Magic Out of Music

Using Music to Accomplish Magic
While there are many non-magical effects music can accomplish - rallying and inspiring troops, making hard work seem easier, etc. - truly magical effects can only be produced by one who is not only musically skilled, but who also has great learning and abilities of concentration and willpower. While many have dabbled in these arts, the Bards of Norheim have taken it to its greatest heights. For anyone to create magic with music, they must possess an appropriate Art skill, as well as anything required for that skill, such as an instrument. Beyond that, they are only limited by their knowledge and ability. The following abilities require a skill such as Bardic Music or Faerie Music:

• Enhance Music: the character can spend Ka to improve the otherwise non-magical effects of their music.
• Communication: Novice. The character can attempt to communicate a basic idea or emotion to a listener, even if the target cannot understand the performer's language. The character must identify his target(s) (who must be able to hear him, obviously), spend 1 Ka, and play for at least 1 round. Each target may then make a Perception check to see if they understod the message. Note that anyone in hearing range may make a Perception check as well, although non-targets receive a -2 to the roll. The performing character may spend up to 4 Ka per round to directly add to the roll of his targets, although each point only affects the roll of a single target. In any event, one check per round is allowed to understand. This ability requires 1 Ka per round.
• Distracting Music: Apprentice. The character may spend one action to Concentrate on a target in view; they may then begin playing or singing. By spending 2 Stability per round, the character forces the target to enter into a contested roll (using their Will, or perhaps Concentration); if the target fails, they are Distracted and will also not realize that the music is out of the ordinary. This is rechecked each round. Once detected, the target will probably be agitated if the music is out of place. This power will not work on agitated, aggressive, or frightened targets.
• Taunt: Apprentice. The character may attempt to get a particular creature to become enraged with him. It does not compel action, merely emotion. The character must play for at least a round, and may then spend 1 Ka per target and roll against a TN based upon the initial state and nature of the targets. Each target beyond the first increases the TN by 3. Even if successful, the targets may resist by rolling an opposed Will check. In combat, this almost certainly compels enemies to attack the musician.
• Visions: Journeyman. The character may attempt to summon a particular vision in the mind of those hearing his song. The targets must be paying attention and receptive to the vision; if they are not, the character can Concentrate on them, spend 1 Ka, and attempt to overcome their Stability with his music roll. Either way, the character must expend 1 Stability per minute to keep the Visions coming.
• Cause Fear: Master. By playing for a round or more the character may attempt to gain a Fear Rating of 1 towards one or more targets. The TN is the target's Stability, +1 for each target; if playing against multiple targets, check against each using a single roll. The cost of this ability is 2 Ka per target. The character may keep the Fear Rating after he has finished playing by expending 1 Stability per target per minute he wants to keep it, and playing an additional number of phases equal to that number of minutes.

True Bards
While the word bard has spread and come to be used for many a common minstrel or composer, true bards are only those performers trained in the colleges of the BardLands. They know many songs and ways of music, and they also learn a rare art which allows them to bring magic out of their music. There are several colleges of Bards; each has a slightly different focus and teachings. The colleges cooperate, and may teach students of another college from time to time, but all teaching starts with a particular college. The colleges are: Ollamh, the Master Bards, keepers of secret lore; Filidh, the historians and minders of nobility; Fianna, the warrior-poets; Fochlucan, who sing songs of heroes and kings to inspire all; Canaith, the closest to the Druids; Doss, who study and keep the common law; and Anstruth, who are students of music itself. Each college is a separate focused skill, with the base skill of Bardic Music. Characters must petition a college to be allowed to train in its secrets. Ollamh is beyond even this; it may only be taken after at least one of the other college skills has reached Master rank; even at this point, Ollamh must admit the character. Commonly a student begins to train in a second college prior to this admission.

Anstruth

Canaith
This skill has the additional restrictions of Plant Lore and 1 other Lore of the natural world.

Doss
This skill has the additional restrictions of Oratory and Diplomacy.

