Unlike their occasional rivals among the Shiba, the Kakita Artisans do not confine themselves merely to the creation of physical art such as paintings or books of poetry. The Artisan Academy devotes itself to the study of every sort of art, whether it be performance-based or creation-based, and studies not only the ways of art but also the way s in which such art may be turned to the service of the Crane Clan.
Rank One: Soul of the Artisan
The Kakita Artisan is taught from the earliest youth to focus on one specific form of art above all others, devoting himself to it heart and soul and pursuing the goal of absolute perfection within its forms. Of course, in keeping with Crane tradition, the Artisan is also taught to be a ruthless critic to any artistic rivals. Select one of the three chosen School Skills (Acting, an Artisan Skill, or a Perform Skill) as the focus of your artistic training. This becomes your 'chosen art'. When making skill rolls with your chosen art, you gain a +2k0 bonus and your Raises are not limited by your Void.
Any time you are using Games: Sadane to criticize someone else's art or performance, you gain a Free Raise on your Skill Roll.
Rank Two: The Soul's Dream
The Kakita Artisan is taught to use his art to affect those around them, inspiring emotions and shifting the views of the audience. When presenting a public performance or display of your chosen art, you may make a Contested Social Roll of (chosen art) / Awareness against Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower of the audience members. Those audience members who fail their rolls are profoundly swayed and their emotions shift in a direction you desire - becoming friendlier, more hostile, calmer, or whatever other emotional shift your art is designed to evoke. This emotional shift normally lasts a number of hours equal to your Insight Rank.
Note that not all persons are equally susceptible to the impact of art - the GM may rule that a particular individual is affected for a shorter period of time, or award a bonus to the resistance roll for person whose emotions are difficult to manipulate. The GM should normally have each individual audience member roll separately to resist this technique (this should always be done for PCs or important NPCs), but with large groups of ordinary NPCs the GM can opt to save time by making a single roll for most or all of them.
Rank Three: Free the Spirit
You may select a second of your three chosen School Skills as a chosen art, and all Technique bonuses and effects which applied to your first chosen art now applies to it as well. The bonus to your chosen art skill rolls increases to +2k1.
Rank Four: Undying Name
Your art is now so magnificent that you make and break the reputations of others by depicting or referencing them in your work. You may create a piece of art referring to another person by rolling (chosen art) / Awareness at a TN equal to 20 plus 5 x their Glory Rank. With a success, you may either increase (if your art is complimentary) or decrease (if it is critical) their Glory by up to 5 points, plus an additional 5 points for every Raise you make on the roll. You may call two additional Raises to inflict a gain of Infamy on the target instead of a Glory change.
You may not target the same person with this technique more than once every six months. Furthermore, persons of high station cannot have their reputations damaged by artist lacking in prestige - the target's Status cannot exceed your Glory or Status Rank (whichever is higher).
Rank Five: A Gift Beyond Price
Your art is now so perfect that a gift of it can profoundly change another person's attitude toward you or your clan. Once per month, you may give a gift of your chosen art to someone from another clan or faction. Make a Contested Social Roll of your (chosen art) / Awareness against their Etiquette (Courtesy) / Willpower. (The GM may aware Free Raises to you or the target of this technique based on the type and subject of the art and the attitudes and beliefs of the target - some people are easier to sway than others.) With a success, you permanently alter their attitude toward your clan/faction in a favorable direction. With a failure, the target becomes aware of your attempt to manipulate his emotions, and his attitude toward your clan/faction permanently shifts in a hostile direction.