* Restricted: only Orcs and Scouts (most Ths with Wilderness skills, incl. all Elves and Grasslanders)
OBS
Relevant Chars: Sm
Succeeds on: 0%
Scent is used to find one's Quarry by smell. It may be used strategically: to follow the trail left by the Quarry's scent, or tactically: to sniff out the Quarry's current position. Tactical location may in appropriate cases be from a considerable distance.
Many Animals and Monsters are good at tracking by smell, and have an M on Scent as an innate ability. See their individual specs. for the relevant figures.
Make periodic Throws for strategic scenting: at least every hour, or on a change in environment or factors affecting DL.
Scent may also be used to track and locate objects which have a smell. Campfires may be located in this way. Potions do not have a smell unless their seal is broken. Blade venom has DL = PL (Alchemists take more trouble to make the expensive stuff odourless).
| T | Effect (Strategic) | Effect (Tactical) |
| >= 51 | Failure 3: follow false scent | Failure 3: scent false Quarry |
| 50 to 1 | Failure 2: cannot make out a scent | Failure 2: cannot scent Quarry |
| 0 to -49 | Can follow trail and distinguish scent (e.g. it was humans) | Can scent Quarry, but not locate its position |
| -50 to -99 | Can follow trail and distinguish several scents (e.g. it was about six humans with dogs) | Can scent Quarry and locate its general position (accuracy d6*10 ft) |
| -100 to -199 | Can follow trail and identify several scents (e.g. it was five humans with three dogs) | Can scent Quarry and locate its approximate position (accuracy d6*1 ft) |
| <= -200 | Can follow trail, identify several scents and make out details (e.g. it was five humans with three dogs, they had rabbit for lunch, and one dog has cut its paw) | Can scent Quarry and locate its exact position (sufficient to target attacks and Spells) |
(Start of final effects bracket changed from -150 to -200 with effect from 26 Oscow / Day 177 2503)
Difficulty Levels:
1. Number of Beings leaving trail (Strategic only):
OR Number of Beings in area, other than Thief (Tactical only):
2. Type of Beings being Scented:
3. Environment:
4. Population density of environment (Strategic only):
5. Per Cd since trail left: DL+1
6. Weather:
7. Distance to Quarry (Tactical only): DL1 per 10Wft, where W = Windspeed on Beaufort Scale if downwind of Quarry, or 1 / Windspeed on Beaufort Scale if upwind of Quarry.
8. Alchemical Stink Bomb exploded in area being scented: DL10, falling to DL of d6 after 10-15 min, and then decaying at -1 to DL per Cd. Reverse these DLs for Scenting a Quarry who has been in the Radius of an Alchemical Stink Bomb when it exploded and has then moved outside the Radius. E.g. if the Quarry explodes an Alchemical Stink Bomb on himself, then for the next (9+d6) min he is DL+10 to Scent within the Radius, but DL-10 to Scent within the Radius. The continuing DL effect can be removed by the Quarry thoroughly bathing and washing his clothes and possessions.
9. Sniffer Th has been hit by an Alchemical Dust of Sneezing: DL8 or Sneezing and Choking: DL12. Halve these effects (FRD, in favour of sniffer) if he makes his st (further sts may be made if successful, to halve DL again).
10. (Changed with effect from 26 Oscow / Day 177 2503 - previously ThL of Quarry had no effect) ThL of Quarry (FRD to one decimal place: e.g for ThL 3.3333 DL is 3.3, giving +33% to T). Note that Hide in Shadows and Move Silently are also irrelevant to being Scented. However Ths may use Mask Smell to increase DL of Scenting them.
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