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- Tactics of Magic (Mental 1, Intelligence/Reason -1) — For many wizards, the principal
use of their art is on the battlefield. Knowing which spell to
employ at any given time and creating the greatest effect for
one’s effort is a skill that can be learned with practice and
experience. A wizard with the Tactics of Magic skill can attempt
a skill check to gauge the range to a target, estimate how many
enemies will be caught in a given area of effect or determine
whether or not he may be in danger of a rebounding a fireball
cast in too small a space.
- In addition, a character with this skill may recall subtle effects
or interactions that are not immediately apparent. For example,
if the wizard is about to cast magic missile at an enemy wizard
protected by a shield spell, the DM may allow the player a skill
check to see if he suddenly recalls that the magic missile will
fail — especially if the wizard also knows shield, but the player
has just forgotten about the special effects of the spell. However,
if there’s no way the character could know of a special immunity
or property of a monster, spell or magical item, this skill will
not be of any help.
Taunting (Mental 1, Charisma/Appearance) — This skill enables the character
to taunt, goad and in all ways be annoying and offensive to the
enemy. If the character makes a skill check and the opponent fails
a saving throw vs. paralyzation, the foe becomes enraged. An enraged
foe is penalized by -2 to attack rolls, but receives a +1 bonus
to damage. In addition, enemies are generally so blinded by rage
that they fail to notice the small details essential to good combat
and therefore suffer a -1 penalty to Armor Class.
- NPCs with an Ego/Willpower of 14 or greater are immune to this
skill’s effect, as are those five or more levels or Hit Dice higher
than the character. They recognize the taunt for what it is and
may choose to disregard its effects if they wish. PCs are also
immune, though they should play out their natural reactions to
such acts.
- The DM should always take the personality of the taunted character,
whether PC or NPC into account when adjudicating the effects of
this skill. Certain NPCs may be immune to the effects of a taunt
despite their Ego score or level because of their personality
or other factors.
- Racial modifiers: Hobgoblins are exceptional practitioners of this skill and receive
a +5% bonus to their skill score.
Thaumaturgy (Mental 1, Intelligence/Knowledge -2) — This is the art of the
casting of magic, the study of the interaction of verbal, somatic
and material components in order to produce a desired effect.
While all wizards have some degree of familiarity with this field
of knowledge, a character who becomes proficient in Thaumaturgy
has spent time studying the forms and practices of magic. This
depth of knowledge gives the wizard a +5% bonus on his learn spell
rolls after a successful nonweapon skill check has been made.
Time Sense (Mental 1, Wisdom/Intuition) — This character is always able
to give a reasonably close approximation of the time and has a
chance (on a successful skill check) of being able to tell how
much time has elapsed during an interval of unconsciousness. This
skill is based on an internal biological clock, not observation
of the natural world, and so functions even when the character
is underground or completely enclosed. If the character is on
another plane where time operates differently than on his home
plane, this skill does not function until he returns to his home
plane and spends at least one week adjusting to the normal flow
of time.
- Racial modifiers: Dwarves, gnomes, Drow elves, orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds
and other races native to the Everdark receive a +5% bonus to
their skill score.
Trail Marking (Mental 1, Wisdom/Intuition) — By notching trees, scattering
pebbles, piling stones and clipping weeds, the character can mark
a trail through any wilderness area. Providing he moves at his
normal Movement Rate, he can mark a continuous trail as long as
he likes; however, the longer the trail, the less likely he’ll
be able to follow it back.
- A successful skill check enables a backtracking character to follow
his own trail for a distance equal to his skill score divided
by five in miles. If he fails a check, he loses the trail. For
instance, assume a character with a 50% skill score marked a 12-mile
trail. His first successful skill check enables him to follow
this trail back ten miles. A second successful check means he
can follow the trail to its end. If a check is failed the character
loses the trail.
- The Tracking skill isn’t necessary to use the Trail Marking skill. However,
when a character loses his own marked trail, he may still attempt
to follow it using his Tracking skill. Any other characters with
the Tracking skill may also attempt to follow another character’s
marked trail, using the rules applicable to the Tracking skill.
- A marked trail lasts unless it is obscured by precipitation, a
forest fire, or the passage of time (an undisturbed trail marked
in a forest should last for weeks, while an arctic trail may last
less than a day during periods of heavy snow fall; the DM decides).
