Mundane books can be considered treasure when they teach a skill that a character desires. The GM can name the book as desired but should add the following information if the book is able to teach a skill:
- What skill does it provide?
- How many ranks in the skill can it provide?
- How long must the character study the book and practice the content to gain a rank?
- What is the minimum rank the character must have to understand the concepts of the book?
- What is the maximum rank the book will enable?
- What is the cost in materials to gain the benefit of the book?
Note that a book can provide more than one skill so a single book might have the above characteristics for 2 or more skills.
The maximum number of skill ranks that can be learned from books, per year, is equal to INT/2 (round up).
Example
The group finds a book called Nyman's Alchemical Notes. It is a hand written journal of notes made by an alchemist by the name of Alfred Nyman. The GM determines the following answers to the above questions:
- Name: Nyman's Alchemical Notes
- Skill provided: Alchemy
- Max ranks provided: 2
- Study duration per rank: 1 month
- Minimum rank: 4
- Maximum rank: 7
- Cost of materials per rank: 150 sp
The book is found by the group and given to Beni, who is currently rank 2 in alchemy skill. He tries to study the book but the content is too advanced for him and he sets it aside. The minimum rank of the book is 4 and, since Beni is only rank 2 in the skill currently, the contents are too complicated for him to gain any benefit now.
Sometime later, Beni picks up the book again and finds that he is now able to understand the contents since he is now rank 4 in alchemy skill. He sets a month aside and begins studying the book and practicing the contents. He will need to spend 150 sp on materials over the course of the month. At the end of the month, he has a gained a rank. He increases his rank in his character sheet and, on the back end, the GM awards him the amount of EXP needed for the rank.
However, Beni knows that there is more that he can learn from the book (since the book can provide a total of 2 ranks, and he is now rank 5, which is below the maximum rank). He spends another month, and another 150 sp, with the book and gains another rank in the same manner as above (increase rank in character sheet and GM awards the amount of EXP needed).
Later Beni gains another alchemy book. He is now rank 6 in alchemy. Here are the characteristics for the new book.
- Name: Alchemy Beginnings
- Skill provided: Alchemy
- Max ranks provided: 2
- Study duration per rank: 2 months
- Minimum rank: 0
- Maximum rank: 4
- Cost of materials per rank: 250 sp
Beni begins studying the book but quickly realizes that there is nothing in the book that he can learn. He is already rank 6 in alchemy skill and the max rank of this book is 4 so he can gain no benefit. |