Of Him the Harpers Sadly Sing (GLOG Class: Bard)

Nu sculon heriġean    heofonriċes Weard

Now we must praise    heaven-kingdom's guardian,

Meotodes meahte    and his modġeþanc

the Measurer's might    and his mind-plans,

weorc Wuldor-Fæder    swa he wundra ġehwæs

the work of the Glory-Father,    when he of wonders every one,

eċe Drihten    or onstealde

eternal Lord,    the beginning established.

He ærest sceop    ielda bearnum

He first created    for men's sons

heofon to hrofe    haliġ Scyppend

heaven as a roof,    holy Creator;

ða middanġeard    moncynnes Weard

then middle-earth    mankind's guardian,

eċe Drihten    æfter teode

eternal Lord,    afterwards made—

firum foldan    Frea ælmihtiġ

for men earth,    Master almighty.

    – "Cædmon's Hymn", by Cædmon c. 658-680 CE

I've decided to start rewriting the Carolingia classes as part of the total reworking of the hack that I plan to do, and the old Chanter seemed like a good place to start, since I really don't like it much and I think I'm going to remove conventional GLOG spellcasters from the game entirely, or nearly so.

 

Starting Equipment: A harp or other instrument, a leather helm, a small shield, and a weapon of your choice.

Skills: Music, Poetry, and 1d3: 1. Folklore, 2. Religion, 3. History

 

Damage: 1d8

 

A: Battle Cry, Beloved Voice, Legend-Smith

B: Tales of Heroism, +1 to-hit

C: Boiled Alive, Songs of Lore, +1 Save

D: Weeping Stones, +1 to-hit

Battle Cry: If you call out a battle cry at the beginning of a fight, your allies each regain 1 hitpoint immediately and gain +1 to-hit for the rest of the battle, while your enemies take a -1 penalty to Morale for the rest of the battle. However, if in a dungeon or other dangerous area, this immediately provokes a wandering monster check. 

 

Beloved Voice: When you let it be known that you are a teller of tales and a singer of songs, you gain +1 to reaction rolls with intelligent beings. This can be accomplished by reciting a song or poem, even if the listeners do not understand the language it is in. There will always be food and space in the mead hall for you, provided you perform. 

Legend-Smith: If you compose and recite a poem or song regarding an adventure (or misadventure) that the party got into, all involved characters gain 10 XP. Yes, you must actually write it and recite it. No, it does not have to be good, or long. It just has to exist. You cannot gain this XP for multiple events that happened in the same session.

Tales of Heroism: You know two of the following tales, rolled on 1d8, and may roll another for each further template of Bard you gain. Reciting a tale takes 10 minutes, at the end of which, everyone who heard it gains the detailed benefit. No one may benefit from any particular tale more than once per day, and you may perform no more than [templates] tales per day. Bonus points if you actually recite an excerpt from the poem. At the DM's discretion, you may make a poem you composed about the game into a Tale of Heroism, with a negotiated benefit.

1. Beowulf: Gain +1d4 to-hit and +1d4 damage on the next attack you make this day.

2. Cædmon's Hymn: Regain 1d4+level hitpoints.

3. The Dream of the Rood: Reduce the damage of the next attack that hits you this day by 1d4.

4. The Wanderer: Ignore the next 1d4 obstacles that would impede your overland travel on this day.

5. Widsith: If at least one person present speaks a language, all people present are conversant in it for the next 1d6 hours.

6. The Battle of Maldon: During the next fight you participate in on this day, all retainers and levies gain +1 Morale.

7. Wulf and Eadwacer: During the next fight you participate in on this day, when you would roll Death and Dismemberment, roll twice and take the lower.

8. The Seafarer: Adverse weather conditions will not affect your sailing or put your ship in danger for the next 1d12 hours.

 

Boiled Alive: In social situations, delivering a sufficiently cutting insult (and you know the drill at this point; you have to come up with the insult yourself or crowd-source it from your fellow players) will cause the target to wake the next day with a face covered in boils.

 

Songs of Lore: You have a [templates]-in-6 chance of knowing a fact, determined by the DM, about any person, object, creature, polity, or place if you hear the name or a detailed description.

Weeping Stones: The reaction bonus from Beloved Voice increases to +2 and now applies to all creatures, not just intelligent ones, as well as inanimate objects. You gain a further +1 reaction with beasts and inanimate objects for each hour you play and sing to them. On a reaction roll of 12+, beasts will become your loyal companions and natural things will obey your orders. This may not be used to make them act against their nature or harm their kin, but you could ask a stone to split or a tree to move a root, and it would do so.

One-Roll Mass Combat, and Some Other Warfare Rules

I've been wanting to write mass combat/warfare rules for a while, and here they are!

Link to the document

 

They include a mostly one-roll system for resolving battles and various rules for marching, feeding your troops, paying your troops, and attrition. They also include maybe more percentages than would be strictly desirable from a math front, but it's an easy solution.

GLOG: The Berserker

A Berserker, to go with the Ranger, Druid, and Paladin that I've written recently. In traditional D&D parlance you might call this a Barbarian, but that framing is neither sensible for my setting nor sensible in general. My thought with this new series of classes is that I might add them to Carolingia as "advanced classes", where you get a somewhat stronger and more directly flavorful class at the cost of starting as someone else's retainer (perhaps even another PC's) rather than with your own domain. The obvious role for this class specifically is as a Norse berserker, but there's also certainly a niche for it as a Cu Chulainn-type.

 

Starting Equipment: A bearskin cloak with head, a mail shirt, a bearded axe or sword, a shield, a sack of hallucinogenic mushrooms (3 doses), and a flat river stone bearing the runes ᚦᛚᛘ (thur lögr maðr).

Skills: Wrestling and 1d3: 1. Sailing, 2. Drinking, 3. Scar-Reading

For every template of Berserker you have, gain +1 HP. Every second template, gain +1 to-hit.

A: Berserk Rage, Cunning Forager

B: Indomitable

C: Immovable, Terrifying Onslaught

D: Inexorable

 

Berserk Rage: You may enter a berserk rage at will. When in a rage, you may attack twice per round rather than just once, but you may only act violently, not constructively, creatively, collaboratively, or prudently. This rage lasts 2d3+[template] rounds or until all present enemies are dead, incapacitated, or beyond your ability to pursue. If any of your allies attempt to prevent you from committing violence, they become enemies as well. If you take hallucinogens before entering the rage, you also gain +1 HP per template (subtracted from your current total when the rage ends) and +1 to-hit for the duration.

 

Cunning Forager: Over the course of 6 hours in the wilderness, you can always find and prepare either 1 dose of hallucinogens or 1 ration.

 

Indomitable: When in a rage, if you roll on the Death and Dismemberment table, ignore any result short of instant death until the rage ends. You are also immune to fear, charm, and sleep effects while raging. If you have a steady supply of recreational drugs, wounds heal twice as quickly.

 

Immovable: You cannot be moved against your will under any circumstances while conscious. You take only half damage from poison, and have a 50% chance of ignoring the effects of poisons which do not deal damage.

 

Terrifying Onslaught: The first time you attack a given foe while raging, you can force them to check morale. You cannot use this ability twice on the same foe in the same combat.

 

Inexorable: While raging you may add +7 to Strength checks, skill checks related to physical strength, and grappling rolls. You also gain +1 damage with armed melee attacks and +1d6 with unarmed attacks (assuming unarmed attacks normally deal 1 damage).

GLOG: The Paladin

To follow up on my recent Ranger and Druid classes, here's a Paladin. Mostly I tried to stick to a theme of chivalry, much like the original 12 Peers, also known as Paladins: Charlemagne's semi-mythic companions of the chansons de geste, as well the Knights of the Round Table and similar chivalric romances, while also obeying some of the traditional Paladin tropes. I'm not entirely sure how well I succeeded, because I don't actually think this is a very good class (too many numbers, not enough fictional meat), but I'm just putting it out there now because otherwise I never will. Special thanks to Vayra, deus ex parabola, and SquigBoss for their assistance.

