The Quintessential Bard

Author	Shannon Kalvar
Publisher	Mongoose Publishing
Publish date	2003
OGL Section 15	qbrd

The material below is designated as Open Game Content

BARD SPELLS

1st Level

• Secrets of the Heart – allows the bard to determine the name of the target.
• Silver Voice – grants a +10 circumstance bonus to a single Bluff check.
• The First Seal – gives another person a +10 circumstance bonus to Sense Motive checks targeting the bard.
• Wind Borne Songs – doubles the area of effect of the bard’s next bardic music attempt.

2nd Level

• Golden Voice – grants a +10 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy rolls for a short duration.
• The Second Seal - confuses a single target with waves of doubt, fear and resentment.
• Whispers of the Mind – allows the bard to force the target to say a few sentences.

3rd Level

• Iron Voice – causes the bard’s voice to be clearly heard over a considerable distance.
• Eye of the Heart – sense beings that breath
• Song of the Tempest – quadruples the area of effect of the bard’s next bardic music attempt.
• The Third Seal – the bard can target two willing beings and let them hear one another’s thoughts.

4th Level

• Steel Voice – causes the bard’s voice to inspire awe and fear.
• The Fourth Seal – creates a zone of empathy around the bard that allows for greater artistic expression.

5th Level

• Thunder’s Song – gives an eight-fold increase in range to vocal bardic music.
• The Fifth Seal – generates an overwhelming wave of empathic connection.

6th Level

• Mountain Voice – the bard’s voice drowns out all other sounds around him.

Eye of the Heart

Divination
Level: Brd 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Area: 25 ft.+5 ft./2 levels
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You gain the ability to automatically sense the location of any being that breathes within the area of effect. You also gain a +4 bonus to all Listen skill checks for the duration of the spell. This ability pierces invisibility, the Hide skill and the Move Silently skill. It does not tell you what someone is doing, but it does tell you where he or she is and where he or she moves.

You lose cannot detect beings if you suffer from the deafened condition or if the target is in an area affected by a magical silence of some kind.

Golden Voice

Enchantment (Language-Dependent, Mind-Affecting)
Level: Brd 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action
Area: 25 ft.+5 ft./2 levels
Target: All intelligent creatures within the area of effect
Duration: 5 rounds/level
Saving Throw: Will (negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

This enchantment causes your voice to change, becoming richer and more powerful. Everyone within the area of effect can clearly hear your voice so long as there is not an active obstruction. Furthermore you gain a +10 bonus on all Diplomacy or Bluff skill checks that target anyone in the area who fail a Will save.

In order for this spell to grant a bonus you must be able to speak to your targets. If you attack any creature within the area of effect the spell breaks. Finally the creature must be able to understand you for you to gain the skill bonus.

Iron Voice

Transmutation
Level: Brd 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action
Area: 400 ft. +100 ft./level radius
Target: Self
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell causes your voice to rise above the common sounds and clamours. For a number of rounds equal to your level everyone within the area of effect can clearly hear your voice. They will hear you as if you were shouting from a few feet away. Anyone in a magical zone of silence (like that created by the silence spell) cannot hear your voice.

This effect does not extend the range of sonic based effects, or of the bardic music ability.

Mountain Voice

Transmutation
Level: Brd 6
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action
Area: 400 ft.+100 ft./level radius
Target: Self
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Your voice becomes loud enough to shake mountains. When you speak your voice thunders over the area of effect. Normal conversation is impossible. All Listen checks have +10 to the DC, as your voice covers over anything less loud than a thunderclap. Magically silenced areas may resist this magic, but have a chance (as if targeted with a dispel magic spell) of failing.

Secrets of the Heart

Divination
Level: Brd 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft.+ 10 ft./level)
Target: 1 target
Duration: Instant
Saving Throw: Will (see below)
Spell Resistance: No

You gain instant knowledge of the true name of a single, intelligent creature within the area of effect. This spell works immediately on any creature not attempting to conceal its identity.

A target using mundane means to conceal his identity may make a Will save to resist this spell. If he succeeds then the bard learns the false name of the target’s choice. If he fails then the bard learns his true name. Mundane means include the Bluff and Disguise skills, getting people to lie for you and forged papers.

A target using magical mean to conceal his identity may make a Will save to resist this spell. If he succeeds then the bard learns the false name of the target’s choice. If he fails then the bard learns his true name. Additionally the bard knows that a magical spell has interfered with his divination attempt. Magical means include but are not limited to innate shapechanging abilities, alter self, change self, polymorph other and polymorph self.
The target is not alerted to the divination attempt whether he succeeds or fails his save.

Silver Voice

Enchantment
Level: Brd 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft.+5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One target
Duration: Instant
Saving Throw: Will (half)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Your words seem very persuasive to a single target. After casting this spell you can target one creature in the area. If you immediately make a Bluff skill check against that creature you gain a +10 circumstance bonus to your skill check. The target may make a Will save to resist the effect. If it succeeds then you only get a +5 circumstance bonus to your Bluff skill check.

Song of the Tempest

Transmutation
Level: Brd 3
Components: V, S, F (optional)
Casting Time: 1 action
Target: Self
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The song of the tempest quadruples (4X) the area of effect of your next bardic music effect. This quadrupling stacks normally with any other extending effect; so another doubling increases the area of effect by 5X, and so on. It is not possible to stack multiple song of the tempest spells, although this spell does stack with wind borne songs and thunder’s song. The maximum possible range extension using all three songs is 13X the usual area of effect.
The extended range drops as soon as the song of the tempest ends, even if the bard is maintaining his bardic music.

