Using a Musical Instrument

Music has the power to create powerful emotional responses in listeners. These magic items allow a dedicated character to use music to empower the dedication skill to create a connection between the power of a consecrated area and their listeners, inspiring and revitalising them in the process. The priest and their instrument serves as a conduit, enhancing the profound rolepalying effects of a suitable aura of consecration.

A musical instrument must be a phys-rep of a musical instrument more complex than a triangle, and must be wielded to be used. That is, it must be held in one hand that is not being used to hold anything else for as long as it takes to use them. A musical instrument may not be used as a weapon or implement.

Using one of these items requires a period of appropriate roleplaying which includes playing the musical instrument. The person bonded to the magic items must be the person who plays the musical instrument. It is not a requirement that the entire period of roleplaying consist solely of playing the instrument - it is acceptable to intersperse the performance with other forms of religious roleplaying - but the focus should be on the musical performance.

To have their hero points restored, a character must be in the consecrated area for the full period. This ability cannot restore hero points to someone who has lost the ability to regain hero points overnight - most obviously it will not help anyone subject to a curse such as Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt.

These magic items are explicitly intended to be used in safe situations. They will not work on a battlefield, or on a quest unless you are specifically instructed otherwise by a referee.

Other Musical Instruments

There are several other musical instruments known to exist that are not available to Imperial artisans. In each case, they draw on the power of malign spiritual presences rather than Virtues, and their creation, possession, and use within the Empire is a crime. The three best known examples of these instruments are known as the Drums of Strife, Chains of Madness, and Horns of Fear.

Drums of Strife

Also called Drums of Strength, these musical instruments were known to be used by some pre-Imperial Highborn chapters. These wicked chapters used them to whip their members up into a violent frenzy of hatred directed at anyone who was seen as an outsider. Their use was disavowed, and all known examples destroyed, during the foundation of the Way.

Harbinger of Chaos

Sometimes called a Clarion's Call, the Chains of Madness were musical instruments used by the traitorous briars during the [[Freedom_Heresy]. They took the form of stringed instruments, generally a guitar or mandolin, and were used by Dawnish rabble-rousers in service of Anarchy. According to witnesses, it was typical for the heretic using one of these items to sing while playing - generally songs intended to inspire destruction and chaos. It is believed a few may be in the hands of the Druj orcs who destroyed Montane, or possibly with the heretics of Dourfell Keep.

Horns of Madness

Called Horns of Justice by the Faraden who use them, these insidious magic items are used by priests to encourage bloody vengeance. Unlike the other two instruments, they are in regular use among the Empire's neighbours to the west. They are of primary value to Faraden warpriests rather than the more diplomatic priests who are generally sent to the Empire, but their possession is still a crime.

Other Instruments

All three of these musical instruments are of the variety that inspires a group in an appropriate area aura.