The voice is a weapon. This is best known by generals, naturally, but the more genteel Orator employs it just the same - if not far more cuttingly. Training in this manner means one is normally destined for politics or academia. If you are a skilled Orator and end up as a sellsword (selltongue?), then surely you are ill-starred.
THE ORATOR
+1 Language and +2 Modes per Template.
Starting Skill: Oratory (naturally), and 1) Geography 2) Cosmology 3) History 4) Politics
Starting Equipment: Fine Crossbow, Expensive Clothing, and three other Orator’s Possessions.
A - Presence, +1 Bonus to all Reaction Rolls when Present
B - Kairos
C - Hendiadys, Noema
D - Meiosis, Ethopoeia
Presence
Your voice is clear like a bell, musical, and pleasant to listen to. You can speak in the softest, most charming whisper, or boom out to echo round the whole damn dungeon. You can speak over anyone but other Orators, and dragons, whose Presence is naturally ever superior to your own.
To affect people with your rhetorical abilities, they need to understand what you're saying, be able to hear you, and you need a Presence equal to or higher than their HD - otherwise allies view you as an irritating prattler, and enemies a fool wasting time with words instead of swords. Dragons are immune to Oratory abilities, and may, in fact, possess their own rhetorical devices.
By default, your presence is equal to your Orator [templates], but increases by the following amounts for the following reasons. Some of these are more concrete, and ought to be noted on the character sheet:
+1 - XHA of 13 or higher.
+1 - XHA of 16 or higher. Stacks with the above, naturally.
+1 - Per 100g of finery openly worn (up to a cap of +[templates] bonus).
+1 - For a symbol of authority that they recognise - a messenger’s seal from the local nomad king, a ducal scepter, a kingly crown. It's easiest to use these symbols, of course, if you actually hold the related position of power.
While others are situational, and should be considered case-by-case:
+1 - Speaking from an elevated location.
+1 - Speaking from a central location.
+1 - Against enemies, if you surprised them.
+1 - If the target has heard of you (even if via a faction) before you start speaking.
However, your presence is lowered, if you:
-1 - Are filthy.
-1 - Have fled from this foe, or these foes, before.
-1 - Are widely regarded as a coward.
-1 - Are widely regarded as an idiot.
-1 - An Orator of higher Presence is present.
-1 - Were surprised by present enemies.
Modes
Modes of Speech, more fully. On your turn, you can begin to speak - some of them have other times to trigger, such as when initiative is rolled, &c.
I note: talking is, famously, a free action, and you can do other things with your hands (trigger a scroll, shoot with a crossbow).
Modes of Speech have a use in normal conversation, and in combat:
Threaten
In conversation, instil an irrational fear of you and your allies in a person. They will take no actions that they fear may offend you, lest some nonspecific harm come to them. This fear lasts for [presence] days at most, then wears off like a bad dream.
In combat, force an enemy to spend a round physically avoiding you or a chosen ally.
Stall
In conversation, you lock a target in interminable conversation with a combination of boorish boredom and enough charming moments to string them along. This can last til one of you collapses from exhaustion, if you need it to.
In combat, when initiative is rolled, pick an enemy creature - they act last in initiative.
Entice
In conversation, gain esprit over someone who, as the poets put it, wants to have fuck with you
In combat, focus on an enemy - with a combination of aside glances, raised eyebrows, and choice phrases, you may dictate their movement this turn.
Distract
In conversation, turn away the attention of up to [presence] people. This controls their line of sight, and your voice can drown out many noises, but if something happens right in front of someone, they’ll notice, distraction or no.
In combat, spend your whole turn (no action alongside talking) to allow a well-positioned ally to make a free attack against any enemy you can affect with oration.
Invigorate
In conversation, cause a person to take an action towards pursuing one of their goals right now, or banish despair or other forms of the morbs while you are present.
In combat, when initiative is rolled, you may call out a rousing slogan or speech, creating a pool of [presence] temporary HP, which is shared between all allies who can hear you, and is depleted before their HP.
