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TALENTS

Talents describe what you intuitively know, what you can do without coaching or instruction. The only way to improve your Talents is through direct experience - with the exception of a very few cases (such as studying a text on Jeet Kune Do to learn a dot or so of Brawl), these things can't be learned from a book or mail-order course. If you try an action involving a Talent your character doesn't possess, there's no penalty to your basic Attribute dice pool; these Abilities are so intuitive that virtually everyone has some degree of capacity in each one.

ALERTNESS
Kincaid held up a finger, and the other vampires whispering in the darkened foyer immediately fell silent. "Lady Anna is coming." he murmured. He cupped one hand to his ear, then nodded. "She's maybe two blocks away and there's no other traffic on the street." He smiled a smile with razored edges. "That custom Rolls of hers, there's no mistaking it. Now shut up and get ready to welcome her in, you idiots."
This is your basic knack for noticing things that go on around you, even when you're not actively looking for them. Alertness describes the attention you pay to the outside world, whether otherwise occupied or not. This Talent is typically paired with Perception, and is best used when sensing physical stimuli (as opposed to moods or clues).
• Novice: You're no mindless drone.
•• Practiced: Habitual eavesdropper
••• Competent: You keep a sharp eye on your surroundings.
•••• Expert: Whether from paranoia of good sense, you are rarely caught off guard.
••••• Master: Your senses are on par with those of a wild animal.
Possessed by: Hunters, Bodyguards, Security Personnel, Journalists, Burglars
Specialties: Noises, Eavesdropping, Ambushes, Hidden Weapons, Crowds, Forests, Animals

ATHLETICS
Ronnie took a running leap and hit the chain-link fence climbing. He could still hear the hooting and laughter of the gang behind him, and the sound shot more adrenaline into his aching muscles. But he'd done this a thousand times, and he was over the fence in record speed. As he raced further down the alley, he tried to clear his head. reassuring himself that there was no way those muscleheads could climb at quickly at he could. He'd bought himself a little more time; it was just a matter of putting it to use.
Then he heard the gut-wrenching sound of metal wire being torn apart....
This Talent represents your basic athletic ability, as well as any training you might have had in sports or other rigorous activities. Athletics concerns all forms of running, jumping, throwing, swimming, sports and the like; however, it doesn't cover basic motor actions such as lifting weights, nor does it govern athletic feats covered by another Ability (such as Melee).
• Novice: You had an active childhood.
•• Practiced: High-school athlete
••• Competent: Professional athlete
•••• Expert: Top-notch in your sport
••••• Master: Olympic medalist
Possessed by: Athletes, Enthusiasts, Park Rangers, Jocks, Kids
Specialties: Swimming, Rock-Climbing, Acrobatics, Dancing, Endurance Running, specific sports

BRAWL
Lucita neatly snapped her knuckles into the prince's neck — one — then plunged her fingers precisely into his eye sockets — two. One-two, quicker than a child could draw breath and harder than any mortal could strike.
She smiled tautly as the formerly regal Cainite clawed in panic at his ruined eyes and crumpled windpipe. No sight, no voice and no chance to invoke his otherworldly, hypnotic majesty. Now she could do the rest at her leisure.
The Brawl Talent represents how well you light in tooth-and-nail situations. This Talent represents skill in unarmed combat, whether from formal martial-arts training or simply from plenty of experience — either type can make you a dangerous adversary. Effective brawlers are coordinated, resistant to pain, quick, strong and mean; the willingness to do whatever it takes to hurt your opponent wins plenty of fights.
• Novice: You were picked on as a kid.
•• Practiced: You've seen the occasional barroom tussle.
••• Competent: You've fought regularly and routinely and generally walked away in better shape than your opponents.
•••• Expert: You could be serious contender on a boxing circuit.
••••• Master You can kill three men in four seconds.
Possessed by: Military, Police, Roughnecks, Thugs
Specialties: Boxing, Wrestling, Dirty Fighting, Kicks, Ka-rate, Judo, Muay Thai, Throws, Submission Holds

DODGE
Beckett cursed as the bullets struck the wall over his head, sending hot chips of brick into his hair. He launched himself sideways, rolling behind the dumpster not as the rounds cut into where he had been standing. Typical, he thought Saguryev's minions are as subtle as he is. He flexed his fingers and growled as the black talons glided out of his fingertips. Let's see if they're slower.
As it turned out, they were.
The first rule of self-preservation, this Talent covers your ability to avoid blows, missile fire or even oncoming cars. Dodge entails taking cover, ducking punches or any other methods of getting out of harm's way.
• Novice: You can reflexively duck and cover your head.
•• Practiced: You've weathered a self-defense class.
••• Competent: You can evade thrown rocks, maybe even knives.
•••• Expert: It'd take a skilled brawler to land a punch.
••••• Master: You can virtually sidestep bullets on open ground.
Possessed by: Police, Criminals, Brawlers, Boxers, People in Bad Neighborhoods
Specialties: Cover, Sidestep, Footwork, Leap

EMPATHY
"I mean," the young woman gesticulated, "how the hell was I supposed to take care of that baby? How could I?" She dabbed at her eyes with her napkin, then stared guiltily into her cup. "Oh my God. Look at me, breaking down right in the coffeehouse. You've got to think I'm so stupid."
"No, no," her companion said gently. "Please, don't. Here." He stood and offered her his hand. "Why don't we go somewhere a little less public, and you can get it all off your chest there?" She looked up and smiled a little at that, and the smile he returned her was nothing short of dazzling.
You understand the emotions of others, and can sympathize with, feign sympathy for, or play on such emotions as you see fit. You are an easy kind at discerning motive, and might be able to pick up on when someone's lying to you. However, you may be so in tune with other people's feelings that your own emotions are affected.
• Novice: You lend the occasional shoulder to cry on.
•• Practiced: You can sometimes literally feel someone
else's suffering.
••• Competent: You have a keen insight into other people's motivations.
•••• Expert: It's almost impossible to lie to you.
••••• Master: The human soul conceals no mysteries from you.
Possessed by: Social Workers, Parents, Actors, Psychologists, Detectives, Seducers, Mediums, Best Friends
Specialties: Emotions, Personalities, Motives, Gaining Trust

EXPRESSION
"By the Blood, Laveaux, compose yourself. Victoria's little ditty hardly merits consideration, let alone a blood hunt — notwithstanding lyrics which could indeed be interpreted as. ..satirical. A bit..tawdry for my tastes," the prince sniffed, "but scarcely a violation of the Masquerade."
"Billboard #8?!? Millions of kine are mocking me — in their automobile's, in their nightclubs, on their damnable electronic phonographs. I shall be a laughingstock in—"
"Elysium, Laveaux. Elysium. Hardly the place for such histrionics. Remember where you are? Anyway," the prince said airily, the faintest of smiles creasing his visage, "it can hardly be true, can it? That stanza about you and the—"
Laveaux stormed away, gnashing his fangs in fury, as the harpies tittered behind him.
This is your ability to get your point across clearly, whether through conversation, poetry or even email. Characters with high Expression can phrase their opinions or beliefs in a manner that cannot be ignored (even if their opinions are misinformed it worthless). They might also be talented actors, skilled at conveying moods or feigning emotion with every gesture. Additionally, tins Talent represent your ability for poetry, creative writing of other literary art forms.
• Novice: Your talent has matured past crude poetry on notebook paper.
•• Practiced: You could lead a college debate team.
••• Competent: You could be a successful writer.
•••• Expert: Your work is Pulitzer material.
••••• Master: A visionary such as yourself comes along only once in every generation.
Possessed by: Actors, Writers, Poets, Politicians, Journal-ists, Instructors, Rabble-Rousers
Specialties: Acting, Poetry, Fiction, Impromptu, Conversation

INTIMIDATION
Lucita audibly drew a breath, and something seemed to gather around her. Something...palpable. Her gaze settled on one of the black-clad bodyguards, then the other, but lingered for no more than a second on each. Both men grew very pale; one tried weakly moving his hand toward his shoulder holster, but stopped almost instantly a the sound of her voice. "I said this conversation was private. Leave. Now."
Intimidation takes many forms, from outright threats and physical violence to mere force of personality. You know the right method for each occasion, and can be very...persuasive.
• Novice: Crude teenage bully
•• Practiced: Mugger
••• Competent: Drill sergeant
•••• Expert: Your air of authority cows casual passersby.
••••• Master: You can frighten off vicious animals
Possessed by: Bullies, Executives, Military Officers, Thugs, Bouncers, Gangsters, Sabbat
Specialties: Veiled Threats, Pulling Rank, Physical Coercion, Blackmail

LEADERSHIP
Kincaid stomped across the makeshift stage and shook, one fist above his head "Are you going to go to one knee and offer your neck to your butcher, just because he says Father Knows Best? Are you going to pour your heart's fire between the decayed lips of the ancients?" Enthusiastic, powerful cries of "No!" shook the stage, but Kincaid went on as if he couldn't hear them. "Who will inherit this world, this night, this future? Those who have already seen a millennium or two — or those who can do something with their immortality? ARE YOU WILLING TO FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM?"
The answer was a chorus of bone-rattling shouts. Kincaid screamed more fiery words into the crowd, but his heart was cold as ice, except for a growing flame of gloating satisfaction — and anticipation.
You are an example to others and can inspire them to do what you want Leadership has less to do with manipulating people's desires than it does with presenting yourself as the sort of person they want to follow. This Talent is usually paired with Charisma rather than Manipulation.
• Novice: Captain of your Little League team
••Practiced: Student body president
••• Competent: An effective CEO
•••• Expert: Presidential material
••••• Master: You could be the lord and master of a nation.
Possessed by: Politicians, Princes, Managers, Executives, Military Officers, Police
Specialties: Oratory, Compelling, Friendly, Open, Noble, Military, Commands

STREETWISE
In full daylight, the spraypaint would have had a distinctly neon glare. In the dim light of the streetlight's periphery, it was dull and heavy. Nonetheless, the young man in gang colors was studying it intently. "Yeah, I know that tag," he finally said. He shook his head "That's a badass marker. The Green Nails. Vietnamese. The kind of gang you never hear about on the damn cop shows, but the ones nobody in their right mind ******** with."
The older man, his impeccable suit very out of place in the alleyway, merely nodded. "Yes, precisely. And very, very suitable for our purposes."
The streets can provide a lot of information or money to those who know the language. Streetwise allows you to blend in unobtrusively with the local scene, pick up gossip, understand slang or even dabble in criminal doings.
• Novice: You know who sells drugs
•• Practiced: You're accorded respect on the street.
••• Competent: You could head your own gang.
•••• Expert: You have little to fear in even the worst neighborhoods.
••••• Master: If you haven't heard it, it hasn't been said.
Possessed by: Criminals, Homeless People, Reporters, Detectives, Vice Squads, Sabbat
Specialties: Fencing, Illegal Drugs, Illegal Weapons, Rumors, Gangs, Pickpocketing, Local Slang

