Character Creation: Skills

Rule Book

Skills are the abilities that your character has learned up until the point of beginning game play. The skills you have allow you to use various abilities to interact with the world. When creating a character you get your racial skills plus three of any other skills of your choice from the table below. The skills are divided up into categories for convenience.

If you want to take more skills from this list you can after earning experience points. Each of the skills in the table below will cost 15EXP points each and can be taken at any time as your character develops. Most of the skills on this table can only be taken once unless gained from a guild, however there are a few exceptions to that rule. The skills marked with a single \* can be taken multiple times. Details of this can be found in the descriptions following the table.

\*Pick One

\*\* Either Law or Chaos

\*\*\*Must choose a God or church

**Physical Skills**

**Strength –** You have spent your time doing manual labour or are no stranger to hefty work and so you are stronger than average person. This allows you to do 1 extra point of damage when using melee weapons. You can call ‘strength 1’ when grappling or opposing strong forces such as a strong wind. This can stack with racial skills.

**Toughness –** You have taken a beating over the years and your body is used to going under the strain of elements or the physical exertion you have placed on it. You gain an extra hit per location taking you up to 4 hits per location. This can stack with racial skills.

**Dexterity –** You spent your youth running from trouble or playing in the woods. You have become more agile and foresee events before they happen. You can call ‘dodge’ once per day to avoid taking damage or other adverse effects from a situation, but you have to see the attack coming. You cannot use dodge in heavy or X heavy armour.

**Martial Arts –** Spending time in specialist training used to subdue your opponents is a special skill that is perfect for keeping you one step ahead. This skill is used unarmed, by tapping your opponents shoulders with both hands calling ’knock down’ as you use your skills to bring them to the ground.

**Lore**

**Archaeology –** You have been fascinated by the old ways and the many relics and ruins that are scattered over the land. You have studied and understand some things of the old ways and the secrets they hide. This skill will allow you to identify non magical items from ancient times, identify historical time lines and give you information about tombs and ruins.

**Legend –** You have been told many stories, tales of romance and legends in your youth. It may be that you strive to discover the truth about the legends and this reflects in your teaching. Each event you receive a legend at random which may hold treasure, prophesy or secrets.

**Knowledge****\*** **–** Choose one knowledge from a set list of topics to learn from. You can use this skill for clues on particular topics and within research requests. It can be taken multiple times, once for each type of knowledge. (Religion, arcane, nature, history, culture, nobility, planes and geography).

**Language\* –** This skill allows you to learn another basic language. It can be taken multiple times, once for each language. You will need to find a teacher for the language you wish to learn. It allows you to speak, read and write in a chosen language. (Giant, orc, elven, dwarven, beast, e.c.t.)

**Alchemy**

**Herbalist –** You understand the fruits of the wild, including herbs that hold influencing properties. This skill allows you to identify useful herbs to be used for alchemical substances. If you find herbs in the woods you can use your herbalist handout to identify which herbs you have found. Only herbalists are able to find herbs in the wild. You also get 5 random herbs at the start of each event.

**Potion Lore –** From tea to potions and poultices, you have learnt how to take basic substances and use them to heal and bolster your allies. You get a handout of basic recipes that you would have learned during your study. We recommend you have a formulae book for your recipes.

**Poison Lore –** You have learnt to take the darker side of the forest and manipulate it to more malicious means, learning the way of poisons and diseases to dispatch your enemies quickly. You get a handout of basic recipes that you would have learned during your study. We recommend you have a formulae book for your recipes.

**Surgery**

**Field** **Medic** **–** You have been studying the anatomy of bodies for a long time and understand how to get them up and running quickly from even grievous wounds. You can begin healing a subject at the rate of 1 hit point global per minute of role play. This requires phys reps such as bandages or needle and thread. Performing surgery causes pain to the subject and it cannot be performed on yourself. An additional field medic assisting can reduce the time taken to 30seconds.

**Diagnose –** You have studied injuries and can tell if a wound is poisoned or diseased. Knowing what you’re dealing with makes preparation for a situation easier to deal with. This skill allows you to identify the type of wounds sustained and whether there is something more malicious going on in the wound. This skill takes 5 minutes of role play or to perform. An autopsy and get a lot more information you can also identify the cause of death after 20 minutes of role play.

**Enchanting**

**Enchanting –** Enchanting is the act of fusing magic to master crafted items. You have learnt how to harness the power of runes to manipulate the flow of magic from elemental crystals and use this to grant items magical effects.