 

Starting Equipment: A mail shirt, a leather helmet, your parent's longsword, three lances, a pair of stirrups, and a shield and tabard both emblazoned with your coat of arms.

Skills: Horsemanship and 1d3: 1. Poetry, 2. Religious Doctrine, 3. Wrestling

For every template of Paladin you have, gain +1 HP and +1 to Save vs Fear and Magic.

A: Faithful Mount, Supernatural Aid

B: Questing Knight

C: Inspiring Leader, Laying On of Hands

D: Glorious Visage

 

Faithful Mount: You have a loyal, brave mount, whose abilities transcend those of a normal horse by far. They are unbreakable (morale 12 in most OSR systems), will come to your side wherever in the world you are with a whistle (takes no more than a day no matter how distant you are), can understand speech and obey your instructions, and will attack your foes even as you do. At A template, this horse has stats as a courser (HD 2+2, Move 80', Atk 1d6 hooves). At B template, they have stats as either a destrier (HD 2+4, Move 60', Atk 1d8 hooves) or a courser as you desire. At C template, they become a unicorn (HD 2+6, Move 80', Atk 1d8 horn/1d6 hooves), and at D template, they become a winged unicorn (HD 3+6, Move 80'/Fly 120', Atk 1d8 horn/1d6 hooves). If your mount dies, a new one will come to your side in 1d4 weeks.

Supernatural Aid: Roll on the following table (1d4): 

1. You have a fairy godmother, who you can contact by speaking into an acorn. She will aid you if you ask, but will hesitate to perform particularly difficult favors or to perform too many favors within a short duration (absolutely not more than 1 per day). She will not put herself in danger.
2. You can speak the tongue of the birds.
3. You have a golden whistle, which you can use to command fire to ignite, move, and go out. The whistle can affect no more than a 1' x 1 'x 1' area of fire at once.
4. Your parent's sword is actually an ancient relic that, unbeknownst to you, marks you as the true heir to a kingdom (either the one you currently inhabit or an adjacent one). Once you discover this fact, showing this sword and stating what it really is will oblige whoever observes to divulge their true loyalty to you.
   

 

Questing Knight: You gain a Questing Die, which is a d4. Whenever you are on a quest for a righteous goal, given by a righteous person (a brave king, an innocent maiden, an unfairly disgraced squire, your chaste and handsome lover), you may add this die to any die roll you make in direct service of that quest - skill checks, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as any other relevant rolls. You may also use your Questing Die when performing other chivalrous actions: protecting the weak, defending your honor or the honor of an innocent, acting in loyalty to your liege without considering your own interest, attacking a traitor or evil sorcerer. This die increases to a d6 at D template. If you roll maximum on your Questing Die, you cannot use it again until you rest. If you break the chivalrous code, you lose all Paladin class abilities until you complete an extremely difficult quest of penance.

Inspiring Leader: Your allies get +1 to Save vs Fear when within 20 feet of you and your hirelings have +1 morale.

Laying On of Hands: You have a pool of [template] * 2 hitpoints, which replenish every time you rest. When you touch an injured creature, not including yourself, you may heal them by touching them and transferring any amount of these hitpoints to them. Once your pool runs out, you may still transfer hitpoints subtracted directly from your own. Your touch also has a [template]-in-8 chance of curing disease, infirmity, and minor injuries, which may only be attempted once per affliction.

Glorious Visage: You can mantle a golden halo of light at will, which casts light within 5'. While this halo is active, you have +2 to reaction rolls with the righteous, your enemies have -1 morale and must check morale upon seeing the halo, and your allies have +1 morale.

GLOG: The Druid

I had fun writing a Ranger class earlier this week, so I figured I'd try to give a similar treatment to the Druid. I tried to give it an interesting way of switching out spells, allowing great versatility if you can travel freely between holy sites, as well as the standard Druid stuff of turning into animals, talking to animals, and murdering the Archdruid to take their place. I'm not sure how well the spell preparation will actually work in practice, but it will depend heavily on the campaign. The Druid also gets access to some rather powerful and often incredibly destructive spells if they can find great holy sites - not useful in most games, probably, but it's fun to think about. I did steal a good deal from various of  Ursula Le Guin's young adult novels, but that's pretty much a constant with my stuff.

 

Starting Equipment: A stout staff, a fur cloak, a jar of woad, a small bag of deadly nightshade, and a bone dagger.

Skills: Woodlore and 1d3: 1. Medicine, 2. Astronomy, 3. Stone Carving

A: Land's Warden, Wild's Caller, +1 MD

B: Beast's Form, +1 MD

C: Bird's Flight, +1 MD

D: Archdruid's Challenge, +1 MD

Land's Warden: When you spend the night under the stars at a holy site of druidic significance - a standing stone, a great grove of trees, a high hill, or a pure spring - you may choose to prepare a spell. Roll a d4 on the table for that location type. You may cast the spell selected until you choose to replace it with a different spell. If you roll a spell you already have prepared, you may pick the spell above or below. You may have [template]+1 spells prepared at any given time. When you prepare a spell at a location, you also gain the cantrip and drawback of that location type, and lose your previous cantrip and drawback. If you prepare at an incredibly significant location - an immense henge, an enormous ancient tree, a tall lone mountain, or a deep hidden pool never disturbed by the wind, you roll a d6 instead of a d4.

 

Wild's Caller: You know the intentions, wants, and emotions of any wild animal you can see, smell, and hear, and can communicate your own to them wordlessly. When in an area where a certain species of animal might be found, you may attempt to call an individual to you over the course of 10 minutes, with a [6 - HD]-in-6 chance of success (An HD of less than 1 counts as 1). You may ask the animal a favor, which it will always perform if its motives are not in conflict with your own and if the favor puts it at no personal risk. If the favor does require risk, the animal only has a [template]-in-6 chance of agreeing. You have +3 on reaction rolls with wild animals, and domesticated dogs hate you with a passion.

 

Beast's Form: You may, at will, transform into any non-flying animal of your choice that you have seen that has no more HD than [template]. All of your attributes become those of the animal, except for your mental ability scores and your hitpoints (generally, HD becomes the modifier to attack rolls, grappling rolls, Strength checks, etc., unless your DM decides different penalty or bonus is reasonable). Any injuries and hitpoint loss are reflected between forms. If you spend more than [template] hours in animal form per day, you must Save or disappear in the wilderness to live out your years as a beast as you forget who you once were. If you succeed, you must repeat the Save every subsequent hour.

 

Bird's Flight: Your Beast's Form now applies to flying as well as non-flying animals. Every 10 minutes you spend as a flying animal counts as an hour spent as a non-flying animal. 

Archdruid's Challenge: When you wish, you may challenge the archdruid, who is the leader, although not ruler, of all druids. The archdruid may name the terms of the challenge, which must be equal for you both. This is often, but certainly not always, a fight to the death or the submission. If you defeat the previous archdruid, you take their position. As archdruid, you may gather 1d4 level 1 druids to your cause with a day's notice and 2d6+1 with a month's notice. You may also touch an animal's forehead to command it for 1d6 hours, although doing so means that you take -2 on reaction rolls with all animals of that species for the next week.

Location Types

 

All the spell descriptions not included below can be found here.

Stone

 

Cantrip: You may read any text, regardless of the script and language, if you study it for 10 minutes.

Drawback: If you use any metal implements or wear any metal armor, you take 1 damage per round.

1. Detect Magic
   
2. Illusion
   
3. Mending
   
4. Magic Stone
   
5. Wall of Stone
   
6. Doom of Cities
   Casting Time: [dice] days
   Duration: [sum] decades
   Range: [dice] miles
   The area within range is doomed. Plants will wither and die, drought or floods or plague will blight it, cities will burn and crumble. Nothing here shall prosper for the duration. Casting this spell requires a human sacrifice.

Wood

 

Cantrip: You can set and douse small fires with a touch.

Drawback: You cannot not read or write.

