< Keys List | Game Rules

All core secrets are as written, except...

• Secret of Languages - this secret does not exist, except for Automatons, who need it to understand spoken commands. Otherwise, the assumption is that all characters know at least a few words in other languages, and usually quite a lot more. Language difficulties will only matter if it is fun for them to matter. The Secret of Scribing IS necessary to be literate, however.

In addition, the following secrets from elsewhere in the book should be considered core:

• Secret of the Addiction - Goblin.
• Secret of the Iron Stomach - Ammeni, though probably also used for 'foreigners'.

Combat Secrets

Secret of the Berzerker
You may apply your Reason pool to any Vigor-based skill; this includes Endure used in physical conflicts.

Secret of the Commander
Use a successful Orate to bestow bonuses on your troops, as per Secret of Blessing. You must state a specific goal for them to accomplish. Your success level with this ability check is a pool of bonus dice any member of this group can use in accomplishing this task. Cost: 1 Vigor.

Secret of the Sharpshooter
When using ranged weapons that utilize the Aim skill, you may add +1 to the harm that you do with a successful hit. The maximum harm bonus with equipment included is +3.

Secret of the Steel Heart
Any time you are called upon to take a Resist check that involves any kind of fear or panic, you may add a bonus die to your roll.

Magic Secrets

Three Corner Magic Spells

Society Secrets

Secret of Heart's Betrayal
This character is able to study the subtle hints that give away the motivations of men. A successful Discern Truth check (usually opposed) allows the character to learn another character's Keys. For every Success level the other character must reveal a key. If the GM did not previously give an NPC Keys, than the GM should assign some to that NPC as needed. Cost - 1 Instinct

Secret of the Manipulator
(See Maldor Cultural Secrets)

Scholarly Secrets

Secret of the Tool Box
You always carry an Ability-appropriate tool kit wherever you go that inevitably seems to have just what you need for any task related to the Ability. (This could be an actually tool box, if it were related to Complex Crafts, a little black bag if related to First Aid, et cetera.) Whenever you make a check related to the designated Ability, you may add one bonus die to your roll. If the item is permanently lost, regain the Advance.

Secret of Photographic Memory
Your mind is like a camera when it comes to information. You can use this ability to instantly recall any piece of visual information (faces, books, maps, letters, pictures, etc.) that you have seen before, however briefly. Cost: 2 Reason per use.

Secret of Skepticism
You are convinced that everything has a natural, logical explanation to it. When confronted with tests against any supernatural phenomena, add one bonus die to your Resist rolls. This includes tests against any psionic attacks or effects that allow opposed Resist rolls. If the character does not want to Resist the effect, its originator rolls a penalty die instead, even if the player wants his character to be effected.

Secret of the Spontaneous Fact
You have read and studied so much that you can essentially pull random bits of information out of your head, even things that your character wouldn’t (or couldn’t) otherwise have known. “I’ve never been to West Africa before, but I’m fairly certain that I remember reading a book that the native inhabitants of the Galagula River region have red tattoos on their skin as a mark of prowess in battle.” Cost: 2 Reason.

Steampunk Secrets

Secret of the Automaton After completing a steam-driven device successfully (which takes a bare minimum of an hour for even a small automaton) and a successful Craft check, expend 2 Reason to give the device some measure of intelligence (can take verbal commands rather than being programmed, can conduct some basic, logic-based reasoning, etc.)

Automata start with four abilities (like beasts), are Unskilled in each ability, and have no Pools. They have advances equal to three times the success level of the ability check used to summon them. Half of these advances are spent by the player, and half by the GM. Automata cannot be Bloodied (treat as more Bruised effects), and are rendered inoperable when Broken (though they may be repaired).

The four attributes are:

• Power (Vigor) -- This is the automata's strength and ability in combat. This is used to attack other characters and smash things.
• Speed (Instinct) -- This is the automata's quickness and control. It is used to dodge blows, run away, and be fast.
• Senses (Instinct) -- This is self-explanatory: it is the automata's ability to notice its surroundings.
• Brain (Reason) -- This is a measure of the automata's intelligence and will, and is used like Reason. It is used for a automata to understand commands.

Automata need few points in their pools. One or two points in Instinct makes them formidable, and one or two points in Vigor makes them quite tough. No points should be in Reason unless the automata has very special properties. An automata may have one or two Secrets to represent special abilities that it has.

As soon as the automata is activated, there must be a contest between the Automata's highest skill rating and the activator's Sway. Any successes (or a tie) for the Automata means that the Automata will run amok, rather than following orders.

Secret of Animatron Construction
The character is a skilled craftsman, able to create and change animatrons. The character may assign Advances to Abilities or Secrets for an animatron in his workshop with a successful Craftsman ability check, replacing the Adaptation check otherwise required. (He can do this against the will of the animatron, should his resisted degree of success suffice.) He can also create new animatrons: this works exactly like creating automatons with Secret of the Automaton: the new animatron has a Fuel pool at zero, Advances equal to success x3, and Secret of the Metal that Walks Like a Man as a bonus. (Note that this is a different from how a starting player character is created.) Notes: A character cannot construct himself. Requirement: Secret of the Automaton Cost: 2 Reason.

Secret of the Gearhead
Your character gets along better with machines than people. When dealing with any sentient or partially sentient automata, you gain a bonus die to all your Instinct rolls.

Secret of the Heart of the Machine
Your character has more oil in his veins than blood. For the purposes of refreshing ability pools, your character may count machines as characters, whether they are sentient or not. In other words, spending a long night tinkering with the engine of an airship is the same for you as drinking with a buddy.

Secret of Jury-Rigging
Your character has the uncanny ability to build or repair simple devices even when he doesn’t have all the available tools and/or equipment. Cost: 2 Reason.

Secret of the Protocols
The character is a skilled automaton programmer, able to work even with sentient animatrons. A successful Craftsman ability check allows the character to 'force' the target animatron (usually restrained or compliant, depending on available tools) to buy any one Protocol or Function Key, even one previously bought off. If the animatron does not have enough experience, he simply goes into debt. Furthermore, the programmer's ability check level is noted down as the "strength" of the program - the animatron has to beat this check to act against the Protocol or Function (defined as acting in a manner that does not gain experience available from the Key; penalty dice for ignoring the Key altogether) each time until and unless it's bought off. The same Protocol or Function can be programmed multiple times, but the Key is only bought if the character does not already have it. A character with conflicting Protocols is paralyzed and unable to act as long as the condition persists. Protocols always override Functions in this regard. The stronger Function (programming check -wise) overrides the weaker Function. Equally strong Functions cancel each other (insofar as forcing character to act is concerned; they still act as Keys). A character can program itself (if an animatron). Requirement: Secret of the Automaton Cost: 2 Reason.

Secret of the Smoke Bomb
Enterprising pyrotechnic enthuasists have rediscovered the use of bombs which generate a large cloud of smoke, primarily as a means of escape. This Secret allows a character to use Demolotions to create a large cloud of smoke. If used successfully during Bringing Down the Pain, the contest is immediately over with neither side attaining their intention, and the character who used it escaping from the scene. Cost - 1 Instinct.

Game Rules