Ohrwurm
There is a song in my head, the most beautiful thing, that's ever been heard. It is the music of my mind, and the dirge of my dreams. It is all that gives sound to my soul. Not even in the heavens above shall I hear better what expresses that which is me. Ever does it change as I grow and learn, age and die. Though it play for eternity I shall never tire of the refrain. -
Elaine DeVerinor Often there is but only a slight difference between love and hate, parasite and symbiont. Such is the way with music. What is beautiful to one is but noise to another. This tune might lift one up, while taking another one down. Regardless of personal preference however there are tunes that stick with you, repeating themselves endlessly whether you approve of it or not. For most it is alike to an earwig, burrowing into the brain, but a few are inspired by the tune and connect with it at an emotional level. The strongest of these take the tune and make it their own, growing it in their minds. Instead of harming it adapts itself to the psyche of their host and bond. The tune awakens the mind to new heights while the music lives on. Where one ends and the other begins is impossible to determine. The music is the host, and the host is the music. Together they form the beautiful madness that is the Ohrwurm.
Becoming an OhrwurmThe successful bonding of an Ohrwurm is a rare achievement. Only one who has a personal connection with the depths of their emotions and innate knowledge of their own inner beauty can embrace the musical psychosis without being intimidated by it. Only one possessing a deep bond with melody and its social twinings can properly understand it.
Seldom do any but those with levels in both Wilder and Bard meet the prerequisites.
What they make of this bond however is as broad as ever. some are hardly more than a psychotic, disease carrier, while others tame both themselves and the tune so that it is nothing except benevolent.
Hit Dice: d6
Entry RequirementsFeats: *Disease Immunity (Ohrwurm)
Skills: Autohypnosis 4 ranks, Perform (sing or any instrument) 8 ranks
Special: Bardic Music ability; Wild Surge class feature; Must have contracted the Ohrwurm disease.
* Heroes of Horror, p. 121Ohrwurm Psychosis
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spells per Day/Powers Known
1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Bardic Music, Immunity to Depression, Ohrwurm Carrier, Sense the Song +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Force of Personality, Soothing Thoughts +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Mindful Melody, Quickened Contagion +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
4th +3 +1 +4 +4 Mindsong Fusion +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Charmsight +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
6th +4 +2 +5 +5 Addictive, Suffusing Euphoria +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
7th +5 +2 +5 +5 Feed the Song +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
8th +6 +2 +6 +6 Beautiful Distraction +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
9th +6 +3 +6 +6 I Only Have Ears For You +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class or +1 level of existing manifesting class
10th +7 +3 +7 +7 Soul Music -
Class SkillsThe Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcane, local, psionics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (any, chosen separately) (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Psicraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Psionic Device (Cha)
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int modifier
Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the Ohrwurm prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ohrwurms gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day/Powers Known: At each level except 10th, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained unless specially noted. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming an ohrwurm, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.
Alternatively, at each level except 10th, you gain new powers per day, an increase in manifester level, and powers known as if you had also gained a level in a manifesting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one manifesting class before becoming an ohrwurm, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining powers per day, manifester level, and powers known.
If you have both arcane spellcaster levels and manifester levels upon gaining a level as an ohrwurm, you must choose which class gains the benefit of this ability. You cannot increase both your spellcasting and manifesting levels. At each level that grants this ability, however, you can choose to improve either your arcane spellcaster level or your manifester level. Choosing one way does not restrict you you to the same choice when you gain your next level.
Bardic Music: Ohrwurm music follows the same rules as Bardic Music. Ohrwurm levels stack with bard levels for the purpose of determining how often a character can use bardic music. Ohrwurm levels do not stack with bard levels for determining which songs a bard has access to.
Quickened Contagion (Ex): At 3rd level an Ohrwurm may expend 2 uses of their daily bardic music to enhance the strength of their malady. The incubation time decreases to 1 hour, and the secondary affects to 1d4 minutes. If he expends 4 uses the incubation time is 1 minute, and the secondary effects 1d4 rounds. This enhancement lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Ohrwurm's Charisma modifier.
