What can I see?

When a player asks what their adventurer can see, describe everything in the room that they could possibly see or notice. This gives players enough context to actually interact with the room in a meaningful way.

This information is filtered by a few factors, of course. An adventurer might not be able to see in the dark, but they could still hear their environment. They won't be able to see hidden or obscured objects (like a secret door or a thief hiding behind a curtain), but are free to search in more thorough ways.

Essentially, there are three levels of information based on how thoroughly an adventurer looks around them. No tests are required and no cards need to be drawn; the only thing that is tested is a player’s thoughtfulness while asking questions.

1. Glancing: This covers everything that can be perceived in an area by someone who has good light.

2. Scrutinizing: Gated, until the players ask questions. “Is the gargoyle made of stone?” “What color is the book?” “What are the pages made out of?” “Are the hinges inside or out?”

3. Investigatory: Gated, until the adventurers interact with the environment. “I try to twist the moose head. Does it feel like it has any give?” “I’ll pull back the tapestry. Is there anything behind it?” “I tap on the walls. Do they sound hollow?”

Information should only rarely be held back from the players. Be charitable in the information you give: the more information a player has, the more interesting choices they can make. So, even in a room with a secret door, the adventurer might feel a slight draft in the room that reveals that something is amiss. Or if there was a thief behind a curtain, they might hear a muffled cough for a moment, but then nothing.