Tracking

Common skills: tracking, stealth, perception, local knowledge.

Tracking someone is an opposed extended task similar to a chase, although much less energetic and more cerebral. Rather than physical tasks, opposed checks are more focused around a contest of mind and skill. The target tries to hide their tracks, while the pursuer tries to uncover them.

A simple tracking scenario involves involves AGI checks for the target and INT checks for the pursuer, along with the stealth and tracking skills, respectively.

This assumes that the target is aware of and trying to shake off the trackers. If the target is unaware of the trackers, simply use a Routine [10] benchmark and a simple extended task.

A more complex tracking scenario allows the target to try different things such as:

Gaining Information

An expert tracker can also glean a lot of information about a location or about creatures who have been present. This is a simple, single-check task using

LOGIC and the tracking skill. The tracker simply makes a Routine [10] LOG check and ask one closed question which the GM will answer. The question asked must be specific closed questions which the GM can answer with a single, short sentence. Any question can be asked, and each question takes one full minute—the more questions asked, the more detailed information can be determined, but each subsequent question past the first inflicts a –1d6 die penalty. Example sequences of questions might look like this:

Question Answer

Has anybody passed through this clearing in the last hour?  Yes, a group of creatures passed through very recently.

How many creatures? Six creatures.

What type of creatures? They were all humanoid.

Was any of them one-legged? Yes, there was a one-legged humanoid present.

Were there any Smallfolk present? Yes, two Smallfolk.

Were the Smallfolk prisoners? Yes, from the way they were walking, it seems they were restrained.