Persuade
PERSUADE allows the Player-heroes to apply their reasoning to
convince other individuals of an idea or course of action. It
can be used to influence small groups of listeners, but only if
used in an appropriate context, such as a common hall. Persuasion requires more time than other Personality Skills, but
can have a more lasting impact on other characters’ actions.
A high PERSUADE score denotes an uncommon eloquence, a
love of speech and knowledge of its proper use and its effect
on listeners. Wise people, advisers to chieftains and kings, and
their messengers all share this passion for the spoken word.
The successful use of the PERSUADE Skill allows a Player hero to convince an audience that their current position
regarding a matter is flawed. A superior success convinces
listeners of the quality of a hero’s stance, and may even turn
them into ardent believers.
Aragorn laughed. “Every man has something too dear to trust to
another. But would you part an old man from his support? Come,
will you not let us enter?”
Stealth
Player-heroes resort to STEALTH whenever they need to act
in a furtive or secret way. The Skill includes hiding, moving
quietly, and shadowing others. These activities often rely on
quickness and precision, so a stealthy Player-hero combines
practised caution with the ability to judge the right moment
to take a chance. Hunters, burglars, and solitary fighters use
STEALTH to prosper in their trade.
A successful STEALTH roll indicates that the hero has gone
unnoticed, while failure almost certainly attracts unwanted attention. A superior success produces an outcome so flawless
that it may even be impossible to notice the deed after the fact.
So silent was his going that smoke on a gentle wind could hardly
have surpassed it, and he was inclined to feel a bit proud of himself
as he drew near the lower door
Scan
Player-heroes can use the SCAN Skill when examining something closely or attentively. This Skill allows a Player-hero to
skim through a book to locate a piece of relevant information,
look for concealed doors or hidden inscriptions, recognise a
familiar face in a crowd, or locate a set of tracks on the ground.
SCAN rolls are generally initiated by the players rather than
the Loremaster. One roll is required for each inspection of
a small area, such as a room. AWARENESS, rather than SCAN,
is used to see if a hero passively notices something.
A successful SCAN roll generally lets Player-heroes find
what they are looking for — if it is to be found at all. A superior success usually means the object is found more quickly.
“Less welcome did the Lord Denethor show me then than of old, and
grudgingly he permitted me to search among his hoarded scrolls
and books.”
Explore
Player-heroes rely on the EXPLORE Skill when they move
through an unfamiliar area of the Wild. An EXPLORE roll
may be required during a journey to find out where the Company is heading, or to get back on track after a detour; to cope
with adverse weather conditions or other natural hazards; to
create paths through the wilderness suitable for others to
follow; or to choose a suitable place to set up camp. A high
EXPLORE rating is an invaluable resource if a Player-hero is
acting as a scout for the Company.
“We have found a dry cave,” they said, “not far round the next corner; and ponies and all could get inside.”
Riddle
Owing its name to the ancient game, the RIDDLE Skill represents the ability to draw conclusions from seemingly unconnected scraps of information by deduction, reasoning, and
intuition. Adventurers also rely on RIDDLE whenever they are
forced to talk about a subject but prefer to conceal part of
what they know; for example, to tell something about themselves without revealing their identity.
As an accepted custom among many cultures, speaking
in riddles is usually allowed among strangers meeting for the
first time and wanting to speak guardedly. This Skill is also
used to gain helpful insight from a spoken or written riddle.
“A Hobbit waded out into the water and back; but I cannot say how
long ago.” “How then do you read this riddle?” asked Gimli.
Lore
LORE expresses a love for learning: be it a fascination with
descriptions of distant lands or an interest in family genealogy. Whenever an action involves knowledge of some kind,
a LORE test is required.
Player-heroes are considered to be knowledgeable in the
traditions of their own people, and so the Loremaster should rarely require a player to make a LORE roll for information
regarding their own character’s Culture or the area they originally came from.
He knew many histories and legends of long ago, of Elves and Men
and the good and evil deeds of the Elder Days.
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