If the performance mode that the bard uses requires an instrument, that instrument must be a masterwork tool to use this effect.

Steel Voice

Enchantment (Mind-Affecting)
Level: Brd 4
Components:
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Long (400 ft.+100 ft./level)
Target: 1 target/ 3 levels
Duration: 5 rounds/level
Saving Throw: Will (negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Your voice becomes as hard as steel, carrying with it the promise of death and worse to those who oppose you. Each target must make a Will save or suffer from a negative level for the duration of the spell. This negative level is a fear effect and therefore does not affect beings that are immune to fear.
Each negative level that a target suffers inflicts the following penalties: -1 competence penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks and effective level for determining the power, duration, DC and other details of spells or special abilities). Additionally a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from his highest available level. Negative levels stack.

A being targeted by this spell does not have to roll to get rid of the negative levels. They vanish instantly after the duration of the spell has elapsed.

The Fifth Seal

Enchantment (Mind-Affecting)
Level: Brd 5
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Close (25 ft.+5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One target
Duration: Instant
Saving Throw: Will (negates, see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You can create a sudden empathic bond between yourself and one target. That target feels an overwhelming surge of alien emotions. If they fail to make a Will save then they take 1d8 per level (maximum 15d8) subdual damage. If they succeed they are dazed for 1d4 rounds by the battering wave of emotion.
This is a mind-affecting spell.

The focus of this spell is any masterwork musical instrument.

The First Seal

Divination
Level: Brd 1, Wiz/Sor 1
Components: V, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft.+5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One target
Duration: One skill check
Saving Throw: Will (negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

You open an empathic channel between yourself and another person. This channel gives them a +10 circumstance bonus to any roll to Sense Motive on you.

Additionally you receive a +10 circumstance bonus to any Diplomacy skill check to convince the target that you really do feel what you feel. Note that it is very difficult to lie while under the influence of this spell.

The focus for this spell is any masterwork instrument.

The Fourth Seal

Enchantment (Mind-Affecting)
Level: Brd 4
Components: V, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Area: 30 ft. emanation
Target: One target/level
Duration: 5 rounds/level
Saving Throw: Will (negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You create a zone in which everyone possesses heightened empathic abilities. Everyone within the zone who fails their save gains a +4 modifier to their Sense Motive skill checks against anyone in the zone. Additionally individuals in the zone are at a –4 modifier on their ability to resist any mind affecting spell or ability so long as they remain in the zone.

The focus for this spell is any masterwork instrument.

The Second Seal

Enchantment (Compulsion, Mind-Affecting)
Level: Brd 2
Components: V, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft.+5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One target
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: Will (negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You create a bond between you and your target, forcing your darkest and least positive emotions onto it. The target may make a Will save to negate the effect. If the target fails it becomes confused (as the spell of that name) until you stop concentrating on it.
The focus for this spell is any masterwork instrument.

The Third Seal

Enchantment (Mind-Affecting)
Level: Brd 3
Components: V, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: Two targets within range
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: Will (negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You can create a telepathic bond between two targets in range. For as long as you concentrate each target can hear the other’s thoughts. In addition to making lying and bluffing much more difficult (+10 to all Bluff DC’s, or +10 to an opposed Sense Motive skill check) the two parties can instantly react to the other’s actions (+2 to their AC if they are attacked by the person they are linked with). Furthermore they can communicate no matter how much chaos and confusion lies between them.

A mind-affecting spell that affects one target also affects the other.

Unwilling targets are allowed a Will save to negate the effect. Once the link is established the bard can maintain it without regard for the target’s wishes.
The focus for this spell is any masterwork instrument.

Thunder’s Song

Transmutation
Level: Brd 5
Components: V, S, F (optional)
Casting Time: 1 action
Target: Self
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The thunder’s song octuples (8X) the area of effect of your next bardic music effect. This octupling stacks normally with any other extending effect; so another doubling increases the area of effect by 9X and so on. It is not possible to stack multiple thunder’s song spells, although this spell does stack with wind borne songs and song of the tempest. The maximum possible range extension using all three songs is 13X the usual area of effect.

The extended range drops as soon as thunder’s song ends, even if the bard is maintaining his bardic music.

If the performance mode that the bard uses requires an instrument, that instrument must be a masterwork tool to use this effect.

Whispers of the Mind

Enchantment (Compulsion, Mind-Affecting)
Level: Brd 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One target
Duration: Concentration (no longer than 1 round/level)
Saving Throw: Will (negates)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You can hijack a target’s voice causing them to speak the words of your choosing. This does not give you control of their actions. Each round you can make them utter one statement of your choosing. The target may make a Will save to negate the effect.

The target may make a Spellcraft skill check (DC 20) to determine that his utterances originate from a compulsion spell. Anyone using a detect magic spell will see that the bard and the target both have some kind of magical effect around them.

This spell lasts for as long as the bard concentrates. However the bard cannot maintain this spell for more than one round per caster level.

Wind Borne Songs

Transmutation
Level: Brd 1
Components: V, S, F (optional)
Casting Time: 1 action
Target: Self
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Wind borne songs doubles (2X) the area of effect of your next bardic music effect. This doubling stacks normally with any other extending effect; so another doubling increases the area of effect by 3X and so on. It is not possible to stack multiple thunder’s song spells, although this spell does stack with song of the tempest and thunder’s song. The maximum possible range extension using all three songs is 13X the usual area of effect.

The extended range drops as soon as wind borne songs ends, even if the bard is maintaining his bardic music.

If the performance mode that the bard uses requires an instrument, that instrument must be a masterwork tool to use this effect.