Abilities

Each Shadows of the Past ability has a resource associated with it, which
can be used to purchase bonus dice for ability checks. The resource is
marked in parentheses after the name of the ability.
The following is a list of abilities that may interest characters in a
typical pulp fantasy. In addition, we discuss in more detail the talents
characteristic of the different cultures of Lähistö. These lists are by no
means meant to be exhaustive, but players and gamemasters are
encouraged to create their own talents.
An ability is any skill or characteristic of a character that is innate or
can be learned. The abilities are typically quite broad, closer to an entire
profession than a single trick. An exception is made for cultural abilities
and other rarities, which may be narrower in scope than general abilities.
Abilities may very well overlap with other abilities. Two different
abilities can even apply to exactly the same problems, but solve them
differently, as is often the case with combat-related abilities.
If the player wants familiar "features" from other games, i.e. abilities
that broadly describe the character's essence, that is also possible. A trait,
such as intelligence, can be used in a wide variety of situations, but never
replaces actual ability. Such a general ability is used in almost all
situations only as an auxiliary ability, and even though it applies in almost
every situation, the actual ability check must be made with another ability.

Learning and using abilities

Every character has all open abilities at the unskilled level, whether the
ability is on the character sheet or not. In addition, each character has all
the abilities of their own culture and species, marked or not.
A character can only attempt an ability check with the abilities he
has. So, sometimes it is important to know if the character has an ability
that is not listed on the character sheet. The main rule is that a character
has a Cultural ability outside of his species and culture only if it is written
on the character sheet. Because of this, unskilled abilities can be important
because they tell about a character's experiences outside of their own
culture.
During character creation, a character is normally given only open
abilities related to species or culture. The game director can also allow
talents from foreign cultures if he likes the player's idea. However,
species-specific abilities are indeed innate to representatives of the
species, and cannot be learned or used unless the character is of that
species.
The open and cultural talent lists are by no means complete, and
players and gamemasters are free to add talents that fit each list. It goes
without saying that things that all characters should be able to attempt are
open abilities, or some open ability is applicable to the situation.

Open pure talents

Puhti tells about the character's physical condition and strength. Typically
pure talent is a joy in brutal situations where all other means have been
exhausted.

Dueling (pure)
This skill is used in honorable duels. Almost every culture has a ritual
where problems are solved physically, usually by swordplay.

Durability (pure)
This is the character's ability to keep going despite pain and fatigue. It
tests the limits of the character's body and condition. Endurance can be
used for a defensive function (page 34) in an in-depth skirmish.

hard work (pure)

The character uses this ability for mining, logging, field work, and other
tasks that involve drilling, discipline, and care.

Prayer (pure)
Prayer is used for speaking to the gods, for blessings, and for religious
rituals. It involves the character's belief that he is connected to something
better than himself.

Fighting (pure)
This ability is all about untrained brawling. Fists, feet, daggers, kitchen
knives, table legs and all kinds of mallets are familiar tools for brawlers.

Aiming (pure)
Aiming involves shooting with bows and crossbows and using throwing
weapons.

Sports (pure)
Various ball games and tests of endurance and strength are part of the
religious practices and traditional customs of most cultures. A skilled
athlete can also earn a living with his skills in larger cities.

Powerlifting (pure)
This describes the character's physicality and fitness. The ability is used
for running, jumping, swimming, climbing, and other strength-based tasks
that do not have a separate ability.

Open instinctive abilities

Instinct tells about the character's natural balance. Typically, instinctive
abilities are social or communication-related, but there are other skills that
require subtlety.

Handling animals (instinct)

Animal handling is a social skill used to handle domesticated or wild
animals. Domestic animals are easy to handle, and with this skill you can
give them commands. Wild animals can mostly be scared away or
convinced not to eat the character.

Sneaking (Instinct)
Sneaking Surprises people, hides and hides objects on different parts of
the body.

Design (instinct)
Design is used in painting, sculpture and other arts where a tangible object
is produced.
Music (Instinct)
Music is used to sing and play instruments. It represents musical talent,
not lyrical talent. Music and storytelling are often used together to create
an effective song.

reaction (instinct)
This is used to measure the cleverness of the character's body and
thoughts. It's about avoiding a rock slide as well as a quick response to an
insult. The reaction can be used for a defensive function (page 34) in an
in-depth skirmish.

Winging (instinct)
By winging it, you get free meals and a roof over your head. The character
can't get rich by winging it, but it can be used to survive even with empty
pockets, which isn't crazy.

