Identification

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Navigation: Main Page Game mechanics Identification




Certain items in the game require identification (also called ID or IDing) in order for the player to know about their true nature.

Various items in the game (most Meds, Mushrooms and Gemstones) may only be described by a generic appearance (they are referred to as unidentified or un-ID'd items), and their name, effects, and in some cases, exact value, are all hidden from the player, known only to the Game Master.

In order to discover what these items really are, the player character must find a specialist to show these items to, in order to get them identified, usually at the cost of a small fee per item.

A fourth type of item, data storage devices, are recognized immediately but have unknown contents. To identify these, you must use the right equipment.

Meds

Unknown meds are described by shape and color, and may be shown to a meds shop for a fee of Parallar symbol.png10 per item.

  • Any character with the Druggist trait can identify any med they see automatically.

Mushrooms

Unknown mushrooms are described by color and smell, and may be shown a street kitchen. The identification fee is Parallar symbol.png0.10 per item.

  • Any character with the Mycologist trait can identify any mushroom they see automatically.

Gemstones and special valuables

Unknown gemstones are described by color. Gemstones and some types of special valuables have two levels of identification: Identified but unappraised and Appraised.

Jewelry stores may provide both services. Identification is free, but appraisal always costs Parallar symbol.png10 per item.

  • Any character with the Jeweler's Eye trait can identify (but not appraise) any gemstone they see automatically.

It is possible to sell gemstones that haven't been properly identified or appraised, however this comes with caveats:

  • Selling an unidentified gem will result in your buyer assuming they are the lowest possible value, as if they were lowest-quality pieces of glass; you will always get Parallar symbol.png1 per unidentified gem.
  • Selling an identified but unapppraised gem will result in your buyer assuming that this gemstone is of the lowest quality possible. E.g. an identified but unappraised lapis-lazuli can be sold for Parallar symbol.png35.
  • Selling an appraised gem will net the exact value listed.

Data storage devices

When finding unknown data storage devices in the UA, they may contain useful data. The contents of a device are unknown until you bring them to one of two appropriate devices:

Identifying a data storage device is free as long as you have access to a suitable computer. If you don't have a laptop, you can use a library computer, which is free (but accessing the library is not; you will have to pay the entrance fee).

Tips for Game Masters
GMs must normally keep track of which unidentified items the player characters are currently carrying, and keep that information hidden from the players until these items are identified. However, if for one reason or another, that information is lost and all you are left with is the appearance of the item, you can randomly determine what the item actually is based on its appearance.
For example, there are three different types of black gems; so if you need to determine a random type of black gem, you may assign each type a number, then roll a 1d3 to randomly choose which item it is.