SUBTERFUGE
"I mean — I can't promise anything, and I have too much respect for you to give you the usual BS. Who can tell what the future holds?" David looked up, met Linda's gaze across the low table. "But it is different when I'm with you. To be honest—" David's voice almost cracked with emotion. "I don't know if I ever have been in love, really, but this feels like it could, well..."
Wordlessly, Linda slid across the couch, took David's hand in hers, and pressed her forehead to his shoulder.
Ah, the kine are even more unchanging than we, despite their vaunted "progress." David — Dar-Inku in another time — recalled other, similarly meaningless phrases, spoken in Greek, in Aramaic and Chaldean, in the baths of Rome and among the pillars of ruined Nineveh. A true master of the Jyhad, he mused, needs no mind-tricks to beguile a vessel.
You know how to conceal your own motives and project what you like. Furthermore, you can root out other people's motives, then use those motives against them. This Talent defines your talent for intrigue, secrets and double-dealing: mastery of Subter-fuge can make you the ultimate seducer, or a brilliant spy.
• Novice: You tell the occasional little white lie.
•• Practiced: Vampire
••• Competent: Criminal lawyer
•••• Expert: Deep-cover agent
••••• Master: You're the very last person anyone would suspect.
Possessed by: Politicians Lawyers, Vampires, Teenagers, Con-Men, Pick-up Artists
Specialties: Seduction, Impeccable Lies, Feigning Mortality

Knowledges involve the application of the mind, not the body; consequently. Knowledge Abilities are most often paired with Mental Traits. (It's possible to roll Charisma + Academics, or even Stamina + Medicine, but such things are pretty rare) The following descriptions speak of Knowledge levels in collegiate terms, although formal schooling is just one way to improve a Knowledge.
If you don't have any dots in a Knowledge, you cannot even attempt a roll involving it unless the Storyteller, gives explicit permission (such as where common trivia is concerned). If you don't know Spanish, you can't try holding a conversation in espanol on your wits alone.

ACADEMICS
"Little fool," Hesha hissed in disgust "You babble of your ruined 'Carthage,' yet the term means no more to you than a parroted lyric from one of your shrill, oh-so-important 'alternative' screeds. What do you know of Carthage — or of Rome, for that matter? Did your sire tell you of the Sabines' sacrifices to Tanit and Moloch? Of the screams in the streets as infants vomited forth their blood for the Brujah's sustenance? Of women and children dragged naked to the block and given over to the caresses of foreign mercenar-ies — who yet defended the 'Utopia' when your noble line was too blood-glutted to stir?
"Go away, whey-blooded Iconoclast. Speak to me again in a century, when your vitae is less tainted with heroin and ignorance." Hesha waved a finger in dismissal
The anarch's frenzy was sudden and, as the attack was a clear violation of the Sixth Tradition, Hesha suffered no repercussions for the subsequent slaying. Naturally, taking over Morningside Homes was the simplest of matters thereafter.
This catchall Knowledge covers the character's erudition in the "humanities": literature, history, art, philosophy and other "liberal" sciences. A character with dots in Academics is generally well-rounded in these fields, and at high levels may be considered an expert in one or more areas of study. Not only can this Knowledge impress at salons and other Elysium functions, but it can also offer valuable clues to certain past — and future — movements in the Jyhad.
• Student: You're aware that 1066 is something more than a Beverly Hills area code.
•• College: You can quote from the classics, identity major cultural movements, and expound on the difference between Ming and Moghul.
••• Masters: You could get a paper published in a scholarly journal.
•••• Doctorate: Professor emeritus
••••• Scholar: Scholars worldwide acknowledge you as one of the foremost experts of your time.
Possessed by: Professors, Literati, Trivia Buffs, Elders
Specialties: Poststructuralism, Impressionist Painting, Imperial Rome, American Realism

COMPUTER
Emmett couldn't resist a phlegmy chuckle. It had taken some time to rig up his system in the sewer, to say nothing of getting a power line set up. But it was all about to be worth it.
It wasn't tricky, hacking into Laveaux's S&L institution. It would've been simple to rewrite a few numbers. But Emmett was a pro, and that meant he played hardball. Once the IRS got through checking Laveaux's artfully embellished numbers, there wouldn't be enough left of the self-righteous nancyboy's money or credentials to buy a Taco Bell combo meal. So much for "superior influence."
This Knowledge represents the ability to operate and program computers, as well as the savvy to keep up with the latest technology.
• Student: Point and click.
•• College: You can process data with relative ease.
••• Masters: You can design software.
•••• Doctorate: You can make a very comfortable living as a consultant.
••••• Scholar You're on the bleeding edge.
Possessed by: Hackers, Office Workers, Programmers, Data Processors, Students
Specialties: Computer Languages, Internet, Codebreaking, Viruses, Data Retrieval

FINANCE
The vampire set down the newspaper with a deliberate cough. "Were you under the impression that undeath brings effortless, unending power? Did you suppose that our influence and wealth are magically granted to us at the moment of the Embrace? I did not select you for your naiveté, childe." He drummed long, exquisitely manicured nails on the mahogany desktop. "I entered this century with nothing more than a handful of coins. I shall see the millennium turn with billions to my name. And all that I have, I achieved through my own savvy and determination."
He touched one finger to his cheek, and his burning gaze grew pensive. "It seems you need a practical lesson in how to make money do your bidding I will apply my skills to bringing about the financial ruin of a person, and you will watch me — and then demonstrate what you're learned? The corner of his mouth crooked upward "What was your ex-husband's name again?"
You know the ins and outs of commerce, from evaluating an item's relative worth to keeping up with currency exchange rates. This Knowledge can be invaluable when brokering items, running numbers or playing the stock market. Sufficiently high levels in Finance allow you to raise your standards of living to a very comfortable level.
• Student: You've taken a few business classes.
•• College: You have some practical experience and can keep your books fairly neat.
••• Masters: You'd make a fine stockbroker.
•••• Doctorate: Corporations follow your financial lead.
••••• Scholar: You could turn a $20 bill into a fortune
Possessed by: Executives, Upper Class, Stockbrokers, Accountants, Fences, Drug Dealers, Smugglers
Specialties: Stock Market, Laundering, Appraisal, Foreign Currencies, Accounting, Fencing, Corporations

INVESTIGATION
Lucita and Anatole walked calmly into the darkened office, then stopped and quietly scanned the opulent surroundings. No more than a minute had passed before Anatole spoke: "There — the right bookend, three shelves down on the south wall."
Lucita strode to the bookcase and lifted the grotesque Olmec statue from the shelf. She turned it over to inspect the base, nodded, then sank her fingers into the stone and pulled. The statue split apart with a crack, and a tiny phial tumbled to the floor in a shower of rock dust and broken hingework.
You've learned to notice details others might overlook, and might make an admirable detective. This Knowledge represents not only a good eye for detail, but also an ability to do research and follow leads.
• Student: You've read your share of Agatha Christie.
•• College: Police officer
••• Masters: Private detective
•••• Doctorate: Federal agent
••••• Scholar: Sherlock Holmes
Possessed by: Detectives, Mystery Buffs, Policemen, Stalkers Specialties: Forensics, Shadowing, Search, Discolorations

LAW
"What did you expect me to do?!?" The chained vampire's voice rose in a desperate shriek, almost falsetto at the very end. "My pack was slaughtered! They tore Diego to ribbons without breathing hard!" His eyes snapped to one side, to the metal brewing vat half-visible in the shadows. "I had to warn you!"
"The law is the law," intoned the robed creature before him. "Cowardice is unforgivable." The older Cainite's vestments rustled as he extended his palm in mock benediction. "The sentence is as it must be. Death by acid."
The chained vampire screamed at that, and didn't stop screaming for some time.
With all the lawyers and lawmakers out there, this Knowledge can prove very useful. Law can be useful for filing suit, avoiding lawsuits or getting out of jail. What's more, even the Kindred keep their own laws, and more than one vampire has saved his own unlife by deftly exploiting a loophole in one of the Traditions.
• Student: You've watched your share of courtroom dramas.
•• College: You're either studying for or just passed the bar exam.
••• Masters: Ambulance chaser
•••• Doctorate: Major public figures have your number — just in case.
••••• Scholar: You could find the loopholes in the Devil's contract.
Possessed by: Lawyers, Police, Judges, Detectives, Legislators
Specialties: Criminal, Suits, Courts, Contracts, Police Procedure

LINGUISTICS
As Anatole raised his face to the broken rose window, his voice lifted into song, echoing in the corners of the chapel. "Pange, lingua. gloriosi/Corporis mysterium/Sanguisque pretiosi...."
Lucita shook her head, artfully drawing one finger across her wine-dark lips to daub away an errant drop of blood. "'Of the Blood, all price exceeding.' How appropriate."
Anatole finished the stanza, then slowly turned to face her. " 'O wondrous gift indeed! The poor and lowly may/Upon their Lord and master feed." He chuckled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Communion is a sacred business. It joys me that you have always understood this."
You begin play with the native language of your choice for free, but if you want to speak any other languages, whether modern or ancient. Linguistics is a must. This Ability allows you to understand additional languages, but at high levels also offers a more general understanding of linguistic structure Linguistics may allow you to recognize accents or decipher word puzzles.
• Student: One extra language
•• College: Two extra languages
••• Masters: Four extra languages
•••• Doctorate: Eight extra languages
••••• Scholar: 16 extra languages
Possessed by: Diplomats, Ambassadors, Travelers, Ancient Vampires, Cryptologists, Scholars
Specialties: Romance Languages, Kanji, Idioms, Hieroglyphics, Written Expression, Ciphers

MEDICINE
"Yaroslav! Idiot!" The horribly distorted ghoul cowered as his master spoke, shrinking back against the stone wall in abject terror. Shaking its head in contempt, Vykos knelt over the bleeding man and begun molding his wounds closed. "This one must be kept intact for a time," the vampire coldly continued. "I shall punish you tomorrow evening."
Vykos shook its head, ignoring the now-piteous whimpering of the ghoul in the corner. Finally, its hands stopped moving. "There," it crooned to the unconscious man. "I have granted you life again. Come, let us see what you are willing to make of it."
You have an understanding of how the human body, and to a lesser extent the vampiric body, works. This Ability entails knowledge of medicines, ailments first-aid procedures, and diagnosis or treatment of disease. Medicine is of great use to those Kindred with an interest in repairing, damaging or reworking the human body.
• Student: You've taken a CPR course.
•• College: Premed or paramedic
••• Masters: General practitioner
•••• Doctorate: You can perform transplants.
••••• Scholar: You are respected by the world's medical
community as a modern-day Aesculapius.
Possessed by: Med Students, Doctors, Lifeguards, Parents, Paramedics, Tzimisce
Specialties: Organ Transplant, Emergency Care, Poison Treatments, Pathology, Pharmaceuticals

