Talents are your character's basic skills that are performed as basic tasks. These range from somewhat more specialized tasks like Animal Handling and Manipulate Device (which is essentially lock picking and trap disarming) to more generalized things like Acrobatics and Climbing. You use your XP to improve your Talents. All Talents, except for the ones that say otherwise in their description, can be used at Rank 0. The amount of XP needed to improve a Talent depends upon the current Rank of the Talent. Ranks 1 to 5 require only 1 XP, ranks 6 to 10 require 2 XP, ranks 11 to 15 require 3 XP, and ranks 16 to 20 require 4 XP.
Note that getting a Critical on a Roll (see Dice Rolls in the Gameplay Section) puts a free point of XP into the Talent used in the Roll, which can either improve the Talent if only one point of XP is needed to do so, or can put you on the step to doing so as this represents you learning something from an above and beyond accomplishment. Anyway, here are the Talents. Note that, currently, three of these Talents require background training in the form of Traits in order to use and put points into. Note that the Stat that the Talent uses in its score is listed in ( ) next to its name.
Note that at every 5 Ranks you achieve in a Talent you gain a Synergy Bonus for said Talent. This means that you can select one other Talent that the Talent you have achieved the five Ranks in has a Synergy with and you gain a permanent +1 bonus on all Rolls with the other Talent you selected. At Rank 20 you get two Synergies instead. Some Synergies may have listed in ( ) next to them some information, this is usually a special circumstance of when the Synergy bonus applies (as not all of them can always apply to every situation that Talent is used in). Note that Talent Synergies for Talents can change as time progresses for certain Talents as they change themselves over time.
Also at Character Creation the highest rank you can get any Talent to is 10, although I don't recommend that as that would put you back a good 15 XP, not leaving you much else to spend on other things. Note that Talents that require background Traits in order to use can only be brought to Rank 5 at Character Creation. Talents can only be raised by one rank at a time. This means only one rank during an adventure or one rank during a time skip, as this represents a bit more of a realistic talent growth as suddenly improving immense in a Talent in a week's time is a bit unrealistic.
Note, I may accidentally refer to the Talents as Skills, which is what they really are as well. Deal with it. XD
Also any Talent with a * in its name is affected by the Armor Penalty.
Your characters start off with a base 45 XP for purchasing Talents and Traits (some Races may start off with other amounts), plus an additional amount equal to their Aptitude and whatever is granted from their Flaws.
Acrobatics is the Talent that allows one to move with grace and agility from common dodging in battle (its best use) to jumping, balancing, tumbling, dancing, and other forms of acrobatic movement. As mentioned before, its best use is being your Dodge Roll for evading attacks in combat (see Combat in the Gameplay Section). At Rank 10 the Armor Penalty (as long as you are wearing Medium Armor or lighter) of the armor you are wearing is decreased by 1 for only movement based tasks.
Talent Synergy: Climbing, Fisticuffs, Melee Weaponry (but only with Light Weapons. Also only able to choose at Rank 10 and higher)
Alchemy is a special Skill that involves the identification and creation of various substances and items using other special materials, substances, and even items. From special potions to explosives, Alchemy, despite how uncommon it is, is still considered a somewhat extraordinary Skill among the more common people with what it is currently capable of. For this Talent, when making something you can either ask me for a list of what you can make (as in what recipes you could know), or try and experiment and ask me if you can try and make a specific form of item. On your travels it is possible to stumble across writings containing very special recipes for rather rare or potent items.
Note that Alchemy is best performed in a town where you have access to a place where you can buy the needed materials unless you decide to buy a bunch of random materials at a town that you want to carry on the road. Note that you also need an Alchemy Pouch Item that has the needed basic tools for performing Alchemy.
Alchemy is a rather rare Skill that is quite complex and thus it takes years to learn. You must purchase a Trait at Character Creation that would give you background training in this Talent in order for you to use it. Also you may only attain five Ranks in this Talent at Character Creation.
Talent Synergy: Herbology, Linguistics, Knowledge, Arcane Craft, and Blacksmithing
Ranks in this Talent represent your knowledge and ability of being able to handle and train animals. This Talent involves various interactions with animals, both common and exotic alike. Especially useful if you plan on dealing alot with animals from just your own mount to maybe a loyal animal companion.
