Date: Sun, 8 May 1994 00:25:26 EDT
Sender: Mythus Fantasy Roleplaying Game List <[MYTHUS L] at [BROWNVM.brown.edu]>
From: "Rodney W. Morris" <[c s c 3 r w m] at [CABELL.VCU.EDU]>
Subject: ABYSS 4: K/S Areas
Mental Knowledge/Skill Areas
Administration
The administration K/S Area allows an understanding of the
inner-workings of a beauracracy and
how to utilize such an organization to their best advantage. It
deals with heirarchies and the delegation of
authority. Knowledge of such structures can help in speeding
communications through a heirarchy and
cutting the "red-tape" that one usually encounters in a beauracracy.
The lower the level of the beauracracy is, of course, the
easiest to cut through. The mail-room
clerks, front-desk secretaries and such usually call for a Moderate
DR roll. The higher the level on the
ladder an individual or piece of information is, the higher the DR
roll. Requesting an audience with a
planetary leader or corporate president would call for an Extreme DR
roll, at best. In order to cut through
a beauracracy, it is often necessary to make an Administration roll
for each level one goes through.
Needless to say, it is much easier to begin wading through the
beauracracy at the middle or high level than
it is to start with a front-desk secretary.
Agriculture
1. Animal Husbandry
2. Crop Farming
3. Floraculture
4. Horticulture
5. Viticulture
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of the development of mankind. It
examines the underlying forces of
cultures as a whole from the most primitive stages to the current
cultural level and extrapolates upon that
data to determine what they future of a society may hold. Usually,
this K/S area is used in conjuction with
psychology to determine the effects of an event on a society. This
K/S area is useful for one race only;
usually this is the race of the HP who studied anthropology, but a
limited knowledge of other alien
anthropologies (called Exthropology) exists, though rarely taught in
most universities.
Appraisal
1. Artworks
2. Furs
3. Crystal/Glasswork
4. China/Pottery
5. Rugs & Fabrics
6. Gold/Precious Metals
7. Jewelry
8. Handicrafts
9. Woodworks & Furniture
10. Garments
11. Buildings
12. General Goods/Workmanship
13. Animals
14. Land
15. Technology
16. Prospecting
Architecture
Divided into Sub-Areas by culture; half as many sub-areas as
in other K/S areas
Astrogation
This K/S area involves navigation among the stars. It
includes both technical knowledge of
astrogration computers and knowledge of directions and distances to
local star systems. This sort of skill
also includes in-system navigation, including the geometry and
physics surrounding entering orbits and
transplanetary flights.
Entering a standard orbit using this K/S area is a hard
roll. Failure will usually indicate that an
improper trajectory was realized in time and nothing adverse
happened. If, however a critical failure is
rolled, the problem is not realized until the ship is endangered.
Roll on the following table for critical
failure (this table is also reprinted in the Starship Operations
section of this book). Crewmen that are
in an area with artificial gravity sustain half the listed damage,
but they get no Zero-G Environment check
to save themselves.
Less than 00: The ship sustains no damage and the
individuals within experience only
mild discomfort.
01 - 30: The ship "bounced" off of the atmosphere,
sustaining only 1D6 points of
damage to Non-Vital areas. Individuals inside must roll
against their Zero-G Environment K/S
area or sustain 1D6 of Non-Vital damage themselves from the
bumpy ride off of the atmosphere.
Ships with intertial compensators must roll against the
compensation number with a DR of
Moderate to prevent damage to its inhabitants.
31 - 50: The ship "bounced" off of the atmosphere,
hard. The ship sustained 2D6 points
of damage; roll on the Strike Location table for location of
damage for each 1D6 of damage
(thus, two rolls on that table are necessary). Individuals
inside, unless protected by inertial
compensators which succeed against a Hard DR, will sustain
2D6 points of damage and also must
roll on the Strike Location table. A successful Zero-G
Environment check will render half-
damage.
