Greater History (sage ability)

Greater history is an authority-status sage ability in the study of History, embellishing the character's knowledge of the game world, giving them awareness of the development, motives and underlying agendas of peoples, places and regions — limited by the character's choice of sphere of study. Whatever corner of the studied world the character enters, he or she will know of important persons and heroes dwelling there; the state of ongoing conflicts; resentments and factionalism within the state; and even the potential to guess what the state's next action will be upon the world stage.

Of course, in the case of backwaters and small entities, this will not amount to much. An ordinary principality or county occupying a few hexes will hardly have world-shaking plans. Nevertheless, the character will know small details about ongoing grievances, which may grant the character knowledge of how to speak helpfully and honestly with the residents and local authorities.

The DM must be ready to answer the character's questions, giving meaningful answers that would suggest a course of action for the players, if they wish to change the destiny of even one small village for the better. It is up to the players to know which questions to ask, to acquire the knowledge that's rightfully theirs by means of this knowledge, so that they may be more fully informed than those without the ability.