. . . And Nobody Knows But You
Background detail for fantasy-campaign PCs
by Russell Droullard

Imagine that an alien from a distant
planet is visiting with you for a month.
Although it speaks perfect English and
understands the basic laws of Western
civilization, it knows next to nothing about
those tiny bits of knowledge you have
acquired in your lifetime. Everything you
take for granted, from the side of the road
on which you drive to cordial ways of
addressing people, must be taught to this
being. The alien is a rapid learner, though,
and listens as you quickly point out many
items of interest: Rainbows are reflections
of raindrops in the sunlight; diamonds, the
hardest and most precious stone known to
man, can cut glass; chirpings heard at
night are from crickets scraping their
wings together; and four-leaf clovers are
associated with good luck. As the days
pass, you?re astonished at how much
knowledge exists. By the time the month
ends, you realize you?ve hardly scratched
the surface of what you know.

This example illustrates an aspect of
fantasy role-playing hardly touched upon
by most gamers. In most FRPG campaigns,
the player characters are the aliens, the
outsiders visiting a new world ? their
own! Here they will discover untold new
races, cultures, religions, languages, flora,
fauna, and uncountable items that appear
much like those of our world, yet are so
different. Unfortunately, most Dungeon
Masters abandon such rich detail and fail
to realize how unique their worlds are.

Just as we know so much about our own
planet, so do the inhabitants of your realm
understand the natural laws and social
conformities of their world. Farmers recognize
tell-tale signs in clouds and animal
reactions for weather predictions, elves
know which wild berries are safe to eat,
and fighters remember the best prices in
town for armor. The most important
knowledge, however, is that possessed by
the PCs. In your world of dragons and
knights, these characters are the only
footholds your players have in understanding
the myriad natural laws you have
devised or assumed exist. Some characters
may know about legends or survival skills,
others the herbal ingredients to make
healing elixirs. However you as a DM
decide to create and distribute such
knowledge, each character is sure to have
unique knowledge of the world.

The result of using this specialized character
knowledge is the creation of a PC
that is suddenly better defined, and more
lifelike in your campaign. Given the presence
of such knowledge, the PC is gifted
with far more personality than one composed
entirely of numbers and abilities.
Unless you decide otherwise, no two characters
will possess the same knowledge,
further enhancing each one?s individuality.
With their own storehouses of information,
each character becomes all the more
real in the player?s mind.

Specialized character knowledge also
strengthens your campaigns with realism.
Having already handed out information
sheets to the players, imagine this scene in
your adventure: A low-level party finds a
cave on the side of a shrub-covered hill.
From inside the dark cavern, slobbering
and crunching noises are heard. Thinking
it to be a wild animal, the PCs prepare to
attack when the druid in the party stops
them. Pointing to a nondescript bush, he
explains that such bushes are normally
blooming with poisonous red berries. This
one is stripped bare. As the players
exchange worried glances, the druid continues
with his exclusive character knowledge.
Only trolls can stomach such deadly
berries, and a stripped bloodberry bush is
a sure sign that a troll is nearby. With that,
the nervous party unanimously agrees to
explore elsewhere.

Though no combat was joined, this
scene can be just as exciting as any melee
encounter. As in real life, the players must
remember what information they possess
and when to share it. Passing a private
note to the druids player with the same
information moments before finding the
cave would have spoiled the purpose of
the encounter. The troll cave was designed
to be avoided by the weak party and to
display the importance of specialized
knowledge. It will become apparent to the
players quite soon just how vital the information
you have supplied them can be.

Character-knowledge sheets
Before you write out lists of knowledge
for the PCs, you must at least know the
races and classes that make up the party.
These two factors are the prime influences
over what knowledge any character
possesses. Elves certainly know more
about nature and forests than dwarves
who live beneath the stony earth, while
thieves understand knot-making better
than rune-reading magic-users. When
possible, copy down as much information
about the characters as possible, even
going so far as to photocopy all the character
sheets. The more facts and statistics
you have, the more refined and customized
each page of information becomes.