51 - 70: The ship "rebounded" in the atmosphere (the
ship made it through the first layer
of atmosphere and bounced off of the next into the first,
which bounced it back towards the
planet). The ship sustained 5D6 points of damage; roll on
the Strike Location table for location
of damage for each 1D6 (thus, five rolls on that table must
be made). Each individual inside must
also make a Hard Zero-G Environment check, assuming the
intertial compensators make their
Very Hard DR check, to sustain half-damage; otherwise, they
will sustain the full 5D6 points of
damage from the rebound. The ship will be having a minor
control problem and losing altitude.
A Moderate Piloting check will correct the problem.
71-85: The ship descended into the atmosphere at an
incorrect angle, heating up the hull
at a rate it couldn't handle. The ship sustains 10D6 points
of damage and not only must roll on
the Strike Location Table for each D6 of damage, but on the
first five rolls, all rolls that result in
damage in "Non-Vital Areas" are ignored and re-rolled. The
inhabitants also receive 10D6 points
of damage, unless the intertial compensators make a Very
Difficult DR roll or the individual
succeeds in a Difficult Zero-G Environment roll for half
damage. The ship will be having a
moderate control problem and losing altitude. A Hard
Piloting check will put the ship under the
category of a minor control problem.
86 - 95: The ship was tossed through the atmosphere,
heating the hull to the point that
wiring may be fused and it becomes uncomfortably hot in the
ship itself. The ship sustains 15D6
points of damage; re-roll all "Non-Vital" rolls. The
inhabitants must succeed a Very Difficult DR
roll against their Zero-G Environment or recieve 15D6 points
of damage themselves (half
damage if the roll succeeds). This assumes the inertial
compensators fail their Extreme DR roll.
The ship itself will be having a serious control problem and
be falling through the atmosphere.
A Difficult DR Piloting check will bring the ship down to a
moderate control problem.
96 -100: The ship entered on an incorrect trajectory
and rebounded through the
atmosphere. The vessel sustains 20D6 points of damage;
rolls on the "Stike Location" chart
that result in "Non-Vital" rolls are re-rolled. The
inhabitants must succeed an Extreme Zero-G
check or receive the full 20D6 points of damage, also
ignoring results of "Non-Vital" on the
chart. The inertial compensators must succeed a Hard DR
roll or the inhabitants will receive
double damage and the intertial compensators will
short-circuit, damaged beyond repair.
The pilot, assuming the ship is still in exitence, will have
one chance to make a Difficult DR roll
to take the ship from major control problem to a serious
control problem. If he fails, the ship
will careen towards the gravity center of the mass and be
destroyed by the heat and pressure (in
the case of a gas giant) or have to deal with a full-speed
intercept with the earth-air interface (i.e.,
the ship crashes and is destroyed violently).
This K/S area adds 10% of its STEEP to Mathematics,
Astronomy and Astrophysics, and vice
versa.
Computer K/S: Needless to say, most on-board computer
systems are outfitted with an
Astronavigation chip. The computer must have a STEEP of at least 20
in this area in order to assist in
astronavigation. A navigator using the ship's computer to assist
him uses the normal rules for combined
effects, with the navigator as the individual who rolls and the
computer adding 50% of its STEEP total to
his. If the computer system has a STEEP of 50 or higher and a
computer control system has been
installed in the ship, it can be assisted by a human navigator, who
will give 50% of his STEEP to the
computer's K/S roll. A computer system with a STEEP of 75 or higher
cannot be helped by the human
brain, assuming it is outfitted with a computer control system.
Subtract 10% of the computer's STEEP if
there is no computer control system installed (of course, an
artificially intelligent robot with this K/S
area must be at the physical controls of a ship that doesn't contain
a computer control system. Otherwise,
the robot can just link into the ship's computer.