OCCULT
"'Of the mad ones, the wild ones, I say first, drink not of their blood!"" Beckett opened his eyes and sat up straighter in his chair. "That's the first part of that passage in The Book of Nod, and I can cite plenty of Kindred since then who've voiced more or less the same sentiment. The fae, if that's what you want to call them, are probably very real and likely very dangerous." He frowned. "I hope you know what you're doing, Anatole."
The Malkavian only smiled.
You are knowledgeable in occult areas such its mysticism, curses, magic, folklore and particularly vampire lore. Unlike most other Knowledges, Occult does not imply a command of hard, factual information; much of what you know may well be rumor, myth, speculation or hearsay. However, the secrets to be learned in this field are worth centuries of sifting legend from fact. High levels of Occult imply a deep understanding of vampire lore, as well as a good grounding in other aspects of the occult; at the very least, you can discern what is patently false.
• Student: You've paged through the New Age section of a Waldenbooks.
•• College: There seems to be some unsettling truth to some of the rumors you've heard.
••• Masters: You've heard a lot and actually seen a little for yourself.
•••• Doctorate: You can recognize blatantly false sources
and make educated guesses about the rest.
••••• Scholar: You know most of the basic truths about the hidden world.
Possessed by: Occultists, The Superstitious, New Agers, Tremere
Specialties: Kindred Lore, Rituals, Infernalism, Witches

POLITICS
Hesha's skin shone like mahogany in the candlelight as he shook his head and spoke into the receiver. "I think you overestimate Bianca's strength in this situation. The recent embarrassment she suffered from her childe's actions has called the harpies' attention to her, and she dare not risk further loss of status. Further, her soldiers — what few she has — are largely occupied in the defense of Lighton Ferry. No. She won't make a move."
He nodded, and a small light came into his eye. "Of course. You have my number if there's anything else you require."
You are familiar with the politics of the moment. Including the people in charge and how they got there. This Knowledge can aid you in dealing with or influencing mortal politicians, or even offer some insight into the local Cainite power structure.
• Student: Activist
•• College: Political science major
••• Masters: Campaign manager or talk-radio host
•••• Doctorate: Senator
••••• Scholar You could choose the next President of the United States.
Possessed by: Activists, Politicians, Lawyers, vampires of all sorts
Specialties: City, State, Federal, Bribery, Dogma, Radical, Camarilla

SCIENCE
"Douglas, look here!" The young ghoul's eyes shone as she backed away from the microscope. "The circulatory damage is considerable, but there are some signs of repair — clotting, even cell regeneration as usual."
Dr. Netchurch stared through the microscope lenses for a full minute before replying. "Yes. You're right, the deceased most definitely made a conscious attempt to repair the hemotoxin's damage — but to no avail." His smile was taut and without humor. "It seems I've succeeded beautifully."
You have at least a basic understanding of most of the physical sciences, such as chemistry, biology, physics and geology. This Knowledge can be put to all forms of practical use.
• Student: You know most of the high-school basics.
•• College: You're familiar with the major theories.
••• Masters: You could teach high-school science.
•••• Doctorate: You're fully capable of advancing the knowledge in your field.
••••• Scholar: Your Nobel Prize is waiting for you.
Possessed by: Scientists, Students, Researchers, Teachers, Engineers, Technicians, Pilots
Specialties: Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Physics, As-tronomy

Unlike Talents, Skills develop as a direct result of training and instruction. No one really just knows how to drive a car, for example; you have to at least get in a little practice before hitting the interstate. Attempting feats when the character doesn't have the Skill in question is a bit trickier. The player rolls the dice at a +1 difficulty penalty. It's a lot harder to shoot a gun than it seems on TV....

Animal Ken
Anoki quickly saw what the dogs were after: a cougar, wounded badly but still snarling. With a growl of his own, the Wendigo shooed away the mongrels, then crouched carefully beside the feline. She hissed and spat. Anoki whispered softly, "Your people and mine are not friends, but I will help." The big cat looked at him coldly but didn't pull away as he touched her gently. Where his hands lay, wounds closed. She watched Anoki a long moment, then darted away into the hills.
Although they too are animals, humans think and behave far differently than most creatures do. It takes a special touch to deal with critters, particularly if they are hurt or frightened. Animal Ken represents this knack. With it, a person (or werewolf) knows how to speak and move in such a way as to gain an animal's trust. Without Animal Ken, even homid werewolves find that other creatures tend to be skittish and jumpy around them. Animal Ken is also necessary for training animals (such as working dogs) and for any specific activities that involve animals (such as leading a mule train).
• Novice: You know how to behave around typical pets.
•• Practiced: Basic obedience and puppy training is easy for you.
••• Competent: You could train animals for highly specialized work, like herding.
•••• Expert: Under your guidance, most animals can learn complex tricks and routines.
••••• Master: Even the wildest animals seem attracted to your presence.
Possessed by: Veterinarians, Animal Trainers, Farmers, Pet Owners
Specialties: Families of Animals (canines, felines, avians, etc.), Farm Animals, Feral Animals

Crafts
Music sprang from the forge where Diana Philothelides tapped her hammer on the twists of gold and bronze. She could never explain the rhythm in it, the song that was equal in some ways to the beauteous voices of her sisters in the pack. The smith looked up only when old Hera, the Warder, limped into the workshop.
"Best make the fires hotter," she sighed, flicking back her steel-gray hair. "Our visitors say that a pack of Black Spirals will be here before dawn, and our weapons need repair." Diana nodded and put aside her creation of Luna's Rising Over the Sea with a sad sigh. There'd be time enough for that when the battle was won.
Crafts allows a character to create lasting beauty or repair or useful and functional articles with a variety of materials and media. Some crafters use this Skill for building specialized devices for their packs; others make valuable tokens or items for sale or barter. This Skill is also valuable for those who hope to make fetishes. Spirits are more prone to enter a vessel that's made well, after all. The quality of the work depends on the expertise of the crafter, and the character should pick a particular Craft (or two closely related areas) in which to specialize. The Skill may also impart basic knowledge of materials or methods, however, regardless of a player's chosen Craft.
• Novice: You can produce something basic, but attractive or functional.
•• Practiced: Your work has a known and recognizable style.
••• Competent: Other artisans are familiar with you, and they praise your skills.
•••• Expert: Unique items you make fetch high prices, and they are highly desired.
••••• Master: You are among the greatest crafters in your chosen field.
Possessed by: Artists, Designers, Inventors, Handcrafters, Theurges
Specialties: Woodworking, Drawing/Painting, Weaving, Carving, Sculpture, Metalworking, Car Repair

Drive
"What do you mean you never drove a car?" Celeste squealed, as Groznek took another corner on rails. "You told me you'd driven all around Budapest!"
"Did I say this?" her companion asked. "No, you did not hear.
I said I had been in Budapest traffic. Big difference! Ah, you worry too much. We will arrive at meeting in one piece. I have seen this done many times on big road." Celeste held on for dear life as Groznek whizzed deftly through Chicago traffic, wondering how the lupus had ever talked her into this fiasco.
The Drive Skill is pretty self-explanatory. Having it means that you can operate a car and possibly similar conveyances such as light trucks or vans. The greater your skill, the large the variety of vehicles you can use. Your difficulty might increased decrease depending on the vehicle, terrain and weather conditions. Note that riding a motorcycle is quite different than driving a sedan, and heading down a country two-lane road is nothing compared to a metropolitan beltway.
• Novice: You're not just a Sunday driver, as long as you've got an automatic.
•• Practiced: A sporty manual transmission is lots of fun for you.
••• Competent: You're capable of driving large trucks on long hauls.
•••• Expert: Maybe you've even raced with professionals.
••••• Master: A daredevil driver, skilled with many different vehicles and terrain.
Possessed by: Truckers, Modern folks in Western nations, Cabbies
Specialties: Stick Shifts, Motorbikes, Four-Wheel Drive, Big Rigs, Sports Cars

Etiquette
The caern Warder sneered at Bridget, appraising her knobby, clawless fingers and bitter heritage. "What do you want, freak? There's no room for your kind here."
Bridget seethed but gave him a wicked grin. There would be tales the likes of which the Fianna never heard this night, and she intended to be all ears. "No place? And here I have a fine batch of mead, straight from Silver Tara itself." She held up the enormous jug. "I was hoping to share."
The Warder's nose twitched, and he stood aside grumbling.
Good manners and social niceties are but a small part of Etiquette. This Skill is also used for general diplomacy, haggling and seduction. Knowing the intricacies of which wines to serve with certain foods and what to do when faced with six different forks is likewise part of Etiquette. The character using this Trait will be familiar with the culture in which he was raised, but the Storyteller may raise or lower the difficulty should the werewolf be faced with traditions and mores that are not his own.
• Novice: You know when to speak and when to be silent.
•• Practiced: The difference between a black-tie and a white-tie affair is crystal clear.
••• Competent: A multi-course dinner with complex utensils doesn't pose a problem.
•••• Expert: Your manners and grace mark you as the ideal guest for any occasion.
••••• Master: Not only are you suave and debonair, others follow your perfect example, whether at the theater or the negotiating table.
Possessed by: Socialites, Diplomats, Silver Fangs, Business Executives
Specialties: High Society, Big Business, Wining and Dining, Moots

Firearms
Rambler swung his Ingram in a wide arc, fuming madly as the bullets hit the Leeches and their lackeys. The undead kept coming, but he saw that a number of the humans had crumpled into heaps. He flung himself against the cover of a brick wall, switching weapons quickly.
When he jumped out again, the Bone Gnawer ignored the sting of silver bullets biting his shoulder and let loose the incendiaries with a gleeful shout. Now it was the vampires' turn to scream.
A character with Firearms has a broad knowledge of many different kinds of guns — from a kid's BB pistol to a submachine gun — and he has the ability to use them as well. This Skill also allows the character to repair all kinds of firearms and make decisions about the best ammunition for the occasion and the weapon. However, it doesn't cover the use of heavy artillery or tank guns.
• Novice: You passed a hunter safety course.
•• Practiced: Most of the time, you leave the firing range happy.
••• Competent: You're accomplished with several different kinds of guns.
•••• Expert: Chances are, you've fired shots (and been fired upon) in several gun battles.
••••• Master: You leave smiley faces blown through all your targets.
Possessed by: Police, Criminals, Soldiers, Hunters
Specialties: Rifles, Pistols, Submachine Guns, Gunsmithing

Leadership
Bloodthunder acknowledged the licks and nuzzles of those holding their heads and tails below his own. As his pack gathered, he began to speak.
"You saw what humans did to our lake, our forest. Now they call it a place to bring food and crude shelter. This night, we will take back what is ours. The apes do not deserve this land. They have not protected it, as we have." The Talon's body grew larger and hairier. The whole pack trembled, waiting. "Tonight, we cleanse their stench. Together, as one pack and one tribe." Bloodthunder led an earsplitting howl, then darted off toward the enemy, a stream of dire wolves on his heels.
Often paired with Charisma, Leadership makes one the kind of person (or wolf) that others support and serve. It deals with knowing what to say and how to say it so that the troops stay loyal in the heat of battle. Good leaders know when to give hard orders, as well as how to lead by example. Leadership isn't about tricking people into following. It's about making yourself into someone worthy to guide them.
• Novice: Little kids would do anything for you.
•• Practiced: When you talk, others listen.
••• Competent: In tough times, others follow your lead eagerly.
•••• Expert: You're a natural alpha who attracts followers with little effort.
••••• Master: Potentially, you could be one of the greatest leaders of the Garou Nation... or one of the most infamous.
Possessed by: Military Officers, Pack Leaders, Philodox, Executives
Specialties: Noblesse Oblige, Combat Readiness, Motivation

