Clack, Stack, Stuck

In addition to skills you have Competencies granted by the weird people you more closely align yourself to. Here are some. It's kind of like magic, kind of like imitating or borrowing power from the people in question.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Mister Pig

1. By putting your hand over someone's mouth, you steal their voice and can use all the languages they know for as many turns as you have Charisma. This requires you keep your hand on their mouth.
2. If you silently mouth a sentence at someone within your direct line-of-sight, you force them to speak it aloud. The sentence must be short enough to be said within a single breath, and does not force the speaker to believe what was said.
3. If you hold your tongue between thumb and forefinger, everyone in a ten-foot range can only speak in glossolalia for as many turns as you have Charisma.
4. By writing down and erasing a single word in front of someone, they are prevented from saying that word. This relies on the person and writer being able to read the word in question, and can be reversed by writing it again. This can only be done for one word at a time.

In exchange for these competencies, Mister Pig will accept:

Bottled ghosts and salted demons, 

Pages taken from the Library Tower,

Fragments of the old weapon-languages,

New linguistic developments and habits.

He will also send you against the gatekeepers of language, who he deems fascist and unjust.

OR:

Rotte

1. Extending the fingers together and folding the thumb will act as a sharp knife. There cannot be two knives.
2. By flicking the tongue against the teeth, or dragging the index finger across a reasonably rough surface, you create incredibly hot sparks. These sparks do not harm you but do start fires.
3. By snapping your fingers you make the sound of a pistol shot, by whistling you make the sound of a fire.
4. When you hold your breath the surrounding five square feet of air turns into and generates opaque smoke. This lasts as long as you can hold your breath; when you stop the smoke dissipates immediately.

In exchange, Ex-Corporal Rotte wil accept:

All weapons: physical weapons, social weapons, economic weapons, emotional weapons, informational weapons,

Rumors about the others.

She will also send you to spy, or at least observe, the other people you remain in contact with. This includes your friends.