Skills

## Basic and Advanced Skills

The basic rules for Skill Tests assume that your character has the skill in question. But what if you want to try a skill you don’t know? Is that a possibility? The answer lies in the skill type, which is denoted in each skill’s description. Skills have two types: basic and advanced.

Basic skills are in common use throughout the Old World and simply growing up in the Empire will expose most characters to the rudiments of these abilities. Even if you don’t have a basic skill, you can attempt to use your natural aptitude in lieu of formal training. Roll a Skill Test as normal, but halve the Characteristic (rounding up). If you don’t have a basic skill, any attempt to use it requires a Skill Test. There will thus be times when a skilled character doesn’t even have to roll (swimming in calm waters, for instance) but an unskilled character still would.

**Example:** Kurt, a Mercenary, is trying to bargain down the price of a new sword. He doesn’t have the Haggle skill, but it’s a basic skill so he can still give it a try. Kurt has Fellowship 33%, but he must halve it because he doesn’t have Haggle. Kurt thus has a 17% chance (Fellowship 33/2=17) of successfully haggling the price down. Kurt’s player rolls a 05, a success! Kurt has bargained the merchant down and gets his new sword at a reduced price.

Advanced skills require training and experience. If you don’t have an advanced skill, you can’t even attempt it. No matter how smart you are, for instance, you won’t be able to read the script of ancient Khemri without study.

## Skill Mastery

If you get access to the same skill in different careers, you can (at your option) spend another 100 xp to gain an additional +10% when using the skill. You can buy the same skill no more than three times. This represents additional training and experience with the skill that you’ve gained as you’ve advanced from one career to the next.

**Example:** Helga, an Apprentice Wizard, begins with the Academic Knowledge (Magic) skill. She finishes her first career and becomes a Journeyman Wizard. This career also includes Academic Knowledge (Magic). Helga now has a choice. If she’s happy with her current understanding of magic, she can leave things as they are. If she’d like additional expertise, she can spend 100 xp and buy this skill again. This Skill Mastery gives her a +10% bonus on Academic Knowledge (Magic) Tests. If Helga later became a Master Wizard, which also includes the Academic Knowledge (Magic) skill, she could opt to buy it again. She could not buy Academic Knowledge (Magic) a fourth time.

## Test Difficulty

Not all Skill Tests are created equal. Climbing a fence is laughably easy, for instance, but scaling a sheer cliff is insanely difficult. The GM can assign bonuses or penalties to Skill Tests depending on the circumstances. While published adventures will call out these modifiers for you, there will still be many instances when the GM has to determine them on the fly. Making judgments like this is a big part of being a Game Master.

For each Skill Test, the GM should determine the difficulty, and then consult Table 4-1: Test Difficulty to determine the appropriate modifier. GMs may decide to assign even greater bonuses or penalties than those shown on the table, but such modifiers should only be used in extremely unusually circumstances. It is recommended that all modifiers be given out in 10% increments to keep skill use simple. GMs who prefer more finesse, however, can hand out modifiers in 5% increments if they like.

**Example:** Hilda, a Bounty Hunter, is trying to find the tracks of her quarry. Hilda’s player makes a Follow Trail Skill Test. Under normal circumstances, she’d simply use her Agility characteristic as her base chance of success. However, the GM decides that the rain last night washed away most of the tracks. He deems the task Very Hard and imposes a –30% penalty on Hilda’s Skill Test. With her Agility 41%, Hilda would normally have a 41% chance of following the trail successfully, but after the penalty this drops to only 11% (41–30=11). Hilda’s player rolls a 35, which would have been a success under better circumstances, but in this instance the rain foiled her and the Skill Test failed

30%
20%
 Average
 Challenging
 Hard
 Very Hard

## Degrees of Success

For the majority of tests, it is enough to know whether or not you succeeded or failed. Sometimes, however, it is useful to know how well you succeeded. This is particularly useful with social skills like Charm and Gossip, as it gives the GM a guideline to help determine NPC attitudes.

Measuring degrees of success is straightforward. You compare the result of your Skill Test with your percentage chance. For each full 10% you beat your chance by, you achieve one degree of success. Your GM will let you know if degrees of success are important for a particular test.

**Example:** Rurik, a Kislevite Kossar, is trying to get some information about a man he’s looking for from a bartender. He makes a Gossip Test to see what he can find out. His Fellowship is 32% but the GM decides the bartender is suspicious of foreigners and so rates the test as Challenging (–10%). This gives Rurik a 22% chance. He rolls a 01, the best possible result. Since this is 21% under his chance, Rurik achieves two degrees of success (one for each full 10%). The GM decides that not only will the bartender admit the man is a customer, he’ll also tell Rurik where the man can be found right now.

You can also measure degrees of failure in a similar way, with each full 10% you failed the test by equalling one degree of failure, but it is not often necessary.

## Opposed Skill Tests

Sometimes you have to test your skill versus that of an opponent. This is known as an Opposed Skill Test. If you were trying to hide from a searching Roadwarden, for example, you’d use your Concealment skill while the Roadwarden would try to find you with his Perception skill. In these types of situation, both parties roll Skill Tests. The GM can assign modifiers to either or both tests as appropriate. Whoever makes a successful test wins the contest. If both characters make successful tests, whoever achieves the most degrees of success wins. If the characters have achieved the same degree of success, the lower dice roll wins out. If both parties fail, the GM should choose from these options, as appropriate for the situation:

* Stalemate: Neither side gains the advantage. Next round both parties can roll again.
* Re-roll: Have both parties re-roll now until there is a winner.

**Example:** Theodoric, an Outlaw, needs to sneak behind a town Watchman. This is a Silent Move Skill Test, opposed by the Watchman’s Perception Skill Test. Since Theodoric will be passing close by the Watchman, the GM decides this is a Challenging test and assigns a –10% penalty to the Outlaw. Theodoric has a 35% chance normally, modified down to 25%. The Watchman has a 30% chance of detecting him. Theodoric’s

## Skills

### Academic Knowledge (Various)

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use Academic Knowledge to remember pertinent facts and figures, and (if you have access to the proper facilities or resources) to do research. Academic Knowledge represents a depth of learning far beyond Common Knowledge and requires extensive study. Academic Knowledge is unusual in that it is not one skill, but many and each must be acquired individually. Each Academic Knowledge skill is a separate field of study, with the specialty noted in parenthesis. For example, Academic Knowledge (Religion) is a different skill than Academic Knowledge (History). The most common Academic Knowledge skills are the Arts, Astronomy, Daemonology, Engineering, Genealogy/Heraldry, History, Law, Magic, Necromancy, Philosophy, Runes, Science, Strategy/Tactics, and Theology.

Related Talents: None.

**New Skill: Academic Knowledge (Cryptography)**
Description: Cryptography is the art of disguising or “encoding” information within a seemingly unrelated sequence of letters and numbers known as a code. In theory, the intended recipient can only read an encoded message through the use of a code key. However, experienced cryptographers are often able to decipher or “decode” a message through meticulous research and toil.

Related Talent: Super Numerate (+10% on Academic Knowledge (Cryptography) Skill Tests)

### Animal Care

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to take care of farm and domestic animals, like horses, cattle, pigs, oxen, and the like. Routine care and feeding require no Skill Test. Tests are most commonly made to spot developing illnesses or signs of discomfort, or for special grooming (preparing a mount for a parade, for instance).

Related Talents: None.

### Animal Training

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to train animals to perform tricks and obey simple commands. The most commonly trained animals are dogs, horses, and hawks, though more unusual animals may be trained with the GM’s permission. Properly training an animal takes some time. Skill Tests should be made once a week during training. A simple trick can be learned with one successful test, a moderately difficult trick can be learned with three successful tests, and a difficult trick can be learned with ten successful tests.

Related Talents: None.

Animal training is done in three stages: breaking, domination and training. The basic techniques for mentally breaking an animal rely on either reward or coercion. Reward-based breaking exploits the animal’s instinctive need for food or shelter to establish programmed responses. Coercion involves breaking the animal’s will with the lash of a whip until it responds predictably to the slightest flick. Most trainers use a combination of reward and coercion. Domination means convincing the animal to accept physical restraint by the use of hood, cage or harness. Breaking and domination must be finished before actual training can begin. Occasionally animals are discovered to be untrainable during this early period; even those raised from birth.

#### Training Animals

Once breaking and domination are complete, the trainer can begin teaching specific tricks. The number of successful skill tests required to teach each trick is determined by its Trick Difficulty (for the Animal Training skill, see WFRP pg. 91). Animals captured in the wild are limited in their ability to override instincts, and therefore cannot learn more tricks than the number indicated below. Animals trained from birth can learn any number of tricks.

**Dog or Bear:** Simple tricks include Sit, Stay and Come. Moderate tricks are Attack, Fetch and Restrain. Teaching dogs and bears to perform carnival tricks is a Difficult task. Feral dogs and bears are limited to 3 tricks.

**Riding Horse or Destrier**: All horses can be taught to Gallop or Stop as Simple tricks. Jumping and Cantering are Moderate tricks, and destriers can also be trained to Charge as a Moderate trick. Special riding stunts count as Difficult tricks for riding horses, and synchronized marching is a Difficult trick for destriers. Wild horses are limited to 3 tricks.

**Hawk , Falcon or Owl:** Hunting birds are difficult to train, so there are no Simple tricks. They can be trained to Attack, Fetch or Follow as Moderate tricks, or deliver messages up to 10 miles as a Difficult trick. Captured birds of prey can only be taught 1 trick.

**Pigeon:** Delivering messages up to 10 miles is a Simple trick. Delivering 11-100 miles is a Moderate trick and destinations 101-500 miles away count as Difficult tricks. Each individual destination is taught as a separate trick and wild pigeons can only learn 1 destination.

**Ferret or Cat:** Basic tricks like Sit, Stay and Come are considered Moderate for these ornery animals. Attack and Fetch count as Difficult

tricks. Feral cats and ferrets may only learn 2 tricks.

### Blather

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to stall for time by running off at the mouth. Blathering never makes sense (use Charm for that); it only seeks to confuse. Victims of a successful Blather Skill Test are allowed a Will Power Test to see through the ruse. If they fail, they can do nothing for one round, as they stare dumbfounded and wonder if you are drunk, crazy, or both. You cannot use Blather if the targets are in combat or in clear and present danger. You can affect one person for each 10 points of your Fellowship, though they must understand the language you are speaking for Blathering to work.

Related Talents: None.

### Channeling

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Will Power.

Description: Use this skill to control the Winds of Magic. All spellcasting involves manipulations of the Winds of Magic, but Channeling is used whenever greater finesse or control is needed. For more on the process of spellcasting and the role of Channelling, see Chapter 7: Magic.

Related Talents: Aethyric Attunement.

### Charm

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to manipulate others. Charm Tests can be used to change the minds of individuals and small groups, to lie convincingly, to bluff, and even to beg. Charm also includes innuendo and seduction. Skill Tests that involve convincing others to do something unusual or against their natures allow a WP Test to resist. You can affect one person for each 10 points of your Fellowship, though they must understand the language you are speaking for your Charm to be effective.

Related Talents: Etiquette, Master Orator, Public Speaking, Schemer, Streetwise.

### Charm Animal

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to befriend animals. Domestic animals are always friendly to you. Wild animals or those trained to be hostile (like attack dogs) can be calmed with a successful test. GMs may impose penalties for particularly loyal or ornery animals. Note this skill doesn’t work on monsters.

Related Talents: None

### Command

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to make subordinates follow orders. With a successful Skill Test, those commanded execute their orders as instructed. On a failed test, they either misinterpret the command or do nothing at all (GM’s call). Command does not allow you to order strangers about, only those already under your authority.

Related Talents: None.

### Common Knowledge (Various)

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use Common Knowledge to remember the habits, institutions, traditions, public figures, and superstitions of a particular nation, cultural group, or race. Common Knowledge does not represent scholarly learning (that’s the Academic Knowledge skill), but the basics you learn growing up or travelling extensively through a region. Like Academic Knowledge, Common Knowledge isn’t one skill but many. The most typical Common Knowledge skills are Border Princes, Bretonnia, Dwarfs, Elves, the Empire, Estalia, Halflings, Kislev, Norsca, Ogres, Tilea, and the Wasteland.

Related Talents: Seasoned Traveller.

### Concealment

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to hide from unfriendly eyes. There must be terrain (trees, walls, buildings, etc.) to hide behind or the Skill Test fails automatically (no hiding in the middle of the street!). Oftentimes, Concealment is an Opposed Skill Test vs. your foes’ Perception.

Related Talents: Alley Cat, Rover, Tunnel Rat.

### Consume Alcohol

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Toughness.

Description: Use this skill to resist the effects of alcohol. Experienced drinkers can build up quite a tolerance. A Skill Test must be taken after each drink. See Chapter 5: Equipment for more information on alcohol and its effects.

Related Talents: None.

### Disguise

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to mask your true appearance. Appropriate clothing, props, and make-up are often key to a successful disguise. It’s also possible to masquerade as a member of the opposite sex, a different race, or a specific person, though these are more difficult to pull off. Oftentimes, Disguise is an Opposed Skill Test vs. your foes’ Perception.

Related Talents: Mimic.

### Dodge Blow

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to avoid attacks in melee combat. Dodge Blow can be used once per round. See Chapter 6: Combat, Damage, and Movement.

Related Talents: None.

### Drive

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Strength.

Description: Use this skill to control carts, wagons, and even chariots. Driving under normal conditions does not require a Skill Test. However, tests may be called for when navigating treacherous terrain, going at excessive speed, or attempting dangerous manoeuvres.

Related Talents: None.

### Evaluate

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to determine the value of everyday objects, as well as valuables such as jewellery, gems, and objects d’art. A successful Skill Test reveals the item’s market price. Since a failed test may result in the miscalculation of an item’s true value, it is recommended GMs roll Evaluate Skill Tests in secret and tell the player what his character believes to be true.

Related Talents: Artistic, Dealmaker.

### Follow Trail

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to track prey, be they animal or otherwise. Following obvious tracks requires no Skill Test and can be done without slowing down. However, tests may be called for in more difficult circumstances. You may also make tests to deduce your distance from the quarry, their numbers, and their racial types.

Related Talents: None.

### Gamble

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to participate in games of chance, such as cards or dice. Each participant in a game wagers the same amount and makes an Opposed Gamble Skill Test. The winner of the test takes the pot. You may, at your option, choose to throw the game, in which case you lose automatically.

Related Talents: Super Numerate.

### Gossip

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to gather information. It is useful for picking up rumours, finding out the latest news, and engaging in informal conversation.

Related Talents: Etiquette, Streetwise

### Haggle

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to negotiate deals and prices. When dealing with day-to-day affairs, like haggling in the marketplace, a simple Skill Test is sufficient. However, for important deals (negotiating the price of a rare manuscript, for instance), the GM may call for an Opposed Skill Test, with both sides using their Haggle skill.

Related Talents: Dealmaker.

### Heal

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence

Description: Use this skill to provide medical attention to the wounded. A successful Heal test restores 1d10 Wounds to a lightly wounded character or 1 Wound to a heavily wounded character. A wounded character can only receive such healing once during or after each encounter (battle, trap, fall, etc.)in which Wounds are lost. The next day, and once each day thereafter, the wounded character can receive the benefits of another Heal Test. See Chapter 6: Combat, Damage, and Movement for more information on Wounds and healing damage.

Related Talents: Surgery.

### Hypnotism

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Will Power

Description: Use this skill to put another into a trance. The subject’s attention must be kept (often by swinging a bauble and/or chanting) for one minute, after which time you must make a successful Skill Test. Unwilling subjects may resist with a successful Will Power Test. Once the subject is in a trance, you may ask him one question per 10 points of your Will Power Characteristic. These must be answered truthfully. Note the subject answers with what he knows to be the truth, but he may very well be wrong. Once the last question is asked, the subject comes out of the trance.

Related Talents: None

### Intimidate

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Strength.

Description: Use this skill to coerce or frighten others. Victims of intimidation may resist with a successful Will Power Test. How NPCs react to intimidation is ultimately up the GM, bearing in mind the character’s personality and the results of the test. Under certain circumstances (blackmail, etc.), the GM may allow Intimidate Tests that are based on Fellowship instead of Strength.

Related Talents: Menacing.

### Lip Reading

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to “listen in” on conversations taking place out of earshot. You must have an unobstructed view of the speaker’s lower face and you must also be able to understand the language being spoken.

Related Talents: Excellent Vision.

### Magical Sense

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Will Power.

Description: Sometimes known as “Witchsight” this skill is used to detect the presence of Magic. Wizards describe this skill as the sixth, seventh and eighth senses. With a successful test, you can determine if an item, area, or person is enchanted with magic. You can also see the Winds of Magic, which allows you to determine how weakly or strongly the Winds of Magic are blowing in a particular area. For more information, see

Chapter 7: Magic.

Related Talents: Aethyric Attunement.

### Navigation

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to find your way on land or water. You can navigate using the stars, maps, and your own sense of direction. You can also estimate travel times, based on geography, time of year, and weather. Under normal circumstances, one Skill Test a day will keep you on track. The GM may call for additional tests if there are unusual conditions.

Related Talents: Orientation, Super Numerate.

### Outdoor Survival

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to subsist in the wild. It includes such activities as fishing, game hunting, making fires and charcoal, finding edible food, constructing improvised shelters, and so on.

Related Talents: None.

### Perception

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to observe your surroundings and to notice small details that others might miss. It can also be used to spot traps, pitfalls, and other physical dangers. While most often used to determine what you see, Perception covers all the senses and can be used for listening, tasting, smelling, and touching as well. Perception is the skill most frequently used in Opposed Tests, vs. skills like Concealment, Disguise, and Silent Move. It can also be used to estimate numbers, distance, quantity, etc., with failed tests providing bogus information.

Related Talents: Acute Hearing, Excellent Vision, Super Numerate, Trapfinder.

### Performer (Various)

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use Performer to entertain crowds of spectators. Like Academic Knowledge, Performer isn’t one skill but many. The most common Performer skills are: Acrobat, Actor, Clown, Comedian, Dancer, Fire Eater, Jester, Juggler, Mime, Musician, Palm Reader, Singer, and Storyteller.

Related Talents: Contortionist, Mimic.

### Pick Locks

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to open locks. Usually, one successful Skill Test is all that’s required to pick a lock, but GMs may call for extra tests for extremely complicated locks. This skill can also be used to disarm mechanical traps.

Related Talents: Trapfinder

### Prepare Poison

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to ready poison for use. The skill covers the preparation of animal venoms, natural and chemical poisons. See Chapter 5: Equipment for more information on poison and its effects.

Related Talents: None.

### Read/Write

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to read or write any language you can speak. Under normal circumstances, Skill Tests are not required to read or write. However, they may be called for to decipher obscure phraseology, archaic usage, or unusual idioms.

Related Talents: Linguistics.

### Ride

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to ride horses and similar mounts. Riding under normal conditions does not require a Skill Test. However, tests may be called for when galloping, racing, guiding a steed through treacherous terrain, leaping onto a moving mount, and the like.

Related Talents: Trick Riding.

### Row

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Strength.

Description: Use this skill to propel rowboats, dinghies, flat-bottomed barges, and similar vessels. Rowing under normal conditions does not require a Skill Test. However, tests may be called for when there is bad weather, dangerous obstacles, or rough waters to contend with.

Related Talents: None.

### Sail

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to crew sailing vessels. The skill includes familiarity with the ship-borne operations, knowledge of different types of sails, procedures for inclement weather, and the like. Sailing under normal conditions does not require a Skill Test. However, tests may be called for when there is bad weather, dangerous obstacles, or rough waters to contend with.

Related Talents: None.

### Scale Sheer Surface

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Strength.

Description: Use this skill to climb walls, fences, and other vertical obstacles. Under normal conditions, a Skill Test is required once each round. Using Scale Sheer Surface is a full action and you can climb a number of yards equal to half your Movement Characteristic (rounded up) with a successful test.

Related Talents: None.

### Search

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to check an area for clues, treasure, and other hidden items (including traps). One test is required for each room or small area.

Related Talents: None.

### Secret Language (Various)

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to communicate with others of a common profession. Secret languages are more like codes than real languages. By the use of signifiers, body language, and/or code words, users can speak in one tongue but use a secret language to impart deeper meaning or to relay a lot of information quickly. Under normal circumstances, Skill Tests are unnecessary if all speakers know the secret language. They may be required in adverse conditions (a noisy venue, the chaos of battle, etc.). Like Academic Knowledge, Secret Language isn’t one skill but many. The most common Secret Languages are Battle Tongue, Guild Tongue, Thieves’ Tongue, and Ranger Tongue.

Related Talents: None.

### Secret Signs

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to read or leave coded messages. Several common sets of signs are in use in the Empire. Secret signs are not very sophisticated, mostly being used to warn of danger, mark a target, indicate protection, and so on. Skill tests are not required to read basic messages but may be necessary to decipher complicated messages or worn or damaged signs. Like Academic Knowledge, Secret Signs isn’t one skill but many. The most common Secret Signs are Scout, Templar, Thief, and Ranger.

Related Talents: None.

### Set Trap

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to prepare and bait traps to catch various animals. Traps that immobilize and kill are both in common use in the Empire. A Skill Test may be made once per day per trap. A successful test means an animal has been trapped.

Related Talents: None.

### Silent Move

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to move quietly. You can only take one move action in a round if you are using Silent Move. Oftentimes, Silent Move is an Opposed Skill Test vs. your foes’ Perception.

Related Talents: Alley Cat, Rover, Tunnel Rat.

### Shadowing

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to follow others without being seen. Oftentimes, Shadowing is an Opposed Skill Test vs. your foes’ Perception.

Related Talents: None.

### Sleight of Hand

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Agility.

Description: Use this skill to palm objects, pick pockets, or perform tricks with small items like coins and cards. Oftentimes, Sleight of Hand is an Opposed Skill Test vs. the viewer’s Perception.

Related Talents: None.

### Speak Arcane Language

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to cast spells. You must speak an arcane language in order to use magic. Unlike other languages, arcane languages aren’t used for common conversation, but to manipulate magical energies. All scrolls and grimoires are written in an arcane language. Like Academic Knowledge, Speak Language isn’t one skill but many. The most common arcane languages are Magick (known as Lingua Praestantia among Imperial magisters), Daemonic, and Arcane Elf.

Related Talents: None.

### Speak Language (Various)

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Intelligence.

Description: Use this skill to communicate with others using a tongue common to both of you. Most of the languages of the Old World derive from the same ancient tongue, but the common roots are so deeply buried that for all intents and purposes each race or nation speaks its own specific language. Under normal circumstances, Skill Tests are unnecessary if all speakers know the language. They may be required to imitate or decipher regional accents or to try to speak like a native when you’re not. Like Academic Knowledge, Speak Language isn’t one skill but many different ones. The most common languages and the areas/people that speak them are as follows: Breton (Bretonnia), Eltharin (Elves), Estalian (Estalia), Halfling (Halfling), Khazalid (Dwarves), Kislevian (Kislev), Norse (Norsca), Reikspiel (the Empire), Tilean(Tilea). Another language is Classical, an old tongue favoured by academics but rarely spoken anymore. Less civilized languages include the Dark Tongue (Beastman, Chaos), the Goblin Tongue (Orcs, Goblins, Hobgoblins), and Grumbarth (Ogres).

Related Talents: Linguistics, Mimic, Seasoned Traveller.

### Swim

Skill Type: Basic.

Characteristic: Strength

Description: Use this skill to swim and dive. Swimming under normal conditions does not require a Skill Test. However, tests may be called for when waters are rough or swimming for an extended period is required. Your Movement Characteristic is halved (rounded up) while swimming.

Related Talents: None.

### Torture

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to use various means to coax information out of an unwilling subject. The skill includes both physical and mental torture. A victim may resist torture with a Will Power Test.

Related Talents: Menacing.

### Trade (Various)

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Varies (see description).

Description: Use this skill to practice a trade. Like Academic Knowledge, Trade isn’t one skill but many different ones. The most common Trade skills and their associated Characteristics are Apothecary (Int), Armourer (S), Artist (Ag), Bowyer (Ag), Brewer (Int), Calligrapher (Ag), Candlemaker (Ag), Carpenter (Ag), Cartographer (Ag), Cook (Int), Cooper (S), Embalmer (Int), Farmer (S), Gem Cutter (Ag), Goldsmith (Ag), Gunsmith (Ag), Herbalist (Int), Merchant (Fel), Miller (S), Miner (S), Prospector (S), Shipwright (Int), Shoemaker (Ag), Smith (S), Stoneworker (Ag), Tailor (Ag), Tanner (S), and Weaponsmith (S).

Related Talents: Artistic, Dwarfcraft.

### Ventriloquism

Skill Type: Advanced.

Characteristic: Fellowship.

Description: Use this skill to talk without moving your lips and to throw your voice. Onlookers paying special attention may be allowed to make an Opposed Perception Skill Test at the GM’s option.

Related Talents: None.