Harmonic Echo

From: Sylphonic Sitar

Lore: Harmonic Echo is a spell that embodies the mystical connection between the Sylphonic Sitar, the avatar, and the ethereal world of the sylphs. This magical ability was discovered by ancient bards who sought to master the art of deception and misdirection in combat. By strumming the Sylphonic Sitar in a precise pattern, the avatar taps into the winds of the sylphs, creating mesmerizing harmonic echoes that mirror their every movement. These echoes manifest as spectral duplicates that confuse opponents, making it challenging to identify and target the real avatar in the midst of battle. The echoes’ ethereal nature grants them limited duration, but during that time, they serve as potent tools for deception and strategic advantage.

Use: To invoke Harmonic Echo, the avatar strums the Sylphonic Sitar in a specific, intricate pattern, channeling the essence of the sylphs into the music. The sitar’s strings resonate with the winds’ power, creating ephemeral duplicates of the avatar. These duplicates, up to three in total, materialize for a short duration, precisely mimicking the avatar’s movements. The spectral nature of the duplicates confuses opponents, making it difficult for them to discern the real avatar among the echoes. This confusion grants the avatar a significant tactical advantage, as enemies may waste their attacks on the illusory duplicates while the true avatar maneuvers strategically.

Stats:

• Spell Level: Tier 1
• Range: Self (the duplicates appear within 5 feet of the avatar)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute (10 rounds)
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Components: V, S (verbal, somatic – precise strumming of the sitar)
• Class: Bard, any class that can cast 1st-level spells
• Saving Throw: None
• Skill Check: Performance skill check for the avatar when playing the Sylphonic Sitar to determine the spell’s effectiveness.

Skills: The success of casting Harmonic Echo depends on the avatar’s proficiency in playing the Sylphonic Sitar. A character proficient in Performance or possessing specific training in playing this unique instrument has a higher chance of successfully invoking the spell. They may also utilize Charisma as their spellcasting ability modifier when casting this spell.

Cost: Casting Harmonic Echo consumes the daily magical energy within the Sylphonic Sitar. The spell can be used once per day unless the musician finds a way to replenish the instrument’s power through magical means or a rest.

Tags:

• Illusion: Harmonic Echo creates illusory duplicates that mimic the avatar’s movements, causing confusion and misdirection among opponents.
• Deception: The spell enhances the avatar’s ability to deceive enemies, making it harder for them to identify and target the real avatar during combat.
• Tactical Advantage: Harmonic Echo provides the avatar with a significant tactical advantage, allowing them to manipulate the battlefield and outmaneuver opponents.
• Additional: Mirror Image, Sylph Magic, Bardic Illusion, Misdirection, Ethereal Duplicates, Short Duration, Performance-Based, Instrument Focus, Concentration Spell, Defensive Spell

Tactics — Harmonic Echo offers various strategic and tactical opportunities during combat:

• Confusing Opponents: The avatar can create up to three duplicates, each appearing in different locations. This makes it challenging for enemies to identify the true avatar, increasing the likelihood of wasting attacks on the illusions.
• Diversionary Tactics: The duplicates can be strategically placed to draw enemy attention away from the avatar or allies, allowing them to capitalize on the confusion to gain advantageous positions.
• Strategic Retreats: The avatar can use the duplicates to cover their escape or create a diversion when facing overwhelming odds. Enemies may pursue the duplicates, buying the avatar precious time to regroup or flee safely.
• Disrupting Enemy Formations: By creating duplicates in different positions, the avatar can sow chaos among enemy ranks, disrupting their formations and creating openings for their allies to exploit.
• Feigned Attacks: The duplicates can be used to mimic attacks, making opponents waste their reactions and defensive maneuvers on illusory strikes, leaving them vulnerable to real attacks.
• Mind Games: The avatar can use Harmonic Echo to play mind games with cunning opponents, using misdirection and illusion to manipulate their actions and decision-making.
• Enhanced Survival: The confusion caused by the duplicates makes the avatar harder to target, increasing their survivability in combat and reducing the likelihood of being singled out by enemies.

