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

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[[File:passing through (ability).jpg|right|440px|]]
 
[[File:passing through (ability).jpg|right|440px|]]
'''Passing Through''' is an amateur-status ability.
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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|on guard]] — though requires waiting for one's "moment."  To determine when the moment occurs, a d100 is rolled, giving a time of 1 to 100 minutes.  An attempt may be made to pass a given site once per day.  The maximum number of guards that may be moved past are four, and access has to be largely unblocked.  Additionally, the character cannot be armoured or be carrying any visible weapons.
  
Empowers the character with the ability to move past a single person that is "[[On Guard|on guard]]," even in broad daylight, so long as expedience is not a conditionEssentially, the character watches, and waits for the right moment, having observed the habits of the person that is bypassedThen, moving at normal speed, the character simply ''walks past,'' without being noticed.
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: '''For example,''' Natasha wishes to enter the citadel inside town, where there are two [[Guard|guards]] posted.  She can see the large double door is slightly ajar, so that it's not actually closed.  Knowing this may take a lot of time, Natasha dresses so that she can be nearby while remaining largely unnoticed — she is selling flowers, or [[Busking (sage ability)|busking]], or has brought along two companions to enable her to appear engaged in a conversation.  She rolls the die, feeling if the number is more than 30, a patrol might come along (experienced guards know all about the sage ability).  She waits.  The DM rolls a die and tells Natasha that 30 minutes have gone by, without a chance presenting itselfKeeping up the conversation with her friends, mindful of others on the street, she decides to give it another ten minutes.  At 37 minutes (the number rolled), the DM tells her the guards have become distracted by a citizen asking questions.  Natasha blithely makes her move.  There is no rollEasing one door open wide enough for her body, she enters the citadel.  She isn't noticed.
  
This may require waiting for a second guard to take a break; or waiting for a changing of the guardIf multiple guards are engaged in a discussion, and one or fewer are actively on guard, the moment of passing remains possible.  The character's distance from the single guard is not relevant; it is a matter of timing.  This may take a hour or more to accomplish — but the ability promises that it will be accomplished, and without a die roll.
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The ability recognizes that the real difficulty shouldn't be "getting in," it should be what the character can safely do once insideThere are other sage abilities that help with that, naturally.  The ability, therefore, solves one problem while creating another; at the same time, it advances the capability of the individual to overcome obstacles, improving the game being played.
  
If a second guard is actively watching also, the ability will be foiled; as well, if an action is taken beyond moving pass, this will also draw immediate attentionNor will the ability enable the character to smuggle other persons past.  If more than one character with the ability wishes to move past, the act will have to take place at different moments.  The timing typically requires a die roll of 1 to 100 minutes between opportunities to successfully move past a guard.
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== Noticed while Waiting ==
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Quality guards will increase the amount of time required before an opportunity to slip past will arise; and depending on the creativity of the player, a plausible explanation for why a character is "hanging around" outside a gate or private home will become suspect after an hourAfter the first 30 minutes waiting, grant one observer (a guard, a resident inside the house, a nearby shopkeeper, whomever seems best) a [[Ability Checks|wisdom check]], encouraging a direct investigation of the character's presence.  The character may have a good explanation; the DM should play it out fairly.
  
If someone distracts the guards, so that they cease to be actively on guard, of course this will provide the character with a more immediate opportunity.
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After 60 minutes, the first observer will bring the matter up with an authority, while a ''second observer'' should make a wisdom check.  This pattern should continue at 90 minutes, so that the longer the character waits around, the more difficult it will be to explain away his or her presence.  The player should realise after a certain time that it's best to give up and try another day — adopting a disguise, of course, since hanging around as the same recognizable person would be foolhardy.
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Having a confederate with skill as a [[Lookout (sage ability)|lookout]] will reduce wait time by 5-40 minutes (5d8x10), as the lookout waits for an opportunity to distract the guards.
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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 once per day.
  
Characters can thus move right through a [[Town Gate|town gate]] or past a [[Toll|toll]] without paying.  Because this is an ability and not a spell, the skill can be repeated as often as necessary, within the time frame provided.  Note that repeated attempts in a single day will increase the amount of time waiting for the next opportunity by 25 minutes, cumulatively.  Thus, once entering a space, the character with the ability would have to wait d100 +25 minutes to slip out again; and then d100 +50 minutes to enter a second time that day.
 
  
Once inside a facility, the character would be able to rely upon the sage [[Acceptance (sage ability)|acceptance]] to remain in that place unmolested.
 
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See [[Guile (sage study)|Guile]]
 
See [[Guile (sage study)|Guile]]
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[[Category: Don't Review until 2022]]

Revision as of 18:19, 20 September 2021

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 requires waiting for one's "moment." To determine when the moment occurs, a d100 is rolled, giving a time of 1 to 100 minutes. An attempt may be made to pass a given site once per day. The maximum number of guards that may be moved past are four, and access has to be largely unblocked. Additionally, the character cannot be armoured or be carrying any visible weapons.

For example, Natasha wishes to enter the citadel inside town, where there are two guards posted. She can see the large double door is slightly ajar, so that it's not actually closed. Knowing this may take a lot of time, Natasha dresses so that she can be nearby while remaining largely unnoticed — she is selling flowers, or busking, or has brought along two companions to enable her to appear engaged in a conversation. She rolls the die, feeling if the number is more than 30, a patrol might come along (experienced guards know all about the sage ability). She waits. The DM rolls a die and tells Natasha that 30 minutes have gone by, without a chance presenting itself. Keeping up the conversation with her friends, mindful of others on the street, she decides to give it another ten minutes. At 37 minutes (the number rolled), the DM tells her the guards have become distracted by a citizen asking questions. Natasha blithely makes her move. There is no roll. Easing one door open wide enough for her body, she enters the citadel. She isn't noticed.

The ability recognizes that the real difficulty shouldn't be "getting in," it should be what the character can safely do once inside. There are other sage abilities that help with that, naturally. The ability, therefore, solves one problem while creating another; at the same time, it advances the capability of the individual to overcome obstacles, improving the game being played.

Noticed while Waiting

Quality guards will increase the amount of time required before an opportunity to slip past will arise; and depending on the creativity of the player, a plausible explanation for why a character is "hanging around" outside a gate or private home will become suspect after an hour. After the first 30 minutes waiting, grant one observer (a guard, a resident inside the house, a nearby shopkeeper, whomever seems best) a wisdom check, encouraging a direct investigation of the character's presence. The character may have a good explanation; the DM should play it out fairly.

After 60 minutes, the first observer will bring the matter up with an authority, while a second observer should make a wisdom check. This pattern should continue at 90 minutes, so that the longer the character waits around, the more difficult it will be to explain away his or her presence. The player should realise after a certain time that it's best to give up and try another day — adopting a disguise, of course, since hanging around as the same recognizable person would be foolhardy.

Having a confederate with skill as a lookout will reduce wait time by 5-40 minutes (5d8x10), as the lookout waits for an opportunity to distract the guards.

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 once per day.


See Guile