Song of Songs

The Song of Songs, the music of nature, the song of life, the world song, the llano, whatever you want to call it, it has many names but only one form.  Creatures of nature often hear the music inherent in the leaves of trees and the flow of rivers.  Some children of the woods can use parts of the song of songs to create magical effects.  Bards sometimes hear fragments of the world song and are captivated by its beauty and seductiveness.  Mortals can sometimes gain insight into the song of life but the journey is never easy and it is always fraught with danger.

Bard, Druid, and Ranger character get a chance as they advance in levels (see the Character section for levels and DC) to learn fragments of the song of life.  Those who roll a 1 on their wisdom check suffer the madness that the music of nature can bring upon the seekers.  When a natural 1 is rolled on the wisdom check, the character must immediately make a Will save (DC 25) or suffer -2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, and become obsessed with living amongst secluded groves or glades.  The obsessed characters will be unable to function when in crowded settings suffering a -2 to all skill checks and attack rolls.

Those who make their roll gain insight into the song of songs and gain some special knowledge or special ability due to their understanding of the mythic music.  Bards roll 1d10 and add the number of previously successful Wisdom checks for the song of songs to find out what they learn.  Druids roll 1d20 and add the number of previously successful Wisdom checks for the song of songs to find out what they learn.  Rangers roll 1d10 and add one half of their class level to find out what they learn of the song of songs.
 
 

S-1
Roll Effect
1-15 You gain knowledge of a new spell of a level you can cast if you are a Bard.  You gain the ability to cast one extra spell per day of the highest level that you can cast of you are a Druid or Ranger.
16-20 You gain knowledge of some secret.  You are totally unable to impart this understanding on another being but the knowledge is immediate.  (See table S-2 for Knowledge Gained.) NOTE:  Not all possible knowledges gained are listed.  DMs are encouraged to add their own knowledges.
21-25 You gain some kind of spell like ability.  This ability is usable only once per day.  The ability can be activated as a free action by simple concentration.  (See table S-3 for Ability Gained.)  NOTE:  Not all possible abilities gained are listed.  DMs are encouraged to add their own abilities.
26-30 You gain a supernatural or extraordinary ability.  These abilities can be activated at will and there is no limit on how many times they can be activated.  (See table S-4 for Ability Gained.)  NOTE:  Not all possible abilities gained are listed.  DMs are encouraged to add their own abilities.
31+ This level of understanding is only open to Bards.  Non-bards roll twice more and ignore a result of 31 or greater.   A bard who gets a roll this high gains a fuller understanding of the song of songs and can emulate portions of it.  These special songs may only be sung (or played) once per day.  A bard can attempt to sing a song more than once per day but must make a Perform check (DC 30) or lose his voice for one week.  If the check is failed by more than 5, the character strains his voice (or fingers) and suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to all Perform checks.  This penalty lasts until a Heal is cast upon the character.  (See table S-5 for Song Gained.)

 
 
S-2
Characters chose one of these knowledges. 
The character hears the location of one of the lost elemental shrines.  These shrines impart some kind of temporary magical effect on those who visit the shrine.  (Examples:  Darkvision for the next week, +2 Constitution for one day, Heal while visiting the shrine.)  Visiting or using the shrine may be hazardous.
The Song imparts upon the character a greater understanding of the world.  The character gains +2 enhancement bonus to all knowledges.
Within the song lies a hidden truth.  You know now something that was a mystery to you before.  Gain 3 ranks in a skill that you currently have none in.
The song teaches those who are willing to listen.  Gain any one feat.
Hearing such a beautiful melody has granted you an inner resolve.  Gain a +1 enhancement bonus to Strength.
Hidden knowledge passes through the wind.  You know how to craft one magical music instrument.  This instrument can have a simple magical effect equal to any first level arcane spell.  Crafting this magic item requires experience costs but takes one full month and exotic materials that cost 10,000 gold pieces.
Natures song has given you greater insight into the secrets of nature.  You gain a +3 bonus to your Wilderness Lore checks.
Secrets are often carried on the winds.  This is what many of the wise women say and it tends to be true.  You know the location of some lost artifact or major magic item.  The location is revealed but recovery could be complicated by monsters or natural hazards.
Truth comes in many forms and if you listen to the whispers of nature and heed their call, your life will be healthier and happier.  Gain a +1 enhancement bonus to Constitution.
The will of nature shall be done.  You gain a companion.  This companion is a natural animal of no more than one half of your Hit Dice.  This companion is similar to one gained using the Animal Friendship spell.  The companion has a +4 enhancement to Intelligence and shares an empathically link with you.