The first portion of a character-knowledge
page should include a brief history of
the character, as developed by the player
(with your approval) or by you (with the
player?s approval), with a sentence or two
about the PC?s parents. Establish his social
standing (lower, middle, or upper class)
and any lineage important to your campaign.
For example, if the warriors of your
civilized nations proudly proclaim their
father?s and father?s father?s deeds, then
bestow a couple of memorable names on
the lineage of the PC if he is a fighter.
Continue with a few notes describing the
character?s life, even going so far as to
explain why he chose his particular class.
Don?t become engrossed in a long-winded
history, however, as you?ll be wasting your
time and boring the player when he reads
it. A simple paragraph or two is perfect, as
this creates roots for the character and
gives him purpose and reason.

Follow with notes on the character?s
mentor, an important NPC all too often
ignored in role-playing. A mentor is both
friend and teacher, and should be
described with a spark of personality to
accent the character. I often describe a
special bond between instructor and student,
telling about the extra attention that
the mentor paid to the character and, in
turn, the disciplined study displayed by
the character. Occasionally, I pass on a
mentor?s experienced knowledge, such as
the recollection that the only mithral
armor in the realm lies far to the north in
a dragon?s lair, or that the city guards of a
certain city are corrupt and easily bribed.
Childhood friends and family are rarely, if
ever, used in role-playing, but a mentor is
someone that a PC may return to over and
over again. Give him the same respect and
individuality you would give to any of
your own characters.

The final part is the essence of these
character-information sheets. Here you list
all those bits of knowledge you think this
character would know if he was a real
person. Write about his knowledge of
sailing or stargazing, rune-reading or
metal-crafting. A character may know a
fantastic legend about a mountain of treasure
in a fiery volcano, or that a terrible
sea serpent lives in a deceptively tranquil
lake. Cover all those aspects that make
your world unique: art, languages, herbs,
legends, magic, religion, culture, and
superstitions, to name only a few. As you
develop and create these bits of information,
you?ll not only see the characters
deepen with personality, you?ll watch your
own world grow with new details and
realism.

The following sections detail how races
and character classes influence character
knowledge. Each is based on my own
interpretation of the race or class from the
various rule books, and serves as a foundation
on which knowledge sheets are
based. These descriptions are only stock
outlines, and each DM should customize
them to his own campaign.

Racial knowledge
Dwarves: Because of their inbred love
for mountains and hills, dwarves are apt
to know not only the region where they
grew up like the backs of their hands, but
also the surrounding countryside with fair
accuracy. Dwarves are rugged individuals,
and some have the ability to detect the
reliability of weapons and other goods in
addition to their skills at underground
observation. Some have skills in blacksmithing,
others in surviving in barren
mountains and hills (finding fresh water,
edible roots, etc.). Of course, all dwarves
know the importance of their beards and
spend a good part of each morning grooming
and trimming these symbols of pride
and honor.

Elves: Most elves are lithe creatures
living in secluded regions across the land.
The sylvan elves are sure to know survival
skills in the forest as well as how to identify
many plants and animals. They may
imitate bird calls to signal other elves or
leave constructed signs (such as crossed
twigs) for other elves to read. Because of
their long lives and love of nature, elves
understand the basics of weather forecasting
and long-term weather cycles, such as
seasonal storms, changing tides, or temperature
fluctuations every few years.
However, although elves live hundreds of
years, they are a secluded people and
know little of civilized human history.

Gnomes: Although physically similar to
dwarves, surface gnomes rarely live
underground, finding otherwise uninhabited
wooded hills to serve as homes for
their clans. Often possessing great senses
of humor, gnomes may have slightly ridiculous
names or partake in silly traditions.
Many know practical jokes and how to
gather irritating dyes and powders from
plants and animals. Gnomes also love gems
and crystals, and possess-either the skills
to cut gems or estimate their worth.

