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- Hierarchy Contact (Mental 2, Charisma/Leadership) — Characters with positions in
established Church hierarchies or other organized religions may
have access to resources unavailable to other characters. This
skill reflects knowledge of such resources, and indicates that
the character knows how to work within his or her hierarchy to
get information and other supplies an adventuring party may need.
- In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing uses holy wafers in a putty to seal the
tomb of Lucy Westenra. He could do this because, as he says, “I
have an indulgence.” (Of course, A Gothic Earth Gazetteer notes that Van Helsing is “a very close friend” of Pope Leo XIII.
No such close relationship is implied in this skill!)
- This skill may be used to gather information about a specific
place, person or object. This use of the skill is much like consulting
a sage, as described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. No skill check is required for the character, just a normal
success roll for the “sage.”
- Monetary resources are not required, but the character must have
access to a means of communication — either magical or mundane
(such as a mail or messenger system). In the latter case, information
can be significantly delayed in transit. The fields of study to
which the character’s contact has access are somewhat limited,
at the DM’s discretion.
- A successful skill check gives the character access to consecrated,
magical or otherwise special items which may be useful in battling
the enemies of the Church. This use of the skill is entirely at
the DM’s discretion, but may provide holy water, blessed weapons,
holy wafers or their equivalent, or other such items.
- History, Ancient (Mental 1, Intelligence/Knowledge -1) — The character has learned
the legends, lore and history of some ancient time and place.
The knowledge must be specific, just as a historian would specialize
today in the English Middle Ages, the Italian Renaissance or the
Roman Republic before Caesar.
- A character with up to a 50% skill score in Ancient History may
chose to have expertise in one age of Fälgornian history, the
history of a race, kingdom or order, or the history of a specific
location or event (such as the seizure of the throne of the Empire of Roland by the alien sorcerer-king Ceta-Tha). Increasing the Ancient
History skill by 10% allows a character to gain knowledge of a
different area of history.
- For example, Tailsan the wizard has an 80% skill score in Ancient
History and has chosen history of the First through Third Ages of Fälgorna and history of the Paladian Civil War as his areas of expertise. A character may recall information
of historical periods outside his area of expertise if he makes
a skill check at a -20% penalty for general information and a
-40% penalty for obscure information.
- The knowledge acquired gives the character familiarity with the
principal legends, historical events, characters, locations, battles,
breakthroughs (scientific, cultural, and magical), unsolved mysteries,
crafts and oddities of the time. The character must roll a skill
check to identify places or things he encounters from that age.
- For example, Tailsan knows quite a bit about the Paladian Civil
War, a particularly dark period of elfin history. Moving through
some deep caverns, he and his companions stumble across an ancient
portal, sealed for untold ages. Studying the handiwork, he realizes
(rolls a successful skill check) that it bears several seals similar
to those he has seen on “cursed” portals from the time of the
Drowin family's flight to the Everdark, doorways to the legendary
realm of Lolth.
- A character who has the Reading/Writing skill gains a +10% bonus to his Ancient History skill. A character
who understands one or more ancient languages gains a +5% bonus
to his skill per language known.
- Following are a few examples of Ancient History areas of expertise:
- Arcanology: The ability modifier for Ancient History — Arcanology is Intelligence/Knowledge
-3.
- The study of the history and development of magic is termed arcanology.
A wizard with expertise in this field is familiar with the works
of past wizards. The sources of powerful magic in the Fälgorna’s
past — for example, the great college of wizardry in the Täghorn
Empire (which still exists) — the arcanologist has a good idea
of who the great mages were and what they were able to accomplish.
Special magical items, spells or forms of magic wielded by these
ancient sorcerers are familiar to the arcanologist.
- With a successful skill check, the arcanologist can identify the
general purpose and function of an ancient magical item; the DM
may apply a penalty of -5% to -20% if the item comes from a region
outside the arcanologist’s normal studies or if it is especially
rare or obscure. Note, this ability doesn’t help a wizard to identify
items manufactured by the “modern” school or tradition of magic,
whatever that may be.
- Family History: This subskill allows a character to understand the genealogy
and great deeds of a certain (usually noble) family. Each family
history is considered a separate field of history, although this
skill applies even to very distant relatives of the same house.
