Step Number: Rank + Willpower
Action: Yes
Requires Karma: No Strain: 1
The Abate Curse talent temporarily nulliies any curse that may be present on an object. The adept must be within 3 yards of the object to use his talent, and must remain within this range throughout the talent’s duration or the effect ends. The adept makes an Abate Curse Test against the highest step number of any curse present. If the test succeeds, any curses on the object are neutralized for a number of hours equal to the adept’s Abate Curse rank. This talent does not alleviate a curse’s effects on those already affected by it, but will allow unaffected characters to handle the object without risking the curse’s effects. See the Adventuring chapter of the Gamemaster’s Compendium for more information on curses and how they work.

Step Number: Rank + Perception
Action: No
Requires Karma: No Strain: 1
The Astral Sight talent allows an adept to see into the astral plane. Each use of the Astral Sight talent lasts a number of rounds equal to the adept’s Astral Sight rank, and can view all astral objects within a range equal to his Astral Sight rank × 10 yards. The adept makes an Astral Sight (6) Test—the normal Spell Defense of astral space. If the test succeeds, the adept senses the astral imprint of all objects and entities within range. The astral imprint only reveals the location and shape of an object or entity—it provides no further information. If the adept wishes to examine a particular imprint for more information, he makes a second Astral Sight Test against the Spell Defense of the subject being examined. An Average result allows the adept to view the subject’s pattern. An adept using Astral Sight to view a magical item can see the item’s pattern, and therefore learn it is magical in nature. Examining the item this way does not provide any information about the item’s history, nor does he learn any Test Knowledges. For more information on astral space and astral perception, see Astral Space in the Workings of Magic chapter on p. 254.

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity
Action: No
Requires Karma: No Strain: 1
The Avoid Blow talent allows an adept to dodge blows directed at him in combat. When targeted by a close or ranged combat attack, the adept can make an Avoid Blow Test against his opponent’s Attack Test result to dodge the blow before it causes him injury. Dodging a ranged attack requires a Good result. If the test succeeds, the adept avoids the blow—he sees the attack coming and dodges out of the way at the last moment. A Pathetic result on an Avoid Blow Test means the adept is automatically Knocked Down (see Situation Modiiers in the Combat chapter, p. 409). The adept can use this talent a number of times per round equal to his Avoid Blow rank, but only once against each Attack Test. An adept cannot use Avoid Blow if he is Surprised or his attacker has Blindsided him (see Situation Modiiers in the Combat chapter, p. 407).

Step Number: Rank + Perception
Action: No
Requires karma: No Strain: 1
The Bear Mark talent enables an adept to remain sane while accumulating Horror marks. The character can bear a maximum number of Horror marks equal to his Bear Mark rank. Once this limit is reached, the adept cannot resist additional Horror marks until he increases his talent rank. A character with this talent always recognizes that he has been Horror-marked. As soon as the character is marked, he makes a Bear Mark Test against the Horror Mark step of the Horror affecting him. If the test succeeds, the character need not worry about being inluenced by the Horror through this Horror mark, because he has effectively permanently isolated the mark from the rest of his pattern. If the test fails, the adept suffers the usual effects of being Horror-marked. However, the adept may repeat the Bear Mark Test at any time the Horror attempts to use its powers on the character through the Horror mark. A successful test result allows the character to resist the Horror’s attempts to use its powers on him. On an Extraordinary result, he has managed to permanently isolate the Horror mark from his pattern (unless he has reached the maximum number of marks that he can bear).

Step Number: Rank + Perception
Action: Yes
Requires Karma: No Strain: 1
The Creature Analysis talent allows an adept to gain information about a creature he is observing. The adept makes a Creature Analysis Test against the creature’s Spell Defense. If the test succeeds, the adept’s player can ask a speciic question that would reveal one of the creature’s game statistics or abilities for each result level achieved on the Creature Analysis Test, such as, “What is its Physical Defense?” or “What is its Death Rating?” The question must be about a speciic trait—general questions such as “How tough is it?” should warrant equally vague answers (“Pretty tough”). The gamemaster should also disallow questions comparing more than one statistic, such as “Is this beast tougher than I am?” or “Which is higher, its Physical or Spell Defense?” When using the Creature Analysis talent, the adept uses a form of divination magic to gain information about the creature he is observing. Adepts often use this talent to size up an unknown creature’s Spell or Social Defense to determine how well other talents, such as Dominate Beast, will work on it. At the gamemaster’s discretion, such uses of the Creature Analysis talent can yield insights about a creature’s vulnerabilities—insights that can prove very useful to any adventuring group about to tangle with an unknown beast.

