The Voices, Those Voices....

[Palanan]

This is a DM-only thread, so my players turn back now.



I have a simple question about undead and so forth, as well as more natural spirits. Is there some spell, or feat, or ability, which allows a character to hear the voices of the dead?

I'm thinking of the barely audible whisper-echoes from The Sixth Sense, and also the voices from the archway at the end of Order of the Phoenix, which only Harry and Luna can hear.

One of my PCs has come a hair's-breadth from his mortal end, owing to unnatural arts, and I'd like to give him a similar ability as a minor bonus. Is there anything like this in the grand panorama of 3.5?

[ZamielVanWeber]

Feat wise you are SoL, although, mechanically, the spelltouched feats are very similar. You could give it to him as a unique feat or some sort of +0 template.

[GreenSerpent]

Perhaps the Spirit Sense feat (Libris Mortis OR Heroes of Horror, can't remember which)?

Allows you to hear the voices of the recently dead.

[Waker]

Spirit Sense from Heroes of Horror.

[Palanan]

I did think about Spirit Sense, but it's weirdly limited to a wafer-thin timeframe on the spirits' part. And it would be especially problematic for this particular PC, since he has a Wisdom of 8.

:smalleek:



Are there any spell effects or special abilities that would let him do this? Not looking for any way to command or manipulate the spirits, mind, just to hear the whispers.

[Andreaz]

I recall nothing of the sort. Just make it up.

[Gerrtt]

The question I'd have is are you trying to achieve some sort of mechanical effect, or are you just trying to add some quirk to the character's story?

If you are just adding a quirk then handwave it as fluff and say the character hears dead people.

If you are looking for some sort of crunch, then I'd want to know what kind of effect you are trying to give the character (other than hearing dead people).

For example: hearing dead people gives the character some sort of boon at the expense of every once in a while (upon a failed will save or something) they go a little crazy from hearing dead people.

More info please.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Gerrtt
The question I'd have is are you trying to achieve some sort of mechanical effect, or are you just trying to add some quirk to the character's story?

As Miguel and Tulio would say: "Both!"

:smalltongue:



The character has nearly died from an unnatural disease, and I'd like a very minor mechanical effect as a lingering scar of the experience. Voices seemed like an idea that could both give him an edge and provide some good roleplaying opportunities.

[Shining Wrath]

The Speak with Dead spell isn't really what you want, since you speak with the corpse, not the departed soul. Maybe what you want is something like Hear the Unseen from CA but drop the DC, and limit the effect to only ghosts & similar undead. Or you could refluff Undead Empathy from ECS.

Or you can just create a one-off via DM fiat. The character can hear the voices of the dead. Define "dead" carefully, as in any ancient world at any particular point there have been a lot of people who had ties to that point - as in "deafening cacophony" if the PC can hear them all.

[Gazebo's Bane]

With WIS 8, I'm surprised he can even hear the living :smallsmile:

[Palanan]

He rarely does.

:smalltongue:

[Mephibosheth]

I agree with everyone whose response was "handwave it!" or "create a one-off via DM fiat!" If it were me, I'd let the character sense the presence of spirits (check the sidebar on p. 17 of Complete Divine for an idea of what can be considered spirits), but because of the faintness or cacophony of the voices, he or she can't do much more than say "there's a spirit somewhere around here!" Maybe allow a Concentration check to pinpoint the direction of the spirit or make out something of what it's saying, but nothing more than that. More plot device than exploitable ability.

[Callin]

Two feats from the Ravenloft setting combined and prefigured Stat wise can give you something close to what you want.

Ethereal Empathy
With a wisdom (changed to another Stat) check the character can sense ethereal resonances and ghosts

Ghost Sight
Allowes the character to see ethereal beings. Not invisible or illusions just ethereal beings on the ethereal. They can also see the character though spot check DC15.

Combine and refluff till you get what ya need.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Mephibosheth
If it were me, I'd let the character sense the presence of spirits...but because of the faintness or cacophony of the voices, he or she can't do much more than say "there's a spirit somewhere around here!" ...More plot device than exploitable ability.

Yeah, I'd been thinking this would end up being an occasional story element...and I can think of a couple of spirits who would really like to talk to him right now. :smallbiggrin:


Originally Posted by Callin
Two feats from the Ravenloft setting....

Alas, I don't have anything from Ravenloft. Just as well, though, since seeing ethereal creatures isn't quite what I had in mind.


Originally Posted by Shining Wrath
...as in any ancient world at any particular point there have been a lot of people who had ties to that point....

So, so true. I actually think about that a lot in this world as well.



Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'll be practicing my handwaving.

:smalltongue:

[Callin]

Is why i said combine and refluff... :smallwink:

Take out see and replace with hear. Remove the part about the character being seen.

So basically its

Ethereal Empathy
With a DC X whatever check the character gets a sense of spirits within a 30' radius. He can hear babble normally but can only hear them clearly if he concentrates (standard or full round your choice). This does not give the ethereal being any extra ability to effect the player with language based abilities. This does not give the player any extra ability to effect ethereal beings with language based abilities.

[nedz]

It ought to be a Spirit Shaman thing, but it isn't.

They can Detect them, have a personal spirit guide and Exorcise them, and with Spirit Form they can visit them.