Kenship

By Daniel Mitchell (tempest@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au) for the Kunapipi

Description

Kenship is the ancient Kunapipi Art of healing not just the ailments of the body, but also those of the soul. It is the reason that the Kunapipi are so widely regarded as healers and so sought after by those who know of them.

Attribute: Intelligence

* Dreamtime Touch

This is the cantrip that the Kunapipi are so renowned for. With it, a Kunapipi is capable of healing someone with but a touch. It is a very powerful cantrip, which some say can heal even the wounds inflicted by cold iron.

System: Any realm can be used except Scene. The Bunk requires a touch of some sort. Each success against the recipient's Banality allows one level of damage to be healed. Aggravated damage may be healed as well, but requires spending one Song point per level healed. This may be used by the Kunapipi on herself.

** Sleeping Ward

This is an unusual cantrip -- it places the recipient in a state of hibernation, slowing down the major functions of the recipient. It is usually used when the help of the Kunapipi is not enough to heal the wound there and then, or if the subject is dying. Occasionally, it may also be used to aid the Kunapipi if she is attacked.

System: Actor or Fae are the usual realms for this cantrip. Each success after the first slows down the vital functions of the target by the number of successes: 2 successes slow them down by half, 3 to a third and so on. This may be used aggressively -- each success after the second reduces the number of actions available (2 successes mean 1 action every 2 turns for example).

*** Place of Calm

By using this cantrip, a Kunapipi can create special places of calm and peace. Many Kunapipi use this cantrip on their dwellings as a way of ensuring that no violence occurs around it. Once such a place is set up, the place becomes a natural channel for healing and peace.

System: Nature, Prop and Scene are usually used for this cantrip. Multiple castings are cumulative, but a maximum of three castings is permitted in any one area. Each success may be spent in one of three ways:

• To increase the area of the Place (base 5m + 5m per success spent, max 30m)



• To increase the bonus for healing and constructive actions performed within its bounds (base of +1, + 1 per 2 successes spent, maximum +5)



• To increase the penalty for combat and destructive actions performed within its bounds (base of -1, -1 per 2 successes spent, maximum -5)

People with a high Silence (7 or greater) are capable of eroding this Place by rolling their Silence against the caster's Song. Each success weakens any one of the three categories by one. If this ever happens, the caster is allowed to recast once to try and repair the damage, but the difficulty is at the attacker's Silence.

**** Healing the Dream

This cantrip allows the Kunapipi to heal a wide range of mental afflictions. Whether these afflictions are natural or induced by magical means does not matter, as all can be healed.

System: Actor and Fae are the main realms for this. By rolling against the afflicted one's Silence, the Kunapipi can weaken or even (with 5+ successes) abolish any mental ailment. The exact effects of this cantrip are left to Storyteller discretion, but obviously the more succeses gained, the weaker the mental affliction. The only ailments that cannot be cured by this cantrip are:

• A Malkavian's initial Derangement(s)



• The mind of a Black Spiral Dancer



• The delusions of a Marauder



• The Frailty of any Kith



• The effects of any Oath

***** Rebirth

This awesome cantrip requires much meditation and preparation on the part of the Kunapipi. It allows any person who has died in the past 48 hours to come back from the dead. This cantrip is used exceedingly rarely, as it can kill the Kunapipi -- those who survive this cantrip are awarded much respect.

System: The Bunk for this cantrip requires the intact body (it must be recognizable) and a full day of preparation, meditation and singing from the Kunapipi. It can only be cast in a Place of Calm. The difficulty is the recipient's Silence, modified by the following:

• Target was a Prodigal (may not be awarded in some cases): -1



• Target was enchanted when killed: -2 (not cumulative with above)



• Target was a changeling: -3



• Target affected by an unfulfilled Geas: -1 to -3, depending on Geas



• Target was someone with a high Silence: +1 per point above 6



• Target ever attacked a Kunapipi or a Place of Calm: +2



• Kunapipi performing cantrip against her will: +2



• Target was killed by cold iron: +2



• Target killed someone with cold iron: +3



• Kunapipi failed this cantrip before: +2



• Kunapipi succeeded in this cantrip before: -2

One success is all that is needed to bring someone back from the dead. A maximum of (10-recipient's permenant Silence) Song points may be spent on lowering the difficulty. Failure does not bring the body back from the dead.

Botching this cantrip is catastrophic. Each "1" in the botch inflicts two aggravated wounds and weakens the Place of Calm by one point in all categories. The aggravated damage incurred in this fashion may only be healed by the body's natural healing processes. The damage to the Place may not be repaired until a year has passed or the Kunapipi involved performs a Corroboree and gives all Song gained to the spirits that attend.