*Roll Perform (Ramble)* Snoteye: Perform (Ramble): 20 + mod = 31

Just yesterday I was involved in a conversation where a Knowledge (History) check became relevant. I rolled a natural 20 on the Lore check (as we all know, Lore is the equivalent of the PnP Knowledge checks) and went into further detail (Note, the final result surpassed the highest official DC set for the subject in question). Now, this has since got me thinking: what if I end up in that exact conversation again?

Granted, if all - or at least the majority - of those that witnessed my previous roll were present, I could probably allow myself not to roll again. But what if none of those involved yesterday were present?

Personally, I'd roll again, hoping for a semi-decent result. The thing is, I could roll so badly I wouldn't qualify for some of the knowledge I've already used. If this should be the case; keeping in mind this has been a part of your upbringing, how would you deal with this (very) sudden - and temporary - case of amnesia, along with the fact that, if the right person (or wrong, judging by the situation) shows up and asks you about something regarding the conversation you previously had with her (for example, in this instance, I used the phrase "to keep it simple:..." at some point, hinting that I, myself, would know a fair bit more about the case), you should be able to answer her regardless of the outcome of the 2nd roll?

You are not forced to roll a check at all. If you feel more comfortable not to, don't. Amnesia is bullshit.

I know I'm not forced to, but especially with Lore I prefer doing it. It just seems so lame that every single character, scholared or not, can discuss the pros and cons of becoming an elderbrain lich, just because they've read about him in the source book. >.<

That's their fault, not yours.

Point taken...

It should be observed that, before picking a particularly choice bit of knowledge out of the source-books, you may wish to consult a DM with a statement like "Can I know X with a lore check of Y?". While "lore" is a replacement for knowledge history, you can hardly imagine the DCs to be the same as PNP, what with 1 skill point giving you all the knowledge skills in NWN.

When drawing on particularly uncommon things, you also face the risk that...they might just not be true. Our setting is damn near the forgotten realms, but, at its core, its homebrew. We reserve the right to will Drizzt out of existence. =)

-Cross

True, true. I guess I'll just leave Ioulaum be, and stop rolling; or at least judge on a case-by-case basis. :)

You can go ahead and roll if you like, but I think it goes without saying that once you've determined you know a certain bit of knowledge, you don't have to roll for it again.

This is probably my most controversial post to date:

I have to say, it does piss me off alot when characters whom I suspect have below 10 INT [cannnot speak properly] randomly break open into a historical discussion about the Netherese or the ancient Illuskans.

I know alot of people have read the source books. I have, they are great. I also know that alot of people want to showcase their knowledge, which is in itself also great. However, they sometimes do this OOCly, and seem to forget they are playing a half-orc barbarian with 8 wis and 8 int.

Like I said, this pisses me off. If you want to tell people how much you know about the FR, do it in IRC or make a high INT, max lore character, who actually has some reason to know what he does.

Having said that, I dont think you have to roll, unless a DM specifically asks it. In a historical/religious debate IG, I might roll a lore check of my own accord, to let others know that my 19 lore modifier means I know my shit.

.....in response to this post I did some extensive googling. Apparently a lvl 60 something elder brain lich DOES exist... but it is not a "normal" elder brain(duh). What I mean it did not start its life as an elder brain... it was an archmage who survive the fall of netheril, how he become an elder brain lich... no idea.

MadCaddies I know alot of people have read the source books. I have, they are great. I also know that alot of people want to showcase their knowledge, which is in itself also great. However, they sometimes do this OOCly, and seem to forget they are playing a half-orc barbarian with 8 wis and 8 int.

Like I said, this pisses me off. If you want to tell people how much you know about the FR, do it in IRC or make a high INT, max lore character, who actually has some reason to know what he does.

Vesa .....in response to this post I did some extensive googling. Apparently a lvl 60 something elder brain lich DOES exist... but it is not a "normal" elder brain(duh). What I mean it did not start its life as an elder brain... it was an archmage who survive the fall of netheril, how he become an elder brain lich... no idea.

This is a great example, really:

Ioulaum. He was the the inventor of the mythallar, as well as the first to put it to use. In -339DR, shortly before Karsus' Folly, Ioulaum (him and Karsus undoubtedly being the most powerful mages ever) disappeared from the city he, himself, founded (the first floating city) - for reasons unknown. He transcended into lichhood and settled in the Underdark, where he's the direct cause of the alhoon (illithilich), all of whom were his apprentices. Finally, he fused the brains of the majority of the alhoon with his own, creating the one and only elder brain lich, since known as the Oracle of Ellyn'taal.

On a side note, it's believed that Ioulaum's last human apprentice, the name of whom escapes me, destroyed the remaining alhoon by casting Ioulaum's Longevity somewhere in Ellyn'taal (Before Myatra's ban, Ioulaum created an epic version of his 10th level spell Ioulaum's Longevity, making its casting possible). Furthermore, she (the apprentice) destroyed every single known copy of the spell, save from 2 - her's and Ioulaum's (disregarding the fact that she obviously wouldn't be able to erase the spell from Ioulaum's memory, and probably wouldn't want to, either).

Ioulaum survives to this day (as much as an elder brain lich can live, that is), and she is thought to do as well (the latter through numerous castings of above-mentioned spell).

Specifically the Oracle of Ellyn'taal part is listed as DC30.

Lost Empires of Faerûn, pages 94 through 100, IIRC; I'm unable to look it up at the very moment, but I'm quite sure.

[Edit] Pages 95-102, and the apprentice's name was Tabra.