Bardic Spellcasting or "Spellsinging" in GURPS ********************************************** John Aegard November 1992 The following material is copyright 1992 by John Aegard. Save for the title, it is in no way related to the "Spellsinger" books by Allan Dean Foster. For a little more atmosphere in my current fantasy campaign, I have introduced a new style of magic; that of the minstrel. I'll admit they are mostly colour, but they've added a new flavour to my game that I really enjoy. If you'd like to comment on these ideas, I'd welcome them. My Internet address is jaegard@thunder.lakeheadu.ca. I have an account (TSRminator [835]) on the Illuminati board but I don't regularly call since I discovered the Net. Anyway, on with the new stuff: 1:PRINCIPLES OF SPELLSONG: 1.0 Spellsinging/Bardic Magery. (8 points for first level, 3 points per level thereafter up to level 3.) Composed of Magical Aptitude (15/10 points) x4 Takes Extra Time (-3 points) Must Be Playing Music (-4 points) This advantage allows a character to cast spellsongs and gives him a bonus to do it. Only a character with the spellsinging advantage can do so. The spellsinging advantage does not help you with the casting of "regular" magic. 1.1 Learning Spellsongs. Each spellsong is learned separately and is at the same difficulty as its conventional counterpart. Spellsongs may be learned from songbooks exclusively at half normal rate, or may be learned from instructors at the normal cost. 1.2 Casting Spellsongs. A spellsong is cast much in the same way as a regular spell. The singer plays for the required amount of time, then unleashes the spell at the beginning of the next turn. A roll is made against the lowest of the character's skill with the spellsong, the character's skill with the instrument he is playing and the character's singing skill. A failure will have varying effects based upon the degree of failure. For example, a character's roll might have been good enough to beat his singing and playing skills, but not high enough to beat his spellsong skill. The GM could interpret that to mean that the minstrel played and sang well, but could not find it within himself to activate the magic. A critical failure in spellsong will mean that the character cracked his voice, broke a string, or some other musical catastrophe. In addition, the magic of the spellsinger will perform in some mischievious way. The effects of this are up to the GM, but the results should not be overly destructive. A spellsong normally requires both voice and playing. Some songs can be cast "voice only." These will be noted in the spell list. If, for some reason, a spellsinger can play but cannot sing, the final roll is at -3 unless he is casting a "voice only" spell. 1.3 Effect of Mana Level. As for regular spells, spellsong skill levels are at a -5 when in areas of low mana and will not function at all in areas of no mana. High mana does not affect spellsinging. Very high mana will restore all of the spellsinger's energy immediately after it's spent, but also makes any failure a critical failure. Spellsingers get the normal roll to detect changes in mana level. If the GM is using areas of Aspected Magic, certain areas may also be aspected towards spellsinging. Perhaps a renowned spellsinger played a certain tavern for years and his favourite chair now holds an aura of spellsong... 1.4 Time To Cast. As stated above, a spellsinger takes four times as long as a regular spellcaster to activate a spell. However, in a dangerous situation, a spellsinger may ~hurry~ a song. For a 1/2 time reduction, the spellsinger's final roll is at a -3. For a 1/3 time reduction, the roll is at -6. For a 1/4 reduction, the spellsinger rolls at -9! High skill does not reduce spellsinging times. Spellsingers also cannot cast blocking spells. 1.5 Distraction and Injury. A singer who is distracted or injured as on p. M8 must roll immediately Will-3, as per normal spellcasting. If the character is injured and maintains concentration, he still faces a minus to his final roll, equal to the number of points of damage he suffered. 1.6 Energy Cost to Cast Spells. Energy cost is reduced for high skill in the spellsong, as normal. For example, a character with Singing-14, Lute-13, and Control Fire Song-15 has an additional -1 to his energy cost to Control Fire, to both cast and maintain. Powerstones may not be used to reduce energy cost ~unless~ they are set in the instrument of the singer. 1.7 Spending HT Instead of ST. Spellsingers may not use their HT to cast spells. 1.8 Duration and Maintainence of Spells. Spellsongs will last for as long as the caster keeps playing. However, to maintain the spell, the caster must spend the appropriate number of Fatigue points when the conventional duration of the spell expires. For example, if Janis Half-Elven was casting Climbing, she would have to spend the maintainence cost (1-3) every minute (the duration of the spell). Spellsingers may not have more than one spell "on" at any one time. 2: CLASSES OF SPELLSONGS. 