"My Comradery Ability made things easier. It makes it more likely for people to enjoy my company and to want to work with me. As abilities go, it certainly helped me in life. And on more than a few dates, if you catch my meaning [Isabell]," he laughed. - Terrod "Do you know the difference between abilities and skills?" - Xuetrix "Abilities are things you are born with or are given to you, skills are what you can learn." - James
Yes, they where Given to him by the PoP and Dragon Bond. Although from what Singh the Lich said there are certain Magics that can allow you to Steal Abilities from a person's Soul.
A direct application of Eldritch magic (normally parasitic, it could also be the spirit version of it) and its violation of nature would be my guess. If it had that kind of power it would explain people being willing to swallow the occasional karmic retribution for using it. We can infer from what was said that the majority of eldritch practitioner either die young or rarely uses it.