Casting, Slashing, and Sucking the Life Force out of Mortals PvM (1-40) and PvP
THE DARK MUSE (“Gaelic Phantom”) By Deborah “Tyr” Templar
Concept: The Dark Muse; a malignant phantom of Celtic lore, known as the Leanan Sidhe (or, Leanhaun Shee and, in some places, Lhiannon-Shee), which means, Fairy Mistress (or Fairy Sweetheart). Believed to be a vampiric spirit, the Sidhe is predominantly female, although sightings of males have also been reported. Of immense wealth, intelligence and inspirational talent, she (or he) is immortal, and sucks the life force out of her (or his) devoted.
In Gaelic folklore, Dark Muse is a muse of poetry, but a dangerous one—she (or he) is known to enslave mortals. Those whom she stalks are unable to resist her magical charm and dominating gaze. Yeats referred to this spirit as the Dark Muse, an artistic succubus, who gives creative gifts in exchange for the artist's life: "Most of the poets, down to quite recent times, have had a Leanhaun Shee, for she gives inspiration to her slaves and is indeed the Gaelic muse -- this malignant fairy. Her (devoted), the Gaelic poets, died young. She grew restless and carried them away to other worlds, for death does not destroy her power." -- Yeats, Fairy and Folk Tales of Ireland.
Dark Muse is evil, a shadow phantom who takes delight in dominating mortals, in order to possess human spirit, upon which she (or he) feeds. While giving inspiration and outer worldly gifts to those whom she or he enslaves, Sidhe is restless; soon after the ritual, the slave is not permitted to remain long on Earth.
Character: This character is based upon the spirit of Gaelic lore (and is the first of her or his kind in terms of class combos chosen, according to the pulse cap). Dark Muse is an arcane character with spell foci and combat prowess, being balanced between black guard (combat) and high wizard (arcane); a sufficient amount of bard is included in the mix to contribute not only to this character’s overall theme and skill-set, but also to bolster this character’s arcane and combat abilities by, for e.g., bard song/curse song, and thus overall fun and playability.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Dark Muse’s strengths include good, highly buffable AB, decent buffable AC, and good damage output, including access to many different damage types; this character is also equipped with spell foci and thus decent, buffable DCs. Saving throws (except reflex) may at first blush seem mediocre, and hitpoints perhaps weak; however, these issues are addressed by the fact that Dark Muse has ample spell access (including ninth level wizard spells), thus providing this character with many offensive and defensive capabilities, including numerous immunities and save-buffs. Although vulnerable to dispelling, this combo achieves a strong, balanced character that is playable.
Without further adieu, please meet the Dark Muse (the Gaelic Phantom), who is the first character of a two-character series, the other character being the Minstrel of Doom, who is one of her “victims” she had left for dead, and yet is not dead: Click Here
The Dark Muse (Gaelic Phantom) -- Wizard(18), Bard(8), Blackguard(14) Race: Gnome (Hardiness vs. Enchantments, Low-light Vision, Skill Affinity: Concentration, Skill Affinity: Listen, Small Stature, Spell Focus: Illusion)
Alignment: Any Non-Lawful, Non-Good (Theme: Chaotic Evil)
* Note: 5-Hide required for BG; Remainder of Hide (and M/S) trained for theme reasons; apart from BG prereq, if uninterested in stealth, feel free to train in something else, such as Discipline and Taunt (for i.e., +6 AB by lowering enemy AC -6), or other skill as you prefer
B. Saving Throws: Fort 21 (29 w. Endurance, Song, Tenser’s) Will: 21 (24 w. Owl’s, Song) Reflex: 28 (35 w. Cat’s, Song, Tenser’s)
Saving Throw bonuses: Spells: +8 (+16 w. Protection), Mind Effects: +2
In addition to UMD/Scrolls and BG Dark Blessing (adding cha. Bonus to saves), has full roster of 9th level wizard spell protections, buffs, damage reduction, energy buffer, true seeing, and a number of available immunities including death magic, and mind effects/mind spells
Other – “On-Hit” Damage: +Death Armor: (1d4)+5 damage suffered by the enemy, each time enemy hits you; +Mestil’s Sheath: (1d6)+36 damage dealt to enemy each time said enemy hits you.
