To keep the tales of heroes he hopes to emulate fresh in his mind, Hakon embroiders representations of their stories into cloth badges sewn along the hem of his long coat. His retellings fill his companions with unparalleled battle spirit and combat prowess, further cementing Hakon’s own growing legend.
Hakon
Male human skald 7
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses Perception +9
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Defense
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AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex)
hp 52 (7d8+14)
Fort +7 (+8 while performing), Ref +6, Will +5; +4 vs. bardic performance, language-dependent, and sonic
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 handaxe +9 (1d6+5/×3) and +1 handaxe +9 (1d6+5/×3)
or +1 handaxe +11 (1d6+5/×3)
Ranged throwing axe +8 (1d6+4)
or sling +6 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks raging song (inspired rage +2 [+2 Str/Con], song of marching, song of strength) 23 rounds/day, spell kenning 1/day
Skald Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +13)
3rd (2/day)—good hope, haste
2nd (2/day)—gallant inspiration, glitterdust (DC 14), heroism, mirror image
1st (4/day)—grease (DC 14), liberating command, remove fear, saving finale, timely inspiration
0 (at will)—detect magic, guidance, light, mage hand, message, prestidigitation
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 23
Feats Double Slice, Extra Performance, Extra Rage Power, Lingering Performance, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (handaxe)
Skills Acrobatics +6, Bluff +16 (versatile performance, +17 vs. Ulfen), Diplomacy +18 (versatile performance, +19 vs. Ulfen), Handle Animal +18 (versatile performance), Intimidate +12, Knowledge (all) +7 (+8 about dwarves), Linguistics +5, Perception +9, Perform (sing) +16 (+17 vs. Ulfen), Perform (wind) +18 (+19 vs. Ulfen), Profession (sailor) +6, Sense Motive +16 (versatile performance, +17 vs. Ulfen), Spellcraft +5, Use Magic Device +10; Armor Check –1
Traits glint-tongued, warrior poet
Languages Common, Dwarven, Hallit, Skald
SQ bardic knowledge,lore master 1/day, rage power (ghost rager, superstition, witch hunter), uncanny dodge, versatile performance
Combat Gear alchemist’s fire, oil of daylight, potion of fly; Other Gear +1 chain shirt, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, belt of giant strength +2, circlet of persuasion, headband of alluring charisma +2, wand of cure light wounds (35 charges), +1 handaxes (2), cold iron handaxe, silver handaxe, throwing axe (2), sling with 10 bullets, backpack, spell component pouch, waterskin, mwk horn, 10 gp 9 sp
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Special Abilities
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Inspired Rage As a standard action, Hakon can give all allies who accept it a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution, a +2 morale bonus to Will saves, and a –1 penalty to AC. Allies can accept the bonuses and penalties on a round by round basis, but while accepting the song, they can’t cast spells, use abilities requiring concentration, or use Intelligence-based skills, Dexterity-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, and Ride), or Charisma-based skills (except Intimidate). Once this song is active, he doesn’t need to spend any action to maintain it but can end it at any time. He can use this ability for 23 total rounds each day, which need not be consecutive. Allies who have their own rage or bloodrage can use their own bonuses and penalties if they choose, but they can’t use any of their other abilities like rage powers or blood casting.
Lingering Performance Hakon’s raging songs (inspired rage, song of marching, and song of strength) last for 2 rounds after he stops spending rounds for them.
Lore Master Hakon can always take 10 on Knowledge checks and can take 20 on a Knowledge check once per day.
Rage Powers When activating his inspired rage song, Hakon may choose to give all allies who accept the song’s effects a +3 morale bonus on saving throws against spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. They also gain +3 to their touch AC (to a maximum of their full AC) and their attacks deal full damage to incorporeal creatures. If he does, they can’t be a willing target of any spell and must attempt saving throws to resist all spells, even those cast by allies. Hakon also gains a +2 to damage against foes with spells or spell-like abilities, but his other allies do not.
Song of Marching Hakon can perform for an hour (spending one of the raging song rounds he normally uses for inspired rage) in order to allow all allies within 60 feet to hustle while it counts as a walk.