Talent Synergy: Riding and Survival (but only for hunting animals).
This Talent involves appraising and determine the value and basic quality of various goods from weapons and jewels to slaves and spices. The higher the result, the closer to the exact value of the item you can determine, which can help in haggling. Also can be used to gain some other insight on the item if you do not have the appropriate Craft Talent needed to do so. Even can be used to determine the authenticity of something.
Talent Synergy: Any Crafting Talent and Observation.
This is the powerful craft of magic, a skill of knowledge rather than one of power. To use this Talent you must acquire a Trait that would have given your character background training in the Arcane Craft. You also must have a Willpower of 5 and an Aptitude of 6. You may also only attain five Ranks in this Talent at Character Creation. Magic is a much more ritualistic based art in this world as it is now, with no real direct attack spells being apart of the common magical knowledge, even among those who practice the darker, twisted arts of Sorcery. Arcane Craft is an art that makes things happen, not an art that summons and calls forth incredible power. This Skill can be used in one of two ways in its basest state. Special Traits that you acquire may allow you to use it in different ways.
When you use Magic you draw the magical symbols (essentially just special letter like glyphs) that relate to what you are trying to accomplish and try to perform a very special feat of magic using your knowledge. You essentially RP what you want to happen, or what your character tries to make happen, and I will determine if one, it is possible with the current knowledge of magic your character possesses (it is possible to acquire special writings that have knowledge of how to do special things in magic). Upon success that thing happens. A Critical may make something even greater than that happen. Note that using this counts as a Full Round Action, meaning you cannot perform any other Simple Actions (except for maybe a tiny bit of speaking or such during the process) in the round (which includes free attacks and other such things). Also when using magic, unless stated otherwise, you go at the end of the Turn.
The first way, as seen above, is to use magic. The second is negating other magic. When you see magical glyphs and symbols on surfaces you can attempt to erase them with your own knowledge of magic if they currently have power (like some could be placed there as traps or something).
Of course, the other way that this Talent is used for is essentially learning magical knowledge from writing to be able to do more with your magic or writing, and possibly encoding, but that requires a Linguistics Roll, the magical knowledge so that only you and those who you give the encryption to can access the knowledge you are trying to keep a secret by encrypting the knowledge in your writings.
All uses of Arcane Craft when using magic use Energy, using 1 to 5 points of it depending upon what you are trying to accomplish. Also Armor Penalty only affects Arcane Craft when using magic, not when just studying or learning.
Talent Synergy: Knowledge, Linguistics, and Alchemy.
The art of forging and repairing objects made of metal such as weapons, armor, and other metal tools or objects. The following goes for all Talents from here on out identified as a 'Craft Talent'. The cost and time needed for repairing or making objects depends upon the complexity of the object. Also sometimes you may need certain tools or a certain type of work space as well (like for Blacksmithing you need a forge). Craft Talents are also be used in attempts to examine objects that would be in their category (like using Blacksmithing to examine a sword or a metal door). You must have a Dex of at least 4 in order to properly utilize crafting (as it takes some finesse and hand eye coordination). If you do not have a Dex of 4 then you suffer a -5 penalty on all Rolls with all Crafting Talents.
Talent Synergy: Appraisal, Leather Working, Stone Cutting, and Alchemy (can only be selected twice)
This Crafting Talent is for those who would work with wood including making wooden tools or even weapons. Even houses or ships could be made with this Talent (although a team would be needed for those two types of very large projects else they would take a very long time and be very difficult). Even catapults could be made with this Skill.
Talent Synergy: Appraisal, Stone Cutting, and Engineering.
As its name implies, this Talent is just for scaling various surfaces, objects, or steep terrains, special tools like grappling hooks or climbing hooks able to help with this. At Rank 6 you become able to climb at your regular speed instead of half an descend at double.
Talent Synergy: Acrobatics and Swimming
Your character's mental strength and fortitude from just your own natural willpower and perhaps any way you might have strengthened it over time. Used to resist mind harming affects. Every 4 Ranks you have in this Talent increases your Energy by 1.
