Rise of the Runelords

Skills
As advance notice, I will be working hard to include moments in the AP for all skills to 'shine.' For example, Appraise to know if that merchant is ripping you off. Or, Balance to be able to get across that creaky plank. Or, Heal to diagnose a new affliction affecting some rural families. You get the idea. Consider this when allocating skill points.

There will be an addition of one extra skill. See below.

Knowledge Forbidden Lore (None); Always considered a cross-class skill
You know That Which Should Not Be Known. You have had supernatural experiences, read forbidden tomes, and/or overheard conversations you shouldn't have. This has given you insights to truly dark secrets that have challenged everything you thought you knew. Since these revelations defy logic or commonly accepted fact, it does not matter how intelligent or wise you are when using this skill—only how much exposure to these dark secrets themselves you have experienced.
Check: Answering a question about the horrible deities and secrets that lurk at the edges of reality has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for elementary questions), or 20 to 30 (for difficult or really tough questions). Unlike in other fields of study, there are almost no really easy questions associated with this dark knowledge.
Action: Usually none. In most cases, making a Knowledge check doesn’t take an action—you simply know the answer or you don’t.
Try Again: No. The check represents what you know, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn’t let you know something that you never learned in the first place.

Traits
Character traits are generally more roleplaying guides than an actual game mechanic. For example, Paladins are (generally played as) honest and never knowingly choose to lie. Unearthed Arcana includes a mechanic for traits that generally affects skill checks. As an option, characters can choose one trait (list found here) at 1st level and gain the associated benefit/drawback. However, in doing so, you are committing your character to that trait. You will be expected to roleplay that trait. For example, the Paladin, being honest, may also feel others act as honestly (or at least not dishonestly) and therfore will need cause to think that she is being decieved. (and not simply run around rolling sense motive checks). In other words, the "roleplaying ideas' included in the trait descriptions are more than mere 'ideas.'

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