Melee
The Master of the Challenge gave her nod, and Claire jumped toward Weston, pulling her knife in a fluid motion. With a quick thrust, she drew blood from her opponent. Weston snarled and leapt at his challenger, attempting to sweep Claire's feet from under her with a staff, just as the wood was about to smash into her legs, Claire leapt, twisted and landed on Weston's back with her knife at his throat.
"Care to give up now, pup?" she panted.
Melee involves fighting with a weapon, such as a spear, sword, staff or even a wooden stake (which is quite useful against Leeches). Similarly, Melee paired with Dexterity is used for klaive duels. Likewise, this Skill covers weapons such as tonfa, sai and naginata. Some might think that Melee is a bit old-fashioned and outdated when matched against firearms, but it's always good to have a backup when the gun jams or the ammo runs out.
• Novice: You've got the basics of fencing under your belt.
•• Practiced: Trophies from local competitions gather dust on your shelves.
••• Competent: You've attained skill with several different kinds of weapons.
•••• Expert: If you can grab it, you can use it as a deadly weapon.
••••• Master: You have a widespread reputation as an extremely dangerous opponent with a myriad of weapons.
Possessed by: Police, Thugs, Gang Members, Duelists, Ahroun
Specialties: Swords, Spears, Saps, Eastern Weapons, Klaives

Performance
Firefang's howl for the dead seeped slowly into the bones of the assembled Talons. They all knew she'd crept around the still bodies for hours, on two legs and four, thinking about what to sing at the moot. Now as her song echoed through the valley, even the monkeys who'd lent unbidden assistance wept. The Galliard's mournful voice stirred memories of glory and sacrifice, but also of the simple joys of sleeping in the sun and howling to the moon. No human tribute could've been better.
In her chosen area of expertise, such as music, dance or acting, the character has attained a notable level of success. She knows about the history of the art and probably has a broad repertoire of pieces to perform from a variety of time periods. Some of these areas may overlap, with Storyteller approval. For example, a character who plays musical instruments may have rudimentary knowledge of singing or composing music.
• Novice: You hold regular jam sessions, or you have been a success in a college play.
•• Practiced: You're a regular in community theatres or the club circuit.
••• Competent: Producers have approached you for a movie or record contract.
•••• Expert: You're a regional, if not national, celebrity.
••••• Master: Your genius will be remembered long after your death.
Possessed by: Galliards, Actors, Musicians, Dancers
Specialties: Ballet, Ballroom Dance, Classical Music, A Cappella Singing, Improvisation, Howls

Stealth
Cameo reminded herself to give Niknak a stern talking to when they got back to the caern. The young Ragabash made more noise getting to the warehouse than a tractor rolling over rocks! Suddenly, her mind snapped back to the present.One of the guards looked their way. Cameo froze, and to her surprise, she lost sight of Niknak in the shadows playing near the fence. If she hadn't already known he was there, she'd never have noticed his gold eyes nestled in black fur. Well, well. Maybe this city jaunt had taught him a thing or two after all.
Stealth is the knack of moving so that you can't be seen or heard. This Skill also measures how good the werewolf is at making use of cover and shadow. When a character uses Stealth, Storytellers will probably have him match rolls against someone else's Perception; whoever has the most successes thwarts the other. Note that Stealth can be a bit different when used in the woods and in an urban alleyway.
• Novice: In full darkness with clear terrain, hiding isn't a problem.
•• Practiced: You know how to stick to the shadows.
••• Competent: Stalking and hiding is child's play.
•••• Expert: Dry leaves and twigs are silent under your feet.
••••• Master: If you don't want to be seen, you're as good as invisible.
Possessed by: Cat Burglars, Ragabash, Hunters, Snipers, Assassins
Specialties: Shadowing, Urban, Sylvan, Taking Point

Survival
Being in the forest gave Corbin the creeps. He'd tried to start a fire, to no avail. Raw hamburger wasn't so bad, but his feet were blistered, and cold bit into his soaked jeans. Corbin would rather have hacked into IBM than spend a night outside. He started to change to his wolf form. At least it would be warmer.
Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him. Whirling around, he beheld the biggest dire wolf he'd ever seen. It grinned at him, then pawed the ground.
Oh s**t, the city boy thought.
Living off the land is more than eating fruits and berries or drinking from a creek. It also involves finding shelter, tracking and even navigating through dangerous territory. Characters skilled in Survival know basics for finding food, starting fires and staying safe in harsh conditions. Storytellers should note that characters using Stealth in the wilderness can't roll more dice than they have in Survival.
• Novice: You made it through scout camp.
•• Practiced: The edible berries and mushrooms are familiar to you.
••• Competent: You can read animal signs and brew natural remedies.
•••• Expert: The wild is your home; you feel at ease among all its wonders and dangers.
••••• Master: You can survive even in the harshest climates and poorest conditions.
Possessed by: Hunters, Lupus, Scouts, Explorers, Outdoor Enthusiasts, Rangers
Specialties: Foraging, Tracking, Specific Environments (Arctic, Desert, etc.), Trapping

Other Skills
Archery, Boating, Cooking, Demolitions, Disguise, Escapology, Fast-Draw, Gambling, Hypnotism, Kailindo, Klaive Dueling, Mechanics, Meditation, Pilot, Swimming, Traps

Abilities

During character creation, you also choose and assign points to your character's Ability Traits. These Traits represent the more specific Talents, Skills and Knowledges that your character possesses. They describe her level and field of expertise in the subjects that she has pursued during the course of her life, as well as the natural talents that she has developed. For dice rolls, you use these Abilities in combination with the Physical, Social and Mental Attributes to create your dice pool and determine how success-hilly your character accomplishes a particular task. This combination represents more accurately how your character's innate abilities enhance or detract from the skills she has learned, For example, a person may rely on her natural Dexterity to walk along the top of a stone wall, but if she attempts to sneak along that wall without making any noise, her chances of success increase greatly if she has learned how to move stealthily as well.
The 30 Abilities listed here, in three categories (Talents, Skills and Knowledges) offer a jumping-off point for making your character unique. Many of them are broad, general categories that you can customize for your character by choosing a Specialty, even if you're not yet assigning 4 points to the Ability. Choosing a Specialty early means that your character has a particular interest in this area, and (though it gives you no special advantages on your dice rolls) it helps you define your character's interests and goals more clearly. Furthermore, with the approval of your Storyteller, you may come up with new Abilities and Specialties that fit your character but that aren't represented by the ones listed in this chapter.



These Abilities represent the intuitive talents that your character possesses and has honed over the years. Your character has developed certain instinctual abilities through the course of her job, education or lifestyle. These abilities come to her naturally, and she usually doesn't have to choose consciously to invoke them, though she may employ them quite insightfully in certain situations. Talents result from her other studies, and they are side effects of how she lives her life. Her experiences and personality dictate which of them she possesses.
For example, an ex-gangster will be more alert to his surroundings than a debutante from the social set, merely because the ex-ganger has always had to watch his back.
Unlike Skills and Knowledges, you take no penalty to your Attribute dice pool if your character attempts an action that involves a Talent. Talents merely stem from developments of the character's natural Attributes in concert with special tricks, traits and instincts.

Alertness
Something nagged at Mark's mind as he made his way out of the gas company building. The crumbling facility certainly didn't inspire comfort in its visitors, but that wasn't the problem. He paused to collect his thoughts as he wondered what it was that made him feel particularly edgy, and he pulled his coat a little tighter against the ever-present chill.
Squinting briefly, Mark watched the woman who'd been working with her car in the parking lot, changing the flat front tire. He couldn't readily make out her features but something about her movements was wrong. The drag on her leg... Mark's military mind immediately recognized the sign of someone wearing a concealed piece in an ankle holster, and he quietly turned back into the building to find a different exit.
Your character's Alertness score describes how intuitively aware she is of her surroundings. Such a character naturally pays attention to her senses and has learned to note changes in her surroundings and environment. Generally, it relates to physical aspects of the area and a character with a high Alertness may be more likely to spot an ambush in the shadows, notice a particular person's perfume, hear the snap of a twig or taste the taint of poison in a drink. She has honed her senses to the point where she instinctually notices things without having to look for them. More often than not, the Alertness Trait pairs with the Perception Ability in creating dice pools.
• Novice: You notice the oncoming car when it blows its horn.
•• Practiced: You often eavesdrop.
••• Competent: You keep an eye on things.
•••• Expert: You don't miss much.
••••• Master: You sense changes in barometric pressure.
Possessed by: Criminals, Bodyguards, Journalists, Detectives, Hunters
Specialties: Concealed Weapons, City, Forest, Followers, Ambushes

Athletics
Jared had been a long-jumper in high school. Standing at the edge of the roof, pursued, with options that boiled down to jump or jack-s**t, he really hoped that he still had it. He debated. He pondered. He backed up and paced off the approach.
Crash! The gun-toting gangers nearly broke the door off the hinges as they plowed through it.
No class, Jared thought. He took only a moment to glance back, then focused on the leap. He set up, set his target and set himself in motion. One, two, three... six, seven, leap! Jared threw himself into the air. His arms and legs flailed as he flew forward. In seconds, it was over. Jared landed with a roll on the far roof. He had made it, but dodging bullets wasn't going to be as easy.
This Talent describes the basic athletic ability that your character has developed through physical training, sports or other rigorous physical activities. It differs from the Physical Traits (Strength, Dexterity and Stamina) in that it takes your character's natural athleticism and adds the benefit of any training or sport aptitude to her innate physical potency. Athletics governs your character's ability to jump, climb, throw, run and do any other athletic feat for which she may need to have trained or learned specific methodologies.
• Novice: You're good at watching sports.
•• Practiced: You played basketball in high school.
••• Competent: You learn new moves with ease.
•••• Expert: You put most other athletes to shame.
••••• Master: You defy the laws of physics.
Possessed by: Athletes, Kids, Dancers, Actors, Trainers
Specialties: Acrobatics, Dancing, Flexibility, Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, specific sports

Awareness
Though she'd been about to head home from the coffee shop, Lee Ann stopped short as the hairs rose on the back of her neck. The idle chatter of the shop faded into a background buzz in her mind while she turned slowly to survey the area. The outdoor plants waved under the low breeze as people went about their lives obliviously, but a chill rose on her skin. She felt, rather than saw, a presence. Something was moving through the crowd, unseen and unheard, without substance yet nevertheless very much real and possibly dangerous. Sliding around the doorjamb, she ducked toward Kyle's table. She couldn't see it, but if it was spying on them or planning something malicious, she wanted a little help.
Unlike Alertness, which measures a character's sensitivity to mundane events, Awareness is a gut reaction to the presence of magic. Usually, only mages (and a few other creatures like spirits and ghosts) possess this particular Talent. Once attuned to the supernatural, such students, of the arcane just get hunches, chills, or sudden flashes of inspiration. Magic calls to magic, and the character recognizes instinctively when something's just not right in the area. Of course, knowing that something's wrong doesn't mean that the character knows what it is; that's the province of proper knowledge.
A mage can use Awareness deliberately if he suspects that something is mystical, in order to determine a general impression of the item or creature. However, the Storyteller rolls Awareness sometimes to determine whether a mage notices a strange event or magical Effect that's not immediately visible.
•Novice: You sometimes get strange feelings or vibes from certain places or people.
•• Practiced: You've felt the supernatural all around you, and you're sure that there are "things out there."
••• Competent: When you concentrate, you can feel the ebb and flow of magic in things, and you sometimes even pick out specific types of Resonance.
•••• Expert: The very world around you hums with the power of the supernatural, and you are keyed to its harmonies.
••••• Master: From the tiniest spell to the grandest spirit, you've seen and sensed them all. You can feel the tug of magic from across a city or pick out the subtle flavors of an enchanted object with but a touch.
Possessed by: Psychics, Gypsies, Mystics, New Agers, Paranormal Researchers
Specialties: Talismans, Spirits, Effects, Mystical Places, Resonance