1. Entangle
   
2. Find the Path
   
3. Pass Without Trace
   
4. Commune
5. Wildfire
   Casting Time: 1 action
   Duration: [sum] rounds
   Range: 60 feet
   [dice] creatures, plants, objects, or structures within range catch fire. Creatures may Save vs Magic to avoid catching fire, and take [dice] damage per round for the duration (or until they take a round to roll on the ground) on a failure. Plants, objects, and structures burn at their normal rate. This fire is incredibly virulent and will spread at the slightest touch and with the slightest breeze, easily destroying a whole forest or city if allowed to. Water puts it out as usual.
   
6. Grove
   Casting Time: 1 action
   Duration: 3 rounds
   Range: 60 feet
   The area within [dice] * 10 feet of a point within range sprouts trees of a species of your choice. You can choose for this to be an open, airy grove or a dense, tangled one (halved movement speed within). The trees grow to maturity over the duration. Any structures less solid than a 5 foot thick stone wall in the area will be shattered and rent to pieces, while any as sturdy or stronger than that will be weakened and twisted.
   

 

Earth

 

Cantrip: You do not need to sleep, although you must rest for the duration you would normally sleep.

Drawback: If you bathe or wash with water, you lose all your MD until you rest.

1. Mold Earth
   
2. Insect Swarm
   
3. Charm Animal
   
4. Gust of Wind
5. Blight
6. Earthquake
   Casting Time: 1 hour
   Duration: 10 minutes
   Range: [dice] miles
   An earthquake wracks the area around you. [dice] * 25% of the buildings within range are destroyed, mountainsides collapse in landslides, and [sum] earth elementals of various kinds, each with 1d4+1 HD, rise to cause havoc. Within the area, all creatures that walk other than elementals immediately fall prone and must Save vs Magic in order to walk without falling. Anyone inside a collapsing building must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage, taking [dice] damage on a success. Casting this spell requires [dice] * 100 d. of gemstones and precious metals, as well as a sacrifice of at least a chicken (1 MD), a pig (2 MD), a cow (3 MD), or a human (4 MD).
   

 

Water

 

Cantrip: You can cause plants to sprout from the earth around your feet and desiccate living plants with a touch.

Drawback: Edged weapons deal 1 extra damage per die to you.

1. Control Water
   
2. Invigorate
   
3. Hoarfrost Hauberk
   
4. Control Rain
   
5. Hurricane
6. Nature's Mantle
   Casting Time: 1 action
   Duration: [dice] minutes
   Range: Self
   For the duration, your head sprouts antlers, your back sprouts a pair of eagles' wings, your fingers and toes claws, your mouth long fangs, and your skin thick hair. You gain a flying speed of 120', a charge attack that deals 4d6 damage if you've moved at least 30', a flurry of 4 claw attacks and 1 bite attack for 1d4 damage each, and +[dice] AC (you cannot charge and use your flurry of attacks in the same round). All enemies that see you transform must check Morale as well as Saving vs Fear, becoming frightened for the duration on a failure. Dogs flee at the sight of you. You automatically roll maximum on reaction rolls with wild animals, and can speak with them freely. They will obey your every command for the duration.
   

11 Fairies

Dan D. made a very good post about various fantastical beings, and I was inspired to write a post about the various spirits of Carolingia. Unfortunately, I ran out of steam after finishing the fairies, so here they are. I might get around to the others (devils, ghosts, nature spirits, perhaps starspawn) another time.

 

Fairies, the Fair Folk, the Fay: there are many euphemisms, for using the true name of their kindred attracts their attention to you. They have hidden palaces that are not truly of this world and bleed over into others. The more elevated among them value etiquette and rules above all, the lesser are mischievous tricksters. If you eat their food, you must remain among them forever. Iron burns them, salt repels them - they may not cross a line of salt, nor may they enter a house with a horseshoe nailed above the door.

1. Elves. Eerily tall, pastel skin and long metallic hair, glowing faintly in the dark, long fine silks. Their palaces are hidden in the deep woods, where strange old things lurk, and, it is rumored, in the high mountains of the mainland. They are proud and haughty, but unfailingly polite, and are the rulers of all the Fair Folk. The noble courts of the elves are filled with great warriors, learned loremasters, and elegant courtesans, all following strict and arcane rules so old as to be unspoken. Do not incur their wrath - their magics are powerful and subtle, their horses swift and silent, their lances keen and cold. The princes and princesses of the elves arrayed for war is a sight terrifying and beautiful beyond imagination.
   
2. Dark Elves. Short, glimmering jewel-eyes, burgeoning facial and body hair, skin so pale as to be translucent. Their halls are far underground, and protected by monsters of stone. The Dwerrow are the greatest smiths the world has ever known, and will happily make arms, armor, and far stranger things for any who can pay. Their prices are strange and high, and the materials they require are exotic and rare. In demeanor they are precisely opposed to the light elves, boisterous and rowdy and crude, yet no less proud. Their clans are tight-knit and quick to feud.
   
3. Halflings. Short, rotund, rosy-cheeked, hairy-footed, well-dressed. They live in mounds slightly too round to be natural that dot the rolling green hills. If you think you have found one, be careful that it is not an unwholesome barrow instead. The Little Folk are secretive and can move with great stealth. Their footsteps make no sound at all. If they are found, they are kind and friendly, and seemingly unaware that their homely food, like that of all the fay, will bind you to them inexorably. Their keen eyes and powerful throwing arms are without equal.
   
4. Sprites. As large as a man's forearm, mosaic dragonfly wings, wildly styled chromatic hair and tattooed skin. The sprites are the diminutive scouts and assassins of the elves, wardens of the forests. They are even prouder than their masters, taking any slight as a mortal insult. Do not mistake their size for weakness, as their stinging blades bear deadly poisons and their mail can resist a blow from even the strongest of warriors.
   
5. Pixies. As large a sphinx moth, bright butterfly wings that reflect their owner's emotions, bushy antennae, shining gold and silver skin. They are frivolous things, mischievous and friendly and none too bright. Their moods flit and flutter, angry at a moment's offense and cheerfully forgetful the next. They may help a lost traveler or console a crying child but may as easily decide to lead the traveler to a bear's cave or laugh at the child's tears simply because they can. Their magic is small and tawdry, although they can disappear with a giggle and a wink.
   
6. Goblins. No taller than a man's knee, hairy pointed ears, long sharp teeth in a wide red mouth, mossy skin. They are cruel, vindictive sadists, delighting in pain and woe. Goblins can ooze through any crack wide enough to admit air, meld into shadows, and generally get into all sorts of inconvenient places. They love to strangle dogs, poison wells, burn fields, launch ambushes with a volley of stone-tipped spears and then retreat behind their traps, carefully hidden and deadly. Despite their usual caution and secrecy, their drunken revels are loud and obvious, with bright roaring bonfires and no guards, but do beware the pit traps.
   
7. Gremlins. About the size of a badger, long and spindly, dark-furred and winged as a bat, delicate clawed fingers. They delight in havoc and confusion, breaking tools and machinery with a mere touch, driving animals to madness, leading armies astray: the vicious flip side to the whimsy of the pixies. Gremlins are only happy when mayhem reigns. They are terrified of cats, and will run at the mere smell of one. Like pixies, they can become invisible at will.
   
8. Kobolds. Hunched low, great burly arms, coal-black skin, bright indigo eyes, vicious maw, sometimes a blue cap. They find and claim deep mines, haunting the darkness. Collapsing supports, sabotaging waterworks and flooding tunnels, filling vents, snatching an unwary miner who wanders too far, all are second nature to a kobold. If they can force a mine to be abandoned, they are satisfied, and will make it their lair, expanding it into a veritable labyrinth. They will occasionally take pity upon miners and warn them of unstable rock ahead by knocking on the walls of the advancing tunnel.
   
9. Brownies. Fist-sized blobs of mud-brown goop, occasionally showing wide-set beady eyes or a single tooth. Also known as hobgoblins, they live in human houses and halls, doing chores at night while the inhabitants are asleep so long as a bowl of milk is left by the hearth each night for them to drink. They also often pull pranks on lazy servants. They can shapeshift into small animals, such as mice or lizards, and will do so to avoid being seen. If mistreated or offended, they will hide small objects and cause minor inconveniences, and if the ill treatment continues, they will become boggarts, who are larger and far more malicious but otherwise similar.
   
