'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

[jason taylor]

Cantors:

This job in the present evolution of Ganglic refers not just to leaders of religious liturgy but for narrators of traditional literature or poetry.

Cantors are the centerpiece of a performance called a "reading" or a "telling". They usually use writing as a prompt but some do so from memory. Viewers usually have e readers which download from the mainframe of the building where the reading takes place as an accompaniment. When the reading is original language subtitles are given. Readings often take place in rooms built for sonic effect. As the name implies they usually chant as opposed to singers who use a more balladic form, and often have small bands using traditional instruments like a Caledonian Pipes or a Sword World Hardanger. Cantors often use music too but in a different way, for instance alternating between a chanting phase and an instrumental. Readings are sometimes national events and broadcast across the country. Naturally nobles like this not only for their personal aesthetic taste but for the public relations it gives. There are however some cantors who are subversive, and in more repressive places perform underground, often in performances assisted by a professional cyber-warfare expert to make sure the performance gets through without it's source being discovered.

A Cantor might have Bardic Voice, Claim to Hospitality (in areas where his calling is a high prestige one), Patron, CoH Entertainers, Duty (provide entertainment that pleases employer), etc.