Persuasion (instinct)
With the help of consultation, individuals are influenced by
talking. Unlike talking, this works best between two people and the
character being persuaded may not even realize the persuader's intentions.

Bargaining (instinct)
By haggling, the aim is to get the best possible price for the goods. There
isn't really any money in the immediate world. With this skill, you can
ensure that you can make good deals in bartering. In other words, it can
also be used to evaluate the quality and value of goods.

Discerning the truth (instinct)

Discerning the truth is used to find out if someone is honest, or to interpret
a person's intentions.

Theft (Instinct)
Theft involves emptying pockets, cutting purses, opening locks, breaking
into houses unnoticed and breaking into safes. It is used to perform all
operations related to theft.

Charm (Instinct)
Charm is used to behave attractively, dance, attract a kiss from a woman
and persuade another character into the same bed.

Open rational abilities

Reason tells about the character's intelligence and patience. Typically,
rational abilities approach problems from general points of view and are
based on learning from experience.

First aid (sense)

First aid is simple care: dressing wounds, splinting broken bones and
washing wounds. This skill can heal physical injuries, but only in the
scene where the target was wounded.

Batch Skills (Sense)

Field skills are used to track people or animals, to know the typical flora
and fauna of the area and their characteristics, and to set traps.
Etiquette (Sense)
Etiquette helps you survive in social circles. That includes knowing who is
important and where to ask for favors. It is the legal society's equivalent of
voron skills.

Craft (sense)
Handicraft is a general name for the small manual skills needed by a farm
or collecting community. The character can make utensils and everyday
objects in different ways, such as from clay, plants, wood, stone or animal
parts.

Guidance (sense)
Counseling helps someone find peace of mind through a private
conversation similar to psychiatric counseling. It can be used to heal
emotional harm, but healing takes time.

Speaking (sense)
Speaking is influencing opinions through speech or argument. It is usually
used to influence the opinions of crowds.

Cooking (sense)
Different professional skills can each be treated as their own ability,
usually rational. Cooking is an example of this. Although it may not seem
useful, even a mundane ability can be valuable with the right secrets. The
subject of the story can specifically be the importance of this profession in
the world.

Battle (Sense)
Combat represents the basic skills and tactics known to every warlord. It is
used to give orders in battle and plan attacks, including ambushes.

Storytelling (sense)
Storytelling is used to create or tell stories, including ballads.

Resistance (Sense)
This is about the character's willpower, which withstands both social,
physical and magical threats without wavering from its
purpose. Resistance can be used for a defensive function (page 34) in an
in-depth skirmish.

Fraud (reason)
Cheats are used to trick other characters. It can be used to pretend to be
someone else, forge a document or simply lie believably.

Voron Skills (Sense)

In Vorontaida, things are known about the criminal community, such as
places to buy illegal goods, places to sell stolen goods or leaders of
organized crime.

Sports abilities
Species abilities are innate abilities typical of various creatures of the Near
East, which representatives of other species cannot hope to learn. A
character who does not meet the requirements for these abilities cannot
attempt to use them, even at the unskilled level.

Animality (pure)
This is the rat's ability to behave animalistically and take advantage of his
animalistic traits. It can be used as an auxiliary ability in situations where
a rat tries to act animalistically, such as in a furious battle or hiding from
predators. Condition: the character is a rat.

Awakening (Blood)
Vampires are half-dead creatures that do not live and move
naturally. Awakening is the character's ability to break the laws of nature
in this fundamental relationship. A sleeping vampire needs a successful
ability check to wake up. If unsuccessful, the vampire can try again the
next night. Damage, a stick through the heart and similar conditions can
cause a fine. Prerequisite: The character is a vampire.

Hypnosis (Blood)
Vampire hypnosis is magical in nature, but requires a peaceful social
situation to work without penalty. Normally there is resistance with
resistance. Prerequisite: The character is a vampire.

Flying (Blood)
Vampires can fly, but only at night. Prerequisite: The character is a
vampire.

Past Lives (Sense)

Past Lives is the ability of elves to remember many abilities and bits of
information from the past. It can be used to remember facts about any
ancient landmark or historical event. Prerequisite: the character is an elf.

Boy bonding (instinct)

This is the rat's ability to understand the members of his brood from small
signs and anticipate their actions. Boy bonding can be used both as a
social skill within the boy and as a helpful ability in joint activities where
cooperation is important. Condition: the character is a rat.

Adaptability (pure)
With adaptability, the player can change the hide's appearance as its living
conditions change. Actually, this ability is useful with the art of
adaptability. Condition: the character is hisi.