10. Changelings. Occasionally, fairies will sneak into a house and abduct a particularly beautiful human newborn, taking them to an unknown fate. In their place, they will leave a changeling, taking the form of a sickly baby. These children typically die very young, having huge appetites and being prone to illness, but are precocious beyond their years and often talented at magic. If successfully raised to adulthood, many become sorcerers of great skill and wisdom. On even rarer occasions, the fairies will abduct a newly wedded adult, leaving in their place a log enchanted to look and act like the one it replaces, but soon to sicken and die, leaving no trace of the deception.
    
11. Redcaps. Short old men, long-bearded, stooped, large crimson caps, huge fiery eyes, long teeth. Unlike other fairies, they are not harmed by iron, and indeed often wear heavy iron boots or carry iron spears. They haunt old battlefields and ruined fortresses, stalking passers-by. If any rest or sleep in their domain, they tear huge stones from the ground and throw them at the unfortunate victims. If this proves insufficiently fatal, the redcaps will rush in to kick the victims to death with their iron boots or skewer them with spears. Once the slaughter is done, they will soak their caps in the gore of the dead, dyeing them deeper red. They cannot be harmed by any mortal weapon.
    

 

GLOG: Brewing Up a Storm

I wrote a Witch class a while back, and while I think it's pretty decent, the brewing system was pretty much unusable. The ingredients were overspecific, they were sourced from all over the world instead of one reasonable environment, and worst of all, there was no foraging system or indeed any mechanized way of obtaining materials. Here's a replacement, which I think does a decent job of addressing those issues. There's still some specificity in ingredients for some brews, but much less, all of the herbs and many of the other ingredients can be found in Southern England, and there's both foraging and downtime acquisition. A note on currency: "p." stands for pence, and can be converted to sp in a silver standard system or gp in a gold standard system; "d." stands for shilling (the d is from denarius) and equals 12 pence; "s." stands for pound (the s is from solidus), and equals 20 shillings.

Ingredients:

Foraging:

 

For every 4 hours spent foraging for herbs, roll a DC 10 Medicine check. On a success, roll on the Various Herbs table three times. On a failure, roll only once. If you want to find a common plant that isn't on the table (for example, hornbeam wood is used in a potion, but is not on the table), you have a 50% chance of finding one immediately if in the appropriate environment, and will find one in an hour if you don't see one immediately. If you want to find a rarer plant or don't want to leave your herb foraging up to chance, you have a 1-in-6 chance of finding the specific plant you need in 4 hours with a successful DC 10 Medicine check, and no chance at all on a failure.

 

Various Herbs (d20):

1. Bearberry (medicinal)
2. Betony (magical, medicinal)
   
3. Chamomile (infusion, medicinal)
4. Comfrey (medicinal)
   
5. Deadly nightshade (anesthetic, poison)
6. Hellebore (contraceptive, medicinal, poison)
   
7. Henbane (anesthetic, poison)
8. Hyssop (medicinal)
   
9. Lion's mane (stimulant)
10. Mandrake (anesthetic, magical, poison)
11. Mint (infusion)
    
12. Monkshood (medicinal, poison) 
13. Poison hemlock (poison)
14. Pot marigold (medicinal)
    
15. Rowan (magical)
16. Sage (magical, medicinal) 
17. Water hemlock (poison)
18. Wild carrot (contraceptive)
    
19. Willow (medicinal)
20. Yarrow (medicinal)

 

Other Ingredients:

 

For non-plant ingredients, refer to the following table:

 

Ingredient	Cost	Availability
Cedar oil	10 d.	City
Fire salamander	15 d.	City
Glass lens	5 s.	City
Honing oil	1 d.	Town
Pitch	3 p.	Village
Rose oil	1 s.	City
Salt	1 d.	Village
Silk	2 s.	City
Tiger's eye gem	5 s.	City

Iron and silver dust are available anywhere and simply cost as much as the price listed in the brew. Particularly mundane items, such as charcoal, cooking oil, and broomsticks, do not have any cost.

Brews and Items:

 

Brews have three listed components: the ingredients, the brewing time, and the effects. If an ingredient requires heat (i.e boiling water or heated oil), a fire must be lit for the entire duration of the brewing process, and all the liquids involved require a cauldron or other container. The witch doesn't have to personally tend to the brew for the entire duration, only the beginning and end, but someone must be tending it at all times. This list of brews is fairly exhaustive but should certainly not limit you - witches should feel free to make up their own brews and agree with their DM on the effects and ingredients. Don't hesitate to use extremely specific ingredients, especially parts of monsters you've slain. I've simply avoided them for ease of general use.

A potion or other liquid takes up 1/3 of a slot and must be kept in a container to be transported (glass bottles cost 5 d., small waterskins cost 1 d.). Herbs are used according to their descriptions in the above table (lion's mane is a stimulant and sage is magical and medicinal, for example). If more than one herb of a type is required, it must be two different herbs, and one herb cannot fulfill two types. Therefore, an Affirming Brew might use sage, willow, and yarrow for its 1 magical and 2 medicinal herbs - sage is here acting as a magical herb, not a medicinal one, although it can also be medicinal under different conditions.

 

Affirming Brew

Ingredients: Wild carrot, 1 magical herb, 2 medicinal herbs, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 1 hour.

Effects: If consumed once a week for 7 weeks, the drinker's body transforms to have whatever combination of primary and secondary sexual characteristics they desire.

Antidote

Ingredients: 3 medicinal herbs, crushed charcoal, heated vegetable oil.

Brewing Time: 1 hour.

Effects: The drinker, if they are poisoned, must Save vs Poison. On a success, the poison affecting them is ended. On a failure, its effects are halved.

 

Arrow and Blade Poison

Ingredients: Monkshood and 1 other poison herb, heated honing oil.

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effects: This poison can be applied to a bladed weapon or 5 arrows (takes 10 minutes). The first enemy struck by the blade or an arrow must Save vs Poison or take 2d6 damage. 

 

Cloud-Pine Sprig
Ingredients: Mandrake and 2 other magical herbs, a cloud-pine branch (only found in the most remote forests of the distant northeast), 30 d. of silver dust, heated cedar oil, heated rose oil.
Brewing Time: 3 weeks.
Effect: In addition to functioning as a flying broomstick, the witch who possesses this branch may travel as far from their familiar as they wish. Their familiar can speak all the languages they can. 1/3 slot when carried.

 

Contraceptive

Ingredients: 1 contraceptive herb, cedar oil, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 10 minutes.

Effect: The drinker is unable to become pregnant for the next week, and if they are currently pregnant, the pregnancy is terminated. 

 

Curing Infusion

Ingredients: 2 medicinal herbs, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 1 hour.

Effect: The drinker receives +2 to their daily Con check if they are internally diseased.

Curing Poultice

Ingredients: 2 medicinal herbs, a bandage, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 1 hour.

Effect: The person it is applied to receives +2 to their daily Con check if they have an infected wound or skin disease, or it provides +2 to Medicine checks to avoid complications from wounds on the recipient.

 

Enduring Torch

Ingredients: 2 magical herbs, pitch, silk, conifer branch.

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effect: This torch burns for 4 hours and remains on fire for 1 minute when immersed in water. 1/3 slot.

 

Fast Poison

Ingredients: 3 poison herbs, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effect: The drinker must Save vs Poison or take 2d6 damage.

 

Flying Broomstick

Ingredients: Mandrake and 2 other magical herbs, a broomstick, 1 s. of silver dust, heated cedar oil. 

Brewing Time: 2 weeks.

Effect: The witch who created this broomstick may use it to fly by expending one MD and a paste of dried mandrake per hour aloft. They may carry at most 3 slots of gear and their familiar with them. This can also be made with a mortar and pestle instead of a broomstick. 1 slot.

 

Herbal Infusion

Ingredients: 1 infusion herb, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 10 minutes.

Effect: Restores 1d4 hitpoints. No one can gain hitpoints from it more than once per day. Must be drunk hot. Honey provides +1 healing.

