SKILLS

SKILL TESTS
Skills will let you handle or endure difficult situations, if used successfully. There are twelve of them, each linked to a certain attribute. When using a skill, you start by adding the skill value and the attribute together. The sum determines how many six-sided dice you get to roll. Rolling a six counts as a success. You rarely need more than one success in order to pass a skill test. Also note that your player character is free to use any skill in the game, even if her skill value is 0; in that case you simply roll the number of dice indicated by the relevant attribute. The same applies if you attempt something that is not covered by a specific skill.

ADDING MODIFIERS
A basic rule is that everything affecting the roll is added together. If you have a Talent that adds +2 to the roll, and use your Advantage to gain another +2, you get four extra dice to roll. Should you also be injured and have a Condition, that deducts one die, giving you a total of three extra dice.

PUSHING THE ROLL
Having failed a test, you can choose to muster your strength and give it one more try. This can only be done once per action, and must happen immediately after failing a test. This is called pushing the roll. When pushing your roll, you suffer a Condition. If you are using Physique or Precision you choose a physical Condition, if you are using Logic or Empathy you choose a mental one. You may then re-roll every die except the sixes, should there be any. You can push rolls that have already succeeded, since there are situations where multiple successes make you succeed particularly well.

HELPING EACH OTHER
Other player characters can increase your chance of passing a skill test by offering to help with whatever you are attempting to do. The Gamemaster decides whether you really do benefit from their actions. You gain +1 to your skill test for every person helping you, to a maximum of +3.

· AGILITY (Physique)
· CLOSE COMBAT (Physique)
· FORCE (Physique)
· MEDICINE (Precision)
· RANGED COMBAT (Precision)
· STEALTH (Precision)
· INVESTIGATION (Logic)
· LEARNING (Logic)
· VIGILANCE (Logic)
· INSPIRATION (Empathy)
· MANIPULATION (Empathy)
· OBSERVATION (Empathy)

AGILITY (PHYSIQUE)
AGILITY is the ability to run fast, be flexible, and leap out of danger. You make an AGILITY test when attempting to flee, chase someone, jump, or climb. If there are several of you performing the same action you may transfer your successes to others, thus improving their chance to succeed. In combat you can use AGILITY to evade attacks or escape. Extra successes can be used to:
· Outmaneuver your enemy. You exchange initiative order.
· Stress your enemy. The enemy gets a mental Condition (may be chosen once per turn).
· Move one zone away from the enemy.
· Make your enemy position itself in a certain part of a zone.
· Perform actions while evading the enemy, for instance performing a ritual or setting fire to things in the room.

CLOSE COMBAT (PHYSIQUE)
When fighting with melee weapons you use CLOSE COMBAT. By rolling more successes than required, you may:
· Increase your damage by 1. This effect can be chosen multiple times.
· Outmaneuver your enemy. You exchange initiative order.
· Stress your enemy. Your attack causes mental Conditions rather than physical ones.
· Push the enemy into another zone or a specific part of the zone you are in.
· Make the enemy drop a weapon or item. Picking up an item during combat requires a fast action.

FORCE (PHYSIQUE)
When using brute strength to lift something heavy, or to endure pain and hardship, you make a FORCE test. The skill can let you survive without food or water, or walk day and night, without suffering a Condition. You may transfer any extra successes to other player characters in the same situation. FORCE can sometimes be used to repair things, such as a wagon with a broken wheel. When engaged in hand-to-hand combat, or when attempting to wrestle or grapple the enemy, you use FORCE. By rolling more successes than required you may:
· Increase your damage by 1. This effect can be chosen multiple times.
· Outmaneuver your enemy. You exchange initiative order.
· Stress your enemy. Your attack causes mental Conditions rather than physical ones.
· Push the enemy into another zone or a specific part of the zone you are in.
· Make the enemy drop a weapon or item. Picking up an item during combat requires a fast action.
· Grapple your enemy. She must succeed with an opposed roll to break free.

MEDICINE (PRECISION)
MEDICINE lets you use your expertise to help someone who is hurt. The skill can also provide knowledge about anatomy, diseases, and injuries. When a player character has sustained a physical critical injury, she may sometimes require medical assistance in order to survive (see chapter 5). Passing your skill test means that she is no longer Broken. Each extra success heals one physical Condition. If more medical supplies, transport the patient to a more suitable location, or get help from someone else with medical training. MEDICINE can be used to heal physical Conditions. Your patients must be in bed, safe from immediate harm, and have access to food, drink, and medical equipment. You make a MEDICINE test for each day of treatment. A successful test heals three
physical Conditions, distributed between the patients as you see fit. Each extra success heals another three Conditions. Even the Broken Condition can be healed this way. Usually a failed test simply means that a day has been wasted, though the Gamemaster may allow an enemy to act.

