Troubadour

Originally on the Terra Viejo Website

The knight on the eternal quest, love that can only realized at great danger, journeys through strange magical lands. These are the tales of the troubadour, and they have inspired generations of nobles, townsman and peasants alike to give up their mundane lives and seek adventure for themselves. Who would know more of adventure and romance then the troubadours who write of them?

William the IX, Duke of Aquitaine and grandfather of the famous Eleanor, was the first widely known troubadour. In the centuries since his poems where first sung troubadours have introduced the ideals of chivalry and courtly love to courts across Europa. A troubadour seeks to use her verse to record and encourage heroic acts and romantic passions. She is an advocate of courtly love and an active participant in courtly life, a master of the magic that verse and song can produce and very capable of engaging in her own chivalrous and noteworthy adventures. Many troubadour tales are autobiographical in nature.

While bards, with their gift of clarity, are the most likely troubadours, many a knight and aristocrat as well as paladins, and even sorcerers,
rogues, rangers and wizards, have taken up the life of the troubadour. Whoever they are however, they must travel to one of the courts of the great magnates of Southern Gallia, and show their devotion to the ideals that troubadours espouse, and proficiency in the skills being a troubadour requires. If they are lucky, and find a willing teacher, they soon begin telling their own tales of knights with lions, ladies in lakes who keep ancient magical swords, and queens who love their champion not their king; and know of what they speak.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Troubadour, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
Alignment: Any Non-evil
Feats: Clarity
Skills: Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 9 ranks, Perform (oratory) 4 ranks, Perform (stringed instrument) 4 ranks, Ride 3 ranks, Speak
Language (Romansh), Read/Write (Romansh)

Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: The Troubadour’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are are Bluff (Charisma), Concentration (Constitution), Decipher Script (Intelligence), Diplomacy (Charisma), Gather Information (Charisma), Knowledge (any, taken separately) (Intelligence), Listen (Wisdom), Perform (Charisma), Profession (Intelligence), Read/Write, Ride (Dexterity), Search (Intelligence), Sense Motive (Wisdom), Speak Language, Spellcraft (Intelligence), and Use Magic Device (Charisma)

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4+Intelligence Modifier

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Bard Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Troubadour Tales, Armored Casting	+1 level
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Bonus Feat	+1 level
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Composition	+1 level
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Bonus Feat	+1 level
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Double Composition	+1 level
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Bonus Feat	+1 level
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Master Composition	+1 level
8th	+6	+2	+6	+6	Bonus Feat	+1 level

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Troubadours are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the lance, light crossbow, long sword, short sword, and short bow. They are also proficient with light and medium armor and shields.

Bard Spells per Day: The Troubadour cast spells like a Bard of the same level. If already a Bard, then each time the Troubadour gains a level, their casting level and spells per day increase as if their Bard level increased by one.

Troubadour Tales: The Troubadour may know obscure things about the knights of the Round Table, Charlemagne’s paladins, and other heroes, as well as the less heroic aspects of the court life, culture and history of Western Europa. The Troubadour can make Bardic lore checks involving Britannia, Gallia, or Iberia, including history, heroes, and things related to nobility and royalty. The Troubadour adds his Charisma modifier and Troubadour level to the other modifiers for the check.

Armored Casting: The Troubadour’s percentage chance of arcane spell failure when casting spells with somatic components while wearing armor is reduced 20%. The standard penalty for using a shield still applies.

Composition (Su): At 3rd level, once per week, the Troubadour can write an inspiring composition, normally a poem. The Troubadour must put some of herself in the composition, loosing 100 XP. The composition affects one recipient chosen by the Troubadour, who must hear or read the composition, and know the language it is recited or written in. Afterwards, for two days per Troubadour level, the Troubadour receives a +3 to all Charisma checks involving the recipient. Alternately, the recipient can be inspired as if they where hearing the Troubadour Perform Bardic music. This also lasts for one day per Troubadour level and can provide the same benefits of any inspire the Troubadour can Perform with Bardic music.

Bonus Feat: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th level the Troubadour can take one of the following as a bonus feat provided she meets the prerequisites: Armor Focus (any), Lionhearted, Mounted Combat, Ride by Attack, Spirited Charge, or Skill Focus with any class skill.

Double Composition: Starting at 5th level the Troubadour can create up to two compositions a week.

Master Composition: Starting at 7th level, once per month the Bard can compose a master composition, at the cost of 500 XP. This works the same as composition; however this composition can affect two persons or creatures per Troubadour level.

Paladin Troubadours: paladin Troubadours add their Troubadour level to their paladin level to determine the properties of their special mount. A paladin can take levels in Troubadour and then resume taking levels in paladin