(New Skill) Occult

New Skills 

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 Fomalhaut.
"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 includes Occult societies, their etiquette, Their signs, symbols, and their secret languages. History, lore, magical 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 magic. It's also useful for spotting fakes and charlatans. 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 through the use of natural resonances, Ley lines, Feng Shui, psychic abilities, Geomancy, and sacred geometry.

At the GM's Option, even uninspired 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 super-scientific 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 a 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 of rare objects with particular resonances which are often, but not always, consumed in the casting. Other times, they require large expenditures of inspiration and willpower from multiple persons or a reliance on a tellurically charged site.