Knacks: Lullaby, Mourning, Riot, Terrify, Transfix

Apprentice: Melody
Adept: Harmony
Master: Countermelody

Kuimba is a powerful Tar-Netjeran magic based on song…or rather, on hissing, whistling, tonal chanting, and other types of melodies. Practitioners of Kuimba are called Vaimbi (singular: Muimbi), and they learn their art by observing the sounds of nature, sometimes taking great risks to acquire a new melody. As they grow in power, they learn to support and strengthen the melodies of other Vaimbi, and eventually to actively oppose those melodies, protecting listeners from the scheming of wicked men who have learned to harness this magic.

Unfortunately for a Muimbi, using this magic requires a great deal of concentration. Once it is activated using a Drama Die and an Action, the Muimbi may not use his Actions for anything other than maintaining the melody and making Active Defenses, and in the latter case, his Defense Knack is halved (rounded up). A Muimbi is most effective when he has allies to back him up…but his allies are as likely as any other listener to fall prey to the Muimbi’s magic unless they take precautions (or are hearing impaired). Regardless, once a Muimbi has started a melody, the effects persist until he stops performing the melody (which he can do at any time, without spending an Action), until he suffers a Dramatic Wound from any source, or until he uses an Action for anything other than an Active Defense (e.g., making an attack).

Apprentice Degree
An Apprentice Muimbi may spend a Drama Die to make a contested roll of Panache + Sorcerous Knack vs. the Resolve of all those within earshot: the occupants of a single room or on a single deck of a ship, or within a 100-foot radius (centered on the Muimbi) per Rank in his Singing Knack (from the Performer Skill) while outside. Those who fail to meet or exceed the Muimbi’s roll are affected as described under each Knack below. Covering one’s ears provides two free Raises to the Resolve roll to resist. Putting wax or some other sort of earplugs in one’s ears provides four free Raises, but prevents one from hearing anything else.

The Apprentice is immune to his own melodies, but he must make a Resolve roll vs. the TN set by his Panache + Sorcerous Knack roll or become lost in the music. In such a state, he will keep performing, oblivious to what is going on around him. While in this state, the TN to hit the Muimbi is 5, and inflicting a Dramatic Wound will snap him out of this trance and end the melody, as usual.

Adept Degree
When another Muimbi is attempting to use one of his Sorcerous Knacks, the Adept may make a roll of Panache + Singing. Making this roll requires an Action, but not a Drama Die. The other Muimbi may add one to his  Panache + Sorcerous Knack roll for every five points (rounded up) the Adept rolled on his Panache + Singing roll.

The Adept is no longer at risk of becoming lost in his own music (unless he wants to be), nor is he affected by the music of any Muimbi whose melody he is attempting to boost using his Adept ability.

Master Degree
When another Muimbi is attempting to use one of his Sorcerous Knacks, the Master may spend an Action (but not a Drama Die) to roll Panache + Singing. The other Muimbi must subtract the Master’s result from his own, setting a lower TN for any listeners’ Resolve checks. In addition, when he is being targeted by a Kuimba Knack, the Master may add Unkept Dice equal to his Rank in that Knack to his Resolve roll to resist it. A Master also receives an additional benefit when using any of his Kuimba Knacks, as described below.

Sorcerous Knacks

Lullaby. Properly called Kuchengeta Mhepo (Caress of the Winds), this Knack takes the form of an ethereal whistling that emanates from the Muimbi’s diaphragm. A Muimbi may learn this melody by spending a fortnight alone in the wilderness, doing nothing but listening to the call of the wind and letting it lull him to sleep every night.

To use this Knack, the Muimbi must spend a Drama Die and make a contested roll of his Panache + Lullaby vs. the Resolve of everyone within earshot. Anyone hearing the melody who does not meet or exceed the Muimbi’s roll will collapse wherever he stands and fall into a deep slumber. Inflicting a Dramatic Wound on a sleeping victim will wake him up, but if the Muimbi is still using this Knack, he must immediately make another Resolve roll (against the same TN) to avoid falling asleep again. When the Muimbi stops whistling, all listeners will remain asleep, but can be roused normally (by shaking, slapping, loud noises, etc.)

A Master Muimbi may choose to perform a unique melody tailored to a single person within range of his voice. That person must make a Resolve roll as above or fall asleep. However, the Muimbi can stop whistling at any time, and the target will remain asleep, unable to be woken by any means, until he hears the end of the melody (at which point, he will awaken immediately). This power is typically used by a vengeful Muimbi to put a member of a family that has wronged him (in fact or in his imagination) to sleep. The Muimbi will typically leave without finishing the melody, and his victim will never wake up unless someone can persuade the Muimbi to finish it, or someone can figure out the ending of the melody (through an epic quest, no doubt) and ensure that the victim hears it.

Mourning. Properly called Rwiyo rweDhimoni (Demon’s Song), this melody consists of the keening ululation performed by sirens (which are very rare in Tar-Netjer) or their distant cousins harpies (which can be found with far greater frequency). Equal parts song and screech, the Muimbi must learn this melody by spending large periods of time near a harpy’s aerie (or near a body of water frequented by sirens), listening to them feed on human flesh: a risky prospect under the best of circumstances.

To use this Knack, the Muimbi must spend a Drama Die and make a contested roll of his Panache + Mourning vs. the Resolve of everyone within earshot. Anyone hearing the melody who does not meet or exceed the Muimbi’s roll will be overwhelmed by feelings of grief and loss. While the song is ongoing, those who have been affected by this song must roll one non-exploding die and consult the following chart on each of their Actions to determine what they will spend that Action doing:

RESULT	Action Taken
1 – 3	The listener bursts into uncontrollable tears and can take no other action.
4 – 6	The listener begins clawing at himself with his own hands, inflicting a 0k1 barehanded attack (indexed for Brawn, as usual) on himself.
7 – 9	The listener grows overwhelmed with grief and collapses, unconscious. Once a listener obtains this result, he does not make further rolls on this table, and cannot be woken up by any means until the Muimbi stops performing, after which he can be revived as if he were merely asleep
0	In a moment of clarity, the listener may make another Resolve roll (against the same TN) to attempt to shake off the effects of the melody.

