Chanteur

Chanteurs
Nicknames	Songbirds, Banshees
Category	Working
Guildmaster	Miklos
Arcanos	Keening

The Chanteurs are one of the 13 primary Guilds in Wraith: The Oblivion. Masters of the Arcanos of Keening, the Chanteurs are primarily known as entertainers in Stygia. Along with the Sandmen, the Chanteurs are welcome almost anywhere they are willing to perform, using their powers to make Wraiths feel the closest to alive they can get without violating the Dictum Mortuum.

The Chanteurs are, in the view of other Guilds, a bunch of arrogant bastards. Many see themselves as the truest and most accepted artisans of the wraiths, a view that has made them enemies of the Masquers and the Artificers. As they are welcome in many places in wraithly high society, they usually have gifts, Haunts, and sacks of oboli to back that up. Others see the Chanteurs as flighty and unconcerned with any issues deeper than the next party or show. Their pride got the better of them during the Guilds' revolt; they joined with much enthusiasm, believing that their powers would make all the difference, and they were frankly shocked when they were utterly defeated and subsequently disbanded.

The haughty nature of the Chanteurs has served as a perfect cover for their equally egotistical Guildmaster, Miklos. While his Guild unknowingly distracts the Hierarchy and Deathlords, Miklos has been secretly making deals with Yu Huang, the ruler of the Dark Kingdom of Jade, feeding them information for a planned invasion of the major western Necropoli and Stygia, and helping pull down the infrastructure of the other Guilds. Although it would appear he is doing it for the benefit of his Guild, as they would have untold wealth and become the most favored of wraiths anywhere, he has more selfish motivations; he would be rewarded by Yu Huang by being made the head artisan of the Underworld.

Miklos' treachery was brought to light after the Sixth Great Maelstrom, and the Guild was disbanded. The few Chanteur Guildmembers that survived became little more than wandering minstrels for the little time that wraithly society continued to exist.

Organization

From some perspectives, the Guild of Chanteurs is nothing but factions — often factions composed of a single Circle (usually known as “bands,” “troupes,” “orchestras,” or the like). The Guild has authority in matters of interest to all Chanteurs, and arbitrates disputes among its members, but only an event of major significance gets the Chanteurs to work together in true Guild fashion. Some of the differences of perspective or practice that divide the Chanteurs include:

The Hadean Symphony, who seek to create elaborate musical performances, often using bizarre instruments, the Hard Corps, who weaponize music against Oblivion and its creatures, the Jesters (or "Comedians"), who use Keening through comedy instead of music, the Outcasts, who focus on music about rebellion and anger at "the system", the Romantics, who believe in music's ability to lead to love, tranquility, and Transcendence, the Sanguine Chorus, a network of Chanteur spies, and the Troubadours, always on the search for information, some of which they pass on in their art, some of which they keep for themselves.

It’s not uncommon for a Chanteur to cycle between several factions over the course of her unlife as her philosophy of music and existence changes.

Johnny Songbirds

During the Great War, some Chanteurs achieve tremendous notoriety performing for the troops, or as artists who entertain audiences of the rich and powerful in Stygia and the major Necropoli. Others work with little rest and, in many cases, no pay. Many of these minstrels, called “Johnny Songbirds,” have never aspired to performance before the Maelstrom. Inspired by nothing more than the urge to good Samaritanism, the Johnny Songbirds move among the people of the Dark Kingdom of Iron, lifting hopes and spreading such good will as they are able.

Guild Culture

All Chanteurs play a musical instrument of some kind; even those who perform a cappella use noisemakers or rhythm keepers such as finger cymbals, castanets or drumsticks.

Trivia

• "Chanteur" is a French term for a male vocalist or singer. "Chanteuse" is the term for a female singer. It would appear that members of the Guild exclusively go by Chanteur, regardless of gender.
• Wraith: The Oblivion was originally ended in 1999 with Ends of Empire as a result of low sales, because of that the Chanteurs did not receive a Guildbook.

References

• WTO: Wraith: The Oblivion Rulebook, p. 154
• WTO: Wraith: The Oblivion Second Edition, p. 58, 146
• WTO/cMET: Oblivion, p. 116
• WTO: Ends of Empire, p. 129-130
• WTO20: Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 162