Sociology
Versesinger -- Equal's Primordial Chanters
The Verse is the voice of the primordial ocean, the song of living, the language of creation. Containing true power, these words formed the basis of everything on Equal, from the coral and the kelp, the Vastness and the Known World. Their melodious voices can be heard across the seas, harkening in moments of history both wonderful and baleful.
Adventurers: Versesingers make good leaders with their innate charisma. They posses a heavy balance of both bolstering skills and offensive capability that make them an asset to any group. Even when their ability to invoke whalesong has depleted, their martial prowess keeps them in the forefront of battle.
Alignment: There are no alignment restrictions to become a versesinger, though because they are only found in Orcan culture they are nearly all lawful in some manner.
Versesingers in the Known World
These are the poet-warriors of the Orcan society, the brutes with the tongues of silver, their voices welcome everywhere that Orcans strived to survive. They are welcome in any pod, shown hospitality and reverence due to one whom can speak the words of creation. They enjoy social acceptance in places the native culture would otherwise be biased against them, and any military organization would count itself blessed to have one of their kind amongst its ranks.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Versesingers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Versesingers need a high Charisma score for the plethora of Perform checks required to employ their skills, but also a strong Constitution to make their whalesong more robust and allow them more attempts per day.
Race: Only Orcans can become versesingers, as only their multi-layered vocal chords are capable of primitively reproducing the prehistoric syllables that formed the waters.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Dice: d8.
Starting Funds: 2d10x5gp.
CLASS SKILLS
The versesinger's class skills (and key ability for each) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are the versesinger's class features.
Versesinger Class Abilities Chart
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Feats | Whalesong |
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Diaphragm, Verse, Whalesong | 2 |
2 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | 4 | |
| 3 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | 6 | |
| 4 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Bonus Feat | 8 |
| 5 | +4 | +2 | +2 | +4 | 10 | |
| 6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Duet | 12 |
| 7 | +6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +5 | 14 | |
8 | +7/+2 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Bonus Feat | 16 |
9 | +8/+3 | +4 | +4 | +6 | 18 | |
10 | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +7 | Chorus | 20 |
11 | +10/+5 | +5 | +5 | +7 | 22 | |
12 | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +8 | Bonus Feat | 24 |
13 | +12/+7/+2 | +6 | +6 | +8 | 26 | |
14 | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +9 | Harmony | 28 |
15 | +14/+9/+4 | +7 | +7 | +9 | 30 | |
16 | +15/+10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +10 | Bonus Feat | 32 |
17 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +8 | +8 | +10 | 34 | |
18 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +11 | Sonal Shaping | 36 |
19 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +9 | +9 | +11 | 38 | |
20 | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +12 | Bonus Feat | 40 |
Diaphragm: Due to their heavily muscled yet lithely agile diaphragms, versesingers gain a bonus number of whalesongs per day equal to their Constitution modifier.
Verse: The power of the Verse allows a versesinger's song to travel immense distances. A song can be heard to a distance of a mile per level of the versesinger. The sound travels outward in all directions, and possesses no other properties other than the distance travelled. These songs cannot carry complex information, but can serve as warnings, summons, or other simple, predefined notions.
Whalesong: The robust and complex voices of versesingers can produce a sonic call referred to as
"whalesong" which, when reinforced with the power of the Verse, can produce astounding physical effects.
Versesingers may employ a Listen check in the same manner a spellcaster uses Spellcraft, but only to determine the whalesongs of other versesingers or magical spells and effects that depend on sonics (not just spells with vocal components).
To start a whalesong is a standard action, and uses up a number of daily uses of whalesong (dependent on the particular whalesong, usually 1 usage). All whalesongs are immediate sonic effects unless otherwise stipulated. Continuous whalesongs require a versesinger to pass a Concentration check at DC 15 to make a standard action while singing, otherwise they can only make move actions and still maintain their whalesong. A continuous whalesong can be ended as a free action.
Countersong: A versesinger with 3 or more ranks in Perform can uses his voice to counter other whalesongs or magical effects that are based on sound (spells with verbal components are not enough to qualify for countering). Each round of countersinging requires a Perform check on the part of the versesinger, and a countersong can be maintained for 1 round per level of the versesingers.
