Famine: New Skills

H owls:
Unless otherwise noted, these are social basic skills, and require 90 hours to learn. Changing Folk receive a free retest on the Common Sense or Wits check to test-down the time required.

Call to Arms=Call to Arms Apprentice

This howl allows you to summon your company and allies. Those hearing & understanding this howl (based on skill level) know who the caller is, approximate distance & direction, & whether the howl is for battle or an emergency. An apprentice is able to howl to one mile, alerting her company to her need. A journeyman can call out to 3 miles for his allies & all Lycanthropes with a request for aid. The master's howl can be heard for 10 miles, and she can determine exactly who may understand the call—others hearing merely a wolf's cry.

This howl announces that a given area belongs to you and/or your company.
 * -|Claimant Howl=Claimant Howl

Martial
 * -|Cry of Panic=Cry of Panic

This mournful howl lowers specific resistances & the armor class of your opponent. A successful contest between your Personality and their Willpower divides their specific resistances—such as stabbing, fire, or crushing—by 20%, and lowers their armor class by -2. This howl sends chills up their spine, reducing their ability to passively defend themselves. This skill affects a all opponents within a reasonably close range—inside the same room or about 30 feet away.

Martial
 * -|Fearful Howl=Fearful Howl

Proficiency

Counts as 2 skills at character creation

The fearful howl stuns enemies if they fail a saving throw vs. intimidation at a 10 + the skill level. All enemies within close hearing range (about 300 yards) are affected, as are allies that have not yet grown accustomed to the use of this ability. Stunning the enemies in this manner acts as a surprise round, & may be used once per battle.


 * -|Howl of Glory=Howl of Glory

This howl is used to glorify the actions of a member of your company. The heroic deeds are sent onto the winds, & the other Changing others further away. In this manner the outstanding deeds are made known across the land.


 * -|Howl of Moons' Passing=Howl of Moons' Passing

Used to alert other companies of a pending disaster. Severe weather, approaching armies, and fire, all are considered dire times ahead.


 * -|Howl of Sorrow=Howl of Sorrow

Used when a member of the company is slain. All who hear this mournful cry are made aware of the pain & grief of loss. Those responsible for the death will feel some remorse upon hearing the howl.


 * -|Howl of the Hunt=Howl of the Hunt

Traditional company howl to signify a great hunt; used both before & after.


 * -|Hunted Dreams=Hunted Dreams

Mystic

Often used for unmeted justice, this howl—when heard by its intended sleeping victim—causes nightmares where he or she is being chased & hunted by unseen assailants. The victim may possibly awake with cold sweats (if the howling still continues, this may clue the victim in as to who is responsible). The loss of sleep causes one fatigue point for every half-hour of nightmares. The victim receives a saving throw at 14 or better.


 * -|Juno's Mastery=Juno's Mastery

60 hours

Your howls extend for miles; increase all ranges by tenfold.


 * -|Luna's Invitation=Luna's Invitation

This howl is used to announce a general meeting that an area is open to all, or simply an excuse to get together.


 * -|Taunting Bark=Taunting Bark

By goading your opponent, and keeping him or her off balance mentally, you are able to lower their attack and parry bonuses by -3; this effect lasts until the end of the round in which you attack your prey. This affects a single enemy within melee range. This skill is best when used as part of tactical combat with allies, as the penalties your opponent suffer last until you stop using this bark in order to attack; you may continue to taunt your opponent while your allies attack, however.


 * -|Warning Bark=Warning Bark

Proficiency [Awareness] 200 hours

This skill increases the advantage of pack tactics; Warning Bark gives packmates +1 to armor class (yes, stackable for each one who uses this skill) for the round on successful skill check.

Other skills common to the lands of the north:
Bulldogedness=Bulldogedness

Martial Basic 400 hours

You are able to lock your jaw after biting an opponent. Your Willpower is added to the effective gripping Strength. Even death cannot separate your teeth. If the jaw cannot be pried loose, it must be cut off.


 * -|Calling=Calling

Mystic Proficiency [Personality] 400 hours

Favored by conjurers, this mystic ability allows you to summon a supernatural entity that you have bound to you. The spirit must not be physically restricted from travel, and you must know the proper name of said spirit (even if its only a name is one that you gave it). You must first bind the spirit to answer such summons first, through art of the deal, defeating it in combat, preparing a sacrifice, or doing favors for the entity—the exact details are dependant on the spirit in question & the twisted whims of the Game Master.


 * -|Fang & Claw Style=Fang & Claw Style

Martial Basic 600 hours

You allow your instinctive rage to take over in battle. When fighting with only natural weaponry, you receive a +6 to initiative, +4 to attacks, +2 to parry, & +1 damage.


