Bardic Lore - Ogham

Bardic Lore: Ogham

www.HighmoonMedia.com

This product requires requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons, Third Edition Core Books, published by Wizards of the Coast Inc. This product utilizes updated material from the v3.5 revision.

Bardic Lore The journals of Amergin Ó Míl

Ogham Once, when I was but a lad in trouble, I ventured deep into the forest, thinking like that I could escape the wrath of my mother. Needless to say I became lost in no time, one tree looking much as the other. After I calmed down, I decided to try to find my way by the sounds; I figured if I could find the creek that passed near the town, then all would be well. After what seemed to me like hours I had not found any trace of the creek, and the sounds of the darkening forest began to fill me with dread. I then heard an unknown yet constant banging noise, like metal on metal, and thinking I could not be any more lost than I already was, I decided to follow it to its source. The forest thinned out little by little, and eventually I came across a standing stone. Taller than me at the time, it bore what looked to me like notches made by a child all along the edge of the stone. The notches were varied, some straight, some crooked, some to the left, others to the right, and a few in geometric shapes. I had no idea what they meant, and after studying them for a moment, I continued on my way, realizing the

banging noise was coming from just up ahead. Through the trees I saw an old man, bent over a stone similar to the one I’d just seen, hammering away with a chisel, creating notches much like those on the standing stone. I watched him in rapture. I had no idea who he was, but the care he took when carving each notch told me he was creating something for the ages. After a while, without turning, he suddenly spoke, asking me if I was going to remain in the trees all night. I joined at his side and he smiled. He said he knew I was a kid, as adults cannot pass through the magical barrier of his ogham stone. I asked him what that was, ogham. I will never forget his words. He said, “Ogham is a gift from the Mother Goddess to her children, the druids. She gave it to her son, Oghma, the Danann warrior-poet, and he in turn gave it to us. It is a language of nature, of magic. It is as deceptively simple as some notches on a rock, but it hides the secrets of creation.” I told him I wanted to learn the secrets of ogham, thinking he would do as every other adult around me had always

Bardic Lore: Ogham


2 done, laugh and shoo me away. But he didn’t. He put down the hammer and the chisel and looked at me with eyes wise beyond time that I know could see into my soul. “You are not a druid,” he said, and my heart sunk. “You are a bard, a fili, and you must fulfill that destiny first.” He reached into a pouch and pulled a small stone with four notches carved on it. “This is coll. It will help you on your studies. When you are a fili come back to see me, and I will teach you then.” He led me back to town, and to my mother, and went back into the forest. It was twenty-two years before I went back to study with Connor McCroghan, but he was still waiting for me, and indeed he taught me the secrets of ogham. And it is in his honor and memory that I created the ogham stone that today marks his resting place. —From the journal of Amergin Ó Míl

The Celtic lands hold an undisputable sway over the realm of the imagination, especially the modern one, where the perceptions of what druids, bards and faeries are have been greatly—if not wholly— shaped by the myths and literature of these places. Out of a combination of these two we also get ogham writing, an alphabet written as a series of notches and straight lines carved on the edge of a piece of stone or wood, boasting a mundane and mythical origin with only a very thin line separating both. The earliest examples of ogham (OH-am or OH-gam) date back to 2200 B.C.E., based on markings found in small chalk slabs in excavations in southern England. Ogham evolved with the introduction of the Latin alphabet to Ireland, adopting letters not found in the native Irish language, and providing a limited outlet for Irish thought in the written form. Ogham seems to have found its heyday between the 4th- to 8th-century, though the alphabet never truly disappears from the