Anyone within 30 ft. of the countering versesinger (including the versesinger himself) that is targeted by a sonic or language-dependent attack (such as a sound burst or command spell) may use the bard's Perform check result in place of his saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check proves to be higher. If anyone in the area is already under the effects of sonic or language-dependent attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect in each round it can hear the countersong, but it must use the versesinger's Perform roll as the result for the save. Countersong cannot be used against effects that do not allow a save.
Fascinate: A versesinger with 3 or more ranks in his Perform skill can use this whalesong to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. This is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the versesinger, and be able to pay attention to him. The verse sing must conversely be able to see the victim, and unless the versesinger passes a Concentration check the ability cannot be used in combat. For every three levels beyond his first, the versesinger may target another victim per usage of this spell.
To use this whalesong, the versesinger must make a Perform check. The result is the DC for the Will save of each affected creature. If the victim passes his save, the versesinger cannot try to fascinate him again until after 24 hours later. If the victims fails his Will save, the creature ceases all actions and listens quietly to the versesinger's whalesong. The versesinger may continue this whale song for 1 round per versesinger level so long as he continues to pass his Concentration checks.
While fascinated, a victim suffers a -4 penalty to skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen or Spot checks. Any potential threat, such as an ally of the versesinger approaching the victim, requires the versesinger to make a new Perform check and allows the victim a fresh Will save at the new Perform result. Any obvious threat automatically breaks the fascination effect.
Inspire Courage: A versesinger with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his whalesong to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally need only be able to hear the versesinger sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the whalesong and for 5 rounds thereafter (assuming the versesinger can continue to pass any required Concentration checks). An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.
Intimidate: A versesinger with at least 3 ranks in perform and 1 rank in Intimidate may perform this song. This aquatic roar undermines the confidence of enemies within earshot and fills them with dread of the versesinger. To be affected, the enemy must be able to hear the song for a full round, and causes a -2 morale penalty to saving throws against charm and fear effects, a -1 morale penalty to attack and damage rolls, and X. The effect lasts as long as the versesinger sings and for 5 rounds thereafter, and maintaining the song while still performing other standard actions requires a concentration check at DC 15.
Inspire Competence: A versesinger with 6 or more ranks in his Perform skill can use his whalesong to help an ally succeed in a task. The ally must be within 30 feet of the versesinger and be able to see and hear him, as the versesinger must also be able to see the ally. The versesinger can give the ally a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as the versesinger continues passing his Concentration checks while maintaining the whalesong, up to two minutes. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Stunning Song: A versesinger with at least 6 ranks in Perform may create a wall of sound-impelled water to buffet opponents, possibly stunning them with the sheer volume of their voice. The song extends in a cone 5ft. per level in length, and all caught in the area suffer 1d6 subdual damage per level of the versesinger. Victims may make a Fortitude save (DC10 + ½ the versesinger's Con mod) for half damage.
Mournful Song: A versesinger with at least 8 ranks of Perform and 8 ranks in Intimidate may loose a howling song striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. All opponents within 30 ft. must make a Will save (DC 10 +½ versesinger's level + versesinger's Con mod) or become frightened for2d6 rounds. Creatures with more HD than the versesinger are not affected, and the ability is equal to the frightful presence ability.
Sonic Buffet: A versesinger of at least 6th level and with at least 8 ranks in Perform and 5 ranks in intimidate can release a destructive vocal blast that damages objects and opponents. This is identical to the spell shout except that the damage increases by 1d6 for every level of the versesinger above 7th to a maximum 10d6.
Suggestion: A versesinger of 6th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in his Perform skill can make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated. Using this ability does not break the bard’s concentration on the fascinate effect, nor does it allow a second saving throw against the fascinate effect
Making a suggestion does not count against a versesinger’s daily limit on whalesongs. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ versesinger’s level + versesinger’s Charisma modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature. Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability.
Confusion: A verse singer of at least 7th level and with at least 9 ranks in Perform may sound a strange song that confuses enemies. The effects are identical to the spell confusion, except that the radius if 5 ft. per two levels of the versesinger.
Booming Song: A versesinger of at least 10th level and with at least 12 ranks in Perform may let forth a booming, subsonic bellow that shatters physical objects. The blast is released in a cone 5ft. long per level. All objects with a hardness equal to or less than half of the versesinger's level are affected. For example, a 10th level versesinger could shatter objects with a hardness of 5 or less. Objects with hit points exceeding three times the versesinger's level are also immune. Attended items may make a Fortitude save as usual (DC 10 +½ versesinger's level + versesinger's Con modifier). Magical items are not affected.