Maldorian cultural abilities

As the Empire of Maldor crumbled, it left behind only a glimpse of its
influence on other cultures. Some of these things have been forgotten
outside of Maldor, and others have only been invented since the Year of
Darkness.

Architecture (reason)
The skill of arches and more advanced construction techniques. This
ability is needed for both castles and cathedrals, and can be used against
them as well.

Grooming (instinct)
Although most Maldorians are very poor, the land is covered in the riches
of the past. With this ability, you can find items and materials that can be
useful.

History (Sense)
Maldor lives in a shadow of its former greatness. With the History ability,
the character can read old writings, testify to the authority of princes from
material sources, or use the often superior science of the ancients.

Begging (instinct)
Beggars are almost a profession in the dirty cities of Maldor. This ability
covers appropriate behavior, faking injuries, choosing a location, assessing
the target, as well as the begging attempt itself. Begging doesn't make you
rich, but as long as the city is doing well, you can live on it.

Infantry (pure)
This ability covers the use of large swords and axes, as well as the use of
metal armor and being part of a warband in the field.

Nobility (instinct)
This is a pattern of behavior created by the upbringing and historical
weight of the princes of Maldor. It can be used as a social ability with
Maldorian princes and as a speech aid when addressing the Maldorian
masses. In addition, nobility can be an auxiliary ability for resistance when
a character is tempted to act dishonorably.

Malt cells (sense)

The beer of Maldor is the best in the world, and it is made with this
ability. The evaluation and preparation of beers are in its field. Strong beer
is not possible without.

Explosives (sense)
Maldor's revolutionaries have relearned how to make explosives, although
they have not yet invented firearms. With this ability, you can create and
detonate these spacers of destruction, hopefully without losing your hands.

Sciences (sense)
Astronomy, chemistry, mechanics and other ancient sciences have
disappeared as separate disciplines, but they are being revived in
Maldor. A character can use this ability to understand and develop natural
sciences.

Old Style (Instinct)

The style of visual and sculptural arts, music and verbal art that preceded
the time of the shadow. With this ability, the character can evaluate and
identify original works and neo-vintage imitations that represent this
style. An artist needs a successful revision to succeed in imitating an old
master; success is added as a bonus die to the actual creation check.

Cultural abilities of the Zaru

The following are examples of abilities specific to the Zaru culture. The
outsiders who learn these are usually slaves brought from elsewhere in the
Zaru Delta. More dangerous abilities, such as Zuta and uptenboa, are not
usually taught to outsiders unless they excel in championing the Zaru
cause.

Withstand Torture (pure)

This ability is used to resist torture and to make a healing check after
being tortured. This is an exception to the rule against self-healing. The
ability can also be used to ignore other unbearable pain.

Meditation (Instinct)
Meditation is like prayer, but it is a passive expression of will instead of
outward. If the character has time to prepare, it can be used to support
other abilities such as resistance.

Serving (Instinct)
Serving is about anticipating the master's needs, handling awkward topics
submissively, and remaining invisible until the servant is needed. With this
ability, all the things that belong to the servant's task are taken care of.

Conspiracies (sense)
This is the art of quiet secrecy. More specifically, the ability is about
creating and maintaining secret networks and communicating with them. It
is used to create and break secret languages ​and codes, organize and keep
secret meetings, and engage in all sorts of other long-term covert
activities.

Clay molding (pure)

With this ability, a character can construct clay tablets, pots, buildings,
tables, or anything else appropriate from Zaru's lush clay.

Delta farming (sense)

Delta farming is used to grow plants. This does not include animal herding
and management, which is unknown in Zaru culture.

Uptenbo (pure)
Uptenbo is the martial art of the Zaru resistance. Since the Zaru are
traditionally non-violent, uptenbo is a pure defensive skill. The sport
consists of locks, throws and sweeps that use the enemy's strength against
himself.

Boating (instinct)
This ability is used to build and use small boats that can hold one to ten
people. These vessels are mainly used in inland waters. Using them at sea
is difficult, but not impossible.

Zaru Poetry (Instinct)

This ability is used to compose poems. Zaru poetry is often long and
discordant, and each verse has a specific syllable structure.

Zu (reason)
Zu is the language of Zaru. This skill represents the character's skill in
using language. Note that when Zuta is used for a magical purpose, it can
also be instinctual or pure.

