Passing Through (sage 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 — 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