Mutter
In conversation, turn potential interlocutors who mistake you for a nut or political philosopher, driving away up to [presence]HD of them.
In combat, be mistaken for a powerful wizard preparing a spell, and thus turn mundane foes, driving away up to [presence]HD of them.
Ramble
In conversation, externalise your thoughts on a topic to an audience. They come to view you as quite boring, but if there’s anything the DM thinks you might have missed on that topic (such as a hint for a secret door they gave, or a hint at a disguised person’s identity), or perhaps something that the DM wishes they had mentioned at the time, they’ll remind you of it.
In combat, externalise observations on a participant in the combat. Each round you Ramble, learn something about the target from the following list: HD, Max HP, To Hit, Current HP,
Insult
In conversation, turn a given target into your enemy. If you pretend the insult came from someone else, turn the target into their enemy instead. Important bonds (marriage, loyalty to the king, brotherhood) will only be damaged for [presence] days, before repairing as if nothing had happened.
In combat, deal [templates]d6 damage to an enemy who missed an attack, failed a save or missed an X-in-6 on their last turn. This cannot reduce that enemy below 1HP. Sticks and stones, sticks and stones.
Soothe
In conversation, distract from pain, soften defeat, or ward off the sting of an insult completely. This can prevent rash or foolish actions from being undertaken.
In combat, a target foe saves or becomes briefly unwilling to attack or harm anyone. This works automatically against dumb animals, the mindless undead, frightened peasant levies, and other beings whose will or courage is not particularly strong.
Recruit
In conversation, turn a person (if only temporarily) around to your point of view, causing them to verbally agree with and defend you. You can also use this to get a free hireling in any town, village or other settlement you haven’t used it in before.
In combat, make an enemy neutral for a round, hesitant to harm you or help their side. Enemies thus charmed are now susceptible to a good argument that may cause them to change sides. You actually need a good reason, unfortunately - you can’t turn paladins to picaresques unless you have a compelling reason for it.
Preach
In conversation, receive the preferential treatments and protections of the holy figure you are assumed to be, or repair a negative impression by turning it into a faux-test-of-virtue.
In combat, enemies attacking you (that can be affected by your presence) must save to attack you, for fear of the gods, unless they’re extreme antitheists or omnicides.
Amuse
In conversation, come across as charming, likeable, comedianesque sort of a figure. People will assume you are harmless. This can soften any negative first impressions.
In combat, focus on a specific enemy with your speech - they will take no hostile actions towards you, because who wants to harm someone so charming and funny?
Mimic
In conversation, you are a freakishly talented vocal mimic.
In combat, give an order as if you are the leader of the opposing side, or report something believed true in the din of battle. Some nonsensical orders (e.g. yelling “retreat” when clearly winning) will have no effect on those whose HD are within [templates] of your presence, or may incur a save against the effect. Works only once per a given combat, since they get wise after.
Dispute
In conversation, parry reasonable assertions and confident statements, inspiring in all listeners brief but complete doubt in the veracity or sensibility of such.
In combat, you can briefly countermand orders and commands given to your enemy, causing a round of hesitation. If your [presence] is 8 higher than it needs to be, enemies with even a slight reason for it might snap and completely disobey given orders.
Condemn
In conversation, cause someone to feel extreme or even irrational shame over an action they have taken, which will affect their actions going forward (a robber might crack and turn himself in, for example). Making people feel shame for things they didn’t actually do causes confusion and mental upset. This shame lasts for at most [presence] days, or until some action to remedy it is taken.
In combat, inspire dreadful trepidation in a single listener, causing them to suffer a -[templates] hit penalty.
Theorise
In conversation, gain a [templates+1]-in-6 chance of realising the connection (if any) between two clues.
In combat, gain a [templates+1]-in-6 chance of learning an enemy’s primary weakness, or a flaw in their abilities.
Taunt
In conversation, cause initiative to be rolled for combat instantly, via snide impishness. To onlookers, it will seem your interlocutor began the combat, no matter how improbable this seems (your rhetoric can persuade even an elderly nun to give you a fat lip, you asshole).