Step Number: Rank + Charisma
Action: Yes
Requires Karma: Yes Strain: 0
The Heartening Laugh talent allows an adept to support friendly characters against fear and Intimidation. The adept spends a round directing a booming, mocking laugh at his opponents. In the following round, the adept makes a Heartening Laugh Test against the highest Social Defense among all opponents within earshot of him. If the test succeeds, any characters with at least a Friendly attitude toward the adept who can hear his laugh add the adept’s Heartening Laugh rank as a bonus to any Willpower Tests they make to resist the effects of fear or Intimidation caused by his opponents. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the adept’s Heartening Laugh rank.

Step Number: Rank + Toughness
Action: No
Requires Karma: No Strain: 0 (see text)
The Life Check talent gives an adept a last chance to save himself from dying. Each use of the Life Check talent uses up one of the adept’s Recovery Tests. If the adept does not have a Recovery Test available to him at the time of death, he cannot use this talent. Should the adept’s Current Damage total equal or exceed his Death Rating, he immediately makes a Life Check Test in place of a Recovery Test. If the test result lowers the adept’s Current Damage total below his Death Rating, he avoids dying. If his Current Damage is less than his Unconsciousness Rating, he regains or retains consciousness. If the Life Check Test result is not suficient to bring the adept’s Current Damage total below his Death Rating, then the adept is dead; he may not make another Life Check Test. An unsuccessful use of the Life Check talent does not prevent the application of other forms of healing, such as a last chance salve, to the adept (see Healing Aids in he Goods and Services chapter, p. 450).

Step Number: Rank + Willpower
Action: No
Requires Karma: No Strain: 0
The Lion Heart talent improves an adept’s ability to resist fear and being intimidated. The adept uses his Lion Heart step in place of his Willpower step when making tests to resist the effects of fear or Intimidation.

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity
Action: No
Requires Karma: No Strain: 0
The Silent Walk talent combines luid movement with magica effects to dampen the sound of an adept’s movement, including footsteps and other means of travel, such as the sound of a windling’s light. The adept makes a Silent Walk Test, the result of which becomes the Detection Dificulty for any Perception Tests made to hear him moving. This talent does not make the adept more dificult to see. A character who is aware of the adept’s presence and watching him will observe his movements normally While using Silent Walk, the adept may move no faster than half his normal Movement rate.

Step Number: Rank + Willpower
Action: No
Requires Karma: No Strain: 1
The Steel Thought talent allows an adept to resist magical abilities that target his Spell Defense. Any time the character is targeted by such an ability, he may make a Steel Thought Test against his opponent’s Action Test result. If the test succeeds, the adept forges his thoughts into more resilient patterns, preventing the ability from affecting him. This talent works similarly to the Avoid Blow talent, except that it is only effective against magical abilities that target the adept’s Spell Defense, such as other talents, spells and creature powers. The adept can use this talent a number of times each round equal to his Steel Thought rank, but only once against each such attempt directed at him during a round.

Step Number: Rank + Charisma
Action: No
Requires Karma: No Strain: 0
The Taunt talent allows an adept to insult and humiliate a target character, thereby distracting him. The target must be able to understand the adept in order for the Taunt to work. The adept makes a Taunt Test against the target’s Social Defense. If the test succeeds, the target incurs a -1 penalty to all of his Action Tests for each result level achieved on the Taunt Test. Because of the demoralizing effects of a successful taunt, subtract -1 from the target’s Social Defense for each result level achieved on the Taunt Test. Each use of the Taunt talent lasts for a number of rounds equal to the character’s Taunt rank.

Step Number: Rank + Willpower
Action: Yes
Requires Karma: No Strain: 0
The Temper Self ritual talent allows an adept to toughen himself, becoming more resistant to being damaged. The adept must not be suffering from any damage when performing this ritual, otherwise it automatically fails. The adept draws forth icy ether from astral space, rolling the chilling substance over his body. The ritual requires 30 minutes of intense meditation, after which the adept makes a Temper Self Test against the higher of his own Toughness step or a Dificulty Number of 6. If the test succeeds, the adept’s Temper Self rank is added as a bonus to his Death Rating, Unconsciousness Rating and Wound Threshold. If the test fails, the adept takes a number of Damage Points equal to his Wound Threshold, resulting in a Wound. No armor protects against this damage. The effect of the Temper Self talent lasts for 24 hours. An adept can beneit from only one successful Temper Other or Temper Self ritual during this time.

