Secondary Abilities: Talents

Talents

Artistic Expression
You have the talent to produce works of art in various media. You can produce saleable works of two- or 3-D art, and understand something of the technical aspects of paintings and sketches.

* Novice: Your work is simple, seen as charmingly naive.
* * Practiced: Your work could win prizes at local art society shows.
* * * Competent: You could get a showing in a minor gallery.
* * * * Expert: Your work is admired, and your work is exhibited in galleries.
* * * * * Master: You are acknowledged as a driving force in contemporary art

Specialties: Oils, Watercolours, Mixed Media, Charcoal, Sketching, Caricature…etc

Carousing
This is the ability to have a good time at a party or other social occasion, and to make sure others around you also have a good time. For vampires, however, things are a little different. Carousing also includes the ability to appear to eat and drink normally, without actually doing so. Using this Ability, one of the Kindred could attend an opening-night cast party without arousing any suspicion. On a successful roll of Manipulation + Carousing, no one notices that the character neither eats nor drinks.

* Novice: You can plead a small appetite or recent illness.
* * Practiced: Perhaps you're watching your diet.
* * * Competent: A charming dinner companion.
* * * * Expert: You obviously enjoyed the food.
* * * * * Master: You even called for seconds.

Specialties: Sexual Innuendo, Lewd Jokes, Drinking, Exaggeration, Anecdotes

Diplomacy
You have the ability to deal with people of all types and creeds. You are skilled at delicate negotiations and mediating disputes. This ability involves knowledge of the formal rules of give and-take, as well as the official cultural rules of conduct and politeness.

* Novice: You can iron out schoolyard disputes.
* * Practiced: Friends ask you to deal with things for them.
* * * Competent: You could shine in management or personnel.
* * * * Expert: You could be a professional union negotiator or ombudsman.
* * * * * Master: You can defuse nearly any situation.

Specialties: Mediation, Negotiation, Etiquette, International Relations, Industry, Personal Relationships, Tact

Fortune Telling
You may or may not have the gift to tell accurate fortunes, but you can make people believe you do. This Ability may prove useful as a plot device or as a means for the
Character to earn money.

* Novice: You are able to use one method of divination adequately
* * Practiced: You can use one method of fortune telling well, and gain general information
* * * Competent: You know a lot about certain methods of fortune telling and can tell anyone detailed information that will apply to him.
* * * * Expert: You are able to use multiple methods well, and have a keen understanding of what people want to hear.
* * * * * Master: Gypsies take lessons from you.

Specialties: Tarot Cards, Prophecy, Romance, Palmistry

Haggling
You are skilled at bargaining and can reduce another's price, or get some other concession, under most circumstances.

* Novice: Bargain hunter
* * Practiced: Market trader
* * * Competent: Horse trader
* * * * Expert: Con artist
* * * * * Master: Marco Polo

Specialties: Art, Weapons, Automobiles, Contracts, Advanced Technology

Instruction
You have a knack for imparting information and skills to others. You might have worked as a teacher, or you may be a clan leader who teaches necessary Abilities to neonates. You can never raise a student's score above your own.
In order to determine the time it takes to raise a student's Ability, roll your Manipulation + Instruction (difficulty of 11 minus the student's Intelligence). One roll may be made per month of teaching. The number of successes is the
Number of experience points the student can apply toward
That Ability.

* Novice: You can take simple concepts (e.g. basic arithmetic) and present them in an interesting and digestible manner.
* * Practiced: You can teach moderately complex things (e.g. algebra) and make them straightforward and interesting.
* * * Competent: You can make differential calculus sound like the simplest thing in the world.
* * * * Expert: Learning from you is scarcely an effort. You could teach irrational-number theory or Sumerian cuneiform to almost anyone.
* * * * * Master: You are an inspiring teacher, and bestow a touch of greatness on anyone who studies with you.

Specialties: Lore, Customs and Laws, University, the Arts, Sciences

Interrogation
You are able to extract information from people by fair means or foul. Using a mixture of threats, trickery and persistent questioning, you ultimately unearth the truth.

