Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells: The Spiritcaller Archetype v1

 My OSR journey started in earnest upon watching Questing Beast’s review of Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells by the esteemed Diogo Nogueira. I saw it and immediately I was hit by a wave of inspiration, got my hands on a copy of the core rules and the addendum, and read the entirety of the Elric of Melniboné series (pending the Gray Mouser and Conan). Sword and Sorcery had captured my imagination, and I fell into this wonderful neverending void of OSR games and lightweight rulesets, eventually leading to my discovery of the GLOG and my making of this here blog for your enjoyment.

Unfortunately, it’s not my players’ style of game, who have been raised on 5e and Pathfinder, with my grand arcing narratives coming from my background as an aspiring novelist. But while I never play a long campaign in 4S, as we have lovingly shortened it to, I will as sure as day write questionable homebrew for it.

Which brings us to our main event today: The Spiritcaller. I was perusing Diogo’s blog (http://oldskulling.blogspot.com/), and saw that he had drafted a cleric-style archetype for the second edition of 4S. Now, clerics and god-fearing folk don’t exactly mesh well with the gritty pulp fantasy worlds that the system attempts to emulate. So I took it into my own hands to revise and create something that fit better (in my humble opinion), while still keeping the basic idea of the class. And thus, I will leave you hanging no longer.

Archetype: Spiritcaller

There are many worlds beyond the ones we see from day to day. You are one of the few blessed with the ability to see into them and speak to their inhabitants, be it from intense training or innate ability. From those entities, you draw your otherworldly powers. Whether you use them for good or ill, none but you know.

Hit Dice: 1d8 Hit Points per level

Luck Die: 1d6

Prime Attributes: Physique and Willpower

A Spiritcaller receives the following Special Abilities:

• Caught in the Interstice: The Spiritcaller can interact with incorporeal creatures and objects as if they were entirely corporeal. In addition, the Spiritcaller can interact with the lingering spirit of a corpse with a successful Willpower test with Difficulty equal to the target’s HD.

• Friends on the Other Side: The Spiritcaller makes a deal with a patron spirit to gain immense power. This deal can be between the character and their ancestors, an elemental, an eldritch being, and everything and anything in between. However, in most cases, the patron has something to gain from the character in return for the powers they impart. To represent this bond, the Spiritcaller begins play with an object or creature of particular spiritual significance to them and their patron spirit, called their Effigy, through which they may communicate with their patron. Once per day, the Spiritcaller can make a Luck roll to call upon the help of their patron in a given situation through said effigy. By reducing their Luck Die by one step, this may be used a second time in a day. With this power, many effects can be imbued, including, but not limited to: allowing an ally to automatically succeed on a test, imposing an automatic failure on an enemy, guaranteeing a crit, or anything else the Referee deems appropriate for the situation. On a failure, their patron is disappointed with the Spiritcaller and their help cannot be accessed until they are appeased. If the effigy has been destroyed/lost, this ability cannot be used again until a replacement has been found and blessed by the patron.

• World-walker: With a successful Willpower test with Difficulty equal to the number of willing creatures being brought along, the Spiritcaller can enter the Interstice, a transitory realm where the spirits reside. This functions as the spell Shadow Travel, except that instead of random encounters (though they may occur as well), for every turn spent inside, any mortal must make a Willpower test with Difficulty equal to the number of previous successful tests. On a failure, they begin to lose their connection to reality, taking 1d3 Willpower damage. Should this damage reduce them to 0 Willpower, the subject entirely forgets their life in the real world and becomes a wandering spirit. The Spiritcaller makes this Willpower test with a Positive Die. For every day spent recovering from the damage, the subject regains 1d4 Willpower, up to their total before entering the Interstice.

• Evocations: The Spiritcaller gains the ability to use Evocations, detailed further down. 

• Investitures: The Spiritcaller may call upon their patron spirit to inhabit their form, imparting power for a short time. When this ability is activated, the Spiritcaller begins to manifest their patron spirit’s Investiture, detailed in their entry. For every round spent in this state, the Spiritcaller must make a Physique test with difficulty equal to the number of tests previously succeeded. On a failure, the Spiritcaller takes 1d4 damage for each round they spent in the form, and cannot use it again for 1d8 turns. It can be cancelled at any point, forgoing the Physique test and the failure penalties, however it still cannot be reactivated for 1d8 turns.

Evocations

Evocations are the strength a Spiritcaller receives from their patron spirit, unique to each specific spirit. At 1st level, the Spiritcaller gains 2 Evocations, and gains one more at every level afterwards, to a maximum of their Physique score divided by 2. Evocations can be used in Light and Medium armour without penalty. All tests described in Evocations are made with a Negative Die when in Heavy armour.

On a roll of 20 to use an Evocation, the Spiritcaller takes damage equal to their total number of Evocations.

