Create a Zekiran

Skills - Educational Skills

Please note that this character chart does not include Dragon Master, Dragon Breeder or Rogue status. For those please go to the Dragonmasters of Zekira website. The information there may conflict slightly with this normal timeline.

Skills listed on the following charts are arranged in order of use and commonality.

Educational Skills
Generally speaking, Educational Skills come in two or three increments: passing knowledge, advanced use, and professional. Most often, the first two categories cannot be raised unless the character is actually planning on becoming a professional at the skill. The professional category can be raised. All Educational skills must be Specialized. All these skills unless specifically indicated have a base Skill roll of Intelligence, and all of them are Tough in level.

Artistry - The general category of using sight or touch in association with spacial design. See Also Handiwork, Labor or other similar skills.
Applied - For either 10 or 15 points, the ability to use an artistic skill such as Photography, Painting, Sculpture or other physical means of creation. A 10 point skill indicates only a knowledge of the area, and a basic ability to use it (an amateur photographer like Worker Lucia whose only interest is to take lots of pictures of her students) and cannot be raised. A 15 point skill indicates a fully professional ability and expert knowledge with the skill (Mirage processes her own pictures in her small lab, owns a plant where the chemicals for such things are made, and wins top awards for her work in the Racing and Pop Art fields). Pick a field to work with. Knowledge of other fields are incidental unless another Art/Theory skill is taken. By combining Applied Art with other skills such as Engineering and Math, the character could be an architect, landscaper, environmental consultant, or even a Breeder's assistant! (With an eye for details such as facial structure and color blending, a Breeder could make millions by causing just the right people to Breed!) May be combined with either Reaction/Perception or Agility/Manual /4 if needed.
Artistic Composition - Without the actual ability to create the objects in question, the character with this skill can organize spaces properly. When designing a newspaper layout for instance, or a banquet display, a building complex or other such design work, this skill is used. You could be the best painter in the world but never get anywhere in professional circles if you don't know how to display your work! This skill costs 5 points and cannot be raised, it can but rarely needs to be specialized. Combine skill roll with 1/5 Reaction/Perception (usually Sight).
Art History - See Also History. Specialized skill in Art History will tell you far more than anyone needs to hear about this artist or that designer. Bore people at parties! Impress your old instructors!
Art Theory - With this skill the artist knows where to look for certain kinds of paint, stones, or subject matter, but they cannot actually assemble full art pieces. Typically used by art store employees until they're good enough at their Applied Art skill to get by with it. Costs 5 points, and cannot be raised but should be specialized.

Biology - For 5 or 10 points, the character can learn either basic or advanced physical biology. Plants, cats, Steeds, these broadly special categories can be taken but nothing more in-depth than those, that is considered inviolate Breeder territory. This skill offers a basic overview of the body, life sciences and such, so that people with a 5 point skill might be able to understand how that fracture just happened, someone with a 10 point skill might be able to put a splint on it, but it would take a Breeder's professional skill at 15 (qv) to actually heal it. Cannot be raised but any basic or advanced skill can be specialized. All 5 point skills in Biology are considered Theory.
Electronics - See Also Engineering/Machine Ops, other categories. For 5 points the character has a passing knowledge of things which require power to operate. For 10 points they may be able to assemble a radio or other device. For 15 points they are considered a professional in the field of electronics and they've got the chance at a very good job in it. Able to repair things which need it, trouble shoot, and examine the uses of a device at a professional level only, at this level as well it can be raised. Roll is Intelligence + Agility /2.
Geology - At 5 points this is a broad knowledge of stones, sediments, and other land-information, it cannot be raised. At 10 points this can be used by scouts or land-investors to determine if land being looked at is worth its weight in gold or just what; also can be used by engineers to sense where not to build; specific use at 10 points includes stone-mining and ore knowledge. At 15 points the character can be a professional geo-scientist, studying rocks, ores, metals and minerals, can identify and actually put to use certain of any of those. Can be raised and specialized at the professional level. At the professional level also - but only because this is very rare - this skill can be used as archaeology. There is very little in this field being done, because the Zekirans have very little interest in who lived where they're living now, since they're either completely gone or now only living on Neres.

