Studies

Studies and Techniques

The product of Academic research is called a Study.  Studies represent a strong grasp of certain kinds of information, which can either be applied to gain access to more niche Techniques or can be used as expert knowledge in a field.  All techniques and studies are designated either Common or Rare, depending on if character require a teacher or source of knowledge to learn them, or if the study or technique can be self taught.

Learning a Technique or Study is part of a Research Project and accessible through the Academics skill, and Rare Studies and Techniques require a teacher or a book to learn from. Alternately, characters may make use of the following Actions to give and benefit from direct instruction.

Instruct: You may spend your Action Cycle instructing one other character who is taking the Learn Action on one Study, Ritual, Theorem or Rare Technique. 

Learn: You may spend your Action learning a Study, Ritual, Theorem or Rare Technique from another character who is using the Instruct Action or learning a Ritual, Theorem, Rare Technique from a Tome, Grimoire or Sacred Text you possess the skill to Reference. You must fulfill all prerequisites for the item being taught.  If it is a Study, you gain the Study without experience point expenditure.  

Studies allow the character to ask Staff any question relating to their field of knowledge and gain answers that an expert would know.  For instance, a character with a Study in Architecture could ask “What sort of culture made this structure?  How long ago were styles like these used?”. Studies are also often the backbone requirement of academic Techniques.

Lores are a certain kind of study that often comes with a page of information that the learned character knows about their specified topic. Lores are always Rare and require a teacher or a book to learn from.

Techniques are theory turned to practice. Founded on the principles or other skills or Studies, Techniques are often powerful but niche applications of knowledge. Some techniques represent alternate uses of skills, or unlock specialized recipes. All Techniques have requirements that much be met by any character who wishes to buy them, which may include skill levels, studies, other techniques, or even special actions as part of their learning process. A character must have all of the requirements on their sheet in order to purchase a technique. Rare Techniques must also have a teacher or a book to learn from.

Studies can be purchased at character creation with the Studied perk.

Techniques can be purchased at character creation for 3 XP by any character who meets the Technique’s requirements. Purchasing Rare Techniques requires the Learn Action.

Rare Studies or Techniques require Glory (per “Secrets“) to begin play with, on top of their normal costs.

Common Studies List

These common studies are volumes and subjects that make up what most academics understand, and they are prevalent enough that the related works should be expected to be found in most libraries around the world.  

Architecture

Astrology

Anatomy

Sociology

Zoology

Physics

Geology

Philosophy

Mathematics

Logic

 

Rhetoric

Physiology

Ecology

Theology

Hydraulics

Meteorology

Horology

Economics

Botany

Archaeology

Geography

Linguistics

Civics

History

Psychology

Metallurgy

Library Science

Law

Pneumatics

Logistics

Strategy

Techniques

Specialized Crafting
Cooking

Common
Effect: The cook gains access to the Cooking Crafting Action and well as all basic Cooking recipes. Unlike regular crafting, Cooking recipes require no Effort, and the cook may make as many Cooking recipes as they have ingredients for.
Requirements: Performance 1

Gourmet
Common
Effect:  The chef may use rare ingredients (found through Gathering and Survival Skills) to add a variety of special traits to meals that they prepare.
Full list coming soon!
Requirements: Cooking, Etiquette 3
Brewing

Common
Effect: The brewer gains  access to the Brewing Crafting Action and well as all basic Brewing recipes. Unlike regular crafting, Brewing recipes require no Effort, and the brewer may make as many Brewing recipes as they have ingredients for.
Requirements: Apothecary 1

ARtisan

Common
Effect: The artist may imbue their talent into objects, either making use of their own crafting expertise, or else through the myriad of artistic forms that humanity has used to expression itself through the ages. The artist gains access to the Art Crafting Action as well as the standard Artwork recipes, which may themselves have other requirements. Instead of making use of Effort, only a single Artwork recipe may be made per Art Crafting Action.
Requirements: Performance 3

Chandler

Common
Effect:  You know how to render fat from meat into tallow, and how to turn that tallow into candles using Apothecary Effort.
Requirements: Apothecary 1