Brawl
The jerk had it coming. Michele grabbed that finger he was pointing at her and pulled it around behind his back, stepping to one side and widening her stance. Smooth and graceful, she positioned herself and thrust his wrist up between his shoulder blades. In the flash of an eye, she had wiped the smug look off his face and planted him flat on his belly on the floor — right where he belonged. Straddling him, she asked, "Do you have anything else to say?"
The man coughed and shook his head. He groaned. "No, ma'am."
The Brawl Talent represents your character's hand-to-hand combat prowess. The Brawl Ability covers everything from scratching, clawing and biting to martial arts. Unarmed combat comes in many forms, and your character may have picked up her techniques on the street, in bar brawls, in the boxing ring or in a dojo. She may have trained and studied hard, or she may simply have lived a lifestyle that gave her enough experience to take care of herself in a fight. The Brawl Ability assumes that your character
isn't using any weapon aside from her body.
• Novice: You can throw a jab or poke someone in the eye.
•• Practiced: You hold your own when necessary.
••• Competent: You've fought regularly and usually won.
•••• Expert: You could be a contender.
••••• Master: You've made fighting into an art.
Possessed by: Military, Police, Akashic Brothers, Thugs, Assassins
Specialties: Boxing, Wrestling, Disarming, Dirty Fighting, Kicks, Self-Defense, specific martial arts

Dodge
Cochrane sighed as he walked through the deserted parking garage to his car. Never in his life had he been so humiliated. He didn't understand why Markov insisted on treating him like a personal servant, but Cochrane had had enough.
The car came out of nowhere, squealing around the turn and speeding straight for him. Cochrane lurched to one side, twisting away. He landed with a hard jolt to his body, but the car missed him. So, Cochrane thought, eyeing the license plate of the retreating vehicle, it seems Markov's tired of me too. So be it. He got up, brushed himself off and went home to call Librescu. Maybe the Hollow Ones would be more appreciative of Cochrane's particular talents.
When someone's shooting at, throwing a punch at or trying to tackle your character, the Dodge Ability tells how well she can get out of the way. It represents her skill at diving to one side, taking cover or otherwise maneuvering to remove herself from danger.
• Novice: You crouch reflexively, arms over your head.
•• Practiced: You have taken a self-defense class.
••• Competent: You dive, bob and weave with grace.
•••• Expert: You rarely get hit.
••••• Master: You tip your head to avoid the bullet.
Possessed by: Criminals, Police, Street Kids, Martial Artists, Boxers
Specialties: Cover, Sidestep, Footwork, Leap

Expression
Layton lowered his voice, "This story ends, my darling Lisa, two days later when Carma went in search of her lover. She found him on a desolate expanse of road, lying with his feet in the ditch. Even from a distance, Carma could tell.... He lay there so still and so empty. The man she had loved was gone, and all that remained was an empty shell. She didn't dare spare herself the horror of seeing him. One small hope pushed her forward, but his blood painted the concrete black in the moonlight and his dead eyes stared off into space, into the universe he had explored and loved so much. Carma knew, in that moment, where to find him. She lifted her eyes to stars."
The silence following Layton's story rang in Lisa's ears. Though Lisa fought them, tears escaped and slid down her cheeks. Her heart broke for the woman in the tale. She didn't know Carma, but she felt the pain of loss as distinctly as if it had been her own. She whispered, "I'll see what I can do."
The manipulation of words comes easily to characters with a high Expression score. This Talent covers the ability to use words (either verbal or written) to sway others, to evoke emotions and to get a point across to an audience. A politician
character might use this Talent to make his speeches so moving that he wins voters, whereas a poet character might use this Talent to write poetry that touches the heart and makes his readers feel with him. This Ability ties directly to the Social Attributes. A Talent for Expression can help a character motivate others, tear down someone's ego with biting criticism, charm an audience or manipulate a person into doing something he normally wouldn't do.
• Novice: You express stuff.
•• Practiced: You have a good vocabulary.
••• Competent: You choose your words well and make your point.
•••• Expert: You touch people with your words.
••••• Master: You could found a new religion.
Possessed by: Actors, Writers, Poets, Politicians, Priests, Brown-nosers, Celestial Choristers
Specialties: Acting, Poetry, Prose, Improvisation, Conversation, Inspiration, Game Design

Intimidation
Billy grumbled, "Look, I'm jus' sayin' I really don't think she's got her s**t under control. I'm not tryin' t' slam your girlfriend. She's nice and all, but she's gonna bring us all down if she keeps this s**t up. Know what I mean, man?"
Billy's throat clenched when Duke lifted his eyes and turned his head slowly — too slowly. A sense of impending doom scrambled up the back of Billy's neck, like rats escaping a sinking ship. Under the scrutiny of Duke's hard eyes, Billy experienced the unmistakable urge to flee right along with the other vermin.
"You listen to me," Duke growled. "I don't give a ******** what you think. Know what I mean? Man? Get outta here."
Billy was already on his way.
People have many fears, so they can be intimidated in many ways. It can occur subtly without your character even realizing she's doing it. Perhaps her strength of character alone makes her an intimidating figure. Perhaps her physical stature intimidates. In certain instances, she may wish to intimidate someone actively as well, through verbal or physical assault. The Intimidation Talent represents your character's awareness of her ability to overshadow others and her skill at using this factor together way, draw information from an unwilling target or frighten others away from taking action against her.
• Novice: Your bark is worse than your bite, and it shows.
•• Practiced: You intimidate those smaller than you.
••• Competent: You make people think twice before acting.
•••• Expert: You don't try; people just avoid pissing you off.
••••• Master: You scare vicious pit bulls.
Possessed by: Bullies, Executives, Military Officers, Bouncers, Gangsters, Gypsies
Specialties: Physical Scariness, Grit, Bluffing, Implied Threats, Crudeness, Fearlessness

Leadership
Marcia stood slowly and lifted the crystal wine glass in her hand. She spoke up, "Here's to Blackwell. We're all going to miss you, love." The sobs quieted a bit and all eyes turned to Marcia. She drank from her glass and licked the bitter fruit from her lips. Her gaze traveled from person to person, her own sorrow, sympathy and strength revealed openly. They all lifted their glasses and toasted. She waited until they had finished, then said, "And now, we have to go on. The crisis isn't over, and we can't afford to lose anyone else. We have to stick together, work together and help each other. It's what Blackwell would have wanted."
"What should we do?" someone asked.
Marcia replied simply, "I have a plan."
Some characters have a knack for taking the leadership role with others, They exude a certain quality that makes people follow their orders, listen when they speak and embrace their agendas. The Leadership Talent has more to do with Charisma than it does Manipulation. It represents those indefinable qualities of appearance, mannerisms, vocal tone and eye contact that makes one a leader. A high score in this Talent doesn't necessarily mean, however, that the character makes all the right decisions for her group, only that her people will follow her like lemmings off the edge of the cliff, just because she seems to know what she's doing.
• Novice: You could be a scout leader.
•• Practiced: You have held office in college clubs.
••• Competent: You exude an aura of confidence.
•••• Expert: You inspire loyalty and excitement in your followers.
••••• Master: You could lead a nation.
Possessed by: Politicians, Gang Leaders, Corporate Executives, Chantry Heads, Police
Specialties: Oratory, Expertise, Nobility, Tense Situations, Friendly

Streetwise
A cigarette flared in the darkness. Andy moseyed that way. He pulled up beside the street rat and lit a cigarette of his own. "Hey," he greeted simply and received an equally taciturn reply. Blowing his smoke up into the night, Andy said, "Heard the Head's got a boner for yellow meat."
"Yeah," grunted the grungy kid. "That's the word. Man's boy was stuffed in the grinder. Sushi."
Andy nodded, "Ugly s**t. Any green comin' down on it?"
The kid huffed quietly, glancing down the alley. "******** yeah," he murmured. "Chitown gigolo moved in last night."
The conversation turned into silent smoking, then Andy pushed away from the wall. "Gotta go," he grunted. "Take it easy, man." He restrained his smile until he'd turned the corner. So, he thought. Zephyr's hired a hit-man to go after Lu. This should get interesting.
He tossed his cigarette into the gutter and hailed a cab.
The streets have a language and a rhythm all their own. This Talent allows your character to fit in on the streets, gather information from the street rumor-mill and take advantage of other street resources. It gives your character the necessary knowledge and understanding to tap the black markets successfully, to stay safe and to blend with the people who belong to the street.
• Novice: You're not trusted entirely, but you can talk to people.
•• Practiced: You're accepted, and you can find what you need eventually.
••• Competent: You know how to earn respect on the streets.
•••• Expert: You blend with the gangs and the drug dealers.
••••• Master: You haven't heard it, it hasn't happened.
Possessed by: Homeless, Criminals, Reporters, Detectives,
Vice Squad, Free-Clinic Doctors, Cultists of Ecstasy
Specialties: Rumors, Drugs, Gangs, Petty Theft, Local Slang, Weapons

Subterfuge
"Are you lying to me?" Mary-Joan asked bluntly, straightening her jacket's satin collar. She looked up at the new apprentice, gauging him. How many times had she stood in this same situation? She knew about secrets. Everyone had them — even the most distinguished Choristers. This "altar boy" hadn't learned the fine art of hiding his yet.
"No, Lady," the young mage replied, averting his eyes.
Mary-Joan decided to let him believe that he had hoodwinked her. She put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm glad to hear that," she lied back with a smile. "I think you have a bright future in the Choir."
This Talent represents your character's ability to conceal her true motives and act in a manner completely different from how she truly feels. Usually, a character will use this Talent to manipulate people, to hide an emotion that would not be well-received or to fit in with those around her. The Subterfuge Ability also allows her to recognize when others are acting contrary to their own feelings or are pretending to do something for reasons other than their true motives. Characters with a high score in Subterfuge have a knack for secrets, double-dealing and intrigue.
• Novice: You can pull off the occasional lie.
•• Practiced: You hide your true feelings well.
••• Competent: You put on a believable act.
•••• Expert: You have no cracks in your performance.
••••• Master: You're the last person anyone would ever suspect.
Possessed by: Politicians, Lawyers, Teenagers, Actors, Con Artists
Specialties: Seduction, Impeccable Lies, Hidden Emotions, Politics

Knowledge Traits represent your character's areas of scholastic and mental expertise. Most often, they require your character to have studied the topic involved actively, and for this reason, they are described in collegiate terms. Although most of them require formal training, your character may have learned them through self-study and reading. You should clarify with your Storyteller if such is the case, because your character may have the benefit of the information without the prestige of a degree. In the case of Medicine, for example, she may know how to set bones, but she may not have the certification to practice medicine legally. Your Storyteller may cap how many dots you can purchase in an area of Knowledge without pursuing a formal education.
If you have no dots in a Knowledge Trait, you cannot even attempt a roll involving it without direct Storyteller permission.
If your character doesn't speak Russian, for instance, she can't tumble her way through a conversation with just her wits.

