Velu`Tael, The Blade-Singer

Of the Roving elves there are few so deadly as the Blade-Singer. They are the masters of their weapons and have spent their lives in the study of their chosen weapons. They have also learned to cast spells while engaging in combat, and thus double their might. While some elves stay at home to defend the elven way, these Weaponsmaster/Mages go out and actively promote it. They do this by seeking out their race's foes and eliminating them, either through words or actions. Acting as both diplomats and one elf armies, they ensure the safety of the elven race. Not only must they advance the cause of elvendom somehow at all times, they must also lend aid to any elf in need. Unless the elf is proven to be an enemy of the elven way of life, the blade-singer must sacrifice life and limb to save that elf's life. Of course, the blade-singer is free to determine whether there is in fact an elf in danger. Too many times other races have tried to eliminate the blade-singer menace through illusion and trickery.

The Bladesinger is a master of the ancient Elven martial art known as the bladesong.

Bladesong - Querim`hinuel

The most famous martial tradition of the elven nations, the Bladesong is also one of its most cherished. The bladesong is a legendary style taught only to elite elven warriors. The style relies on speed and agility, with a special emphasis on slashing attacks dealt with dizzying accuracy. The style receives its name because of the particular sound the fighter makes when whirling the sword in wide arcs, and because of his disquieting tendency to sing to the rhythm of his thrusts and parries. Seen as an art as well as a means of cultural preservation, the Bladesong style descended from what was once purely a warrior tradition in the days when the elven people first picked up arms to defend themselves. Nothing in elven culture remains untouched by the need for beauty, and this inevitably includes their war arts. The natural grace and internal resolve of the elves turned this technique into an art unto itself. The original form of the Bladesong was created when elven warriors combined their love of dance and song with their beautiful fighting and preternatural grace. Their dancing attacks and the fluid motions of their slim long swords, coupled with their haunting war songs, provided economy of motion and confused enemies in combat. Traditionally, the Bladesong is practiced only by elves that have sworn to uphold the virtues of elven society. Few non-elves learn this style because most other races lack lifespan long enough to allow an apprentice to earn the absolute trust of a Bladesong master.

Special Abilities:

Initiate (Singing Sword)- The first ability a bladesong warrior learns is to trust in the movements of his sword. He lets it go its way at the end of his arm, letting its own weight trace arcs as he spins and moves in the first intricate steps of the bladesong dance.
Benefit: As long as the warrior fights with only a sword in one hand, he gains a competence bonus to his parry equal to his pp bonus.
Note (Discordant Note)- The practitioner has learned to sing to the rhythm of his fighting, not fight to the rhythm of his singing. The constant humming can lull an enemy into complacency, leading him to expect a thrust when singing a certain note. The bladesong practitioner can then sing an attack when one does not come and vice versa.
Benefit: While singing and fighting with a sword in one hand, the bladesong warrior can make a Singing skill roll to perform a feint as a move-equivalent action, instead of as a standard action. A successful feint negates the opponent's PP bonus to parry/dodge for the next attack.
Chord (Sustained Tempo)- The rhythm of the warrior's blade as it flashes around is a dizzying spectacle that, once it strikes, enemies find it hard to avoid again. The warrior flicks his wrist in a way that the sword appears to move away, but instead just wins momentum for another strike.
Benefit: On a critical hit, the warrior adds an extra dice of damage equal to his weapons die (1d8 for long swords, ld6 for short swords) in addition to the critical hit's double damage.
Bar (Metal Rhythm)- The bladesong warrior in Bar status is a true beauty to behold in combat. Not only does the whistling of his sword complement his own singing, but also his movements synchronize perfectly with his attacks, and even the blocking of an enemy's attacks is part of the song. The warrior can then mark the rhythm of the battle, striking at his enemy's weapon on purpose in order to maintain the song and counterattack with greater effect,
Benefit: By taking a full melee round attack action, the warrior can sacrifice all of his attacks for the round to automatically parry any enemy attack in that round, Then in the next melee round the bladesong warrior gains a +4 strike bonus to all attacks for that melee, The bladesong warrior can sacrifice the attacks for the second round in the same way to gain a +8 to strikes in the third melee but can not do so for a third melee.
Chorus (Requiem)- The blade song practitioner is a deadly melody on the field of battle, striking fast and true in his lethal dance as he steps closer to his opponent in order to devastate them with a song of a hundred swords,
Benefit: At the end of the melee round opponent is denied his PP bonus to Parry/Dodge, and his AR is counted at 4 lower, the bladesong warrior gains a free extra attack.

Like other weaponsmasters the Blade-singer is always identifiable by his weapon of choice. Such a weapon is always ornate and beautiful, enhancing the blade-singers appearance in battle. Not only are they easily identifiable by their weapon and cat like grace, Blade-Singers are decorated with their weapon guild's distinctive tattoo. Each guild has a separate and unique tattoo depicting it's style of weapon. With the exception of Magically weightless or elven armours the blade-singer may wear no armour heavier than studded leather or chain, as heavier armours hinder the delicate movements of the blade song. They may not use shields or two handed weapons such as pole arms or great swords for they also interfere with the bladesong.

During the many centuries of seperation from their surface kin, the Drow too have managed to retain a form of this mighty warrior-mage, however in a corrupted ideal. These Drow blade-singers are known as Deathsingers and are greatly feared.

Blade-Singer O.C.C.

Attribute Requirements: P.S.: 13, I.Q.: 15, P.P.:15, P.E.:13
Alignment: Any, but usually Honourable (Deathsingers are almost always evil)
Gender: Male or Female
Race: Elves only
O.C.C. Skills:

O.C.C. Related Skills:Choose 2 other skills form the Military skill category and five other skills at level 1 , plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency.

Secondary Skills: Choose 4 at level 1, plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. oneproficiency. These are additional areas of knowledge that don't get the O.C.C. bonus.

OCC Related Bonuses:

Experiance and Combat Table:

Level Experience Spells/Day
(+ those from magic Lore) Magic Combat Scroll Conversion Hand to Hand: Bladesong
1 0-2,400 2 Recognise Enchantment 50% 8% 2 Attacks per melee,+3 roll
2 2,401-4,800 3 Recognise Magic items 20% 12% +2 to Strike/Parry/Dodge
3 4,801-9,600 4 +1 vs. Magic 20% 3 Attacks per Melee
4 9,601-17,000 5 2 spell attacks 28% Disarm Opponent: 17 to 20
5 17,001-25,000 6 +2 spell strength 36% +4 to Strike/Parry/Dodge
6 5,001-35,000 7 +2 vs. Magic 42% Critical Strike: 17 to 20
7 35,001-50,000 8 +1 vs. Circles/wards 50% 4 Attacks per Melee
8 50,001-70,000 9 Recognise Enchantment 80% 58% Stun Opponent: 17 to 20
9 70,001-95,000 10 +3 spell strength 66% +6 to Strike
10 95,001-135,000 11 Recognise Magic items 60% 72% Death Blow: 19 or 20
11 135,001-177,000 12 +2 vs. Circles/wards 80% 5 Attacks per melee
12 177,001-227,000 13 +3 vs. Magic 84% +8 Strike
13 227,001-277,000 14 Sense Evil 55% 88% +2 Damage
14 277,001-327,000 15 +4 spell strength 90% +6 Attacks per melee
15 327,001-377,000 16 +4 vs. Magic 92% +6 to Parry/Dodge

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