landscape, with samples appearing in use as late as the 19th century. Most surviving samples of ogham stones are to be found in the south of Ireland, in Counties Kerry (with a 1945 survey finding an amazing 121 markers) and Cork (81), with a smattering scattered around the rest of Ireland, Great Britain, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, Scotland and Wales. Although ogham is not used on a day-today basis in modern times, the knowledge of the alphabet is still alive and widespread in Ireland today, a link to the island’s mythical past. Ogham was used mostly for short inscriptions, often in the form of a name and a patronymic, marking memorials to the dead or the borders between two lands, with some also honoring local deities. Ogham is not a language used to record events or information, since the Celts trusted these to the prodigious memories of their bards. Though there is no concrete evidence that ogham was ever used by the ancient druids as a kind of magical writing, the notion has been hard to dispel; the archeologist R.A.S. Macalister, for example, as late as the 1930s, proposed that ogham was part of the language of ‘druidic freemasonry,’ and many modern ‘druidic’ groups use ogham in this capacity. It would seem that the alphabet’s legendary origin provides the source for such beliefs. As described in The Book of Ballymote, compiled circa 1390 C.E. in the Co. Sligo town of Ballymote, ogham is a creation of Oghma, orator-warrior of the Tuatha Dé Danann, divine patron of poetry and eloquence, as a secret speech meant only for the learned. Ogham was more likely a secret due to the fact that only druids had any use for a written language, though a few outside of the druidic class would be able to understand the symbols. From The Book of Ballymote we also get the key to understanding the ogham alphabet. The most commonly acknowledged form of Irish ogham is called the Beith-Luis-Nion, the Birch-Rowan-Ash, which takes its name from the first, second and fifth letters. There were originally twenty letters, divided into four families called

Bardic Lore: Ogham


3 (fifteen consonants and five vowels), each with five sounds. A fifth aicme was added later bringing in five diphtongs, while some British inscriptions feature an upturned arrow as a symbol for the letter ‘P,’ a letter, much like ‘Q’or ‘Z,’ which was not used in the early Irish language and came into use via loanwords from Latin, Romance and Scandinavian sources. Each ogham character is named after a tree, and though together they form words, individually each letter carries a symbolic link to the tree it is named after. Ogham is written bottom to top, and always along a foundation lined called a druim, or principal ridge. All ogham characters are in contact with the druim, scribed on either side or across the ridge. When written vertically (the traditional form), ogham is read from below to above, while when written horizontally, ogham is written and read from left to right. In particularly long vertical inscriptions, along a dolmen, for example, the ogham would be read clockwise, starting at the bottom-left corner, continuing along the top stone, and coming down the right. aicme

The..Beith-Luis-Nion The accompaning chart shows the 25 ogham letters, along with their Irish name, rough pronunciation from the Irish, and associated tree. It is interesting to note that the last aicme, the diphthongs, are presented in some ogham keys as representing the letters ‘K,’ ‘P,’ ‘V,’ ‘X’ and ‘W.’ To avoid confusion, we have included five new ogham characters (left) to represent these letters common in English, allowing you to create messages in a language other than Irish.

Bardic Lore: Ogham


4 Ogham Letter

-

Ogham Name

Pronunciation

English Letter

Tree name

Beith

Beh

B

Birch

Luis

Loo-ish

L

Rowan

Fearn

Fair-un

F

Alder

Saille

Sal-yeh

S

Willow

Nion

Knee-un

N

Ash

Huath

Hoo-uh

H

Hawthorn

Duir

Der

D

Oak

Tinne

Tin-uh

T

Holly

Coll

Cull

C

Hazel

Quert

Kwert

Q

Apple

Muin

Muhn

M

Vine

Gort

Gor-it

G

Ivy

Ngetal

N-getal

Ng

Reed

Straif

Strauff

S

Blackthorn

Ruis

Roo-ish

R

Elder

Ailm

All-em

A

White fir

Ohn

Un

O

Gorse

Ur

Or-uh

U

Heather

Eadha

Eh-tha

E

Poplar

Idho

I-tho

I

Yew

Éabhadh

Evahd

Ea

Ór

Ohr

Oi

Uilleann

U-lenn

Ia

Ifín

Eh-feen

Ui

Eamhancholl

Evan-chol

Ae

Eite

Eh-deh

Start of Inscription

Feather

Spás

Sbaws

Space

Space

Bardic Lore: Ogham


5

Ogham Magic As mentioned, most ogham inscriptions served practical purposes, and while hard archeological evidence has so far dispelled any notion that the druids used ogham for magical purposes, there is no reason to place this restriction in your campaign world. Here are various ways to incorporate ogham into your game.

ogham key (such as a version of The Book of Ballymote), or from prior successful attempts through the use of the Decipher Script skill (at least three successful skill checks with DCs of 25 or higher) and a period of study as deemed appropriate by the Gamesmaster.