Glazier

Common
Effect: You gain access to Glazier recipes, and know how to use your Blacksmithing Effort to make Glass.
Requirements: Blacksmithing 3

Beekeeper

Common
Effect: You know the secrets of the bees. You may built a beehive, represented at game, and for so long as the bees are happy you may submit a Task once per Action Cycle to gather 1 Honey.
Requirements: Forestry 3

Black Powder

Rare
Effect: You are able to work with and produce mechanisms that involve the use of explosive black powder without simply blowing apart your design, as well as making sure it doesn’t shake itself apart after successive internal explosions.
Requirements:  Engineering 4, Physics, Metallurgy

Sacrist
Common

Effect: You know the correct manner to make ritual components and tools
Requirements: Any Crafting Skill at 3

Bookbinder
Common

Effect: You know how to craft paper, books and writing kits.
Requirements: Needleworking 3

Annealing
Rare

Effect: You know the special techniques to harden iron into steel.  As part of a Blacksmithing Action, you may spend 5 coal, 1 hard iron, and 12 Blacksmithing Effort to make 1 Steel.
Requirements: Blacksmithing 5

Malefica
Malefica Butchery

Rare
Effect: You gain the ability to carve and butcher malefic creatures.  In order to butcher them correctly, you must stand over the beast with a knife, and take at least five minutes to butcher the creature and attempt to dig out Malefic essences to be used in the creation of Malefica.  This must be done within five minutes of the creatures death or the bezoars inside are ruined.

Using or harvesting organs from Maleficarum is illegal in the Throne, usually also attracting charges of heresy.  Nonetheless, these materials can be used by those with the knowledge to make potions or other items that confer some of the traits of the monster they were cut from, and are prized on black markets. (Read more about Malefica)

Requirements: Survival 3, Anatomy, Zoology

Malefica Iosis

Rare
Effect: You know how to process red sanguine bezoars into Rubido Essences.  These can be used in an Apothecary Crafting Action to create powerful Malefica concoctions, or used as Catalyst for Air magic. It takes 3 Apothecary Effort to create a Malefica concoction, or 1 Apothecary Effort to create a Catalyst from a sanguine bezoar.
Requirements: Apothecary 4, Curses

Malefica Leucosis

Rare
Effect: You know how to process white phlegmatic bezoars into Albedo Essences.  These can be used in an Apothecary Crafting Action to create powerful Malefica concoctions, or used as Catalyst for Water magic. It takes 3 Apothecary Effort to create a Malefica concoction, or 1 Apothecary Effort to create a Catalyst from a phlegmatic bezoar.
Requirements: Apothecary 4, Undead

Malefica Melanosis

Rare
Effect: You know how to process black melancholic bezoars into Nigredo Essences.  These can be used in an Apothecary Crafting Action to create powerful Malefica concoctions, or used as Catalyst for Earth magic. It takes 3 Apothecary Effort to create a Malefica concoction, or 1 Apothecary Effort to create a Catalyst from a melancholic bezoar.
Requirements: Apothecary 4, Ghosts

Malefica Xanthosis

Rare
Effect: You know how to process yellow choleric bezoars into Citrinitas Essences.  These can be used in an Apothecary Crafting Action to create powerful Malefica concoctions, or used as Catalyst for Fire magic. It takes 3 Apothecary Effort to create a Malefica concoction, or 1 Apothecary Effort to create a Catalyst from a choleric bezoar.
Requirements: Apothecary 4, Spirits 

Academic Specialization
Archaeologist

Common
Effect: You are trained in finding and carefully unearthing the secrets of ages past. You may use your Downtime Action to investigate a Ruin and generate a Trial Tag at the beginning of the next event.  This tag will always require at least one person on the crew with the Archaeologist Technique, but may have other requirements and bonus knowledge requirements. A successful Archaeology Trial may expose a new layer or chamber of the Ruin, which you will be informed of at the end of the Trial.  If it does, you may use another Downtime Action at that Ruin to generate the next Trial.

Requirements:  Academics 3, Archaeology, Architecture, History.

Anthologize

Common
Effect: You are excellent at teaching topics while tying in related material.  When you use a Research action to write a book, and use a Blank Tome instead of a Blank Book, you may include up to 3 studies or Techniques for the book to cover.  The reader may make use of all of the topics contained in the book using the Academics skill.