 

Invigorating Brew

Ingredients: Lion's mane, 3 medicinal herbs, and boiling water.

Brewing Time: 24 hours.

Effect: Restores 1d8 hitpoints.

 

Magic Oil

Ingredients: Rowan and 1 other magical herb, salt, 10 d. of iron filings, heated honing oil.

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effect: The blade this oil is applied to (takes 10 minutes) deals magic damage for the next 24 hours. 

 

Painkiller

Ingredients: 2 anesthetic herbs, 3 medicinal herbs, and boiling water.

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effect: The drinker either regains 1d6 hitpoints or can ignore one injury or disease for an hour. If taken more than twice per hour, it instead functions as a potion of sleep. 

Philter of Charming

Ingredients: Deadly nightshade and 1 other anesthetic herb, 2 magical herbs, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 24 hours.

Effect: The drinker must Save vs Magic or suffer the effects of charm person as if cast by the first person they see.

 

Potion of Disenchantment

Ingredients: Rowan and 1 other magical herb, salt, 10 d. each of silver and iron dust, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effect: The drinker of this potion has all magical effects currently affecting them removed, except for curses which cannot be removed by remove curse.

 

Potion of Healing

Ingredients: 4 medicinal herbs, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 24 hours.

Effect: The remaining healing time of one injury is reduced by half. At the DM's discretion, brews containing herbs with specific associations may have improved effect on the appropriate injuries: comfrey for broken bones, for example. 

Potion of Invisibility

Ingredients: Henbane, 3 magical herbs, a glass lens worth at least 4 s. (not consumed), boiling water.

Brewing Time: 1 week.

Effect: The drinker becomes invisible for 1 hour.

Potion of Ironskin

Ingredients: 1 anesthetic herb, 1 magical herb, hornbeam wood, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effect: For the next 4 hours, the drinker's AC increases by +1 and they gain resistance to slashing and piercing damage. 

 

Potion of Protection from Fire

Ingredients: Rowan and 1 other magical herb, crushed charcoal, a fire salamander, boiling water. 

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effect: For the next 4 hours, the drinker gains resistance to fire damage. 

 

Potion of Sleep

Ingredients: Chamomile, 3 anesthetic herbs, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 8 hours.

Effect: The drinker must Save vs Magic or fall asleep for 1d6 + 4 hours. On a roll of 6, they never wake up. 

 

Potion of Transformation

Ingredients: 2 magical herbs, a limb of the desired animal, rose oil, 1 s. of silver dust, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 24 hours.

Effect: The drinker must Save vs Magic or transform into the desired animal permanently.

 

Potion of Truesight

Ingredients: Wild carrot, 2 magical herbs, tiger's eye gem, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 24 hours.

Effect: For the next 4 hours,  the drinker sees all things as they truly are.

Rune of Protection

Ingredients: Rowan, sage, either betony or pot marigold, 10 d. each of silver dust and iron filings.

Brewing Time: 3 days.

Effect: The wearer is constantly under the effect of the sanctuary spell and has +1 Save. The first time a creature succeeds on their Save vs Magic for the spell or the first time the wearer fails a Save, the rune crumbles into dust. Fairies and elves automatically fail their Save against sanctuary so long as the wearer has not harmed or offended them. 0 slots.

Slow Poison

Ingredients: 2 anesthetic herbs, 3 poison herbs, boiling water.

Brewing Time: 24 hours.

Effect: Every hour for the next 6 hours, the drinker must Save vs Poison or take 1d6 damage.

 

Other Notes:

 

If you're using this in a game without a specific class that brews things, or if you want your non-witch PCs to be able to brew things as well, consider limiting the brews each character knows. The whole list has a lot of options, and this is both very powerful by virtue of versatility and extremely daunting. PCs should definitely be able to collect herbs and brew potions during downtime with less granularity than in regular play, but my rules for that are going to be tied into my as-yet unfinished domain rules, so I'm not including anything here, except for the suggestion that a small garden might grow 5 portions of 5 different herbs during a season and a large garden might grow 10 portions of 5 herbs or 5 of 10.

Religions of Carolingia

This post was originally going to have mechanics allowing every single PC to potentially gain divine blessings (with a material sacrifice in the case of Aeternean polytheism and a HP cost for Sjóhaf-Lofthimn).

Aeternean Polytheism

There are two main religions in Carolingia. The first, we'll call it Aeternean polytheism, after the fallen empire it came to approach its present form in. It has many hundreds of gods worshiped in many hundreds of places, as it is the main religion of the majority of Carolingia, but there are several listed here who are extremely popular. Aeternean polytheism has a very strong monastic tradition. Nothing presented here is an absolute truth but is generally a common belief in the time the game is set in. Players should certainly feel welcome to create their own minor gods or their own traditions about worship of other gods, although veneration is owed to all gods by all.

Medeis-Arvum

Medeis-Arvum is the Twofold God and ruler of all the gods. They are a manifestation of two separate beings, Medeis and Arvum. Medeis is the goddess of magic and stars; Arvum is the god of the earth and fertility. Portrayals in various myths present them as a singular being, spouses, siblings, mortal foes, or some combination of the above. They are usually reserved and noble.

• Sacred Objects and Symbols: Staffs, wands, jays, jewels, and rowans for Medeis; axes, lions, elephants, wheat, and laurels for Arvum.
• Preferred Sacrifices: Honey, passerines, magical items and bronze for Medeis; wine, sheep, farming equipment, and platinum for Arvum.
  

Proellia

Proellia is the goddess of war and the sea. She is often portrayed as a daughter of Medeis-Arvum, and is married to Amare. She is usually kind, respectful, and fierce.

• Sacred Objects and Symbols: Spears, slings, falcons, gulls, ships, and cedars. 
• Preferred Sacrifices: Mustelids, arms and armor, ships, and steel.

Amare

Amare is the goddess of love and practicality. She is generally the daughter of Caelos and a wind-nymph, and is married to Proellia. She is usually arrogant and faithful.

• Sacred Objects and Symbols: Ropes, knives, carts, cats, and willows.
• Preferred Sacrifices: Spirits (alcohol, not ghosts), cows, fine cloths, high fashion, and gold.

Venatus

Venatus is the god of hunting, trees, and the moon. He is generally considered to have been born of a lightning bolt hitting a fir tree and is married to either Caelos or Fidea (occasionally both). He is usually angry and intelligent.

• Sacred Objects and Symbols: Bows, lances, horses, hawks, the moon, and all trees (but especially beeches and spruces).
• Preferred Sacrifices: Cider, wheat, hunted game, and silver.

Caelos

Caelos is the god of the sky and of artisans. He is often portrayed as a son of Medeis-Arvum, and is often married to Venatus. He is usually inveterately unfaithful and righteous.

• Sacred Objects and Symbols: Javelins, eagles, crows, amethysts, looms, and firs.
• Preferred Sacrifices: Perfume, incense, goats, tapestries, and arsenical bronze.

Fidea

Fidea is the goddess of honor, fealty, and loyalty. She is generally the twin sister and foe of Medeis, and is often married to Venatus. She is usually condescending and honorable.

• Sacred Objects and Symbols: Swords, arm-rings, dogs, horns, and cypresses.
• Preferred Sacrifices: Mead, boar, pigs, dogs, statuary, swords, and gold.

Shamolis

Shamolis is the goddess of the sun, fire, and of song. She is originally of Limosian origin, and a relatively new introduction to Aeternean religion. She is generally born of an ash tree, and is usually proud and reckless.

• Sacred Objects and Symbols: Clubs, chariots, cheetahs, stringed instruments, and sunflowers.
• Preferred Sacrifices: Deer, antelopes, chariots, instruments, and electrum.

Luitgarda

Luitgarda is the Quadian queen who, some 40 years ago, established the Aeternorum sive Quadiorum Imperium (Empire of the Aeterneans and Quadi). Since her death, she has become the object of a great deal of reverence. She had several husbands in life, outliving all of them, and a raven companion supposedly sent to guide her by Proellia, who she is often associated with.