Threefold Shadow and the Song of Doubling

In the age when the mountains were yet young, and the rivers carved their paths
anew, there existed a people, the Mirari, known for their shimmering cities and
their mastery of illusions. They were weavers of dreams, crafters of
deception, their very existence a dance between what is and what is not.

Among them lived a bard, a master of the Sylphonic Sitar, an instrument said to
hold the very breath of the sylphs. This bard, named Kaia, was renowned
throughout the land for her skill, her music capable of stirring the soul and
conjuring visions of impossible beauty. But Kaia sought more. She yearned to
master not just the music of the world, but the music of shadows, the echoes of
what could be. She was looking for something to protect her people.

For the Mirari, though masters of illusion, were not warriors. Their cities,
though beautiful, were fragile, vulnerable to the storms of a world that did
not understand their gentle ways. They were always being attacked by monsters
that wanted to take their land. Kaia, burdened by this truth, delved into
forbidden lore, seeking a way to shield her people, to multiply their strength
without sacrificing their essence.

Her quest led her to the forgotten corners of the world, to ancient ruins where
the echoes of forgotten magic still lingered. There, amidst the whispers of
long-dead winds, she found it – the Song of Doubling, a melody said to weave
shadow into substance, to give form to illusion.

With tireless dedication, Kaia practiced, her fingers dancing across the
strings of her sitar, coaxing forth notes that seemed to defy the very laws of
reality. Slowly, painstakingly, she mastered the song. And as the final note
resonated, a miracle occurred.

From her shadow, from the echoes of her music, sprang forth not one, but two
duplicates, perfect in every detail, mirroring her every move. They were
illusions, yes, but illusions so potent, so real, that they could fool the eye,
confuse the senses, and most importantly, draw the gaze of enemies. This was
not seen as a way to make war but as a way to keep her people safe.

Kaia, now known as Kaia of the Threefold Shadow, returned to her people. She
taught them the Song of Doubling, and the Mirari, once vulnerable, now possessed
a new kind of strength. When invaders came, as they inevitably did, they found
not a defenseless city, but a legion of shadows, a kaleidoscope of বিভ্রান্তি, where every Mirari seemed to be three, their movements a
blur, their forms shifting like sand in the wind.

The invaders, baffled and overwhelmed, were driven back, their attacks striking
nothing but air, their strength wasted on phantoms. The Mirari, protected by
their art, continued to thrive, their cities shimmering like mirages, a
testament to the power of illusion. They could live in peace once again.

Moral of the Story: True strength lies not always in brute force, but in
ingenuity, artistry, and the ability to use one’s unique gifts to protect and
defend, proving that sometimes the greatest shield is woven from shadows and
song.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Harmonic Echo

• Lore: A disorienting and unsettling melody, rumored to have been learned from ancient texts describing the illusory magic of the enigmatic Mi-Go. The music warps perception and creates phantom duplicates, driving witnesses to the brink of madness.
• Sanity Cost: 1d4/1d8
• Magic Points: 6
• Casting Time: 1 round
• Effect: The investigator, upon successfully performing the incantation (a complex and unnerving melody played on a stringed instrument), creates illusory duplicates of themselves, confusing and disorienting those who behold them.
• Mechanics:
  • The investigator must make a successful Perform (stringed instrument) roll. The difficulty may be adjusted based on the circumstances and the investigator’s familiarity with the melody.
  • If successful, 1d3+1 illusory duplicates of the investigator appear within 5 feet. These duplicates mimic the investigator’s movements but are intangible and cannot affect the physical world.
  • Anyone witnessing the duplicates must make a Sanity roll (1/1d3 loss) as they struggle to discern reality from illusion.
  • Attackers must randomly determine their target from among the duplicates and the investigator. An attack directed at a duplicate has no effect.
  • The duplicates last for 1d4+1 rounds or until dispelled by a successful POW roll against the investigator’s POW from someone who suspects they are illusions.
  • Failing the Perform roll may result in a partial or uncontrolled effect, perhaps creating fewer or distorted duplicates, or even causing the investigator to become confused themselves. The investigator may temporarily lose control of their actions.
  • The melody is deeply disturbing and unnatural. All those who hear it, except the caster, must make a Sanity roll (1d4/1d8).

