Harmonics

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The Harmonics skill is available to members of the Bard class, allowing these adventurers to speed allies, restore health and mana, and protect from various types of damage, all through the use of structured music. The more advanced abilities in this skill require specialisation in one of the bardic instruments.

Abilities in Harmonics

Ability Description
Lament The shadowy lament may cause fear in those who hear it.
Known: Yes
Syntax: PLAY LAMENT
Works on/against: Room
Details:

This harmonic regularly attempts to afflict your enemies with fear.

Control Master the manipulation of your harmonics.
Known: Yes
Syntax: HARMONICS LIST - lists harmonics in the current room.
HARMONICS DISMISS <harmonic> - terminates a harmonic early.
Details:

Harmonics Control, one of the fundamental abilities in the Harmonics skill, allows you to review and dismiss your harmonics. HARMONICS DISMISS accepts either an ID or a harmonic type. For example, HARMONICS DISMISS gigue, or HARMONICS DISMISS 12345.

Anthem A mighty defensive harmonic protecting against damage.
Known: No (6 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY ANTHEM
Works on/against: Room
Details:

This harmonic protects the bard and his allies by completely absorbing one type of damage. The type of damage absorbed changes rapidly throughout the lifetime of the harmonic.

Harmonius Allows communication in all distinct languages.
Known: No (15 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY HARMONIUS
Works on/against: Room
Details:

This harmonic permits the bard and his allies to understand all mortal languages (excepting city languages, which are special gifts from the Gods).

Polyphony The ability to maintain two harmonics simultaneously.
Known: No (33 lessons required)
Syntax: None
Details:

Polyphony is a passive ability. Those with polyphony are able to sustain two simultaneous harmonics in the same location.

Andante Call your harmonics to you.
Known: No (55 lessons required)
Syntax: CALL HARMONICS
Works on/against: Room
Details:

With the Andante, the bard calls all current harmonics to his current location, subject to whatever limits there may be on his ability to sustain multiple harmonics in one place.

Cacophony Destroy the reverberation vibration of a magi.
Known: No (88 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY CACOPHONY
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Destroys one reverberation vibration. This is not a true harmonic: it does not have duration and cannot be moved via Andante or Battaglia.

Minuet Induce a state of extreme gullibility in an opponent.
Known: No (133 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY MINUET AT <target>
Works on/against: Adventurers
Details:

Induces a state of gullibility in the target. You will regularly, at intervals, receive the power to ORDER the target.

Aeternam Access the place of eternal song to store harmonics.
Known: No (222 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY AETERNAM (What harmonics are in the POES)
PLAY AETERNAM <harmonic> (Attempt to add a harmonic)
PLAY POES <harmonic> [<target>] (Use a harmonic from the POES)
Details:

Use of the Aeternam permits the bard to 'store' up to twenty harmonics, no more than two of any kind,in the Place of Eternal Song (also called POES). Each attempt to store another harmonic in the POES has a limited chance to succeed, so many attempts may be required. Not every harmonic may be stored in the POES. The knowledge of which are storable, and which are not, is for the bard to discover.

PLAY AETERNAM to get in touch with the Place of Eternal Song to see what is there for you.

Two advantages accrue to those who have stored harmonics in the POES:

- the bard may now draw a harmonic from the POES in awkward circumstances (not wielding the proper bardic instrument, or webbed, paralysed, transfixed, tied up in ropes, or entrapped by the hanged man); or

- harmonics drawn from the POES will disturb the bard's equilibrium slightly less, in other, non-awkward circumstances!

POES Draw on the Place of Eternal Song for emergency needs.
Known: No (222 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY POES <harmonic> (Use a harmonic from the POES)
PLAY AETERNAM (What harmonics are in the POES)
PLAY AETERNAM <harmonic> (Attempt to add a harmonic)
Details:

Harmonics stored via the Aeternam into the Place of Eternal Song may be drawn out via the POES. The bard may draw a harmonic from the POES even if not wielding the proper bardic instrument, or webbed, paralysed, transfixed, tied up in ropes, or entrapped by the hanged man. If the bard is not discomfited in any of these ways, then a harmonic drawn from the POES still gives some advantage: the performance is less disturbing of the bard's equilibrium.

Counterpoint Set up three harmonics simultaneously.
Known: No (255 lessons required)
Syntax: None
Details:

Counterpoint is a passive ability. Those with counterpoint are able to sustain three simultaneous harmonics in the same location.

Rondo Call out the rats with their favourite melody.
Known: No (288 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY RONDO
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Attracts increased numbers of rats to your current location for the current Achaean day. This is not a true harmonic in that it does not have a separate duration of its own, and cannot be called or sent away via the Andante or Battaglia.

Contradanse Periodically afflict your enemies' minds.
Known: No (333 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY CONTRADANSE
Works on/against: Room
Details:

This harmonic periodically strikes your non-deaf enemies with a random mental affliction.

