Performance
The Performance skill pertains to the act of entertaining others with active arts, from song to dance to storytelling. Performances of sufficient calibre can help to bridge political divides, influence people to rethink their lives, or even set off artistic or political movements. Performance is also used for impersonating others, though obviously doing so would be dishonourable.
Performers occupy an unusual place in Kiga. Commoners who practice the performing arts are treated poorly by the upper classes and are considered unworthy of the status of craftspeople or farmers. However, every court features musicians, dancers, and artists who are of common birth but are allowed to bring entertainment to those of high station. Their dishonourable status is tolerably ignored—as long as they entertain their betters. Meanwhile, samurai performers are praised by their peers for having an “expressive nature,” or a “poetic soul.”
Performance Approaches
The Performance skill can be used as follows with the appropriate ring:- Reason Approach (Earth Ring): Transmitting some moral lesson to your audience, soothing your audience, educating your audience on a particular matter, setting your audience members’ minds at ease.
- Charm Approach (Water Ring): Gaining your audience’s sympathy, causing your audience to desire something, building a positive rapport with your audience.
- Incite Approach (Fire Ring): Rousing your audience into a state of excitement, intentionally needling your audience, stirring your audience to immediate action.
- Trick Approach (Air Ring): Giving an extremely convincing performance, getting your audience to come to a particular conclusion without stating it outright, impersonating others convincingly.
- Enlighten Approach (Void Ring): Causing your audience to reevaluate something in their lives, breaking your audience out of an emotional rut such as sorrow or rage, delivering a message to your audience in spite of supernatural interference.