Astronomy
This is the study of the workings of space. It deals with
the location of specific objects in space
and their effects on the other objects in space around them. With
the astronomy K/S area, one could
identify a type of star by its color and distance, and possibly even
its name. One can also tell the effects
of the solar wind on in-system travel and such things. This K/S
area adds 10% of its STEEP to
Astronavigation and Astrophysics and vice versa.
Astrophysics
Prerequisite: Physics, Astronomy.
This K/S area allows full knowledge of the physics of
space. An astrophysicist has intimate
knowledge of the atomic-level workings of a star and the movements
of moons around their parent
planets. This individual understands the effects of gravity and its
effects on different types of masses. He
also has knowledge of the effects of a Zero-G Environment on
specific chemicals. The STEEP in this
K/S Area is limited by the Physics or Astronomy K/S Area, whichever
is higher.
This K/S area adds 10% of its STEEP to Astronavigation,
Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics,
and Physics, and vice versa.
Biology
Botany
Business Administration
Chemistry
Communications Ops
1. Laser
2. Microwave
3. Maser
4. Radio
Computer Ops
Computer Programming
Criminal Activities, Mental (sub areas gained at twice norm)
1. Blackmail
2. Bribery
3. Confidence Games
4. Counterfeiting
5. Embezzling
6. Extortion
7. Fencing (of goods)
8. Forgery
9. Fraud
10. Gambling Operations
11. Racketeering
12. Vice
13. Money Laundering
14. Misappropriation
Criminology
Cryptography
Current Events
Deception
Demolitions
Demolitions Disposal
Domestic Arts & Sciences
1. Cooking and Nutrition
2. Household Management
3. Interior Design/Decoration
4. Sewing & Tailoring
Ecology/Nature Sciences
Economics/Finance/Investing
Education
Engineering
Engineering, Military
Espionage
1. Gathering Information
2. Clandestine Meetings
3. Border Crossing
4. Smuggling
5. Recruiting Informants
6. Object Concealment
7. Electronic Recording Devices
8. Recon
9. Electronic Counter-Measures
Exobiology
Forward Observer
Gambling
1. Cards
2. Dice
3. Table Games
4. Sporting Events
5. Dog/Horse Racing
6. Animal Fighting
Games, Mental
1. Strategic & Table Games (Chess, Backgammon, etc. )
2. War Games
3. Pool (Billiards, Snooker)
Genetics
Geology
Gravitics
History (by culture
Influence
1. Debating
2. Persuasion
3. Salesmanship
4. Demagoguery
5. Misinformation
6. Oration
7. Propaganda
Instruction
Law (by culture)
1. Civil
2. Criminal
3. Government
4. Matrimonial
5. Tax
6. Probate
7. Business
8. Interstellar
9. Interplanetary
10. Colonial
11. Clan
Linguistics
Lip Reading & Sign Language
1. Alchemists
2. Assassins
3. Beggars
4. Deaf/Mute
6. Gypsy
7. Hunters
8. Pirates
9. Priests (by ethos and by pantheon)
10. Soldiers
11. Thieves
12. Societies (by specific Secret Society)
Mathematics
Medicine
1. Pharmacy
2. Surgery
3. Pathology
3. Treat Poison
4. Paramedic
5. Gynacology
6. Pediatrics
7. Cosmetic Surgery
8. Holistic
9. Cybernetics
10.Forensics
Meterology (MMCap + MRCap) x
0.5
Navigation
Perception (Mental)
1. Anticipation
2. Understanding
3. Detecting
4. Noticing
Physics
Psychology
1. Psychoanalysis
Protocol (by specific society or division [i.e. military, corporate,
etc.])