Blades in the Dark

Harmonic Echo (Ritual)

• Lore: A closely guarded secret of the Whispers, this ritual allows the user to manipulate the ghost field, creating ephemeral duplicates of themselves. It is said the technique was stolen from the spectral echoes of a forgotten illusionist’s guild.
• Magnitude: Tier II
• Effect: The Whisper (or other character with Ritual ability), upon performing the ritual, can create illusory duplicates of themselves that mimic their movements and confuse onlookers.
• Mechanics:
  • The ritual requires a successful Ritual roll. The result on the roll determines the effect.
    • 1-3: The ritual backfires or has unintended consequences. The duplicates might be uncontrolled, distorted, or even hostile. The Whisper might lose control, their own senses deceived by their creation.
    • 4/5: The ritual works, but with limited effectiveness. The Whisper creates a single, flickering duplicate that is easily detected as an illusion. The duplicate provides a minor distraction, granting +1d to Prowl or Finesse rolls involving deception or misdirection.
    • 6: The ritual is successful. The Whisper creates 1d3 duplicates that closely mimic their actions. The duplicates provide a significant distraction, granting +2d to Prowl or Finesse rolls involving deception or misdirection. Attackers must roll to determine if they target the real Whisper or a duplicate.
  • Critical: The ritual is exceptionally potent. The Whisper creates 3 very convincing duplicates. The duplicates are almost indistinguishable from the original, granting +3d to Prowl or Finesse rolls involving deception or misdirection. Attackers have disadvantage when rolling to determine if they target the real Whisper or a duplicate.
  • The ritual requires an appropriate offering or sacrifice, determined by the GM based on the fiction and the desired effect. This could be rare incense, a mirror, or a personal belonging of someone skilled in deception.
  • The Whisper takes 1 stress after the ritual is complete.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Harmonic Echo

• School: Illusion
• Level: 1
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a stringed instrument)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
• Effect: You create three illusory duplicates of yourself that move with you and mimic your actions, making it difficult for enemies to target you.
• Mechanics:
  • Duplicates: Three illusory duplicates of yourself appear in your space. Until the spell ends, the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it’s impossible to track which image is real.  
  • Attacking: When a creature targets you with an attack while a duplicate remains, roll a d20 to determine whether the attack instead targets one of your duplicates.
  • If you have three duplicates, you must roll a 6 or higher.  
  • If you have two duplicates, you must roll an 8 or higher.
  • If you have one duplicate, you must roll an 11 or higher.
  • Illusory Nature: A creature is unaffected by this spell if it can’t see, if it relies on senses other than sight, such as blindsight, or if it can perceive illusions as false, as with truesight.  
  • Performance Check: The caster must succeed on a DC 10 Performance check to successfully cast the spell.

Knave

Harmonic Echo

• Effect: By playing a specific, intricate tune on a stringed instrument, the caster creates illusory duplicates of themselves that mimic their movements, confusing attackers.
• Mechanics:
  • The caster must have a stringed instrument and make a successful Charisma save to cast the spell.
  • If successful, 1d4+1 illusory duplicates of the caster appear within close range. These duplicates perfectly mimic the caster’s movements.
  • Attackers must randomly determine their target from among the duplicates and the caster. An attack directed at a duplicate has no effect.
  • The duplicates last for 1d6 rounds.
  • If the caster fails their save, the spell slot is used up. The music may attract unwanted attention, or the duplicates created may be distorted or uncontrolled.
  • This spell occupies one spell slot.

