Remus Lupin and I made this feat up for my Lankhmar thread to simulate Fafhrd. I've tweaked it a considerably and made it into its own thread here so we can get faster feedback.
Nordheimir Skald Training: Loremaster
You have been trained in the oral history and sagas of your people by the famed Skalds of Nordheim.
Prerequisite: Must be a Nordheimer, Knowledgeable, Perform (Oratory) 1 rank, 1 rank in any two knowledge skills.
A character with this feat may perform a Lore check to recall obscure or legendary information. A Lore check is made with a bonus equal to his character level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. A successful Lore check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint to its general function. A skald may not take 10 or 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentialy random. The GM determines the DC of the Lore check as follows:
DC 10: Common, known by at least a substantial minority of the locals.
DC 20: Uncommon, but available, known by only a few people in the area.
DC 25: Obscure, known by a few, hard to come by.
DC 30: Extremely obscure, known to only a very few, or its significance unknown, or forgotten.
Special: A skald who moves into a new area receives a -10 penalty to Lore checks until he has resided there for a period of thirty days or more. An "area" is defined as 10 mile radius centered on the skald's residence, because most people never travel farther than 10 miles from their birthplace and are thus limited in the knowledge they will be able to impart. A skald who moves into an area he has previously resided in for a period of thirty days or more has this penalty reduced to -5 for the first thirty days of his return as he will already have familiarity with the place and contacts in the area.
If a skald has 5 or more ranks in a Knowledge skill that applies to the subject in question, he gains a +2 bonus on all Lore checks regarding this area of expertise.
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Nordheimir Skald Training: Warsinger
You have been trained in the songs of your people by the Skalds of Nordheim.
Prerequisite: Must be a Nordheimer, Nordheimir Skald Training: Loremaster, Knowledgeable, Perform (Oratory) 3 ranks, Perform (Sing) 3 ranks, 2 ranks in any two knowledge skills.
A character with this feat may craft and perform legendary songs. These songs can either be inspiring or intimidating. Characters may perform any type of song they qualify for. You may perform any one of the options this feat bestows once per day. All uses of this feat are considered extraordinary mind-affecting abilities.
Singing or chanting is a free action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. However, each time the skald is hit while singing or chanting, he must make a Concentration check to continue the song or chant (DC 10 + Damage dealt). Failure means the song or chant ends immediately and any lingering effects end at the end of the round the skald failed his save, unless noted otherwise (for example, if a flat duration is indicated).
Inspire Courage: A skald with three ranks in Perform (Sing) can sing so that all allies within 30 ft. (including the skald) receive a +1 morale bonus to Will saves vs. fear/terror and charm effects, and a +1 morale bonus to hit and damage. This bonus increases to +2 at 10 ranks of Perform (Sing), +3 at 15 ranks, and +4 at 20 ranks.
Inspire Competence: A skald with six or more ranks in Perform (Sing) can cause one ally within 30 ft. (including himself) to gain a +2 morale bonus to one skill check. This bonus stacks with the aid another action. This bonus increases to +3 with 12 ranks in Perform (Sing), and +4 with 18 ranks.
Inspire Emotion: A skald with three or more ranks in Performance (Sing) can move an audience within 30 ft. to joy, lust or tears (skald's choice). The skald uses his Magic Attack Bonus to set the DC of the Will save to resist. If he succeeds, he gains a +2 bonus to his next Bluff (non-combat only), Diplomacy or Gather Information skill check against the targets if made within 24 hours of his performance. This bonus increases to +3 with 6 ranks, and +4 with 12 ranks.
War Chant: A skald with 3 or more ranks in Perform (Sing) can intone a grim, bloody-minded war chant to strike fear into his foes, who will see him as an implacable and deadly foe. He uses his Magic Attack roll to set the DC of the target creatures' Will saves. A war chant causes affected foes to become shaken for five rounds.
War March: A skald with 3 or more ranks in Perform (Sing) can increase the walking, hustling or marching movement of a group of willing allies (including himself) by a number of miles per day equal to his Charisma modifier x2. This bonus does not apply to running or mounted movement.
Special: This feat may be taken up to three times; each time you take it, you may use it an additional time per day.
[2/27/04 EDIT] Broke up into a two feat chain; expanded options for songs/chants.
[2/28/04 EDIT] Added Knowledgeable as prerequisite. Removed Inspire Greatness, Inspire Heroics and Seduce Paramour. Revised Inspire Emotion to apply the bonus to Bluff (non-combat only) and Gather Information in addition to Diplomacy. This allows the skald to manipulate his audience as he sees fit. Bluffing could incorporate seduction, or convincing that the story in the song was true, etc. Now there are only five uses for the feat, which is more manageable.
