Serenade of Swift Silence

From: Sylphonic Sitar

Lore: Serenade of Swift Silence is a spell that embodies the delicate harmony between the Sylphonic Sitar, the avatar, and the realm of the sylphs. This enchanting serenade was discovered by ancient bards seeking to master the art of stealth and concealment. When the avatar plays the soft and enchanting melody on the Sylphonic Sitar, a zone of profound silence emanates from the instrument. Within this area, all sounds are muffled, and anyone inside it is unable to hear any noise or communication originating from outside. This spell can be invaluable for sneaking past guards, concealing the party’s activities, and creating opportunities for covert operations.

Use: To invoke Serenade of Swift Silence, the avatar plays a soft and captivating serenade on the Sylphonic Sitar. As the enchanting music resonates, it evokes the presence of the sylphs, who grant the avatar the power of silence. Within the area of effect, all sounds are absorbed and muted, creating an aura of hushed stillness. Those within this zone cannot hear any noise or communication coming from outside, effectively muffling any potential disturbances or revealing conversations. This makes it an excellent tool for sneaking past guards, conducting covert operations, or keeping the party’s presence concealed from enemies or eavesdroppers.

Stats:

• Spell Level: Tier 1
• Range: Self (affects the avatar) and a 20-foot radius centered on the avatar.
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute (10 rounds)
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Components: V, S (verbal, somatic – playing 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 Serenade of Swift Silence 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 Serenade of Swift Silence 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:

• Stealth: Serenade of Swift Silence excels in supporting stealth and concealment, making it ideal for covert operations and sneaking past enemies undetected.
• Tactical Advantage: The spell provides a significant tactical advantage, granting the party an opportunity to move discreetly or conduct secret conversations without fear of being overheard.
• Utility: The spell serves as a versatile utility option, providing a range of strategic benefits beyond combat scenarios.
• Additional: Sound Suppression, Area of Effect, Bardic Magic, Sylph-granted, Concentration-Based, Non-Combat Utility, Stealth Enhancement, Acoustic Dampening, Instrument-Dependent, Tier 1 Spell

Tactics — Serenade of Swift Silence offers a range of strategic and tactical opportunities during various situations:

• Infiltration: The spell enables the party to infiltrate guarded areas or enemy encampments without alerting sentries or patrols through their movements or whispered communications.
• Concealment: When planning an ambush or surprise attack, the avatar can use the spell to create an aura of silence around the party, making it easier to position themselves without being detected.
• Secret Communication: Inside the zone of silence, the party can communicate quietly and discreetly, allowing them to share vital information or coordinate plans without fear of being overheard.
• Diversion: The spell can be used to create a zone of silence in a specific area, drawing attention away from the party’s actual location and giving them an opportunity to slip away unnoticed.
• Evasion and Hiding: When pursued, the party can use the zone of silence to muffle their movements, making it harder for enemies to track them audibly.
• Dealing with Traps: The spell can be employed to approach traps or alarm systems silently, avoiding detection while disarming or bypassing them.
• Disruption of Enemy Communication: If cast within an enemy camp or a communication hub, the spell can disrupt enemy communication, creating confusion and hindering their ability to coordinate responses.

Hush of Hollow Hill and the Silent Song

In a time when the world was draped in mists, and the echoes of forgotten tongues still clung to the ancient stones, there nestled a village. Tucked away in the embrace of the whispering woods, it was called Oakhaven, a place of simple folk who lived by the rhythms of the earth and the turning of the seasons. The people of Oakhaven valued nothing more than the sounds of their village, the laughter, the music, and the chatter.

Now, it came to pass that a shadow fell upon Oakhaven. From the depths of the Hollow Hill, a place shunned and feared, arose a creature. A beast of silence, it was, a thing that fed not on flesh, nor blood, but on sound itself. It stole the laughter of children, the songs of birds, the very rustling of leaves, leaving behind an eerie, unsettling quiet. It was slowly growing larger and stronger with every sound it took.

