Astrology-
This skill was published in a WD, and I can't remember the rules.
If you have them, replace these with those. If you don't I'm sure
this will do.
First, it's up to the GM to decide if this skill has any real
powers or is just based on superstition. If it does, this skill
allows a very, very, very vague prediciton of a possible future. By
examining the heavens, for a few hours, and consulting charts, the
character can:
- Draw up a birth star chart for a new born. Since the
Astrologer will be long gone by the time the kid grows up, who cares
if it's for real?!?!
- Draw up a chart for himself or a character. On a successful
Int, test, the prediction will have a vague clue about the truth.
For a warrior going into battle:
"The sword of Myrmidia is entering the House of Morr, tomorrow, you
face great danger, I see blood letting, but if you persevere, Victory
could be yours!"
If the GM isn't as cruel as me, he may give genuine bits of
information of use. I prefer to snip out the day's horoscope and
read that instead to the unwitting characters. If a game is moving
quite slowly, you might want to use this to give a clue
If the character fails, his prediction is wrong.
"The stars say that the Chaos Army will retreat, if you confront
them alone outside the Keep wearing only a cowbell!"
Of course, if the Astrologer is dumb enough to tell the Lord
that, let him meet my Executioner NPC. Hopefully, despite the
prediction of the stars, the Astrologer PC would say:
"hmm, the sword of Myrmidia is entering the House of Morr. Great
blood shed ahead! I'm sure victory is certain. I think I could find
out more if I were to go through the escape tunnel, to the hill,
where I could have a better view of the stars..."
Needless to say, Astrology rolls should be done by the GM in
secret, and the prediction passed to the Astrologer, so that he could
make the predicition public after "editing" it.
- If the players are droll enough, they can try to get a "yes/no"
answer out of the stars. Let them try, and give them, if successful,
an amibiguous response with maybe a little clue. If the Astrologer
fails, give 'em the wrong answer, but kind of ambiguous, so they
don't know right off it's the wrong answer.
Career Entries: Seer, Student, Charlatan, Wizard
Career Exits: Seer, Scholar, Charlatan, Philosopher
Notes: This is yet again another fun roleplaying career. No matter
how many times the philosophers wrong, he'll be dead certain the
stars have all the answers, and maybe he interpreted it wrong once or
twice... As soon as the Astrologers says: "I have an idea, I'll
divine it from the heavens!" the players should start to groan and
throw dice and sharp objects at the Astrologer player and the GM!