Talent Synergy: Hardiness.
This talent represents the art of disguise, which includes making and wearing convincing disguises to various forms of acting and even voice mimicry. Its takes about a minute to put on a Disguise, but at Rank 10 you can put on a disguise in half the time. This Skill can also be used to create camouflage for stealth.
Talent Synergy: Stealth, Performance, and Negotiation (for Bluffing only)
A somewhat rare skill in more uncivilized lands. Engineering is a knowledge of scholars and, while it does not require background training, in order to acquire any Ranks in this Skill you must have at least an Apt of 4. This Talent represents a more mechanical or architectural knowledge. It is often used in accompaniment with other Talents to build complex devices or traps, like black smithing to build metal traps or locks for instance. Also used for building large scale objects like houses or ships, things that require architectural knowledge (while they may not actually require Engineering, you can certainly make a much better house or ship if you do use it). This somewhat young art (among Galmin anyway) is somewhat rare, more common among more learned scholars really and craftsman who spent their lives building houses, fortresses, or ships. This Talent may also be used to disarm traps or pick locks, but only when it reaches Rank 6 and if you have a Dex of 5 or higher.
Talent Synergy: Any Crafting Talent, Appraisal, Observation, Manipulate Device, Knowledge, and Survival (only for making traps in the wild out of things in the woods).
The art of diagnosing and treating patients wounds or ailments. In battle it can be used to stop an ally from bleeding out (DL 15, 20 for a creature of a different race). If the wounds are fresh on a person you can use this Talent to treat them (DL 20, 25 if someone of a different race). You heal their Vitality by an amount equal to half of your success over the DL plus 1. This can also be used to treat old wounds to help them heal faster or administer long term care to a patient.
Talent Synergy: Herbalism, Survival, and Alchemy (only applies to substances meant for healing).
The act of attacking opponents while unarmed with things such as elbows, kicks, punches, choke holds, grapples, eye gouging, and etcetera. When used to parry or attack against Armed opponents you suffer a -5 penalty since its harder to attack an armed opponent without a weapon. At Rank 10 you are now considered Armed while unarmed and thus no longer suffer a -5 penalty when fighting armed opponents and you no longer suffer the Armor Penalty when fighting unarmed. At Rank 20 you get a free Trait related to unarmed fighting. Improved Tripping Attack and Shield Bash are also two options. You get this free Trait instead of the two Talent Synergies.
Talent Synergy: Melee Weaponry (for Light weapons only)
This represents your own natural bodily fortitude and how you have actively or passively trained it over time. This Talent is used in any roll to resist physical ailments. Every four Ranks you have in this Talent increases your Vitality by 1.
Talent Synergy: Concentration
The knowledge of herbs and how to preserve, dry, and use them in various ways, including making herbal concoctions out of herbs you find. Also used to locate herbs in either a garden or in the wild. Preserving herbs for storage if you do not plan to use them immediately (or need them preserved and dried) takes about an hour for the process, then a good six to eight additional hours of waiting for drying out after that (the six to eight hours is not apart of the process, so you can do whatever during this time).
Talent Synergy: Alchemy, Survival, and First Aid (but only when using herbs or herbal concoctions in your first aid attempt)
This Talent is a bit special. It represents your general knowledge of all different sorts of things whether its religion, arcane, nature, or other such things. The DL of all Rolls not only depends upon how rare the knowledge you are trying to understand is, but your background as well. For instance, a person who is an expert hunter or herbalist might have a better understanding of Nature than say a scholar who spends much of his time with his nose in tomes, who would probably have a better understanding of History or Arcane. Yes, the DL of all Knowledge rolls till vary based upon your character's background. Some rolls may be easier or harder based upon your character's background and current skill set. Like a nobleman would have a better understanding of court lore and heraldry for instance and a knight or even a mercenary might have a better understanding of military tactics and lore. Someone who travels around alot (like a bard or other such) may have a better understanding of geography and even local or folk lore. Essentially put, this Skill can vary in its uses for different characters.