2.0 A Note on "Earshot" A key term in these descriptions is "Earshot." In lieu of formulae too complicated for any game, the GM must arbitrarily determine whether a certain point is within earshot of the singer. If a human subject is deaf and cannot hear the spellsong, then that spellsong is not likely to affect him/her. This will be handled in individual spell listings. 2.0 Regular Spellsongs. Regular spellsongs behave for the most part like their conventional cousins. However, each spellsong will only affect one target and that target can be *anywhere* within earshot with no penalty as long as the singer can see or hear him. Nobody else within earshot will realize that a spellsong has been cast unless they themselves are a spellsinger or mage. In that case, that character has an IQ+Magery/Spellsinging roll to detect the spellsong. If an observing spellsinger knows the song himself he will certainly realize what's happening! 2.1 Area Spellsongs. Area spellsongs are limited to an area in which the song could be conceivably heard. As noted above, this judgement call is up the GM. For instance, a civil-minded acoustic guitar-wielding spellsinger wanting to cast a spell to calm the crowd at a Guns 'N' Roses concert would probably not even be able to affect the person next to him, let alone the people getting beaten in the front row. 2.2 Missile Spellsongs. Only two missile spells (Poltergeist and Winged Knife) are available to the spellsinger. They function as their conventional counterparts, except for the fact that the singer can throw anything within earshot. For convenience, a Poltergeist is SS 13, Acc+2, 1/2D 20, Max 60 and a Winged Knife is SS 13, Acc +1, 1/2D 20, Max 40. 2.3 Information Spellsongs. Information spells are general performed thusly: The spellsinger puts himself into a trance that will last for the casting time of the spell and begins to play. A trance will be negated by any interruption. The singer will then sing the answers to the information spell. As normal, the GM makes the roll for the success of the spell. GM's or players with a lyric bent may make up lyrics for the results of the info. spell; the GM is encouraged to reward such creativity with maybe an extra degree of success on the spell or a bonus character point for as long as it's fashionable. 2.4 Resisted Spells. The procedure for spell resistance functions exactly as for conventional spells. 3: CEREMONIAL/GROUP MAGIC. A spellsinger ceremonial casting may resemble a grand concert or symphony. Such things make for popular entertainment. An enterprising spellsinging guild once ceremonially cast the Create and Shape Fire spells to create huge pyrotechnic starbursts at the annointment of the infant Prince of the Odessan Empire, along with musical accompanyment. The leader of the Guild, one Varnagan Winstrel, was rewarded handsomely by the proud Emperor. However, a "serious" ceremony probably wouldn't be held in public. Ceremonial spellsinging takes twice as long as regular spellsinging. Energy cost is shared among all of the singers. Spectators can help by clapping hands, doing simple chants, etc. As per normal, each spectator contributes one energy point. Spectators may intentionally clap out of beat or shout profanity or whatever to try and disrupt the casting; as normal, each subtracts 5 energy points. Ceremonial spellsingers do not have to touch each other when casting but must be in earshot. 4: SPELLSONG LIST Unless different prerequisites are mentioned in the following lists, the prerequisites are the same as their conventional counterparts. 4.1: Animal Songs. All Animal spells can be cast by singing ~except~ for the following: Fish Control Mollusk Control Rider Within Beast Possession Shapeshifting Shapeshift Others Specific notes: Beast-Summoning is not limited to range of earshot. Rider can be cast voice-only. 4.2 Body Control Songs Spasm Dexterity Might Vigour Climbing Strike Deaf Dancing (new) Notes: Spasm has no prerequisites. Dexterity has the prerequisite of Spasm. Climbing can be cast voice-only. Dancing Regular: Resisted by Will The subject will feel an uncontrollable urge to dance and will do so unless he resists. Each turn, he may make a resistance roll. Should he fail, he moves one hex in a randomly determined direction. Dancing characters can do will ~definitely~ spoil a wizard's spellcasting. Time To Cast: 4 seconds. Duration: 10 seconds or until singer stops playing. Cost: 4 to cast; 2 to maintain. Prerequisite: Spasm, Drunkeness (Mind Control). 