Harold Polk’s Linguistic Espionage Mastery is a unique fusion of his perfect memory and deep understanding of Speech Act Theory, allowing him to communicate in any language with native fluency and cultural precision. Through his flawless recall, Harold has accumulated vast stores of linguistic patterns, dialects, and subtleties, giving him an intuitive grasp of each language’s nuances. He doesn’t merely translate words; he understands their intent, context, and hidden meaning, slipping into conversations as though he were born to each language he speaks.
With Speech Act Theory, Harold imbues his words with layers of meaning and influence, embedding subtle cues to guide others’ perceptions or actions. Every word he speaks carries intent, carefully crafted to either blend into the conversation or gently steer it, as if he were weaving an invisible thread through every interaction. This mastery makes him a linguistic ghost, an agent who can infiltrate through language alone, understanding and subtly shaping discussions to achieve his aims without ever raising suspicion.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to humans as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
Somm gathers the descendant daughter into the room, seating her across from him at the table. Somm then plays off a riff from a traditional taoist instrument, and as the sound streams through the air the wispy spirit of the girl's ancestor is summoned into the room: called from the grave.
Somm utilizes a Taoist technique in which one's ancestor can be contacted through the usage of their descendant as a conduit / tie to the modern world of the living: however this requires that one is able to play a summoning / heralding "Call" for them, which is satisfied by the focus of this power. The actual technique which this is, is referred to as Mun Mai.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action to activate. Select a Sapient being, human, or Dead target within arm's reach. In order to target the Dead, you must have the presence of one of their loved ones. This Effect cannot be used unless the target is dead, or similarly a phantasmal entity or occult being that can be described as dead or "spiritual". You must actively and obviously use Chinese Instruments to activate this Effect.
The target can communicate in your language for the next hour.
While this Effect is active, you are at -2 dice to all Actions and cannot Concentrate.
You may only use this Effect once per target per day.
David pulls a what looks to be a BlackBerry cellphone out of his pocket, but it has an eerie design on the back of it….a skull, inside a lightbulb, whose vacant sockets seem to stare into yours. The phone puts out only static on one end, but then quietly through its speaker comes the voice of someone you know to be deceased. David speaks as if this is just a normal work conversation, hangs up the call, and puts the phone away in his bag.
(From user manual that was shipped with the phone) “Here at Spectrum S our researchers have combined the research of Thomas Edison’s spirit phone with the reliability and the durability of a modern cellphone! Putting the power to speak to the dead right in our user’s hands, Spectrum S has built you the best NecroTech spectral engineering can devise! Thomas Edison would be proud! But don’t take our word for it, call him up and take his!”
*Spectrum S is not liable for harms, damages, or unintended consequences of speech with the deceased. Thomas Edison’s Spirit Cell Phone(TM) is not warranty secured.*
Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action to activate. Select a Dead target of which you have Full true name and date of birth OR phone number.
The target can communicate in your language for the next hour.
Zephyren's birdlike senses have attuned him to the so-called languages of the animal kingdom. He can finally comprehend the song of the forests, but this is only the beginning.
On music:
It's a blemish in Zephyren's past, yet one of his most fond highlights all the same. The sense of community that music brings is universal, as anyone can understand when a score sounds upbeat or solemn. He could put his emotions into it and no one would know the subject of his grief, only that he does have feelings after all. It never quite leaves his mind, so he finds himself stopping in his tracks whenever he hears it - whether geophonic or anthropophonic or biophonic - he has to appreciate how it all flows together.
On animals:
Wildlife is harder to spot in Hong Kong, with all the urbanization. Zephyren remembers his first few months in Canada, which were often spent just gawking at the animals he's never seen. Particularly, he had no idea coyotes were dangerous. Whoops.
On comprehension:
Now that even animals can speak to him, he has more noise to filter through. It might just be his downfall.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to Creatures as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
Zodiara is the celestial gift of speaking with animals, channeling the wisdom of the stars to bridge the gap between species. Those who wield this power can understand and be understood by creatures of all kinds, their voices carried through the cosmic currents that connect all living beings.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to Creatures as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. You must use up alcohol in order to activate this Effect.
You may understand and communicate to humans as if you are fluent in a relevant language for the next hour.
This also includes understanding any recorded communications from the relevant targets, including writings, scent trails, etc.
While active and speaking to a single individual, you may choose to use glib tongue. When you do, anything you say to them (even gibberish) will be exactly what they want to hear. You gain no understanding of what that might be.
The Necromancer spits into the mouth of a recently deceased corpse. For the few minutes, the corpse's head comes back to life and speaks to the Necromancer.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Dead target within 50 feet. Dead targets must have died within the past week, and you must have their remains in your possession.
The target can communicate in your language for the next hour.
The beastmaster can speak to and understand any animal.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to terrestrial animal as if you are fluent in a relevant language.