Talent Synergy: Linguistics, Alchemy, Sorcery, and Arcane Craft (Sorcery and Arcane Craft can only be selected twice a piece and can only be selected at Rank 10 and higher)
This Craft Talent involves working with leather and leather based goods including making armor, skinning animals, tanning hides, and other such things that involve leather.
Talent Synergy: Tailoring, Survival (only when dealing with skinning animals), and Blacksmithing
In these current ages, the need to know languages is not really apparent since Galmin usually speak a common language in their different regions of the world. Other than knowing these different languages, Linguistics does not have much use other than for knowing, understanding, and deciphering lost, ancient languages. It does have one other use though, knowing how to write properly including encoding and deciphering written messages and codes or spoken codes and innuendos (which has use in battle for giving tactics or advice to allies secretly in hearing distance of the enemy without them understanding it). Also useful for writing messages meant to negotiate with others.
At 4th and 8th Rank, gain access to one new language. At 10th and every second rank after, gain access to another new language.
Talent Synergy: Deciphering and learning special secrets from books, scrolls, or other written sources (select for either Alchemy, Arcane Craft, or Sorcery), Negotiation (Where the written word is commonplace only), and Knowledge (Where the written word is commonplace only).
Unless a lock smith or the apprentice of one, this Talent is a more covert and illegal one as opening a lock without a key isn't exactly a legal action in most places (although you'll find that not every place employs the usage of locks, like in some more rough or 'primitive' villages for instance). Aside from picking locks, this Talent can also be used to disarm traps as well.
Talent Synergy: Sleight of Hand, Engineering, and Blacksmithing (but only for making and repairing locks and traps)
Your ability to negotiate with and influence others through your words or actions whether its through diplomacy or other means like intimidation, bluffing, haggling, and etc. Note that Negotiation can only be used on creatures with an Apt of 2 or higher, so not things like Undead, animals, and etc (although intimidation is different for some non intelligent creatures who would be able to fear).
Talent Synergy: Disguise, Performance, and Observation.
Represents your character's ability to discern the environment around them through your own senses to make you aware of things happening around you (like those trying to sneak up from behind for instance). Also allows you to discern information about someone as well (like if they are lying or how they may be reacting to something).
Talent Synergy: Appraisal, Stealth, and Negotiation
Your ability to perform and entertain whether it be singing, story telling, dancing, juggling, and etc. If its just for things like singing, playing instruments, telling stories or jokes, and other things like that you just use this Skill. But if you want to entertain through other ways with things like dancing, juggling, parlor tricks, and etc, then you would make the Roll for a different Talent first to see if you are successful in those endeavors, then you make a Performance Roll to make them entertaining. For instance for dancing you would make an Acrobatics Roll and for parlor tricks a Sleight of Hand Roll would be needed.
Talent Synergy: Disguise, Negotiation, Arcane Craft, Sorcery (but only when using Rituals or the Power of Words Trait for both Arcane Craft and Sorcery), and any other Talent (but only when using that Talent to perform and it has to be one that can be used to Perform, like Acrobatics or Sleight of Hand for instance).
Your ability to ride certain kinds of animals and man made vehicles effectively. Once you get Rank 2 in this Skill you no longer suffer Armor Penalty to Riding Rolls.
Talent Synergy: Animal Handling, Melee Weaponry, Projectile Weaponry, and Thrown Weaponry (for the last three its only for when riding on a non-exotic/monstrous mount).
Encompasses the piloting and other operations of a vessel as well as how to navigate while properly at sea. In a sense you can use this to navigate at sea instead of using a Knowledge Roll. Also represents your knowledge of anything having to do with sailing or other naval things.
Talent Synergy: Swimming, Knowledge, and Survival (for the last two its only anything involved with rivers, seas, coasts, and islands).
Represents your ability for pick pocketing, concealing items on your person, parlor tricks, palming things, and other such tricks of the hand. Can also be used to stealthy do things with your hands to hide the actions from onlookers, like maybe secretly passing a note or silently drawing a small weapon (which would be part of item palming/concealment).
