Seiğr class, Northern Reaches weavers of fate
by Patrick SullivanInspired by the thread "[Gaz7] What is The Sight?" here are the rules for a Seiğr class that a player and I worked out for a Soderfjord campaign.
Seiğrs are the intercessors between the Viking community and the Fates, able to alter the weave of destiny through orchestrating communal participation in ritual ceremony. Relied upon in times of crisis to advise the community, seiğrs perform galdrar to see into the future and to curse their enemies. A galdr, or circular dance with song and incantation, is the seiğr’s preferred method of spell-casting. Seiğrs are often seen carrying a distaff (a stick upon which wool is wound for spinning) with which they “spin” the fabric of reality.
Seiğrs are predominantly women due to the effeminate and manipulative nature of the practice, in stark contrast to the direct and forthright actions valued by male Viking society. Open practice by a male seiğmenn is taboo and brings ergi down upon the man. Persecution of seiğmenn is not uncommon.
Rules-neutral Seiğr mechanics
Except as noted, use Magic-User class rules and restrictions
Wears hairshirt/cilice (always uncomfortable)
No “Read Magic” spell/ability--cannot use/learn spells from scrolls
Spells are from the Fairy-Charm table (pp. 41-42 of PC1: Tall Tales of the Wee Folk)
Starts with a bonus 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-level spell
Casts spells normally as per magic user; many spells require somatic components using a spindle
May not use wands that are restricted in use to magic-users
May use/gain proficiency in player’s choice of one of the following weapons (in addition to weapons normally allowed to magic-users):
* sword (one-handed broadsword)
* hand axe
* short bow
Can conduct a seiğr circle ceremony to cast higher-level spells
* A ceremony uses a spell slot--the player selects a memorized spell to sacrifice from memory for the day
* A one-hour ceremony allows the caster to cast a known spell 1 level higher than the slot sacrificed; A two-hour ceremony allows the caster to cast a known spell 2 levels higher than the slot sacrificed
* Each ceremony requires the casters leadership and participation, as well as at least four other participants
* First-level spells may be cast in a ceremony lasting an hour; these do not require sacrificing a spell from memory
* Each time a seiğr is a participant in a ceremony for a spell he or she does not know, he or she has a chance of learning the spell.