Knowledge (Deep History)

Description

Ability Score Used:	Intelligence
Armor Check Penalty Applies?	No

You are educated in the pre-history of the world, delving into the mysteries of events that happened 5,000 years ago and earlier. The Knowledge (Deep History) skill allows you to answer both simple and complex questions on this topic. Specifically, Knowledge (Deep History) allows you to make checks to reveal information on ancient wars, ancient architecture or artwork, abandoned colonies, migrations of extinct peoples, and the culture of cities and empires long forgotten by most.

As with all skills, the uses below are merely suggestions, and by no means the full gamut of possible ways a skill can be used. Players and GM's are encouraged to find additional ways to use each skill.

General Knowledge

You know the answers to questions pertaining to ancient civilizations, events, cultures, architectures, and peoples. You know myths and legends that predate the current pantheons and fables of your age. You know the heroes and villains of ancient kingdoms lost to time, and the secrets of the very distant past.
Action Required:	Free action
DC of Check:	Answering a question on a Deep History topic has an Easy DC for the CR of the topic for really easy questions, an Average DC against the CR of the topic for basic questions, a Challenging DC against the CR of the topic for really tough questions, or a Hard DC against the CR of the topic for really tough questions on narrow or specific topics. Some basic questions may be even easier than that, and some example DC's are included below: Identify an ancient historical event 10 Determine the approximate year of a particular event 15 Identify the origins of an ancient work or building 15 Know of an obscure and ancient event 20 Recognize ancient and obscure symbols 25
Modifiers to Check	How Deep is Deep? For cultures older than 10,000 years, Deep History checks take a +1 modifier for every millennium that has passed. Thus, to check against a culture 52,000 years old would be a +42 modifier to the DC of the Deep History check. Cultural Significance Making a roll against a very large or impactful society (such as the Romans) would get a modifier on the roll of between +5 and +15, depending upon the game world. Making a roll against a small or less impactful society (such as the Nabatea) would get a negative modifier on the roll of between -5 and -15, depending upon the game world. Secret Society A very secretive society, one which deliberately left no mark on history, would add a +10 modifier to the DC of any checks made against it. This could be compounded or alleviated by the size of the society, above.
Take 10? / Take 20?	No
Allows Assists?	Yes (up to 5 allies)
Results of Success	You are familiar with the topic, and have useful information relating to it. The GM will tell you what you know. If you exceed the target DC by a significant amount (typically, reaching a higher difficulty threshold than what was required for the check), the GM may provide additional information to you than would be revealed by a merely successful roll.
Consequences of Failure	You don't know enough about the topic to provide any useful insight.
Retry Allowed?	No. The check represents what you know, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn't let you know something that you never learned in the first place.
Provokes AOO?	No.

Contemplate Answers (Epic)

You can take some time to reflect on what you do know in order to draw conclusions about what you don't know. You can contemplate the foundational knowledge of deep history that you possess, and apply it to a particular question or puzzle you were previously unable to answer. By exerting your will and taking a moment to really think things through, you might discover an answer you never knew you had. Contemplate answers allows you to make a second attempt at a general knowledge check, at the cost of taking a bit longer to consider the problem. This is an epic skill use, and requires at least 21 ranks in the skill before it may be attempted.
Action Required:	Full-round action
DC of Check:	Unchanged from general knowledge: an Easy DC for the CR of the topic for really easy questions, an Average DC against the CR of the topic for basic questions, a Challenging DC against the CR of the topic for really tough questions, or a Hard DC against the CR of the topic for really tough questions on narrow or specific topics.
Modifiers to Check	Hasty Conclusions: You can attempt to contemplate answers as a standard action, instead of a full-round action, but the DC is increased by +5. You can attempt to contemplate answers as a move action, but the DC is increased by +10. How Deep is Deep? For cultures older than 10,000 years, Deep History checks take a +1 modifier for every millennium that has passed. Thus, to check against a culture 52,000 years old would be a +42 modifier to the DC of the Deep History check. Cultural Significance Making a roll against a very large or impactful society (such as the Romans) would get a modifier on the roll of between +5 and +15, depending upon the game world. Making a roll against a small or less impactful society (such as the Nabatea) would get a negative modifier on the roll of between -5 and -15, depending upon the game world. Secret Society A very secretive society, one which deliberately left no mark on history, would add a +10 modifier to the DC of any checks made against it. This could be compounded or alleviated by the size of the society, above.
Take 10? / Take 20?	No
Allows Assists?	Yes (up to 5 allies)
Results of Success	You are able to piece together an answer from the scraps of knowledge you do possess.
Consequences of Failure	Despite really trying, you still just don't know.
Retry Allowed?	No
Provokes AOO?	No