Hidden Checks

Perform a Hidden Check instead of a confrontation if character is not aware of what is triggering the check or shouldn’t be aware of the result if they fail (e.g. Perception or Survival checks to discover an ambush or a trap, to avoid getting lost, etc).

A Hidden Check, or simply check, tests a character’s skill in an effort to overcome a hidden challenge, or a reactive and unconscious reflex or realization. A check does not require intent and it is not an action.

A hidden check is usually requested by the GM to test if a PC should be given certain new information or not: Certain abilities will also request a check, each of them will specify why and how to resolve it.
 * Request the PCs to perform a Perception check to determine whether they see a hidden NPC ambushing them.
 * Request the PCs to perform a Rites check to find out if they sense dark magic coming out of a ruin.
 * Request the PCs to perform a Charisma check to find out if they realize that someone disagrees from their nervous gestures.

A hidden check is not an action, and it can be performed at any time the GM declares it is necessary (alternatively, it can be requested by a player: “I look for clues”). Any number of checks can be requested, and they do not represent any time going by nor characters become Spent after performing them.

Resolving a hidden check
At any time, the GM can declare that a character must perform a check, or a character can declare that he wants to perform a check, which needs to be approved by the GM.

To resolve a hidden check, follow these steps: PCs are allowed to discard cards one by one and stop discarding before reaching their limit if they want (this might happen is they draw a high enough card first, and they don’t want to risk discarding other high cards).
 * 1) The GM requests a character or group of characters to perform a check OR a character declares he wants to perform a check and the check is approved by the GM.
 * 2) The GM chooses the Skill the character will be using, taking into account the nature of the check.
 * 3) The GM declares the difficulty level of the check without specifying the value (this is so the player does not figure out if he’s confronting an NPC or not).
 * 4) Determine the advantages and/or disadvantages and their sources. Players may describe their plans, and any reasons why they think they deserve advantages. Then, the GM decides what applies and what doesn’t.
 * 5) Each PC involved in a check discards as many cards as their corresponding Focus from the top of the deck, and adds the highest card to their Skill value.

A check does not count as performing an action, it does not cause exhaustion nor does the PC become Spent.
 * 1) In secret, without the players seeing her, the GM discards one card and adds it to the check’s difficulty; or if the check involves an NPC, as many cards as that NPC’s Focus, and adds the highest card to his Skill.
 * 2) The success or failure of a check is determined following the same rules to determine the outcome of a confrontation.
 * 3) The GM reveals to the PCs involved what she sees fit according to the results. Because the PCs are unaware of the result of the check, they can be provided with false information if they failed, and they may believe it to be true.

The PCs might never find out the results or the reason for the check.

Calculating the difficulty of the check
The difficulty of the check can be one of the following two: When resolving a check, the GM must let the players know the difficulty level of the check. If the check was against an NPC, she should say the difficulty level closest to the NPC’s Skill’s value rounded up.
 * If the check is against an NPC, his involved Skill value.
 * If the check is against something else, the value specified next to the respective difficulty level (the GM should choose a difficulty level fitting to the situation).

Easy (0)
Something very mundane and that failing it would only be explainable as a complete failure or an extraordinary lack of skill."E.g. The rotten wooden floor or a lost ruin in the middle of the jungle will collapse if anyone on heavy armour steps on it, only a fool would do it; but perhaps a character with 0 Survival cannot tell the difference or lacks the required self-preservation instinct."It is only recommended asking PCs to perform an easy check if they completely lack on the Skill being tested (i.e. Characters with Skill 0).

Normal (3)
Something that would only go over the head of someone untrained, not paying attention, or who was not aware it was possible.

Hard (6)
Something that requires relatively advanced training or knowledge.

Very Hard (9)
Something that requires to be a specialist in the subject to achieve success.

Epic (12)
To be able to achieve this a character’s capacity has to be among the best in the world."If you find it hard to decide the difficulty of a check using these guidelines, consider all checks easy and then think about the different hindrances that apply to a situation. For each important one you find, raise the difficulty of the check by one level.""E.g. A character is searching for a hidden enemy. It is quite dark, and the enemy is hidden in a very secluded spot. Additionally, he is wearing clothes that mimic the environment. There are three important hindrances, and thus the check would be Very Hard (9)."''E.g. A group of eagle warriors are waiting ahead of the PCs, preparing an ambush. If the PCs are percep-tive enough, they might discover the ambush in time. The GM requests a Perception check from the PCs without telling them what the check is about. She tells them it is a hard check, because the hidden eagle warriors’ Competent Skill is 5.''

''The PCs discard as many cards as their Perception Focus, and add the highest one to their Perception Skill value. In secret, without the PCs seeing it, the GM discards as many cards as the eagle warriors’ Competent Focus, and adds the high-est one to their Competent Skill value. If the final value of one of the PCs is higher than the eagle warriors’ final value, they will discover the ambush in time to get ready. Otherwise, they will suffer the consequences of a surprise attack.''

When to Repeat a Failed Check
Failed checks must not be repeated unless the circumstances have changed drastically. "E.g. A character cannot repeatedly try to see what awaits for them at the end of a dark tunnel in a Temple unless they use a Spell to help them, or throw a torch to lit the area."

Distinguishing a Check from a Confrontation
The GM should always be the one who determines when something is resolved as a check or as a confrontation. Here are some cues to help her figure it out:

The rule of thumb is that in a confrontation both parties are aware of what is happening and are actively doing what’s being put to the test; while a check is only performed when the GM wants to keep the nature of what is happening secret, or she believes it is something that shouldn’t necessarily tire the PCs out (remember that a PC’s hand of cards represents their stamina).

This means that is possible to test the same situation as a check or a confrontation depending on circumstantial information."E.g. If a PC is being ambushed, use a check to test if he realised in time of the danger. If you resolve this situation as a confrontation, the PC will know what is happening regardless of the result as you will need to provide him with information about the NPC he’ll be confronting. In the other hand, if the PC is the one ambushing a group of NPCs, the GM can declare that he has to confront them using Stealth — the situation is the same as the previous one, but the awareness about what is happening has shifted, and therefore the GM sees it fit to resolve it as a confrontation (also, it can be argued that hiding is something you do actively, while seeing something behind the bushes is not)."