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Clerical Skills_________________________________________

The following skills are often learned through clerical careers, but may be learned through various other careers, or may be learned as non-career skills. (Those clerical skills that may not be learned as non-career skills are indicated in the skill descriptions below.)

Associated Skill Characteristic and Skill Rating: After the title of each skill is listed the skill's associated characteristic.

Each skill has a skill rating which is equal to the score of the character's associated characteristic score for that skill. Skill ratings may be used in two ways: 1. to test against in determining success or failure in the use of the skill, and 2. as a general indication of the character's competence in the skill. Gamemasters should use these competence guidelines to judge whether easy tasks might deserve a bonus for those of above -average competence, or whether difficult tasks might receive penalties for those of below average competence.

Use the following guidelines to judge a character's competence with a skill:

Skill Rating Skill Guideline

01-25: Below average for a person professing the skill, but more knowledgeable and adept than someone completely ignorant of the skill. May be a beginner, a dilettante, or a clod. Capable of competent work, but when hurried or careless, even if successful may produce at only a barely passable or substandard level.

026-50: Average for a person professing the skill. Fairly knowledgeable -- doesn't embarrass himself in bull discussions or boasting matches -- but unfamiliar with eccentric, sophisticated, or innovative aspects of the skill. Capable of performing most common tasks effectively, given time, and making allowances for mistakes. Seldom brilliant, but occasionally clever or notably effective.

51-75: Above average knowledge and competence. Often recognized by neighbors and colleagues as an expert. Very rarely makes serious mistakes with common tasks, and may be capable of occasional brilliance.

76-00: Superhuman or heroic ability. Likely to have a substantial reputation. Difficult tasks are performed with ease. Impossible tasks may be attempted with enthusiasm.

Example #1: Uschi, a priestess of Shallya, has the cult doctrine skill. The associated characteristic for cult doctrine is Intelligence (Int). Uschi has an Int score of 45. Uschi's skill rating for cult doctrine is 45.

Testing for Success with the Skill: Uschi's companions attack a manticore. The Shallya cult prohibits killing, even in self-defense. But... can she kill to protect the lives of others? Can Uschi come to the aid of her companions? Uschi consults her cult doctrine skill. The dice are rolled -- 67 -- indicating that Uschi doesn't know, or doesn't remember, whether killing might be justified in this case. (If the dice has rolled 45 or lower, Uschi might have remembered that some cult scholars hold that taking one life to save several others may be justified in certain circumstances. Whether these are those certain circumstances, Uschi must decide for herself.)

Example #2: Alexis, a priest of Ulric, has the cult doctrine skill, too, but has an Int of 70.

General Indication of Competence: Alexis is taken captive by a goblin raiding band and tortured to force him to reveal the details of a border fort's defenses. The Ulric cult prohibits its initiates and priests from the use of trickery or deceit, but exaggerating the fort's strengths, particularly since the goblins know Alexis is a priest of Ulric and prohibited from lying, might discourage the goblins from attacking the defenseless fort and its citizens. With a skill rating of 70, Alexis is wise and experienced in interpreting cult doctrine, and he would realize that, though exaggerating the fort's strength is dishonest and a sin by cult standards, it is nonetheless a good thing to do in these

circumstances, even though it means that Alexis must make a minor penance for breaking the cult's rules.

Resist Magic (Will Power)

Beings with this skill receive a +20 bonus to tests vs. WP to resist magic effects.

Background: Thanks to the will of the gods, the body's Spirit instinctively recognizes and resists intrusions of a magical nature, as if the Spirit could "smell" something unfamiliar and withdraw from it. With training and experience one can sharpen this defensive reflex.

GM Guidelines: Only certain types of magical effects may be resisted. See "Resisting Magical Effects," page ??.

Sense Magic (Intelligence)

Active magical effects cause perceptible disturbances in the aethyr. Use of this skill reveals 1. the presence of active magical effects within ten yards [note change from

"BMP yards"] and 2. the direction from the character to the magical effects.

Unskilled characters have a Default Rating of 5% with this skill.

Inactive Magical Effects (for example, inactive divine artifacts and sacred tokens) cannot be perceived with this skill. Thus, one cannot identify a being or object as being capable of producing magical effects with this skill. (See Active and Inactive Magical Effects" in Terms above.)

