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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pinotage" data-source="post: 2892762" data-attributes="member: 15194">Bardic Lore: Ogham is a pdf product from Highmoon Media Productions, one of several in the Bardic Lore series. This pdf details something not all that common in d20 products - the ancient written alphabet and language called Ogham. It's a 12 page pdf written by Daniel Perez, of which 11 pages are devoted to the content. This pdf normally retails for $1.50. This review was done as part of Crothian's Review Project.Disclaimer: The reviewer is a d20 freelance writer and editor but is in no way affiliated with the publisher of this product. Every effort has been made by the reviewer to ensure that this is an impartial review.Initial Impressions:Highmoon Media Productions do a good job of presenting a solid looking pdf with good-writing, suitable art and solid layout. The pdf is also fully bookmarked, and comes as a single pdf which should be relatively straightforward to print due to its size. A lot of the material in the pdf is drawn from real-world references to the Irish written language of Ogham, and these references are included in the pdf. Those DMs that do which to use the pdf will presumably find more valuable information in those texts.The Details:Bardic Lore: Ogham details the nature and uses of the ancient language Ogham. In our world a language of druids, Celts and Irish, Ogham consists of a number of lines running in different orientations around a central foundation line. It's use in historic and ancient times was limited to short inscriptions, mainly on gravestones or as memorials and other things such as country borders that require short names. Each character of the Ogham alphabet is associated with a particular tree, and a full table is provided to summarize all the important characteristics of this language.The pdf provides detailed information on the language, its origins and history, its uses, and its structure as can be found in ancient and modern times. Photographs are used to illustrate some of the Ogham stones found in the past and even used to present day. While the details of the language are usable in itself for those DMs wishing to add some flavor to a campaign or a more Celtic feel to druids (Ogham is aimed at being a secret language like Druidic), the pdf goes further in describing the potential magical nature of the language in a fantasy game.Mechanically, these Ogham words and characters can be carved into mainly stone through the use of a feat not dissimilar to a combination of Scribe Scroll and Craft Wondrous Items. Ogham can be used in a variety of different ways, one of them being to inscribe Ogham markers akin to standing stones. Examples of these are given, such as the Ogham Stone of Protection that can offer a variety of different protective spells depending on the Ogham inscription. Ogham tree markers are also presented, essentially small charged Ogham stones that grant a variety of abilities related to the tree named after the Ogham letter in question. Examples include the Beith tree that allows a user to Empower Enchantment spells, and Ruis tree that allows the user to Extend Necromancy spells.The pdf concludes with a description of the Scribe Ogham feat and its uses, including characteristic and uses of Ogham stones. Unlike feats like Scribe Scroll and Craft Wondrous Item, Ogham actually requires some of a character's life force in the form of hp to use. These cannot be regained until a particular Ogham stone (whether charged or single use) has been expended. While this may be some sort of 'balancing' factor, it's probably more of a deterrent to use than anything else. Most characters would probably not want to expend a few hp which they can only regain if they actually use what could be a infrequently used spell on an Ogham stone. Lastly, it includes a nice little metamagic feat, Curse Spell, that allows a character to add the effects of a bestow curse spell to any spell they cast.Conclusions:Bardic Lore: Ogham presents the details of the ancient Irish language of Ogham. It provides a solid layout and presentation to accompany a good and detailed background of the language. This is expanded upon further in game terms to make magical inscriptions based on the Ogham written alphabet and the mystical power associated with each letter of the alphabet and its associated tree. It's a solid pdf, although in the end perhaps not something that is going to be very useful to many. While any DM can take it and create something flavorful in a written language, the magical nature is mainly something that's going to be used by druids or perhaps bards. Given the mechanical requirements of the feat to scribe Ogham markers, many druids would be hard pressed to choose between it and Scribe Scroll, for example. Use from a flavor point of view is good, but mechanically it's not something I can see being used frequently. Based on solid layout, presentation, good flavor and detail, but less useful mechanics, I'd grade this pdf with three stars.</blockquote>

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