Carco-question about conveying specialist (occult) info

[raritus]

Hello!

A quick question:

How do you convey (inform, in character) to a PC about special info, like occult/magic stuff... Like, let's say, identifying traces of Lotus if burned ("Hmmm, you can tell they've burned White Lotus petals here...").

What's the process?

a- Automagickally: Everything in the Carcosa book is well known by everyone.

b- With specialist skill rolls (like the specialists class has), which only sorcerers (& specialists, if allowed, perhaps) have.

c- Only PCs with a certain pertinent background have the knowledge (automagickally), in a case-by-case basis.

d- Something completely different!



Thanks!
Rrr

[strangebrew]

Just off hand, I'd limit it to Sorcerers (assuming you're using just the two classes). If it was something obscure, or the first time the character encountered it, perhaps they could roll equal or under their level on a d10. That's how I'd wing it at least.

There was a short retroclone called "Bandits & Basilisks" which had a percentile "Arcane Knowledge" ability you could easily steal.

[geoffrey]

Sept 18, 2013 10:28:34 GMT -6 strangebrew said:

Just off hand, I'd limit it to Sorcerers (assuming you're using just the two classes).

That's what I do. Sorcerers have studied for well over a decade to acquire their sorcerous skills and knowledge. Some fighter or other is not going to have a clue about anything related to sorcery.

As for the precise knowledge of a sorcerer, I don't have one-size-fits-all. Instead, I judge everything on a case-by-case basis. I primarily use my intuition to see what feels right, and then use DM fiat: "OK, Nick, if you roll a 1 to 5 on a 12-sider, you will know the significance of this mysterious sigil of the Snake-Men."

[jcstephens]

And of course, there's always Invocation rituals for the really obscure stuff.