Knowledge Points

Knowledge points, or Knowledge, are a unit indicating the character's status in a given sage study. Knowledge accumulates through gaining experience levels and special instruction. Through the latter, character may have knowledge that applies to a single sage ability rather than a study; the knowledge of most non-levelled characters is possessed in this fashion.

For example, a classed fighter may have enough knowledge in horseback riding to give them skill in both riding a horse and domesticating a horse. At the same time, a non-levelled person, who hasn't had sufficient training to master a whole study, may yet know how to ride a horse well.

Gaining Knowledge

For player characters, its assumed a considerable amount of training went into making them a character class. Depending on the class to which they belong, they are allowed to choose one knowledge "field," which is a collection of three or more "studies." From that "chosen field", they may choose one study that is their "chosen study." Upon making that choice, the character receives 12 pts. of knowledge in that study — enough to achieve "amateur-status." This status will be explained after. Further knowledge is gained in that chosen study with each additional level by rolling a d12 and adding it to the total.

The remaining studies in the character's chosen field are called "secondary studies." For all classes except for druids, characters will receive 1d8 minus 1, or 0-7 pts. in each of these secondary studies. Druids gain 1d6 minus 1 (0-5 pts.). With each additional level, the character rolls this total again, adding it to their total knowledge in each secondary study.

For studies outside the character's chosen field — called "outside studies" — the character rolls 1d4 minus 1, or 0-3 pts. This applies to all classes. Again, with each experience point gained, characters add this same amount to their total.

As the number of points exceeds the threshold for amateur-, authority-, expert- and sage-status knowledge, the character increases the number of their abilities. Additionally, as player characters advance, they gain opportunities to upgrade secondary studies to chosen studies, and outside fields to chosen fields — changing the studies in those fields from "outside" to "secondary."

Non-player Characters

Non-player characters (NPCs) are nearly as efficient as players in gaining knowledge and thus sage abilities. However, instead of starting with 12 points, as characters do, a 1st level classed NPC starts with 7-12. It can be understood that "7" is the minimum number needed to pass the process of becoming a classed character.

Younger NPCs who possess one or more sage abilities, gained through instruction — often within a guild or apprentice system — commonly have 10-15 pts. in that ability. These will gain 1-3 additional points of knowledge in their profession until achieving authority-status. Thereafter, they will need to become levelled to gain any further sage abilities.

Knowledge Status

Status describes those thresholds already named above: amateur, authority, expert and sage.

Amateur

Amateurs have between 10 and 29 knowledge points in a given study. Having become amateurs, they gain all the sage abilities that study offers at that level of status. For example, an amateur burglar possesses five different abilities: appraisal I, break & enter, case building, detect concealed doors and lookout.

In general terms, an "amateur" is someone with considerable familiarity in the subject but limited practical experience. There are things they're able to do, but most sage abilities of this status are focused on facts, background or understanding of the field. It's assumed that they spend their time experimenting, communicating with others in their field, reviewing lessons they didn't fully master in their training and so on, to explain how they're soon able to advance. Once an amateur accumulates 30 points in a study, he or she becomes an "authority."

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Thus, at 1st level, player characters are always an amateur in a single study. By 2nd level, they may achieve Amateur-status in one or more other studies, but this depends on the success of their rolls. It is not possible for a character to achieve Amateur-status in an out-of-field study until at least the 4th level. By 6th to 8th level, a character will typically have have achieved at least Amateur-status in every study.

• To become an Authority, the character must have 30 knowledge points in a given study. A character cannot obtain Authority-status in a study until at least 3rd level, though this is unlikely and would probably not do so until 5th to 6th level. Authority-status could not be obtained in a secondary study in the character's chosen field until at least 5th level, though 8th to 10th level would be much more likely. It is unlikely a character would reach Authority-status in an out-of-field study until at least the 14th to 16th level, and may never do so in many such studies.

• To become an Expert, the character must have 60 knowledge points in a given study. A character cannot obtain Expert-status in a study until at least 5th level (and would have to roll four 12s to achieve this); on average, and probably would not do so until 8th to 10th level. Expert-status could not be obtained in a secondary study in the character's chosen field until at least 9th level, and would be unlikely to happen before 16th to 18th level. A character would probably never reach Expert-status in an out-of-field study.

• To be come a Sage, the character must have 100 knowledge points in a given study. A character cannot reach Sage-status in a study until at least 9th level, and probably would not do so until 14th to 16th level. Sage-status could not be obtained in a secondary study in the character's chosen field until at least 15th level and without some luck it might never happen.

Investigation

Some may wonder how additional sage fields, studies and abilities are gained merely from the acquisition of experience, which is gained largely through fighting and treasure. It is presumed that any character interested in a particular form of knowledge will continue to investigate that knowledge, both from other persons and sources, and through reflection and investigation. As the game offers much time when the character's moment to moment actions are not specified, it is presumed that the character meets with people, chances to find opportunities to read books and spends long hours considering the training they had once upon a time. These actions steadily progress the character to a "moment of clarity," where they suddenly understand something their teacher tried to explain but which was not fully understood, or something they read once upon a time, or some conversation they had with a like scholar. This epiphany coincides with the moment the character progresses in level.

This may not be entirely realistic, but it is a satisfactory explanation for what is happening in game terms, and that is all that is needed to handwave non-essential details about the character's acquisition of abilities.