Addictive: At sixth level, if an Ohrwurm spends 4 uses of their bardic music, the next creature that is infected by her particular type of music begins to show a mental addiction to the tune.
After complete recovery of infection, the character can go for a number of days without hearing it equal to 2 x his Wis mod (minimum 2 days), not including time spent sleeping, in trance, or the like. Even a whisper of the song is enough to fend off the addiction, such as from a touch of Charmsight.
For each day the addicted forgoes hearing it over this time limit, the character must make a Will save against a DC of 15 - their Cha mod + 1 for each previous save. If the save succeeds, the character takes 1d2 points of Wisdom damage, but does not have to make a save for another two days.
If the save fails, the addicted succumbs to the song and must put all the effort into seeking and locating the Ohrwurm. They may pause to eat, drink, or fight, but only as long as such pauses are necessary to your pursuit of the song.
This addiction can be cured by any addiction removing spells or affects, as well as the Psychic Chirurgery power.
Immunity to Depression: An Ohrwurm's song keeps her in a continuous state of high spirits. She is immune to all despair effects, such as from that of a Crushing Despair spell, depression affects, those that specifically remove morale effects, and similar.
Ohrwurm Carrier: You take no penalties from the Ohrwurm disease, and gain the
Carrier (ohrwurm) feat except a disease curing ability or spell has no effect on your personal 'infection'. It has become permanently part of your mentality and you cannot be cured of it. Those who attempt to use a mind-affecting effect or contact you with a form of telepathy must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + half HD + Cha mod) or contract the disease itself. You are yourself immune to the ohrwurm disease effects of others.
Sense the Song (Su): While psionically focused an Ohrwurm can telepathically hear the song of anyone infected with the disease, even if only in the incubation stage, up to a distance of 10 feet per level of Ohrwurm. This allows them to know the general location and direction, but they still have full concealment in regards to detecting them by Mindsight. The Ohrwurm may expend their psionic focus to pin-point their exact location for that moment.
Force of Personality: You gain Force of Personality (CAd, p. 109) as a bonus feat. If you already possess this feat you may instead choose any Bardic Music or Psionic feat to which you meet the prerequisites.
Soothing Thoughts (Ex): An Ohrwurm may use up a daily use of Bardic Music to adjust their inner song to calm their minds immediately after the results of a Wild Surge or Overchannel are known, negating the chance of Psychic Enervation or taking damage for that single use on your same turn. This use is immediate and the calming tune lasts for 1 round.
Mindful Melody (Ex): At 3rd level you may broadcast your bardic music mentally, and it loses the sonic descriptor but gains the mind-affecting if it didn't before. Thus your music is silent except to those you designate, and works underwater, in airless environs, or anywhere you could normally make telepathic contact. This even works on deaf targets. Those you mentally sing to must succeed on their save or contract the ohrwurm disease. You may use up a daily use of your bardic music to remove the disease from your mindsong before it affects the target. You cannot deafen or deal sonic damage through mental bardic music. Unless otherwise stated, it uses the same rules as standard verbal bardic music.
You may expend your psionic focus to gain a +4 bonus to your Performance check when performing mentally.
Mindsong Fusion: At 4th level an Ohrwurm union of song and mind fully fuse. She may use her Wild Surge to gain a bonus to her caster level. This bonus is the same as she is capable when manifesting. If she would succumb to psychic enervation she loses a number of spells per day whose combined levels equal her CL. For instance a Wilder 4/Bard 3/Ohrwurm 4 who chose arcane progression for a CL of 6 could lose one 3rd level spell, and one 1st level spell, three 2nd level spells, six 1st level spells, or any combination.
Charmsight: At 5th level an Ohrwurm song can no longer be contained and begins to reach out beyond the confines of their head, a melody tickling at all nearby minds. She gains Mindsight as a bonus feat, out to the limits of her Sense the Song ability. Instead of sensing creatures with an Intelligence score, the Ohrwurm senses those with a Charisma score. She also no longer needs to retain psionic focus to know which mind she senses is infected. She must however retain psionic focus to pin-point those infected, but no longer must expend it.
As this song is able to be faintly mentally heard by those it touches an Ohrwurm may choose to silence it for a minute by making a DC 15 Autohypnosis check as a free action. She cannot use charmsight while silencing her broadcasting. She may restore it at any time.