* Novice: Nosy neighbour
* * Practiced: Movie cop
* * * Competent: Talk-show host
* * * * Expert: Investigative journalist
* * * * * Master: Spymaster

Specialties: Good Cop/Bad Cop, Threats, Trickery, Moral Blackmail

Intrigue
You know the finer points of plotting and deal-making in the halls of power. You understand the practical use of power to achieve your own ends. This Talent also covers the abilities to glean important facts about others among the Elysium crowd, and to separate truth from the endless amounts of false and useless gossip.

* Novice: Neonate
* * Practiced: Ancilla
* * * Competent: Elder
* * * * Expert: Primogen
* * * * * Master: Prince

Specialties: Gossiping, Feigning Ignorance, Threats, Plotting, Rumormongering, Alliances, Betrayals

Masquerade
This Talent cannot be taken during character generation, and is available only to vampires. Masquerade reflects how skilled a character is at appearing to be mortal: feigning respiration, creating a heartbeat, producing pink skin (by bringing blood to the surface), sneezing, masking vampiric tendencies, et al. Masquerade may be paired with a Social Attribute to determine whether the character successfully passes as a mortal among mortals.

* Novice: You might succeed - in ideal circumstances.
* * Practiced: You are able to pass casual inspection.
* * * Competent: You are undetectable under most normal circumstances.
* * * * Expert: You may succeed even under duress.
* * * * * Master: Even a witch-hunter would be fooled.

Specialties: Breathing, Simulating Heartbeat, While Sleeping, Sneezing, Hiccups, Producing Skin Tone, Warming One's Skin

Mimicry
You have a very versatile voice, and can imitate accents, people and sometimes other sounds. You may use this talent to entertain, or to deceive. With enough talent, almost any sort of sound can be created.

* Novice: You can passably duplicate a few accents…etc
* * Practiced: You can duplicate a range of accents well enough to fool anyone
* * * Competent: You could do this on stage. You know a wide range of accents and celebrity impressions…etc
* * * * Expert: You can imitate a specific person well enough to fool someone on the phone, and pass as a native speaker in an accent similar to your own. You can
duplicate a range of animal and technological noises.
* * * * *Master: There is almost no accent, person or noise you can't imitate.

Specialties: Accents, Celebrities, Birds and Animals, Mechanical Sounds, Vocal Impersonation

Panhandling
You are a skilled beggar. You are able to get people to give
you money just by asking for it. The roll is a blend of Manipulation,
Empathy, Intimidation, Streetwise and Subterfuge.

* Novice: You can tell a good hard-luck story.
* * Practiced: You can gain sympathy from most people.
* * * Competent: Real smooth.
* * * * Expert: People want to take you home and feed and clothe you.
* * * * *Master: You can get whatever you want (within reason) for free.

Specialties: The Rack, Yuppies, Sob Stories, Targeting

Poetic Expression
You are able to craft words in ways that evoke thoughts, emotions and reactions from those who read them. You can compose pleasing poetry in one or more styles, create
short and long fiction, write essays, reviews and editorials etc

* Novice: You can write a short poem and extemporize a limerick
* * Practiced: You could publish your poetry or fiction in a local journal, or write basic hit parade Lyrics.
* * * Competent: You could get your novel or anthologies of your work published and make a profit.
* * * * Expert: You are asked to do readings of your work for local society’s nationwide
* * * * * Master: Your work is already being taught in English classes, and you are recognized as one of the foremost writers of your day.

Specialties: Limericks, Short Fiction, Novel, Scripts,
Classical Forms, Extemporaneous, Lyric Writing, Jingles, Blank Verse, Deathless Art

Public Speaking
You are able to mould the emotions of a crowd by making a speech. This might be at a political rally, in a courtroom, at a lecture or even at the barricades once the revolution is underway. Whatever you want your audience to feel is
what it feels.

* Novice: Entertaining speaker
* * Practiced: Compelling speaker
* * * Competent: Inspiring speaker
* * * * Expert: Popular champion
* * * * * Master: Churchill or Hitler

Specialties: Entertaining, Moving, Demagoguery, Vote- Catching, Lies

Scan
You are practiced at noticing small details and changes in
the environment when you purposely look at or listen to
what is going on around you.