To use Evocations, the Spiritcaller must be in possession of their Effigy. If the Effigy has been lost or destroyed, the Spiritcaller can no longer regain uses of their Evocations. In addition, upon using their Evocations in this situation, the Spiritcaller takes damage equal to a monster of HD equivalent to their own. For example, a Spiritcaller of HD 6 would take damage equal to a 6 HD monster (2d6 in this situation).

Gaining More Evocations

There may come a point in a Spiritcaller’s life where they wish for further powers than their mortal body can handle. Doing this requires an extended trip into the Interstice, where they must petition the Unnamed King to grant them the body of an Avatar, the pinnacle of mortal strength, undertaking many grueling trials to prove their worth. With this, they may learn up to 5 more Evocations, no longer take damage after failing a test to keep up their Investiture or rolling a 20 to use an Evocation, may move in the Interstice without penalty, and is no longer subject to the Fading. This process results in the death of most who attempt it, with those who fail becoming eternal servants of the Unnamed King. This is, of course, an incredibly powerful ability, and Referees should decide whether to keep all or any of it in their games.

Changing Patron Spirit

Through extraordinary circumstances, it could transpire that a Spiritcaller may wish to change to another Patron Spirit. This is an incredibly difficult process, involving an extended trip into the Interstice to make a deal with whatever spirit they are seeking to gain the powers of. It is unlikely, however, that the Spiritcaller’s previous spirit will be particularly happy with being replacement. The Referee is encouraged to come up with their own ways of playing this out, relating to the spirits in question.

Example Patron Spirit: Ayros, Greater Air Elemental

Effigy: Wind Instruments, Feathers, Birds

Investiture: All attacks against the Spiritcaller have a Negative Die to hit and the Spiritcaller gains one extra action per turn.

Good Ayros, as free as the winds over which he reigns, second of the great Windlords of the Highest Peaks. His love is freedom, to go wherever you please and be whoever you wish. His moods are ever changing, serenity and anger in equal and wildly unbalanced measures. With him, you will be the wind through the leaves, the cold breeze of morning, the raging storm. 

	Evocations
1	Fleetness of the Wind - With a successful Willpower test, the Spiritcaller can give one target a Positive Die on all Agility tests and an extra action for a round. This can be used a number of times per day equal to their level. A successful Luck roll may allow an extra use.
2	Call of the Skies - With a successful Willpower test, the Spiritcaller can direct themself through the air adeptly for a number of turns equal to their level. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
3	Drive the Air from Their Lungs - With a successful Physique test, the Spiritcaller can cause a target of up to distant range to begin suffocating. The target takes 1d6 damage per round and cannot take actions, lasting as long as the Spiritcaller concentrates. Can be resisted. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
4	Slicing Winds - With a successful Physique test, the Spiritcaller can cause a sharp wind to cut at a target of up to distant range, dealing damage as a monster of HD equal to the Spiritcaller’s level (max 2d6).
5	Gale Force - With a successful Willpower test, the Spiritcaller can push a number of targets of up to far range equal to their level (to maximum of 3) up to far range from where they were. For example, a Spiritcaller of 2nd level could push two targets up to far range from where the targets currently stand. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
6	Eyes in the Sky - With a successful Physique test, the Spiritcaller can project their senses into a bird within a mile of them, seeing and hearing through the bird’s senses for a number of turns equal to their level. If the bird is intelligent, it may resist this. With an additional Willpower test, the Spiritcaller can assume control over the bird’s body and direct it, though this can be resisted. If the bird is intelligent, this is done with difficulty equal to the bird’s HD. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
7	Whirlwind - With a successful Physique test, the Spiritcaller creates a tornado around them, pulling anything from nearby range into close range and dealing 1d6 damage per round for a number of rounds equal to half the Spiritcaller’s number of Evocations, rounded down. Can be resisted. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
8	Chain Lightning - With a successful Physique test, the Spiritcaller summons a bolt of lightning to strike a number of foes within far range equal to half the Spiritcaller’s number of Evocations rounded down (minimum two), dealing 1d8 damage each. The targets must be within nearby range of each other. Can be resisted for half damage. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
9	Dark Clouds - A target point within far range becomes shrouded in thunderclouds, dealing 1d6 lightning damage per round and giving a Negative Die on all ranged attacks to anyone within nearby range of it, lasting for a number of rounds equal to half the Spiritcaller’s number of Evocations, rounded down. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations. Can be resisted for half damage.
10	Air Bubble - With a successful Willpower test, the Spiritcaller creates a bubble of rapidly spinning air that gives everyone within close range -1d Damage Reduction and provides them with air in airless environments. Lasts for a number of turns equal to the Spiritcaller’s level. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
11	Lightning Speed - With a successful Physique test, the Spiritcaller and a number of allies within close range equal to the Spiritcaller’s level are teleported in a bolt of lightning to any point within far range. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
12	Shocking Grasp - The Spiritcaller makes a Physique test, targeting a creature in close range with a melee attack. The target takes 1d8 damage, increased to 1d10 if the target is wearing or holding anything made of metal. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.
13	Master of the Air - The Spiritcaller may manipulate the winds in many different ways including, but not limited to: changing the direction of the wind, moving small objects within far range, opening unlocked doors and windows and creating whistling sounds.
14	Friends in the Sky - The Spiritcaller may call for the help of a lesser air elemental in combat with a successful Willpower with Difficulty equal to the HD of the elemental you wish to summon, to a maximum of your total number of Evocations. It has the special ability ‘Once per day, can use its action to cause a creature to begin suffocating, taking 1d4 damage per turn and giving it a Negative Die on all actions. Lasts as long as the elemental keeps concentration. Can be resisted.’ This can be used a number of times per day equal to the Spiritcaller’s total number of Evocations.