A character with the Tracking skill may still attempt to follow
an obscured trail using the Tracking rules.
Trail Signs (Mental 1, Intelligence/Knowledge -1) — A character with this
skill can read symbolic messages indicated by an arrangement of
stones or other physical objects. The character must designate
the method of leaving messages preferred by his family, tribe
or culture. Typical methods include piling rocks, stacking branches
or building snow sculptures. When the character encounters such
a message, he understands the meaning if he makes a successful
skill check. (“A dragon dwells in these woods.” “Eat the green
berries for restored health.”) The message is meaningless to characters
without the Trail Signs skill.
- A character with the Trail Signs skill who uses methods other
than the one encountered can try to read it with a -40% penalty
to his chance of success. This skill can also be used to identify
the cultural group or tribe that has left a specific trail sign.
- Racial modifiers: Elberethi elves, Wild Halflings and Lizard Men are frequent
users of trail signs and receive a +5% bonus to their skill score
when attempting to read them.
Trance (Mental 2, Wisdom/Understanding -3) — This skill normally only
used by shaman characters, allows the user to access the knowledge
and memories of his predecessors — tutors, the tutor’s tutor,
and so on, back to the first shaman or priest of their line or
religion.
- This means that a character can find the correct solution to any
doctrinal or historical question, as if he had extensive Sage Knowledge. Each time the Trance skill is used, the answer to one question
may be sought — anything from “Where was the boundary of the tribe’s
lands originally?” to “What are the weaknesses of the Jendahla
Spirit?” — but only concerning matters known to past generations.
A trance cannot be used to discover facts about the recent past,
the present, or the future, or knowledge beyond the ken of previous
shamans.
- To delve back into the memories of past generations is not, however,
without risks. There is a chance that the character will pick
up prejudices, ideas, half-memories and idiosyncrasies from the
predecessors whose memories he accesses. In extreme cases, the
shaman might develop dual personalities, or loose his or her own
memory entirely.
- If a player rolls a natural 96-00 while attempting to use this
skill, the DM should roll 2d6 and consult the following table
to determine how it effects the character’s mind. The resulting
conditions cannot be removed by any magic less than a wish spell
the character is fundamentally altered, not just magically influenced.
Encourage the player to roleplay the new character’s quirks.
Table 5.4.14: Failed Trance Results
Die
Result
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Roll |
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2-3
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No adverse effect.
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4
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The character develops a strong prejudice or hatred consistent
with the attitude of an ancient people this may be an old-fashioned
view of women (beat your wife if she disobeys you) or children
(should be seen and not heard), or might involve a refusal to
participate in “new” customs or practices (like trade with outsiders
or listening to music).
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5
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The character gains a firm belief that a certain historical person
still lives. This figure may be a legendary shaman, the current
king’s grandfather, a villain of folklore or similar person. If
through proof or persuasion this conviction is disproved, the
character receives a saving throw vs. paralyzation. If the save
is failed, the character forgets the evidence, and is deluded
again before the next morning. If the save is successful, the
character’s original knowledge is restored.
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6
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As above, but the character becomes convinced that a whole political
structure, now extinct, still survives. This may be a now extinct
clan, a royal family, an evil cult, an order of paladins and so
on.
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7
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The character becomes obsessed with achieving a certain goal,
which was achieved or has been irrelevant for centuries, such
as defeating a now-friendly “enemy,” recovering a lost relic,
protecting an extinct family, and so on. No evidence can convince
the character that this goal is futile.
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8
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The character gains an antiquated sense of the geography of his
home region, functioning as though he has the Ancient Geography skill, but believing it’s the way things are now. He remembers
everything within one mile as it would have been generations ago
— roads and buildings (or lack of them), streams and ponds, and
so on. The current geography of places that he knows can be relearned
by learning the Geography skill (50%), but until this is done, he will always be lost and
confused in such areas. (If he already had skills points devoted
to Geography, these are lost, and replaced with the Ancient Geography skill.)
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9
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As 4-5, but the character now believes that he is living under
the rule of several centuries ago, believing that the royal family
and shamans, warriors and administrators now living are those
who ruled all those years ago. He cannot be dissuaded of this
delusion for longer than one turn.
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10-12
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The character loses his memory entirely, and instead remembers
the world as it was several hundred years ago — the geography,
politics, important people, everything. If changes are explained,
the character will remember and try to understand them, but it
will be some time before he can relate to the world again.
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