Building Bhakashal - The Sova
Art By Vyacheslav Safronov
Artstation - https://www.artstation.com/vyacheslav_safronov
Bhakashal has it’s version of the 1e AD&D bard, like the AD&D version, it is a triple class PC, that passes through levels of mercenary (fighter) and spider (thief), and then begins as a Sova, a bard, gaining phantasmist (illusionist) spells.
The Sova starts out in the employ of a Noble House, and progresses as a mercenary for as many as 5 but no more than 7 levels of experience. It is expected that while working for a Noble House as a House guard they will spend a good amount of time in the arena. A Sova needs to be exceptional at combat.
Once they have finished their levels as a mercenary, they generally travel and level as a spider, again, somewhere from 5th to 7th level. They are gaining experience of foreign cultures, learning to find their way in other lands, and to handle themselves on their own.
They will then return to their House, and begin to level as a Sova. They will take on missions from their patron, and the goal will be for them to go to faraway lands and learn about them, as well as meeting powerful factional leaders of these lands. They are usually given some sort of seal or sign of their status at the House, and are given permission to make offers of trade, whether in information, goods or skilled practitioners. The goal is to form alliances, but also to get access to spaces of power in the lands of other nations.
Speaking on behalf of powerful warlocks and Houses in Bhakashal gets them audiences with powerful rulers, if possible in their non-public chambers, for as phantasmists they can recall what they have seen and heard and create illusions of it. Also, when they return to Bhakashal, their patrons can have them use crystal balls, clairaudience and clairvoyance spells to scry on those leaders they have seen, as well as on any part of the foreign nations that the Sova has seen.
They are also repositories of knowledge about strange animals and monsters, any of these creatures they have seen, they can create illusions of, their knowledge of these creatures is of great value to the Noble Houses.
Sova are the “eyes and ears” abroad for the Bhakashal noble houses, and they are assigned to places for years on end to gather information. Their thieving skills allow them to get access to places they would otherwise be barred from. Once they have been in a place, they can either reproduce it with illusions or scry upon it when back home on behalf of their patrons. They also act as liaisons and peacemakers in the outside world, trusted as neutral parties and able to persuade groups on both sides to make agreements.
PCs who wish to be Sova’s can go on long trips to foreign lands as part of their missions, or they can be used for information gathering more locally if the party wants to stay in the area. In the city as well as abroad, Sovas are noble house spies, using their spider and phantasmist abilities to sneak into places that their patrons want to be able to scry, rivals at other houses, important strongholds, etc. They are used as information gatherers and spies, either locally or abroad. They also entertain the troops, and serve in the military during conflicts with parties outside of the city, formidable in battle, stealthy, capable of deception using their illusory abilities, and inspiration to the troops, Sovas are welcome additions to any military force.
Sovas do not only gain tactical information and familiarity with important strategic locations on behalf of their patrons, they also gather lore about other societies, Sovas are all sages, with one major and one minor field, and two areas of specialization in their major field. When they travel to other lands they gather information related to their fields as well as general information about other cultures.
Statistics
Sovas progress as mercenaries first, with all the abilities, the HD,
weapon proficiency and attack bonus adjustments of that class.
They then progress to Spider, and the same rules apply.
The rules below are for their status as Sovas.
Sovas have a d6 for HD
They gain a +1 every 2 levels on their attack bonus
Stat minimums of STR 12 INT 15 DEX 16 CON 10 CHA 15
They gain additional proficiency slots every 3 levels and
have a -2 non-proficiency penalty
They progress a level by earning an experience score
of [4+Current Level]
Spells
Sovas progress as Phantasmists, and gain all of
their abilities
Sovas generally sing their illusions for illusions
with verbal components, for stealthy illusions
they can whisper, or in extreme cases sub-vocalize,
but in most cases they will sing as they create illusions.
If they use their musical instrument while casting,
it will either add ½ times the duration to the spell,
½ x range or ½ x AOE, and all saving throws
(if applicable) are at -2.
When they first start out, Sovas will be given 3
phantasmist spells, one offensive, one defensive,
and the other miscellaneous.
Sova experience level for the purposes of spell
casting and all varieties of charm is considered
to be their level as a Sova plus the highest of their
two other class levels (mercenary or
spider, whichever is higher, if they are
equal, it is their level in both classes + 1,
e.g. a Sova that was a 5th level mercenary
and a 5th level spider would cast as if they
were 6th level plus their level as a Sova.
A Sova that progressed to 5th as a mercenary
and 7th as a Spider would cast as if they were
7th level plus their level as a Sova
Sovas can cast 1 phantasmist spell per day
per level + INT bonus, and have success/fail,
reverse/harmful odds for casting all spells:
odds of successful casting equal to “to know”
percentage +4% per level, reverse/harmful odds
for failed casting are 5% per level of spell.
Musicianship and Oratory - In addition to phantasmist spells,
Sovas have proficiency with instruments, song and oratory,
they can be used to both inspire, influence and charm.
