have a role in diplomacy and act as heralds, an anti-bard might

be more inclined towards sabotage and muckraking.



In that context, the class abilities of the "Deathsinger" might still be

very similar to that of a bard (influencing other characters, knowledge of

lore, charisma-based skills, etc.) but are simply employed to evil ends.

Consider, for instance, the "anti-paladins" that have been proposed from

time to time. Generally, the class abilities are very similar to that of

the paladin. One or two significant differences should be incorporated, but

on the whole an "anti-bard" could (and probably should) be very similar to

the basic bard.



Gary

[geeman]

RaspK_FOG writes:



> But, my devious mind has not yet slept the slumber of giving up!

> Can you imagine such an awnshegh? A madened ex-skald that has run

> amok in such a way?



I wrote up an awnshegh called the Imp of Adaba a while back who had a few

rogue and a bard levels IIRC. While that character is Khinasi rather than

Rjurik it might have the kind of thing in it that an "anti-skald" might

employ, and could be a place to start.



A more Rjurik "anti-skald" awnshegh might be more like a witch--something

along the lines of the White Witch or the Hag in demeanor and purpose. At

least, that`s probably the way I`d go. I`m experimenting a bit with such an

awnshegh right now--the character is called "Striga"--but I don`t know if it

will particularly go anywhere, because I haven`t found yet the hook into the

character`s personality. My inspiration for the character is more along the

lines of Baba Yaga (I was even planning on giving her the walking hut) so I

had intended to place the character in Vosgaard. I have one or two other

awnshegh I`d like to get to before I start in on Striga, however, so it

might be a while before she makes her appearance....



Gary

[RaspK_FOG]

I have a few ideas to give you here, and I hope you don't mind my intrusion: Call her Striggla, or something like that... There is a linguistic reason behind that, and a pun your players will surly not see coming if they are not acquainted with modern greek.
For reasons already mentioned yet not revealed, she would be perfect as a candidate for the Wail of the Banshee ability...
I hope you are interested... I will send you a PM with the reason for my proposal for the name change.

[geeman]

At 12:48 AM 6/10/2004 +0200, RaspK_FOG wrote:



>I have a few ideas to give you here, and I hope you don`t mind my intrusion



Feel free to PM me. I don`t check the BR.net account for messages very

often, so you`d probably get to me sooner by emailing me at

geeman@softhome.net.



Re: Striga (or Striggla.) As I mentioned, I was planning on going with a

description much like Baba Yaga but I`m still looking for a tale that I

could tweak to make it appropriately Birthright-ish, and I haven`t found

one yet that inspires. I never know for sure how these things are going to

end up, of course, no matter the inspiration. The story for Lindwyrm

turned out pretty close to the folktale that inspired that awnshegh, but

the Black Beast of Boeruine went a whole other direction (the original idea

was that he was going to be a sort of Questing Beast for the Archduchy a la

the Arthurian QB, and that ended up very different) so I`m happy to hear

any suggestions you (or anybody) might have, but be forewarned the end

result might not be very much in line with those suggestions....



Striga is a sort of Italian (or apparently Romance language, at least) name

for a witch with vampiric overtones, and anything that has anything to do

with blood can be useful for writing up awnsheghlien descriptions. It

segues into bloodtheft quite neatly and can be used to tweak one`s way into

a character description.



As I also mentioned, I have at least two other awnsheghlien I`d like to

write up before I get to that one, and I`m putting (updated versions) of

all the awnsheghlien I`ve ever written up into one document along with some

extraneous BR material, a few non-blooded monsters, and a revised version

of the Awnshegh character class that goes with the bloodline system that I

use, all of which is quite time consuming, so I can`t say when I`ll get to

anything in particular.



TIA,

Gary