Mental Attributes define a character's cerebral capacities, including such aspects as memory, intelligence, awareness of one's surroundings and the ability to think, learn and react.
Perception
Lucasz sat on the leather divan, jacket unbuttoned,
hands in his lap, waiting for his odd host to enter the room. Above the musky
scent of the leather, Lucas? caught a whiff of.. .poppies?... and heard the
clink of glass on glass. A stooped man with a beaklike nose - probably Barpeski's
ghoul servant - limped into the room, a fluted glass on a service in his hand.
"An aperitif while the lord dresses, sweet guest?" the
ghoul rasped.
"If it's all the same toyou, I prefer my vitae without laudanum,"
answered Lucasz.
The ghout blanched.
Perception measures a character's ability to observe his environment. This may involve a conscious effort, such as searching an area, but it is more often intuitive, as the character's keen senses notice something out of the ordinary. Perception is a sensitivity to the character's surroundings, and is seldom present in the cynical or jaded (who have seen it all before). Perception is used to determine whether or not a character understands a given situation or detects an environmental stimulus. It can warn a character of ambushes, help a character identify a metaphor, distinguish a clue from a pile of refuse or uncover any other hidden or overlookable detail, whether physical or otherwise.
Specialties: Attentive, Insightful, Careful, Discerning, Experienced, Eyes in the Back of Your Head, Farsighted, Uncanny Instincts, Detail-Oriented.
* Poor: Perhaps you are absurdly
self-absorbed, perhaps merely an airhead; in any event, even the most obvious
details elude you.
** Average: You are oblivious to the very subtle, but aware
of the bigger picture.
*** Good: You perceive moods, textures and minuscule changes
in your environment.
**** Exceptional: Almost nothing evades your notice.
***** Outstanding: You instantly observe things almost imperceptible
to human senses.
Intelligence
Aisling stared at the fragile manuscript, wondering
why it refused to make sense. The symbols were all in order, the invocations
were clearly defined, and the motions were even illustrated correctly. Why
wouldn't the damn thing work, then? It was as if whatever backward magician
had scrawled this thing had left out some basic but vital element. Backward...
Aisting toughed oioud as she heid the book before a mirror. There were the
symbols. Working through the alphabet in reverse, she transcribed the proper
verses from the page, and practiced the motions in opposite order. She had
broken the primitive code.
The Intelligence Attribute refers to a character's grasp of facts and knowledge. More importantly, however, it governs a character's ability to reason, solve problems and evaluate situations. Intelligence is almost a misnomer, as the Attribute also includes critical thinking and flexibility of thought.
Intelligence does not include savvy, wisdom or common sense, as those are properties of the character's personality, not Traits. Even the smartest character may be too foolish to keep her mouth shut or too daft to assume the thugs who want her car keys are up to no good.
Characters with low Intelligence aren't necessarily stupid (though they might be), they are just uneducated or simple thinkers. Likewise, characters with high Intelligence aren't all Einsteins; they may be better at rote memorization or have particularly keen judgment.
Specialties: Book Knowledge, Creative Logic, Analytical, Problem Solver, Subject Authority, Lateral Problem Solver, Probability Calculation, Trivia.
* Poor: Not the sharpest knife
in the drawer (IQ 80).
** Average: Smart enough to realize you're normal (IQ 100).
*** Good: More enlightened than the masses (IQ 120).
**** Exceptional: You're not just bright, you're downright
brilliant (IQ 140).
***** Outstanding: Certified genius (IQ 160+).
Wits
Fire!
Lucasz leaped from the divan as the first waves of hot smoke wisped through
the floorboards. First poison, and now this!
Looking to the door, Lucasz figured it must be bracedfrom the outside. The
window overlooked the bay, and using that exit would mean a fall of a few
hundred feet. The ventilation ducts were far too small for Kindred to crawl
through. Lucasz looked up. The crawlspace. The Fiend surely couldn't have
compartmentalized the thin gap between the floors. Simply crawl up there,
burst back through above the hallway, and bolt out the front door.
Lucasz turned the divan on its side, climbed atop and hammered his way through
the plaster ceiling with his fists. Now it was only a question of what remained
outside.
The Wits Trait measures the character's ability to think on her feet and react quickly to a certain situation. It also reflects a character's general cleverness. Characters with low Wits scores are thick and mentally lethargic, or maybe gullible and unsophisticated. By contrast, characters with high Wits Traits almost always have a plan immediately and adapt to their surroundings with striking expedience. Characters with high Wits also manage to keep their cool in stressful situations.
Specialties: Getting the Jump on Others, Snappy Patter, Changes in Strategy, Ambushes, Snappy Retorts, Cool-Headed, Cunning.
* Poor: Pull my finger.
** Average: You know when to bet or fold in poker.
*** Good: You are seldom surprised or left speechless.
**** Exceptional: You're one of the people who make others
think, "Ooh, I should have said..." the next day.
***** Outstanding: You think and respond almost more quickly
than you can act.