Source Speak/TL [IQ/Very Hard] Defaults: None
Superficially, Source Speak resembles a language, but in reality it’s a complicated method for achieving physical effects via semantic manipulation of the environment. A successful roll will allow the user to automatically shift the results of a skill roll by one level, in either direction. For example, Source Speak can turn a critical failure into a failure, or a critical success to merely a success. An unsuccessful roll (which cannot be mitigated by another Source Speak skill check) causes 1d6 hit points (6d6 on a critical failure), which represents a piece of space-time reacting badly to being manipulated in such a fashion.
This admittedly all sounds like magic. Even the most primitive theory for explaining the physics involved to do such a thing does not exist below Tech Level 10, and it’s not until TL 11 before cultures are adept at using Source Speak (TL 11 users of Source Speak can shift results by two levels). No TL 12 culture currently in existence ever uses Source Speak, or indeed tolerates its use in their presence. When asked why, they simply smile in that insufferable way that TL 12 cultures tend to do.