The Seiðr

Within Mannaheim, many believe the only means of casting spells that aligns with the Allfather's vision is through the use of runes to bind and unbind the unseen forces. Yet there are others who cling to the old ways; thode who harness the primal forces through a deeper understanding of the unseen world. These wielders of Vanir magic are the Seiðrs.

The Old Powers

Seiðr revere nature above all, gaining their spells and other magical powers from their devotion to one of the Vanir Gods. Seiðr pursue a mystic spirituality of a transcendent union with nature and service to the gods of nature. The oldest class of spellcasters in Mannaheim, ancient Seiðr traditions are sometimes called the "Old Faith", in contrast to the worship of the Æsir in temples and shrines. The true center of a Vanir worshipper's faith is their sacred grove; a single tree and its surrounding area that are prized by one of the Vanir gods. These groves are usually unknown to all but the members of their god's priesthood and guarding them is almost always the duty of a nearby Seiðr.

Guardians of Balance

Seiðr spells are oriented toward nature and animals—the power of tooth and claw, of sun and moon, of fire and storm. Seiðrs also gain the ability to take on animal forms, and Seiðr dedicated to Freyja make a particular study of this practice, even to the point where they prefer animal form to their natural form. Seiðr are known among the Astari and Vestari, almost unheard of among the Dvergr, but to the Elves they are the most common manner of spellcaster. As such, their circles can sometimes cross the borders of the forests. Above all, a Seiðr is the living bond between the material world and the invisible world of spirits and old gods.

A Word of Caution

Many fear that which they do not understand. Amongst the Astari, who above all revere Óðinn and the Æsir, the gods of war, worship of the Vanir gods is seen by many as "old-fashioned" or could even be called "heretical" or "blasphemous" by others. Óðinn's style of rune based spellcasting is considered the only acceptable form of magic by the Cult of Óðinn, which holds enormous influence over Astari society as its most populous cult. A Seiðr who makes a showy display of their natural magic in an Astari settlement is courting a possible hostile response from townspeople who may be offended or simply don't understand what they're seeing.

Class Features

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Seiðr Level
Hit Points At 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points At Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per Seiðr level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor and Medium Armor (Seiðr will not wear armor made of metal.)
Weapon Proficiencies: Clubs, Daggers, Darts, Javelins, Quarterstaffs, Seax, Sickles, Slings, Spears
Tools: Herbalism Kit
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, and Survival.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

a quarterstaff and a Seiðr focus (they can be the same item)

(a) any simple melee weapon or (b) any simple missile weapon

An explorer’s pack

Seiðr Circles

At 1st level, you choose to identify with a circle of Seiðrs dedicated to one of the Vanir Gods. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

Circle of the Harvest

Circle of the Sower

Circle of the Tempest

Circle of the Tides

Spellcasting

Drawing on the divine essence of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape that essence to your will. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the Seiðr spell list.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the Seiðr spell list. You learn additional Seiðr cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Seiðr table.

Preparing And Casting Spells

The Seiðr table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Seiðr spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Seiðr spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short rest. You prepare the list of Seiðr spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Seiðr spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Seiðr spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your Seiðr level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you are a 3rd-level Seiðr, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can also change your list of prepared spells when you finish a short rest. Preparing a new list of Seiðr spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Seiðr spells, since your magic draws upon your devotion and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Seiðr spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.

Ritual Casting

You can cast a Seiðr spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a Seiðric focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your Seiðr spells.

Wild Shape

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. Your Seiðr level determines the beasts you can transform into, as shown in the Beast Shapes table. At 2nd level, for example, you can transform into any beast that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower that doesn’t have a flying or swimming speed.

Beast Form

Level, Max CR, Limitations, Example

2nd, 1⁄4, No flying or swimming speed, Wolf

4th, 1⁄2, No flying speed, White Shark

8th, 1, —, Giant Eagle

You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your Seiðr level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them.

When you transform, you assume the beast’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren’t knocked unconscious.

You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.

You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

Wild Companion

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to summon a spirit that assumes an animal form: as an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to cast the Find Familiar spell, without material components. When you cast the spell in this way, the familiar is a Vanir instead of a beast, and the familiar disappears after a number of hours equal to half your Seiðr level. If you already have an animal companion or pet then you may elevate them to become your familiar. They do not disappear but they can be killed. They are no longer counted as beasts but as Vanir. If they are killed then you may summon them again but they will be an ethereal spirit.

Wild Shape Improvement

At 4th level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before of challenge rating 1/2 or lower that doesn't have a flying speed. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short rest.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Wild Shape Improvement

At 8th level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before of challenge rating 1 or lower. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Timeless Body

Starting at 18th level, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.

Beast Spells

Beginning at 18th level, you can cast many of your Seiðr spells in any shape you assume using Wild Shape. You can perform the somatic and verbal components of a Seiðr spell while in a beast shape, but you aren’t able to provide material components.

Grand Seiðr

At 20th level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times. Additionally, you can ignore the verbal and somatic components of your Seiðr spells, as well as any material components that lack a cost and aren’t consumed by a spell. You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and your beast shape.

Seiðr Spell List

Entry for WorldEmber 2022

Competition Homepage

The Seiðr

The Old Powers

Guardians of Balance

A Word of Caution

Class Features

Hit Points

Proficiencies

Equipment

Seiðr Circles

Spellcasting

Cantrips

Preparing And Casting Spells

Spellcasting Ability

Ritual Casting

Spellcasting Focus

Wild Shape

Beast Form

Wild Companion

Wild Shape Improvement

Ability Score Improvement

Wild Shape Improvement

Timeless Body

Beast Spells

Grand Seiðr

Seiðr Spell List

Cantrips

1st-Level Spells

2nd-Level Spell

3rd-Level Spells

4th-Level Spell

5th-Level Spell

6th-Level Spells

7th-Level Spells

8th-Level Spell

9th-Level Spells

Articles under The Seiðr

Circle of Dreams

Circle of Fire

Circle of Frost

Circle of the Harvest

Circle of the Moon

Circle of the Sower

Circle of the Tempest

Circle of the Tides

Entry for WorldEmber 2022

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