Fate (Core)

Harmonic Echo

• Aspect: Shifting Phantasms
• Approaches: Flair, Focus
• Refresh Cost: 1
• Effect: When you play a specific, mesmerizing melody on a stringed instrument, you can invoke the Shifting Phantasms aspect to create illusory duplicates of yourself that confuse and misdirect your enemies.
• Mechanics:
  • Create an Advantage: Spend a Fate point and make a Flair roll opposed by the highest Focus in the zone. If successful, you create the Shifting Phantasms aspect on yourself with one free invoke. With a success with style, you create a boost as well.
  • Invoke for Effect: You can invoke the Shifting Phantasms aspect to gain a +2 bonus or reroll on any action related to deception, stealth, or defense against attacks. The duplicates make it difficult to determine your true location or intentions.
  • Compel for Complications: The Shifting Phantasms aspect can be compelled to introduce complications. The duplicates might be difficult to control, they might attract unwanted attention, or they could interfere with your own actions.
  • The aspect lasts for the scene or until it is overcome by an appropriate action.

Numenera & Cypher System

Harmonic Echo (Cypher)

• Level: 1d4+1
• Form: A stringed musical instrument, possibly an artifact.
• Effect: When a specific, complex tune is played on the instrument, it creates 1d4 illusory duplicates of the user. These duplicates mimic the user’s movements and make it difficult for enemies to determine the real target.
• Mechanics:
  • Activation: The user must make an Intellect roll with a difficulty equal to the cypher’s level. The roll can be eased by skill in playing the instrument or knowledge of illusion magic.
  • Effect: If successful, 1d4 illusory duplicates of the user appear within immediate range. These duplicates mimic the user’s movements and actions.
  • Any attacks against the user have an equal chance of targeting a duplicate instead.
  • The duplicates provide an asset on any tasks involving deception or stealth.
  • The duplicates last for one minute (10 rounds).
  • Depletion: Upon activation, the cypher has a 1 in 1d6 chance of depleting and burning out. If the instrument is an artifact it has a depletion chance of 1 in 1d20 but regains its power after 28 hours.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Harmonic Echo

• School: Illusion; Level 1
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a stringed instrument)
• Duration: 1 minute (see text)
• Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
• Effect: You create illusory duplicates of yourself that mimic your movements, making it difficult for enemies to target you.
• Mechanics:
  • Performance: You must make a DC 15 Performance check to successfully cast the spell. If you have the Bardic Performance class feature, you can use its DC instead.
  • Duplicates: You create 1d4+1 illusory duplicates of yourself. These duplicates remain within 5 feet of you, mirroring your movements and actions.
  • Attacking: When you are attacked, roll 1d6. On a roll of 5 or higher the attack has a 50% chance to target a duplicate instead of you. On a roll of 1, one duplicate is dispelled. The spell ends when the last duplicate is dispelled.
  • Concentration: You must concentrate to maintain the spell. If you are damaged while concentrating, you must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10 or half the damage taken, whichever is higher) or lose concentration. When concentration is broken all remaining duplicates are dispelled.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Harmonic Echo

• Power Points: 2
• Range: Self
• Duration: 3 (1/round)
• Trappings: Illusory duplicates created by playing a stringed instrument.
• Effect: The caster creates illusory duplicates of themselves that mimic their movements, making them harder to hit.
• Mechanics:
  • Activation: The caster makes a Spellcasting roll.
  • Duplicates: With a success, the caster creates 2 duplicates. With a raise, they create 4 duplicates. These duplicates mimic the caster’s movements and remain within a Large Burst Template centered on the caster.
  • Attacking: Attackers must roll a d6 to determine their target. On a 1-3, they target a duplicate with a successful attack, on 4-6 they target the caster.
  • Dispel: Each time a duplicate is successfully attacked it is dispelled.
  • Modifiers: The caster may choose to increase the duration for +1 power point per round. A penalty of -2 is applied if the caster does not have a stringed instrument.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Harmonic Echo

