Perception is the acuity of the senses—the keenness of eye, sharpness of ear, and sensitivity of nose. It determines who sees the hawk circling above when others see only sky, who hears the footstep on soft grass when others hear silence, and whose nose catches the scent of rot in the granary. A person with keen perception is difficult to surprise and deadly in the hunt.
Impaired
Impaired individuals struggle with their senses. Their eyes are weak, their ears dull, and their nose largely insensate. They miss what happens around them, not through inattention but through genuine sensory limitation. They may move through crowded rooms unaware of much happening, and hunting is nearly impossible for them.
Dulled
Dulled senses are less acute than normal. Such folk miss things that are plain to others. They do not hear a quiet conversation nearby, do not notice the small signs that precede a storm, and do not see movement in peripheral vision. They manage adequately in their own known spaces but are easily surprised elsewhere.
Average
Average perception is the norm. People see what is plainly before them, hear ordinary conversation, and smell smoke or decay. They notice marked changes in their surroundings but miss subtle signs. Most folk possess such perception.
Sharp
Sharp-eyed, sharp-eared folk notice details others miss. They see the flicker of movement in a distant wood, hear the whisper beneath normal conversation, and smell the old coin in a purse of new ones. Hunters of sharp perception rarely miss their prey; guards with such perception catch thieves red-handed.
Acute
Acute perception borders on the uncanny. Such individuals perceive details almost as though the world speaks directly to their senses. They can track by scent alone, spot a hidden figure in darkness, and hear the distress in another’s voice beneath their calm words. Some believe such acuity comes from the Arcane itself.
In Practice
When a hunter tracks a deer through forest, the impaired one loses the trail immediately. The dulled tracker follows obvious disturbances but loses the scent where others would continue. The average hunter tracks competently but may miss the deer if it doubles back. The sharp-eyed tracker notices the bent grass and broken twigs, following surely. The acute tracker perceives the faint warmth of the recent track and hunts with almost uncanny directness.