Another part of the design goal was not have to explain an ability, as that can take quite a bit of paper. A largeish chunk of each RQ cult description was a game-mechanic description of what each new spell/ability did. We leave that up to the players instead. The Keywords chapter would be three times as long if we did that for each ability listed.
The whole idea is summed up in chapter 2 in the Ambiguous References section. ALL abilities really fall under "ambiguous reference". Do you want to use your sword and shield ability to look at a sword and test its quality? sure, go ahead. While not a normal use of the skill (and thus prone to Improv mods), it is a legitimate one in my opinion. What? You say it's a close combat skill and not "Evaluate Sword"? Well that's why there's an Improv penalty...
What does Snarl of Darkness do? I dunno, could be an attack feat that obscurs the battlefield ("darkness pours from her mouth and conceals thes cene from you"), or destroys your morale or your mind (darkness is associated with madness...), or acts to boost her own abilities. It does what *you* want it to do, and what you can convince your narrator it does. Let your mind wander, play with the words, try to think of alternate things to do with the ability.
Roderick
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