Alpha State
This game system, and the setting in which it takes place, are both in active development. Everything on this site is subject to change. Please hard refresh pages when you visit to ensure you're viewing the latest versions.There's an old saying that goes something like; those who repeat history are doomed to know it. Or, something like that. If you know anything about history, you'd know if I was spouting bullshit. Because this kind of knowledge is all about knowing what came before; whether we're talking about old sayings, things that happened a long time ago, when a gang was founded, or what model of a particular slicer was released in what year. Anything that happened in the past, this knowledge covers it.
Capped Knowledge
History is a capped Knowledge. The combined maximum dice values of all capped Training and Knowledge cannot exceed your $Index rating. If your $ drops for some reason, it doesn't reduce your Training or Knowledge. It does mean you can't improve any capped Training or Knowledge until you up your $ enough to cover the cost.
History in the Lost Future
Most people don't know shit about history, and even fewer care. Most people are more interested in paying rent, buying food, or staying alive; that or they're too focused on social media, VR games, religion, or the latest fashion trends to bother with history. It doesn't matter what happened yesterday when you've got no real tomorrow, so the logic goes. This makes anyone who actually knows about history an anomoly. Some people are discomfitted by the disparity, and there's no way of knowing how they'll treat someone who knows too much. Especially since that knowledge often means you've got the money to afford an eductation, and that's never wise to flaunt.
Knowing History
Clever + Education + History
Whenever you need to figure out how much you know about something that happened in the past, your STK Check helps determine the breadth of your information on the topic. This check is made without looking anything up online, it's just about what you retain in your own meatbrain. The base DN of your STK Check is determined by how long ago you're trying to recall.
DN 5 Within the last 2 cycles usually covers one or two news cycles. Most people will have forgotten whatever you're trying to recall, but it's at least still within easy memory.
DN 8 Within the last 2 days covers the life span of most new gangs. Often this is as far back as anyone needs to remember things, and it's pushing the limits of what regular people are willing to bother with.
DN 11 Within the last 5 months is beyond what most people care about. We've circled the cyberstar multiple times at this point, why do you need to remember all that?
DN 14 Within the last 10 years is often the life span of new corporations. Most corporate history falls within this timespan as well, because it's often the extent of their business plans.
DN 17 Within the last 11-50 years is usually the entire life of a whole-ass person. Why would you need to remember back that far?
DN 20 Within the last 51-100 years is beyond a normal lifespan; you're starting to get into the lifespans of the wealthy. Trying to remember that far is sounding suspicious.
DN 23 Within the last 101-200 years is beyond the lifespan of most wealthy people. You're pushing corponation lifespan here. Do we need to check your search history?
DN 26 Anyhing beyond the last 200 years is far past any existing historical knowledge. Why do you know about stuff this old? Why would you need to? Place your hands behind your head and kneel down calmly.
Check Modifiers
At the Narrator's discretion, they might apply modifiers to the DN or STK Check:
DN -2 The knowledge is trivial or superficial (celebrity gossip, VR game cheats, that sort of thing).
DN +2 The knowledge is pertinent to a small or moderately sized business.
DN +4 The knowledge is critical to a small or moderately sized business, or pertinent to a megacorp.
DN +6 The knowledge is critical to a megacorp.
+1 to your STK Check You have access to corporate servers or search engines.
+3 to your STK Check You have access to corporate servers and search engines.
STK Check Results
The result of your STK Check determines what you know:
Minor Effect You know only the barest information about the subject you're trying to recall. Additionally, the Narrator makes a secret d100 roll; there's a 60% chance your information is wrong or has been rendered obsolete.
Strong Effect You know some clear, concise, relevant information about the subject you're trying to recall. Additionally, the Narrator makes a secret d100 roll; there's a 40% chance your information is wrong or has been rendered obsolete.
Critical Effect You know a ton of things about the subject you're trying to recall. Additionally, the Narrator makes a secret d100 roll; there's a 20% chance your information is wrong or has been rendered obsolete.