Background: Aethyrial disturbances accompanying magical effects are perceivable by the Spirit, though untrained individuals cannot effectively interpret the features of the sensations or distinguish the source of the emanations.

GM Guidelines: Use the following guidelines for modifiers to tests to sense exceptionally powerful divine magical sources:

Divine Artifacts (e.g., magical devices associated with greater and lesser divine powers) -- +20 bonus.

GM Note: Sense Magic replaces the original WFRP skills Magical Sense and Magical Awareness.

Meditation (Cool)

Beings with this skill are able to enter a dream-trance state in which they can swiftly replenish their reservoirs of magic potential.

The character remains in the meditation trance for 2 hours, the n tests against Cool.

If the test is successful, the being recovers 100% of his Basic Magic Potential (i.e., he is restored to full BMP).

If the test fails by 1-29 points, the being recovers to at least 50% of his Basic Magic Potential. If he is already at 50% of his BMP or better, there is no further effect.

If the test fails by 30 points or more, the being recovers no magic points. In addition, if 96-00 is rolled, 1 Insanity Point is gained.

While in a mediation trance, a being is unaware of its surroundings and cannot stir if attacked or otherwise disturbed for the duration of the 2-hour trance. They are completely helpless during the trance duration (treat as prone in combat), and cannot move, speak, or otherwise respond to other beings or events.

Background: The spirit enters into dream state, permitting a glancing penetration into the Chaos Realm, where magical energy is drawn into the spirit through the anima.

Dipping too shallowly into the Chaos Realm may prevent full replenishment. Dipping too deeply may cause serious mental shock and trauma -- and no energy recovery.

GM Guidelines: If a being fails this mentally and emotionally demanding test, he may not try again for 24 hours.

At GM discretion, beings attempting meditation in unfavorable surroundings (bustling activity, loud noises, etc.) may receive penalties of 10-30 points to the Cool test.

Likewise, beings in completely tranquil, familiar, secure surroundings may receive bonuses of 10-30 points.

Cult Doctrine (Intelligence)

All cultists are expected to know the basic beliefs and responsibilities of a cult member.

However, Initiates, Priests, Druids, and Fanatics are expected to understand and

memorize details of religious ceremony, appropriate garb, holy days, special observances, honored and prohibited behavior, and so forth, and to be able to teach these details to interested cultists and supplicants.

GM Guidelines: An initiate should at least have memorized the cult requirements and strictures as described in Cult Descriptions. Priests should be able to describe the cult symbols, typical ceremonies and other religious observances, list and explain the

significance of the holy days celebrated by the cult, and describe the traditional layouts of cult shrines and temples.

In religious arguments, characters should test vs. Cult Doctrine. The highest successful Cult Doctrine score indicates the character whose argument is most persuasive. (It may, of course, be completely heretical as cult doctrine, but the other characters, unable to refute his arguments, will yield to his superior logic.)

Skill Rating Skill Guideline

01-25: Knows where the local shrine is and how to behave there. Knows what behavior is absolutely prohibited by the cult. Knows the cult holy days. Recognizes initiates and priests of own cult, and knows cult's worst enemies and best friends.

026-50: General knowledge of cult ceremony, history, and philosophy. Knows local shrines and temples; has knowledge of famous shrines in distant lands. Recognizes initiates and priests of most Old World cults. Knows benefits and responsibilities of advanced clerical careers within cult. Appreciates obvious similarities and differences in major Old World cult doctrines.

51-75: Detailed knowledge of cult ceremony, history, and philosophy. Accounted wise in everyday affairs and on larger philosophical issues. General knowledge of major Old World cults, even outlawed cults.

76-00: Saintly comprehension of cult doctrine. Judgments are often inspired by divine insights. Widely quoted and praised for his wisdom. Actions are taken as examples for the instruction of the devout.

Invoke Prayer (Intelligence)

There are specific invocation skills for each Mastery Level of the Initiate and Priest careers. Characters can only obtain these skills by entering the appropriate career, and by learning the skill as all other skills are learned.

The following invoke prayer skills are available through the careers listed in Careers, page ??-??:

invoke petty prayer invoke prayer of first rank invoke prayer of second rank invoke prayer of third rank invoke prayer of fourth rank

Ceremony (Intelligence)

Once a day the cleric may conduct a ceremony dedicated to his divine patron. The ceremony must take place on sacred ground, and all cultists to benefit from the ceremony must stand on sacred ground. The Cleric tests vs. Int. If the Int test is successful, all followers (including the cleric) within the effect of the ceremony test vs. WP. A successful WP test means the cultist regains 1d6+3 MP. A failed test means the cultist receives 1 MP. If the cleric's Int test fails, the cleric has failed to please his divine patron;

no MP are regained, and the discouraged cleric is at a -10 WP penalty for the following 24 hours.

