Investigate
This skill represents your training and ability to examine things systematically through observation, inquiry and attention to detail. Unlike the Awareness Skill, which handles the processing of immediate observation, Investigate takes time.
This skill can be used when you attempt to apply logic and reason to reach a conclusion, deduce the solution to a problem, search a specific area to turn up clues, or interrogate a suspect.
ANALYZE CLUE (3 Actions)
You can make an Investigate check to apply forensics knowledge to a clue. This function of the Investigate skill does not give you clues where none existed before. It simply allows you character to extract extra information from a clue you have found. The base DC to analyze a clue is modified by the time that has elapsed since the clue was left, and whether or not the scene was disturbed.
COLLECT EVIDENCE (1 Minute)
You can collect and prepare evidentiary material for a lab. This use of the Investigate skill requires an evidence kit. To collect a piece of evidence, make an Investigate check. This function of the Investigate skill does not provide you with evidentiary items. It simply allows you to collect items you have found in a manner that best aids in their analysis later, at a crime lab.
Critical Success The evidence is of excellent quality, and the crime lab gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its checks to analyze the materialSuccess The evidence is usable by a crime labFailure A crime lab analysis can be done, but the lab takes a -5 penalty on any necessary checkCRYPTOGRAPHY (1 Hour)
You can encode and decode cyphers and codes. The DC of Cryptography check depends on the complexity of the code. Low DC codes include letter substitution cyphers and mathematical puzzles. Medium DC codes include block or stream cyphers, and High DC codes utilize mathematical chaos theory or magic in their codes.
Helpful texts or computer programs can provide a bonus (usually a +2 circumstance bonus) on the check, provided they are applicable to the script in question.
If the check succeeds, the character understands the general content of a piece of writing, reading about one page of text or its equivalent in 1 minute. If the check fails, the GM makes a Resolve check (DC 10) for the character to see if he or she avoids drawing a false conclusion about the text. (Success means that the character does not draw a false conclusion; failure means that the character does.)
INTERROGATE (1 Minute)
An Interrogate Check represents your ability to ask the right questions in order to gain information from a specific target. Make a check against the other character's Composure Defence to break them under the strain of your questioning.
An Interrogate Check covers the sort of interrogation that might be covered by a seasoned journalist, law enforcement officer, lawyer, or even a trained torturer. It usually involves calm and reasonable debate, rhetoric and trick questions, but, in some unpleasant areas of the world, can involve threats of violence and actual pain-inducing tactics.
Critical Success The target gives you the information you seek. The target leaves feeling positive towards you, and has their attitude towards you increased by one step.Success As critical success, but the target will become unfriendly, after the end of the scene.Failure The target doesn’t do what you say, and if they were not already unfriendly or hostile, they become unfriendly.Critical Failure The target refuses to comply, becomes hostile if they weren’t already, and can’t be Interrogated by you for at least 1 week.SEARCH (3 ACTIONS)
A Search Check allows you to make a detailed examination of a specific area, looking for lost objects, hidden compartments, and traps; or to discern other details that aren't readily apparent at a casual glance. ASearch Check lets you detect some small detail or irregularity through active effort. A Search check can turn up individual footprints, but does not allow a character to follow tracks or tell the character which direction the creature or creatures went or came from.