Step Number: Rank
Action: No
Requires Karma: No Strain: 1
The Tiger Spring talent allows an adept to react more quickly than normal in combat. The adept adds his Tiger Spring rank as a bonus to his Initiative Test that round. For example, an adept with Tiger Spring at Rank 3 would gain a +3 bonus to his Initiative Test. Tiger Spring can be used with other talents that improve Initiative, such as Air Dance.

Step Number: Rank + Perception
Action: Yes
Requires Karma: No Strain: 1
The Tracking talent allows an adept to follow the trails left by people and animals across great distances, using a combination of divination magic and senses—in particular, sight and smell—to wind traces of their passage. The adept irst locates some visible racks, then makes a Tracking Test against the tracks’ Detection Dificulty. The base Detection Dificulty of the trail is equal to he lowest Dexterity step among the target group. The age of the racks affects the adept’s ability to follow them. If the trail is more han a day old, add +2 to the Detection Dificulty; if the trail is a week or more old, add +3 to the Detection Dificulty for every week that has passed. The condition of the tracks also affects an adept’s ability to follow the trail. If the tracks have been obscured by weather, such as rain or snow, the adept requires a Good result on his Tracking Test to be able to follow the tracks. If the test succeeds, a faint, luminous image of the tracks is imprinted on he adept’s pupils. The adept sees this same image on the ground allowing him to unerringly follow the tracks, even if they have been obliterated by the weather or other causes. The adept can ollow the trail for a number of hours equal to his Tracking rank before requiring another Tracking Test. An adept may also use the Tracking talent to obscure his own racks. He may travel at a maximum speed equal to his Combat Movement rate and still obscure his tracks. If acting to disguise he tracks for a group, travel is limited to a maximum speed equal o half the adept’s Combat Movement rate; he must keep to the rear of the group and spend time masking any signs of their passage The adept makes a Tracking Test, the result of which becomes the Detection Dificulty for another character attempting to follow him. The adept makes one such test for every 24 hours of travel.

Step Number: Rank + Toughness
Action: Yes
Requires Karma: Yes Strain: 0 (see text)
The Wood Skin talent increases an adept’s resistance to damage by causing his skin, and portions of his muscles and ligaments, to become tougher. When this talent is active, the adept’s skin takes on the appearance of wood or bark. Use of the Wood Skin talent requires one of the adept’s Recovery Tests; if he has no Recovery Tests available to him, he cannot use this talent. The dept makes a Wood Skin Test and adds the result to both his Death and Unconsciousness Ratings for the duration of the talent. The effect of Wood Skin lasts for a number of hours equal to the dept’s Wood Skin rank, or until discarded by the adept; even if he adept falls unconscious, the Wood Skin remains in effect. Wood Skin may be used in conjunction with the Earth Skin and Stone Skin talents, with the effects, durations, requirements and any limitations, of the different talents being combined.

Step Number: Rank + Charisma
Action: Yes
Requires Karma: No Strain: 0
The First Impression talent allows an adept to favorably impress a gamemaster character he has just met for the first time. The adept makes a First Impression Test against the target’s Social Defense. If the test succeeds, the target character’s Attitude improves towards the adept by one degree; for example, a Neutral character becomes Friendly, an Unfriendly character becomes Neutral, and so on. On an Excellent result, it improves by two degrees (see the Gamemastering chapter of the Gamemaster’s Compendium for more information on Attitudes and how they work). At the gamemaster’s discretion, a Pathetic result worsens the character’s Attitude by one degree. The new Attitude may be changed for better or worse through future interactions, but reverts back to the original at a rate of one degree per day. Any openly hostile act the adept commits against the impressed character immediately erases the impression. An adept may only attempt to use the First Impression talent once against a given character.

Seventh Circle karma: The adept may spend 1 Karma Point on Damage Tests made against a Horror or Horror construct. Talents:

• Second Attack D
• Spirit Dodge D

Eighth Circle karma: The adept may spend 1 Karma Point on any Action Test made to resist the magical powers or spells of a Horror or Horror construct. Talents:

• Leadership
• Spirit Strike D
• Steely Stare

Ninth Circle Defense: The adept adds +1 to his Spell Defense. karma: The adept may spend 1 Karma Point on Recovery Tests. Talents:

• Bestial Resilience
• Crushing Blow
• Bardic Voice

Tenth Circle Defense: The adept adds +1 to his Physical Defense. Talents:

• Defense
• Lion Spirit

Knacki Łowcy Horrorów

Just as people, places, and things can have Names, so can groups of people. If all the members of a group can agree upon a Name for the group, that Name can form a True pattern that represents all that the group is, just like other True patterns of people, places, and things. This process is not easy, and requires that the group fulill the following conditions:

• The group must choose a Name for itself. The Name must represent the past, present, and future of the group.
• Once the group has chosen a Name, its members must also create a symbol for the group. This symbol can be anything that represents the group and its history.
• Each of the members of the group must create a Minor pattern item that represents not only himself, but also the group and that character’s role in the group.
• The group must be Named via a speciic Naming ritual. This begins to form the group’s True pattern.
• All the members must agree to perform a group oath of blood peace. This last act is what concludes the formation of the group True pattern.

Each of these conditions is described in greater detail below.

The group must choose a Name for itself. All the members must agree to the chosen Name. The Name can be anything, but will always represent a part of the group’s past, present, or future. Many groups are Named for the character who irst gathered the group together.

Thom Hammerblade and his companions wish to create a Name for their group. The group decides that they will be Named “Thom’s Adventurers” because Thom was the one who irst gathered them together.

A group symbol is a small picture or diagram that is a visual representation of the group. Like a group Name, the symbol must represent the group in some way.

Thom’s Adventurers decide that the symbol for their group will be that of a sword shattering a stone disk that bears the sigil of a Horror. This symbol represents one of the group’s irst adventures, in which they destroyed a Horror that had consumed several kaers.

Once the group chooses a Name and symbol for itself, each member must create a Minor pattern item that represents himself, the group, and his role in the group. Carving the group symbol into the item is one way to ensure that the pattern item represents the group.

Farliv is an elven Archer and a member of Thom’s Adventurers. Farliv must create a Minor pattern item that represents him, the group, and his role in the group. He chooses one of his arrows for his pattern item. The arrow is one that Farliv used to slay a creature during the irst adventure he shared with Thom Hammerblade. The arrow represents Farliv’s Discipline and his role in the group (Archer) and the group itself, because the arrow was used in his first adventure with the group.

The above example is just one possibility of a character/group pattern item. Players are encouraged to use their imagination when creating these pattern items.Though almost any item is viable, the gamemaster is the final arbiter of whether it is an acceptable pattern item.

Once the group Name and symbol are chosen and each member has created his pattern item, the group performs the Naming ritual. The ritual involves one member acting as the leader, who states the Name of the group and that its symbol will represent the group. Then each member, starting with the leader, presents himself and his pattern item to the group. The exact ritual varies widely, but a commonly used ritual goes as follows:

“This assembly shall be Named [Group Name]. This symbol represents our present, past, and future, and will be known across all of Barsaive as that of [Group Name].”
“I am Named [character Name]. This [character’s pattern item] represents my loyalty to this assembly. I am forever a part of [Group Name].”

Each member in turn recites his Name, pattern item, and his loyalty to the group. After the last member has done so, the leader hen invites the members to swear an oath of blood peace.

The last step in creating a group True pattern involves blood magic. Each of the members must swear a special oath of blood peace to the group. The Blood Magic section of the Workings of Magic chapter, p. 259, provides information about the blood peace oath, but a few important distinctions need to be made here. The oath is made to the group as a whole, not to each individual member of the group. This means that each member only takes a total of 2 points of damage from the oath of blood peace, not 2 points for every member of the group.
In addition, unlike other oaths of blood peace, all the members of the group must renew a group blood peace at the end of its duration. If all the members of the group do not renew the oath, the group True pattern dissolves, and any threads attached to it are destroyed. Because the oath is renewed and the damage from the oath is sustained, characters who have sworn a group oath of blood peace do not gain the additional point to their Death Rating, and can never heal the lost Damage Points.
Once all the members of the group take the oath of blood peace, the group’s True pattern is formed. From then on it is the same as any other True pattern in that it represents everything about the group, it can be accessed via one of its pattern items, and threads can be woven to it.

Because the members of a group jointly formed the group’s True pattern, the True pattern dissolves and any threads attached to it are destroyed if any member should die or leave the group. The True pattern dissolves slowly, taking one full day to completely dissolve. If the surviving members of the group wish to save the group’s True pattern, they have a day to either (somehow) resurrect the dead character or to reform the True pattern with the remaining members. To do this, they must repeat the process described above. Assuming they keep the same group Name, symbol, and pattern items, all they need to do is perform the Naming ritual and swear a new oath of blood peace.
Remaining group members do not take additional permanent Damage Points from performing the ritual to reform the group.

