DO you think that because we no longer draw breath, our voices lack power? Hush. Hush and listen. Keening is an Arcanos of emotion transmitted by sound. The ancient legends of banshees and ghostly mourners have at least some basis in Keening's arts. Those who have mastered this Arcanod can sing emotion into their listeners, living or dead. It is not absolutely necessary for a wraith to sing to use this Arcanos. If a wraith wishes to touch others' emotions through dance, oration or even laughter, she may. In such cases, the difficulty for all Keening rolls is raised by +1; after all, the Arcanos is taught through song. Ultimately, the emotions Keening instills are artificial, and cannot compare to the heady rush of true feeling. Gaining Pathos from a Keening-fed emotion is possible, but the difficulty is 9, and the energy is far blander than usual. Masters of Keening often prefer to infect one person with an emotion, then feed on the feelings he engenders in his companions.
The Guild
Haughty and arrogant, the Chanteurs prided themselves on being the ones who brought music to the Underworld. With an artistic hubris exceeding even the Masquers', they hired themselves out as troubadours to the Restless' elite. At the height of their pride, they koined the Guilds' revolt enthusiastically, and the shock of their actual defeat took decades, if not longer, to recover from. Still, individual Chanteurs retained influence and access to the high and mighty of Stygia -- the Stygian nobles would do anything for such potent diversion, and for centuries the Chanteurs were deemed to be one of the few "acceptable" entertainments in certain social circles. Even today, many wraiths search out Chanteurs to feel the depth of mortal emotion once more. All Chanteurs play a musical instrument of some kind; even those who perform a cappella use noisemakers or rythm keepers such as finger cymbals, castanets or drumsticks.
Botches
Keening botches usually involve emotional feedback or fallout of some kind. Mishaps can feed a wraith's darker emotions (feeding Angst to their Shadow), drive friends to distraction, or possibly even drive the singer temporarily mad as his attempts to meddling in the emotions of others are turned back upon himself.
Basic Abilities
Perfect Pitch: This is the ability to notice when another wraith is actively using Keening. Sotto Voice: With Sotto Voice, a wraith may hide her Keening arts in normal singing or casual conversation.
1 - Dirge This art allows a wraith to catalyze a linstener's "darker" emotions: despair, anger, fear, loneliness, grief, lust and so on. This art has proven excellent for removing unwanted mortals from a particular locale. This art costs 1 Pathos, but gives the user 1 temporary Angst.
2 - Ballad The wraithmay inspire the "higher" emotions: serenity, joy, mirth, loyalty, love, inspiration, vigor, faith and so forth. This art is highly useful for protecting Fetters and swaying other wraiths into alliances. Ballad costs 1 Pathos.
3 - Muse This art allows the wraith to make a suggection into the subject's subconsious, inspiring him with an idea he will believe to be his own. This is useful for those who continue to compose music, art or literature after death, but want a medium to bring their works to the living. More commonly, the art is used sbutly to manipulate other wraiths. This art works equally well on wraiths, mortals or other supernatural beings. Muse costs 2 Pathos and grants the user a point of Angst.
4 - Crescendo The wraith can scream a musical blast capable of damaging plasm at close range. The sound carries a great distance; wraiths within a mile or two will hear the crescendo. The singer inflicts one Corpus Level of damange per success on every wraith in normal hearing distance. The damage is not aggravated, and can be soaked. Crescendo cannot be concealed with Sotto Voice. Singing a Crescendo while Embodied inflicts all listeners with a terrible, heartstopping fear that inflicts one Health Level of damage. This damage may also be soaked, but will affect vampires, werewolves and other supernatural creatures. This art costs 3 Pathos, as well as granting the user a point of Angst.
5 - Requiem This art floods the subject with raw, undiluted emotion. Any feeling the wraith wishes will pour over the target, burying her soul in its tide. The Chanteur paralyzes the subject for one turn; she is overhwlmed with emotion and cannot move, act, speak or defend herself. Particularly dark emotiuons can scar the target's soul. If too much dark emotion is flooded the subject may go insane. Pleasant emotions can affect the subject harmfully, too. She may become addicted to the powerful feeling, willing to anything for its rush again. This art costs 3 Pathos. If the projected emotion is "dar," the Shadow gains 1 temporary Angst.