Half-elves: Whether these beings are
accepted or shunned in your campaign,
half-elves are a rare stock of character due
to the vast differences in life styles
between humans and elves. For those halfelves
in your party, decide in which racial
culture the character was raised and
assign knowledge accordingly. Chances
are, however, prejudice will result in a
character not as well rounded in knowledge
as others of either the elven or
human race.

Humans: Because of humanity?s ability to
live in nearly every climate and geographical
region, it is impossible to list all the
various skills humans can have. Even a
simple analysis of our own world should
suggest many ideas. Tropical inhabitants
know skills in fishing, sailing, and rope
working; those in colder climates understand
ways to utilize every piece of hunted
animal for food, weapons, or art. Those
who live in cities know the best shops to
buy various goods, while country folk
know many of nature?s ways. Peasants
probably live lives centered on family ties,
simple cooking, traditions, and hard work.
Wealthy people usually center on worldly
goods, entertainment, fine food, and politics.
Common sense is the best determinant
for detailing human knowledge.

Halflings: A quiet race, halflings have
many skills centered on the betterment of
their own lifestyles. Cooking, art, literature,
craftsmanship ? halflings share
many skills with those most talented of the
other races. Although they do not possess
the survival skills of elves and dwarves,
halflings do have a knack for fine weapon
crafting, object identification, and tool
construction. The halfling lifestyle is openended,
and many of their skills are determined
by the campaign?s nature.

Character-class knowledge
Cavaliers and paladins: Holy fighters,
these pious individuals operate under
strict codes of chivalry. (A complete European
chivalric code is outlined in Unearthed
Arcana, though any of it can be
modified for your campaign.) Cavaliers
and paladins are heroic figures to their
respective kingdoms and may often be
called upon by kings or mentors to fulfill
great tasks. They are celebrity-like figures
in the public eye, especially when they
reach higher levels, and even a tiny loss of
honor is greatly damaging to their reputations
and self-respect. As for adventuring
skills, these holy warriors have little. They
know well the politics and codes of their
societies and what their proper places are
in protecting their kings, but they generally
know little about the wilderness.

Clerics: The skills of a cleric are more
likely to center on the magical side than
on the fighting side. Clerics know the best
places to find spell components and ingredients
(either in nature or shops) and
know which wild herbs or fruits cure
wounds or poisons. Because clerics have
such strong bonds with their deities, they
recognize subtle omens in answer to their
prayers or feel the evil in opposing temples
before anyone else does. As magicians
who can heal, the skills of a cleric are sure
to enhance his life-preserving abilities.

Druids: Druids are well attuned to
nature and all of its manifestations. They
are sure to know simple weather prediction,
the identification of plants (as edible,
poisonous, spell ingredients, etc.), identify
nonmagical animals, and perhaps survive
in the wilderness without difficulty. However,
as great as their outdoor skills are,
they should be deficient indoors and
underground. They have no understanding
of crafted items and are of little help in
cities and towns. Druids have skills involving
the earth, sky, plants, and animals, but
little else.

Fighters, barbarians, and rangers: Fighters
possess great ability and knowledge
concerning weapons and armor. Some can
fashion crude weapons from stone,
branches, and rope, while others can
repair their own equipment with the
proper tools. Fighters may also know ropeknotting,
trap-laying, and how to recognize
the craftsmanship of tools. Barbarians
share these same skills, as well as having
survival skills of their own. Rangers also
share these fighter skills, though to a
lesser degree, but should also have abilities
that enhance their unique tracking
abilities. They may recognize animal footprints;
bird feathers, and other natural
markings. Some rangers make use of
every part of a killed animal, while others
know efficient, practical ways of hunting.

Magic-users and illusionists: Though
different in spell abilities, magic-users and
illusionists share much in common in
character knowledge. Both understand the
importance of fresh spell components and
know where (and sometimes when) to find
the best places for their ingredients. Due
to their high intelligence, magic-users and
illusionists are sure to know great lore
concerning magical items, ruined castles,
enchanted tombs, and other points of
interest. Because they are the weakest in
melee, some of these magicians may know
evasive tactics or bargaining techniques to
escape from foes ? tidbits such as: orcs
despise cold water, or ogres love fresh
deer meat. As a rare bit of knowledge,
some magic-users may know certain,
special spells that kill particular monsters
instantly. Provide this knowledge with
plenty of forethought, however.