Regardless of the class variations in your campaign, we strongly suggest that ogham remain a rather secret language, or at the very least the Druids, Bards and Ogham mastery of it. Druids should be the undisputed Perhaps historical druids did not use ogham in a masters of ogham, with bards running a close magical capacity, but fantasy druids would second, but beyond that, if the language becomes certainly find ways to tap into the arcane power of too widespread, it looses some of its mystique. each letter’s tree, turning ogham for druids into what Draconian is for arcane spellcasters, the Ogham Markers language of magic. The easiest way to incorporate Once a druid learns the magical capabilities of ogham into your campaign world is to make it the ogham, it is possible to use this knowledge for the written form of the secret Druidic language, creation of magical ogham markers. It is suggested allowing druids to communicate with each other in that the following feat be limited to druids, and a seemingly ordinary way. It is possible that perhaps to bards as well. The feat prerequisites non-druids may learn the ogham alphabet (most specify that the character know the ogham likely through the use of the Decipher Script skill, language; if you are using the option that ogham is DC 20 or higher, depending on the complexity of the written version of Druidic then there is no need the message), but where they would see a grave for further limitations. If ogham is a separate marker for Connor the son of Croghan, a druid written language from Druidic, however, we once would be able to naturally read “between the lines,” again restate our suggestion that ogham be kept as as it were, seeing not only the letters, but the tree secret a language as possible. symbolism and the mystical associations encoded in each, thus reading a completely different The Scribe Ogham feat acts in some ways as message (and that’s before having to use read combination Scribe Scroll and Craft Wondrous Item magic to see if there is a spell encoded in the ogham limited to ogham markers. It signifies that the as well). character has managed to tap into the magic of the ogham letters and learned how to imbue the Bards, by their very nature, end up picking a carvings with eldritch energies. Since it is the little bit of everything, even things supposed to be a writing that possesses the magic, any suitable stone secret. In a Celtic, or Celtic-inspired campaign, or wooden surface can be enchanted with magical where bards are intrinsically linked to the druids, ogham writing. Note that it is not necessary to have members of this class would be able to learn to read this feat in order to write ogham; any character with and write ogham without much problem (add knowledge of the language can do that, though, Ogham to the list of allowable choices for the Speak unless they have this feat, the ogham will be of a Language skill), as well as use it as a magical script. mundane nature. Magical ogham writing seems In campaigns where the bard doesn’t exactly follow mundane to the untrained eye, revealing its hidden the Celtic model, it would still be possible for her to treasure only to spellcasters trained in the ogham learn it, though prior exposure would be necessary, language or those using a read magic spell. The whether it is from a mentor, a book showing the Spellcraft and Use Magical Device skills can be

Bardic Lore: Ogham


6 used as normal to decipher if an ogham marker has a spell stored and what it is by treating the ogham marker as a scroll and adding +5 to the DC. Note that these skills can only be used to decipher if the ogham marker has a spell stored. In order to cast the spell stored the user must know ogham or cast read magic.

Sample Ogham Markers Though all our modern samples of ogham are carved onto stone markers, there is enough evidence that ogham was also carved onto wood. Furthermore, beyond the use of markers, ogham continued to be used in regular writing, with various samples of ogham messages turning up in books over the last few centuries, many of them notes passed between readers.

In the graveyard surrounding the ruins of Kilmalkedar Church, in Co. Kerry, Ireland, stands an ogham stone with a small hole bored at the top. Local legends say that those wishing to seal a deal or a contract would go to the stone, touch fingers through the hole and state their sides of the bargain, swearing by the bones of their ancestors beneath their feet. This sealed the compact, and should one party not keep their part, they would suffer a curse.

Following are some sample greater ogham markers for your campaign. Any character with the Scribe Ogham feat may create any of these markers by following the rules as presented in the feat’s description. The GM may allow characters with the Craft Wondrous Item and knowledge of ogham to create these markers as well. All greater ogham markers crafted using this method have a base price of 1,000gp. This includes the cost of the surface upon which the ogham will be inscribed, plus masterwork carving tools and the associated materials for the incantations that will allow the marker to retain the magic. In addition, the marker includes a material cost instead of the hp cost equal to its spell level x caster level x 40gp for lesser markers, and spell level x caster level x 1,350gp. The time taken by crafters using the Craft Wondrous Item feat is a minimum of one day per 1,000gp of material cost; it is more difficult to craft these markers for those who use generalized knowledge as opposed to those who make crafting ogham a life path. In the case of ogham markers activated by a command word, the word is usually hidden as part of the ogham inscription. A character who knows ogham can decipher the command word by making a Decipher Script or Spellcraft skill check (DC 20),

Bardic Lore: Ogham


7 or by the use of an analyze dweomer , identify or read magic spell. If using ogham as the written version of Druidic, druid characters can identify the command word without any effort.