• Type: Mana, Illusion
• Range: Self
• Duration: (Magic + Charisma) rounds, sustained
• Drain: (Force)
• Effect: The spellcaster creates illusory duplicates of themselves, guided by a haunting melody played on a stringed instrument. These duplicates mimic the spellcaster’s movements, confusing attackers and making it harder to target the real spellcaster.
• Mechanics:
  • Spellcasting Test: The spellcaster makes a Spellcasting + Magic [Force] test.
  • Duplicates: The spellcaster creates a number of illusory duplicates equal to the hits scored on the Spellcasting test, to a maximum of their Charisma.
  • Attacker Confusion: Attackers must test against the spell’s Force. If the attacker scores more hits, they target the real spellcaster. Otherwise, they target a random duplicate.
  • Sustain: The spellcaster must continue to sustain the spell, which requires a Free Action each round.
  • Instrument: The spellcaster must use a stringed instrument as a focus. If they lack one, they suffer a -2 dice pool penalty.
  • Dispelling: Each time a duplicate is attacked, it is dispelled.

Starfinder (Core Rulebook)

Harmonic Echo

• School: Illusion (Figment)
• Level: Mystic 1, Technomancer 1
• Casting Time: 1 standard action
• Range: Personal
• Target: You
• Duration: 1 round/level
• Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
• Effect: You create illusory duplicates of yourself that mimic your movements, making it difficult for enemies to target you.
• Mechanics:
  • Duplicates: You create 1d4+1 illusory duplicates of yourself. These duplicates stay within 5 feet of you and mimic your actions.
  • Attacking: When you are attacked, roll 1d6 if you have at least 3 duplicates, 1d8 if you have at least 2, and 1d10 if you have only one remaining. On a roll of 5 or higher the attack has a 50% chance to target a duplicate instead of you. Each successful hit on a duplicate dispels it.
  • Perception: A creature that interacts with a duplicate and succeeds at a Perception check (DC = 10 + your caster level + your Charisma modifier) can identify it as illusory, but the spell continues to function.
  • Instrument: If you do not have a stringed instrument, you can still cast this spell but you take a -2 penalty to all skill rolls for the duration of the spell.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Harmonic Echo

• Psionic Talent: Telepathy or Clairvoyance
• PSI Cost: 4
• Range: Self
• Duration: 1d6+INT Rounds
• Effect: The psion creates illusory duplicates of themselves, guided by a specific melody played on a stringed instrument. These duplicates mimic the psion’s movements, confusing attackers and making it harder to target the real psion.
• Mechanics:
  • Psionic Strength Check: The psion makes a Psionic Strength check, modified by their Telepathy or Clairvoyance skill.
  • Difficulty: The difficulty is Average (8+) to create the duplicates.
  • Duplicates: The psion creates a number of illusory duplicates equal to the Effect of their Psionic Strength check, to a maximum of 4.
  • Attacker Confusion: Attackers must make an Intelligence check with a Difficulty equal to the Psionic Strength check result. If they fail, they have a 50% chance to target a random duplicate instead of the psion.
  • Instrument: While not required, using a stringed instrument as a focus grants a +1 DM to the Psionic Strength check.
  • Dispelling: Each time a duplicate is attacked, it is dispelled.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Harmonic Echo

• Spell:  Weaver’s Deception
• Lore: Illusion
• CN: 2
• Range: You
• Target: You
• Duration: (Willpower Bonus) Rounds
• Effect: You weave a haunting melody on a stringed instrument, creating illusory duplicates of yourself that mimic your movements and confuse your enemies.
• Mechanics:
  • Casting Roll: You make a Casting Roll using your Willpower.
  • Duplicates: You create a number of illusory duplicates equal to the result of your Casting Roll divided by 10, rounded down (minimum 1).
  • Attacker Confusion: When you are attacked, roll a d10. On a result equal to or less than the number of duplicates, the attack targets a duplicate instead. Each time a duplicate is attacked, it is dispelled.
  • Ingredient: You must play a stringed instrument as part of the casting. If you lack one, you suffer a -10 penalty to your Casting Roll.