Song of Strength As a move action, Hakon can allow all allies to add +3 to their Strength checks and Strength-based skill checks. This ability spends the same raging song rounds as inspired rage, and like inspired rage, once he activates this ability, Hakon doesn’t need to spend any actions to keep it active and can end it at any time.
Spell Kenning Hakon can cast any bard, cleric, or sorcerer/wizard spell by spending a full round (or more if the spell he picks has a longer casting time) and expending a spell slot of the appropriate level once per day.
Uncanny Dodge Hakon is not denied his Dex bonus before he acts in combat or against invisible opponents.
Warrior Poet Hakon gets a +1 to Fortitude saves while performing (already included).
Cure Light Wounds Hakon’s wand heals 1d8+1 damage by touch.
Daylight When smeared on an object, Hakon’s oil creates bright light for 60 feet and raises the light by one level for the next 60 ft for 50 minutes. If there is magic darkness in that area, instead the overlapping area is unaffected by either spell.
Detect Magic Hakon can notice magic in a 60-foot cone. If he concentrates, he can find how many magic auras there are on the next round and then attempt to find out more on the round after that.
Fly Hakon’s potion grants the drinker a 60 foot fly speed and a +6 bonus to Fly checks (+9 total for Hakon himself) for 5 minutes.
Gallant Inspiration Hakon can spend an immediate action to add a +2d4 competence bonus to a failed attack roll or skill check, which may allow it to succeed retroactively.
Glitterdust Creatures in a 10-foot radius take a –40 to Stealth and lose the benefit of invisibility and the like for 7 rounds. They are also blinded if they fail a DC 15 Will save, but at the end of each of their turns, they can attempt the Will save again to end the blindness.
Good Hope Hakon can grant a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks to up to 7 targets within 170 feet of Hakon and all within 30 feet of each other. This bonus lasts for 7 minutes.
Grease Hakon can grease a 10-foot-by-10-foot square of floor or an item for 7 minutes. If he greases the ground, creatures in the area must make a DC 15 Reflex save or fall prone and creatures walking through the area must make a DC 10 Acrobatics check or stop moving and be forced to make the same Reflex save (failing the Acrobatics check by 5 or more makes them fall without a Reflex save). If he greases an object, if the object is attended, the object’s possessor can attempt a Reflex save to make the grease miss the item. Otherwise, if the possessor was holding the object, she drops it, and she must attempt a Reflex save each round to pick up or use the item. If he greases someone’s clothing, they receive a +10 bonus to Escape Artist checks, CMB to escape grapple, and CMD vs. grapple.
Guidance Hakon can give a touched target a +1 competence bonus that the target can use on any attack roll, saving throw, or skill check in the next minute.
Haste Hakon can grant up to 7 targets within 40 feet of Hakon and all within 30 feet of each other a +30 ft. enhancement bonus to movement speed, +1 to attack rolls, +1 to Reflex saves, a +1 dodge bonus to AC, and an extra attack at the highest bonus during any full attack. These benefits last for 7 rounds.
Heroism Hakon can give a touched target a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for 70 minutes.
Liberating Command As an immediate action, Hakon can pick an ally within 40 feet. That ally can spend an immediate action to make an Escape Artist check with a +14 competence bonus to escape restraints, bindings, or grapples.
Light An object Hakon touches sheds light for 70 minutes. He can’t have more than one copy of this spell active at once.
Mage Hand After casting this spell, Hakon can move a nonmagical unattended object of 5 lbs. or less up to 15 feet as a move action. While moving it in this way, the object must remain within 40 feet of Hakon.
Message Hakon can whisper messages to the target for 70 minutes as long as they remain within 170 feet and aren’t obstructed, and the target can respond each time Hakon sends a whisper. Nearby creatures might be able to overhear the messages (DC 25 Perception).
Mirror Image 1d4+2 copies of Hakon weave around him for 7 minutes. Any attack requiring an attack roll has an equal chance to hit and destroy each image, missing Hakon, as it does to hit Hakon (so with 3 images, there would be a 1 in 4 chance to hit Hakon and a 3 in 4 chance of destroying an image). An attack that misses by 5 or less also destroys an image. If the enemy can’t see the images, it is not fooled.