Background: This skill is granted to clerics in order that they may from time to time gather unto themselves and their followers a portion of the divine power made available to cultists for serving and protecting the community of the faith. However, if the god judges that a cultist has all the divine power he needs, the god returns only the single MP that a cultist must offer his god as a daily devotion.

GM Guidelines: No creature can benefit from more than one ceremony per day.

Subsequent ceremonies, whether celebrated by the same or a different priest, or dedicated to the same or a different divine patron, have no effect. MPs are never increased above the character's BMP score.

Retreat (Cool)

The cleric retreats into personal prayer and devotions in a shrine or on other sacred ground for 24 hours. At the end of this time the cleric is refreshed and renewed in spirit, and he regains all expended MP up to his full BMP score. Test vs. Cool. If successful, also receive a cult blessing (a one-time-use +10 bonus with any skill test favored by the cult).

Background: When isolated from worldly distractions and concentrating solely on the power and glory of his divine patron, the cleric's spiritual reservoirs are quickly

replenished with divine energy.

GM Guidelines: If the cleric is interrupted or distracted in any way during his 24-hour retreat, he regains only the single MP normally regained each day.

Bind Wound (Intelligence)

This is a first aid skill for emergency treatment of victims of accidents, natural

disasters, and battlefield wounds, including stopping bleeding, bandaging open-wounds, and immobilizing broken bones. Successful use of this skill stops continuing wound losses resulting from Critical Hit Table results and stabilizes the victim's condition.

Specifically stops terminal bleeding. Does not restore wounds, does not repair injuries or remove penalties resulting from injuries.

Background: Modern medical procedures as represented by heal wounds and surgery are fairly technical and are not well-known among the people. Through the teaching of the bind wounds skill to laymen, Shallya hopes to spread knowledge of simple

emergency medical practices among the less-educated of the peasant and middle classes and especially in guard and military units.

GM Guidelines: Unskilled use of tourniquets and splints and amateur setting of broken bones may result in loss of limbs or life. Emergency treatment provided by this skill may not help, and may even hinder the normal healing of injuries unless proper treatment through heal wounds , surgery, or magical healing is made available within a short time (15 minutes to an hour, depending on the injury).

True Sight (WP)

At the cost of one MP, a character is warned of impending Danger, Betrayal,

Friendship, and Good Fortune. The use of the skill may be triggered voluntarily when a character uses the divination skill, or it may be triggered involuntarily at the GM's discretion as a sign of the divine patron's will.

Test vs. the character's WP. If the test is successful, the character receives a specific image of an impending event. If the test is failed, the character receives vague

premonitions of portentous events ahead.

Background: A character wise enough to sense a critical moment in time may seek foreknowledge through the divination skill. Sometimes, though, a divine patron desires to warn a follower of imminent danger or opportunity through the involuntary use of true sight.

GM Guidelines: The nature of predictions produced by the successful use of this skill are very specific and related to events in the immediate future, unlike predictions produced by divination, which is vague, oracular, and usually speaks of patterns of the more distant future, not of events in the immediate future of the present.

Sense Chaos (Intelligence)

The presence of warpstone, warpdust, or substantial creatures tainted by Chaos (e.g., beastmen, mutants, chaos spawn) causes distinctive disturbances or a magical nature. Use of this skill reveals 1. the presence of such disturbances within ten yards and 2. the direction from the character to the source of the chaos -tainted magical disturbance.

Background: Magical disturbances of a chaotic nature are of a different nature than normal magic emanations, and are not reliably distinguished by the use of detect magic spells or prayers or the sense magic skill. Dedicated foes of Chaos like the Sigmar cult are given the ability to recognize the taint of Chaos so they may root it out and destroy it.

GM Guidelines: As always inconsistent and unpredictable, warpstone, warpdust, and Chaos-tainted creatures may or may not detect as magical at the GM's whim. Successful use of this skill, however, will reliably recognize chaos. Failed use leaves the observer uncertain, though suspicious. Failure +30 may indicate that the character misreads the emanations, and sees Chaos where there is none, or is certain that there is none when it is present.