[EDIT 2/28/04] Added penalties to Lore checks in Loremaster feat under Special. Redefined "synergy" bonus under Special
Nordheimir Skald Training: Loremaster
You have been trained in the oral history and sagas of your people by the famed Skalds of Nordheim.
Prerequisite: Must be a Nordheimer, Knowledgeable, Perform (Oratory) 1 rank, 1 rank in any two knowledge skills.
A character with this feat may perform a Lore check to recall obscure or legendary information. A Lore check is made with a bonus equal to his character level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. A successful Lore check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint to its general function. A skald may not take 10 or 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentialy random. The GM determines the DC of the Lore check as follows:
DC 10: Common, known by at least a substantial minority of the locals.
DC 20: Uncommon, but available, known by only a few people in the area.
DC 25: Obscure, known by a few, hard to come by.
DC 30: Extremely obscure, known to only a very few, or its significance unknown, or forgotten.
Special: A skald who moves into a new area receives a -10 penalty to Lore checks until he has resided there for a period of thirty days or more. An "area" is defined as 10 mile radius centered on the skald's residence, because most people never travel farther than 10 miles from their birthplace and are thus limited in the knowledge they will be able to impart. A skald who moves into an area he has previously resided in for a period of thirty days or more has this penalty reduced to -5 for the first thirty days of his return as he will already have familiarity with the place and contacts in the area.
If a skald has 5 or more ranks in a Knowledge skill that applies to the subject in question, he gains a +2 bonus on all Lore checks regarding this area of expertise.
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Nordheimir Skald Training: Warsinger
You have been trained in the songs of your people by the Skalds of Nordheim.
Prerequisite: Must be a Nordheimer, Nordheimir Skald Training: Loremaster, Knowledgeable, Perform (Oratory) 3 ranks, Perform (Sing) 3 ranks, 2 ranks in any two knowledge skills.
A character with this feat may craft and perform legendary songs. These songs can either be inspiring or intimidating. Characters may perform any type of song they qualify for. You may perform any one of the options this feat bestows once per day. All uses of this feat are considered extraordinary mind-affecting abilities.
Singing or chanting is a free action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. However, each time the skald is hit while singing or chanting, he must make a Concentration check to continue the song or chant (DC 10 + Damage dealt). Failure means the song or chant ends immediately and any lingering effects end at the end of the round the skald failed his save, unless noted otherwise (for example, if a flat duration is indicated).
Inspire Courage: A skald with three ranks in Perform (Sing) can sing so that all allies within 30 ft. (including the skald) receive a +1 morale bonus to Will saves vs. fear/terror and charm effects, and a +1 morale bonus to hit and damage. This bonus increases to +2 at 10 ranks of Perform (Sing), +3 at 15 ranks, and +4 at 20 ranks.
Inspire Competence: A skald with six or more ranks in Perform (Sing) can cause one ally within 30 ft. (including himself) to gain a +2 morale bonus to one skill check. This bonus stacks with the aid another action. This bonus increases to +3 with 12 ranks in Perform (Sing), and +4 with 18 ranks.
Inspire Emotion: A skald with three or more ranks in Performance (Sing) can move an audience within 30 ft. to joy, lust or tears (skald's choice). The skald uses his Magic Attack Bonus to set the DC of the Will save to resist. If he succeeds, he gains a +2 bonus to his next Bluff (non-combat only), Diplomacy or Gather Information skill check against the targets if made within 24 hours of his performance. This bonus increases to +3 with 6 ranks, and +4 with 12 ranks.
War Chant: A skald with 3 or more ranks in Perform (Sing) can intone a grim, bloody-minded war chant to strike fear into his foes, who will see him as an implacable and deadly foe. He uses his Magic Attack roll to set the DC of the target creatures' Will saves. A war chant causes affected foes to become shaken for five rounds.
War March: A skald with 3 or more ranks in Perform (Sing) can increase the walking, hustling or marching movement of a group of willing allies (including himself) by a number of miles per day equal to his Charisma modifier x2. This bonus does not apply to running or mounted movement.
Special: This feat may be taken up to three times; each time you take it, you may use it an additional time per day.
[2/27/04 EDIT] Broke up into a two feat chain; expanded options for songs/chants.
[2/28/04 EDIT] Added Knowledgeable as prerequisite. Removed Inspire Greatness, Inspire Heroics and Seduce Paramour. Revised Inspire Emotion to apply the bonus to Bluff (non-combat only) and Gather Information in addition to Diplomacy. This allows the skald to manipulate his audience as he sees fit. Bluffing could incorporate seduction, or convincing that the story in the song was true, etc. Now there are only five uses for the feat, which is more manageable.
[EDIT 2/28/04] Added penalties to Lore checks in Loremaster feat under Special. Redefined "synergy" bonus under Special