• Sacred Objects and Symbols: Lily flowers, ravens, aquamarines, swords, and heather.
• Preferred Sacrifices: Flowers, antelopes (especially chamois), aquamarines, and weaponry.

Sjóhaf-Lofthimn

Sjóhaf-Lofthimn is the bitheistic religion of much of the far south of Carolingia. It is named for the twin Gods it worships (capital G because this is most certainly not a polytheistic religion): Sjóhaf, God of the sea, and Lofthimn, God of the sky. The two deities have somewhat different domains, with Sjóhaf's including war and fertility, and Lofthimn's including magic and poetry. All faithful of this religion are followers of either Sjóhaf or Lofthimn depending on whether they were born during the day (Lofthimn) or night (Sjóhaf), and have an ethereal animal spirit accompanying them from birth, although it's almost never visible. Followers of Sjóhaf can have sea animals, followers of Lofthimn can have air animals, and both can have land animals. Making this animal manifest and able to interact with the world takes an extreme toll both physically and mentally, and as your companion dies when you do, only the extremely hardy and strong of will (read: those with enough HP to not immediately die) can generally use their animal companions to much effect.

Humans are viewed as inhabiting the neutral ground (land) between the holy domains of the sea and the sky. Sjóhaf and Lofthimn are simultaneously foes, lovers, and, according to some, the same being. Their worship is not an organized faith by any means, so there's a profusion of beliefs and ethical stances all falling under its name. Generally, there is belief in reincarnation upon death, the holiness of righteous sacrifice and death in battle, and in the holy joy of singing.

GLOG: Mage Spells

Why did I decide to do this to myself? Who knows. But here it is! All of the Mage spells except for those which are already set out in the Witch Spells or Chanter Spells. As usual, there was a good deal of crowdsourcing from the GLOGblins of the OSR Discord.

Acid Splash
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] * 2 rounds
Range: 60'
All creatures within 5' of a point within range must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage, and take [dice] damage on each subsequent round for the duration unless they wash the acid off.

Catapult Element
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 0
Range: 120'
You fling a significant amount of any element other than air or lightning towards a target within range. The target must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage and suffer an additional effect based on the element you flung. Water: Target is stunned for [dice] rounds. Earth: Target is winded and has disadvantage on all rolls for [sum] rounds. Fire: Target is burned and takes +1 damage from all sources for [sum] days. Wood: Splinters strike all adjacent creatures for [dice] damage. Metal: Target takes [sum] additional damage. Acid: Target is covered in acid and takes [dice] damage at the start of each subsequent round for [dice] rounds unless they wash the acid off. On a successful Save, the target takes only half of [sum] damage and the secondary effect is not inflicted.

Chain Lightning
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 60'
[dice] + 1 creatures are struck by a bolt of lightning hopping from one to the next, the first of whom must be within range, and all the others of whom must be within 30' of the creature prior to them, must Save vs Magic. On a failed Save, each creature [sum] damage.

Circle of Death
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Duration: Indefinite
Range: 0
You inscribe a large rune (at least 1' across) on a surface. Any creature, except for any you designate to be immune (who must be present when you cast the spell), that comes within 5' of the rune must Save vs Magic. On a failure, if they have less than [dice] HD, they die, and if they have more than [dice] HD, they take [sum] * 2 damage. Once the spell has killed or dealt damage [dice] times, the rune disappears and the spell ends. In order to cast this spell, you must have [dice] * 50 d. worth of silver dust, 10 d. worth of chalk, a cypress twig, and an animal sacrifice of at least a chicken.

Cloak of Darkness
Casting Time: 1 minute
Duration: [dice] hours
Range: 5'
The area within 5' of you becomes shrouded in magical shadows. You can see out of this darkness, but only to a distance of 30'. Any creatures outside the darkness when it was cast must Save vs Magic to even notice its presence. If they do succeed the save, they still only perceive a sphere of darkness. If a creature comes within the area of the darkness after it was cast, if they failed their Save they only notice a chill and unsettling sensation. All creatures who were within the darkness when it was cast can perceive the darkness and move at double normal speed while still within the darkness. Non-magical light cannot penetrate this darkness, and magical light can only penetrate it if it is from an effect with more MD than this spell was cast with (DM's discretion for non-spell magic).

Cone of Cold
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 30' cone
All creatures in range must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage and be slowed by [dice] * 5' for the duration. All water in the area is frozen over.

Consuming Shadows
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] rounds
Range: 60'
You create a sphere of complete magical darkness within range, with a radius of [dice] * 5'. Every round a creature starts in the darkness, they must Save vs Magic or take [dice] damage and gain a -1 cumulative penalty to all rolls for 1d4 days. Non-magical light cannot penetrate this darkness, but any magical light can.

Control Water
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 0
Range: 30'
You can waterbend control any water within range that is not inside a creature. You can freeze, melt, or move up to [dice] ^ 3 cubic feet of water or ice (hitting somebody with this water is Save vs Magic or [sum] damage, freezing them in place is a Save vs Magic to avoid getting trapped and a Save vs Magic each round to escape), or turn [dice] ^ 3 cubic feet of water into ([dice] ^ 3) * 5 cubic feet of fog.

Crown of Madness
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] rounds
Range: 60'
A creature in range goes mad as a crown of iron wraps itself around their head. For the duration, they must Save vs Magic at the start of each round. On a success, they can act normally. On a failure, they move to the nearest creature and melee attack it.

Crown of Stars
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] hours
Range: 120'
[dice] * 2 small stars appear circling your head. You can, as an action, fire a star at a creature within range, which must Save vs Magic or take [sum] / 2 damage. You cast light in a radius of 10' times the number of stars remaining.

Dancing Lights
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] minutes
Range: 60'
You summon [dice] * 4 balls of light, each of which can be any color of your choice, each at a point of your choice within range. For the duration, these balls cast light within 10', and you can move them 30' per round so long as they remain within range.

Darkness
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 60'
You create a sphere of complete magical darkness within range, with a radius of [dice] * 10'. Non-magical light cannot penetrate this darkness, and magical light can only penetrate it if it is from an effect with more MD than this spell was cast with (DM's discretion for non-spell magic).

Darkvision
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] minutes
Range: 0
For the duration, you can see through both non-magical and magical darkness.

Elemental Familiar
Casting Time: 8 hours
Duration: 0
Range: 0
You summon an elemental spirit with [dice] HD. This spirit is intelligent, speaks the languages you do, and will do your bidding, but it may have its own agenda as well. This spirit can be of one of the base 4 elements (air, water, earth, fire) at 1 MD, of those, wood, or metal at 2 MD, or of those, acid, or lightning at 3 MD. At 4 MD, you can pick 2 elements. Casting this spell requires [dice] * 10 d. of silver dust, an animal sacrifice of at least a chicken, and an environment containing a significant amount of the chosen element. 

Enthrall
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 60'
[dice] creatures of your choice within range who can see you must Save vs Magic or become enthralled for the duration. While they are enthralled, the only creature they can perceive is you, and they must successfully Save vs Magic in order to attack you every time they wish to do so. If they are harmed or affected by another creature, they are no longer enthralled.

Fear
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] rounds
Range: 60'
[sum] creatures of your choice within range who can see you must Save vs Magic or flee from you in fear. While afraid, they have disadvantage on all rolls and must use all of their movement to get away from you. Once they are no longer in your line of sight, they may Save vs Magic at the end of each round, ending the effect on a success.

Feign Death
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] hours
Range: 0
[dice] willing or unconscious creatures you touch fall unconscious if they were not already and appear completely and entirely dead, even to magical detection, for the duration.

Find Familiar
Casting Time: 8 hours
Duration: 0
Range: 0
You summon a spirit in the form of an animal with no more than [dice] HD. This spirit is intelligent, speaks the languages you do, and will do your bidding, but it may have its own agenda as well. You can also bind a creature of no more than [dice] HD you already have a close bond with to you with this spell. This creature does not become intelligent, but it becomes able to understand you in the languages you speak and will do your bidding. Casting this spell requires [dice] * 10 d. of silver dust and an animal sacrifice of at least a chicken.