The villagers, their voices hushed, their hearts heavy with dread, were at a loss. Their joy, their music, their very lifeblood, was being drained away by this insidious foe. They could not even hear themselves think over the creature. Then, a stranger arrived, a wandering bard, Elara, bearing a Sylphonic Sitar, an instrument of legend, said to weave magic into its melodies. She had heard their plight and was very moved.

Elara, upon learning of the sound-devouring beast, pondered not on battle, but on a subtler art. She spoke of a song, an ancient tune, known only to the eldest of her order – the Serenade of Swift Silence, a melody that could weave a veil of stillness, a sanctuary of quiet.

With careful fingers and a solemn heart, Elara played. The tune that flowed from her sitar was unlike any heard before. It was not a song of joy, nor of sorrow, but a song of peace, of utter, profound silence. As the melody filled the air, a strange calm descended upon Oakhaven.

The silence spread, a gentle wave, pushing back the creature’s oppressive aura. Within this sanctuary of quiet, the villagers could move unseen, unheard by the beast that craved their sounds. The creature, starved of its sustenance, weakened, its form flickering like a dying flame. It was unable to take any more from the people of Oakhaven.

Seeing its power waning, the creature retreated to the depths of Hollow Hill, leaving behind a village wrapped in a silence, not of fear, but of profound relief. Elara, her song ended, departed as quietly as she had come, leaving behind a legend, a tale of the silence that saved them all.

Moral of the Story: Sometimes, the greatest strength lies not in the loudest roar, but in the power of silence, and the wisest battles are fought not with clashing steel, but with a gentle hand and a knowing heart.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• Lore: A haunting and unnatural melody, said to have been transcribed from the faint, maddening whispers heard in the dead of night in places where the fabric of reality is thin. The music creates a zone of unnatural silence, anathema to the natural order and disturbing to all who perceive it.
• Sanity Cost: 1d3/1d6
• Magic Points: 5
• Casting Time: 1 round
• Effect: The investigator, upon successfully performing the incantation (a soft, unsettling melody played on a stringed instrument), creates a zone of profound silence within a 20-foot radius centered on themselves.
• 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, a 20-foot radius sphere of silence emanates from the investigator. No sound can be created within or pass through this area.
  • All within the area are immune to auditory effects, including thunderclaps, sonic attacks, and spells that rely on sound.
  • Creatures within the area have advantage on Stealth checks.
  • The unnatural silence is deeply unsettling. Anyone entering or starting their turn within the area must make a Sanity roll (0/1 loss).
  • The effect lasts for as long as the investigator concentrates, up to 1 minute (10 rounds).
  • Failing the Perform roll may result in a partial or uncontrolled effect, perhaps creating a smaller or shorter-lived zone of silence, or attracting the attention of entities sensitive to such disturbances. The investigator may temporarily lose control of their actions.
  • The melody is disturbing to all who hear it. All those who hear it, except the caster, must make a Sanity roll (1d3/1d6).

Blades in the Dark

Serenade of Swift Silence

• (Ritual)
• Lore: A guarded secret among the city’s Whispers, this ritual allows the user to manipulate the ghost field, creating a localized area where sound is suppressed. It is said the technique was learned from observing the hunting patterns of spectral predators that stalk their prey in utter silence.
• Magnitude: Tier II
• Effect: The Whisper (or other character with Ritual ability), upon performing the ritual, can create a zone of silence within a close area.
• 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. Perhaps it attracts a hostile spirit, creates a zone of distorted sound, or the silence is accompanied by unsettling visual hallucinations.
    • 4/5: The ritual works, but with limited effectiveness. A small area is silenced, but the effect is weak and easily disrupted. The area grants +1d to Prowl rolls for stealth.
    • 6: The ritual is successful. A significant area within close range is silenced. The zone grants +2d to Prowl rolls for stealth.
  • Critical: The ritual is exceptionally potent. A large area is silenced, and the effect is almost absolute. The zone grants +3d to Prowl rolls for stealth. Creatures within the zone are immune to auditory effects.
  • The ritual requires an appropriate offering or sacrifice, determined by the GM based on the fiction and the desired effect. This could be a collection of rare herbs, a vial of oil rendered from a creature known for its silence, or a personal belonging of someone who was known for their stealth.
  • The Whisper takes 1 stress after the ritual is complete.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• School: Illusion
• Level: 1
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self (20-foot radius)
• Components: V, S, M (a stringed instrument)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
• Effect: You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of silence centered on a point you can see within range. No sound can be created within or pass through the sphere. Any creature or object entirely inside the sphere is immune to thunder damage, and creatures are deafened while entirely inside it. Casting a spell that includes a verbal component is impossible there.
• Mechanics:
  • Performance Check: The caster must succeed on a DC 10 Performance check to successfully cast the spell.
  • Stealth: Creatures within the area have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
  • 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.

