Decipher Writing (Trained)

When you encounter particularly archaic or esoteric texts, the GM might require you to Decipher the Writing before you can understand it. You must be trained in the relevant skill to Decipher Writing. Arcana is typically used for writing about magic or science, Occultism for esoteric texts about mysteries and philosophy, Religion for scripture, and Society for coded messages or archaic documents.

Decipher Writing

Traits: concentrate, exploration, secret

You attempt to decipher complicated writing or literature on an obscure topic. This usually takes 1 minute per page of text, but might take longer (typically an hour per page for decrypting ciphers or the like). The text must be in a language you can read, though the GM might allow you to attempt to decipher text written in an unfamiliar language using Society instead.

The DC is determined by the GM based on the state or complexity of the document. The GM might have you roll one check for a short text or a check for each section of a larger text.

Critical Success You understand the true meaning of the text.

Success You understand the true meaning of the text. If it was a coded document, you know the general meaning but might not have a word-for-word translation.

Failure You can’t understand the text and take a –2 circumstance penalty to further checks to decipher it.

Critical Failure You believe you understand the text on that page, but you have in fact misconstrued its message.

Sample Decipher Tasks Trained entry-level philosophy treatise Expert complex code, such as a cipher

Disarm ◆

Athletics
Strength
Force Open ◆
Grapple ◆
High Jump ◆◆
Long Jump ◆◆
Shove ◆
Swim ◆
Trip ◆
Recall Knowledge G ◆
Crafting
Intelligence
Craft D
Repair E
Earn Income D, G
Identify Alchemy E
Create a Diversion ◆

Feint ◆

Deception
Charisma
Impersonate E
Lie
Diplomacy
Charisma
Gather Information E
Make an Impression E
Request ◆
Intimidation
Charisma
Coerce E
Demoralize ◆
Recall Knowledge G ◆
Lore
Intelligence
Earn Income D, G
Administer First Aid ◆◆
Medicine
Wisdom
Treat Disease D
Recall Knowledge G ◆
Treat Poison ◆
Treat Wounds E
Command an Animal ◆
Nature
Wisdom
Identify Magic E, G
Recall Knowledge G ◆
Learn a Spell E, G
Recall Knowledge G ◆
Occultism
Intelligence
Decipher Writing E, G
Identify Magic E, G
Learn a Spell E, G
Perform ◆
Performance
Charisma
Earn Income D, G
Recall Knowledge G ◆
Religion
Wisdom
Decipher Writing E, G
Identify Magic E, G
Learn a Spell E, G
Recall Knowledge G ◆
Society
Intelligence
Create Forgery D
Subsist D, G
Decipher Writing E, G
Conceal an Object ◆
Stealth
Dexterity
Hide ◆
Sneak ◆
Survival
Wisdom
Sense Direction E
Cover Tracks E
Subsist D, G
Track E
Palm an Object ◆
Disable a Device ◆◆
Thievery
Dexterity
Steal ◆

Pick a Lock ◆◆

D This skill action can be used only during downtime.
E This skill action is used during exploration.
G This is a general skill action, with a description appearing on pages 234–240 instead of under the entries for the
various skills it’s used for.

EXTRA PREPARATION

When Earning Income, you might be able to spend days of downtime to prepare for your task, which adjusts the DC of the skill check. This might involve rehearsing a play, studying a topic, and so on. The GM determines how long preparation takes and how much the DC changes. This is most useful when you’re trying a task that’s higher level than you; otherwise such tasks have an increased DC!

ENDING OR INTERRUPTING TASKS

When a task you’re doing is complete, or if you stop in the middle of one, you normally have to find a new task if you want to keep Earning Income. For instance, if you quit your job working at the docks, you’ll need to find another place of employment instead of picking up where you left off. This usually takes 1 day or more of downtime looking for leads on new jobs. However, you might pause a task due to an adventure or event that wouldn’t prevent you from returning to the old job later. The GM might decide that you can pick up where you left off, assuming the task hasn’t been completed by others in your absence. Whether you roll a new skill check when you resume is also up to the GM. Generally speaking, if you had a good initial roll and want to keep it, you can, but if you had a bad initial roll, you can’t try for a better one by pausing to do something else. If your statistics changed during the break—usually because you leveled up while adventuring—you can attempt a new check.

Master spymaster’s code or advanced research notes

Legendary esoteric planar text written in metaphor by an ancient celestial