RANGED COMBAT (PRECISION)
When attacking with ranged weapons or explosives you make a RANGED COMBAT test. By rolling more successes than required you may:
· Increase your damage by 1. This effect can be chosen multiple times.
· Outmaneuver your enemy. You exchange initiative order.
· Stress your enemy. Your attack causes mental Conditions rather than physical ones.
· Push the enemy into another zone or a specific part of the zone you are in.
· Make the enemy drop a weapon or item. Picking up an item during combat requires a fast action.

STEALTH (PRECISION)
When attempting to sneak, hide, pick locks, or perform card tricks, you make a STEALTH test. Extra successes make you succeed even better.

INVESTIGATION (LOGIC)
You can use INVESTIGATION to search a room, understand what happened at a crime scene, examine a dead body, or find what is obscured. If you succeed, the Gamemaster will provide you with clues. If you roll more successes than required, the Gamemaster decides whether you find more clues, understand the context, or simply enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done.

LEARNING (LOGIC)
LEARNING is a measure of your education, as well as your ability to establish connections through logic and knowledge. When you need to know something about what is in front of you, you can make a LEARNING test to gain clues. Sometimes the Gamemaster will say that it requires books or other sources of information. In some situations, it is impossible to get any clues. You can use LEARNING to translate foreign languages, figure out how best to behave in a certain situation, or understand the workings of a mechanical device, an occult ritual, or a magic item. You can use LEARNING to obtain basic information about a vaesen if the Gamemaster deems it appropriate. By rolling more successes than required you can sometimes gain access to more information.

VIGILANCE (LOGIC)
You use VIGILANCE to notice someone sneaking up on you. The person doing the sneaking makes an opposed STEALTH roll against your VIGILANCE roll. You also use VIGILANCE to follow tracks left by creatures or other people. Furthermore, VIGILANCE can be used to interpret situations you are monitoring. If you succeed the Gamemaster provides you with information. You may realize what is about to happen, who the leader of a group is, which people might become a threat, or how best to tackle a situation. If you roll more successes than required, each extra success adds a +1 bonus to a skill test where the information is helpful to you. Failing can mean that you have misread the situation, been detected, or appear hostile to the people you are watching.

INSPIRATION (EMPATHY)
INSPIRATION is the ability to address a crowd, encourage and guide your friends, and create or understand works of art. When trying to influence the thoughts or actions of a group of people, you
make an INSPIRATION test. When a player character has sustained a mental critical injury, she
sometimes requires INSPIRATION in order not to become chronically Broken. If you pass the test she is no longer Broken. Each extra success heals one mental Condition. If you fail and wish to try again, you must first find another way of getting through to her. You may need to take her to a new place, seek help from someone else, or find another way to connect with her. INSPIRATION can be used to heal mental Conditions. Your friends must be somewhere safe, have access to food and drink, and be willing to engage in close contact or dialogue with you. You make an INSPIRATION test each day you spend together without doing anything else. A successful test heals three mental Conditions, distributed between your friends as you see fit. Each extra success heals another three Conditions. Even the Broken Condition can be healed this way. Usually a failed test simply means that a day has been wasted, though the Gamemaster may allow an enemy to act.

MANIPULATION (EMPATHY)
You can use MANIPULATION to influence how other people think, feel, or act by lying, flirting, bribing, negotiating, haggling, or using your social skills in other ways. When MANIPULATING someone you describe what you hope to achieve and what you are doing. You also use MANIPULATION to trade or purchase items and services during the mystery. On a success you get what you want. Failure means that the other person distrusts or dislikes you, that you take a Condition, or that she is reinforced in her original convictions.

OBSERVATION test to resist your influence.
If the other person tries to MANIPULATE you as well, she too describes what she hopes to achieve.
You must approve each other’s goals before rolling the dice. There are limits to what you can convince people to do or believe. An opposed MANIPULATION test determines who gains influence over the other. The losing party can decide to lay down a Condition for doing what the winner wants. Perhaps you must promise not to tell anyone about what she agreed to do, or maybe she first wants to know something about you? When you get more successes than you need, you can use them to impose a mental Condition on your opponent - one for each extra success.

OBSERVATION (EMPATHY)
When talking to another person or spending time in her presence, you can use OBSERVATION to understand what she is thinking, feeling, or planning. If you pass the skill test the Gamemaster describes the impression you get from her. For example, the Gamemaster may tell you that she is lying or reveal whether she means you harm. You have the right to ask specific questions and have them answered. Each extra success adds +1 to a test where the information is useful to you. Failing the test means that you give yourself away to the opposite party and must disclose your player character’s thoughts, feelings, and intentions.