If a group decides to add new members to its True pattern, its members must perform the Naming ritual again, this time including the new members in the rite. New members must create a pattern item and then take the group oath of blood peace. After the Naming ritual, the group True pattern is changed to relect the new members.
Current members of the group do not take additional permanent Damage Points from performing the ritual again, although any new members joining the group do (see Group Oath of Blood Peace, p, 271).

Because the members of a group must create pattern items of themselves and the group, those pattern items hold Key Knowledges about the True pattern of the group. This has two important consequences.
First, members of the group do not have to obtain Key Knowledges in order to weave threads to the group True pattern, because they already know the Key Knowledges held by the item.
The second consequence is that non-group characters can use these pattern items against the group, just as with pattern items of people and places.
If another character obtains a group pattern item, that individual can learn the Key Knowledges held by the item. The Key Knowledges held by a group pattern item always contains the following information:

• The Name of the group.
• The Names of each of the group’s members.
• The Name of the character who created the pattern item.

If a character loses his group pattern item, he cannot weave any more threads to the group True pattern, and any already woven threads will cease to help him until he recovers the item.

Members of a group that have created a group True pattern can weave threads from their individual True patterns to the group True pattern. These threads can be used to enhance a character’s talents or some characteristics (see Using Woven Threads, p. 270).
The steps for weaving threads to the group True pattern are the same as for weaving threads to other True patterns, except that a character already has the necessary Key Knowledge. This leaves only two steps for weaving threads, Spending Legend Points and Weaving the Thread

When a character wants to weave a thread from his True pattern to a group True pattern, he must irst prepare the thread by spending Legend Points. The Legend Point cost for thread ranks woven to group True patterns is the same as that for a Ninth Circle talent, as shown in the Group True Pattern Legend Point Cost Table.
Once a character spends the required Legend Points, he can attempt to weave the thread to the group True pattern.

Weaving threads to group True patterns is done in exactly the same way as weaving threads to other True patterns. The Dificulty Number is determined by the rank of the thread that must be woven. If the Thread Weaving Test succeeds, the thread is attached; if the test fails, the character must gain a new rank in the Thread Weaving talent before he can try again.
Because the pattern items for a group pattern are Minor pattern items, a Good result is needed on the Thread Weaving Test to successfully weave the thread, just like Minor pattern items for other people and places.

Though thread magic usually has a limit of one thread per pattern item, this limit does not apply when weaving threads to a group True pattern.
Because group pattern items are Minor pattern items, a character can have a maximum of five threads woven from a group True pattern to his own. Should a character attempt to weave an additional thread after the fifth, the attempt fails.

When a character weaves a thread to a True pattern, that act establishes a link between the character’s True pattern and the True pattern of the target. The weaving character can use that link to boost one or more of his own abilities when interacting with the subject of the True pattern. To do this, he attaches the thread to one of the following abilities:
• Any one Talent
• Physical Defense
• Spell Defense
• Social Defense
• Wound Threshold
• Mystic Armor

Interpretacja:

Kiedy adept wplata wątek do prawdziwego wzorca grupy, tworzy więź pomiędzy nim, a swoim wzorcem.
Ta wieź może posłużyć do tego, by wzorzec grupy, zasilił swą magią wzorzec adepta. Przedmiot wzorca druzyny - jest Pomniejszym przedmiotem wzorca.
Żeby utkać do niego wątek wymagany jest Duży sukces na tkanie wątków (!).
Ilość zdolności/talentów jakie można wzmocnić w ten sposób zalezy od rangi przedmiotu:
Pomniejszy - 1
Znaczący - 3
Główny - 5
W tym konkretnym przypadku - 1. A więc tkając wątek do przedmiotu wzorca, wybieram jaką zdolność/moc będzie zasilała magia. Mag może wybrać np. Rzucanie czarów czy Obronę fizyczną. Wojownik Broń białą, albo Obronę magiczną, albo Próg Ran itp. Każdy poziom utkanego wątku dodaje wartość +1 do wybranej zdolności. Jeśli więc stworzycie Grupę i ją Nazwiecie, to Sivarius utkawszy wątek do przedmiotu wzorca i podnosząc go na 5 (maksymalnie) poziom, może podwyższyć swój talent Rzucanie Czarów o 5 stopni. Oczywiście nie uwzględnia się tego przy liczeniu wymagań do awansu na wyższy krąg, albo przy uczeniu się rozwinięć talentów.