Academics
"So... what do you think?" Montreaux twined his rooty fingers together, glancing around nervously at the people studying his latest painting. He watched as Jack Black turned away with a harrumph of disapproval. His expression of anticipation crumpled as others slowly followed Jack's example — all but one: Gerard.
Deep-voiced and academic, Gerard spoke with authority. "Montreaux, you have captured the whimsy of a Monet watercolor, here, where you have explored the evanescent effects of light. You evoke, with your use of broad areas of color, the desolation and loneliness expressed by Munch. You pull taut the lines of sexual irreverence just as Picasso did during his Rose Period. Your use of Realism against a background of Impressionism, particularly in the pigeons and the fruit, strikes me as reminiscent of the Expressionist compositions found in a Gauguin. Tell me that you have studied the great works and sought to emulate them, or I shall surely die of wonder."
Blinking, confused, Montreaux replied, "Umm?" He looked around for someone to explain to him what Gerard was saying, and he saw that the others had all turned back with renewed interest.
Study in Academics represents your character's expertise in the "liberal arts and sciences." It covers many possible fields, and you should work with your Storyteller to choose a Specialty for your character. Academics includes the theoretical and sometimes practical study of anthropology, music, history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, literature, art and any other of the so-called "soft" sciences. Although you may choose a Specialty, your character will still have a basic knowledge of all other topics that fall in this category, simply because learning one often leads to learning bits and pieces of others. If college-educated, your character will have had to take electives, after all. Furthermore, this Trait represents an overall level of education and familiarity with the academic world, such as the politics and traditions of universities.
• Student: You've read all the basic high school books on the arts.
•• College: Casual intellectual discourse is no problem for you.
••• Masters: You could publish a paper in an academic journal.
•••• Doctorate: New theories and techniques result from your studies.
••••• Scholar: You're recognized as one of the foremost experts in your areas of study.
Possessed by: Professors, Artists, Musicians, Writers, Trivia Buffs, Literary Critics
Specialties: History, Arts, Music, Literature, Medieval Studies, Architecture

Computer
Cathrine's fingers flew across the keyboard, tick-tacking in the commands almost as quickly as the prompt appeared on the screen. She held back the urge to call on some of her incredible toys. This rate, she couldn't afford to use her magic. This time, she had to do it the normal way. Of course, all things being relative, she knew she still had an advantage.
The screen flashed blue and Cathrine's heart missed a beat. She held her breath. Had she hit a glitch she hadn't anticipated? But then, the logo of Dextron Inc. formed on the screen, and Cathrine smiled. She'd made it in. All she had to do was find and delete the records on Solomon. When they went looking for the hacker, they'd never suspect her. They'd start by looking for a Sleeper, and all because she hadn't left the signature use of hypertech.
Computer operation and programming fall under the sway of the Computer Knowledge. Though the Technocracy makes great use of computers, today's highly information-based society relies on them a great deal as well. Those characters with low scores in Computer may know how to manipulate their way through simple software, whereas those with high scores can program, build their own and hack.
• Student: You can play computer games.
•• College: With some help files, some reference manuals and a little time, you can install or work through most software.
••• Masters: Programming is one of your talents, and you craft utilities to your own standards.
•••• Doctorate: Not only do you write code, you can hack or debug other peoples' products, and you're familiar with the most recent and efficient innovations of computers.
••••• Scholar: You created the most recent computer technology.
Possessed by: Hackers, Programmers, Office Workers, Students, Virtual Adepts
Specialties: Programming, Hacking, Code-Breaking, Viruses, Data Retrieval, Internet

Cosmology
Pushing Kyle forward, Lee Ann struggled to get purchase on the slippery "ground," such as it was. The hideous Realm into which they'd stumbled wasn't at all friendly, and unless they found an exit soon, they'd run afoul of more of its hungry inhabitants. Despite Kyle's inexperience, Lee Ann didn't plan to let him slow her down.
"Wait a minute... that door, shouldn't it be the other way around?" Kyle asked as he struggled to stay on his feet.
Lee Ann blinked and regarded the portal that Kyle indicated. Sure enough, it was wider at the bottom than the top — a definite change of pace. She knew that the symbolism of the Realm linked to its passages, and she grinned unexpectedly.
"Nope." she replied to Kyle's query. "It's exactly what we need."
Mages spend, a great deal of time studying other worlds and dealing with spirits. The Cosmology Knowledge represents this sort of education. Of course, the ways of the Umbra are diverse and strange, and there's no way to guarantee that what works in one place or time will work again. Still, certain landmarks and traits are mostly reliable, and some spirits have a habit of meddling with mages more than others. From such benchmarks, the mage can make guesses about aspects of the universe and its denizens.
• Student: You've heard that there's more than just Earth.
•• College: You know the names of a few Umbral places and spirits.
••• Masters: Having visited the Umbra, you're no stranger to other worlds or creatures.
•••• Doctorate: Spirits drop in to chat with you.
••••• Scholar: Spirits ask you for advice about the Umbra.
Possessed by: Umbral Explorers, Shamans, Werewolves, Armchair Theorists
Specialties: Spirit Names, Realms, Deep Umbra, the Gauntlet, Nodes

Enigmas
The clock continued to tick as Mark rubbed his eyes. He'd always hated logic puzzles, but he knew he'd seen something like this before. That old puzzle about getting the fox, the goose and the other thing across the river... whatever it was...
It all boiled down to recursion, he guessed. There was an underlying pattern that could be repeated to build an answer. Quickly, he started sketching out combinations on the hem of his coat, using the nearly empty pen that he'd had in his pocket. Then, he started hopping from tile to tile and hoped that the spirit guarding the place wasn't feeling too trigger-happy.
Mysteries are stock in trade for magic-workers. Some magicians make an especial study of puzzles, riddles and mysterious circumstances, though. When gut instincts fail and logic can't offer a solution, the character with a broad knowledge of Enigmas sees clever solutions, hidden meanings and the motives behind such tricks. The Enigmas Knowledge can be used for figuring out the best way to approach a puzzle, the answer to a spirit's riddle or even just the morning crossword.
• Student: How'd those riddles go in The Hobbit?
•• College: Towers of Hanoi, foxes and geese and a plethora of riddles all fill your head.
••• Masters: You can puzzle out the motives of spirits and madmen.
•••• Doctorate: You do crosswords in pen — in 10 minutes.
••••• Scholar: You are an enigma.
Possessed by: Detectives, Analysts, Game Players, Philosophers, Psychologists, Raving Nutcases, Really Annoying Old Masters
Specialties: Deduction, Riddles, Quick Solutions, Historical Puzzles, Codes and Ciphers

Investigation
"Did you move him?" asked David, crouching down beside the corpse. The smell of blood and other final bodily excretions put a mask of distaste on the Verbena's face.
"No," replied the other man. "I found him and called you immediately."
David nodded and pointed to an odd discoloration on the dead man's arm. "This arm has been moved. These discolorations show the pooling of blood in the dead flesh. They should be on the bottom, but here they're on the top. Something was taken from that arm.
Here, a ring is missing. See the wear-mark it left?" David looked up into the barrel of a gun. "Hmmm. Tell me, Victor," he said. "What was so special about the ring that you'd kill for it?"
Whenever your character investigates a crime scene, looks for clues or performs more detailed forensic exploration, the Investigation Knowledge is invoked. This Trait implies that your character has learned to read specific clues that give her information. More than just the ability to notice things, it shows that your character has learned specific methods for discovering the truth. She may have studied Criminology or Forensics, for example. It's more than just noticing a clue, it also involves interpreting that clue.
• Student: You've read plenty of detective novels.
•• College: Beat cops and amateur stalkers are in your class.
••• Masters: Experienced detective work is under your belt.
•••• Doctorate: You could profile crimes for a living.
••••• Scholar: You rival Sherlock Holmes.
Possessed by: Detectives, Police, Coroners, Profilers, FBI Agents
Specialties: Forensics, Crime Scenes, Poisons, Weapons

Law
Climbing vines draped the white house on Marshall Street, their cheerful green painting a contradictory backdrop to the black limousines.
The vehicles proceeded down the long, curving driveway to the front door. Each in turn, the judges entered the house. The last car brought the defendant, his advocates and his guards.
The judges had already seated themselves at the front of the courtroom by the time the defendant entered. One from each of the Traditions, they waited with stiff impatience. It appeared that they had already made up their minds about the verdict, but the defendant deserved to have his case heard. That was the law.
Wescott set his briefcase upon the table and opened it. He knew he had a tough job ahead of him. Clearing a man so carefully framed might well prove to be his greatest challenge. At the call for Wescott's opening statements, the advocate pulled a bloody heart from the plastic bag in his case and held it high. The entire room gasped.
A character with a high score in the Law Trait knows local or national laws well enough to manipulate them to her benefit. She can find loopholes in the law, prosecute a defendant with aplomb or advise people on how far they can go without breaking the law. Furthermore, this Knowledge can represent an understanding of the Protocols and allow a mage to use the laws of the Traditions to her own advantage.
• Student: You watch late-night civil court shows.
•• College: You may have done professional law studies, or else you've done a lot of reading.
••• Masters: You could have your own law practice.
•••• Doctorate: Your reputation for winning precedes you in court.
••••• Scholar: You could find loopholes in a contract with the Devil.
Possessed by: Lawyers, Criminals, Police, Legislators, Judges, Bounty Hunters, Quaesitori
Specialties: Criminal, Civil, Tradition, Police Procedure, Contracts, Corporate

Linguistics
The Etherite from Paris stood slowly. "Je suis désolé, mais je vous trouve absolument bêtes. Vous ne comprenez pas l'importance de mes travaux." He strode out of the room.
"What did he say?" Preston asked, looking toward the Etherite's interpreter.
"He said," the interpreter answered, "that he must excuse himself. He's not feeling well, And if you will excuse me, I believe I should go tend to him." The stick-legged man hurried after his companion.
Blandine chuckled softly from her end of the table. She spoke French and knew the interpreter had smoothly covered his friend's insult. She assumed he had rushed off to entreat the Etherite to make amends rather than lose every chance of making an alliance on this side of the Atlantic. Moments later, she excused herself as well. She had a card to play in this little game.
All characters are assumed to be able to speak, read and write their own native tongue. Any other languages known are represented by this Knowledge. Additional dots in Linguistics give a character a broader range of languages. You determine, with your Storyteller's approval, what languages you want your character to speak. These languages can come from any country, either modern or ancient, and they generally include written forms as well. A high level of this Knowledge often indicates a broad, general knowledge of language theory, and your character may take "Linguistic study" in place of a language, thereby studying the underpinnings of language itself.
• Student: One extra language.
•• College: Two extra languages.
••• Masters: Four extra languages
•••• Doctorate: Eight extra languages.
••••• Scholar: 16 extra languages.
Possessed by: Linguists, Diplomats, Foreign Nationals, Spies, Tour Guides
Specialties: Hieroglyphs, Latin, Local Dialect, Written Expression, Slang, Ciphers, any modern language

