First Level

New Spells Birdsong/Birdcall (Elf)

• Level: 1
• Range: touch
• Duration: 1d6+6 turns
• Effect: translates target's voice into birdsong This spell causes the voice of the recipient to be translated into bird calls for the duration of the spell. All those under the spell effect, however, are able to understand each other as if they were speaking normally.

The spell was designed to allow those affected to communicate without others understanding the conversation; it is particularly useful for scouts in wooded areas, since intruders will hear nothing but the calls of birds. Since the spell is 1st level, even the lowest-level Elven scout can cast it - in the Vyalia clans, it is the first spell taught to any prospective scout. With experience, the caster can choose the birdcalls to be emulated; many scouts have "signature" bird-voices. Some scouts may even take a use-name based on their Birdcall voice, such as the female scout Magpie of Greenheight.

The Vyalia commonly employ their version of the spell for secret communication; they have also found it useful to heighten the mystery surrounding their forests, as lone intruders may emerge with voices transformed into the croak of a raven or the trill of a robin. The Callarii, in addition to the uses outlined above, have used Birdsong to develop a new art form, with talented minstrels writing and singing beautiful melodies especially designed to take advantage of the spell effect. The Callarii sense of humour occasionally results in the spell being employed for a mild practical joke on outsiders. Note: the spell cannot be used to prevent enemy spellcasters from using magic, since they may still speak; although the sound is altered, the spell is cast as normal.

Ymarien's Choir (Elf, Callarii)

• Level: 1
• Range: caster
• Duration: 1 hour
• Effect: harmonises a single voice

The Elven Minstrel Ymarien of the Callarii, a wanderer and part-time adventurer, created this signature spell simply to improve her performance. This spell did more to enhance her reputation than all her considerable musical skill, and resulted in her becoming a regular performer at the court of King Stefan of Karameikos (and also a partner of the Dilettante Mage Enigma, but that's another story...)

The spell, a form of audible illusion, allows the caster to generate additional voices which harmonise when the caster is singing. The caster must have the Singing skill, and be capable of singing those harmonies herself. The caster may generate one additional voice (which sings in thirds) at 1st level, and one additional voice at each level thereafter. An experienced singer-spellcaster may use less than the total number of voices available to her (or none, if she wishes to sing "solo"), or may set particular voices to sing counterpoint or even different words, if she chooses. Controlling a number of voices takes considerable concentration; the caster may do nothing but sing (and play, if a musician) while generating a Choir.

Ymarien's Choir has no combat use whatsoever. A Minstrel who uses this spell in performance (if performing to an audience which is not antagonistic to magic) may generate additional revenue (see Bruce Heard's Robrenn Bard class variant for guidelines on performance fees, or simply add 1d6 cp per commoner or 1d6 gp per Noble listening to the normal "take").