This skill allows the user to recognize the religious practices, incantations, summonings, rites, and writings of a particular occult religion. It also allows the user to identify and classify Undead, as well as know the powers and abilities of the Undead type identified. Of course, one person’s “Religion” score is another person’s “Occult Knowledge” score. For example, a Dommalon Wayfinder would have the Religious Doctrine proficiency in his own religion, but may have Occult Knowledge for his understanding of Elementalism. However, for an Elementalist, the knowledge of the ways of Dommalon would constitute Occult Knowledge. In the case of knowing Scaxathromism as an occult religion, the chances of successfully enacting a spoken revocation are also listed below. Constructs may take this skill, but take a –4 additional penalty when attempting to speak revocations (as a result of their limited tonal range when speaking.)
1. Has the knowledge of a layperson in the occult religion.
2. Has the knowledge of an active, fully participatory member in the occult religion.
3. Has the knowledge of a low-level ordained station (a Deacon equivalent.) Can attempt to speak revocations at -8.
4. Has the knowledge of the Priesthood. Can attempt to speak revocations at -4.
5. Has the full knowledge of a High Priest. Can attempt to speak revocations at -2.
Critical Success: Can perfectly identify the occult information in question. If used in conjunction with a spoken revocation, the effect is as if an Abjure.
Critical Fumble: The character fails to grasp the meaning of what he has seen, and thus the results may vary from him simply looking foolish to his peers if he is trying to explain the Occult to them, to him coming under attack by an angry spirit that he has insulted with his ignorance while trying to bargain with it.