[Basic] Skill of the week: Literature

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by simply Nathan

The point being that the roll to know common vampire knowledge might as well not be a roll. It's not about whether this "common knowledge" is actually applicable in the present situation.

True enough, the 'real' knowledge skill for that would Occultism and Hidden Lore.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Anders

I would probably allow a generous default from Literature to Conoisseur (Literature) though.

In the Bronze Age setting I'm theoretically working on, magic is worked by telling stories. I use Path magic and cap the Path skills at the lower of Literature and Public Speaking.

Those two skills seem disparate. One is a skill of knowing stuff; the other is a skill of creating stuff. I would be inclined more to say Poetry or Public Speaking.

[Mailanka]

Originally Posted by Anders

I would probably allow a generous default from Literature to Conoisseur (Literature) though.

What is the practical difference between Connoisseur (Literature) and Literature? One is knowing that a work is good and the other is knowing what it contains? Feels like splitting hairs if you ask me.

(And note, the act of creating literature would be the Writing skill)

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

What is the practical difference between Connoisseur (Literature) and Literature? One is knowing that a work is good and the other is knowing what it contains? Feels like splitting hairs if you ask me.

The ability to analyse how a work is constructed seems to be substantially rarer than the ability to compare it to other works. The distinction seems real, if one wants the ability to model a culture in some detail. This will not be important for many types of game, of course.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

What is the practical difference between Connoisseur (Literature) and Literature? One is knowing that a work is good and the other is knowing what it contains? Feels like splitting hairs if you ask me.

(And note, the act of creating literature would be the Writing skill)

Not so much in the bronze age. A large part of literature then was oral. Much of it was in verse, and that uses the Poetry skill; but telling stories uses the Public Speaking skill.

As to Connoisseur (Literature) versus Literature, it makes perfect sense to me. It's perfectly possible to know who wrote all the classic works, and when, and in what language, and which authors influenced which other authors, and what their works were about—but not to have any literary sensibility.

In practical terms, it would show up in recognizing the merit of a new author. Connoisseur would enable you to say, "Wow, this is good!"; Literature would only let you say, "This isn't one of the recognized authors of the literary canon," or maybe at most, "This story seems to be alluding to Milton."

[RogerBW]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

What is the practical difference between Connoisseur (Literature) and Literature? One is knowing that a work is good and the other is knowing what it contains?

Basic doesn't even give us that much. As I quoted on page 3, having one skill means you are "knowledgeable in the realms of" while the other skill gives you "an educated understanding of". It's not obvious to me from that description which is which!

Originally Posted by johndallman

The ability to analyse how a work is constructed seems to be substantially rarer than the ability to compare it to other works.

The rules as written don't explicitly give either of those abilities to either skill.

[Not]

Originally Posted by Anders

I would probably allow a generous default from Literature to Conoisseur (Literature) though.

In the Bronze Age setting I'm theoretically working on, magic is worked by telling stories. I use Path magic and cap the Path skills at the lower of Literature and Public Speaking.

You've got me curious. What's literature in the bronze age? Is it distinct from Performance (Rhapsode)?