Ammenite cultural abilities

The following are examples of abilities specific to the Ammenite
culture. Ammenites like to spread their culture among others, and it's easy
for an outsider to learn most of these abilities if they're willing to live in
the land. The exception is abilities related to the arcane science of
alchemy, such as herbalism, whose adepts are jealous of their knowledge.

Anatomy (Sense)
The Ammenites know the workings of the human body best of all the
peoples of the Middle East. This ability can be used for all sorts of
purposes, such as dismembering the severely injured (bonus dice to heal
checks), brutal torture and keeping the victim alive, or bizarre piercing and
transplant surgeries.

Evaluation (sense)
Appraisal can be used to determine the value of a work of art and its value
to a certain person. The ability can also be used to determine when and
where the artwork was made.

Bamboo Guns (pure)

Ammen weapons and armor are usually made of bamboo, a flexible and
common material in this low-metal country. This ability is used to fight
with Ammen's light spear weapons and make weapons and shields from
bamboo.

Trade routes (sense)

This ability can be used to know things about distant places, to travel
along commonly traveled routes, and to avoid the difficulties of a
journey. It is of no use in the wilderness.

Tasting poison (instinct)

With this ability, you can detect poisons and drugs based on taste and
smell. A successful ability check can be added as a bonus die to the
inevitable Stamina check when the tasted poison takes effect.

Smuggling (sense)
Smuggling involves hiding illegal or prohibited items in regular luggage
and finding a buyer in a foreign country.

Assassination (Instinct)
The doctrine of quick and often mysterious death falls under this ability. It
can only kill an individual who does not know that the character is trying
to kill him. It is used in all ingenious methods of killing, such as spraying
the extract on the victim's mucous membranes.

Knife use (instinct)

This ability is used in all kinds of delicate knife use, from cutting paper-
thin slices of meat and vegetables to vivisection and killing an enemy with
a long dagger. It allows you to do professional work with any well-made
sharp knife.

Distilling herbs (sense)

This ability is used to extract the essential ingredients of plants and
concentrate them for drugs, medicines or poisons. The skill allows the
drug to have two effects.
Herbal knowledge (sense)
This ability is used to identify poisonous and effective plants and harvest
them correctly for use. Usually, the player has a certain type of herb in
mind, which can cause a penalty counter if the environment is not suitable
for it.

Cultural abilities of the Khalees

The following are examples of important abilities of Khalees. The
inhabitants of Khale can be kind to outsiders, but few succeed in acquiring
their special abilities, even if they get the Khaleese to reveal their secrets.

Spear Fight (pure)

The most popular weapon of the Khaleans is the long spear, which is made
entirely of wood hardened with pitch. This weapon is great for sneaking
and has an extra long tip. When the weapon is held close to the tip, it is
suitable for melee combat. This ability uses this weapon or other spear
weapons.

Moonlighting (sense)
This ability is used to shape moon metal by projecting psychic power onto
it. Forging an item requires fire and a successful ability check. When
moonmetal is struck by wood, it tends to lose its shape: this skill forces the
metal to retain its shape (level of ability check against attack).

Legal knowledge (common sense)

Khale bards also act as the community's law spokesmen who remember
the laws and can even pass judgment if both parties accept a mediator for
the dispute. The ability can be important even between tribes if they share
common ancestors. Khale's law only applies to disputes between relatives.

Camouflage (Instinct)
With this ability, one hides in the wilderness with the help of natural
patterns, by covering one's body with mud or leaves, or by otherwise
blending into the forest terrain.

Women's Rites (Sense)

In Khale, some things are strictly gendered. Violence is men's business,
but creating life is women's. The women learned many secrets from the
older wives of the tribe early on that were hidden from the men. Rites can
be used not only in Khale's religious rituals, but also in childbirth, birth
control, abortions and treating women's and children's diseases.

Tree Alliance (Instinct)

With this ability, the user can travel and navigate in the Green World. A
successful throw is required to get to the green world. On another
successful roll, the character can navigate anywhere in Khale or anywhere
in the Green World that the character has already visited. A third
successful roll is needed if you want to travel somewhere other than the
present.

Wood construction (sense)

Building small and large things from wood. Khale woodwork is
unparalleled, and with this skill you can also build the large wooden forts
of old Khale, if you have enough time and patience.
Drinking (pure)
The people of Khale are hard to party. With this ability, the character
maintains his posture while under the influence of various drugs and can
act without penalty counters. Rushing is also suitable as an auxiliary
ability for drug-related stamina checks.