Geography - Broadly, the knowledge of Areas, Lands and Cities. See Also: Land Laws.
Mapmaking - Specific skill for 5 points, the ability to combine use of tools and spacial relations, can also be a specific use of Artistry, cannot be raised.
Specific Histories - Each Land or Area has a professional in their field. One who knows damn near everything there is to know about the lay of the land. For 10 points you can be one of those people. For 15 points, you can be the ultimate knowledgeable sage regarding the lands, this cannot be raised.
Historical Theory - The ability to rattle off all the Lands, Areas and Cities by rote, perhaps a bit about their locations. Also the main rivers, seas and mountains. This is a 5 point skill only, and has only vague practical value, it does not mean the character knows how to get to any of these places, or that they would want to. (That's History, or Politics.)

World History - Everyone should know the history of their Land, their famous heroes, and who settled where first. For 5 points, a basic broad knowledge of the whole world is offered, but very little specific insight can be gained. For 10 points, add a general category of knowledge which can be relied upon if needed. For 15 points, the character's skill is extremely thorough, they know pretty much all there is to know about subject x. This can be raised, but only to the point that they exhaust their sources for information. Combined with Archaeology or Psionic Ancestry-Reading, however, they may find out things that no one has known for thousands of years! (Or, just ask Etan.) For skills above 5 points, all must be specific. Can be combined with 1/5 Social Skill for the roll.

Language - Because there is so little difference between the dialects of Zekirans, the study of language could be considered a specific History skill. If used on Zekirans, it is a 5 point skill and may be combined with Social Skill to provide the ability to actually use those dialects properly. Combine this with acting and you've got something! For 10 points they can study the natives and attempt to speak some of their languages, or specifically understand Zekiran historical divergence in the dialects.

Laboratory Work - The ability to research and use tools properly to get information out of objects that cannot normally speak... Clinicians, Blood testing, air or ground analysis, field may be specialized. For 10 points the character has knowledge of the proper tools and kinds of information that they may actually get out of their subjects - note that they may not actually be able to use the tools without taking that specific skill! For 15 points the tool use is included and if combined with another education skill such as geology or chemistry, can be used to actually invent substances. For 20 points the character could be considered a "mad scientist" and knows what is in all those bubbling tubes and behind all those walls of dials. Can be and usually is specified.
Research - For 5 points the character can get around in a lab setting but ought not to be allowed to touch anything. They can read the instruments and gain knowledge from the results of the tests being run but cannot actually run them. Research cannot be raised.
Knowledge of Tools - For 5 points the character can use the tools of the trade but they have no implied knowledge of what they're testing. It is easy for someone to be trained to pour something into something else and stand back when it fizzes. Tool use cannot be raised but it can be specified.

Literacy - For 10 points the character can use the Big Words and compose poetry or songs, write epic ballads, or generally impress people with their knowledge of the dictionary. As noted in the general description, this skill cannot be bought by Slaves or Bayaran unless their Owner/Membayar so wills it. See Also Communication. This skill can be specified and if it is it may be raised. (Someone with a 15 in Writing is considered to be a world-class writer, like a Michael Chrichton type, whose work will be appreciated by popular audiences for at least another two or three hundred years after their death. At a 20, they're considered Homer and their works will survive the next 10 thousand years like his have.)