S-3
Roll
d10		 Effect
1 Detect Magic
2 Detect Poison
3 Detect Undead
4 Create Water
5 Know Direction
6 Pass without Trace
7 Speak with Animals
8 Hypnotism
9 Message
10 Sanctuary

S-4
Roll
d10		 Effect
1 Pass without Trace
2 Speak with Animals
3 Tree Stride
4 Water Walk
5 Flame Walk
6 Barkskin (+3 natural armor), always active
7 Tree Stride
8 Meld into stone
9 Speak with Plants
10 Freedom of Movement, always active

S-5
Roll
Song

Effect   Special Note

1
 Song of Summoning You can summon any nature spirit or elemental of up to your hit die.  The creature summoned will stay for as long as the character sings plus an additional 5 rounds.  The creature will perform any simple task that you have in mind when you sing the song of summoning.
2
 Rend the Fabric This song can conjure up an outsider.  Once summoned, you can ask a service of the outsider but it isn't compelled to perform the action.  The bard should be ready to bargain with the outsider for the requested action.  The outsider will stay for 24 hours or until the service is completed.
3
 Steal Power This song is a much feared song of nature.  When this music is heard, all creatures other than the bard must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or suffer negative levels equal to the bards Charisma modifier.  Undead who hear the song are commanded or destroyed as if the bard was a cleric.  3d6 plus class level worth of HD of undead are commanded or destroyed by this spell.
4
 Create Form Also called the Song of Shaping, this music allows the bard to form inanimate material into any form desired.  The Bard can shape up to one cubic foot per level.
5
 Breath of Life This song raises dead creatures or coaxes elemental spirits to animate inanimate constructs giving it a semblance of life.  The bard can raise a creature as if he had just cast the raise dead spell.  Elemental spirits can be coaxed to animate the inanimate.  Treat these creations as objects under the animate object spell.  If the construct is humanoid shaped, it can pass as human in appearance only.  The construct has an effective Intelligence of 3 and can be mistaken for childlike in mentality.
6
 Nature's Wings When this song is sung, you can travel anywhere in the world at the speed of the wind.  The bard goes slightly into the ethereal plane but can still see things normally in the material world.  The bard simply thinks of the direction she wishes to go and then goes in that direction at an astonishing 100 miles per hour.
7
 Shifting Melody When this song is sung, the bard can shift into any other plane of existence as if he was casting plane shift.  The bard is capable of taking up to 5 other people with him on these journeys. 
8
 Discord This rather potent weapon forces all creatures to return to their natural form.  This effects creatures under the effect of polymorph and shapechange as well as natural and supernatural shapechanging abilities.  Creatures forced to assume their natural form are stunned and unable to act for three rounds.  Outsiders are immediately banished by this song.
9
 Control This song is capable of compelling any one person to act out the lyrics of the song.  If the bard uses music instead of song, the words must still be spoken.  When the words are said, the victim of the song must make a Will save (DC 30) or he is forced to do exactly what the lyrics say.
10
 Vicious Circle This is the ultimate song against spellcasters.  While this song is being sung, all spells cast at the bard are reflected back at the original caster.
Note:  All songs may only be learned once, if a bard rolls the same song again, reroll until a new song is heard.

 

Once a character learns all 10 aspects of the song, she gains insight into the nature of the world rivaling that of the gods.  Characters thus blessed/cursed change to type Outsider.  Their knowledge has granted them so much power that they can now perform Miracles with their song.  At this point, the characters are akin in power to the gods.  DMs are encouraged to make the character an NPC since their abilities will undoubtedly overbalance the campaign.  Druids and Rangers often become scions of their deities and go to join them in their native planes.

 

Bard Druid Ranger