Family history can be used as a minor, nonmagical form of legend
lore, which is useful only for researching ancestors of the appropriate
family. The character must make a successful skill check to learn
accurate information, modified by -5% for every 100 years old
or 100 miles distant the subject of research is from the researcher.
- Military History: The ability modifier for Ancient History — Military History
is Intelligence/Reason -1.
- A character, such as a warrior of the myrmidon kit, who studies
Military History is well trained in the concepts of military organizations
and performance, such that they can interpret the movements of
enemy forces and plan accordingly. To properly use this skill,
a character must have accurate intelligence as to the nature of
the enemy force, either through magical scrying, conventional
spies or some other means. This applies whether dealing with a
band of marauding orcs or an enemy army or fleet.
- When using this skill, the character gains a “double-check” to
any plans, be they plotting an invasion or defending against a
siege. The DM makes a secret skill check; if it succeeds, the
DM should suggest a few ways to make the plan work better (though
the player can reject advice as desired). A failed check means
the DM can be silent on the matter or on a natural roll of 96-00
encourage a faulty plan or even make more foolish recommendations.
- Mythic Lore: In his youth, a character with this skill spent many sleepless
nights listening to the tales of magnificent warriors and their
weapons. Now, the character can recall the history of any magical
or legendary weapon or piece of armor, as well as facts concerning
the known owners of those items. Mythic lore is not as powerful
as an identify spell and will not reveal magical bonuses of weapons
or armor, nor will it reveal the details of specific magical abilities
of items — however, it may give a hint to the power contained
within an item. The character with this skill must make a successful
skill check modified by the age and rarity of the item in order
to recall information about it.
- Shamans: For tribal shamans, this skill always centers on the spirits
whom the community reveres. Tribal shamans with this skill, upon
making a successful check, receive +10% to the chance that a spirit
is “home” when they attempt to contact it.
- For other shamans, the history skills operate as normal, although
any shaman may choose to specialize in lore about the spirits.
- Racial modifiers: Dwarves and gnomes get a +5% bonus to their Ancient History
skill. Elves gain a +10% bonus to their Ancient History skill.
- History, Local (Mental 1, Charisma/Appearance) — The character with this skill
is a storehouse of facts about the history of a region the size
of a large county or a small province. The character knows when
the ruined tower on the hill was built and who built it (and what
happened to him), what great heroes and villains fought and fell
at the old battlefield, what great treasure is supposed to be
kept in a local temple, how the mayor of the next town miraculously
grew hair on his balding pate, and more.
- The DM will provide information about local sites and events as
the character needs to know them. Furthermore, the character can
try to retell these events as entertaining stories. Once the subject
is chosen, he can either make a skill check and, if successful,
add that tale to his repertoire, or actually tell the story to
other characters. If the character succeeds in entertaining them,
the player need not make a skill check for the character, since
he has succeeded. The character can tell these stories to entertain
others, granting him a +2 reaction bonus for the encounter. But
telling stories to hostile beings is probably not going to do
any good.
- A character must specify the subject area of his Local History
skill. Several examples of specific Local History skills are listed
below. Each must be learned as a separate skill.
- Local Family or Clan History: This skill allows a character to understand the genealogy and
great deeds of a certain noble family (usually, but this skill
can be taken for any type of family) as it pertains to a specific
region or city. A separate skill slot must be used for each family
studied, although this skill applies even to very distant relatives
of the same house. Local Family History can be used as a minor,
nonmagical form of legend lore, which is useful only for researching
ancestors of the appropriate family. The character must make a
successful roll to learn accurate information, modified by -5%
for every 100 years old or -10% for every 100 miles distant the
subject of research is.
- Local Dwarf History: This skill is a specialized form of the Local History skill,
a character with this skill is only knowledgeable about the history
of a dwarves. This is chiefly concerned with lineages and events
affecting dwarves. It deals with the founders of the clans and
strongholds and traces the descendants to the present. The battles
and events of clan and stronghold are known, as well as the fates
of those who have left to establish new homes or who perished
while adventuring.
- The extent of geographical knowledge is dependent on the campaign
background. Those who have had no contact with the world above
may be totally ignorant of what lies on the surface, but will
have extensive knowledge of their own stronghold. Those whose
relatives have established new strongholds or are members of such
strongholds would have knowledge of the area between the two and
some knowledge of the geography surrounding them. Even so, most
dwarves, unless they live in close proximity to other races, have
a very hazy idea of where the sea is, for example.