Thieves, thief-acrobats, and assassins:
These unscrupulous individuals are sure
to have knowledge in some of the more
contemptible occupational areas. They
have a great understanding of their cities?
layouts, including roof tops, allies, shops,
sewers, and guard posts, along with
knowledge of typical crowd activities,
which gangs and powerful characters
control certain ?turfs,? and where to buy
and sell stolen goods. Some PCs may have
exclusive knowledge in the behind-thescenes
politics of a kingdom, while others
can manipulate ropes, needles, and other
tools to perform unusual and useful acts.
These characters have few, if any, wilderness
survival skills, but their street wisdom
makes them vital in any city
adventure.

Monks: One of the rarer character classes,
monks are well-disciplined individuals.
Much like the monks of our own history,
they have some knowledge of botany,
astronomy, chemistry, and other earthy
sciences. In return for their studious
knowledge, however, monks live without
worldly possessions and luxuries. They
seek inner peace and harmony that cannot
be reached from wealth and status.

Bards: As entertainers who double as
adventurers, bards are sure to be skillful
at delighting audiences. Bards know simple
magic tricks with cards, coins, and
handkerchiefs, various recipes for mixing
drinks, funny songs and riotous jokes, and
important ballads and myths. However,
because bards are created after attaining
levels as fighters and thieves, they are not
spontaneously enlightened with this character
knowledge. They pick up these abilities
only when they actually become 
bards, either through watching crowd-pleasers 
or through private instruction. 

Integrating knowledge
Other factors shape the knowledge of
characters. Wealth allows rich people to
focus on life?s luxuries and arts; lack of
wealth forces poor people to concentrate
on life?s necessities. Generally, nonhuman
races are more immune to the social
effects of wealth within their own clans or
tribes, but caste systems, prejudices, and
poor living conditions have the same
effect. Typically, males dominate the ruling
classes and have more opportunities
than females with regard to gaining power
and position in society (especially human
society), but there is no reason why you
cannot turn the tables and create a society
governed by women, or one with equal
rights for both sexes.

The following is a character-knowledge
sheet created for an elven magic-user PC:

Lithadean Mooncloud
Female elven magic-user

History: You were born and raised in
the Sealden Forest, the largest stronghold
of Forest Elves on the continent. Your
parents, both fine artists, encouraged you
to enter their profession, but you resisted.
The arcane lore of magic-use enticed you
into a profession commonly dominated by
males. Although you received jests and
ridicule from your fellow students, you
prospered in your training and study, and
graduated at the top of your class. Shortly
thereafter, you became an assistant under
the wizard Ediana who had just returned
to Sealdin after years of adventuring. The
two of you developed a bond of great
friendship, and he taught you everything
he knew about the art of sorcery. It soon
became obvious that you held knowledge
superior to that of your peers, but as
Ediana always said, ?Wise ones don?t
preach; they listen.? You held your tongue
during boasting sessions and, as you realize
in retrospect, became a better and
more respected person because of it. Now
Ediana has instructed you to explore the
world, and fill your mind with experience 
and knowledge.  He does not expect your 
return for another 5 years. 


Character knowledge: (The following
is known only to this character.) Ediana
taught you the ancient magic-user script
Felveron. It is no longer used today, but in
ages past it was the hidden code of all
great magic-users, inscribed on books,
tombs, and chests.

As an elf, you can create a special marker
(such as torn leaves or piled stones) that
conveys a simple message to other elves.
Signs for danger, safety and help are all
common messages. These markers, based
on the amount of time you have to make
them, are nearly indistinguishable from
their surroundings.

When the moon is new and the stars are
hidden by clouds, the eerie white light
seen in some marshes comes from magical
spider moss. When eaten shortly after
being picked, spider moss cures wounds
and restores health.

