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Narrative Based Perception

In this game, there’s no Perception stat or automatic search check. Instead, players uncover secrets, traps, and hidden features through their actions and attention to the story.

When you describe your character’s investigations—asking questions, examining the environment, or testing suspicions—the Guide responds with clues based on what your character actually does, what they know, and which skills they use. Sharp observations and clever ideas matter more than a lucky roll.

Pay attention to details in the Guide’s descriptions. Subtle sights, sounds, smells, or textures may hint at secrets or dangers waiting to be discovered.

Tips for Narrative Discovery (Players)

  • Ask specific questions:
    “Does the air feel different near this wall?”
    “Are there scratches by the lock?”

  • Describe your actions:
    Don’t just say “I search the room.” Try:
    “I tap the flagstones with my staff and run my hand along the wall.”

  • Work together:
    Share hunches and combine different skills (Lore, Thievery, Magic) for better results.

  • Stay curious:
    Sometimes the smallest detail is the key to finding what others miss.

Tips for Narrative Discovery (Guide)

  • Always include a clue:
    Every secret, trap, or hidden feature should have at least one subtle hint. This might be a scent, draft, odd sound, or visual irregularity.

  • Make clues fit the world:
    A hidden library might smell of old paper.
    A trapped hallway might have a slightly raised flagstone.

  • Reward curiosity, not just skills:
    Clever questions and creative interaction should yield useful information, even without the “right” skill.

  • Use multiple senses:
    Describe not only what is seen, but also what is heard, smelled, or felt.

  • Layer clues:
    Obvious clues reward careful play; deeper clues reward expertise (Lore, Thievery, Magic).

  • Let players connect the dots:
    Present clues honestly and allow players to draw conclusions. Do not force solutions.

  • Keep danger fair:
    Never spring traps or secrets without foreshadowing. “Gotchas” break trust; hints build tension.

  • Encourage teamwork:
    Secrets are easier to uncover when players share information and combine perspectives.

Fair Discovery Procedure (Table Contract)

Use this short procedure whenever hidden danger, traps, or concealed creatures are in play.

Player Prompt (Always Allowed)

Players may always ask:

  • “What clues do we have here?”

If hidden danger exists, the Guide should provide at least one actionable clue.

Guide Response Rule

  • If clues were already in prior narration, the Guide may reread the description.
  • After rereading, if players are still unsure, the Guide should explicitly point to the clue elements.
  • If no clue was prepared, pause briefly and add one before resolving the hidden danger.

Fairness Rule of Thumb

  • No hidden threat should resolve without foreshadowing.
  • Good tension comes from readable risk, not “guess what the Guide meant.”
  • If players could not reasonably infer danger from available clues, treat it as Guide-side calibration and adjust.

Secret Doors & Panels

Secret doors and panels are not found through rolls. They are discovered through observation, interaction, and narrative clues. The Guide should always foreshadow their presence through environmental details before a player can uncover or activate them.

Secret Door / Panel Hints

Environmental signs that a secret is present

Unusual Smells

  • Musty old books (hidden library or archive)
  • Scent of earth or fresh air (tunnel or outside passage)
  • Incense, alchemical residue, or faint metallic tang

Temperature Changes

  • Slight draft or chill near a wall
  • Noticeably warmer or cooler patch of air

Odd Sounds

  • Muffled voices or noises through a wall
  • Faint echo or muted footsteps at one spot
  • Hollow sound when tapping wall or floor

Visual Clues

  • Misaligned or scratched sconce, bracket, or torch
  • Seams or subtle discoloration in stonework or paneling
  • Worn or scuffed flagstones or floorboards
  • Torches burning lower or unusual soot marks, suggesting frequent use

Movement & Vibrations

  • Slight tremor as a door is operated elsewhere
  • Books, objects, or furnishings that seem recently disturbed

Light & Shadow

  • Shadows behaving oddly, outlines too sharp, or movement that doesn’t match the light source
  • A faint outline of a door or panel visible only at certain angles or lighting

Dust & Usage

  • Unusually dust-free patches in an otherwise neglected area
  • Footprints that end abruptly at a wall or dead end

Secret Door / Panel Triggers

How the secret is opened

Mechanical Triggers

  • Twisting, pulling, or pushing a specific torch, sconce, or candlestick
  • Pressing a particular brick, stone, or floor tile
  • Pulling a specific book, often unmarked or oddly worn

Hidden Latches & Levers

  • Nearly invisible latch disguised as part of the décor
  • Lever concealed behind a painting, tapestry, or statue
  • Floor tile that depresses under weight or pressure

Combination Actions

  • Pulling two sconces at the same time
  • Turning objects in a specific sequence
  • Multi-step mechanisms that require experimentation

Magical Triggers

  • Speaking a password or phrase
  • Casting a specific spell (e.g., Knock, Light)
  • Tracing a rune or symbol with a finger, wand, or tool

Environmental Triggers

  • Only opens at a specific time (midnight, full moon, dawn)
  • Requires placing a specific item into a recess
  • Activated by breath, heat, cold, or moisture

Hidden in Plain Sight

  • Decorative panels that swing open when pressed
  • Bookshelves mounted on concealed hinges or wheels
  • Doors concealed behind mirrors, statues, or furniture
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