4.3 Communication/Empathy Songs. Sense Life Sense Foes Sense Emotion Truthsayer Compel Truth Hide Thoughts Persuasion Borrow Language Gift Of Tongues Notes: Sense Life and Sense Foes automatically work within earshot at no additional energy cost. The cost to cast these spells is quadrupled, though. Sense Life costs 2 to cast and Sense Foes costs 4. Hide Thoughts must be cast with both vocals and instrument. A spellsinger casting Borrow Language or Gift of Tongues actually sings when he speaks in the language he's using. Borrow Language has no prerequisites; 4.4 Earth Songs. Seek Earth Shape Earth Shape Stone Speak Through Earth (new) Speak Through Earth/Stone Special This spell allows a singer to speak through the earth to a range up to his earshot. This spell may be cast by voice only. This spell's primary use is to call for help whilst trapped underground. Time To Cast: 4 seconds. Duration: One minute. Cost to cast: 2 Prerequisites: Shape Earth, at least 3 Sound spellsongs. 4.5 Air Songs. Purify Air Shape Air Windstorm Call Rain Summon Elemental Control Elemental Notes: Shape Air has Purify Air as a prerequisite. Windstorm can only be cast by level 2 spellsinger and has Shape Air as a prerequisite. Call Rain requires Windstorm as a prerequisite. Summon Air Elemental requires a level 2 Spellsinger and all of the other songs in the college as prerequisites. 4.6 Fire Songs. Ignite Fire Create Fire Shape Fire Phantom Flame Summon Fire Elemental Control Fire Elemental Notes: Summon Fire Elemental requires a level 2 spellsinger. 4.7 Water Songs. Seek Water Shape Water Purify Water Rain Snow Hail Geyser Notes: Shape Water requires Seek Water as a prerequisite. Rain is identical to the Air college version. Snow requires Rain as a prereq. Hail requires Snow as a prereq. Geyser requires all six Water spells plus four Fire or Earth spells. 4.8 Food Songs Test Food Seek Food Purify Food Ferment Water to Wine Distill Purify Food has Test Food as a prerequisite. Ferment has no prequisites and requires that the singer play for the hour necessary for the fermentation to take place. Distill requires Ferment as a prerequisite. 4.9 Healing Songs Lend Strength Lend Health Awaken 4.10 Illusion/Creation Songs. Simple Illusion Complex Illusion Perfect Illusion Control Illusion Dispell Illusion Notes: Complex Illusions with sound components will fool all in earshot into believing they are hearing the sounds the caster wishes rather than the singer's song. Perfect Illusions cannot affect touch. 4.11 Knowledge Songs. Tell Time Find Direction Detect Magic Aura Seeker History Ancient History Pathfinder Divination Notes: History has Aura as a prerequisite. Divination requires four hours of trance-playing but is essentially the same as the conventional Divination spell. 4.12 Light and Darkness Songs. Light Darkness Shape Darkness Notes: Light can be cast at varying levels as per the conventional Continual Light spell. Energy cost is 1 for a dim glow, 2 for a fire's brightness, and 4 for a blinding glare. Darkness has Light as a prerequisite. 4.13 Making and Breaking Spells. Find Weakness Weaken Shatter 4.14 Mind Control Spells. All Mind Control spells can be cast by spellsingers except for the following: Sickness False Memory Lesser/Greater Geas 4.15 Movement Spells. Haste Great Haste Apportation Poltergeist Manipulate Undo Levitation Winged Knife Ethereal Body Dancing Weapon (new) Notes: Poltergeist and Winged Knife can be used to throw anything within earshot at no penalty. Dancing Weapon Regular-Resisted by ST A weapon under the influence of this spell acts as though it were enchanted with the conventional Dancing Weapon spell, except that it is under the caster's control. A Dancing Weapon has a skill equal to the caster's skill with that weapon, a strength equal to the least of the singer's Dancing Weapon, Singing, and Musical Instrument skills and a move equal to that of the caster. Dancing Weapon may be cast on a foe's weapon: the foe resists with his ST. Should the resistance fail, the weapon has been wrenched free and the opponent will come under attack on the next turn. If the resistance succeeds, the caster must re-spend the energy to maintain the spell immediately in order to try again next round. A foe trying to hold onto a Dancing Weapon cannot attack with that weapon. Duration: 5 seconds. Cost: 3 to cast and maintain. Time to Cast: 4 seconds. Prerequisites: Apportation, Manipulate. 4.16 Necromantic Songs. Sense Spirit Summon Spirit Summon Shade Control Zombie Notes: Summon Spirit has Sense Spirit as a prerequisite. Control Zombie has Summon Spirit as a prerequisite. 4.17 Plant Songs. Seek Plant Identify Plant Heal Plant Shape Plant Tangle Growth Hide Path Animate Plant 4.18 Protection/Warning Songs. Sense Danger Missile Shield Reverse Missiles 5: OPTIONAL RULES 5.1 Instrument Specialization At the GM's discretion, certain songs might be easier to cast with specific instruments. For example, in my campaign, the Breaking songs (Weaken and Shatter) get a +2 if cast with a drum and Dancing Weapon is very partial to flutes.