Medicine
"It's because of my knowledge of the human body that I can do what I do, Maphis. Do you doubt me?" Jodi chewed coyly on a fingernail. "You see, there are certain locations where, if you disrupt the natural order, you can kill a person within moments." Her dark eyes slid down Maphis' body to his chest. "The heart... the ventricles are like valves. Close them and the whole system panics. Feel it?" Jodi smiled as Maphis gasped and pressed himself back against the wall. "Such terror in your eyes," she commented, releasing the organ from her magical control. "As it should be. I can squeeze specific muscles and make your body do as I wish. Or... I can render you completely vulnerable." With a gesture, she sent her magic to press Maphis' jugular closed. The mage's eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Jodi laughed while she unbuttoned his shirt — just for demonstration. She was still laughing when Maphis awakened. "So," Jodi asked, "do you understand now why you have to pay very... close... attention... when I address you?"
The Medicine Trait gives your character an understanding of the human body, for both constructive, reparative and destructive purposes. It represents knowledge of medication, ailments and first-aid. At higher levels, it allows diagnosis, treatment of disease, surgery and the use of highly technical medical equipment. A character with Medicine is not necessarily formally trained or licensed, but she can practice with the best of them as long as she's careful not to let anyone know! Of course, this Knowledge can also represent a character who is a certified medic, doctor or nurse.
• Student: You know basic first-aid and CPR.
•• College: You can handle basic trauma and diagnosis,
••• Masters: General practice is within your range of skill.
•••• Doctorate: Surgery, specialties and the big bucks all await your practice.
••••• Scholar: At the cutting edge of medicine, your skills are in demand throughout the world.
Possessed by: Med Students, Lifeguards, Nurses, Doctors, Paramedics, Euthanatos
Specialties: Research, Pediatrics, Emergency Care, Pathology, Poisons, Surgery, Pharmaceuticals

Occult
Xian made a conscious effort to loosen her death-grip on the steering wheel, flexing shaky fingers. She glanced over at her passenger.
"We're lucky to be alive, aren't we?"
Terry nodded, his gaze locked on the passing landscape. "They let us live." He drew a deep breath. "I've seen giant wolves like that before. They're supernatural. I don't know why they let us go. Our magic wouldn't have helped us if they had chosen to attack."
"Their eyes..." Xian whispered. She shivered, imagining for a moment that she could still feel them watching her. She pressed on the gas pedal.
This Trait describes your character's depth of occult knowledge, including mysticism, curses, magic, folklore, Umbral lore and various other lore related to the strange creatures and occurrences in the world. It doesn't necessarily imply that everything your character knows is correct, but it does give her insight to weed out the total nonsense. (Although she may still think that voodoo doesn't work, for example, she does know the general way others think that it does.) A character with a high level of Occult also knows a good amount about mages and magical practice, though again such knowledge may be incomplete or inaccurate. It's better than nothing, though!
• Student: You have some friends who are into weird stuff.
•• College: Curiosity has gotten you into the occult, but it's bigger than you've imagined.
••• Masters: Bizarre phenomena haunt your dreams, and you can place the significance of all manner of symbols and artifacts.
•••• Doctorate: You're a true believer, and you can usually weed out the crap from the valid.
••••• Scholar: Not much surprises you anymore.
Possessed by: Occultists, Pagans, Parapsychologists, Exorcists, Pulp Writers
Specialties: Voudoun, Witches, Ghosts, Death Mythology, Infernalism, New Age, Folk Tales

Science
Habeeb adjusted the rubber gloves carefully, pushing his fingers deeper and tugging them up aver his wrists. The crinkle comforted him. It sounded clean and precise. The scientist had prepared the samples and run them through the equipment. If he had done everything right, he'd know for sure whether the soil around Monchello's farm had been contaminated. Carrying the slide to the microscope, Habeeb sat and peered through the eye-piece. The chemicals had selectively highlighted certain properties and there, among them, was the parasite. Habeeb sighed. So, it was true. Someone had caused Monchello's illness on purpose.
This Knowledge describes your character's familiarity with the physical sciences, such as biology, chemistry, physics and geology. If you choose a specialization for your character, she still has a broad understanding of all the sciences, but her expertise lies in a particular field. The Storyteller sets the difficulty number of any rolls based on Science according to the complexity of the task. Science can cover a great diversity of topics, from astronomy to physics to chemistry to biology and beyond. Practical applications of Science may require the use of Technology or Crafts Skills.
• Student: You survived high school science.
•• College: With a broad general picture of science, you're familiar with most prominent theories and a few experimental procedures.
••• Masters: Overseeing or setting up new projects and experiments is within your capabilities.
•••• Doctorate: Discovery is your watchword, progress your goal.
••••• Scholar: You may soon solve science's greatest mysteries.
Possessed by: Scientists, Drug Designers, Engineers, Technicians, Technocrats, Pilots, Sons of Ether
Specialties: Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Aeronautic Engineering, Astronomy, Metallurgy, Physics and many, many more


To represent extreme dedication in a narrow field, or just to show a special interest or concentration of study, you can pick specialties for your character's attributes and abilities. The specialty is a role-playing tool, but if your character has a rating of 4 or more dots in the base trait, it gives a game benefit as well. When you roll a dice pool involving your specialty, you get to re-roll any 10s and include the re-rolls in your successes. If the re-rolls score 10s, they can be rolled again, and so on. (A botch on a re-roll does cancel a success as always. The perils of overweening pride in your special knowledge....) As an additional option, the Storyteller may allow you to declare additional specialties for each dot past four in a given ability or attribute (so you could have two specialties with five dots).

Skills are Abilities that can be acquired through rigorous training or apprenticeship. Part intuition, part learned information, Skills are equal halves talent and training. If you attempt to make a Skill roll relating to a Skill in which you have a rating of zero, the difficulty for that roll is increased by + 1, to reflect the fact that you don't have more than a vague idea of what you're doing.

Crafts
Crafts involves taking raw materials and building something useful from them. It refers to the skills of master artisans — gem cutting, glass blowing, leatherworking, woodworking, etc. The number of successes on a Crafts roll indicates how well-made the object in question is.
• Novice: You could make a birdhouse from popsicle sticks.
•• Practiced: You made something in shop class that you could actually use.
••• Competent: You were a regular on the local craft fair circuit.
•••• Expert: You taught advanced classes at arts centers.
••••• Master: Collectors instantly recognize your work.
Possessed by: Artisans, Potters, Artificers, Scout Leaders
Specialties: Woodworking, Sewing, Candlemaking, Stonemasonry, Blacksmithing

Drive
It is assumed that all modern characters have a base familiarity with the Drive Skill, allowing them to handle an automobile with reasonable ease in normal situations.
Instead, Drive allows you to perform tricky maneuvers, drive at high speeds and engage in car chases. On the other hand, just because you're familiar with one type of land vehicle doesn't mean that you can handle another; there's a world of difference between a sub-compact and a troop carrier. The difficulty of a Drive roll can increase or decrease, depending upon how familiar you are with the vehicle you're driving.
Older wraiths can be considered to have base familiarity with wagons or horseback riding in the same way modern characters are familiar with cars.
• Novice: You could handle long highway trips.
•• Practiced: You could drive stick shift.
••• Competent: You survived driving in Boston in winter.
•••• Expert: You could have been a professional race car driver.
••••• Master: New York rush hour traffic? You could handle it backward.
Possessed by: Taxi Drivers, Auto Racers, Teenagers, Chauffeurs, Bagmen
Specialties: City Traffic, Off-Road, Stunt Driving, Bad Weather, Ice

Etiquette
Etiquette is the measure of your understanding of the nuances and delicate balances of polite society in a myriad of social circumstances. Such a Skill is useful during diplomatic engagements, gatherings or encounters with higher society.
• Novice: You know when to keep your mouth shut.
•• Practiced: You know the difference between formal and black tie.
••• Competent: You knew which utensil to use for which course.
•••• Expert: You can get along with — or at least not offend — anyone.
••••• Master: You should have made room on the mantel for that Nobel Peace Prize.
Possessed by: Diplomats, Hereditary Nobles, Mediators, Psychiatrists
Specialties: Formality, Correspondence, Negotiation, Compromising, Soirees

Firearms
This Skill covers both how well you can shoot and your skill at maintaining and repairing firearms. Artillery pieces, mortars and so on are not covered by this Skill, nor are archaic weapons such as bows or slings.
• Novice: You could hit the broad side of a barn with a shotgun.
•• Practiced: You didn't embarrass yourself at the rifle range.
••• Competent: You can hit a moving target.
•••• Expert: Sniper could have been a career choice for you.
••••• Master: "Blast! I was aiming for his left nostril."
Possessed by: Snipers, Soldiers, Mafiosi, Hunters, Petty Criminals, Deranged Postal Employees
Specialties: Sniping, Shoot-outs, Pistols, Rifles, Automatic Weapons

Leadership
Leadership is more than barking orders. It measures how well you can get others to obey your decisions, whether they be issued as memos, orders or polite requests. It also covers how willingly people accede to your wishes, as reluctant followers are worth far less than willing ones. Leadership is most often used in conjunction with Charisma or Manipulation.
• Novice: You decided where your carpool was going for lunch.
•• Practiced: When you yell, people listen.
••• Competent: People routinely look to you for their marching orders.
•••• Expert: Others will follow you into the jaws of death — or worse — without questioning.
••••• Master: You had the makings of another Alexander the Great.
Possessed by: Military Personnel, Gang Leaders, Educators, Executives, Police Chiefs
Specialties: Field Leadership, Long-Term Planning, Military, Nobility, Commands

Meditation
In an existence in which the voice of your Shadow is a constant threat, Meditation, the ability to focus and center one's thoughts, can be an essential skill. To meditate, one does not necessarily need to be in the lotus position. This is a very personal Skill, and one for which you develop your own technique.
Meditation can be used to catch up on lost Slumber. To do so, a wraith rolls Stamina + Meditation (difficulty 8 ). The number of successes determines how many effective hours of Slumber are gained per hour of meditation.
• Novice: You could block out the sound of your neighbor's stereo.
•• Practiced: You can achieve a peaceful repose.
••• Competent: You can relax in any position.
•••• Expert: Your concentration is almost impossible to break.
••••• Master: You are glacial in your calm, totally centered and imperturbable.
Possessed by: Zen Masters, Buddhist Monks, Athletes, New Age Gurus
Specialties: Biofeedback, Relaxing, Zen, Centering