**Detect Enchantment –** You have spent time studying the raw power that resides within elements and items and can identify the properties of such items. This skill allows you to identify the levels of elemental crystals and properties of enchanted items.

**Disenchant –** You are able to remove and redefine runes that have been fused to elemental crystals and can remove elemental crystals safety from existing magical items. Doing this will destroy the item. This skill also allows you to harvest elemental gems from locations and creatures.

**Essence**

**Spell Craft (LAW) –** After years of study you have finally achieved the understanding and total control of elemental magic. You can bend the four basic elements to your will and create magic spells of your desire. Your magic pool is stable and you will know exactly what power you have and the extent in which that can be used. You start with a manna pool of 1 of each element and 4 known spells. Once chosen you cannot change to chaos.

**Spell Craft (Chaos) –** You are innately magical. Through some means or another, magic infused within your body mind and soul. It may take some time for you to adjust to your powers but with restraint and study you will be able to control these powers and manipulate them to your will. Your manna pool is chaotic meaning you never know what elements you will have to rely on each day. This will mean you could have a vast amount of power but limited knowledge on how to use it. However your power levels are the strongest of all. You get a mana pool of 4 random elements and 6 known spells. Once chosen you cannot change to law and each time you take the element skill it will be a random element.

**Element\* –** With study, perseverance and force of will you have been able to add to your manna pool. For law this means you can take one extra element of your choice, for chaos this is an extra random bead in your mana pool. This skill can be taken four times at character creation, once for each element.

**Detect** **Magic** **–** With focus and concentration you’re able to identify the strength of magic throughout the land. The type of magic must already be known to you and you must have access to magic of the same type to identify specific details about the magic. If you do not have access to that type of magic you will get very basic information. However you can combine this with knowledge arcana to gain more information.

**Faith –** Your character follows one of the worlds godly entities and through your devotion you have been granted powers by your deity. You must select a domain or a God from the religions set out in the rule book. Once done you will have a set spell list from which to choose 2 spells to cast. If you follow a neutral God then you must pick either light or dark faith for each faith bead. Once chosen this cannot be changed.

**Meditate –** Focus on one’s self or in prayer to the divine can lead to insightful visions or revelations. After a period of time in meditation on a subject matter or problem, you will be allowed a free insight check. This may not work more than once in any given situation or the same day.

**Underhand**

**Hide –** Spending time in the woods hiding from friends or doing secret reconnaissance you have adapted to hiding in the shadows of the trees. With your hands crossed across your chest behind a tree you will be hidden from sight but not sound. Any movement will break this and you will be seen. If you are seen going into hiding you will not be hidden.

**Trap finding –** By carefully searching and investigating the area around you, it’s possible to detect traps before they go off. Role play is required.

**O****rienteering –** You can always locate north and can use this information to navigate and find your way around areas where you have been. It also helps with finding your way in unknown areas. This skill is best used combined with maps, compasses and other way finding equipment.

**Rumour –** You have been keeping your ears to the ground for a long time, seeking to find valuable information on the off chance. Once an event you will be given a rumour at random. It will be up to the individual to decide on how accurate the rumour is and what to do with it.

**Escape Artist –** This skill allows you a chance to escape your bonds and tight situations. This skill gives you a one in three chance to break out of your bonds. If you have tools this chance goes up to two in three.

**Set Traps –** With time and role play you are able to set **basic** traps such as pit falls, trip wires and rock slides. These are just some examples but the more creative the trap the better the result. This will take time and role play.

**Craft**

**Craft** **P****rofession\* –** You have worked your profession for some time and can create all sorts of items from your desired crafts. You choose a profession based on the craft you wish. The main selections are smith, carpenter, gem cutter, tailor or architect. For more information see the craft section. You can take this skill multiple times, once for each profession.

**Evaluate –** You know the worth of good workmanship and can evaluate it to its exact worth rather than guessing the worth of the item. If you wish to evaluate an item you take the item to a ref and ask for an evaluation on it. This skill works well with other skills.

**S****cavenge** – You are able to find or salvage crafting materials. At the beginning of each event you will be given a random number of crafting materials. You do not get to pick the type of materials as this is also random.

**Merchant –** You pick a profession and during your downtime you make a set amount of money at the beginning of each day. At the start of each event you will be given 50 silver for your work.