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Knacks

Everyone in New Dunston has at least one knack: some unusual ability that others don't share. Some are completely unique, and others are common to many members of a family. Even when two knacks are very similar, there are usually slight differences in their details. The examples below are just that—examples. Players are encouraged to work with the STs to invent their own knacks, and ones chosen from below can be modified to give each character's knack a unique flavor.

There are three levels of knacks, increasing significantly in power between each level. Relatively few people have a level three knack, and many have only level one knacks. Everyone in New Dunston is born with just a single level one knack, but people often develop more or improve their knacks over time.

The progressions below are not unique; sometimes similar level one knacks may have multiple level two knacks corresponding to it, and sometimes a single person will eventually develop several level two extensions of the same level one knack.

It costs 5 experience points to buy the first level of a knack, 30 more to buy the second, and 100 more to buy the third.

Racial Knacks

Some knacks are hereditary and are associated with a non-human appearance (in practice, this is usually minor—perhaps an unusual eye color or strange facial features). These are considered to be racial knacks, and those who have them are considered "non-human." Many people aren't well versed in the varieties of non-human races around, and lump many of them into the generic derogatory term "goblin." There is no specific race known by that name, and almost no one would use that term for themself.

Examples

Level one: The character has a preternatural ability to be prepared for circumstances. Mechanically, once per evening the player may declare that their character had retroactively thought to bring with them a single conventional item. (For example, a character who conveniently brought rope that no one expected to need.)
Level two: The player may do this three times per night, as long as each use is for a separate event. (Roughly, multiple items should not be produced to deal with the same obstacle.)
Level three: The player may do this an unlimited number of times per night, as long as it is only used once per event.
Level one: Resistance to the effects of a single element (electricity, acid, fire cold). Mechanically, this gives +2 on all tests to resist the element and one less wound per hit in damage.
Level two: +4 to resist and three less wounds per round.
Level three: Complete immunity to that element
Level one: Exceptional ability to help. A person with this knack provides half their stat if they lack a skill and their full stat if they have it when lending to help someone.
Level two: Provides the full stat if they lack the skill and double if they have it. (This may result in the person being more effective when helping than on their own.)
Level three: Provides double their stat if they lack the skill and triple if they have it.
Level one: The person with this knack may walk through walls (but not floors) once every twenty-four hours, bringing only clothes and small items in pockets.
Level two: They may do this twice every twenty-four hours.
Level three: They may do this five times every twenty-four hours.
Alternate level two: They may bring anything they can carry.
Alternate level three: They may bring another person.
Level one: This knack lets someone make a broken motor mechanical device work just by hitting it. It won't be fully functional (any test using it will be at a penalty of -1 to the relevant skill) and it only works once, and for a short period of time. For instance, a car would handle very poorly, but work long enough to take a trip across town; it would break down again on a long trip, and won't start again after it's stopped. A variation for guns instead of motors would allow a single shot (at a penalty). Level two: The object works twice, and without penalty. Level three: The object works fine for the rest of the day.

Knockers

At the first level, a knocker can see in complete darkness as if it were dimly lit.
At the second level, a knocker intuitively knows the physical layout of the area within a mile of them.
At the third level, a knocker with the freedom to walk around can, in a few minutes of walking (even just walking in circles around a cell), leave any general area, although they don't have much control over where they end up.

Werewolves

At the first level, a werewolf becomes a wolf for the three nights of the full moon.
At the second level, a werewolf can change between wolf and human forms at will in about a minute.
At the third level, a werewolf may instantaneously adopt any of the traits of a wolf or human that they wish