Ogham Stone of Binding Promise This type of greater ogham marker normally stands in a holy or hollowed area, be it near a church or temple, a sacred grove, or in a graveyard. The ogham inscription typically bears the name of a person with a great reputation for honest dealings, be they alive or dead. The stone also has a small hole, about an inch wide, bored at the top of the stone, through which those wishing to make a pledge touch fingers. Any two creatures that can understand each other that touch fingers through the ogham stone’s hole and state and swear to their side of the bargain are bound by magical forces to keep the agreed compact. Should one of the parties break the deal made, as long as they are in the same plane, they suffer the effects of a bestow curse until they go back and keep their side of the bargain. Once the victim fulfills their side of the compact, the curse remains for an amount of time in days equal to the creator’s caster level. The curse placed by this ogham stone cannot be dispelled by break enchantment or remove curse, though a limited wish, miracle or wish spell can end it. The maker of the ogham stone chooses what type of curse the victim will suffer. Some of these ogham stones are enchanted with a lesser geas or geas spell instead. Moderate necromancy; CL 7th; Scribe Ogham, bestow curse; Price NA; Weight 12 lbs.; Cost 1,008 XP + 12 hp + 1,000 gp. Moderate enchantment; CL 7th; Scribe Ogham, lesser geas; Price NA; Weight 12 lbs.; Cost 1,008 XP +12 hp +1000 gp. Moderate enchantment; CL 11th; Scribe Ogham, geas; Price NA; Weight 18 lbs.; Cost 2,376 XP +18 hp + 1,000 gp.

Ogham Stone of Land Title Scattered all over the land, this most common type of ogham marker simply lists in its inscription the name of the owner of the land into which a traveler is crossing. Though not all of these ogham markers

are magical, a small number of them, in the lands of dueling clans or prejudiced landlords, bear enchantments to keep particular targets from crossing. The magic of this greater ogham marker lays dormant until a designated target approaches within 30 feet. The ogham marker immediately expends one charge, creating a force barrier 10 feet tall and 30 feet wide to either side of the ogham marker that lasts for four hours, plus two extra hours for every extra charge expended before this time is up. The force barrier allows the passage of any creature except those targeted by the enchantment. The ogham marker can also be activated by a command word. At the end of the four hours, the ogham marker must recharge for one minute before being able to expend a new charges in response to the approach of a designated target, though new charges can be expended immediately with the command word. The maker of the ogham stone chooses at the time of creation the marker’s target. This can be as simple as all members of a particular family, such as the McGregors or O’Malleys (defined as all people directly related by blood a member of this family), all members of a clan (defined as members related by blood or service to the family bearing the name of the clan), or as inclusive as all members of a particular gender or race. This ogham marker only targets living creatures; constructs, outsiders, plants and undead cannot be designated as targets. Strong Abjuration; CL 12th; Scribe Ogham, Extend Spell, antilife shell, contingency; Price NA; Weight 18 lbs; Cost 2,592 XP + 18 hp + 76,000 gp.

Ogham Stone of Protection These ogham stones can be found in a variety of areas, bearing inscriptions ranging from names of druids and legendary heroes, to names of fey guardians or deities, to passages from epic poems or traditional stories. The inscriptions always bear a relation to the type of protection offering by this type of ogham stone. Ogham stones of protection can be enchanted with a variety of protective spells as described below. These greater ogham markers have 50 charges when created, and each use

Bardic Lore: Ogham


8 expends one charge. These ogham stones generate a protective bubble 30 ft. in radius that lasts for 1 minute per caster level per charge expended. Ogham stones of protection can be enchanted with the following spells: antilife shell, antiplant shell, hide from animals, protection from chaos/good/evil/law, protection from energy, repel metal or stone, repel vermin, repel wood , sanctuary.

