Fochlucan Lyrist

The Fochlucan lyrist is a legendary figure who serves as the herald and teacher to great kings, the champion of the common folk, and the keeper of lore long forgotten elsewhere.

Those who aspire to join the Fochlucan College face a long and dif?cult road. The great bards who lead the school choose only individuals who have demonstrated skill at arms and stealth, learning and cleverness, superb talent with the lute and an ear for the stories of old. Finally, all applicants must ?rst study the lore of the druids, learning the ways of growth and the hidden secrets of nature. Few indeed can stand up to the rigorous scrutiny of the Fochlucan masters.

Fochlucan lyrists adventure to gain information. They are spies and rumormongers, ever on the watch for news of events that may upset the balance they seek to preserve. A lyrist can serve as a diplomat, messenger, or assassin, as needed. The Fochlucans strongly believe in fostering the careers of other adventurers whose viewpoints align with their own, and many lyrists attach themselves to adventuring companies speci?cally for the purpose of guiding their comrades to oppose the right enemies and advance the interests of the Fochlucan College.

#### Requirements

**Alignment:** Neutral good, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil.

**Skills:** Linguistics 4 ranks , Diplomacy 4 ranks , Knowledge (local) 4 ranks , Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks , Perform (string instruments) 10 ranks , Sleight of Hand 4 ranks , Speak Language (druidic)

**Spells:** Ability to cast 1st-level arcane and divine spells.

**Special:** Bardic knowledge and evasion abilities.

#### Class Features

**Weapon and Armor Proficiency:** Fochlucan lyrists gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

**Spells per Day/Spells Known:** At each level, a Fochlucan lyrist gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in any one arcane spellcasting class and any one divine spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If she had more than one arcane spellcasting class or divine spellcasting class before becoming a Fochlucan lyrist, she must decide to which class to add each Fochlucan lyrist level for the purpose of determining spells per day, spells known, and overall caster level.

For example, a 2nd-level rogue/5th-level bard/4th-level druid/3rd-level Fochlucan lyrist can cast arcane spells as an 8th-level bard and divine spells as a 7th-level druid.

**Bardic Knowledge (Ex):** A Fochlucan lyrist can attempt to recall some relevant piece of information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. See the bard class feature, page 28 of the *Player's Handbook*. She adds her Fochlucan lyrist class level to her bardic knowledge checks, so her bardic knowledge checks have a bonus equal to her bard level + her Fochlucan lyrist level + her Int modifier.

**Bardic Music:** A Fochlucan lyrist adds her lyrist level to her bard level to determine the number of times per day she can use her bardic music, the bardic music abilities she can employ, and the power of those abilities. For example, a 2nd-level rogue/5th-level bard/4th-level druid/3rd-level Fochlucan lyrist can use her bardic music eight times per day, can use any bardic music ability an 8th-level bard could use (assuming she meets the Perform skill rank requirements), and is treated as an 8th-level bard for adjudicating the effects of those abilities (such as number of targets, save DC, and so forth).

**Unbound:** A Fochlucan lyrist's druid oaths are relaxed, allowing her to wear light metal armor with no loss of spellcasting, supernatural, or spell-like abilities. A lyrist also suffers no experience point penalty for multi-classing.

#### FOCHLUCAN BANDORE

In the same vein that most folk consider the Fochlucan College to be the most famous of the bardic colleges, the most well-known and most often encountered of all the famed instruments of the bards is the Fochlucan bandore. (This item and the other instruments of the bards are described in detail in Complete Arcane.)

This three-stringed masterwork lute grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Perform (string instruments) checks and a +1 competence bonus on bardic music checks for countersong, fascinate, and suggestion. The instrument can be played by anyone to produce light once per day. Any character with at least 2 ranks in Perform (string instruments) can use the bandore to cast flare, mending, and message each once per day.

Faint transmutation, faint evocation; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, flare, light, mending, message, creator must be a bard; Price 1,900 gp; Weight 3 lb.

#### FOCHLUCAN COLLEGE

Perhaps the most famous of the bardic colleges, the Fochlucan College serves as a beacon of learning and diplomacy in a dark and restless land. Many have accused the Fochlucan masters of fomenting intrigues among the nearby kingdoms and using their famed neutrality to conceal the real extent of their meddling and manipulation. By advising mighty rulers and undertaking the tutoring of royal heirs, the Fochlucan bards turn the fate of kingdoms with nothing more than quiet words and whispered secrets.

The Fochlucan College itself is located on the shores of the misty Loch Firrnen, a few miles from the town of Oakenway. The College is a rambling old stone building that resembles something between a minor lord's manor house and a decrepit old monastery. Green ivy covers its walls, and old lanterns hanging from its eaves warm its chill, misty nights with golden light.

No more than a handful of its collegians are present at any given time—the strength of the organization lies in the learning and skill of its individual members, not in any muster of warriors. Members are welcome to stay as long as they like but are expected to contribute to the college's upkeep. The customary donation is 50 gp a month (for itinerant members) or 200 gp a month (for members living on the premises).

A small number of servants keep the College in order and prepare meals, but there are no guards or soldiers. Instead, its defense lies primarily in the reputation and influence of its members. Should trouble come anyway, the College is well defended by the handful of lyrists or guests who happen to be visiting at any given time. In case of serious trouble, the Fochlucans turn to the creatures of the surrounding forest. Through ancient pacts, the sylvan denizens of Loch Firrnen's forests are pledged to defend the bards' house against attack.

The College is governed by the Yew Circle, a small council composed of the five most senior Fochlucans currently enrolled in the order. All five are nominally equal, but if the Circle's opinion is divided on any important matter, the Eldest of the Circle—the Fochlucan who has served the longest in the college—decides the issue. Currently, the Eldest of Fochlucan is Yew Master Hurlich Stennarden, a half-elf who has belonged to the College for better than fifty years. The masters of the Yew Circle rarely meet, since they are not often at the College at the same time.

The Fochlucans are affiliated with several other bardic colleges in neighboring lands, including the College of Mac-Fuirmidh, the Doss School, and the High College of Anstruth, oldest and most knowledgeable of the colleges.