Knave

Serenade of Swift Silence

• Effect: By playing a soft, captivating tune on a stringed instrument, the caster creates a zone of silence around them.
• Mechanics:
  • The caster must have a stringed instrument and make a successful Charisma save to cast the spell.
  • If successful, a 20-foot radius sphere of silence emanates from the caster. No sound can be created within or pass through this area.
  • Creatures within the area have advantage on Stealth checks.
  • The effect lasts for as long as the caster concentrates, up to 1d6 turns.
  • If the caster fails their save, the spell slot is expended, and the silence may be incomplete, intermittent, or attract unwanted attention.
  • This spell occupies one spell slot.

Fate (Core)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• Aspect: Hushed Serenity
• Approaches: Flair, Focus
• Refresh Cost: 1
• Effect: When you play a soft, captivating melody on a stringed instrument, you can invoke the Hushed Serenity aspect to create a zone of silence around you.
• 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 Hushed Serenity aspect on the zone with one free invoke. With a success with style, you create a boost as well.
  • Invoke for Effect: You can invoke the Hushed Serenity aspect to gain a +2 bonus or reroll on any action related to stealth, গোপনীয়তা, or avoiding detection through sound. You can also invoke the aspect to impose a -2 penalty or force a reroll on anyone trying to hear within the zone.
  • Compel for Complications: The Hushed Serenity aspect can be compelled to introduce complications. The silence might be unsettling to allies, it might prevent necessary communication, or it might draw unwanted attention from creatures attuned to the absence of sound.
  • The aspect lasts for the scene or until it is overcome by an appropriate action.

Numenera & Cypher System

Serenade of Swift Silence

• (Cypher)
• Level: 1d4+1
• Form: A stringed musical instrument, possibly an artifact.
• Effect: When a specific, calming tune is played on the instrument, it creates a 20-foot radius sphere of silence around the user.
• 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 sound manipulation magic.
  • Effect: If successful, a 20-foot radius sphere of silence emanates from the user.
  • No sound can be created within or pass through the sphere.
  • Creatures within the sphere have advantage on tasks related to stealth or moving silently.
  • The effect lasts for one minute (10 rounds) or until the user stops playing.
  • 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)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• School: Illusion; Level 1
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 20-foot radius emanation centered on you
• Components: V, S, M (a stringed instrument)
• Duration: 1 minute
• Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
• Effect: You create a zone of silence, making it difficult to hear within and preventing sound from entering or exiting the area.
• 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.
  • Silence: No sound can be created within or pass through the area of the spell. This makes it impossible to hear anything outside the area while within it, and vice versa.
  • Stealth: Creatures within the area gain a +4 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks to avoid being heard.
  • 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.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• Power Points: 2
• Range: Centered on the caster
• Duration: 3 (1/round)
• Trappings: Zone of silence created by playing a stringed instrument.
• Effect: The caster creates a zone of silence around them, making it difficult to hear within and preventing sound from entering or exiting the area.
• Mechanics:
  • Activation: The caster makes a Spellcasting roll.
  • Area of Effect: With a success, the caster creates a zone of silence within a Medium Burst Template centered on them. With a raise, the size of the zone increases to a Large Burst Template.
  • Stealth: Anyone within the zone adds +2 to their Stealth rolls.
  • Awareness: It is more difficult to hear anything outside of the zone while within. Those within the zone suffer a -4 penalty to Notice rolls made to hear sounds originating from outside of it, and vice versa.
  • 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)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• Type: Mana, Illusion
• Range: Self (Area)
• Duration: (Magic + Charisma) rounds, sustained
• Drain: (Force / 2) + 1
• Effect: The spellcaster creates a zone of silence around them, dampening sound and making it difficult to hear within the area. The effect is focused and enhanced by playing a soft, calming melody on a stringed instrument.
• Mechanics:
  • Spellcasting Test: The spellcaster makes a Spellcasting + Magic [Force] test. The spell affects an area with a radius in meters equal to the spell’s Force, centered on the spellcaster.
  • Sound Dampening: Within the affected area, all sounds are muffled. Tests to perceive sounds originating from within or outside the area suffer a penalty equal to the spell’s Force. This also applies to magical and technological means of detecting sound.
  • Stealth: Individuals within the area gain a bonus to Sneaking tests equal to the spell’s Force.
  • 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.