Anthologized tomes must be written in Aldersabin or Shariq’a
Requirements:  Academics 3, Library Science, Logic, Rhetoric.

New Language

Rare
Effect: You have learned a language that you didn’t grow up with.  You may speak and write this new language.  This Technique may be purchased again for additional languages.
Requirements: Linguistics, (Culture) Lore (Church Lore for Aldersabin)

Auctoritas Contract

Common
You have the legal knowledge and language to write formal contracts. These Contracts are, by Imperial Law, legally enforceable by the local Master of Coin, and even may bind nobility, who are otherwise above the common law.  Contracts must be for lawful actions to be enforced, and must be agreed to by both parties.
Requirements: Mercantile 3, Law, Auctoritas

Legalese

Rare
Effect: Your command of Rogalian legal language allows you to add confusing subclauses to the agreed upon text in a Contract that most people won’t understand until it is pointed out to them or explained carefully.  The contract must be written in Rogalt, and you must mark an asterisk on the contract in the most related area of the text, and may notify Staff of the secret clause in the contract.  This Study also allows you to immediately read and understand such clauses, and you may ask the true meaning if you see an asterisk.
Requirements: Auctoritas Contract, Etiquette 2, Law, Rhetoric, Rogalian Language

Sidereal Understanding

Common
 Effect: You have an understanding of the stars and constellations and their effects on the arcane and divine.  You may learn the star sign of the current event, which may be important to Wizards, Cyanihim, or others.
Requirements: Astrology, Horology, Theology 

Persuasive Author

Common
 Effect:  You know how to a Author a book so that it contains a message that the reader has no choice but to internalize if they want to use the information in the book. When you make the book, you may indicate a specific use of Persuasion 2 that the reader is affected by EACH TIME they use the book and may not resist. If you also possess Persuasion 3, you may also include a specific use of that level, as well.  Both effects are simultaneous so a Bond gained from this Technique may not be used by this Technique without a second use of the book. 
Requirements: Rhetoric, Psychology, Academics 4, Persuasion 2

Physicker
Physicker

Rare
Effect:  You are familiar with the human body and are capable of mending some of its harms using techniques that are looked at with suspicion by the Hospitalier. This knowledge allows the physicker to perform two functions:

First, they may use a Bandage on an injured limb and bind it.  After 30 minutes, the limb regains usability, though the injured character gains the Dainty Flaw until true recovery has been achieved. This requires wound makeup.

Further, they can treat a Dying character, restoring them to out of that state with a single Maim instead of the usual two maims. The recovering character becomes Battered and takes Fortitude Disease 1 after the treatment is finished. 

Either of these events requires around 10 minutes of medical roleplay with the patient, using crude tools as props.  The Physicker must also apply grime and/or wound makeup to the player they are treating which shows the wounds they have received in their recent brush with death (even wounds besides the ones they treated).  Not costuming these wounds appropriately will cause this Technique to fail.

Use of this Study requires Surgeon’s Tools item and props.  More advanced forms of this Study are said to exist. 
Requirements:  Academics 4, Courage 2, Anatomy,  Physiology, an exploratory autopsy.

Physicker: Transfusion

Rare
Effect: The physicker may transfer needed blood from a Healthy patient to a Battered one. The blood donor is then Battered and the patient becomes Healthy. The patient also receives a Fortitude Disease 2, and so this technique is best used on those with a strong immune system.

Requirements:  Physicker Technique, Academics 4, Courage 2, Anatomy, Physiology, Hydraulics, a collection of blood samples from 3 different Cultures and all 4 different Social Classes. Taking a blood sample requires bleeding a live subject until they are Battered.

Physicker: Transplant

Rare
Effect: The physicker may save a patient who is suffering from a Crippling Maim, such as missing limbs or blinded eyes, by replacing their dysfunctional parts with more intact parts taken from a fresh donor. While a volunteer’s parts work the best, the primary source of these limbs and organs is the freshly dead.