***Can also summon undead fiend, cast contagion, shoot fireballs, rain ice, and spam IGMS, among other offensive spells, including the Bigby’s-spell line, Mord’s, Wail of the Banshee, and Time Stop
V. Defense Vitals AC (naked/mundane armor/shield only): 28/30 +6 capped DEX (cat’s, tenser’s) +2 from Mage Armor +4 from Shield +4 from Haste +5 from Shadow Shield +2 Curse Song (reduces enemy AB) -- Self-Buffed AC: > 50-plus (Does NOT include any magical equipment)
Note: among other protections, has stealth and damage reduction: 20/+5 (Gtr Stoneskin)
VI. Spell Casting:
A. Wizard—Ninth Level Spells, SR 18+1d20
Chosen School: Necromancy (DC 20 +Spell Level + Curse Song and Other Bonuses)* Bonus School: Illusion (DC 16 + Spell Level, + Curse Song and Other Bonuses) Other Schools: DC 14 (+ Spell Level + Curse Song and Other Bonuses)
*Note: Necromancy chosen for theme reasons; feel free to adjust to suit own tastes/style
B. Bard Info:
Bard Song: +2 AB, +2 Damage, +1 All Saves, +8 HPs, +1 Skills Curse Song: Has Opposite effects on enemies
Bard Casting: Cantrips – knows 5 spells, can cast 3 per day or rest period (or, alternatively, fill with UMD and/or wizard scribed scrolls), can also use Bard Toys, and including Lich Lyrics.
Edited By TyrTemplar on 10/09/06 05:39
So ... was she the force behind the Zombies?
If it were me, and I note it's not, I would damn 14 BG and get Rogue instead so I could at least salvage Epic Dodge out of the deal. 28 Dex, no Uncanny, no Charisma synergy between BG and Bard....it's not something people are going to really want to play, IMO. At the least, go Strength-based and wear armor and Still you spells. _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!
Why exactly the spell foci with such low Int for a caster? I question how much good they're going to do when the DCs of your spells are still 10 below the practical maximum.
Ah, after a brief hiatus from the boards, to catch up on work, must say, you were all so sadly missed Always such great comments, thoughts, ideas and questions here –it’s great to see all of you, and your comments. That said, let's get to the biz of incorporating some of those great thoughts and improving this spellsword, shall we? (thanks everyone)
Dwarflord – Your point about spellswords (which this character is) is most valid, and I know not everyone’s cup of tea. For those who enjoy a good spellsword from time to time, I think this one is def. one of the better ones out there, and especially now that I'm incorporating some of your great thoughs (thanks -- must say, I likes it a lot – VERY NICE!! In accordance with same, if we could make the following changes (we’ve Dwarflord to thank, folks):
CHARACTER CHANGES/MODIFICATIONS Adjust Start Stats, and increase STR on leveling instead of Dex, for start/end stats as follows:
Feat Changes: LEVEL 12: to make full use of same, and no longer requiring WF, take EXTEND SPELL instead (note: we’ve already got still spell at level 18, thus making much better use of it)
This, indeed, gives us far more synergies b/w bard and BG (i.e., smiting AB bonus now at +2 (+4 w. Eagle’s), with extra charisma thus also to better fire BG’s dark blessing (i.e. adding said bonus to all saves) and, of course, more undead turning (14+2d6). More cha also enables access to 3rd level Bard Spells (not that we are in dire need of them or anything, having ample access to ninth level wiz spells after all – but still, more spells always fun, and especially when some of them stack, thus improving our vampiric spellsword that much more, even if this presents for us a problem so far as so many spells, far too few spell slots
COMBAT (AB & Damage) AB remains the same; damage improves as follows:
Damage (mundane rapier): 1d6 +9 (crit: 18-20/x2); w. Keen: crit: 16-20/x2 etc., all else remains the same.
DEFENCE (AC) Our naked AC would drop to 19, but since we can now wear full plate, the loss is quite insignificant since our mundane armor/shield AC brings us right back to AC 29, being only a loss of 1 AC point over a dex-based version (now, bring on all those buffs as listed, such that, in the end, nothing really changes at all -- again, nice!)
SAVING THROWS: new modified stats as follows: Fortitude 23 (31 w. Endurance, Song, Tenser’s) Will 23 (27 w. Owl’s, Song) Reflex 21 (28 w. Cat’s, Song, Tenser’s)
All else being the same.
