Honouring the Host

With this spell a bard can temporarily either greaten or depreciate the reputation of his host, in the eyes of the present witnesses.

Celtic Druids and the Tuatha de Dannan

By Dominique Crouzet

Enchantment (Charm)

Level: Bard 1, Satire 1
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Close (60 feet)
Area: all listeners in a 60 feet radius.
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Bard customarily cast this spell to -thank- their host (either for good or ill). In fact, it is a Celtic tradition for bards to praise the one who hosted them, in exchange for the food and lodging they get. And in fact, nobles often support bards not only for entertainment, but also to promote their glory. As such, bards typically better praise their host when they are well treated. Everyone well knows that a poorly received bard could easily tarnish one’s fame. Nonetheless, this spell is by no way limited to a bard’s host. It may be cast on anyone, in any circumstances, provided the target and audience are listening to the caster and have no more urging matters at hand (like a combat).

This spell affects both the target of the spell and the audience. The caster must first attract the attention of the audience, during which he casts the spell. Then, he must pronounce a spirited praise or insult, which thus requires he succeeds a Perform check against a DC=20 (taking +10 is possible, but requires 10 minutes of speech/song instead of a single sentence in one round). And the audience must make a Will saving throw. The spell effect is of altering the mood of the audience toward the target (or the bard), as relevant to the Perform and Will save results:

• Praise; Perform succeeded and Will-save failed. The audience’s reaction toward the target of the praise is shifted one factor closer toward a “Friendly Attitude” reaction. The target’s reaction toward the bard is shifted one factor closer to a “Friendly Attitude” reaction, if the target fails a Will save.
• Praise; Perform and Will-save succeeded. No reaction from the audience; the target’s reaction toward the bard is shifted one factor closer to a “Friendly Attitude” reaction, if the target fails a Will save.
• Praise; Perform failed. No particular effect.
• Insult; Perform succeeded and Will-save failed. The audience’s reaction toward the target of the insult is shifted one factor closer to a “Hostile Attitude” reaction. The target’s reaction toward the bard is shifted one factor closer to a “Hostile Attitude” reaction, if the target succeeds a Will save.
• Insult; Perform and Will-save succeeded. No reaction from the audience; the target’s reaction toward the bard is shifted one factor closer to a “Hostile Attitude” reaction.
• Insult; Perform failed. The audience’s and target’s reaction toward the bard is shifted one factor closer to a “Hostile Attitude” reaction. Otherwise, while the above effects only have a duration of one hour per level of the caster, the GM should keep in mind the role-playing consequences of the use of this spell. A clever use could help bring down someone’s position, while a disastrous use may get the bard into trouble.

Material Components: none per see, but the bard must have his Musical instrument and play it, to be able to cast the spell.