Guerrilla Warfare (Instinct)

The Combat skill is about standard war tactical knowledge, but Guerrilla
warfare deals with alternative tactics that can make a small force gain big
advantages. It is used to coordinate fast and brutal attacks from hiding
places in the forest, to act like a much larger crowd than the real one with
the help of commotion and tricks, and to kill the enemies one by one with
ambushes.

Pedigree (sense)
A Khalean bard must definitely know his own family tree. If it turns out
that a character shares a common ancestor with a stranger, the stranger
automatically becomes a relative, and the ability can turn an enemy into a
stranger. This information is used to recall this type of information and
greet guests, chiefs and inhabitants of the green world correctly.

Qek's cultural abilities

Qek is a remote and unreliable country, but basically any outsider can
learn the cultural abilities of its inhabitants if they agree to live in the
jungle.

Kayaking (instinct)
With this ability, you can use the popular one-person kayaks on the coast
of Qek without smashing your head into the cruel shoals or drowning in
the sudden rushes of the Hammasmere.

Collecting (pure)
Knowing and finding edible and otherwise useful plants in qek's jungles
and collecting them efficiently. The character can live in jungles and other
lush terrains with this ability, and support others as well.

Cutting Gems (Sense)

This skill is used to cut gemstones into pleasing shapes without causing
mistakes.

Hunting (pure)
This powerful assistance ability of range skills and panther style covers
finding and bringing down prey (including big fish in a kayak). The
character can manage without this ability with the help of the
aforementioned, but hunting can replace either of them in everyday
hunting activities, or act as an auxiliary ability.

Panther Style (Instinct)

Qek fighters blend into the forest and emerge unexpectedly to spear their
prey before they can be seen.

Qek Crafts (Sense)

This is like handicrafts, i.e. the skill of everyday small jobs, but adapted to
the jungle conditions of the Qekes. Q also put araka with this ability. Qek's
consumables are works of art by the standards of civilized nations, so the
ability can be used to replace design in some circumstances.

Jungle walk (sense)

The Qek live in a jungle that covers the entire area of ​Maldor as an
impenetrable thicket. Most qeks stay relatively close to home, but some
lead an itinerant lifestyle from one side of the continent to the other. With
this ability, the character travels through the jungle, and knows where
ancient ruins, beast lairs, friendly inhabitants, and other landmarks are.

Cultural abilities of side cultures

Side cultures are Middle Eastern nations that are not covered by the
current campaign. By definition, the player character is never a member of
the side culture. The people of Khale can choose one side culture, which
the character is counted as a member of, if the character has spent several
years with the culture. Other characters can learn side culture abilities
normally through gameplay.

Berserk Fury (pure)

Goren's feared holy warriors receive the blessing of berserk fury from the
Mountain God. With this ability, a character can forget their pain and fear
and drown their doubts in their bloodlust. It can be used, for example, as
an auxiliary ability for combat skills.

Diplomacy (Instinct)
The question of Orania's fate has always been to mediate the disputes
between the hostile tribes surrounding the city of Calderon. Diplomacy as
a formal political doctrine is inherited from the imperialist era, but the
primitive customs of the tribes have of course left their mark on the
actions of city officials as well.

Mining (pure)
Today, the world's deepest ore mines are in Goren, whose inhabitants are
skilled at finding and mining mountain ores. This is also a religious skill
for the goren, as hell is believed to be located underground.

Glacier Pass (pure)

The inhabitants of Inselburg trade with ice from the southern glacier and
hunt on the glacier. With this ability, the character can equip himself,
move and get along in the hostile conditions of the glacier.

Riding (pure)
After the shadow year, horses are rare in the majority of the Near East. In
Orania, however, riding is an important skill even among the rural
nomads, from whom the Calders have also learned it. The skill covers
assessment, care and riding of riding horses.

Code of Shar-tek (Sense)

The inhabitants of Shar-tek do not have so much religion, but their faith in
old writings and traditional knowledge, which tells about the duties of the
people, is absolutely essential. The residents of Shar-tek believe that these
writings, which mix myths and legal doctrine, are deeply relevant to the
fate of the entire Middle East.
Technology (sense)
The mysterious people of Shar-tek hide strange artifacts in their decaying
cities. This ability is used to understand these artifacts, and potentially
apply them to other uses through appropriate arts.

ocean liners (sense)

In the city of Inselburg, the large ships of the Near East are kept, which
could still theoretically cross the great ocean. These ships are too large to
sail up the rivers, but their height, sails and sophisticated rigging make
them shiveringly terrifying apparitions when Inselburg is threatened from
the mainland.