In combat, induce an enemy to spend their next turn trying to kill you, even beyond rationality - running through swinging axes for a chance to stab you, &c.
Encourage
In conversation, soothe sadness and banish fear, instilling clarity and courage.
In combat, restore 2d6HP to an ally. This cannot heal gruesome or fatal wounds - no encouraging away a torn-off arm.
Adianoeta
In conversation, say one thing while meaning another, even to a ridiculous degree. The target hears exactly what you mean, and any onlookers hear a completely innocuous but contextually-appropriate statement.
In combat, convince the enemy party through off-hand comments and subtle gestures that the goal of your party is something entirely different to your actual goal (i.e., you want to pull a lever the mercenaries are guarding, but you convince them you’re actually here to steal the captain’s magic sword).
Wax Lyrical
In conversation, arrest a crowd, gathering [presence] people to listen and observe every five minutes you Wax. There is theoretically no upper bound. Doing this in a dungeon may bring curious dungeon denizens to boggle at you, mystified - in this case, roll a reaction.
In combat, create a floating MD that any party member can use. When it expends, you run out of rhymes or syllables and can’t Wax Lyrical again today.
Kairos
As any orator knows, it's all about timing, but it's also all about time. When you make camp after a day’s adventuring, or once a week over a period of downtime (harping on the speeches over the week would make them tiresome), you can give a Prepared Speech. You get two from the following list now, and one at subsequent Templates.
Prepared Speeches:
Teach - Give a single ally with fewer [templates] than you [presence]d6 XP.
Delight - All listening allies have their spirits boosted, and are freed from both normal and magical despair, fear, apprehension, dread, illusion, delusion, and so forth.
Boast - To a crowd of thirty or more, boast of the deeds of your companions. A local faction will learn of you, if any do not know of you. You also create a pool of [presence]d10XP, which is evenly split among all of your allies, including yourself.
Reassure - Give an ally with a curse, a newfound phobia, a disease, an ongoing poison, or similar, another save against that effect (or their first, if no other save was offered!).
Glorify - You enliven allies' recollections of victories, and downplay defeats. You create a pool of [presence] floating points of to-Hit bonus, which any ally that heard the speech can dip into to increase their attacks. They can use a number of points up to your [templates] at once. These fade after your next speech, or after any defeat.
Eulogise - Speaking of a PC who died in the last adventuring day (or downtime week!) recover 10% of their XP, and give it to a listening party member (not including yourself).
Recollect - Going over the events of the adventuring day, or the scattered downtime week, each person hearing the speech can ask the DM a yes/no question about specifically the events of the day, or week.
Prepare - In the next adventuring day after the speech, everyone gets a +[templates] bonus to their initiative rolls.
Hendiadys
You can replace your attack with a Mode of Speech, allowing for the use of two in one turn.
Noema
You can choose to have the native accent of any place, and choose precisely who hears your whispers.
Meiosis
You can choose to appear as though you have any number of HD lesser than your actual number. This works to both magical detection, and a casual glance (upon which you simply give off a harmless vibe).
Ethopoeia
By placing yourself vividly in the rhetorical place of another, with such talents, others can ask you questions as though you were them. You can ask up to [templates] questions per target in this manner. If you learn an earth-shattering revelation about the person that changes your entire view of them, you can ask [templates] more questions of them.
Orator’s Possessions
Fine Crossbow - Very nicely made. A medium weapon that deals +1 damage and fires at most once a turn. 1 Slot. Comes with 30 quarrels, occupying a second slot.
Small and Elegant Pistol - A light gun. Exceedingly fancy, pearl-grip, counts as 25g of finery when brandished. Shares a slot with 20 doses of powder and shot.
Cane - A light bludgeon with a classy mien.
Tall Hat - Cylindrical, finely embroidered, decorated with pearls and your coat of arms (you’re an Orator, you have one). Counts as 25g of finery when worn.
Pocketwatch - Keeps perfect time when maintained by a knowledgeable fellow, such as yourself.