Melee
Melee is the broad term for all sorts of combat that involve hand-to-hand weapons. The definition of a hand-to-hand weapon is a loose one, as it includes knives, swords, broken bottles, chains, saps and just about anything else than can be used to inflict damage on another wraith. With the Melee Skill comes knowledge of proper care of your chosen weapon as well.
• Novice: You've been in a few fights without getting Harrowed.
•• Practiced: You have basic military training.
••• Competent: Any object becomes a weapon in your hands.
•••• Expert: Fencing masters in Heidelberg feared you.
••••• Master: Orange seeds and paper airplanes were deadly in your grip.
Possessed by: Fencers, Muggers, Martial Artists, Policemen, Soldiers
Specialties: Fencing, Heavy Weapons, Blunt Object, Martial Arts Styles, Found

Weapons

Performance
Different from Expression in that it involves more than just spoken or written words, Performance covers the entire gamut of live artistic expression. Singing, acting, dancing, playing musical instruments and similar skills are all covered under this rubric. In addition to actual performing ability, this Skill also measures how well you know the society surrounding your particular art form and how you fit in. Advanced levels of Performance usually require some form of specialization.
• Novice: You weren't kicked off stage during company karaoke night.
•• Practiced: You got parts off-off Broadway.
••• Competent: You could get speaking parts in films.
•••• Expert: Your handprints were on sidewalk in front of Mann's Chinese Theater.
••••• Master: You were one of the legendary artists of your time.
Possessed by: Actors, Musicians, Mimes, Singers, Dancers, Choreographers
Specialties: Voice, Instrumental, Acting, Dance

Repair
Restoring anything mechanical, electronic or solid state that is broken is under the Repair Skill. This Skill covers everything from advanced electronics to shoring up a sagging beam — assuming, of course, that you have proper tools with which to do so.
Among the Restless, this Skill allows you to find your way around systems that you Gremlinize, or understand where the best place might be to whack a device with Outrage.
• Novice: You hit it with a hammer and hoped that would fix it.
•• Practiced: You could wire a house, or steal cable TV.
••• Competent: You didn't need to call mechanics.
•••• Expert: You could have make a tidy living as a professional handyman.
••••• Master: Anything not broken down to the molecular level, you could fix.
Possessed by: Mechanics, Carpenters, Weekend Putterers, Plumbers, Repairmen, Technicians
Specialties: Wood, Electricity, Appliances, Automotive, Computers

Stealth
Stealth is the Skill that covers both moving silently and hiding unnoticed. Usually Stealth rolls are made against another character's Perception.
• Novice: You were a master at "hide and seek."
•• Practiced: You blend in with shadows.
••• Competent: You're not noticed unless you want to be.
•••• Expert: You could move through the woods and not crunch a dry leaf.
••••• Master: Ninja Master, one who moves like a ghost....
Possessed by: Ninjas, Spies, Saboteurs, Cat Burglars, Reapers
Specialties: Lurking, Camouflage, Shadows, Silent Approaches

Other Skills
Soulforging, Cooking, Boating, Archery, Disguise, Other Weapons (Heavy, Ancient, Medieval)

Specialties
If your character has four dots in an Ability, you may choose a specialty. This represents that the character has developed an expertise in a particular sub-category of that Ability. (See Attributes, above.) Certain fields of study are so broad that by the time your character reaches the Expert plateau (4 dots) in the Ability, he will have to specialize. The specialties listed with each Trait are offered as suggestions.
Feel free to come up with others for your character, dependent on the approval of your Storyteller.



Talents are intuitive Abilities. They are almost never learned through direct training (though a few, like Brawl, are exceptions). It is assumed everyone has some small capacity for each one, whether you have purchased dots in them or not. Thus, if your character wants to make a stab at using a Talent that he has no dots in, you can roll a Dice Pool equal to the number of dots your character has in the appropriate Attribute; like most things in life, there's no harm in trying to use your Talents thusly.

Alertness
This Talent indicates your character's awareness of the world around her. She is practiced in keeping one ear to the wind and one eye to the sky, even when distracted with other things. Alertness is a measure of how well your character picks up on subtle details and changes in her environment.
• Novice: You are more alert to changes than most.
•• Practiced: You are watchful and attentive.
••• Competent: You are highly vigilant.
•••• Expert: You are truly cautious, rarely letting down your guard.
••••• Master: You are aware of all that goes on around you.
Possessed by: Detectives, Guards, Hunters, Reporters, Thieves, Warriors
Specialties: Ambushes, Crowds, Danger Sense, Searching, Streets

Athletics
Climbing rocky cliffs, leaping chasms or playing brilliant mutes of badminton are all Athletics-based feats. This Ability describes your character's general athletic prowess in both team and individual sports. It assumes a familiarity with the rules and play of the sport in question.
• Novice: You are first pick for teams at neighborhood football games.
•• Practiced: You are a regular on school or community athletic teams.
••• Competent: You are a coach or serious competitor.
•••• Expert: You are a vigorous trainer, a professional or just accomplished.
••••• Master: You are a world-class or Olympic athlete.
Possessed by: Aerobics Instructors, Dancers, Jocks, Marathonists, Most Children, Sports Enthusiasts
Specialties: Acrobatics, Dancing, Mountain Climbing, Swimming, Track & Field, Team Sports

Brawl
Brawling is the ability to fight without a weapon, including basic hand-to-hand maneuvers such as punching, kicking, grappling throwing, scratching and biting. Brawling can get quite ruthless, and sometimes inflict serious damage if done properly. For purposes of roleplay, a character should gain a specialty when she reaches the Expert Level in Brawl.
• Novice: You took a course in basic self-defense.
•• Practiced: You could hurt someone.
••• Competent: You can take someone down quickly without doing permanent harm.
•••• Expert: You are a black-belt or licensed to kill.
••••• Master: You are world-renowned; your hands are registered as lethal weapons.
Possessed by: Bouncers, Cops, Martial Artists, Spies, Thugs, warriors
Specialties: Any Martial Arts Style, Boxing, Dirty Fighting, Knights, Wrestling

Dodge
Whether your character dives for cover, ducks a punch or sidesteps an arrow, he knows the best way to avoid injury is not getting hit. Dodge simply describes your character's ability to get out of the way of any incoming attacks.
• Novice: You know what to do if someone screams, "Duck!"
•• Practiced: You know when to stay down and safe.
••• Competent: You are accomplished and experienced at duck and weave.
•••• Expert: You are exceedingly difficult to hit.
••••• Master: You can sidestep bullets.
Possessed by: Bouncers, Criminals, Ghetto Rats, Street Fighters, Warriors
Specialties: Duck, Dive, Find Cover, Slippery, Sidestep

Empathy
Empathy is the ability to pinpoint what others are feeling. Through an awareness of their facial expressions, body language and tone, your character gains a sense of the other person's general attitude, including her emotional state and her motives.
With high levels of this Trait, your character can sometimes tell whether someone is lying or not. Successful use of this Talent prior to attempting to Persuade, Intimidate or use Subterfuge on that same person reduces the difficulty number on the second action by one; failure increases the difficulty number by one.
• Novice: You are sensitive and understanding.
•• Practiced: You are aware of the feelings others are trying to hide.
••• Competent: You are amazingly insightful into others' motivations.
•••• Expert: You are especially sensitive to lies and subtle emotions.
••••• Master: You read people like they were open hooks.
Possessed by: Actors, Con Artists, Mediums, Parents, Pick-up Artists, Psychologists, Teachers
Specialties: Desires. Emotions, Fears, Falsehoods, Legacies, Love Connections, Motivations

Intimidation
The art of intimidation takes many forms from subtle threats to outright physical harm. Choice of method depends on the time, the place and those involved. Characters with this Talent know how to get what they want from others, when they want it.
• Novice: You back wimps into corners.
•• Practiced: You win an occasional stare-down.
••• Competent: You have an unsettling gaze.
•••• Expert: You are an above-average drill sergeant.
••••• Master: You intimidate redcaps.
Possessed by: Businesspeople, Bouncers, Cops, Detectives, Nobles, Warriors
Specialties: Political, Social, "The Look," Veiled Threats, Violence

Kenning
Kenning is faerie sight, the ability to sense Glamour in whatever form it takes, be it a chimera, a changeling or a freehold. Among other things, this Talent allows a changeling to recognize a changeling who has slipped into the Mists or who has yet to achieve Chrysalis, sense the relative power of a chimera, and locate freeholds and trods.
• Novice: Glamour tickles you, and you can see powerful chimera.
•• Practiced: You can locate freeholds with ease.
••• Competent: You recognize "sleeping" changelings.
•••• Expert: You can detect even the slightest traces of Glamour.
••••• Master: You are sensitive to Glamour even at great distances.
Possessed by: Certain Powerful Chimera, Psychics, Small Children, Changelings, Some Kinain
Specialties: Cantrips, Chimera, Changelings, Enchantment, Trods

Persuasion
This Trait represents your character's ability to win others over to her way of thinking. The method used may involve subtle mental and emotional seduction or even outright begging, pleading and cajoling. People with high Persuasion ratings tend to be natural leaders and advocates.
• Novice: You can be convincing through a concentrated effort.
••Practiced: You pinpoint the hole in another's position.
••• Competent: A professional debater, you are always on top of any argument.
•••• Expert: You make others feel guilty for even disagreeing with you.
••••• Master: You say "Jump," and they say, "How high?
Possessed by: Businesspeople, Demagogues, Orators, Politicians, Protesters, Visionaries
Specialties: Emotional Appeal, Fast-Talk, Guilt, Logic, Sympathy, Wordplay

Streetwise
The streets can be a major source of information, aid and money, but their culture and rules of conduct are as complex as the noble courts. The Streetwise Talent indicates how versed your character is with the local rumor mill, street slang and street etiquette. It represents her savvy when among the less desirable elements of society, and determines not only how well she can survive but thrive and fit in among them.
• Novice: You know who sells what, from drugs to contraband.
•• Practiced: You are accepted as one of the gang.
••• Competent: You are a mover and shaker, active in street polities.
•••• Expert: You are respected, protected, trusted or feared on the street.
••••• Master: You know what happened, who did it and where they hid their stash.
Possessed by: Bartenders, Bookies, Criminals, Detectives, Gang Members, Homeless People
Specialties: Fencing Merchandise, Illegal Acquisition, Information, Local Area Knowledge, Gangs

Subterfuge
This Trait determines your character's ability to conceal his motives and feelings. Moreover, it allows him to decipher the motives of others and use their own plans against them. Subterfuge is the fine art of lying, deceit and underhanded manipulation. Characters skilled in this Talent know how to call upon their best theatrics to influence situations and divert the blame without others realizing they've been manipulated.
• Novice: You rarely get caught in a lie.
•• Practiced: Diversionary tactics are second nature to you.
••• Competent: You can cleverly hide the truth without resorting to lies.
•••• Expert: You are capable of complicated plotting and manipulation.
••••• Master: You deceive with impunity.
Possessed by: Casanovas, Compulsive Liars, Con Men, Lawyers, Politicians, Spies
Specialties: Diversions, Intricate Fraud, Little White Lies, Seduction

Other Talents
Artistic Expression, Carousing, Diplomacy, Fortune-Telling, Instruction, Interrogation, Intrigue, Intuition, Mimicry, Scrounge, Seduction, Style, Ventriloquism