Mathematics - When taken at a level 5 skill this gives the user an ability with math just above their Status learning. They can surprise audiences with their knowledge of statistics and logic, or bore them with the same things. If used at a 10 level, the user gets called upon by the general populous to solve higher math problems (and they don't get invited to many nice parties). When bought at 15 points, the character is able to impress even other mathematicians, can do all those rocket-science type calculations (perhaps in their head) and might even find uses for higher math.
Applied - Using the Math skill and applying it to another Science or Education skill, or even Artistry or Handiwork, the user can make more precise calculations than before, and their work will be more thorough than others. Often used by Bettors and Bookmakers, to aid their Communication Skill. Costs 5 points, can be specified, and can be raised. When applying Math skill to another skill, add the cost directly (Lord Blen has an Int of 67, a Social Skill of 72, a Betting skill of 12, and Applied Math of 5. His ability with a betting pool is 98! He usually cleans up at Races!)
Theory of, or Logic - For 5 points, this skill can enable the user to understand not only the theories behind math and its uses, but use those theories to argue with words instead of numbers. This skill is far more common in Bonders than anyone else (except perhaps High Holders who had been them before Raising.) and is extremely useful when talking philosophy. Cannot be raised, it does everything it needs to right there.
Music - Zekirans love to listen to it, dancing is an essential part of party life, and when you have no music you have no party. All skills in Music are considered automatically Specified.
Applied - For 5 points, the character is able to use one instrument well enough to perform in front of friends or relatives without embarrassment. They can read music and can attempt to use related instruments with a -5 penalty. For 10 points, the character can be used as a background musician in a studio, can hire themself out to play at small parties and local events, can use related instruments without penalty but without any special ability. For 15 points (and can raise from here only) the character is a known performer, picks up new instruments at a +5 ability (rather than their 15) and can make a lot of money if they work their career right. It is extremely rare to find someone who has a skill this high who is not already a professional. Any Instrument skill is based on Agility/Manual + Reaction/Perception (usually hearing) /2.
Compose - For 5 points the character has an understanding of what instruments might sound good together, what kinds of scales should be used and the pacing of music in general, they may or may not be able to actually play any of the instruments, but they can put together the sheet music and carry a tune. Can be raised. Note that this skill is the one to use if your character is psionically able to produce sounds, if they want to make music out of their heads they can do so, without having to know how to play all those pesky instruments! This skill is Intelligence + Reaction/Perception (hearing) /2.
Musical Engineering - For use with most DJs and sound engineering, at the smallest party to the largest Woodstock style gathering, for studio recordings which actually sound like they're made live... Engineering is needed. For 5 points this skill gives the user the ability to specifically use their Machine Operations skill (usually on mid-sized equipment) for musical production. Can be raised. This skill is Intelligence + Reaction/Perception + Agility/Manual /3.
Music History - As typical for any other theoretical subject, for 5 points the character is adept at listing their specific field of interest (pop music, grand composers, flute music, etc) and has a basic understanding of other fields. Can be raised, and must always be specific to a field. People with high Music History scores are always welcome at parties. This is an Intelligence based skill.
Music Theory - As math, if added to another music skill, the 5 points can make or break a performance or composition. This skill does not confer any actual ability in and of itself, and can be used alone by music critics (hey, they can't play worth a damn but they know what they like, right?) or by simple listeners who want to know how that last trill was able to blend so perfectly into that rise of trumpets.
Dancing - can't forger dancing! Agility skill, 5 points for an okay ability, 10 is excellent, 15 points you're inventing new popular fads constantly. Or, one specific dance can be raised to a professional level (like ballroom dancers, or even popular hiphoppers).

Sciences - For 10 points the character is able to do a particular bit of science: chemistry, horticulture, rocketry, anything not already covered by another specific skill above. This must not include any Breeding skills such as biology. For 15 points the character is considered an expert in their field, and could teach at a community college. For 20 points they are a professional scientist and are often called upon to explain their particular science to those same community college professors. Any of these must be specified, and they can only be raised from the Professional 20 point level. All Sciences are considered Intelligence skills. Any Science may be Applied to another skill, such as Landscape design and Atmosphere science to create an environment which will not erode with the elements. When Applying, add the Science skill directly to the final skill of the other. Note that to become a true Scientist a character should consider losing some Sanity, and Social Skill. There are damned few Scientists who get invited to anything other than dorm parties and post-conference dinner.

General Teaching - The ability to convey information that has specifically been understood by the character. This differs slightly from the Communication skill, mainly in that the presence of this skill (and this alone!) indicates the permission to use it! There are teachers in all Status, and all of them must pass testing that enables them to have a teaching creditation. For 5 points the teaching skill is purely in their Status, they are able to show everything that is basically essential to their Status learning. An example of a Status Teacher is an elementary school teacher on Earth. They are adept enough at all the basics, but never have an excess of any given subject. For 10 points the characters skill is good enough to teach young adults a specific subject: a typical junior high or high school Earth teacher would come here, each of them able to show off a skill which they must add to their Teaching - any subject will do. A 15 point skill enables the teacher to work with adults or other professionals, for instance a Breeder with a 15 point Teaching ability adds their Teaching to their Anatomy skill to instruct the new class of Breeders. For skill over 5 points, the skills being taught must be specified. This need not be left to one subject, for a 10 point skill the character can choose three subjects; for a 15 point skill they may only choose two. Teaching is based on Intelligence plus Social Skill /2.