Fireball
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 0
Range: 90'
All creatures within 20' of a point in range must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage. All flammable objects within the area are set on fire.

Floating Disk
Casting Time: 1 minute
Duration: [sum] hours
Range: 0
You create a floating disk of magical energy, which follows 10' behind you. It can carry [dice] * 10 slots worth of items.

Forcecage
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] hours
Range: 60'
You can create a cage of almost invisible, impenetrable magical energy enclosing [sum] creatures. These creatures can Save vs Magic to escape the cage when it first appears. Creatures attempting to teleport into or out of the cage must first Save vs Magic. The cage cannot be damaged by non-magical means, and has [dice] * 4 HD.

Gust of Wind
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 0
Range: 30'
You create a strong wind 5' wide and [dice] * 30' long at a point in range. All loose objects weighing less than [sum] * 50 lbs are thrown to the end of the wind, and all creatures in the area must Save vs Magic or be thrown to the end of the wind as well. If the thrown objects and creatures hit a solid object as they are thrown, they take 1d6 damage per 10' they are moved before hitting. You can also use this spell when you are hit by a ranged attack to negate [sum] damage. If you negate all of the damage, the attack is redirected to its source.

Hoarfrost Hauberk
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] hours
Range: 0
You sheathe yourself in a spiked cuirass of ice. This cuirass has [sum] hitpoints, which take damage that would otherwise have damaged you. If an enemy hits you with a melee attack while any of these hitpoints still remain, they take [dice] damage.

Hurricane
Casting Time: 1 hour
Duration: [dice] hours
Range: [dice] miles
You summon an enormous swirling storm around yourself. [dice] * 20% of the buildings, developed land, and vegetated areas within range are devastated or destroyed by flooding and high winds over the course of the spell. There is a calm area within 100' of where you cast the spell. While in the area of the storm, no ranged attacks can be made and movement speed is halved due to winds, there may be dangerous flooding or landslides, and the strength of all magical wind and lightning effects is doubled. Casting this spell requires [dice] * 100 d. of fine wine and a sacrifice of at least a chicken (1 MD), a pig (2 MD), a cow (3 MD), or a human (4 MD).

Imp Familiar
Casting Time: 8 hours
Duration: 0
Range: 0
You summon an imp with [dice] HD. This imp is intelligent, speaks the languages you do, and will follow your commands precisely     to the word, but it may have its own agenda as well. The imp has [dice] / 2 MD (round down), which are expended on any use and regenerate over a week, not a day, and knows [dice] random Demonic Mage spells. Casting this spell requires [dice] * 20 d. of silver dust and a sacrifice of at least a chicken (1 MD), a pig (2 MD), a cow (3 MD), or a human (4 MD).

Mage Hand
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 60'
You create a spectral floating hand at a point within range. The hand is under your direct control. It can move 30' in a round, and can lift at most [dice] * 5 lbs. If wielding a one-weapon, it deals 1d6 damage with a to-hit bonus of 1 + the weapon's to-hit bonus. The hand has 1 HD and an AC of 13.

Magic Missile
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 0
Range: 60'
You create [sum] arrows of magical energy, which each hit a target of your choice within range (you can hit a single target more than once if you wish), dealing [dice] damage.

Magic Stone
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] hours
Range: 0
You touch [sum] small stones and turn them into +1 magic weapons. Rocks are base -2 grapple weapons with -1 thrown 20/60, and the stones can also be used as ammunition for a sling.

Magic Weapon
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] rounds/minutes/hours/days
Range: 0
A weapon you touch is turned into a +1 magic weapon for the duration. If you cast this spell with 4 MD and also expend rowan ash, tea tree oil, salt, iron filings, and 100 s. of silver and gold dust, it is permanent.

Mold Earth
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 0
For the duration, you can shape the earth with your bare hands. Each round, you can displace [dice]^3 * 125 cubic feet of earth, or [dice]^3 cubic feet of stone.

Ray of Frost
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] rounds
Range: 90'
You shoot a ray of cold at a target within range. The target must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage and suffer a debuff based on hit location for the duration. 1d4: 1. Head, -[dice] on Saves. 2. Torso, lose 1 HD permanently. 3. Arms, -[dice] on attack rolls. 4. Legs, -[dice] * 10' movement speed.

Ray of Sickness
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] rounds
Range: 90'
You shoot [dice] rays of sickening energy at [dice] targets in range. Each target must Save vs Magic or take [dice] damage and become sickened for the duration. The target receives a -1 to-hit and AC penalty each round they are sickened (the penalty lasts for [sum] days), and may Save vs Magic at the end of each round to end the effect.

Ritual of Lichdom
Casting Time: 24 hours
Duration: 0
Range: 0
You must cast this spell with at least 4 MD. You take [sum] damage and automatically trigger a Necromancer Doom. When you trigger the final Necromancer Doom, instead of dying as you normally would, you become a lich. Casting this spell requires a stone altar, a ritual circle of sycamore ash and at least 1000 d. of silver dust, a dagger worth at least 1000 d., and at least 100 human sacrifices. In addition, for the final casting of this spell to be successful, someone must let your blood with the dagger upon the altar as you cast the spell and you must have a phylactery worth at least 5000 d.

Scorching Ray
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 0
Range: 90'
You shoot [dice] rays of heat at [dice] targets within range. Each target must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage. If you target a flammable object, it instantly bursts into flame.

Speak With Elements
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 0
For the duration, you can speak to [dice] elements of your choice: air, water (including ice), earth (including stone or magma), fire, acid, lightning, wood, and metal. These elements may not be friendly or helpful, but they remember everything which has happened in their vicinity for as long as they have been in their current form and state of matter.

Starlight Lance
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] rounds
Range: 120'
You launch a javelin of hard light at a target within range. The target must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage and be launched backwards [dice] * 10' to the ground or until they hit a wall, where they are fixed in place for the duration. Each round they are fixed in place they may Save vs Magic, escaping once they have succeeded [dice] times. The javelin casts light in a 10' radius.

Summon [creature type]
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Duration: 0
Range: 0
You summon a random [creature type]. The creature has HD determined by dice invested: 1 die for 1d6 HD, 2 dice for 1d8 + 1 HD, 3 dice for 1d10 + 3 HD, and four or more dice for 1d12 + [dice] HD. If you know the true name of a specific [creature type], you can instead summon it directly, as long as the dice you invested allow a creature of that HD to be summoned. The creature makes a reaction roll to determine its feeling about being summoned, unless it would clearly feel a specific way about it already. As part of casting this spell, you can expend 100 d. of silver dust or salt, 10 d. of chalk, 5 candles, and the blood of a freshly killed humanoid to create a magical circle. If you do so, the summoned creature is trapped within the circle until you release it. You may banish the summoned creature at any time while you can see it, although if it is unwilling to be banished you must first Save vs Magic. If you fail the save, you cannot banish the creature.

Unseen Servant
Casting Time: 1 minute
Duration: [sum] hours
Range: [dice] * 60'
You summon an invisible, intangible servant. It will do your bidding and can perform any and all unskilled mundane tasks at the speed a human could perform them. It cannot take harmful action and cannot go further than the range of the spell away from the location where the spell was cast.

Vampiric Touch
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 0
Range: 0
One creature you can touch must Save vs Magic or take [sum] damage. You regain hitpoints equal to the damage dealt.

Wall of Force
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] minutes
Range: 60'
You create an almost invisible, impenetrable wall of magic within range. This wall can be in any shape with an area of [dice] * [dice] * 100 square feet. It cannot intersect any creature, but may intersect and go through inanimate objects. If you enclose a creature, they can Save vs Magic to escape. This wall cannot be damaged by non-magical means, and it has [dice] * 3 HD.

Wall of Ice
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: Indefinite
Range: 60'
You create a thick wall of ice within range. This wall can be in any shape with an area of [dice] * [dice] * 200 square feet, and it is [dice] * 5' thick. It cannot intersect any creature. If you enclose a creature, they can Save vs Magic to escape. Each 5' by 5' pillar of ice has 5 HD. The wall lasts until it melts.

