Ranks: 1
XP Cost: 10
Learn Time: 12
Skill Point Cost: 5+
Self-Teach :No
Pre-Requisite: Artistic Skill: Drawing R2; Distance Sense
Debarment: –
Limitation: –
Rarity: Uncommon
Description:
Some people have a gift that allows them to look at an area and later accurately redraw it in a useful form other than a landscape. This skill permits a character to create maps of any kind, at a cost. At its base form with this skill, the character is able to draw out a very rough map of an area they have seen and explored at the cost of 5SP. Additionally, one is slightly more versed in where to find maps for any given region or area, knows how to generally interpret maps using various forms of notation, and can attempt to solve or complete encrypted or partial maps. This skill often requires special tools to perform.
Additionally, the character can choose to make much more accurate and useful maps. To do so, the character must develop an excellent sense of spatial relationships and become a good judge of distances.
When called upon to manufacture a new map, the first thing a cartographer must do is research the area to be mapped. The length of this research depends upon the size of the area. Obviously, mapping out the borders of a kingdom is a much more involved task than mapping out the streets of a small village. While performing his research, the character must make several sketches. Once he is done with his research, the cartographer uses these sketches, along with his other notes, to construct the map. The character the goes to a Staff member and makes a Skill Point bid. Exceedingly difficult maps require much time will require multiple bids through-out the time frame. If the bid is too low, the cartographer comes up with an inaccurate and entirely useless map. The cartographer could sell the poorly made map, but his reputation would suffer, and the purchasers will certainly come looking for the seller once they discover how bad the map is.
If the Skill Points are under-bid by more than 25%, the cartographer does not realize the inaccurate nature of the map. Otherwise, the character is aware that the map contains flaws. If the SP bid is over-bid by more than 50% the cartographer has created an almost perfect map. The cartography community at large will use the perfect map as model from which all other maps of the area in question be based. Such a map is worth triple the normal price.
A cartographer can also use this skill to create a map of a specific area from memory. When making a map entirely from memory without notes or sketches-the character suffers a 75%increase in the target bid amount. Success, however, means that the cartographer reproduces a useful map of the area in question.
