with a sixth sense for picking his way through
complex ruins, mazes, and catacombs. Rafters
are also excellent guides and scouts whose
skills and knowledge have safely guided groups
deep into the unknown. A rafter has a love of
history and discovery and enjoys nothing more
than being the first person to set foot in a lost
city or an ancient tomb. Rafters also have a
penchant for maps, and take great pleasure in
studying, collecting, and crafting them. In fact
the name rafter lends to the fact that they
spend their time underneath the rafters that
hold up a city then prancing around on the
streets above. Lost items, forgotten palaces,
secret places, finding such places is a lot
easier with a skilled rafter. Contrary to common
belief, a rafter isn’t just a brave fool, but a
careful and cautious one who takes great pains
to research and study his missions. A rafter
who wants to survive should be flexible,
resourceful, and able to hold his own in a fight.
Rafters are considered highly skilled and
typically command sizable fees for their
services. However, they are looked down upon
as lower-class members of society, as their
explorations underground give them a general
reputation of being dirty, antisocial, sewer
dwellers. While true in some cases, this is an
unfortunate stereotype which irritates most
rafters. To qualify to become a rafter, a
character must be able to read and write in one
additional language at rank 8.
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find maps, uncover secrets, or discover forgotten lore. When in a reasonable library, a rafter can use his skills to
find some kind of relevant information to his search. This type of search takes 4 hours of study per skill check.
The rafter has a base chance of 50% +10% per rank.
Situation Modifier
Information sought is recent (less than a year old) +15%
Information is no longer known by any living being -10%
Information has been suppressed -30%
Information is old (per 200 years, up to 1,000) -10%
Information is very old (1,000+ years, up to 10,000) -75%
Information is ancient (10,000+ years) -100%
Library is small or limited -10%
Library is poorly organized -10% Library is well organized +10%
Books and scrolls are well preserved +15% Books are damaged or rotten -15%
The possibility of success at a research check supposes that the information sought is in the library; it’s quite
possible that some information has simply been lost. A GM who wants to keep something a secret may rule that it
is not available, or he may provide misleading or incomplete information, or he may provide several conflicting
answers to the search.
Depth Perception: A rafter who reaches rank 2 is so skilled with exploring the undercity, that he has gained a
sixth sense for exactly how deep he is below the surface. This ability is automatic, and requires no roll.
Escape: Also at rank 2, a rafter has gained enough resourcefulness to be able to slip away from nasty
predators. In such situations, the rafter manages to create a distraction and flee without the creature knowing
where he went. Creatures with Scent or Track abilities may be able to find the rafter’s trail, but most predators
simply move on and look for other prey. Use of this skill requires a sufficient exit or hiding place to be located
within a distance from the rafter equal to his movement rate. This ability is essential to rafters to allow them to
avoid the natural dangers of the undercity. A roll of 3 X AG +10% per rank above rank 2 is required to succeed.
Hostile actions will negate the escape effort.
Judge Structural Integrity: A rafter is skilled and trained in traveling through the ruins, and at rank 3 he gains
the ability to judge how likely an area is to sinking or collapse. This ability can also be used to determine if a
particular area (usually a ruin) is able to support the rafter’s weight. The area must be visually inspected for two
pulses in order to make an accurate judgment. 3 X PC +10% per rank.
Condition Modifiers
Structure’s supports are visible +25%
Structure is made of metal -10%
Structure is made of stone -15%
Structure is made of earth -20%
Structure is made of glass, crystal, or other exotic material -25%
Damage was deliberately disguised -25%
Make Map: A rafter, once he reaches rank 4, is so accustomed to picking his way though unfamiliar areas that
he is able to draw up a map of any area he has walked through within the last day. This is done by rolling by
rolling under 5 X PC +5% per rank after 4.
Modifiers
Per room or hallway to be mapped -5%
Area was moved through rapidly -5%
Rafter was unable to see -20%
If the check is successful, the map is accurate. If the check was missed by 20% or less, the map is accurate, but
missing essential details. If the check is failed by more than 20%, the map is useless. Secret doors and
concealed areas cannot be added to the map unless the rafter finds them. Only one map may be stored in his
mind at a time, and a second area cannot be detailed unless another physical pass is made through it.
Find the Way: A rafter has an instinctual knack for finding his way out of confusing or unfamiliar areas. At rank 5
the rafter begins to be able to sense the way he needs to go to get where he is going, even if he has never been
there before. When faced with a crossroads, the rafter may attempt a direction check by rolling under 4 X PC
+10% per rank after 5. Success indicates that he feels an intuitive tug toward the correct path. Failure indicates
no intuitive reading is felt. This ability may be used once per day per rank of rafter the character has attained.
Scout: By rank 5, a rafter’s senses are honed to allow him to get a clear picture of enclosed areas (typically
underground) around and ahead of him through echolocation. This ability reveals the terrain ahead of the rafter,
even around corners, through magical darkness, and through closed doors. The rafter can comprehend the
layout of the area around him up to a distance of 10 ft. per rank of rafter he has attained. This ability remains in
effect at all times unless blocked. A closed door reduces the scouting range by 10 feet, and the ability is blocked
by two closed doors in sequence. Areas covered by magical silence spells cannot be ‘seen’ by this ability, nor will
it work if the rafter himself is silenced or deafened. This ability requires a minimal amount of environmental sound
to be present in order to work. If none is present, the rafter must make a sound in order to use the ability (which
might attract other creatures to the rafter’s location). Extremely loud constant noises also disrupt this ability.
Positioning: At rank 6, a rafter gains an innate sense for where he is, allowing him to use his perception to
comprehend his exact position. This ability can be used only if a rafter has studied the relevant map indicated by
the result. This ability can be used once per hour.
Find Secret Area: At rank 7, a rafter’s scout and make maps abilities synergize and allow him to spot
inconsistencies in the layout of an area. A rafter that passes by a secret or concealed door that is within the
range of his scout ability may roll under 5 X PC to notice the secret area.
Sense Danger: By rank 8, a rafter’s scout ability is so advanced that he is able to notice traps and creatures
around and ahead of him simply by passing by them. A rafter with sense danger can determine the size and
number of any creatures within range of his scout ability. He also gets to roll under 3 X PC to find any traps within
10 feet of his location (assuming he is in an area where his scout ability would work).