- While a character with this skill knows dwarf history, his knowledge
of the history of other races is minimal. If humans fought a great
battle against each other, a dwarf who did not live with humans
is not likely to have heard of it. If the battle involved dwarves
he would probably know of it. If it involved dwarves from his
own stronghold or clan, he would have extensive knowledge of the
events leading to it and the course of the battle. As with some
other dwarf skills, the exact extent of an individual’s knowledge
is determined by his background.
- The Local Dwarf History skill may be used to entertain other characters.
When so engaged, he gains a +10% bonus to his skill while dealing
with dwarves. With other races he does not gain the bonus, because
dwarf stories tend to be dull, slow moving and overly concerned
with who is related to whom, their places of origin and all the
places the heroes’ ancestors founded along the way. Trying to
tell a dwarf story to hostile beings is likely to incite them
to violence. Orcs will not be impressed, even with the best told
dwarven tale.
- A character who is not a dwarf must spend double the normal skill
points to learn this skill.
- Sacred Legends: A character with this skill is well-learned in the myths, stories
and tales of a single religion (a pantheon of deities associated
with a particular race or region). This knowledge is not the same
as the knowledge of theology and religious practices that is gained
with the Religion skill. The character, when confronted with a
question or evidence of the faith’s past, may roll a skill check
to recall a specific event or legend that has relevance. For instance,
when an ancient idol is discovered, a successful skill check might
reveal that the statue resembles a long-forgotten paramour of
the goddess Lilnana and the character could retell some of the
important stories about her.
- A character may learn this skill multiple times to gain knowledge
of the sacred legends of several religions.
- Barbarians: A barbarian with this skill must specialize in the legends and
lore of his homeland. An oral historian, the barbarian can recite
from memory a plethora of information concerning events, characters
and locations from bygone eras.
- Shamans: For tribal shamans, this skill always centers on the spirits
whom the community reveres. Tribal shamans with this skill, upon
making a successful check, receive +10% to the chance that a spirit
is “home” when they attempt to contact it.
- For other shamans, the history skills operate as normal, although
any shaman may choose to specialize in lore about the spirits.
Hypnotism (Mental 1, Ego/Willpower -2) — With this skill, a character can
hypnotize another person, placing him into a relaxed state in
which he is susceptible to suggestions. The subject must be willing
and must know he is being hypnotized.
- A character with this skill can hypnotize humans and demihumans
with ease. Nonhumans can be hypnotized also, but the DM should
assign a penalty to the skill check. The size of the penalty depends
on how inhuman the subject is. A half-orc, for example, could
be hypnotized with a -10% modifier, while a Lizard Man could be
hypnotized with a -40% modifier to the character’s skill check
(see Table 5.4.08).
Table 5.4.08: Hypnotism Modifiers
| Race |
Modifier
|
| Goblin |
-20%
|
| Half-Ogre |
-10%
|
| Half-Orc |
-10%
|
| Hobgoblin |
-10%
|
| Kobold |
-20%
|
| Lizard Man |
-40%
|
| Orc |
-15%
|
It takes about five minutes to hypnotize someone in a reasonably
calm or peaceful environment. Once hypnotized, the subject is
willing to do almost anything that isn’t very dangerous or against
his alignment. However, a hypnotized subject can be fooled into
thinking he’s doing one thing when he’s actually doing something
else. Hypnotism can have the following effects:
- A character can be induced to remember things he has forgotten
by reliving a frightening or distant event;
- A character can be made calm and unafraid in the face of a specific
situation that he has been prepared for, gaining a +2 bonus to
saving throws versus fear effects or on morale checks;
- A character can be cured of a bad habit or addiction (but not
of curses, physical diseases or magical afflictions);
- A character can be prepared to impersonate someone by thoroughly
adopting that individual’s personality;
- Hypnotism can’t increase a character’s attributes, give him skills
he does not normally possess, let him do things that are beyond
his capabilities, or give him information he couldn’t possibly
know.
- As a guideline for adjudicating effects, the Hypnotism skill is
substantially weaker than magical commands or directions, such
as charm person, command or hypnotism. Spells magically compel
a person to obey the caster’s will; a well-phrased hypnotic command
is nothing more than a strong suggestion.
 
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