Songsmith
by Craig Wright
originally published in Earthdawn Journal #5

The Songsmith discipline is an elven discipline with a major focus on the arts, among other things. As capable of performing as theTroubadour, they employ illusions to enhance performances; they are also able to construct the fine examples of elven art as expressed in elven weapons. A cross between the Troubadour and the Weaponsmith with minor Illusioncasting abilities thrown in, the discipline is appreciated far more by elves than the Weaponsmith and is therefore found in the elven population far more often than that discipline. However, the Songsmith has another purpose also, one which has been lost with the corruption of Wyrm Wood - Songsmiths originally acted as agents of the Elven Queen, both through preserving elven culture and through other means.

Songsmiths of the present day are therefore a pale shadow of what they once were, although the Blood Elves may yet preserve Songsmiths who fulfill their original purpose. Songsmiths were rarely single disciplined, as the discipline was originally only taught to those elven Adepts who demonstrated a desire to serve the Elven Queen; only with the creation of Blood Wood, and the splintering of the elven race, did single disciplined Songsmiths become relatively common. Many of the legendary Songsmiths of Sereatha, for example, were also Swordmasters.

Attributes: Perception, Willpower, Charisma
Racial Restrictions: Elves only
Karma Ritual: A Songsmith performs his or her Karma Ritual through an artisan skill. Once the Songsmith begins performing, he or she cannot stop until the performance is ended; the Adept must be completely immersed in their artisan skill.
Artisan Skills: Acting, Musician, Dancer, Storyteller, Painter

First Circle:
Avoid Blow*
Emotion Song*
Karma Ritual
Melee Weapons
R/W Language
Skilled Artisan*

 
Second Circle:
Forge Blade
Item History
Speak Language*

 
Third Circle:
First Impression*
Thrown Weapons

 
Fourth Circle:
"Glamour" as per the Illusionist
Empathic Sense
Thread Weaving (Illusions)*

 
Fifth Circle:
+1 to Social defense
Weapon History
Winning Smile

 
Sixth Circle:
May spend a Karma on a Charisma Test only
Abate Curse
Resist Taunt*

 
Seventh Circle:
+1 to Social Defense
Disguise Self*
Mimic Voice

 
Eighth Circle:
+1 to Spell Defense
Detect Weapon
True Sight*

 
Ninth Circle:
+2 to Social Defense
Armoured Matrix
R/W Magic
Spellcasting

 
Tenth Circle:
"The Kiss" as per Troubadour
Conceal Weapon
Lasting Impression

 
Eleventh Circle:
+2 to Spell Defense
Life Check
Memorize Image

 
Twelfth Circle:
+25 points Maximum Karma
+1 to Spell Defense
Multi-tongue
Safethought*

 
Thirteenth Circle:
+1 to Spell Defense
Spirit Talk
Thought Link

 
Fourteenth Circle:
+1 Recovery test
+1 to Initiative step
+1 to Social Defense
Poison Resistance
Tiger Spring

 
Fifteenth Circle:
+2 to Initiative Step
May spend a karma point on a Recovery test
Astral Pocket
Slough Blame
* denotes discipline talents

Skilled Artisan

Step Number: N/A Skill Use: No
Action: No Strain: None
Requires Karma: No Race Restriction: Elves only
Discipline Talent Use: Songsmith
Skilled Artisan is a talent learned by many elves over the course of their lives, which allows the elf to learn and develop artisan skills using magic. Functioning in a fashion similar to the human talent of Versatility, each rank of Skilled Artisan allows an elf to purchase one artisan skill as though it is a talent of 1st to 4th circle. Each artisan skill must be paid for with legend points seperately. The maximum rank in any artisan skill bought through Skilled Artisan is equal to the rank of Skilled Artisan itself. An elf may also choose to learn artisan skills without the use of magic, in which case normal skill rules apply; an elf may also teach others the skills, although without the Skilled Artisan talent these are taught without magic and learned normally. Available to any elf at 1st circle, the talent is available only to elves. Skilled Artisan applies for purposes of circle advancement only as part of the Songsmith discipline, wherein it originally developed.

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