 * -|Folding Body=Folding Body

Martial Proficiency [Wits] 600 hours Double learning difficulty

This skill is only possible for those able to alter their form in some manner. By shapeshifting while being struck a blow, the potential damage may be cut in half (rounded up). The skill check to accomplish this is at 12 + the damage received; failure indicates that a more sensitive area was damaged, & an additional 1D6 points of damage are taken. Use of this skill counts as a defensive action (taking the place of a parry, block, or dodge).


 * -|Inner Fury=Inner Fury

Mystic Apprentice 600 hours

This potent battle-magic allows you to burn out your own body to wreak havoc on your foes. At the cost of one life-point per round, your strength is increased by +5, initiative by +3, stabbing resistance of +5%, and you do not feel the effects of shock, pain, or fatigue. You are still aware of when you are about to completely burn out your life force, but you do have the option of continuing into death (one last round, then you drop). After you discontinue use of this skill, you suffer from 1D6 fatigue points. A journeyman is able to make a Stamina check to avoid the fatigue cost, & increases the stabbing resistance to 10%. The master gains a retest on all Stamina checks while this skill is in use (excepting the check to avoid fatigue, at that point the skill is no longer in use), increases the initiative bonus to +4, & the stabbing resistance is matched by a crushing resistance of 10%.


 * -|Mark the Territory=Mark the Territory

Social Basic 200 hours

By urinating & scratching trees or other objects, one may mark one's territory. Knowledge of this skill also includes recognizing the boundaries of another's territory.


 * -|Personal Totem=Personal Totem

Mystic Proficiency [Stamina] 300 hours

This is a small personal totem made "out of the carcass of his slain enemies" or as a tattoo. This causes a fear effect—those who oppose this warrior—and are able to see the totem—must save against emotive magic at 5+ the skill level or be intimidated. This is blood magic and requires the warrior to expend 5 life points to create the totem.


 * -|Predation=Predation

Social Proficiency [Grace] 200 hours

You have the air of a predator. Most predatory animals in your presence will treat you as one of their own—or at least not want to mess with you. If this skill is use against an animal that already feels cornered or otherwise threatened, then this skill may backfire, resulting in a possible attack. Sentient beings typically feel uneasy when in the presence of someone using this skill.


 * -|Sense Weakness=Sense Weakness

Social Proficiency [Awareness] 400 hours

By watching a group for at least a few minutes, you are able to roughly estimate their combative abilities: which is weakest, who is the leader, if you have a good chance of taking down any one in particular, etc.


 * -|Spirit Charm=Spirit Charm

Mystic Proficiency [Personality] 600 hours

You are able to coax spirit into an object for a time. The exact duration & effects are dependent on the nature of the spirit and how well the enchanter is at convincing it. There may be a small token act or sacrifice to convince the spirit to enter the object. This is dependent on the in-character interaction between the enchanter and the spirit at the time of the imbuing.


 * -|Tribal Totem=Tribal Totem

Mystic Basic 1000 hours

Requires Mastery of Magic Lore Counts as 2 skills at character creation

This is the knowledge of how to enchant a large immobile pole that protects a village. One or more animals or spirits must be defeated & slain, and bound into the totem. This is typically carved out of wood—occasionally stone—and is often decorated with painted features & fetish-items attached. Each animal or entity sacrificed for the tribal totem is represented on the pole, & each adds at least one special feature to the village. For example, a bear may help keep the village alive through a cold winter, a hawk may warn of approaching danger in the form of a dream, a fire Elemental may prevent the homes from burning, etc. The effects are subtle, and generally do not need game statistics. From the example, the Elemental would stop a dropped candle from destroying a house, but couldn’t prevent raiders from setting torch to the village. Learning this skill requires a solid knowledge of the culture for which you are shaping the totem in addition to strong knowledge of the principles of magic. Creation of a tribal totem requires at least two months.


 * -|Undo Scent=Undo Scent

Technical Basic 200 hours

This is the knowledge of different methods to alter one's smell to that of a different animal. You know what portions of an animal's anatomy contains the needed glands, and are able to extract such and apply it to your person to mask your native odor.


 * -|War Song=War Song

Social Basic 200 hours

You are able to inspire your comrades-at-arms in battle. Hearing this before combat, they receive a retest against fear, panic, or any other emotive drive that may make them flee the field.


 * -|Whispers of the Spirit=Whispers of the Spirit

Mystic Apprentice 800 hours Counts as 2 skills at character creation

This skill allows you to speak to a variety of non-corporeal entities. The spirits of those departed—that still retain some measure of sentience, Elementals, astral travelers, Demons, and most of the Fae are able to hear & understand your words— even if your exact meaning is unclear. Language is not a barrier, nor is physical blocks; the entity need only be in the vicinity. This skill only allows one-way communication; the entity may not be able to reply in kind. Note also that being able to hear & understand you does not compel the entities to do as you ask.