The physicker may use intact parts from a person who has died during this Event in order to reduce a Crippling Maim down to a Mild Maim of the same category. New hands might have a weak grip, and new eyes likely still suffer from some vision loss. Patients who receive this near miraculous treatment must endure a Fortitude Disease 3 as a cost for their recovery.

Requirements:  Physicker, Transfusion, Academics 4, Courage 2, Needleworking 2, Anatomy, Physiology, performed a human vivisection

Social Manipulations
Prima Donna

Common
Effect: If all the attention of a crowd or gathering (5 or more) in the room is on you, you immediately gain Inspired, which fades when you are not the center of attention if unused.
Requirements: Performance 2, Etiquette 3

Shopkeep

Common
Effect: You may set up a tent or other fully enclosed area within which is an OOG area where you may display item tags and prices for each.  Players may enter when not engaged in another combat or social scene and purchase the items within by leaving the required coin in a designated container and signing a log of what they purchased.  Physreps are not required in this space, but items purchased must be physrepped appropriately.  It is assumed that a shopkeeper and guard have been hired by this Technique and a Streetwise 3 Confrontation Trial must be generated in order to rob this space.
Requirements: Economics, Mercantilism 5

String Attached

Common
Effect: You are skilled at making deep connections over the giving of gifts, or at least making the receiver of your gifts feel it. Whenever you give a gift you made with your own hands, you may call Obey: Take a Bond of gratitude towards me.
Requirements: Any Craft Skill 2, Persuade 2

Spycraft
Shady Dealings

Common
Effect: When using the Patron ability of Mercantilism, your identity is concealed from those you are hiring.
Requirements: Mercantilism 5, Streetwise 3

Blackmail

Common
Effect: You may use Provocation 4 by referencing a Corpse in the Closet you think the target has instead of a Depravity.
Requirements: Provocation 4, Psychology

Incriminate

Common
Effect:  You may frame someone else.  As a Streetwise Action, you may create a false Streetwise report for a specific target for levels of Streetwise you possess. Anyone attempting a Streetwise Action to look into the target sees your falsified report for the duration of this Event.
Requirements: Streetwise 1, Sincerity 3

Misdirection

Common
Effect: Someone else that you are working with may clothespin your mark instead of you in order to Pickpocket, so long as you are within arm’s reach of the target.
Requirements: Finesse 2, Sincerity 1

Document Forgery

Common
Effect: Anyone can forge a letter, but your steady hands allow you to perfectly mimic a signature or wax seal, and you have the talent to age paper and other effects to make a document look believable. This produces a perfect replica – no mundane form of detection can find the fault. You may also break and reseal a wax seal binding a letter without damaging it.
Requirements: Finesse 5, Linguistics

Signet Forgery

Common
Effect: Signet rings are usually specifically designed to frustrate forgeries.  It works, just not against you.  You are skilled enough to duplicate a signet ring and forge any signet with for you have a sample.
Requirements: Document Forgery, Metalworking 3, Heraldry (Lore)

Cryptography

Rare
Effect: You can encode anything you write with special codes that only you and those you teach how can read.  You may take an Action in order to create any number of paper “keys” with the same code on them.  Anyone who has a key can write or read an encrypted document with that key. This means that those with this Technique can break other Cryptographers’ codes with an Action.

Requirements: Academics 5, Etiquette 2, Library Science, Linguistics, Mathematics

Desperate Measures
Dirty Fighting

Common
Effect: After you suffer Knockdown (or voluntarily the effects of Knockdown), you may call Earth Stun on one opponent in melee range as you stand up as you mime throwing dirt in their eyes.
Requirements: Finesse 1

Flee!

Common
Effect: While screaming and running away, you may call Dodge once per Rest. You must attempt to leave the combat at all costs. Trade dignity for life.
Requirements: Lack of self respect

Torturer

Common
Effect: By inflicting harm to someone, you may gain social advantage over them.  Once per scene, you may call Power on an Obey call against someone on whom you have inflicted the Pain Condition. 

Further, you know how to inflict grievous harm to get your way.  You may inflict Maims of your choice any character that is helpless and fully under your power with five minutes of roleplay.  For each such Maim inflicted during the scene, you gain Power on all of your Obey calls against your victim.
Requirements: Anatomy, Psychology, Intimidation 3