Art and Craft (Specializations)

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 Art and Craft (Specializations) (05%) 

The investigator sheet contains blank spaces for specializations of this skill, for example:

Acting, Barber, Carpenter, Cobbler, Cook, Dancer, Fine Art, Forgery, Morris Dancer, Opera Singer, Painter & Decorator, Photographer, Potter, Sculptor, Writer, Woodwork.

Many of these examples are skills directly linked to a profession, but the skill may be just a leisure pursuit. You may spend skill points to purchase any skill specialization. The generic Art and Craft skill cannot be purchased.

Ability with this skill may enable the making or repair of an item - something typically requiring equipment and time, to be determined by the Keeper if necessary. In a situation where graduations of success might be appropriate, a higher level of success indicates the item made is of high quality and/or precision.

An art or craft skill might also be used to make a duplicate or fake item. In such a case, the difficulty level would depend on the intricacy and distinctiveness of the original to be copied. In the case of faking documentation, a specific specialization (Forgery) is used.

A successful roll might provide information about an item, such as where or when it might have been made, some point of history or technique concerning it, or who might have made it. The holder of a specialization would have a breadth of knowledge within a particular field - knowledge of the subject, its history, and contemporary practitioners, as well as the ability to perform it.

Opposing skill/Difficulty level:


 * Regular difficulty: making a standard, saleable item


 * Hard difficulty: making a higher quality or particularly intricate piece

Pushing examples: reworking the subject, piece or composition from scratch; conducting further research; checking with another expert.

Sample Consequences of a failing a Pushed roll: a vast amount of time and money is wasted in creating a failed attempt; the audience or customer is highly offended or physically injured by some aspect of your work; the critics slam your work and no one desires your services any longer.


 * If an insane investigator fails a pushed roll, they create a transgressive work that shocks and causes violent reactions in the viewer - perhaps only the most decadent could appreciate it.

 Examples of Art and Craft Specializations: 

Acting (05%): The performer is trained in theatrical and/or film acting (in the modern era, this may also include television), able to adopt a persona, memorize scripts, and utilize stage/movie makeup to alter their appearance. See Disguise skill.

Fine Art(05%): The artist is accomplished in the art of painting (oils, acrylic, watercolor), as well as sketching in pencil, crayon, or pastels. While serious works of art might take many days or months to complete, the artist may quickly sketch accurate impressions, objects, and people. The skill also denotes a familiarity with the art world, and the artist may be able to determine a particular artist's work, their school, and known history.

Forgery (05%): Adept at fine detail, the user can produce high quality fake documents, be it a person's handwriting, a bureaucratic form or permit, or a duplicate of a tome. The forger will require suitable materials (inks, grades of paper, etc.) as well as an original from which to copy.


 * A successful roll indicates the forgery will pass a normal, cursory inspection. Someone spending time and thoroughly examining the forgery would use the Appraise skill (opposed by the original forger's skill) when determining if the fake can be spotted.

Photography (05%): Covers both still and motion photography. This skill allows one to take clear pictures, develop them properly, and enhance half-hidden detail.


 * In the 1920s, the user is able to prepare the necessary chemicals to make flashpowder (see Dangerous Photography).
 * In the present day, the skill extends to cover video cameras, video playback equipment, digital photography, and digital editing, where the user is adept at the manipulation of images. Radically different versions can be created from an original source, such as changing the location of a person in a photography, who they are with, and what they are doing. Those proficient may also be able to detect when an image has been manipulated.
 * Regular snapshots do not require a skill roll. Rolls would be required to achieve effective candid photographs, or shots that capture fine detail - especially at long range, at speed, or in low light. This skill can allow the investigator to determine if a photograph has been tampered with or fabricated, as well as the angle and position from which a photograph was taken.