The Ohrwurm malady cannot be spread through Charmsight.
Suffusing Euphoria (Ex): At 6th level an Ohrwurm's song brings her into a state of bliss, granting a permanent +1 inherent bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. This bonus stacks with others, including the bonuses granted her by Bardic Music and Surging Euphoria. While maintaining psionic focus she also gains immunity to pain and fear.
Feed the Song (Ex): Whenever the Ohrwurm succeeds on a saving throw against an effect that incurs a penalty, or accepts an effect that grants a bonus, she may allow the effect to resonate in her music for up to the duration of the original effect. Once in her target's mind it begins anew, the duration equal to the original effect. If the effect only originally worked against 1 target, it now affects as many as the Ohrwurm can infect within the duration. If the duration is permanent it may be kept resonating within the song indefinitely. If the duration is instantaneous she may keep it within the song for a single round, but it may only be applied to a single infection.
For instance, if the Ohrwurm succeeds on a save against a Fear affect that causes one to become panicked for 4 rounds, she may feed it into her song for up to 4 rounds. Whenever one would become infected, they immediately are panicked for 4 rounds.
Or if the Ohrwurm gains a +2 morale bonus from a Bless spell from another source she can feed it into her music, both gaining its benefits and spreading it to others.
At 8th level she may do the same with any mind-affecting ability focused on her. For instance, if she saves against Mind Thrust, she may spread mind thrust through her song.
She may retain only one effect at a time. At 10th level she may retain up to 2.
Beautiful Distraction (Ps): At 8th level the mental volume of the Ohrwurm distracts all minds around her. This acts as a continuous Catapsi power out to the limit of their Sense the Song ability. Each time those in range attempt to manifest a power they must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + Ohrwurm level + Cha modifier). Likewise, a caster must succeed on the same save or cast mind-affecting spells at -4 CL.
I Only Have Ears For You (Ex): At ninth level the song inside the Ohrwurm's head drowns out outside influence. She gains immunity to all mind-affecting effects.
Soul Music (Ex): At 10th level an Ohrwurm may spend ten uses of their bardic music to concentrate the totality of their being into their music. The next being successfully infected is affected as by the Mind Seed power, slowly taking on the Ohwurm's personality over the course of a week. XP cost applies. For every additional daily use of bardic music expended the cost is reduced by 100 XP.
In addition, if the Ohrwurm dies while a single being retains the ohrwurm's full personality, the ohrwurm may inhabit the target without requiring a save. If there are multiple infected the Ohrwurm may choose which to inhabit. The target then becomes, in all ways, the Ohrwurm before time of death as if it had had True Resurrection casted on it, the target retaining all the abilities inherent to the creature, plus their physical scores, but nothing gained from the class. The body effectively retains two souls but one mind. If the body dies so are both souls released. The original Ohrwurm may then inhabit another infected with its music. If the body is resurrected the specified soul returns. If the soul is not specified then the one with the highest original HD returns. There is no distance limit, and the Ohrwurm may even travel between planes to join with a new host.
Playing An OhwurmYou are no longer the person you used to be. You are the person you were meant to be. You heard a song, and it stayed with you, filling the empty places of your heart and mind with melody till you thought you would burst from it. You saw the world in a new light, filled with sound and felt a strength of self and a quickening of mind.
Combat: A Ohwurm powers and spells are enough to deter most would-be opponents, though few realize just how dangerous their music itself is. Most feel it is but a gift to share the musical bliss they experience, and many are hurt and confused when they are run out for being plague carriers.
Advancement: Be it caster or manifester, an ohwurm can master it. If not taking levels in the PrC more bard or wilder levels are normal, allowing them to come closer to song and self.
Resources: An Ohwurm is almost universally shunned when discovered what they are, even by former friends and family. However, once one hears the music it is alike to an addiction, and many exposed to it throw caution to the wind. They will do anything for the Ohwurm for but a brief whisper of that glorious melody.