Fianna
This college teaches inspirational music and poetry, and also the composition of on-the-spot poetry and songs that apply to the situation the bard finds himself in. This college typically only accepts valorous, fighting bards. This skill also has a restriction of Poetry. The following abilities are gained with this skill:

• Recital of Valor: Novice. If the bard knows of a legendary battle he can compare the current one to, he may provide his allies with strength by invoking this similarity. A successful Legend Lore, Music Lore, History, or similar roll must be made to recall such a tale; the bard must then recite it using this skill. This generally takes some time (normally, about 30 seconds or 5 rounds). The bard must also expend 1 Stability per round. Following this, the bard may provide one of the following benefits to all of his allies who were within hearing range and could be covered by the subject matter: +2 to Fear checks; +1 to all attack rolls; +1 to all rolls using a specific skill. This benefit lasts for the duration of the current encounter or situation. For example, a bard is trying to strengthen his comrades in their assault on a goblin-controlled fort. He sings a portion of the poem "The Seige of Molichor" which describes the breaching of the walls of that keep. The bonus should then apply until the characters are actually within the walls. In general, situations should be kept specific, like the example, although the longer the recital, the larger the conditions. A bard can only Recite a specific source once per day for this purpose.
• Song of the Sword: Novice. The student of Fianna composes a poem to and about his on favored weapon (which does not have to be a sword). He thus begins to weave a legend about it. Obviously, he must name the weapon. He must also regularly invoke its name in battle, and begin to write poems and songs in which it is featured. Whenever he calls upons its name while he is using it, he may spend one or more Stability and Ka. It's up to the GM to decide when he has spent enough to move onto the Apprentice rank of this power, but about 100 of each is suggested.
• Song of the Sword: Apprentice. Once the bard has given his weapon an identity, it begins to actually gain some power. At this point, the bard may continue to spend Ka and Stability as he did at Novice rank, but he may also spend Stability to invoke the weapon's power. The first time he does this, he must choose for the weapon to gain a +1 to Attack rolls, a +1 to Parry rolls, or a -1 to Stamina and Encumberance, or a bonus to range (for a missle weapon). From that point on, he may spend 1 Stability per round for his weapon to have this power. If he invests another 100 Ka and Stability (approximately) in the weapon, he may advance to Journeyman rank in this power. As he spends this, he may choose to associate the weapon primarily with one type of opponent.
• Words of Hope and Dismay: Apprentice. The bard can call out lines and snatches of poetry in battle that provide a brief shift in luck and chance. This ability can be used to either strengthen an ally or to weaken an opponent. The bard chooses his effect, and spends an action and 1 Ka; this power then affects the next action of his target. Possible effects and their additional costs include: Clumsiness (target must make an opposed Dex roll or drop item) (2 Stability); Confusion (Initiative is treated as 4 lower for one phase only) (1 Stability); Decisiveness (Initiative is treated as 4 higher for one phase) (2 Stability); Mighty Blow (+ Stability spent to damage, up to bard's rank) (1 + Effect Stability); Fear (target gains a Fear Rating equal to one-half Stability spent); Stumble (target loses 1 from both attacks and defense for the next phase) (2 Stability); Weak Defense (target loses 2 from any active defense) (1 Stability); Weak Arm (target must subtract 2 from any damage rolls) (1 Stability).
• Song of the Sword: Journeyman. At this point the legend of the weapon is taking shape. If the bard chose a specific enemy for the weapon, he may now choose to have it gain a +1 against that enemy either to hit or to damage; or he may choose for it to provide a +1 to checks against skills or powers used by that opponent type against him. In either case, he must expend 1 Stability per minute. If he does not select a specific enemy, he may instead select a second of the possible advantages under Apprentice, which will still cost 1 Stability per round. Either with or without a specific enemy, the cost for the power selected at Apprentice drops to 1 Stability per minute. The character must continue to invest Ka and Stability in his weapon to advance this power.
• Valorous Composition: Journeyman. This functions in the same way as the Recital of Valor, but the bard actually composes the poem to fit the current situation and his allies. This requires a Poetry roll, which is quite easy if the bard can do this when not under stress or time pressures. It becomes much more difficult in battle. In either case, the bard can set the length and exact situation better.
• Song of the Sword: Master. The bard may choose to increase one ability his weapon already has by a +1 (or -1, in the case of Stamina costs). He may instead choose to reduce the secondary ability's cost to one Stability per minute. This rank also gives the bard the ability to make an ability of his weapon permanent and always active. He must permanently expend 1 Mind for each ability he wishes to do this with. Finally, at this level the bard may give his weapon to someone else and have them use the ability. He must have been associating with the individual while building up the weapon, and it must have at least one permanent power. Once given away, the bard can never again increase that weapon's power.
• Song of the Sword: Grandmaster.

Filidh
This skill also has the restrictions of History and Heraldry.

Fochlucan
This colleges teaches epic tales and ballads, the songs and stories of past triumphs and defeats. Likewise, they remember brave warriors and noble kings, and often compose epitaphs for fallen heroes. This skill also has the restrictions of History and Legend Lore.

Ollamh