Ivory Pipe - You look extremely dignified while smoking this - +1 to all reaction rolls.
Onyx Eyeglasses - Small, exceedingly stylish gemstone glasses. Protects you from glare, effects that trigger on eye contact, and flashbombs. But when is that going to come up?
Calming Tea - Dispels stress and distress, gives an extra save vs. fear. The nice lacquered box takes up a slot, and contains 30 doses.
Loud Handbell - Slot sized, heavy bell-metal, hexagonal profile. In a pinch, a loud ass -1 light club.
Tortoiseshell Cigarette Box - Fancy, civilised, fills a slot. Comes with 20 high quality cigarettes, which give +1 SKLL for an hour when smoked.
Chaturanga Set - Or chess, xiangqi, tafl, the royal game, as is appropriate. It’s a matter of conversation, and the voice - when playing this game with someone earnestly, you can learn the level and general martial skill of the other player. To determine the winner, roll 1d20 and add the higher of your SKLL or to-Hit.
Folio of Idyllic Poetry - When read aloud (by an Orator), re-roll a recent reaction roll. This has no effect if the people you’re trying to get onside have been dealt damage since the reaction roll, are hardened cynics, or hate beauty. If the new roll is worse, we may presume they’re irritated and confused by your poetising.
Folio of Unbelievable Invective - When read from aloud, deal 1d6* damage to a target you can affect with [presence]. If the dice explodes thrice (I.e., 6 > 6 > 6>), the target is stunned for 1d6 hours, as the shock of what you just uttered cuts to their very soul.
Money Box - Sealed by an elegant, difficult-to-pick lock. You possess the key, of course. Can contain up to 100 coins, or something a slot big.
10 Bangmakers - Tiny tubes of thick card that can be tucked behind an ear like a pencil. Have a large red tab on one end. Pull it, and it produces a surprisingly loud “bang!”, then burns up. Single-use consumables.
Embroidered Leather Handbag - Set with gems and sewn with goldwire. Very fashionable, unusually spacious. +1 Inventory Slot and counts as 50g of finery when worn.
Silken Cloak - Black, white, or a primary colour. Finely fitted and embroidered. Distinct, attention-getting, and 50g of finery.
Delicate Silver Flower - 10g of finery when worn as a broach. Displays your refinement and removal from the squall of mere melee. While worn openly and undamaged, +1 bonus [presence]. Destroyed irreparably if you take a critical hit or a max-damage attack.
Vial of Tasteless Poison - Well, you can’t win every argument. 3d6 damage 2 hours after ingestion, kills if it reduces the target to 0HP.
Curios
Master Key - Shining, golden. Opens any mundane lock. Once owned by a powerful demon, who would like it back.
The Violet Diamond - Once the centre of a famous court case. Now in a heavy ring on your finger. Worth 400g, helpful for increasing one’s presence, but coveted intently by fairies, dragons and lords alike.
Flashbomb - Look out! It came up! Currently has a 6-round fuse, can be cut shorter. Blinds anyone looking automatically at it within 100ft, but within 20ft, even those looking away must save or be disoriented.
Glinting Dagger - A +1 light dagger of shining mirrored gold and silver. Completely physical to ghosts, angels, demons, spirits, and so forth. Counts as 100g of finery when brandished openly.
Grinning Theatre Mask - This roguish sod! When wearing this mask, your identity cannot be discerned even by magic, and nobody can recognise your voice as belonging to you. It takes five minutes to get it off your face, because it seems to produce its own acacia gum.
SPEAK THROUGH ART, a light xiphos of black steel. Can record and play up to a minute of sound. You can use your Presence and Oratorial ability through its recordings, which is not usually possible with other forms of recording.
This could be a sort of a crypto-Firmament class. It could fit into Firmament, but I think it’s mostly agnostic. Anyway, not that it particularly matters, but in a Firmament context, they would be users of the art of Heraldry, just like the Hedge-Knights are. It's also crypto-Unfinished-World. :)