Ohwurms In The WorldThat girl was so strange. I thought at first she had had a few too many nips of the bottle, but there was no scent of it about her. It was the music as she drunk on. It was mighty fine, I must say. Find myself still whistling it. Wouldn't mind hearing it again in fact... -
Tim "Hops" Bailey, owner of the Gallowglass Tavern "
When you meet one of them, nodding or moving as if to a tune only they can hear, you either run, or run them through. Whatever you do, DO NOT LISTEN! Mark my words, the song will burrow within the ear and feed on yer til madness strikes you dead!" -
survivor of the Gala orgy Most find Ohrwurms fascinating, if not somewhat odd individuals. The faint melody of the tune that they possess enthralls even the hardest heart. Very few know how dangerous and devious the song really is. When they do, the infected are quarantined. Many will do anything to escape and return to the Ohrwurm. Those that don't succumb to madness.
Daily Life: Imagine if you would waking up to the best day of your life. Everything seems brighter, sounds sharper, smells more heavenly. Throw in the warmth of an alchoholic buzz and the thrill of a lover's lips. This is how an Ohrwurm feels all day, every day. Your own personal soundtrack also plays in the background, highlighting what is already a perfect day in a long string of perfect days.
Notables: The most famous, or infamous, of Ohrwurms, was Vance Gala. Previously a gentleman of great wealth and reknown, it was not known where he picked up the malady. What is known is that within days he sold all his possessions and began to travel, seeing all the sights of the world. Though singing at opera and social event, her performances had always taken a backseat to business. Now music was his entire life, and as he traveled he spread it. At one point he was invited to perform within Harmon, one of the largest cities in the world. What occurred after was sketchy at best. Perhaps a large number of the inhabitants were latent psychics, or there was a special trait to his song. Regardless the song spread through the city like a fire. The change it had over the inhabitants was varied and many. Many went insane from their inability to hear the song, while hundreds of others took off to find the departed bard. It became known as the Gala Orgy, a wildfire plague of lust and love that instead of burning the buildings, burned out the minds of its people.
Organizations: Ohrwurms are rarely found together except in uncivilized areas, for when any gather in numbers it is impossible to miss. In only one location is there known to be an uncontested organization. The Vale of Harmony. Here Ohrwurms master the song and themselves, living in literal harmony with themselves and their surroundings.
Here they meditate to seek even deeper the meaning of the tune and keep it from spreading to others.
NPC ReactionOhrwurm's are almost a living drug at best, and a plague at worst. Most don't understand their peril until it is too late, or are too entranced by the music to care.
The few knowledgeable enough of ohrwurms to know the signs will actively run them out, while others may fight for the ohrwurm against them. How the music is presented and how careful the ohrwurm is to prevent infection determines much.
Ohwurms In the GameForemost any ohrwurm player must take special precautions to never infect the players, and the ability to do so is available to the ohrwurm. Still, most ohrwurms are an unpredictable component in any team. Powerful and potentially of great use, but to be watched. They are basically a biological weapon ultimately capable of both miraculous and terrifying deeds.
Adaptation: As long as psionics are allowed in the game, there are few games where an Ohrwurm could not find a place easily. Even the Vale of Harmony is fluff that could readily be excluded if needbe, or refluffed to be whatever you like. In the end an Ohrwurm is but a gifted yet virulent individual.
Encounters: Those that encounter an Ohwurm are likely to find them fleeing from a town, or their whereabouts being spread from ear to ear by their reverent fans.
They could be found anywhere, being entirely self-sufficient, either keeping away from civilization in the hope of quarantine, or reveling in their company and the chance to spread their joyous music.
Elaine's Threnody (EL 11)
[SPOILER]It is a common fact that Ohrwurms are looked on as little more than plague carriers, and in many cases it is just. Their children however, while natural carriers, are able to control the spread, yet are greatly feared. Their beautiful ears are looked upon as a sign of the plague, like the rot of the leper or the tumors of the cancerous.
Some would like to see them forever destroyed and great pains have been taken to eradicate them by ignorant or angered groups. The worst of these attacks was the Harmony Cleansing. Several suicide volunteers were infected with a particularly vicious form of mindfire and traveled to the Vale of Harmony. There many touched their minds and were infected, and from those few it spread throughout the settlement. Many went insane and were forced to be put down. While weak they were attacked from afar, burning arrows starting forest forest and setting homes ablaze. The were eventually fought off, but left were only a percentage of the peaceful valers.