Paxmusicalis Declare an intermittent musical peace.
Known: No (355 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY PAXMUSICALIS
Works on/against: Room
Details:

This harmonic acts to prevent all aggressive acts, but only on an irregular basis, in the place where it has been played.

Gigue Decrease equilibrium recovery time for your allies.
Known: No (377 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY GIGUE
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Improves recovery of equilibrium for all of the bard's allies in the same location as the harmonic.

Percussia Create a sonic explosion.
Known: No (422 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY PERCUSSIA [delay]
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Creates a sonic-boom of sorts that stuns the bard's enemies and may knock them off their feet. Can be delayed in execution for 'delay' seconds. If 'delay' is omitted, then the Percussia is nearly immediate. Example: PLAY PERCUSSIA 9 - would play the Percussia and then wait for nine more seconds before exploding on your (hopefully) unsuspecting targets. This is not a true harmonic, in that it cannot be called or moved with the Andante or the Battaglia.

Bagatelle Deliver periodic magical damage against your enemies.
Known: No (488 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY BAGATELLE
Works on/against: Room
Details:

This harmonic periodically deals magic damage to all enemies who can hear it, and strips deafness from those who cannot.

Simpleharmony The ability to place four harmonics in a room.
Known: No (555 lessons required)
Syntax:  : Syntax: (none)
Details:

Simple Harmony is a passive ability. Those with Simple Harmony are able to sustain four simultaneous harmonics in the same location.

Partita Protect other harmonics from disturbance.
Known: No (599 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY PARTITA
Works on/against: Room
Details:

This harmonic protects other harmonics in the room against most things which might destroy them, with some notable exceptions.

Battaglia Project your harmonics into neighboring rooms.
Known: No (667 lessons required)
Syntax:  : Syntax: PLAY BATTAGLIA <direction>
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Send harmonics in the direction specified. For example, PLAY BATTAGLIA EAST will attempt to send all harmonics out of your current location towards the east. Harmonics do not always move, depending on limits in adjacent rooms.

Berceuse Put an enemy to sleep with this soporific tune.
Known: No (736 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY BERCEUSE
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Continuously attempts to afflict all of the bard's enemies with sleep.

Continuo Regenerate physical well-being with this movement.
Known: No (805 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY CONTINUO
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Replenishes health for the bard and his allies every few seconds.

Complexharmony With this, you may set up five harmonics in a room.
Known: No (874 lessons required)
Syntax: None
Works on/against: None
Details:

Complex Harmony is a passive ability. Those with Complex Harmony are able to sustain five simultaneous harmonics in the same location.

Wassail Restore mana for allies with the jaunty Wassail.
Known: No (943 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY WASSAIL
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Replenishes mana for the bard and his allies every few seconds.

Chorale A group harmonic that gives experience to the listeners.
Known: No (1047 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY CHORALE
PLAY CHORALE CRESCENDO
Works on/against: Room
Details:

From four to eight bards must combine in the Chorale. One plays, then each join in (same command in each case) and then when one decides that the time is right, performs the crescendo with PLAY CHORALE CRESCENDO. The crescendo grants experience to everyone hearing. The amount of experience varies with the number of bards in the Chorale. One person may only receive the benefits of hearing a Chorale once per Achaean month.

Funeralmass The dark, mournful mass with the power to slay.
Known: No (1150 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY FUNERALMASS AT <target>
Works on/against: Adventurers
Details:

The funeral mass is a song of deep sorrow and sadness. Its melancholy tune, if played without interruption, has such power that any it is directed to will be so overwhelmed with emotion that he or she will simply pass on from this life.

Canticle Decrease balance recovery time for your allies.
Known: No (1288 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY CANTICLE
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Improves recovery of balance for all of the bard's allies in the same location as the harmonic.

Undertonal Maintain seven harmonics in a single room.
Known: No (1392 lessons required)
Syntax: None
Details:

Undertonal is a passive ability. Those with Undertonal abilities are able to sustain seven simultaneous harmonics in the same location.

Reel Disrupt the balance of enemies with this complex melody.
Known: No (1495 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY REEL
Works on/against: Room
Details:

Causes all of the bard's enemies in the same location as this harmonic to lose balance or equilibrium from time to time.

Hallelujah Carry an audience to ineffable joy.
Known: No (1633 lessons required)
Syntax: PLAY HALLELUJAH
Works on/against: Room
Details:

This harmonic continually acts to remove afflictions from the bard and his allies.

Overtonal Your mastery is such that unlimited harmonics are yours.
Known: No (1736 lessons required)
Syntax: None
Details:

Overtonal is a passive ability. Those with Overtonal abilities are able to sustain unlimited harmonics in the same location.


See also