* Novice: If anyone notices police sirens, it's you.
* * Practiced: Police could use your detective abilities.
* * * Competent: The slightest motion draws your attention.
* * * * Expert: Nothing escapes your glance.
* * * * * Master: You can count the grains of salt on a pretzel - by taste.

Specialties: Keeping Watch, Quick Scan, Listening, Smelling, Assassins

Scrounging
You have a knack for finding almost anything, under
almost any circumstances. In the city, you know where to find almost any kind of item or service - no questions asked. It is amazing what you can find in dumpsters.

* Novice: You can find basic equipment and services, such as drugs, illegal weapons and hired thugs.
* * Practiced: You can get hold of a vehicle, a forged passport or a skilled wire tapper.
* * * Competent: You can find an aircraft and pilot or a hit man at an hour's notice.
* * * * Expert: You can find state-of-the-art military hardware, any vehicle you desire, and services better imagined than described.
* * * * * Master: You could probably find a rent controlled apartment overlooking Central Park for $100 a month.

Specialties: Illegal Goods, Vehicles, Services, Art, Technical Equipment

Search
You know how best to go about looking for someone or something in a small area.

* * Practiced: Tell-tale signs (e.g. broken plants) are apparent to you. <
* * * Competent: You know where to look.
* * * * Expert: Nothing escapes your glance.
* * * * * Master: You can spot the Purloined Letter in two seconds flat.

Specialties: Sounds, Woodwork, Small Objects, People, Concealed Doors

Seduction
You know how to lure, attract and command the attention of others in a sexual manner. By the way you hold yourself, how you look at someone and even by the tone of your voice, you are able to arouse and excite those upon whom
you practice your wiles.

* Novice: Teenager
* * Practiced: The "older woman"
* * * Competent: Heartthrob
* * * * Expert: Movie star
* * * * * Master: Vampire

Specialties: Witty Conversation, Opening Line, Innuendo, Alluring Look

Sense Deception
Over the years, you have developed the ability to know instinctively when people are not telling you the truth or not telling you the whole truth.

* Novice: Sometimes you can tell, but you still get suckered
* * Practiced: It takes a silver tongue to pull the wool over your eyes.
* * * Competent: Anyone who can slip one past you is a highly skilled con artist.
* * * * Expert: You could make a living screening people for security.
* * * * * Master: People whisper behind your back, and many are nervous talking to you. Your ability is almost supernatural.

Specialties: Interviews, Investigative, Courtroom, Technical (Polygraphs)

Style
You may not have been born good-looking, or possessed of a natural charm, but you know how to dress and make the most of your appearance.

* Novice: Good taste
* * Practiced: Socialite
* * * Competent: Celebrity
* * * * Expert: Celebrity advisor
* * * * * Master: International model

Specialties: Classic, High Fashion, Street Fashion, Retro, Ethnic

Swimming
You are able to swim - at least enough to keep yourself afloat, and maybe a little more. Note that vampires, unlike mortals, do not float naturally; if they do not swim, they sink

* Novice: You can swim.
* * Practiced: You can swim fast, or for extended periods.
* * * Competent: Instructor/lifeguard
* * * * Expert: Swim team
* * * * * Master: Olympic gold

Specialties: Racing, Distance, Sea, Survival, Lifesaving

Throwing
You know how to throw things in general, and how to use various types of thrown weapons

* Novice: You sometimes get the ball over home plate.
* * Practiced: High school baseball pitcher
* * * Competent: You are deadly even in a food fight.
* * * * Expert: Bruce Jenner with a javelin
* * * * * Master:

Specialties: Forests, Target, Hunting, Moving Targets

Ventriloquism
You have the ability to throw your voice, making it appear to come from somewhere else. This Talent can be used for entertainment - or deception.

* Novice: You could do a ventriloquist act at a children's party.
* * Practiced: You could get a spot with a local amateur.
* * * Competent: You could almost make a living from your talent.
* * * * Expert: You could take your act to Vegas.
* * * * * Master: You can make your voice appear to come from anywhere within earshot.

Specialties: Distance, Clarity, Dummy.