representing the tree being tapped, plus arcane words in Druidic. Newly created tree ogham markers have 50 charges and each use in spellcasting, whether the spell is successfully cast or not, expends one charge. Tree ogham markers may not be combined with one another to cast the same spell, though they can be combined with metamagic feats as normal. Once all charges have been spent, the marker crumbles into dust. The types of tree ogham markers that can be Antilife shell or repel wood: Moderate abjuration; CL 11th; Scribe Ogham, created, and their effects, are as follows: Beith: provides the effects of an Empower antilife shell or repel wood ; Price NA; Weight 18 lbs.; Cost 2,376 XP +18 hp + 1,000 gp. Spell feat to all Enchantment spells. Luis: provides the effects of an Empower Antiplant shell or repel vermin: Moderate abjuration; CL 7th; Scribe Ogham, Spell feat to all Abjurations spells. Fearn: provides the effects of a Maximize antiplant shell or repel vermin; Price NA; Weight 12 lbs.; Cost 1,008 XP + 12 hp + 1,000 gp. Spell feat to all [fire] descriptor spells. Hide from animals , protection from Saille: provides the effects of a Maximize Spell feat to all [cold] and [water] descriptor chaos/evil/good/law or sanctuary Faint abjuration; CL 1st; Scribe Ogham, hide spells. Nion: provides the effects of an Extend from animals, protection from chaos/evil/good/law or sanctuary; Price NA; Weight 3 lbs.; Cost 36 XP Spell feat to all Divination and Knowledge + 3 hp + 1,000 gp. domain spells. Huath: when used as part of the casting of Protection from Energy Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Scribe Ogham, a spell that targets one creature (not two or more), that target must make a Will save (DC protection from energy; Price NA; Weight 9 lbs.; Cost 540 XP + 9 hp + 1,000 gp. 15) or suffer the effects of a bestow curse spell. The caster chooses at the moment what type of Repel metal or stone Strong abjuration; CL 15th; Scribe Ogham, curse the victim will suffer. Duir: provides the effects of a Still Spell repel metal or stone; Price NA; Weight 24 lbs.; Cost 4,320 XP + 24 hp + 1,000 gp. feat to any spell cast by a druid from his spell list. Tinne: provides the effects of an Empower Tree Ogham Spell feat to all Conjuration (healing) spells, or Though all ogham inscriptions have mystical to all [death] descriptor spells. associations with the trees represented by each Coll: provides the effects of a Silent Spell ogham letter, this type of greater ogham marker is feat to all Divination spells cast by a druid or meant to specifically tap into the magic of an bard, plus grants a +8 circumstance bonus to all ogham character and its tree. Each tree ogham Knowledge (or Bardic Knowledge) skill checks marker aids in the casting of a particular type of made for an hour after expending a charge. spell or spells, and in order for these to aid in Quert: provides the effects of a Maximize spellcasting, they must be held as a focus, in effect Spell feat to all Conjuration (healing) spells. becoming an extra material component. A character Muin: provides the effects of an Empower needs to know the ogham language to use these Spell to any druidic spell dealing with plants. markers. Tree ogham markers can be carved onto a Gort: provides the effects of an Extend wood surface at least a foot long, or stone surface at Spell to any Transmutation spell. least 6 inches long. The inscription is the ogham

Bardic Lore: Ogham


9 Ngetal: provides the effects of a Maximize

Spell to any spell cast from a scroll or lesser ogham marker. Straif: this ogham is always carved on a walking staff of blackthorn wood, and provides the effects of a Still Spell feat to any Conjuration spell cast by a wizard or sorcerer from his spell list. Ruis: provides the effects of an Extend Spell to any Necromancy spell. Ailm: provides the effects of an Extend Spell and Heightened Spell to any Conjuration (creation) spell. Ohn: provides the effects of a Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus to any divine spell cast in one school chosen at creation. Ur: provides the effects of an Empower Spell to any [earth] descriptor spell. Eadha: provides the effects of a Quicken Spell to any spell from the Protection domain and to any spell with the word ‘protection’in its name, such as protection from elements, protection from arrows, etc. Idho: provides the effects of an Empower Spell to any Evocation spell. Beith, Luis, Tinne, Muin, Ur, and Idho ogham markers Strong (no school); CL 17th; Scribe Ogham, Empower Spell; Price NA; Weight 2 lbs.; Cost 1,440 XP + 9 hp +1,000 gp. Fearn, Saille, Quert, and Ngetal ogham markers Strong (no school); CL 17th; Scribe Ogham, Maximize Spell; Price NA; Weight 3 lbs.; Cost 2,400 XP + 16 hp +1,000 gp. Nion, Gort, Ruis, and Ailm ogham markers Strong (no school); CL 17th; Scribe Ogham, Extend Spell; Price NA; Weight 1 lb.; Cost 480 XP + 3 hp +1,000 gp. Huath ogham markers Strong necromancy; CL 17th; Scribe Ogham, Cursed Spell; Price NA; Weight 3 lbs.; Cost 2,400 XP + 16 hp + 1,000 gp Coll ogham markers Strong (no school); CL 17th; Scribe Ogham, Silent Spell; Price NA; Weight 1 lb.;

