Tale Spinners by Kipper Snifferdoo

Tale Spinners are kender clerics of a sort. But they share a lot of the same skills and benefits of human and half-elven bards.

Tale Spinners do just as their name implies, they relay stories. They are collectors of songs, poems and tales, both of fiction and nonfiction. There are generally three types of Tale Spinners. The first are the most abundant. They worship Branchala, and they mainly focus on collecting songs, ballads, and poems for their entertainment value. They love to collect material that will emotionally move the audience from one feeling to another. They almost always have a background in singing or playing an instrument. (Most kender weapons can be turned into instruments anyway.)

The second type of Tale Spinner worships Zivilyn, the God of wisdom and knowledge. These Tale spinners usually feel a need to expand there level of knowledge on all subjects and feel that the best way to learn is to experience it yourself versus reading it from a book. All the stories and songs they keep are usually memorized. They do not necessarily carry the material with them. They are not adverse to reading and will do so if they are unable to find the knowledge they seek, but they will usually look elsewhere first, or even after to make sure that what they read was true.

The last type of Tale Spinner is a follower of Gilean. These Tale Spinners are the rarest of all. They generally collect as many stories as they can ..uhh... get their hands on. They never steal, but the do borrow books that may be too long to finish. They believe that Gilean has so much to keep up with that he must only be concerned with the big stuff. So it's up to this type of Tale Spinner to help him with the little stuff. They usually make pilgrimages to the Great Library in Palanthas to drop of the latest volumes of books they have found and trade stories. The Scribes at the Library Generally do their best to return the volumes when they can, but they are not always successful.

Roleplaying Info
Much like bards Tale Spinners are adapt at a little of everything. If there are any questions an a Tale Spinners powers refer to the "bard" class. They are allowed to use any weapon and attack as a thief. They also have the following skills:

Handler Abilities
Base scores, (20 additional points at 1st level and 15 each level after that.)
Climb Walls: 50%
Detect Noise: 20%
Pick Pockets: 10 %
Read Languages: 5%

Spell Progression
Tale Spinners are not fully concerned with prayer and worship so they do not have the full ability to cast clerical spells as true clerics.

Influence Reactions
Normally kender have the ability to taunt others and incite them to anger, but Tale Spinners can affect people in many different ways through their songs, jokes, ballads, stories and other material. They can shift a person or group of people reaction one way or another by reciting something that will make the listener's mood shift in the appropriate direction. Everyone listening must be able to understand the kender, and make a saving throw vs. paralyzation. If they fail their reaction is shift by one in the direction the kender intended it too. Or if they make it, the reaction goes one step the opposite way.

Inspiration to Allies
If the exact nature of an impending threat is known a Tale Spinner can sing or tale an inspiring tale that can inspire his or her companions. The listener will receive a +1 bonus to hit on all attack rolls, or a +1 bonus to saving throws, or a +2 bonus to morale. The Tale Spinner must recite for at least three full rounds before the bonus's take effect. The effect lasts for 1 round per level of experience of the bard.

Counter the effects of Songs and Poetry used as magical attacks
Characters within 30 feet of the Tale Spinner are immune to the magical attack as long as the Tale Spinner recites or sings a counter song or poem. The Tale Spinner must make a saving throw vs. the effects of the spell. If it's successful the spell is countered. The Tale Spinner can only walk slowly while blocking the magical effects and fails if he or she is struck. It can be used once per battle / encounter.

Other Skills

• Can read and write own language (kender speak)
• Know local history (without cost)
• 5% chance per experience level to determine the function of a magical item.
• Upon 10th level and Tale Spinner has a chance to read clerical books and scrolls, but there is a 15% chance of failure and causing the total reverse effect of the spell.