Prestidigitation Hakon can perform simple magic tricks for 1 hour, such as cleaning his outfit, chilling his ale, or flavoring his meat.
Remove Fear Hakon selects two creatures within 40 feet of Hakon and within 30 feet of each other. Hakon suppresses all current fear effects on those creatures for 10 minutes. During that time, the creatures gain a +4 morale bonus against further fear effects.
Saving Finale Hakon can spend an immediate action and end his current song to allow an ally who was affected by the song to reroll a failed saving throw.
Timely Inspiration Hakon can spend an immediate action to add a +2 competence bonus to a failed attack roll or skill check, which may allow it to succeed retroactively.
Background:
Past the Ironbound Archipelago, across the Steaming Sea, lies the Broken Bay, haven of scoundrels, raiders, cutthroats, and killers in the bloodiest viking traditions of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. As a youth, Hakon waited impatiently to come of age and join the seasonal southern raids of his countrymen, eagerly absorbing the tales of distant lands they brought back with the plunder. The proud raiders boasted of desperate battles at sea, of ceaseless storms and sea monsters and foreign towns cloaked in sheets of cascading flames. Hakon committed these stories to memory, adding his own embellishments to create an oral history for his people—vowing to one day make a place for himself within it.
Key to Hakon’s youthful mythology was Hrolf Harfargr, one of the few honorable huscarls of Broken Bay’s despicable King Ingimundr the Unruly. Hakon was Hrolf ’s personal lorekeeper, and composed epic poems of the huscarl’s encounter with the brine dragon Kelizar, his crushing victory at sea over Styrbjorn Threefingers, and his romance with his greatest rival, the viking hero White Estrid, with whom he joined forces on a legendary run through a blockade at the Arch of Aroden.
To keep the memories fresh in his mind, Hakon embroidered representations of the stories into cloth badges sewn along the hem of his long coat. As he moved from badge to badge, Hakon added to the legend of his shipmates, who looked on in excitement with each of his tellings. The smiles and encouragement stung Hakon’s heart, however, and what should have been pride was instead replaced with regret and shame—for Hrolf Harfargr intended that his personal skald would survive to tell his legend, and thus kept Hakon as far from danger as possible, always a witness, and never the participant he yearned to be.
Upon their return to the Lands of the Linnorm Kings from the extended Absalom expedition, the king ordered Harfargr to sea without his official lorekeeper and recorder of his legendary deeds. Instead, Ingimundr assigned Hakon’s younger brother, Ostog, to take the skald’s place at the oars.
Hrolf Harfargr, Ostog, and Hakon’s old companions Bolgi and Bjarni set out on Girt Bearwearer’s ship among a great armada of raiders with hungry eyes on the rich lands of the distant south. They never returned to the Broken Bay, but soon stories made their way to Hakon of a mutiny at sea in which Hrolf Harfargr and his allies attempted to take the longship from its wicked captain. Other stories made their way back to Bildt, too. Tales of a brash young warrior named Ostog the Unslain, a survivor of treachery at sea who somehow washed ashore in the Varisian town of Sandpoint and who immediately set about creating a legend of his own. Hakon had to know if the tales of Ostog’s distant deeds were true, so he set off on a ship of his own to Sandpoint in an attempt to reunite with his brother.
Hakon and a band of companions followed Ostog all the way down Avistan’s western coast, tracing his brother’s footsteps in the drying blood of the young barbarian’s dismembered enemies. Though Hakon has not yet caught up with Ostog, the skald’s journeys have brought him his own measure of renown. In Nisroch he slew the dark druid Roverud. His twin axes—Hagrum’s Keel and Limbrender—struck down the marsh giant Fogulnur, gaining Hakon the legendary Horn of Valenhall, a mystical artifact he only partially understands. Tales of these victories fill his companions with unparalleled battle spirit and combat prowess, further cementing Hakon’s growing legend. Now the badges of Hakon’s own exploits stand beside those of the true heroes of the Broken Bay, but the skald knows that his journeys must continue until his deeds shine like those of Hrolf Harfargr, White Estrid, and Ostog the Unslain. Only then will the Saga of Hakon be complete, daring those who come after him to even greater feats of bravery and legend.