Repair, Electronic Systems
1. Communications
2. Computer
3. Electronics
4. Robotics
5. Gravitics
6. Television
7. Radio
8. Combustion-Driven, Balled Guns
9. Combustion-Driven, Bullet Guns
10. Combustion-Driven, Automatic Fire Guns
11. Combustion-Driven, Large Calibre Guns
12. Laser Weapons
13. Gravity Driven (Gauss) Guns
14. Particle Drivers
15. Protective Jackets (Kevlar, etc)
16. Environmental Armor
17. Combat Environment Armor
18. Battle Dress
Repair, Mechanical
1. Low Tech Ground Vehicles
2. Low Tech Water Vehicles
3. Deisel Driven Ground and Watercraft
4. Nuclear Driven Water and Aircraft
5. Powered Armor
Repair, Starships
1. Spacecraft
2. Spaceships
3. Capital Ships
Research
Robot Ops
Sensor Ops
1. Radar
2. Infra-Red
3. Maser
Tactics, Aeronautic
Tactics, Fleet
Tactics, Geocentric
Tactics, Naval
Tactics, Small Unit
Tactics, Space MRCap
Vac Suit
Xenobiology (divided by race)
Xenoculture (divided by race)
Zoology
Physical Knowledge/Skill Areas
Acupuncture
Acrobatics/Gymnastics
1. Tumbling
2. Jumping
3. Vaulting
4. Landing
5. Tight-rope walking
6. Swinging
Arms & Armor
1. Forging Swords
2. Forging Other Edged weapons
3. Making Non-Edged Weapons
4. Making Bows and Arrows & Fletching
5. Making Crossbows and Quarrels
6. Making Plate (Fitted) Armor
7. Making Chain Mail
8. Making Lamellar Armor
9. Making Armor of All Other Sorts (Padded/Quilted,
Leather/Cuir Bouille, Studded/Plated,
Ring, Scale, Banded, Splinted)