One of the greatest of the warriors was Elaine DeVerinor, a 1st generation okilei whom had never infected another in her life. She watched as her husband, insane from the mindfire, killed their children. Forced to kill him as he came at her with the knife, she then watched as her home burned, becoming the pyre of her family.
As she sat, no longer able to hear the beautiful melody of her loved ones, and only the pained fluting of her surviving people, something almost unheard of occurred. Her song changed.
The songs of her family that had become a part of the familial symphony were silent, and something twisted deep within her. Her mind, flooded with fervored anguish, snapped. A scream echoed through the valley, but nothing compared to the mental explosion. Many of the attackers fell dead, blood seeping from eyes and ears. Taking advantage she led the revolt and chased them from their lands.
While many attempted to rebuild the vale, Elaine would twist in the night, dreams of her children sending agonized melodies coursing through the village. She left shortly after being confronted with others who wished to help calm her mind. She did not want calmed, she wanted revenge.
In disguise she can be found in the town that attacked her people, posing as a traveling healer, spreading both mindfire and ohrwurm amongst the people that come for healing. Many have been blamed, but so far none have begun to suspect the devious DeVerinor. Those infected have become addicted to her song, and will do anything to keep her supply them. As such, they have not given away her secret, and will actively seek to infect any others she directs through sharing of her mindfire tatoos. Those that attempt to gain the secret from them through mind-affecting effects are also infected.
The players that come to the edges of the town are attacked by a cast out hoard of the insane, infected with both diseases. [/SPOILER]
CN Female Okilei Wilder 4/Bard 2/Ohwurm 6
Init +2,
Senses: Listen +10, Spot +0, Charmsight
Languages Common, Okilei
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AC 17 (+5 armor, +2 dex), touch 15, flat-footed 12, Elude Touch
hp 53 (12 HD)
Fort +4,
Ref +12,
Will +19
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Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee +2 Deep Crystal Dagger +10 melee (1d4+2 plus 2d6), Bow of Songs +12 ranged or +18 ranged (bardic music) (1d6/x3)
Base Atk +8,
Grp +8
Atk Options Bardic Music (Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Courage +1), Mindful Melody, Mindsong (bittersweet) Mindsong Fusion, Wild Surge +2
Combat Gear +2 Deep Crystal Harmonizing Dagger, Bow of Songs, Bracers of Armor +5
Supernatural AbilitiesPsionics: Manifester level 10th. (Power Points per day = 54; Save DC 16 + power level):
1st - Create Sound, Vigor
2nd - Energy Push
3rd - *Mindfire
[SIZE="1"]* From Complete Psionic[/SIZE]
Spells: Caster level 5th. (Spells per day: 3/5/3; Save DC 16 + spell level):
0 - Ghost Sound, Lullaby, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Disguise, Prestidigitation
1st - Comprehend Languages, Hideous Laughter, Inhibit, Undersong
2nd - Enthrall, Tongues, Wave of Grief
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Abilities Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 22
SQ Bardic Knowledge, Charmsight, Elude Touch, Psychic Enervation, Soothing Thoughts, Suffusing Euphoria, Surging Euphoria +1
Feats Carrier (mindfire), Extra Bardic Music, Force of Personality(B), Disease Immunity (mindfire), Practiced Manifester, Scribe Tattoo
Skills Autohypnosis +8, Bluff +15, Diplomacy +24, Heal +6, Knowledge (psionics) +3, Listen +10, Perform (sing) +30, Sense Motive +10
Possessions 74,800 gp of 88,000 gp
+2 Deep Crystal Harmonizing Dagger (19,000 gp)
Songbow - 32,330
Bracers of Armor +5 - 25,000 gp
Circlet of Persuasion - 4,500 gp
Hat of Disguise - 1,800
Psionic Tatoos
- Vigor x2 - 100 gp
Crawling Tatoos
- Cloud Mind x3 - 900 gp
- Mindfire x10 - 7,500 gp
Vest of Legends - 16,000 gp