A Master Muimbi may force any number of listeners to reroll a result of “0.”

Riot. Properly called Rwiyo Rwenyuchi (Hymn of the Bees), this melody consists of a droning, tonal chant. The Muimbi may learn this melody by surrounding himself with deadly killer bees. He must find a way to trigger them into attacking something (or someone) without getting stung to death himself in order to perfect this melody.

To use this Knack, the Muimbi must spend a Drama Die and make a contested roll of his Panache + Riot vs. the Resolve of everyone within earshot. Those who fail to meet or exceed the Muimbi’s roll will enter a berserk rage and immediately begin attacking everyone around them. Those falling into this rage are subject to the following changes:

• they are immune to the effects of being Injured, but not Knocked Out,
• their Rank in Wits is reduced to zero,
• they receive a +5 bonus on all Brawn rolls, including Wound Checks and Damage Rolls, and
• they must attack anyone they do not recognize as a friend.

To recognize someone as a friend requires a Wits roll vs. a TN of 5. Because an affected listener’s Wits is currently at a Rank of zero, he may roll a single die, but a ten is considered a zero. A listener may only make this check once per friend.

When the Muimbi stops chanting, the rage will abate immediately, leaving those affected (those who are still standing, anyway) clear-headed, out of breath, and wondering what came over them. Their Ranks in Wits return to normal, and if they have taken enough Dramatic Wounds to be Injured, they suffer the effects immediately.

A Master Muimbi may also choose to render all listeners immune to the effects of being Knocked Out, but if a listener suffers Dramatic Wounds equal to three times his Rank in Resolve, he drops dead immediately. When the effect ends and a listener’s rage abates, if he has taken enough Dramatic Wounds to be Knocked Out, he suffers the effects immediately.

Terrify. Properly called Zvake zveMhungu (Spider’s Hiss), this melody is little more than an eerie hiss or growl emanating from deep in the throat. To learn this melody, a Muimbi must spend several days in the wilderness plucking spiders (the bigger the better) from their webs and placing them on webs spun by other spiders, studying the noises they make when confronting one another, all while trying to avoid being bitten and dying a hideous death from spider venom.

To use this Knack, the Muimbi must spend a Drama Die and make a contested roll of his Panache + Terrify vs. the Resolve of everyone within earshot to create a deep, crippling fear in the listeners. Anyone who hears this melody suffers a penalty of one Unkept Die (-1k0) on all rolls they attempt for every five points (or fraction thereof) by which the Muimbi’s Panache + Terrify roll exceeded their Resolve check . When the Muimbi stops performing, the effect ends immediately, and those who were affected will have no idea why they were so afraid (though they will remember being afraid very distinctly).

A Master Muimbi may cause these penalties to linger after he stops performing for one additional Phase for every five points (or portion thereof) rolled on his Panache + Terrify roll.

Transfix. Properly called Kudanwa kweNyoka (Serpent’s Call), this melody is comprised of a melody (soft, sibilant hissing sounds of varying pitches, each note blending seamlessly into the next) and a rhythmic, swaying dance. A Muimbi who wishes to learn this melody must spend twenty-four hours meditating in a pit of venomous snakes, closing his consciousness to everything but the sound of their hissing and the movements of their heads as they warn of an impending bite.

To use this Knack, the Muimbi must spend a Drama Die and make a contested roll of his Panache + Transfix vs. the Resolve of everyone within earshot. Anyone who fails to meet or exceed the Muimbi’s roll will stop whatever they are doing (including fighting) and observe the Muimbi blankly until he stops performing. If the Muimbi moves, they will follow him blindly. Inflicting a Dramatic Wound on a transfixed victim will break him out of his daze, but he must immediately attempt another Resolve roll (against the same TN) to avoid falling under the spell again. When the Muimbi stops performing, his targets will snap out of their daze immediately with no memory of what happened while they were transfixed.

A Master Muimbi is capable of narrowing his focus and selecting just one category of people or even creatures to be affected by this Knack. The selection must be broad and cannot specify individuals by name or identifying characteristic. For example, a Master could select “women,” “children,” or even “rats,” but he could not select “enemies” or “redheads.”

Game Master’s Secrets
Kuimba is more properly classified as a Shamanism than a Sorcery (seeking to damage or break down the Barrier) or a Magic (designed to strengthen or repair the Barrier). It arises independently of the Barrier in those who feel strongly connected to nature, particularly its cacophony of sounds. It could technically be learned by anyone (provided they had someone to teach them, or at least show them that the Sorcery exists), though those who already possess Sorcerous or Magical abilities cannot grasp its full nature. A character could be Twice-Blooded in Kuimba and some other Sorcery, but if he was already a Full-Blooded Sorcerer, he could not learn this art.

While extremely rare, it is possible for characters from Théah (or elsewhere in Terra) to spontaneously learn this art provided they have sufficient musical talent and an ear for the melodious sounds of nature. In Théah at least, it is generally believed to be some sort of Sidhe trickery rather than the simple manifestation of the natural world in a gifted listener. When it does appear, it is generally found in the repertoire of Avalon Druids and bards, though at least one Vestenmannavnjar Skald has manifested this ability through the years, and there are tales of a particularly wicked Eisen hedge witch who was Twice-Blooded in both Kuimba and Kreis.