Legends say that the Hall of Elven Kings,
a grand tomb now far beneath the ocean
waves, has locked within its walls the only
staff of the magi known to exist. One can
only guess the magicks that guard such a
powerful treasure.
 

Of course, such a compilation of knowledge
could go on forever. You could easily
write pages of lore about the PC?s culture,
commonly known legends, and reported
magical properties of plants, but confine
yourself to just a few points of interest.
The purpose of these sheets is to establish
the realism of that PC and your campaign,
not to bury your player with trivia.

Putting knowledge to use
As you design these knowledge sheets,
remember that they are useless unless
you, as the Dungeon Master, make an
effort to utilize them in your campaign.
The adventures you make (or modify from
packaged modules) should incorporate the
information you are giving the players. If
you provide one player with knowledge
that deer with silver antlers can sniff out
magical items from great distances, or that
roses growing in the shade of holy temples
cure poison, then let such marvels be
found. The best way to integrate information
like this is to determine the basics of
your next adventure, deciding primarily
on its purpose and location (forest, city,
etc.). Now list on the knowledge sheets
items that would help characters in this
adventure to cross over obstacles or gain
insight into completing the quest. For
example, you decide to have the party
stumble upon a strange temple and
explore the edifice. Give one character
knowledge of this legendary temple ?with
blood-red gates and grinning statues that
howl when the wind passes by them.?
Inside, another character deftly fashions a
rope, bridge to cross a dank pit, as a third
character mentions that the crystal shards
around the chamber are caused by the
touch of a rare breed of rust monster.
Later, a fourth character provides a bit of
history about an enigmatic glyph on the
sanctuary alter, while another warns
about the beautiful but poisonous flowers
in the temple?s courtyard.

Designing character knowledge sheets
and adventures together involves considerably
more planning than the average
dungeon requires. But the results are well
worth the effort. When characters can
enlighten or warn the rest of the party
without any cues from the Dungeon Master,
the whole role-playing environment is
suddenly enhanced and given the depth of
realism that no other element can give.

Not only is it a good idea to photocopy
your players? character sheets, but copy
their information sheets, too. This allows
you to customize adventures to the PCs?
classes, races, levels, and knowledge.
Occasionally collect the original knowledge
sheets and add more items, writing some
information on ?up-and-coming? adventures
and ?general knowledge? that can be
applied at any time. Also add bits of information
that serve no immediate purpose;
this keeps the players from thinking that
every time you update their sheets, they
should expect to use all of their new
knowledge in the next adventure. If need
be, these ?red herrings? can easily be
incorporated into future adventures, but it
never hurts to have a couple bits of knowledge
that never seem to get used.

As you distribute these knowledge
sheets to your players for the first time,
gently encourage them not to share all of
their information with each other. You can
provide ?common knowledge? during the
game for everyone on knowledge that all
characters would have. Of course, this
doesn?t mean character knowledge should
never be shared, either! Rather, players
should share their knowledge when and if
the time is appropriate. If a player chooses
not to divulge knowledge at an appropriate
time, fine. If the party suffers because
of that player?s selfishness, he must suffer
the wrath of the other players ? a terrible
fate indeed!

Depending on the knowledge you provide,
some players may find a long-term
goal to strive for. For instance, the elf
outlined earlier was told about the staff of
the magi in an underwater tomb. She may
decide she wants that staff, and during the
course of her adventuring she decides to
gather information and clues from NPCs
and other sources about this tomb, all
unbeknownst to the rest of the party. It is
easy to see how you can motivate your
players with far-reaching goals for their
higher levels.

The result of your creative effort in
these knowledge sheets will be instantly
noticed. Suddenly your player?s characters
will have depth, purpose, intelligence, and
uniqueness. They will pay more attention
to details and, most importantly, better
role-play their characters as they share
and interact with the knowledge. Soon
your campaign will take on a whole new
dimension of realism as you spread knowledge
and motivation to your players.