Research

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There are four kinds of research; library research, stash research, information gathering and rumor gathering.

Library Research

Library research requires a library or other large collection of knowledge. A library has one or more skills associated with it, which determines what knowledge can be researched using that library.

The researcher decides on a piece of knowledge that he or she would like to learn, that matches a skill the library possesses. Then each week, the researcher gets to make a skill check to determine if the knowledge is uncovered. For each week after the first, the researcher gains a cumulative +4 bonus.

Each skill also has a library skill rating associated. If the die rolls below the skill’s rating, it turns out that the library did not contain the knowledge sought. If the die failed by 5 or less, the researcher gains a hint to where the knowledge can be found.

Example: A researcher with Knowledge(arcana) 10 seeks out a library with Arcane(10) to research a spell. The DC is 25.

On the first week of research the researcher rolls 23 (13 on the die + 10 skill). Not enough to research the spell.

The second week the researcher rolls 24 (10 on the die + 10 skill + 4 time bonus). Still not enough.

The third week the researcher rolls 25 (7 on the die + 10 skill + 8 time bonus). Normally this would have been enough to research the spell, but the die was below 10, so it turns out the information is not in this library. However, the researcher does get a clue to where the spell can be found.

You can try to speed up your research, allowing you to roll every day with a DC increased by 10. If you roll below the library’s skill rating, you can go over to more methodical research. The information could simply not be found by researching fast. The rating is increased by 5, however (to a maximum of 20).

If a month is spent researching, the researcher may take 10, though a d20 is still rolled against the library’s rating, to determine if the information may not be there at all.

If the researcher knows for a fact that the information is in this library, he can ignore the library skill rating.

Stash Research

Stash research requires a small batch of information, such as research documents or the secret files of a crime boss. Each batch of documents contain some information, each of which is associated with one or more skills, and has a secret DC to uncover. Information may be deducible or may be secret (more on this below).

The researcher decides on a skill, and begins his research. If the researcher is dedicating all his or her time to the research, a roll can be every day. Otherwise the researcher can devote his or her free time to the research, and a roll is made each week. Each time the researcher makes a roll, all information which is associated with the skill and has a DC less or equal than the roll is learned.

If deducible information is left unlearned, the researcher knows that there are more information in the source. If only secret information remains, the researcher does not know if any information remains undiscovered.

If a month is spent researching the source full-time, the researcher may take 20 on all skills that he or she is trained in.

Information Gathering

Information Gathering is for when you are wandering around town, trying to get the answer to a specific question. Where might the cultists be hiding? How do you get an audience with the Beggar King? Who will buy this magical sword?

Skill	Is used when..
Appraise	Looking to buy or sell
Bluff	Asking around discretely
Diplomacy	Asking around openly
Knowledge(Local)	Any of the above
Knowledge(Nobility)	Any of the above among nobility
Knowledge(Religion)	Any of the above among priests of your faith

Looking to buy or sell or asking around openly among any faith Information will be applied a secret DC. It may also receive a library skill rating, if the GM is unsure whether the information can be found/whether people will be willing to talk about it. One check generally requires 4 hours.

Depending on the information sought, 10gp may buy a +1 bonus, up to a +5 bonus at 50gp. Whether bribes or buying drinks.

The time required can be reduced to 1 hour, but then it gains a library skill rating of 10, or +10, whichever is higher. If the library rating goes over 20, the information cannot be learned in this shorter amount of time. If the researcher rolls under the library skill rating, he can continue, spending 4 hours per check, but if the original information gathering had a library rating, it is now increased by +5.

DC	Information	Example
5	Stuff that only outsiders wouldn’t know	Where is the nearest market?
10	Common knowledge	Who runs the city?
15	Non-secret stuff, known only to some people	Who would buy this sword?
20	Secret stuff, but it still gets around	I need to get in contact with a member of the thieves guild.
25	Secret stuff which is only told to a friend	Is the thieves guild allied with the Beggar King?
30	Secret stuff that really shouldn’t get out	Where is the beggar king’s hideout?

Rumor Gathering

Rumor gathering is for when you are wandering around town, trying to learn if anything interesting is going on.

Either Diplomacy or Knowledge(Local) can be used for the skill check. Depending on the places the researcher asks around, 10gp may buy a +1 bonus, up to a +5 bonus at 50gp. Whether bribes or buying drinks.

The GM will consult the locales rumor table, and the researcher learns all rumors with a DC equal to or less than the roll. {{Gridless|type=end}