Search
Typically used with: Cunning or Charm.
In short: find it. Looking for something? It's always in the last place you look. The Search skill is a favorite of detectives, thieves, busybodies, and anyone who is lost. Scour for items in rubble, look around a room for something specific in conjunction with Cunning, or hang with the locals and catch the latest news by using Charm instead.
Difficulty
The DL for Search should be based on how well an item or path is hidden.
| Example | DL |
|---|---|
| Finding an exposed ally amongst collapsed rubble | 5 |
| Determining true north | 10 |
| Looking for a simple trap on a door | 15 |
| A secret door made to look like part of a wall motif | 20 |
| Locating a contact lens in the desert or finding the way out of a labyrinth | 30 |
The character should be granted bonuses to the search check in certain circumstances:
| Situation | Check |
|---|---|
| The character has a legible, reliable map which is relevant to the current search | +2 |
| The character has tools relevant to the specific search (a metal detector, for instance) | +2 |
Consult the table below when gathering information in a populated area by carousing with the inhabitants.
| Example | DL |
|---|---|
| Finding information about current events, rumors, and gossip | 5 |
| Finding out where a specific individual, item or place is | 10 |
| Finding out information which is guarded, illegal or illicit such as where to buy stolen goods, or how to break into a particular shop | 20 |
| Finding out information which is highly secret, personal, or valuable such as who the king's mistress is, where the rebel hideout is, or the route the princess takes when she ventures into the city. | 30 |
| General populace is scared to talk about topic | +2 |
| General populace is prejudiced against you | +2 |
Alternately, the GM may simply ask the player to make a Charm + Search roll and based upon the result, inform the player what information is gleaned. The higher the result, obviously the more detailed the information is.
Time
One can thoroughly search a 5 foot square in 6 AP. Carousing and eavesdropping to gather information vary with regard to time required, but generally takes at least a few hours if it is done thoroughly.
Retry
Search rolls can be retried as often as desired, but it is probably more effective to take the best and accept how long that takes.