Cost 480 XP + 3 hp + 1,000 gp. Duir and Straif ogham markers Strong (no school); CL 17th; Scribe Ogham, Still Spell; Price NA; Weight 1 lb.; Cost 480 XP + 3 hp +1,000 gp. Ohn ogham markers Strong (no school); CL 17th; Scribe Ogham, creator must cast divine spells; Price NA; Cost 1,440 XP + 9 hp +1,000 gp plus while the creator loses access to one 4th level spell slot while the Ohn marker exists. Eadha ogham markers Strong (no school); CL 17th; Scribe Ogham, Quicken Spell; Price NA; Cost 3,360 XP + 22 hp + 1,000 gp.

New Feats Scribe Ogham [Item Creation]

You can create lesser or greater magical ogham writings. Craft (Stonemasonry or Prerequistes: Woodworking) 4 ranks, Ogham language, Caster level 3rd. Benefit: You can scribe an ogham marker of any spell that you know, or craft any ogham marker whose prerequisites you meet. Scribing or enchanting an ogham marker takes one day for 1stto 3rd-level spells, two days for 4th- through 6thlevel spells, and four days for 7th- through 9th-level spells. Ogham markers can be made to be lesser one use magic items or a more powerful greater marker with fifty uses. Although not financially difficult for a character to create an ogham it draws upon the character in the form of experience as well as the containment of life force. To create a lesser ogham, the creator must invest an amount of XP equal to the caster level x spell level XP and invest a number of hp equal the level of spell stored. These hp are locked within the lesser ogham marking and will not heal by magical or natural means. When a lesser ogham is activated as a spell completion item or the magic of the lesser ogham is dispelled (which the creator can do

Bardic Lore: Ogham


10 at will), the invested hp return to the creator as long as the creator is still living. The weight of a lesser ogham marker is negligible. To create a greater ogham that replicates a spell effect, the creator must invests an amount of XP equal to the caster level x spell level x 36 XP and invest a number of hp equal to three times the level of spell stored. These stored hp cannot be healed by magical means (not even by a miracle or wish spell) and return to the caster naturally at a rate equal to the half the caster’s Wis modifier (minimum 1) per week as the Green, from which the power of ogham markers springs, rejuvenates him. Any greater ogham marking must be carved onto a stone or wooden surface of weight equal to three pounds per level of spell it contains (0-level oghams count as ½ spell level and thus weigh at least 1.5 lbs.). The magic stored within a greater ogham has command word activation. Though rare, it is possible to create greater ogham markers that do not have a spell effect. Such ogham markers must have their cost estimated using the rules presented in the DMG. A player wanting to create such an ogham must work with his Gamesmaster to determine an appropriate base price. Ogham markers never have a gp cost but still have an XP cost equal to 1/25th the determined base price, and a hit point cost equivalent to 1 hp per 150 XP needed. The hp cost of these markers also returns at the rate described for other greater marks. These unconventional ogham markers have a reduced effectiveness when compared to similar items created with other Item Creation feats. The base price is also not affected by the modifier for being charged, as this a requirement of the object being an ogham marker. The Tree Ogham markers above are examples of a greater ogham marker that do not have a spell effect. Some ogham markers incur extra costs in material components or XP, as noted in the spell’s description or in the description of specific markers. These costs are in addition to those derived by the basic ogham creation cost. You must expend fifty times the amount of these material components or pay fifty times the XP cost.

