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

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[[File:passing through (ability).jpg|right|440px|]]
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[[File:Passing Through (sage ability).jpg|right|560px|thumb]]
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 amateur-status ability, enabling the character to "slip past" others without being seen.  This is possible even in broad daylight, even if a character is [[On Guard (sage ability)|on guard]] — though the trick requires waiting for the right "moment."  To determine when the moment occurs, a d100 is rolled, giving a time of 1 to 100 minutes.  This indicates how long the character must wait; this number is withheld from the player.
  
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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One attempt can be made to pass a given site per day.  Up to four guards may circumvented; more offer too many chances for the passing character to be seen.
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Access must be unblocked.  The passing character cannot be visibly [[Armour List|armoured]] or seen to be carrying [[Weapons List|weapons]].
  
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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== Example of Movement ==
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Natasha wishes to enter a citadel inside a town, where there are two [[Guard|guards]] posted.  She can see the large double door is slightly ajar, giving her enough room to slip insider.  Because it may take a lot of time before her chance occurs (1 to 100 minutes), Natasha dresses in a way that doesn't attract attention.  She posits a reasonable cover: selling flowers, [[Busking (sage ability)|busking]] or having two companions along that engage her in conversation.
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For each 30-minute period that Natasha waits, '''one random person''' present — someone in authority — '''will make a wisdom check'''. If successful, the guard, or other person responsible, will approach Natasha and make inquiries.  If so, she must either make haste to leave or explain her presence.  A bad explanation could produce bullying or threats against Natasha, who must decide what to do.  In any case, the opportunity to pass has been lost.
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== Creating a Distraction ==
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If a distraction is made by another character, using whatever means is available, characters able to pass through will get one brief chance to do so without having to wait.  They must, however, make a dexterity check.  If successful, the passing through is accomplished; otherwise, the character will be noticed and immediately confronted, perhaps chased or arrested, depending on the circumstance.
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== Usefulness ==
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The ability can be used to avoid paying [[Toll|tolls]] at a [[Town Gate|town gate]], as well as other like inconveniences.  Because this is an ability and not a spell, the character can move past one obstruction after another, so long as each obstruction is passed no more than one time per day.
  
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.
 
  
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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See [[Guile (sage study)|Guile]]
 
See [[Guile (sage study)|Guile]]
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[[Category: Sage Abilities]][[Category: Don't Review until 2024]]

Latest revision as of 04:30, 6 May 2022

Passing Through (sage ability).jpg

Passing Through is an amateur-status ability, enabling the character to "slip past" others without being seen. This is possible even in broad daylight, even if a character is on guard — though the trick requires waiting for the right "moment." To determine when the moment occurs, a d100 is rolled, giving a time of 1 to 100 minutes. This indicates how long the character must wait; this number is withheld from the player.

One attempt can be made to pass a given site per day. Up to four guards may circumvented; more offer too many chances for the passing character to be seen. Access must be unblocked. The passing character cannot be visibly armoured or seen to be carrying weapons.

Example of Movement

Natasha wishes to enter a citadel inside a town, where there are two guards posted. She can see the large double door is slightly ajar, giving her enough room to slip insider. Because it may take a lot of time before her chance occurs (1 to 100 minutes), Natasha dresses in a way that doesn't attract attention. She posits a reasonable cover: selling flowers, busking or having two companions along that engage her in conversation.

For each 30-minute period that Natasha waits, one random person present — someone in authority — will make a wisdom check. If successful, the guard, or other person responsible, will approach Natasha and make inquiries. If so, she must either make haste to leave or explain her presence. A bad explanation could produce bullying or threats against Natasha, who must decide what to do. In any case, the opportunity to pass has been lost.

Creating a Distraction

If a distraction is made by another character, using whatever means is available, characters able to pass through will get one brief chance to do so without having to wait. They must, however, make a dexterity check. If successful, the passing through is accomplished; otherwise, the character will be noticed and immediately confronted, perhaps chased or arrested, depending on the circumstance.

Usefulness

The ability can be used to avoid paying tolls at a town gate, as well as other like inconveniences. Because this is an ability and not a spell, the character can move past one obstruction after another, so long as each obstruction is passed no more than one time per day.


See Guile