Inspire Greatness: A versesinger of 9th level or higher with 12 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use whalesong to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting him or her extra fighting capability. For every three levels a versesinger attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally with a single use of this ability (two at 12th level, three at 15th, four at 18th). To inspire greatness, a versesinger must sing and an ally must hear him sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter, contingent on the versesinger passing all required Concentration checks.
A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependant. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability.
Greater Intimidate: A versesinger of at least 12th level and with at least 15 ranks in Perform and 12 ranks in Intimidate can release an even more powerful version of intimidate song. It is identical to the intimidate song except that the penalties are -6 and -3 respectively. Using this ability takes 2 daily whalesong slots.
Song of Freedom: A versesinger of 12th level or higher with 15 or more ranks in their Perform skill can use a whalesong to create an effect equivalent to the break enchantment spell (caster level equals the character’s versesinger level). Using this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and singing, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A versesinger cannot use song of freedom on himself.
Inspire Heroics: A versesinger of 15th level or higher with 18 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use a whalesong to inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet. For every three versesinger levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, a versesinger must sing and an ally must hear the bard sing for a full round. A creature so inspired gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the whalesong and for up to 5 rounds thereafter, and the versesinger successfully passes all required Concentration checks. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability.
Mass Suggestion: This ability functions like suggestion, above, except that a versesinger of 18th level or higher with 21 or more ranks in his Perform skill can make the suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated. Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability.
Bonus Feat: A versesinger can choose a bonus feat at 4th level, and another at every four levels thereafter (at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels). These feats can be chose from the same list as bonus fighter feats, but the versesinger must still meet the prerequisites for any feat chosen.Duet: At level 6, versesingers gain the ability merge their songs with another versesinger, thereby increasing their song's potency (adding +2 to any die roll or DC). Only versesingers employing the same whalesong can join their voices in duet. This costs both versesingers an additional daily usage of whalesong, paid when the second versesinger joins the duet.
Chorus: Like Duet, a 10th level versesinger gains the ability merge their songs with those of multiple other versesingers. The bonus from Duet is applied for each additional voice added to the duet to form a Chorus, and this costs each participant an additional daily use of whalesong. For example:
Normally, a versesinger begins a song, and pays 1 daily use of whalesong.
A second versesinger joins the first and sings the same song, paying 1 daily use for the whale song and 1 additional use to enter the duet. The first versesinger now spends an additional daily use of whale song, making the cost to each verse singer 2 whalesongs.
A third versesinger joins the duet to make it a chorus. He pays 1 daily use for the continuous song, and 2 daily uses for each versesinger already in the chorus. When the third versesinger joins, the previous two must each spend an additional 1 use of whalesong, bringing each versesingers cost in whalesongs to 3 uses.
These costs are automatic, but only on the condition that all members of the chorus are willing/able to pay the cost in additional whalesong uses. Refusing to allow a versesinger to join or if one of the versesingers is unable to pay the required daily usage results in the hopeful versesinger losing the daily usage of whales song spent in order to join the chorus, and applies the effect of his whalesong as a separate instance. Keep in mind that whalesongs do not stack, and instead will refresh things like duration, range, expiration, etc.Harmony: Upon reaching 14th level, a versesinger learns the art of polyphonics, and is able to maintain two songs concurrently without the aid of others. He may maintain two continuous song or a single continuous song punctuated by an immediate song, but not two immediate songs. Further, the two songs harmonizing cannot be the same song. This requires an additional daily use of whalesong beyond the ones needed for the two songs being harmonized, and the cost is paid when the second song is begun, whether it be a continuous or immediate effect. Harmony cannot be used in conjunction with the versesinger's Duet/Chorus class abilities.
Zonal Shaping: A versesinger can monopolize on the acoustics of currents and the flowing water around him to shape his whalesong, essentially excluding anyone he chooses in the song's area of effect.
"The Verse is the will of the world, of word given form, of sound given shape."
-- a terse Orcan versesinger on the ubiquitous power of the Verse.
-- a terse Orcan versesinger on the ubiquitous power of the Verse.
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