Occult: (Perception)
"This is why i called you up here. I'm sorry about the trek up the mountain but the survey team found this and i knew you'd want to know."
Professor Blanton looked about at the site. The stones might look to the uninitiated to look completely natural but the altar was plain to him. It sat at the crux of a series of nine long rectangular stones shaped into a large "V" There was a slight tang of ionization to the air.
Blanton checked the sky for the position of Fomalhuat. "Let me guess...The disappearances started about September or so? I'm willing to bet there is a history of it in this area."
"We should leave here now."
This ability is a sort of subset of Academics and covers the belief systems of the world as they regard the practice of magick. This include Occult societys, their etiquette, Their signs, symbols, and their secret languages. History, lore, magickal theory, comparative religion and a touch of anthropology and Mob psychology. It also might be a good skill to use for hypnosis, meditation, and maybe some forms of divinatory magick. It's also usefull for spotting fakes and charlattans. It might also be a good skill to use as a "fine control" skill for many mesmerist knacks
The Ability Mastery of this Skill allows the use of Superscience. This Superscience is science that is not understood as Science per se...(At least not by the western world) but it does involve the manipulation of Telluric energy thorugh the use of natural resonances,Ley lines, Feng Shui, psychic abilities, Geomancy, and sacred geometry.
at the GM's Option; even unspired persons who achieve ability mastery with Occult may purchase a single Mesmerist Knack. (this knack will run solely on Willpower instead of Inspiration)
Magickal Rituals and talismans might even be built as Gadgets in order to achieve certain effects.(mechanically these would function the same way as any ordinary form of superscientific device. and would be built the same way.
a scientist creates a pair of hydraulic jumping boots but an occultist impresses psychic energy on an amulet scribed with the symbol of stag. both devices confer the knack A Single Bound. and take the same amount of time to research and make.
A super chemist creates a serum, A "Witch" creates a Potion, "Spells" are constructed in much the same way as gadgets but often require the use rare objects with particular resonances (which are often,but not allways consumed in the casting) Other times they require large expenditures of inspiration and willpower from multiple person or a reliance on a tellurically charged site.