Inspiration: When playing their chosen instrument,
those aligned with the Sova will gain a +20% + 1% per
level bonus on their morale rolls. In addition, they will
gain a +1 to hit, and +1 on saving throws while the
Sova is playing
Influence: When playing or when engaged in oratory,
the Sova can influence crowds of people, even if they
begin as hostile. The Sova can apply their Encounter
Reaction bonus + 2% per level to reaction rolls. When
influencing an aligned crowd, this bonus doubles. When
influencing a neutral crowd, this bonus applies directly,
when starting with a hostile crowd, they suffer a
penalty of -10 to -30 against their bonus, depending
on the hostility of the crowd. On a neutral or mild
positive roll, the Sova can continue to persuade the
crowd, on a mild negative roll they will have to cease
and withdraw or suffer a double penalty on the next roll.
On a strong negative roll, they will be attacked or at the
least silenced. Once a single strong positive roll for a crowd
that started neutral, or two successive strong positive rolls
for a crowd that started hostile, they will have influenced
the crowd to their view. The referee may assign bonuses
of no more than +5% each for individual factors, say a
particularly persuasive argument or external factors that
might favor or harm their case.
Charm: The Sova can use their instrument, singing or
oratory to charm targets, all in hearing range are
susceptible, to a maximum HD of the Sova’s
level (count 0-levels as ½ Hd for these purposes).
Charm Percentage - Base 30% + Sova Level + CHA Encounter Reaction bonus
Humanoid targets - A successful charm
attempt works as a Charm Person
spell with no save, duration as indicated by the spell.
After the charm breaks, if the Sova did not harm
those charmed, or force them to do things against
their will, they will not be badly disposed toward them.
If not, an encounter reaction roll should be made
at -10% to -30% depending on the nature of what
they were charmed to do to determine their reaction.
Animal Targets - A successful charm attempt works
as an Animal Friendship spell with no save, duration
as indicated by the spell. After the charm breaks,
the rules are the same as for humanoid targets above.
Monster Targets - A successful charm attempt works
as a Charm Monster spell with no save, duration as
indicated in the spell. After the charm breaks,
the rules are the same as for humanoid targets above.
Musical Instrument
Most Sova’s will, in addition to developing oratory and singing skills, play an instrument, you may choose by playable group (as each has preferred instruments), you can pick what fits your character concept, or you can dice for the result. The table reflects the distribution of expertise with the listed weapons in the game world at large.
Musical Instruments (d100)
NOTES to the Musical Instrument Table
[1] An instrument of the Yalan, it is a large glass jar with multiple branches emerging from the top. To play it, the amasfole is filled with water, a fire is lit beneath the instrument, and you regulate the steam that emerges from the pipes with discs you hold in your hand.
[2] A Urdyll instrument, it consists of a steel “bowl” held in one hand and a steel ball for the other, the ball is striated with holes, striking the ball to the bowl makes high pitched notes that cascade through heavier notes
[3] The Malu created the Ghallug, it takes the form of two nested steel spheres, the outside sphere 1’ in diameter, you shake the spheres and they make vibrations that sound like booming in air but sound like rain underwater
[4] A Rakasta instrument, a brass sphere with 6 brass chimes hanging from it, the sphere is grasped in one hand while the chimes are struck with a crystalline rod, the combination of rod and chime sounds seems to hang in the air
[5] This Togmu instrument consists of a set of “pan pipes” where the pipes themselves have intricate carvings on the inside of the pipe tubes and are connected to rollers so they can be spun while they are blown into, muting, magnifying or changing the tone of the sound
[6] An Urdyll instrument, it consists of a cluster of ribbon like wires emanating from a palm sized hollow globe, the wires are connected to a loop at the end, the musician strikes the wires with a small rod
[7] The Chitin created the Umarak, a lyre like object that requires 4 hands to use, two to hold it and move it as you play it and two to work the strings. As a result only Chitin Sova’s can use this instrument.
[8] Created by the Saan, this instrument consists of a leather sac attached to a set of intertwined custom wooden pipes shaped like vines, the sac is squeezed to engage the pipes. It produces mournful, resonant sounds
[9] The Jugyi have created a harmonica called a Xama made out of brass that has intricate vanes inside and is lined with a special moss Jugyi cultivate in their gardens, this gives the instrument a deep, resonant vibration
[10] A traditional Kutya instrument, the yomai is a pair of crystalline rods that are struck against each other to make strange, high pitched sounds that are blended together to produce subtle harmonies. The instrument will also produce sounds only the Kutya can hear, layered amongst the sounds that others can hear
[11] An instrument of the Urdyll, it is a 3 foot long sword perforated with “tubes” through the blade, used in pairs, the swords are swung around in circles and patterns to make sounds
Sage Abilities
Sova are scholars dedicated to gathering knowledge for their Houses, as such each Sova is a sage with a Major field, a Minor field, and two areas of specialization in their Major field
Sage Major and Minor Fields of Knowledge (d100)
Sage Categories with Specializations
Chance of Knowing Answer to a Question
NOTES
All sages have a 31-50% chance of answering a general question outside of any of their fields, and a 11-20% chance of answering a specific question outside of any of their fields.