Talent Synergy: Manipulate Device, Disguise, and Stealth
This darker, twisted form of magic harnesses the strength of dark powers to instead twist and corrupt the world around you. This works in the same way as Arcane Craft does as you draw darker symbols that are twisted versions of the regular arcane symbols, this dark power drains life force. Essentially, like Arcane Craft, you simply tell me what you are trying to accomplish and it will happen, only instead of making things around you happen, you use dark powers to twist, harm, and corrupt. For instance you could use it to cause a person incredible pain or maybe use it to make something shatter (which works better if you can inscribe the symbol on what you want to shatter, but it works still if you don't) and other such things. Even twisting and shaping the earth near you into deadly, horrid spikes is not impossible for this evil art.
Of course, you can use this talent to learn more dark arts and study the evil, dark, or even demonic writings that these teachings would be present in. This Talent requires 6 Will and 5 Aptitude to use. You also cannot learn both Sorcery and Arcane Craft. You also can only attain five Ranks in this Talent at Character Creation.
Talent Synergy: Linguistics, Knowledge, and Alchemy.
Represents your ability to hide, move quietly, camoflauge, and perform other actions in a stealthy manner to hide them from onlookers (like maybe silently drawing a regular sized weapon or quietly drawing a glyph). Can be used in combat to try and hide if there is something in which you can hide in/behind. At Rank 6 you become able to move at half speed with only a -5 penalty and full speed with a -10. At Rank 11 you can now move at half speed with no penalty and full speed with only a -5 penalty. All attempts at Stealth are opposed by the Observation Rolls of onlookers.
Talent Synergy: Disguise and Sleight of Hand.
A Crafting Talent that involves crafting and making things with stone and also examining stone work and even gem cutting. Usually just a hammer and chisel are all you need for this Talent.
Talent Synergy: Engineering, Blacksmithing, Appraisal, and Sleight of Hand
Represents all of the skills and abilities for surviving in the wild such as hunting, foraging for food, building campfires or shelters, detecting natural hazards, setting up safe or well defended campsites, tracking, and etcetera.
Talent Synergy: Observation, First Aid, Herb Craft (only for searching for Herbs in the wild), and Hunting (not a Talent, selecting this Synergy gives just the bonus to all attacks made against common Game animals).
The ability to stay above and move through water whether its fording a river, swimming along the surface of a lake, moving underwater without disorientation, treading water, and etcetera. Note that Armor Penalty has a double affect on this Talent.
Talent Synergy: Survival, Sailing, and Acrobatics (but these are all only for rolls involving water and being close to it)
This Craft Talent deals with working with cloth including sewing, weaving, and other such things. Can even be used to make things like basket, rope, or other such things that involve weaving.
Talent Synergy: Sleight of Hand, Appraisal, and Leather Working
Represents your proficiency in thrown weapons such as throwing knives, javelins, throwing spears, and other such forms of thrown weapons whether actual thrown weapons or improvised thrown weapons. At Rank 5 you become able to swiftly procure and aim a Thrown Weapon as a Simple Action instead of a regular Action (which costs you your turn). At Rank 10 you become able to throw Medium Weapons not meant to be thrown a very short distance with no penalty to the roll (like a battleaxe or longsword). This can also be done for Heavy Weapons, but with a -5 to the Attack Roll.
Talent Synergy: Ranged Weaponry, Melee Weaponry (only for light weapons that can be thrown), and all Crafting Talents (selecting this gives a bonus for repairing or making any kind of thrown weapon).
Represents your proficiency with any and all melee weapons both common and exotic such as swords, daggers, hammers, maces, axes, and etc.
Talent Synergy: Fisticuffs, Thrown Weaponry, and all Crafting Talents (selecting this gives a bonus for repairing or making any kind of melee weapon).
Represents your proficiency with projectile weapons such as crossbows, regular bows, and any other sort of weapon that can be aimed and fired. At Rank 4 you become able to swift load a Shortbow or Composite Shortbow as a Simple Action. At Rank 7 you can now do the same for any type of Bow. At Rank 11 you can now reload Crossbows in half the time (just one turn for a Light Crossbow and 2 Turns for a Heavy Crossbow).
Talent Synergy: Thrown Weaponry and all Crafting Talents (selecting this gives a bonus for repairing or making any kind of projectile weapon).