Wilderness Lore (Intelligence)

Characters with this skill have comprehensive general knowledge of the beasts, plants, climate, and terrain of any region with which they have sufficient personal experience.

They also may have specialized, detailed knowledge of specific features of the region if they test against the skill successfully. More skilled characters are capable of living off the land in such a region.

Skill Rating Skill Guidelines

05-25: Know the greatest dangers of the environment and how to avoid them. General geographic knowledge; can get around well with good maps. Limited specific knowledge of common beasts, plants, climate, and terrain features (test vs. Int -30).

30-50: Good general knowledge of dangerous and beneficial features and resources of the region. Good geographic knowledge; can navigate crudely without maps. Fair specific knowledge of common beasts, plants, climate, and terrain features (test vs. Int). Capable of living off the land in considerable effort and discomfort.

55-75: Excellent general knowledge of wilderness features and resources of the region;

good intuition of unfamiliar regions from experience and reasoning. Excellent geographic knowledge; can navigate without maps; good knowledge of specific features like

watercourses, suitable campsites, and ideal ambush sites. Good specific knowledge of common beasts, plants, climate, and terrain features (test vs. Int +10); fair knowledge of rare and exceptional species and circumstances. Capable of living off the land in comfort and style.

80-00: Knows the region and its common and exceptional beasts, plants, climate, and terrain features like the back of his hand (failure only on 96-00).

[[The following skills are all reprinted from the Sorcery draft. If printed in two volumes, Cult Lore (from Sorcery) should also be reprinted here.]]

Modern Arcane Language (Intelligence)

Some cult scholars learn this language for the study of sorcerous magic. Directions and incantations for scrolls and other modern sorcerous devices are also recorded in this all-purpose arcane tongue. (Those with the Modern Arcane Language and Scroll Lore skills may be able to cast sorcerous spells and rituals from scrolls. See Sorcerous Magic, Alchemical Compounds and Scrolls, "Casting a Spell or Ritual from a Scroll," page ??.) Background: Not so much a language as a primitive transcription scheme for lingua praestantia , with elaborate jargon and notation. Analogous to musical notation, in that the product of uttering and performing what is noted is not limited to the words, but includes also the subtle distinctions or rhythm, tone, pitch, and inflection involved in spell and ritual casting, and forms of mental imagery and symbology that focus the mind on the desired effect. Arcane transcription includes notes, directions, and commentaries on pronunciation and presentation of runes and lingua praestantia.

To one unfamiliar with Arcane Languages, Arcane documents look like schematic diagrams covered with runes, arrows, musical staffs and notes, pictographs suggesting gestures, all annotated with symbols and words from various languages.

The roots of Modern Arcane are in Elvish Arcane inscriptions, which display elements of Slannish orthography. During the long history of cult suppression of sorcery, Arcane usage had fragmented in use by isolated hedgewizards and secret orders. Today the language is academically formalized at lower Mastery Levels, but notation for more advanced spells is still personalized and idiosyncratic. Study of many

as-yet-ill-understood spells of the ancient masters depends on shrewd guesses in interpreting their personal versions of Arcane.

GM Guidelines: Unless a cleric has also completed a sorcerous career, his knowledge of Modern Arcane Languages is presumed to be scholarly and inferior to that of a sorcerer of an equivalent skill rating.

Ancient Arcane Languages (Intelligence)

Records in ancient languages -- notably Old Dwarvish and the secret scripts of the High Druids -- may also contain passages of interest to cult scholars and researchers. Other arcane languages of significance are Daemonic and Elemental Magic. When examining ancient magical artifacts, knowledge of these Ancient Arcane notations is particularly valuable.

GM Guidelines: Cult scholars may encounter ancient languages through expeditions and adventures or through study of ancient cult documents.

Old Slann: Known in the Old World primarily from cited references in ancient Elvish documents, from a few inscriptions on ancient artifacts and ruined structures, and from several fragments of Slannish documents. Elvish legends and scholarship maintain that the Dark Elves of the New World have archived substantial records in Old Slannish, and

Old Slann: Known in the Old World primarily from cited references in ancient Elvish documents, from a few inscriptions on ancient artifacts and ruined structures, and from several fragments of Slannish documents. Elvish legends and scholarship maintain that the Dark Elves of the New World have archived substantial records in Old Slannish, and