Background Music

By Christopher Granniss (seije@aol.com) (21 December 1995) See also the Songs art.

Author's Notes

Here's a little bit of Glamour that's been dancing around in my head. I couldn't decide whether it would be better as a Merit or a Cantrip, so I did both. It can either be used as a 3 point supernatural merit or as a replacement for Songs 1. As an aside for players of Mage, this works well as a rote. Try a combination of Spirit and Mind, with Forces thrown in to make the music audible. Enjoy.

Description

With this odd supernatural talent, the Changeling is so attuned to the world around him that he can hear the soundtrack. By paying close attention, he can "hear" what sort of muscic is playing in the background of the scene. Most other Changelings and denziens of the World of Darkness will assume that he is out of his mind, but are usually amazed at the insights this musical Changeling can come up with. Examples of use for this merit are: When the character is being stalked, he can hear the "spy" music playing in the background; during a chase scene he hears the obligatory chase music, etc. In system terms, this allows a +2 dice to any appropriate intuition rolls when the Changeling stops and listens for the Soundtrack. Storytellers would do well to remember that sometimes there is no music playing in the background...

Realms

These are for the cantrip version only. Actor: Describes the person whom the music is about.

Fae: Describes the person whom the music follows.

Nature: Describes the object around which the song focuses.

Prop: Describes the object around which the song focuses.

Scene: Describes the area that the background music plays in.

Cookie: Describes the consumable which the music concerns.

Successes

Determines the clarity of the music heard. 1 success is faint notes only occasionaly heard, while five allows all of the Glamorous in the room to hear the music.