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Poetry & Writing

Artistic
Creativity
Empathy
Memory

Short Description

The art of writing expressive compositions, literary texts, poems, advertisement or any other form of creative texts.

Success Criteria

Effects

Modifiers and Restrictions

Action Examples

Compose a rallying poem to boost morale before battle: DR 90 (peaceful setting), DR 110 (tense moment), DR 130+ (group is demoralized)Effect: +5–10 to allies’ Resolve or morale-based checks

Publish a scathing article to sway public opinion: DR 100 (public already skeptical), DR 120–140 (popular or protected target)Effect: Reduce faction influence or NPC trust

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Long Description

Poetry & Writing lets you shape language into influence. From political commentary to coded lyrics, your words can inform, deceive, inspire, or entertain. Whether working as a rebel scribe or court chronicler, this skill allows you to manipulate emotions, construct arguments, or even shift a narrative in your party's favor.

It supports both solo and team strategies—arming you with cultural credibility, encrypted communication, or psychological leverage.

Pairs well with:

  • Politics – for persuasive speeches and legislative impact
  • Forgery – to fake literary sources or credentials
  • Battle Chant – to write combat verses that resonate
  • Photographic Art – to combine visuals with text in propaganda
  • Humanistic Sciences – to draw on cultural references for authenticity

Sequencing

Potential Counters

How to use this page

All the information above is intended as a guide to help you navigate the many situations that can arise during your game. Since it's both impossible—and frankly uninspiring—to plan for every possible outcome, players are encouraged to think creatively when using their skills. Game Masters, in turn, are encouraged to embrace and support that creativity.

Whenever possible, aim to resolve situations through narrative choices, logical thinking and role playing. If that’s not feasible, agree on a Difficulty Rating (DR) using the provided Success Criteria and Modifiers. These are not rigid rules, but suggestions - starting points to help you find the right level of challenge. The player describes their intended action, and the Game Master proposes a DR. This should be open to brief discussion at the table, ideally resulting in consensus. If not, the Game Master has the final say.

It’s important to emphasize that all suggested effects, modifiers, and action examples are exactly that: suggestions. If you’re unsure how to resolve something, they offer a reliable fallback—but wherever possible, we encourage you to push boundaries. That’s where some of the most memorable and exciting moments in play are born.

Sequencing and Potential Counters are far from exhaustive. With hundreds of skills, spells, and tech modules in the game, the possibilities are too vast to list. You’re encouraged to explore combinations that make sense in your story and setting and in the situations that arise in your game. Sequencing and countering are core to Cosmic Odyssey - they’re where strategic depth meets dramatic flair, and where legendary moments often take shape. Even if no sequencing and counters are mentioned, some certainly exists and can be smartly utilized.

So explore boldly, improvise wisely, and enjoy the game as it unfolds around your choices.