Optional Rule: The Fading

All power comes at a price for those who use it. Amongst Spiritcallers there is a phenomenon known as ‘The Fading’, or Spiritual Corruption, as the call of the Interstice grows stronger and harder to resist. Every time the Spiritcaller gains an Evocation, ask the player to roll 1d12, adding their total number of Evocations to the roll. The result represents the effects of The Fading taking hold over their form.

1d12 + Number of Evocations	The Fading
3	An easily coverable part of the body becomes transparent.
4	A limb becomes entirely transparent.
5	The character’s eyes take on a form related to their patron spirit (E.g. Hawk eyes for Ayros).
6	The character’s skin begins to form features related to their patron spirit (E.g. Feathers on their arms for Ayros).
7	The character’s normal tone becomes a whisper, requiring them to shout to talk normally.
8	The character begins to constantly see spirits watching them from the corner of their eye.
9	Anyone who stands near the character can faintly hear their thoughts.
10	The character suffers a Negative Die on Willpower tests while their Effigy is not near them.
11	Spirits begin to talk through the character in their sleep. Every night, the Referee makes a 1d6 roll. On a 1 or 2, a spirit begins to talk through the character, reducing any healing gained from a long rest by half.
12	The character’s face becomes entirely devoid of recognisable features, requiring an Intellect test from anyone that isn’t a close friend of the character to remember who they are by looks.
13	The character’s memories are mixed with another spirit’s, making it hard to know which memories are their’s and which aren’t.
14	The character’s body becomes increasingly incorporeal, causing them to lose 1 point of Physique.
15	The Interstice constantly tries to pull the character in, causing them to lose 1d3 points of Agility.
16	The character becomes addicted to the freedom of the Interstice, requiring them to spend at least 1 turn there every day, doubling for each day they spend without going in.
17	A spirit latches onto the character’s mind, requiring the character to make a Luck roll every morning to remain in control over their body. The nature and goals of the spirit are up to the Referee.
18	The character is beset by the voices of every human that has died in their presence, requiring a Willpower test every time they wish to rest. On a failure, they are unable to do so.
19	The character begins to lose their memories, requiring an Intellect test to remember any events that happened more than a month ago.
20	The character becomes entirely incorporeal, requiring a Willpower test every morning with difficulty equal to the number of previous successful tests to see if they can interact with the physical world.
21	The character is brought before the Unnamed King for execution, to become one of his Silent Sentinels.

A Word About Patron Spirits

As with all magic in Sword and Sorcery, the power a patron spirit gives is never inherently good or altruistic. The best you can hope for with these fickle masters is to have them on your side for now. Their support is never guaranteed. Referees should use the otherworldly motivations and ideals of the denizens of the Interstice to remind the Spiritcallers that they are merely borrowing this power; one wrong move and it could all be taken away.

Conclusion

The Spiritcaller attempts to create a spellcaster with more reliable magic than the typical Magic-User, while still impressing upon the player the danger of consorting with the Interstice. I’m not sure if I succeeded, but I can always update the rules to be more balanced. ‘Balance’ is relative and unhelpful anyway. As long as it's fun for everyone at the table and evocative enough to create stories around, I consider that a balanced class.

A few notes on design:

The Spiritcaller becomes exponentially more powerful as they level. Which level, the number of uses of their abilities is not doubled, it is squared, which may present some issues. To counteract this, I have made their abilities far less powerful than the glass cannon-y power of the Magic-User. In practice, however, it may present some issues.

Next, the core Special Abilities. They are very niche compared to the other three core Archetypes, and both Caught in the Interstice and World-walker may not see much play. This is why Investitures were added, to give the Spiritcaller more constant use of their abilities. Whether or not that actually happens, is yet to be seen.

If anyone decides to actually use this Archetype in their game, please do not hesitate to tell me how it went and how it can be improved. Or better yet, make your own tweaks to it and then tell me about them. Steal liberally and unapologetically, my friends, and I will upload more 4S rules in time. I may even turn the Spiritcaller into a GLOG class at some point, for my own fantasy heartbreaker ruleset (not-so-subtle foreshadowing). Godspeed!