Difference between revisions of "Passing Through (sage ability)"

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Enables a character to move past persons of authority without receiving notice for the briefest of time, when moving at a perfectly normal and unrushed pace, for a period no longer than one round ~ 12 seconds ~ per level.
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'''Passing Through''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] within the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Guile (sage study)|Guile]]. It allows a character to move past watchers without being seen, not by speed or concealment, but by recognising and exploiting a moment when attention lapses. This may occur in full daylight and even when those present are [[On Guard (sage ability)|on guard]], provided the character is patient enough to wait for the opportunity.
  
This means that a largely unencumbered character of second level with 5 action points (AP) could move a total of 10 hexes before a guard or resident of a complex, facility or other place of importance would notice them and move to ask their reasons for being there. This means that if the character is able to lose themselves in a crowd, say, before the number of rounds expires, or otherwise move out of sight, that they could potentially move right through a town gate without paying, or right into a castle yard, without receiving any notice whatsoever.
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The right moment cannot be chosen at will, but must be waited for. A d100 is rolled to determine how many minutes must pass before the chance occurs; this number is not revealed to the player. During this time, the character must remain in the vicinity without drawing notice. Only one attempt may be made to pass a given point per day.
  
Because this is an ability and not a spell, the skill can be repeated as often as necessary, except ~ and this is most important ~ not with the same person in the space of a full day. This means that while the character could move right past a guard, once (selecting the exact moment to do so), the character could not do so again within a 24-hour period, no matter how much skill they possessed.
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No more than four guards or watchers may be circumvented in this manner; additional observers create too many lines of attention to avoid. The path must already be open. Doors must be ajar, gates unbarred and obstacles unmoved. Any visible interference with the environment results in immediate notice. Likewise, the character must not appear prepared for conflict; visible [[Armour List|armour]] or carried [[Weapons List|weapons]] will prevent the ability from functioning.
  
Still, the total number of rounds needed is important in this calculation. If a 4th level character needed two rounds to move past a particular individual, that character could then move past that individual again, so long as no more than two rounds were needed the second time.
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This ability allows a character to bypass controlled access points such as [[Town Gate|town gates]] or avoid obligations like paying a [[Toll|toll]]. As an ability rather than a spell, it may be used repeatedly at different locations, provided no single point is attempted more than once per day.
  
It is granted that this could get to be a complex set of calculations, what with a hundred persons moving about a given complex, each potentially running across the character more than once and thus noticing them. Therefore, it is suggested that the skill apply only to very special circumstances: entrances and exits, restricted areas and the like. If the character is freely moving about a castle yard, say, where there are dozens of other persons, moving hither and yon, once there the character could be reasonably exempted from any notice, so long as the character did not draw attention.
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== Example of Passing Through ==
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Natasha seeks entry into a citadel within a town, where two [[Guard|guards]] stand watch at a partially open double door. She positions herself nearby, adopting a plausible reason to remain, such as selling flowers, [[Busking (sage ability)|busking]] or conversing with companions. Since the delay may be considerable, her behaviour must remain natural and unremarkable.
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See [[Guile (sage study)|Guile]]
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For each 30-minute interval she waits, '''one random person in authority''' present must make a wisdom check. If successful, that individual becomes suspicious, approaches Natasha and demands an explanation. At this point, she must withdraw or respond convincingly. Failure to do so results in scrutiny or harassment, and the opportunity to pass is lost for that day.
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If another character '''creates a distraction''', the need to wait is removed. The passing character gains a single opportunity to slip through immediately, but must make a dexterity check. Success allows passage; failure results in being seen and challenged at once, with consequences depending on the situation.
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[[Category: Sage Abilities]][[Category: Reviewed]]

Latest revision as of 11:56, 14 April 2026

Passing Through (sage ability).jpg

Passing Through is an amateur-status sage ability within the study of Guile. It allows a character to move past watchers without being seen, not by speed or concealment, but by recognising and exploiting a moment when attention lapses. This may occur in full daylight and even when those present are on guard, provided the character is patient enough to wait for the opportunity.

The right moment cannot be chosen at will, but must be waited for. A d100 is rolled to determine how many minutes must pass before the chance occurs; this number is not revealed to the player. During this time, the character must remain in the vicinity without drawing notice. Only one attempt may be made to pass a given point per day.

No more than four guards or watchers may be circumvented in this manner; additional observers create too many lines of attention to avoid. The path must already be open. Doors must be ajar, gates unbarred and obstacles unmoved. Any visible interference with the environment results in immediate notice. Likewise, the character must not appear prepared for conflict; visible armour or carried weapons will prevent the ability from functioning.

This ability allows a character to bypass controlled access points such as town gates or avoid obligations like paying a toll. As an ability rather than a spell, it may be used repeatedly at different locations, provided no single point is attempted more than once per day.

Example of Passing Through

Natasha seeks entry into a citadel within a town, where two guards stand watch at a partially open double door. She positions herself nearby, adopting a plausible reason to remain, such as selling flowers, busking or conversing with companions. Since the delay may be considerable, her behaviour must remain natural and unremarkable.

For each 30-minute interval she waits, one random person in authority present must make a wisdom check. If successful, that individual becomes suspicious, approaches Natasha and demands an explanation. At this point, she must withdraw or respond convincingly. Failure to do so results in scrutiny or harassment, and the opportunity to pass is lost for that day.

If another character creates a distraction, the need to wait is removed. The passing character gains a single opportunity to slip through immediately, but must make a dexterity check. Success allows passage; failure results in being seen and challenged at once, with consequences depending on the situation.