10. Making Shields of All Sorts
Boating
Clothwork
Combat, Hand-to-Hand, Lethal
1. Hands
2. Feet
3. Specific Weapon
Combat, Hand-to-Hand, Non-Lethal
Combat, Hand Weapons (PMCap + PNCap) x 0.5
1. Axe
2. Club/Mace
3. Dagger/Knife
4. Spear & Pole Arms (Thrusting)
5. One-Handed Swords
6. Two-Handed Swords
7. Whip/Flail
8. Pole-Arms (Cutting)
9. Shields
Combat, Hand Weapons, Missile
1. Bows
2. Crossbows
3. Blowguns
4. Slings
5. Darts
6. Knives/Daggers
7. Boomerangs
8. Axes
9. Spears and Javelins
10. Throwing Stars
Combat, Hand Weapons, Firearms
1. Light Pistols
2. Heavy Pistols
3. Rifles
4. Assault Rifles
5. Light Machine Guns
6. Heavy Machine Guns
7. Advanced Combat Rifle
Combat, Hand Weapons, Gunnery
1. Cannons
2. Recoiless Rifle
3. Artillery
4. Grenade Launcher
Combat, Hand Weapons, Energy Weapons
1. Gauss Gun
2. Gauss Rifle
3. Laser Pistol
4. Laser Rifle
5. Particle Projector Pistol
6. Particle Projector Rifle
7. Fusion Gun
8. Fusion Rifle
9. Plasma Gun
10. Plasma Rifle
11. Neural Pistol
12. Neural Rifle
Combat, Ship Weapons
1. Meson Guns
2. Mass Drivers
3. Laser Cannons
4. Particle Projector Cannons
5. Mass Drivers
Construction
Construction, Naval
Construction, Transport
Construction, Spacecraft
Construction, Hostile Environment Housing
Criminal Activities, Physical
1. Sneaking
2. Hiding
3. Lock-Picking
4. Ambushing
5. Pick-Pocketing
6. Forced Entry
7. Safe Cracking
8. Shoplifting & Pilfering
9. Mugging & Robbery
Cultured Palate
1. Foods
2. Beverages
3. Herbs/Spices
4. Wines/Winemaking
5. Beers/Brewing
6. Spirits
7. Perfumes
8. Gourmet Meal Preparation
Disguise
Diving
1. Snorkeling
2. S.C.U.B.A.
3. Deep Suit Diving
4. Deep Craft Diving
Drawing
Endurance
Escape
First Aid
Games, Physical
1. Boxing
2. Wrestling
3. Arm Wrestling
4. Leg Wrestling
Gemsmith/Lapidary
1. Engraving/Enameling
2. Gemcutting
3. Metalsmithing
4. Jewelry
Handicrafts/Handiwork
High-G Environment PMPow
Hunting/Tracking
Jack-of-All-Trades
1. Carpentry
2. Construction (All)
3. Masonry
4. Mechanics
5. Printing
6. Smithing/Welding
Juggling
1. Balancing Self & Items
2. Fire "Breathing"
3. Knife (et al) Throwing
4. Sword Swallowing
5. Tossing & Catching Objects (Juggling per se)
Leatherwork
Legerdemain
Masonry
Mechanics
Mines & Mining
Mountain Climbing
Music
1. A Cappella
2. Horns
3. Keyboard
4. Percussion
5. Stringed, Bowed
6. Stringed, Plucked
7. Woodwings & Reeds
Perception (Physical)
1. Noticing
2. Hearing
3. Searching
4. Tracking
Piloting, Aircraft
1. Helicopters
2. Jet-propelled Aircraft
3. Prop-driven Aircraft
4. Lighter-than-air craft
Piloting, Capital Ships
Piloting, Ground Vehicle
1. ATV wheeled vehicle
2. Tracked Vehicles
3. Two-wheeled vehicles
4. Small, four-wheeled vehicles
5. Large, multi-wheeled vehicles
Piloting, Grav Vehicle
1. Grav Belt
2. Grav Vehicle
3. Grav Tank
Piloting, Jet Packs
Piloting, Offensive Driving (must take specific vehicle types as sub
areas) (PMCap + PNCap) x 0.5
Piloting, Parachute
Piloting, Powered Armor
Piloting, Racing (most take specific vehicle types as sub areas
Piloting, Spacecraft
Piloting, Spaceships
Piloting, Watercraft
1. Small Watercraft
2. Large Watercraft
Piloting, Hovercraft
Police Work
1. Stakeout
2. Shadowing
3. Interrogation
4. Evidence Analyzing
Printing
Riding
1. Horses, Mules and Asses
2. Camels
3. Elephants
4. Racing
5. Difficult/Unbroken Animals
6. Mounted Combat
7. Teamstering
Seamanshi
Smithing/Welding
Speleology
Sports
1. Mounted Individual Sports
2. Mounted Team Sports
3. Individual Non-Violent Sports
4. Individual Violent Sports
5. Team Sports
6. Acrobatics
7. Weight Lifting
8. Boxing
9. Gymnastics
10. Running
11. Swimming
12. Wrestling
Subterranean Orientation
Surveillance/Security
Survival (each division is separate skill)
1. Arctic
2. Hostile
3. Temperate
4. Tropical
5. Urban
6. Vaccuum
Swimming/Diving
Tolerance
Travel
Weapons, Special Skill
1. Florentine
2. Fast-Draw
3. Specific Target
4. Bling Fighting
5. Sniping
Zero-G Environ PMPow
Spiritual Knowledge/Skill Areas
Animal Handling
Astrology
Buffoonery
Charismaticism
Fortune Telling
1. Card Reading (includes Tarot)
2. Palmistry & Phrenology
3. Runes (includes I-Ching)
4. Tea Leaf Reading
Herbalism
Impersonation
Jury-Rigging
Leadership
Magnetism
Medicine, Oriental
Musical Composition
Mysticism
Nature Attunement
1. Growing Things
2. Natural Cycles
3. Personal Relationship
4. Animal Relationship
5. Exotic Places
Occultism
Painting (Artistic)
Pantheology
Philosophy
Photography
Poetry/Lyrics
Recruiting
Religion
Sculpture
Street-Wise
Thespianism
Writing, Creative
Yoga