SKILL FACTOR In fact, the only thing that would (unfortunately) suffer in this mix would be the dex-based stealth skills such that, apart and aside from the 5 hide points needed to qualify for BG, players will really want to consider training in something other than hide and m/s – may I suggest the Taunt (for +6 AB due to -6 enemy AC) and/or discipline route instead, and which would be in keeping with a ‘vampire’ themed character all the same (once again, thanks!
Nimueh – Your question and point re: base DCs is a good one, and I thank you for raising it - this character is a spell-sword (think, spell buff as opposed to a spell caster per se, I agree); I put in foci in response to comments on an earlier (albeit entirely different) character, and because (as everyone here seems fond of saying), it is always possible for a PC to roll low. There are also classes – such as barbarians, for e.g., -- who tend to have low saves, such that even a spell sword with foci stands a shot. As against other classes, however (COTs and PvP/dev critters come readily to mind), a different story (barring auto fail or something, but as against them, for sure, these DCs aren’t exactly …) - well ... As such, and with all of this in mind, if uninterested in the foci, might consider switching these feats in favor of something else. Might I suggest the following?
ALTERNATE (No Foci Option): Level 6 (Bard 5): replace SF:Necro for i.e., Curse Song (moving it up from epic) Level 12 (BG 2): take/bump up WF: Rapier from level 15 to here (instead of a meta-magic, as earlier suggested) Level 15 (BG 5): now, take still spell At level 18 (BG 8 ): take knockdown or toughness (note, because we’ve true seeing spell, we don’t really need blind fight, although for some this feat may present another viable option) Level 21 (bard 7): bump up EWF: rapier Level 22 (wiz 5): in this wiz bonus slot, now take extend spell (i.e., instead of GSF: Necro) Level 24 (wiz 7): take either another so-called combat feat (i.e., toughness if took ie KD above) or otherwise a GRT Intel (i.e., for among other things, more skill points, which would once again make stealth-skills possible, for those who want this option) Level 28 (BG 13): in this bg bonus slot, now take your epic prowess Level 39 (wiz 18): take your final grt str here
This, indeed, would be a very nice option, too (thanks).
Character/Concept: Avarielo -- Cool concept, yes? And GREAT question -- the short answer to which is YES!!
Indeed, in folklore, vampires are believed not only to exist in some form or other throughout most pre-Christian cultures, including Celtic/Gaul, but vampiric spirits, such as Dark Muse, are said to be responsible for the zombies! In fact, the whole idea behind burying someone within so many days of their death wasn’t just to avoid decay and disease, but to prevent the vampire-infected dead from rising. So pervasive are these themes and beliefs in ancient cultures that in early Christian times, burial rites were developed to ensure that the dead did in fact stay dead and/or at least stay buried, just in case they were infected with vampirism by either an evil spirit (i.e., the Dark Muse) or, in turn, that evil spirit’s zombified victims.
In fact, in many pagan cultures, when someone died of mysterious causes, vampirism or some other form of witchcraft was automatically suspected. Part of these earlier burial rites thus included crosses being struck into the ground, just above the head of the deceased, such that, if the decease was infected by vampirism and tried to rise, their head would strike the cross, which in turn would prevent the corpse from leaving its grave (thus, preventing the spread of the vampirism disease). In ancient Romania and environs, it was believed that plague and disease was spread by the dead, in the form of the undead; the earlier vampires, or nosferati, were not believed to be beautiful creatures per se, but rather the opposite: i.e., mindless zombies who were cursed to walk the earth (i.e., a being dead and yet not dead but buried under the ground without oxygen led to brain damage of course, and hence the term, zombie). Of course, those who were not buried, or escaped the grave quickly, avoided this zombification process, and hence the belief in the vampire we know today; but the original vampire, the one who started it all, was not a rising undead mortal but, rather, an evil spirit, upon which spirit this character is based – talk about food for thought! (again, great question -- thanks!
Edited By TyrTemplar on 10/09/06 21:58
Who would've thought that the dead could belt out a solo like Time of the Season between all those moans and grunts?
Anyway, fairly good build. It's a bit atypical as spellswords go, but not by much. Sorcerer would get you fewer skills but do you more otherwise. You have all the strengths and weaknesses of a standard spellsword - you can do some of two things but neither really really well. _________________ CATS!
Always such great comments, thoughts, ideas and questions here –it’s great to see all of you, and your comments. That said, let's get to the biz of incorporating some of those great thoughts and improving this spellsword, shall we? 
(thanks everyone)