Alright here is a hopefully final draft including a few fronts that Aern would use. I am going to see what will happen if I went with a variety of shades of green for the text boxes for continuity.
Aern
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Aern
Race: Changeling
Class/Level: Bard 5
Alignment: Neutral
Size:Medium
Height: variable
Weight: variable around 130
Speed: 30’ walk
Str 10 +0
Dex 12 +1
Con 12 +1
Int 14 +2
Wis 10 +0
Cha 17 +3
Fort 2 = 1+1
Ref 5 = 4+1
Will 4 = 4+0
BAB +3 Ranged +4 Grapple +3
AC 11 = 0 + 1
HP 25
Weapons & Damage
Code:
[B]Skills[/B] total ranks skill mod
Balance (Dex) [B]5[/B] = 4 + 1 +
Bluff (Cha) [B]9[/B] = 4 + 3 + 2
Concentration (Con) [B]9[/B] = 8 + 1 +
Diplomacy (Cha) [B]6[/B] = 3 + 3 +
Disguise (Cha) [B]15[/B] = 2 + 3 + 10* +
Escape Artist (dex) [B]4[/B] = 3 + 1 +
Gather Information (Cha) [B]7[/B] = 4 + 3 +
Listen (Wis) [B]4[/B] = 4 + +
Perform (Cha) [B]11[/B] = 8 + 3 +
(Stringed Instraments)
Perform (Cha) [B]6[/B] = 3 + 3 +
(Sing)
Sense Motive (Wis) [B]9[/B] = 7 + + 2
Search (Int) [b]7[/b] = 5 + 2
Sleight of Hand (Dex) [B]5[/B] = 4 + 1 +
Tumble (Dex) [B]6[/B] = 5 + 1 +
64 Total Skill Points
Magic Items Cost & Book
Vestment of many styles 500 Races of Eberron
Magic Bedroll 500 MIC
Everfull Mug 200 MIC
Everlasting Rations 350 MIC
Eternal Wand of Cure Light Wounds 820 MIC
Handy Haversack 2000 DMG
Eq
Masterwork Lute
Masterwork Mandolin
Masterwork Fiddle
Silver Dagger
Club
Short Sword
Candle
Chalk 3 pieces
Flint & Steel
Mirror Small Steel
Oil (1-pint flask)(x2)
Sewing Needle
Whetstone
Ever Burning Torch
Explorers Outfit
Travelers Outfit
feats
(Flavor)Able Learner RoD, (Flavor)Investigate – ECS, 1st Extended music – Cad, 3rd Song of the Heart – ECS
Bard Spells
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0 level
Dancing Lights
Mending
Prestidigitation
Ghost Sound
Detect Magic
Mage Hand
1st level
Distort Speech
Cure Light Wounds
Expeditious Retreat
Feather Fall
2nd level
Detect Thoughts
Shatter
Insidious Rhythm
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Bard special abilities
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Bardic Knowledge
A bard may make a special bardic knowledge check with a bonus equal to his bard level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the bard has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)
A successful bardic knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A bard may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.
DC Type of Knowledge
10 Common, known by at least a substantial minority of the local population.
20 Uncommon but available, known by only a few people legends.
25 Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.
30 Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don’t understand the significance of the knowledge.
Bardic Music
Once per day per bard level, a bard can use his song or poetics to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired). While these abilities fall under the category of bardic music and the descriptions discuss singing or playing instruments, they can all be activated by reciting poetry, chanting, singing lyrical songs, singing melodies, whistling, playing an instrument, or playing an instrument in combination with some spoken performance. Each ability requires both a minimum bard level and a minimum number of ranks in the Perform skill to qualify; if a bard does not have the required number of ranks in at least one Perform skill, he does not gain the bardic music ability until he acquires the needed ranks.
Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. Even while using bardic music that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), spell trigger (such as wands), or command word. Just as for casting a spell with a verbal component, a deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use bardic music. If he fails, the attempt still counts against his daily limit.
Countersong (Su)
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to counter magical effects that depend on sound (but not spells that simply have verbal components). Each round of the countersong, he makes a Perform check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Countersong has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves. The bard may keep up the countersong for 10 rounds.
Fascinate (Sp)
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and able to pay attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.
To use the ability, a bard makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the song, taking no other actions, for as long as the bard continues to play and concentrate (up to a maximum of 1 round per bard level). While fascinated, a target takes a -4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the bard to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.
Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Courage (Su)
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.
Inspire Competence (Su)
A bard of 3rd level or higher with 6 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his music or poetics to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard. The bard must also be able to see the ally.
The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the bard’s music. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. A bard can’t inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability.
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The many faces of Aern
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Aerndel Barrne -
Lime
Aerndel is a soft spoken Templar of the Church of the Silver Flame. He is loyal to a fault to Cerril Maise gathering information for her. He often does not know the use of the information nor does he question the request for information. He has a network of informants and spies that serve the Silver Flame even if by loyalty of coin. He is a strange Templar as he is a Bard, though he passes as a poor soldier or minor cleric. Due to his soft spoken nature many tend to not know where to place him, or feel ill at ease as he watches and saves his council for Cerril Maise alone.
Aerndel is remarkably nondescript. Average height, standard cut hair, brown eyes & hair. The most notable thing about him is how unremarkable he is. His soft spoken nature tends to set him apart in the company of soldiers, even those of the Silver Flame.
Aern -
Green
Is an informant of the Silver Flame. He is a man who’s very existence is a rumor. He is spoken of as an informant, but often any information through skeptical sources that was yet still sound tended to be attributed to him. Rumor has it that Elder Nevillom speaks with him directly and receives the information of this mysterious man.
If you have a description of Aern please submit it to the Chapterhouse in Newthrone as Cerril Maise is desiring of any information of this man.
Friar A’brt -
YellowGreen
A devout and outspoken man of the cloth loudly proclaiming the Grand News of the Silver Flame! Denouncing those who may speak ill of the Church His sermons are not yet of renown, but he is a raising star in church with a few eyes watching his progression.
Friar A’Brt is a gaunt man who’s robes drape on him as if he had missed several months of good meals. In fact when he does sit with any given group he insists on eating sparingly suggesting that the Silver Flame is providing him with all the strength that he needs. When pressed he will eat broths, gruels and mushes tending toward the unremarkable foods ordering that the excess of what would have been cooked be given to the needy of the local population. The top of his head shines in the sunlight and a the right angle the blond hair that cups the back of his head disappears giving the impression that he is bald, and he very well may be in the next few years as far as those who’s lives he touches can tell.
Astryl Firebow -
SeaGreen
A bard that will bring the roof down with her fiddle travels the land on itchy feat. She may stay in any given place for as little as two days to several months. She travels where she may and always finds a welcome when she draws her bow across the strings of her fiddle. She has left a trail of broken hearts and noses as she wanders the lands.
Astryl is a beautiful woman with a mane of fire red curls. Her green eyes show a long road walked though the smile on her face or the banter in her voice may say otherwise. She has curves in all the right places and has been known to draw the ire of women as the stares of men tend to linger. Her outfits tend to cling though always seem to flow.
John Doe (random misc guy) Whatever green fits my fancy at the time.
Any Miner/worker/stable hand/serf that Aern finds necessary to be to gather information.
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Let me know what you think and I can post this over in the rogues gallery.
But you make a good point about third level spells, too; a lot of them look pretty handy. I'm thinking at this point I might forego the flavor-Barbarianing and instead incorporate Donovan's scrapper nature into his feats: i.e. give him feats that reflect his early tendency to wade into the middle of a crowd and take a lot of hits for the good of others. Here's a skeleton of what I'm thinking of. Let me know what you think:
