Skills

Skills are particular things that your character has a talent for. They are disciplines in which you are trained and have to spend time and effort improving. There are three levels of skill advancement; Basic, Advanced and Specialist. Each skill has several different specialist options so that you can tailor it to fit your character. You may buy more than one specialisation. After character generation you may learn new skills by spending action points and then finding someone who can teach you IC. Once you have enough experience and have found someone to teach you inform us of you actions in your downtime sheets. Your teacher is at liberty to decide what their teaching is worth, be it financial remuneration or even a short spell of indentured service! At the end of the skill section you will find a table listing all skills and costs.

Please be creative with your skills. If you wish to specialise in a way that we have not mentioned, please feel free to contact us and if appropriate it will be added to the skill lists.

Some skills in Artificer are classed as restricted skills. These skills are closely guarded secrets of the Guilds and the Academy and are only taught to those who are part of said organisations. These skills are difficult to acquire otherwise, unless you can find someone to teach you who is willing to risk the displeasure of their elders.

Alchemy

This is a restricted skill and at character generation may only be purchased by members of the Alchemists Guild.

In a pre-technological society such as Lalenth where the majority of the population are illiterate, science is almost as mysterious as thread weaving; none more so than the mysterious science of alchemy. At simple level this is knowledge of the behaviour of substances and their relationship to one another. At advanced levels the alchemist learns how to manipulate them so skilfully that almost anything becomes possible. Cost and times taken to produce individual potions will be detailed on the lore sheets.

Simple: The character has a solid grounding in materials and their properties. They may identify the alchemical potions or suggest the effects of unknown mixtures. For two further points they may also purchase the following recipes:

Viper’s Caress: This slow acting poison will kill in an hour. The victim’s skin will turn blue after around ten minutes of exposure.

Vulcan’s Fire: This is a light red crystalline powder. When a flame is applied it glows with brilliant white light. If the solution is diluted it will produce a dense smoke instead.

Arcesilaus’ Draught [ark -eh-sy-lorse]: This is a truth potion that will be effective for 20 minutes. As a side effect the taker will become ecstatically happy and affectionate

Advanced: As the alchemist grows in skill they are able to ascertain more information about the composition of other items and gain access to a wider and more potent range of recipes. They may also apply to be taught the rudiments of Golem creation. For a further two point they may purchase the following recipes:

Viper’s Kiss: This is a fast acting poison that will kill in ten minutes. Victims appear to be drunk within 30 seconds of exposure making it difficult for them to communicate their plight.

Viper’s Tongue: This is blade venom. The blade slips through armour as if it were butter. It causes excruciating pain and the victim is knocked to the ground.

Solution of the Russet Bloom: This solution accelerates the decay of metal. After coming into contact with it, a weapon or location of armour is rendered useless within 20 minutes.

Duck’s Back: This protects a weapon from acids found in the claws of Nightmares and from the above solution.

Specialisations: Efficacious, Transcribe, Quick Brew.

Appraise

The character can study an item and determine exactly its monetary worth. It is then up to them whether or not to tell the truth! Appraise will also give information about the materials used and their quality, the skill of the maker and very occasionally the name of the maker also. This skill is essential for all merchants and traders, although alchemists and apothecaries may also find it of use.

This skill does not have and an advanced level but you may specialise.

Specialisations: Item, i.e. necklaces, lalenthrium enhanced items, gems, documents and identify craftsperson.

Area Knowledge

The character defines an area that they are familiar with, i.e. under-levels, The Star Chamber or the 4th Ring. During downtime and before the game begins they will be given information pertaining to that local. This will include local rumours, intrigue and recent happenings. Also if you do no wish to be found during your downtime, it will give enough knowledge to hide in that area. Furthermore, if looking for something specific in that area you will have the advantage. Please note that only a huntsman my select and area outside Lalenth.

There is no advanced level to this skill.

Specialisations: Escape artist, underworld, finance (pre-requisite of Literacy/Numeracy), politics, security, social circle, particular friend.

Armour

Anyone can wear simple hide or plain leather armour and gain protection form it but it takes skill and training to fight with something heavier, gain its full advantage and still remain mobile! The table below shows the protection value of the different types of armour.

Simple: This is a free skill. You may wear hide or plain leather armour.

Advanced: You may wear metal armour such as chain and plate mail.

Ballistics: Archery

This skill enables the user to use bows. Bows in Artificer have high damage calls. This is to compensate for their limited use in roleplay. In real life, they were rapid fire, accurate, armour piercing ranged weapons that could be fired almost silently. Live action safe bows have a limited range and are relatively slow to fire. For safety reasons please do not fire into mass melee.

Simple: You may fire the bows listed below; please note the stat limitations.

Advanced: Call knockdown with each strike.

Ballistics: Black Powder

This is the ability to fight with black powder weapons. The table below shows the damage calls for each weapon.

Simple: You may use all forms of black powder weapons. If your cap fires your shot is considered to have hit. With the simple level of the skill, your target then decides which location has been struck.

Advanced: Called shot. If you hit you may call a location along with the damage, i.e. “Torso, double through”. This demonstrates your increased ability as a marksman.

Blacksmith

This is the ability to forge metal; creating basic tools weapons and armour. A character’s Soul rating has am impact on the value of your work.

Simple: The character may repair items, has knowledge of metallurgy and can identify the composition of metallic items. The character can forge basic items such as ploughs, buckets and strong boxes.

Advanced: Weapon/Armour smith. Given the appropriate materials the character can now create new weapons and armour. This is normally a downtime activity but see a ref if you wish to do this during game time. Gifted smiths may now also apply to be taught the secrets of lalenthrium forging.

Specialisations: Specific item, style, metal folding, pattern welding, lalenthrium forging.

Craft

This is a player specified. Specific lore sheets will be issued pertaining to each craft that will detail skill advancement. In addition to the abilities listed on these lore sheets:

Simple: You may create basic items of medium value.

Advanced: You may create items of medium to high value that will be recognised as your work.

Specialisations: These will be listed on character specific lore sheets.

Dodge

Does allows you to successfully evade an attack that has made contact. Call “dodge” as the blow strikes and you are counted as having avoided the attack.

Simple: One dodge per day to be used against melee attacks.

Advanced: One additional dodge per day to be used against ballistic attacks.

Forgery

This is the ability to accurately mimic the work of another; be it a Wordsmith’s document or a noble’s handwriting.

Simple: Copy a basic document such as a marriage license, patent of nobility or indentured contract.

Advanced: You gain enough skill to be able to copy someone’s handwriting or signature and to be able to recognise other forged documents.

Specialisations: Mass production, stamps, signatures, specific documents, love letters, warrants, aged documents.

Chirurgery

When the nearest apothecary is far away and someone’s leg is about to drop off chirurgery can be a lifesaver. A character with this skill can determine how badly injured someone is and stabilise their wounds allowing them to be moved. They can also prevent a character on zero from dying or losing a limb until an apothecary can be found. It will take them ten seconds to stabilise a wound so timing is essential. The chirurgerist must stay in constant attendance to prevent the wounded party from degenerating. Please note: you may not use this skill on yourself.

Herb Lore

The ability to identify, apply and combine herbs in order to heal sickness, balm wounds and bring deep and restful sleep.

Simple:

Potion of Good Rest: A combination of lavender and mist lily mixed with honey and added to a drink. Within five minutes of taking this a person will fall into a deep slumber and remain so until woken. If allowed to sleep for 20 minutes they will regain one hit point to each location. Please note this does not stack if the sleeper is left for longer.

Potion of Mnemosyne: A blend of rose madoc, neroli and poppy distilled down to a fine powder. If inhaled, the character will forget the events of the last five minutes.

Balm of Lilies: This will completely heal any one wound (i.e. the damage from a single strike).

Advanced: The herbalist is trusted with far more potent recipes. A character may select one of these recipes for free and the others may be purchased for a further two points each.

Potion of the Smouldering Heart: Created from rose madoc, neroli and frangipane and blended with rose water; whoever takes this potion will feel the need to immediately express and latent desires or attractions. The effect only lasts for half an hour, but this is normally plenty of time!
Once the potion has worn off, the user develops a terrible headache.

Balm of Wholeness: This will completely heal any one location. Balm of Wholeness has the side effect of making the patient extremely emotional.

Antidote: Antidote will cure any poison, including nullifying the effects of alcohol.

Potion of Peace: Anyone taking this potent mix of honey, poppy and hyssop will fall into a pleasant sleep for eight hours and will take considerable effort to wake.

Please note that this is only the starting list of potions. Please feel free to research you own then come and discuss it with a Story Weaver. A lore sheet will be provided for reference.

Specialisations: Analgesic, psychotropic, pain relief, antidotes.

Investigation

Although this is primarily a downtime skill there are important in game uses for this skill. You will be able to read the investigation symbols hidden in certain locations.

Simple: You will be able to read the green investigation markers.

Advanced: You will be able to read the blue investigation markers.

Specialisations: Forensics - Corpse (pre-requisite, Chirurgery), Forensics - Ballistics (prerequisite, Ballistics) Crime scene, Intrigue, Financial (pre-requisite Literacy/Numeracy) Paper chase.

Jewellery

This ability allows the character to create beautiful objects from precious stones and metals. The characters Soul rating affects the value of the work.

Simple: The character is trained by a master jeweller to create all manner of jewellery.

Advanced: Lalenthrium forging. The jeweller is taught how to work lalenthrium into rings, broaches and tokens. At this level the jeweller may also approach the guild and request instruction in the construction of Soul nets and wards.

Specialisation: Specific item, Lalenthrium work, wards and focuses, love gifts, imitate style.

Literacy/Numeracy

Without this skill you cannot read or write.

Simple: The character can read and write with neatness and accuracy. If they are a member of the Wordsmiths Guild, you will also have been taught the correct form and wording of the standard warrants and official documents.

Advanced - Illumination: The character’s penmanship is exquisite: poets come to you to have their poetry presented and the Great Six approach you to draw up their contracts of marriage.

Specialisations: Cryptography, Accounting, Loophole, Etiquette.

Melee

Please note that you must purchase each weapon separately as each requires a very different set of muscles and skills to wield. Please note that there is no advanced level to this skill however it is possible for you to specialise. The following table shows the cost and damage rating, and any attribute requirements.

Specialisations: Ambidexterity (the ability to use your main weapon in your off hand), two weapon fighting, shatter, subdue only, deadly strike.

Survival

Survival is an essential skill for those wishing to survive outside Lalenth. It may also be employed to a lesser extent inside the city.

Simple: The character can survive in the wilderness long enough to find their way back to safety.
They have an intuit sense of direction and know which of the flora and fauna are edible.

Advanced: The character can hunt man or beast as long as the trail is no ore than 24 hour old.
They can also construct concealed traps - see a ref on how to do this.

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