Mystaran libraries
by John CalvinListed below are 4 categories of book lots. Each category provides a different kind of circumstance bonus to Knowledge checks for characters utilising the library's resources. I'm assuming that most libraries will contain the first category (for general knowledge), and for the purposes of this thread the last 3 categories are of more interest.
General book lot: +1 circumstance bonus to all knowledge checks
Specific book lot: +2 circumstance bonus to specific topic
Comprehensive book lot: +4 circumstance bonus to specific topic
Master book lot: +6 circumstance bonus to specific topic
I'm also reprinting some of the SRD information on the Knowledge skill for
quick reference.
Knowledge types:
* Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases,
constructs, dragons, magical beasts)
* Architecture and engineering (buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications)
* Dungeoneering (aberrations, caverns, oozes, spelunking)
* Geography (lands, terrain, climate, people)
* History (royalty, wars, colonies, migrations, founding of cities)
* Local (legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions,
humanoids)
* Nature (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, seasons and
cycles, weather, vermin)
* Nobility and royalty (lineages, heraldry, family trees, mottoes,
personalities)
* Religion (gods and goddesses, mythic history, ecclesiastic tradition, holy
symbols, undead)
* The planes (the Inner Planes, the Outer Planes, the Astral Plane, the
Ethereal Plane, outsiders, elementals, magic related to the planes)
Synergies:
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana), you get a +2 bonus on
Spellcraft checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (architecture and engineering), you
get a +2 bonus on Search checks made to find secret doors or hidden
compartments.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (geography), you get a +2 bonus on
Survival checks made to keep from getting lost or to avoid natural hazards.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), you get a +2 bonus on
bardic knowledge checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local), you get a +2 bonus on Gather
Information checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nature), you get a +2 bonus on
Survival checks made in aboveground natural environments (aquatic, desert,
forest, hill, marsh, mountains, or plains).
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nobility and royalty), you get a +2
bonus on Diplomacy checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion), you get a +2 bonus on turning
checks against undead.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (the planes), you get a +2 bonus on
Survival checks made while on other planes.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (dungeoneering), you get a +2 bonus on
Survival checks made while underground.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Survival, you get a +2 bonus on Knowledge
(nature) checks.
The Libraries stated below follow this format:
LIBRARY NAME
Public Collections: These collections of book are generally available to
the public (possibly with some fee associated, but with little other
restrictions) and should be easy for player characters to access. In addition
to that, the library may have catalogues to speed up research time as well as
sages on hand to help with the finding and interpretation of information.
Private Collections: These collections are restricted to some private group, and should be difficult (but not impossible) for the player characters to access. Indexes and sages are rarely on hand to help with these private collections, so research times are normal.
Hidden Collections: These collections are never labelled and most likely are never grouped together in a cogent manner. Many of the books that make up a hidden collection are actually grouped in with part of another collection in the library (either public, private or both). Unless player characters know exactly what they are looking for, hidden collections are all but undetectable. Researching through hidden collections always takes more than the standard time.
Collections will be displayed in the following format:
I'll encourage anyone who is interested to post their own libraries (or make
comments on what I throw out). Maybe eventually we can stat them all out. Marco
has a put together a nice list of universities if anyone needs some ideas about where libraries might exist and what their specialties could
be.
GREAT LIBRARY
OF GLANTRI
Private Collections: These collections are restricted to the Glantrian
nobility or to students currently attending the Great School.
Hidden Collections:
LONGRUNNER
CLAN LIBRARY (?What's it called?)
Hidden Collections:
AASLA LIBRARY
Private Collections: These collections are restricted to Alphatian
nobles and their select designated servants.
Hidden Collections:
Public Collections:
* Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic
traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases) +2: This collection deals with
arcane mysteries of all sorts. It has been collected by wizards from the Great
School over the centuries.
* Arcana (constructs, dragons, magical
beasts) +2: Compiled by the Monster Handler's Guild.
* Dungeoneering (aberrations, oozes)
+2: Compiled by the Monster Handler's Guild.
* History (Glantri) +6: There are
numerous books in this collection detailing the history of the nation.
* Local (Glantri) +4: This collection
provides a wealth of information about the various cultural groups that
comprise the Principalities.
* Nature (animals, fey, giants,
monstrous humanoids, vermin) +2: Compiled by the Monster Handler's Guild.
* Arcana (Fire) +6: This collection of
books was brought to Glantri by Flaem colonists nearly 600 years ago.
* Arcana (Air) +2: This collection was
compiled over 200 years ago by the followers of Halzunthram after they
colonised the area.
* Arcana (Radiance) +2: This
collection is hidden throughout the library, and very difficult to utilise. The
books that make up this collection could also fit into the other collections of
the library, and an untrained eye might classify them as such. For those that
know what they are searching for, these tomes are a prized catch indeed.
* Nobility (Glantri) + 2: The nobles
of Glantri are a secretive lot and actively seek to suppress information about
themselves from falling into the wrong hands. Glantri's library is huge
however, and some rare tomes escape their notice.
Private Collections: The elves are a very private people, and will only
allow other elves (preferably Alfheimers) access to their most precious books.
Elves from other nations might be able to convince the librarians to let them
pass, but non-elves will find this task next to impossible.
* Geography (lands, terrain, climate)
+4: This collection is dedicated to the natural and magical geographical
formations of the south eastern portion of the continent of Brun.
* History (Alfheim) +6: This
collection is a compilation of the history of Alfheim.
* Local (Alfheim) +4: This collection
relates information on each of the major clans that make up the nation of
Alfheim.
* Nature (plants, seasons and cycles,
weather) +6: The elves have a long history of interaction with the natural
world, and have accumulated much knowledge about it (both mundane and magical).
* History (Blackmoor) +2: It may seem
unlikely that the nature loving elves would have information relating to
Blackmoor, but some of their interactions with that ancient culture have
remained intact on the pages of dusty tomes.
* Arcana (Air) +6: This is one of the most
prominent collections on air magics in the entire Alphatian empire.
* Engineering (Skyship) +6: Aasla has been the
eminent local for skyship construction and has accumulated quite a reference
section on the topic throughout the millennia.
* Geography (local) +4: This collection details
the local geography of the lands around Aasla.
* The Planes (transitive planes) +2: This
collection deals with the stars and how they relate to planar conjunctions and
possible planar travel.
* History (Alphatia) +4: This collection deals
with the escape of the Alphatians from their doomed world and their journey to
this one.