RE: Skill checks and etiquette between players

[Vakur]

I suppose this is quite a broad topic, and may be obvious in situations like a listen vs a move silently check, but my specific situation is this:

I am role playing a foreigner, from the island of Ruathym. All I really know about this place is what's written on the FR Wiki:

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Ruathym

I'm using this as my source material, plus some small embellishments from my own knowledge of Old Norse history, which is the obvious basis for this nation.

If I mention this in RP and someone rolls a lore check, how do I proceed? It's geographical proximity to the Sword Coast makes me assume most characters will have at least heard of it. Maybe a high lore roll would mean the character has slightly more in depth knowledge of the place.

Do I assume that the player in question has no knowledge of the place, but their character would, and send them a tell along the line of "You're knowledge of the realms informs you that..." and provide details based on how high their lore is. How would I determine the DC?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[DM Narshe]

Ultimately this boils down to how you want to do it. Some players like to put a DC in their character's Bio and when someone rolls that DC, they shoot that player a tell with information. Others just include the whole bit in the Bio and trust others to make their own judgment about whether that character knows it or not.

Since it's not really something condemning like "A marking on his skin is half visible by his neck. Lore roll of 30 would tell that it's the symbol for Bane." I don't see it being an issue.

A lot of players would be interested in learning about your island, but would prefer to learn about it incharacter. Sending them a tell with vague information about the island helps introduce them to your character without feeling awkward. As you stated, their character would have heard about it but the player hasn't. Something light so that they can ease their character into the conversation without being all "Sicily? An island you say? Nope. Never heard of it."

As far as DCs are concerned, anything over 15 or 20 would easily have heard of the island and know a notable thing or two about it. Detailed explanations should be left up to your character though.

If you're just talking with someone and they roll a Lore, I usually ask them OOCly what they want to know and take it from there.

It's really all up to you how you want to handle it. There isn't any particular decorum for it and anything you'd do is just your particular style and how much you want to treat others to sweet, sugary lore.

[Vakur]

Great, thanks!

[Deathgrowl]

http://dndtools.eu/skills/knowledge/

Answering a question within your field of study has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions). In many cases, you can use this skill to identify monsters and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster's HD. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster. For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.

[DM Arkanis]

For the purposes of IMMEDIATE RP I think that a player who has done their homework on the generalities of a geographic area would be able to articulate that to anyone that their character came across. Specific knowledge pertaining to guilds/factions/royalty or other "higher level" type scenarios would have to be RPd out I suppose.

I know of Dallas, TX, have been there, can describe some of the sights and things, but couldn't tell you ATM who is mayor or any current events.
I know of Ottawa, ON Canada and can dscribe itin intricate details to you, tell you where the best night clubs are, where the best museums are, where the best restaurants and hotels are. Where you can find people who sell illegal stuff and where the best Beaver Tails are made. I can't tell you what the Prime Minister had for lunch, what the Mayor's agenda is for next week, or what pressure levels the city water mains are set at off of the top of my head...

When talking about lore or knowledge of a certain geographical area, the knoweldge one has (I am talking REAL knowledge not BLUFF knoweldge... "Ya, I was so there like last week" roll bluff check) is dependant not solely on being from that area, but your position there, etc. All of this could be RPd without having to do a lore check EVERYTIME your character makes a statement. "It is hot in Amn in the summer" really isn't something I would challenge character to character. "The pasha wears purple, silk pyjamas with little hearts on them" would DEFINITELY be something to ask for a lore check on. Or sense motive maybe...

I'm with Narshe - hash out OOC in tells if they are looking for specifics or not, and have FUN with it. Remember, you don't always have to tell the complete truth, and sometimes it is fun just spinning yarns.