Wall of Light
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [sum] minutes
Range: 60'
You create a wall of blinding light in a color of your choice within range, which casts light 30'. This wall can be in any shape with an area of [dice] * [dice] * 100 square feet. It cannot intersect any creature, but may intersect and go through inanimate objects. If you enclose a creature, they can Save vs Magic to escape. Physical objects and magical effects can pass through this wall. If a creature passes through the wall, they are blinded for [dice] rounds and must Save vs Magic or take [dice] damage.

Wall of Stone
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: Indefinite
Range: 60'
You create a wall of stone within range. This wall can be in any shape with an area of [dice] * [dice] * 50 square feet, and it is 2' thick. It cannot intersect any creature. If you enclose a creature, they can Save vs Magic to escape. Each 5' section of wall has 7 HD and can't be damaged by martial weaponry. Pickaxes deal 1d6 damage.

Werelight
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] hours
Range: [dice] * 10'
You create a light which hovers over your shoulder. It casts light within range, although you may dim it to cast light within a smaller radius of your choice at will, as well as brightening it up to its maximum radius.

GLOG: The Chanter

This class is my take on the bard, I suppose, although it doesn't have too much in common with your more stereotypical D&D bard (a good thing, in my view). It's inspired by the Earthsea Cycle and the works of Tolkien. In fact, probably half of the spells are pretty much directly inspired by the Lay of Leithian, specifically Finrod's song-duel with Sauron as well as Luthien's magic. 

What is a Chanter? 

Chanters are the collective memory of a society. They remember the tales of yore (with only a touch of embellishment) and recite them as both inspiration and entertainment. The most skilled chanters can weave magic into the very fabric of their poetry, changing the world with a word.

Starting Equipment: A small harp or other portable instrument (bodhran, tambourine, pennywhistle, lyre), any weapon (3 javelins count as one weapon, ranged weapons come with 20 ammunition), and a small shield.

Skills: Poetry and 1d3: 1. History, 2. Religion, 3. Folklore

Poetry as a skill encompasses not just writing poetry but improvising it on the spot and performing it. Epic poems are typically performed with musical accompaniment, which you are also capable of providing.

Damage: 1d6

A: Spellcasting, Epics, +1 MD
B: +1 MD, +1 Spell, +1 Epic
C: +1 MD, +1 Spell, +1 Epic
D: +1 MD, +1 Spell, +1 Epic

Spellcasting: Your spells are you exerting your will directly on the world through the power of your voice. Most are Songs, which have effects over a duration, but you also have some Words, which take place instantaneously. You can only maintain one Song at a time, but you can weave a Word into a Song to cast it while still maintaining the Song. All your spells must be heard by the target to be effective. You know two spells from the first six on the list, and gain one more at each further template of Chanter (from the first 8 at B, first 10 at C, and all 12 at D). Your spells can cause Mishaps, but you are not Doomed as a Mage or Witch is.

Epics: You can perform epic poems laced with magic. You can perform these special Epics as many times in a day as you have templates in this class, and your party cannot benefit from any one Epic more than once a day. They take an hour to perform and do not cost any MD to perform at base strength, but you can use MD to enhance their effects. You know two Epics, and gain one more at each further template of Chanter. You are encouraged but not required to come up with the name and general story of the epic you're reciting.

Cantrip: If you perform a suitably cutting and insulting poem to the person it insults, they must Save vs Magic or break out in boils on their face. Creating a poem this insulting requires either a DC 16 Poetry roll or writing the poem yourself.

Spells: 
1. Song of Slaying
2. Song of Staying
3. Song of Charming
4. Song of Restoration
5. Song of Protection
6. Song of Slumber
7. Word of Beauty
8. Song of Freedom
9. Word of Pain
10. Song of Strength
11. Word of Death
12. Song of Whelming

Mishaps:
1. Take 1d6 damage.
2. Take +1 damage from all sources for the next hour.
3. Fall unconscious for 1d4 rounds.
4. Shatter all easily breakable objects within 30 feet.
5. Lose your voice for 1d4 days.
6. Every creature within 50 feet must Save or be deafened for 1d8 minutes, you included.

Epics:
1. Epic of Hope
2. Epic of Endurance
3. Epic of Glory
4. Epic of Noble Sacrifice
5. Epic of Trickery
6. Epic of Magic

Spells

Song of Charming
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 30'
[sum] people in range must Save vs Magic or regard you with admiration and respect for the duration. They will not take hostile action against you while charmed.

Song of Freedom
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] rounds
Range: Self
For the duration, physical bonds cannot hold you, magical bonds or mind-altering effects have a 4-in-6 chance of not affecting you, and previously locked objects have a 3-in-6 chance of opening to your touch.

Song of Protection
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 30'
For the duration, [dice] creatures in range have +2 AC and +1 to all Saves against physical harm.

Song of Restoration
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 30'
For the duration, [dice] creatures in range gain 1d4 hitpoints every minute and, if affected by a harmful condition, may make an additional Save against that effect every minute.

Song of Slaying
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: Self
For the duration, you have +1 to-hit, +1 damage, +1 AC, and proficiency in wrestling if you did not already have it. You cannot do anything other than slay your foes, but you may cooperate with your allies towards that goal. If one of your allies damages you or interferes with your slaying, they are now a foe.

Song of Slumber
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 30'
[dice] creatures in range must Save vs Magic or fall asleep for the duration. They will awake if any hostile action is taken against them, or if they are touched. If you simultaneously perform a dance, the targets have disadvantage on the Save.

Song of Staying
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 30'
For the duration, [dice] creatures in range have +[sum] to all Saves and cannot fall unconscious or be incapacitated in any way.

Song of Strength
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: Self
For the duration, you have +[sum] to all Strength and Constitution checks you make, as well as +1d4 damage on melee attacks.

Song of Whelming
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 30'
You attempt to subject a creature within range to your force of will. They are incapacitated for the duration, although they can still talk or sing. They Save vs Magic each round, and are able to act as normal that round on a success. If they succeed [sum] saves, they break free of the spell. If they fail 5 saves, they fall unconscious.

Word of Beauty
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] minutes
Range: 60'
For the duration, a creature within range is supernaturally attractive and charming, no matter their condition (injured, unkempt, exhausted, ill-tempered, none of it matters). Creatures who wish to attack you must Save vs Magic. On a success, they have +2 to-hit because you're busy being beautiful, but on a failure they cannot harm you. You have a [dice] bonus to reaction rolls.

Word of Death
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 0
Range: 60'
A creature within range who has no more HD than [dice] must Save vs Magic or die.

Word of Pain
Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: [dice] * 3 rounds
Range: 60'
A creature within range who has no more HD than [dice] * 2 must Save vs Magic or become wracked with agony. For the duration, they have -2 on all rolls and must Save vs Pain each round or be unable to act.

Epics

Epic of Endurance
Everyone you perform to is reinvigorated and regains 1d8 hitpoints. If you invest MD, they also gain [sum] hitpoints.

Epic of Glory
Everyone you perform to is encouraged to glorious feats and gains +2 to improbable but heroic actions for the next 4 hours. Hirelings also gain +1 morale for the next 4 hours. Investing MD gives +[dice] to both bonuses.

Epic of Hope
Everyone you perform to is heartened and gains +1 Save for the next 4 hours. Hirelings also gain +1 morale for the next 4 hours. Investing MD gives +[sum] / 2 to Save.

Epic of Magic
Every caster you perform to feels a resurgence of magic and rolls one of their depleted MD, regaining it on a 5 or 6. If you invest MD, they can reroll an additional [dice] depleted MD.

Epic of Noble Sacrifice
Everyone you perform to is inspired to heroic sacrifices and gains +2 Save vs Fear for the next 4 hours, as well as gaining +1 to-hit, +1 damage, and +1 AC when below 5 hitpoints for the same duration. Hirelings also gain +1 morale for the next 4 hours. Investing MD gives +[dice] to the morale and Save bonuses.

Epic of Trickery
Everyone you perform to is stimulated to imagine feats of cleverness and imagination, gaining +3 to all rolls involving a clever and tricksy plan.