Cursed Spell [Metamagic]

You can add a curse to the spells you cast. Prerequisites: Caster level 9th, bestow curse on spell list Benefit: You can modify a spell with a curse effect. The altered spell works norm ally in all respects except the cursed spell causes those affected to be cursed as per the bestow curse spell (DC 10 + 1/caster level). The caster chooses the effects of the spell at the moment of casting. The curse lasts for 1d4 hours in addition to the normal spell effect. The effects of this feat can be removed with a remove curse spell. A cursed spell uses up a spell slot three levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

Revised Druid Spell List In order to be able to craft some of the preceding ogham stones, and to be more in tune with the legendary abilities of the Celtic druids, we suggest the following spells be added to the druid spell list at the listed levels. 1st-level druid spells sanctuary 4th-level druid spells bestow curse lesser geas 6th-level druid spells contingency geas

Lore Use the information below whenever a bard rolls a Bardic Knowledge check regarding ogham. At the GM's discretion, a Knowledge (History) skill check could be used to learn some of these facts as well (add +5 to the DC for Knowledge skill checks). DC: Type of Knowledge 10:

Ogham is a language composed of notches

Bardic Lore: Ogham


11 made on stone or wood, each one symbolizing a letter and a tree. 20: Ogham is the secret written language of the druids. Though it has mundane uses, it also is a language of magic. 25: Ogham is a gift from the divine poet-warrior Oghma to the druids. Mystic knowledge of ogham allows druids to create magical ogham markers with only the force of their wills. 30: Those who master ogham can create inscriptions that tap into the Green to create effects that alter the very nature of magic.

Ogham Resources There is a wealth of information on ogham on the web, be it of a scholarly, archeological or mythological nature. Here are just a few interesting links.

Sources Clark, Curtis. Celtic Ogham. 2003. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. 10 Mar. 2005 . Mackillop, James. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. “Ogham.” Wikipedia. 2005. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 11 Mar. 2005 . “ogham writing.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service 09 Mar. 2005 . Stepanich, Kisma K. Faery Wicca, Book One. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1996.

Wikipedia: Ogham:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogham - Quick and easy info on ogham, plus some links. Clark Curtis’ Celtic Ogham:

http://www.csupomona.edu/~jcclark/ogham - Clark Curtis offers lots of ogham information, as well as a free Ogham TrueType font. The Ogham Stone:

http://ogham.lyberty.com - Intro to ogham and information resources. The Book of Ballymote:

http://www.isos.dias.ie - At this website, Irish Scripts On Screen, you can see digital photos of the original folio pages from the Book of Ballymote, our source for the key to ogham writing. Choose your language, make your way to the list of collections and choose the Royal Irish Academy. From there, scroll down to the Book of Ballymote and click on it. Though you are free to see the whole book, the pages featuring the ogham key and dozens of variations are folio pages 169 and 170. Be sure to check them out.

CREDITS Author: Daniel M. Perez Proofreader & Additional Material: Mark Gedak Artwork: Clipart.com Photograph: © 2002-2005 Daniel & Yvette Perez

Some artwork from Fantasy Filler Art copyright Rick Hershey, All Rights Reserved.

Bardic Lore: Ogham Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, version 1.0a: Any and all Highmoon Media Productions logos and identifying marks, including all Highmoon Media Productions product and product line names including, but not limited to: Bardic Lore, DaVinci Labs, Liber Sodalitas, Terra Mythica, Aimergin O Mil (and any variant spelling), and "A Renaissance in Mechanization"; and all artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, illustrations, maps, and cartography, likenesses, poses, logos, or graphic designs; except such elements that already appear in final or draft versions of the d20 System Reference Document or as Open Game Content below and are already OGC by virtue of appearing there. The above Product Identity is not Open Game Content. Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity and Closed Content designation above, all text in Bardic Lore: Ogham is hereby designated as Open Game Content. 'd20 System' and the 'd20 System' logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms of the d20 System License version 6.0. A copy of this License can be found at www.wizards.com/d20. 'd20 System' and the d20 System logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and are used with permission. Dungeons & Dragons, and Wizards of the Coast are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and are used with permission. OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines,

www.HighmoonMedia.com plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content. 5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. 6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute. 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that

Product Identity. 8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content. 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License. 10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute. 11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so. 12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected. 13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License. 14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable. 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins, Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker. Libellus Magnus: Metamagic & Counterspells feats, Copyright 2004, Louis Porter Jr. Design, Inc. OGL Ancients is Copyright 2004, Mongoose Publishing Limited. Bardic Lore: Ogham Copyright 2005, Daniel M. Perez d/b/a Highmoon Media Productions; Author Daniel M. Perez. www.highmoonmedia.com.

Bardic Lore - Ogham

Recommend Documents