Starfinder (Core Rulebook)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• School: Illusion (Sonic)
• Level: Mystic 1, Technomancer 1
• Casting Time: 1 standard action
• Range: 20-foot-radius emanation centered on you
• Target: You and all creatures within range
• Duration: 1 round/level (D)
• Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
• Effect: You create a zone of silence, making it difficult to hear within and preventing sound from entering or exiting the area.
• Mechanics:
  • Area of Effect: You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of silence centered on you. No sound can be created within or pass through this area.
  • Stealth: Creatures within the area gain a +5 circumstance bonus to Stealth checks made to avoid being heard.
  • Deafened: Any creature wholly within the area is deafened.
  • Sonic Effects: The area is immune to sonic effects.
  • 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)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• Psionic Talent: Telepathy
• PSI Cost: 4
• Range: Self
• Area:  Radius in meters equal to the Effect of the Psionic Strength check.
• Duration: 1d6+INT Rounds
• Effect: The psion creates a zone of silence around them, dampening sound and making it difficult to hear within the area. The effect is focused and enhanced by playing a soft, calming melody on a stringed instrument.
• Mechanics:
  • Psionic Strength Check: The psion makes a Psionic Strength check, modified by their Telepathy skill.
  • Difficulty: The difficulty is Average (8+) to create the zone of silence.
  • Area of Effect: The radius of the zone of silence, in meters, is equal to the Effect of the Psionic Strength check.
  • Sound Dampening: Within the affected area, all sounds are muffled. Tests to perceive sounds originating from within or outside the area suffer a penalty equal to the Effect of the Psionic Strength check.
  • Stealth: Individuals within the area gain a bonus to Stealth checks equal to the Effect of the Psionic Strength check.
  • Instrument: While not required, using a stringed instrument as a focus grants a +1 DM to the Psionic Strength check.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Serenade of Swift Silence

• Spell: Shroud of Silence
• Lore: Illusion
• CN: 3
• Range: You
• Target: Area of effect with a radius of Willpower Bonus yards centered on you.
• Duration: (Willpower Bonus) Rounds
• Effect: You weave a soft, calming melody on a stringed instrument, creating a zone of silence that muffles sound and makes it difficult to hear within the area.
• Mechanics:
  • Casting Roll: You make a Casting Roll using your Willpower.
  • Area of Effect: You create a zone of silence with a radius of your Willpower Bonus in yards, centered on you.
  • Sound Dampening: Within the affected area, all sounds are muffled. Tests to perceive sounds originating from within or outside the area suffer a penalty equal to 10 times the result of your Casting Roll divided by 10, rounded down.
  • Stealth: Individuals within the area gain a bonus to Stealth tests equal to 10 times the result of your Casting Roll divided by 10, rounded down.
  • 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.