To learn celestial music, harmonists must learn from other harmonists. They need to be trained not only in how to play or sing music, but also how to emotionally connect with others, how to understand their own emotions, and how to work a crowd. They must also be devoted to uniting the people, not the powers that exploit, oppress, abuse, or harm the people.
After years of training and playing with a mentor, harmonists are encouraged to perform before a crowd on their own to test their powers. If they succeed in uniting and empowering the crowd on their own, they unlock their abilities. As harmony is important to their magic, they are much, much more powerful with other musicians, especially other harmonists, but their magic allows them to create harmony without another musician. Most stick with bands and their mentor, but some go work on their own, usually for personal reasons.
Their powers may vary by their chosen instrument and style, but some common powers include the following:
Looping: in order to create solo harmonies or polyrhythms, harmonists can capture loops of music magically and let them continue playing. They do this by physically grabbing the music out of the air and tying it to their instrument or themselves. This is required for their music to work if they don’t have other musicians or harmonists present. Difficulty is 8. Failure means the looping fails. Successes mean it lasts 3 rounds per success level before needing to be restored. One loop adds enough to a song to activate their magic; two loops adds +2 to their magical music, and another +1 for every loop added thereafter.
Harmonic unification: anyone who even so much as matches a rhythm or note of the song will sense the emotions of everyone around them and be drawn into the same emotional content (sincerely). If this is sustained for three rounds in combat or three minutes out of combat, certain effects will take place (see below). Difficulty is 14 and must be re-rolled each round. Looping is required.
Nightingale’s song: a version of harmonic unification possible if songbirds have joined in the song. This is difficulty 17, but does not require re-rolling and is +3 above harmonic unification’s powers.
Polyrhythmic empowerment: one person per rhythm chooses one skill, ability, or power to give +3 to. Difficulty is 11 and lasts three rounds per success level. Critical failure gives -3 penalties to the chosen score for 12 rounds and cannot be re-attempted in the same amount of time, exceptional failure gives -1 for 9 rounds and cannot be re-attempted in the same amount of time, special means the rhythm cannot be attempted again for 6 rounds, normal failure means it cannot be reattempted for 3 rounds. Tie means +1 to the chosen power, ability, or skill for one round. Looping is required.
Song of the heart: the emotions the harmonist is feeling is spread to everyone who hears the song. Difficulty is 11, +3 more per target above three targets. It lasts 3 rounds per level of success. Looping is required.
Syncopation: a target of the harmonist’s choice who can hear the song gets an extra action. Looping is required. Difficulty is 11.
Emerald note: a single note of pure celestial power will cause harm to any infernal being within 24’. Difficulty is 14 for a protection of power 10, +3 more difficulty for every +2 points above 10. No looping required.
Ninth chord: on the ninth round or in the ninth minute of a song, a special chord can be played to eradicate any infernal effects on listeners. Difficulty is 11, +1 more for every target above three. Looping is required.
Shimmering air: a light air gives everyone who hears it whom the harmonist chooses +3 ATH temporarily (one round or one minute). Difficulty is 11, +3 per target after three targets. No looping required.
Passerine dance: targets who can hear the song may dance and summon songbirds. Difficulty for the harmonist is 14, +3 per target above three. Targets must roll dancing ability vs. difficulty 8, gaining +3 to dancing for special success on the harmonist’s part, +6 exceptional, +9 critical. Looping is required. Songbirds may sing and alleviate need for looping once they are summoned.
Rousing flourish: a flourish within the song can break stun, LNA, or unconsciousness (but not coma or death). Difficulty is 8 for LNA, 11 for stun, 14 for unconsciousness, +3 per target above three. No looping required.
Thrush’s song: a song of pure love that makes anyone who sincerely loves another person think of that person and either gain empowerment to act for them or lose time thinking of that person, depending on the harmonist’s intent. Difficulty is 17, +1 per person above three, success rate determines duration and bonuses. Looping is required.
Alouette: the target (if they can hear the song) will fall apart, one body part per round. Difficulty is 17. Looping is required.
Chanticleer’s call: a bright rooster call that all allies to the harmonist within 24 miles can hear and respond to. Difficulty is 17. No looping required.
People’s melody: a song that gains power as more people join in, empowering them against oppressors, abusers, exploiters, or infernal powers. Difficulty is 17. Bonuses scale up as success level does. Looping is required.
Cumulative song: a song that builds on itself, giving +1 to a skill, ability, or power on all who are affected every round/minute it is played. Difficulty is 14, +3 per target above three. Looping is required.
Harmonic unification has the following effects after three rounds/minutes:
Empathic communication: all affected by the song can silently communicate via empathic resonance.
Harmonic action: all affected by the song can act together for every turn.
Unifying resonance: every subsequent round/minute, anyone hearing but not affected must roll to resist or be drawn in.
Harmonists are forbidden in imperial lands.
PRO / ATH +1 STR / AWA +2 WIL +1 PRS +3 STH -1 ESS +1
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