Predict Emergence (sage ability)

Foretells the impending appearance of a sea or lake creature swimming up through the water, about to break the surface. If the character is aware and within sight of the point of emergence (3 feet x the length or height of the creature), the event will make itself evident due to the heaving of water, the appearance of bubbles or other potential signs (movement of sea birds, glimpses of passage underwater, etcetera).

Creatures as small as medium-sized can be predicted - however, smaller creatures offer less warning. See the table on the left for the forewarning the character is given before the creature breaks the surface.

Guessing from size and other signals, the character should be able to predetermine the appearance of whales, sharks, kraken, giant turtles and humanoids - but beyond those, the character will know no more than the actual size of the creature.

Note that the ability cannot be employed in circumstances where waves have begun to crest (appearance of white foam) ~ a strong breeze or more.

See Sea Life

Identify Sea Life (sage ability)

Allows identification of a given order of sea life on sight, above or below the water surface.

In addition to their identification, the character will also be aware - where monstrous forms of sea life occurs - the principle threat the creature or animal imposes. Specifically, knowledge of threat includes the number of attacks the creature or animal possesses per round, what parts of the body are used in attack, the armour class of the creature or animal and its approximate weight and hit dice.

This knowledge includes if the sea life is known to upset shipping or if it is typically aggressive towards land creatures, but does not extend to any other magical attacks or defences these creatures or animals have.

See Sea Life

Treat Disease (sage ability)

A physician with this skill is able to treat disease so as to subtract 1 point from the d8 used to determine the Nature of the disease. Similarly, the Degree of disease is also modified by 1 point in the patient's favor. If either nature or degree is reduced to zero, the disease will have cleared up on its own, within a week, without further ailment.

It is necessary that the physician possess a proper setting in which to encourage this health. A hospital must be fashioned so as to have a stone floor, a roof or covering sufficient enough to provide waterproof protection from the elements, a sufficient amount of warmth, walls that resist the presence of insects and a constant state of cleanliness. In a region which never grows colder than a warm climate, even a tent will serve as a hospital, so long as it is made of heavy canvas. In most other regions, a hospital will need to be made of wood or even more insulated materials.

Up to three patients may be cared for per hundred square feet of hospital. Due to the amount of cleaning and attendance needed, a physician acting alone will be able to treat only one patient per 8 points of possessed knowledge; however, a single nurse (any person with at least five points of knowledge in medicine) can half this number for up to eight patients. Thus, a physician with 64 medical knowledge and only one nurse would be able to treat up to 12 patients; with a second nurse, the physician would be able to effectively treat up to 16 patients. A third nurse would not add any benefit, except that each nurse would have to work less hours overall. It is presumed that both doctor and nurses are working 12 hours a day.

See Medicine

Diagnose Ailment (sage ability)

Identifies the nature and cause of disease or the presence of insidious poison inside the body by virtue of the subject's signs and symptoms.

When correct, the ability grants the character knowledge of what area of the body is being affected, the extent of damage or loss of attributes likely to occur and the chance that the condition is terminal. For terminal cases, the character can make an estimate of the time left to the patient, but of course cannot name the exact length of time the character has left. Take note that this diagnosis can include correctly describing ailments resulting from magical or supernatural causes.

The character can also suggest the correct solution to the condition suffered (what must be taken, what treatment must be given). Unfortunately, unless the character has other abilities, this is the extent of the aid they can give having diagnosed the ailment. Even if the medicant has the necessary herbs or drugs, knowledge of how these must be prepared will not be known to the character and thus administration of these drugs will not be effective.

Note: While an incorrect diagnosis made by the medicant might supply drama to the campaign, the difficulties in keeping track of incorrect diagnoses without a system for doing so (which I have not created at this time) does no substantially support this instance within the game. For simplicity's sake, at this time it will be presumed that the diagnosis made is correct (until such time as I choose to expand the game structure with regards to medical conditions).

See Medicine

Diagnose & Treat Farmyard Disease (sage ability)

Identifies the nature and cause of common farmyard diseases, offering some possibility of treatment for these diseases.

The ability grants the character knowledge of what part of the animal's body is being infected, the extent of damage or lost of strength or constitution in the animal. For terminal cases, the character can make an estimate of the time remaining to the animal, but not the exact amount of time the animal has left. Take note that this diagnosis can include correctly describing ailments from magical or supernatural causes.

The character can, with time and effort, attempt to treat the disease over the period in which it is acute and the symptoms manifest. In so doing, the character will reduce the severity of the disease by 1 point. This may or may not be enough to heal the animal or prevent death.

Note: While an incorrect diagnosis made by the medicant might supply drama to the campaign, the difficulties in keeping track of incorrect diagnoses without a system for doing so (which I have not created at this time) does no substantially support this instance within the game. For simplicity's sake, at this time it will be presumed that the diagnosis made is correct (until such time as I choose to expand the game structure with regards to medical conditions).

See Animal Physiology