Knowledge Seekers
Some people may not understand the value of knowledge, but not this group. They come together around the common pursuit of knowledge, preservation of history, rediscovering lost treasures from the past. The thirst for knowledge keeps them at the library late into the night, bathed in candlelight, but it also drives them out of their comfort zones, far and wide, wherever they may find a clue that could unlock a deeper truth.
PARTY TYPE Overview
Knowledge Seekers don’t just want to understand how the world works. They need to. The need may come from a past experience that everyone else dismisses, but it just doesn’t add up for them. Their life may have been saved because of knowledge applied at the right time, and now they’re driven to share that gift with others. When they look at a building, they consider not only its current state, but its past owners, past uses, even the construction materials. They’ve heard the legends, and they want to know where those legends came from.
Knowledge Seekers may be part of academic life within their society. They may be on the fringe because of their particular interests. Or, they may be seeking knowledge that they’ve been barred from accessing.
Suggested Core Traits
Resources
D6
Knowledge seekers, at a minimum, usually have access to the best resource of all resources: BOOKS.
Connection
D10
They may come across as aloof, overly intellectual, or superior, but really most knowledge seekers are just waiting to find someone else who shares their special interests.
Security
D8
Knowledge seekers understand the inherent risk that some quests for knowledge possess. They can keep knowledge close to their chests until it’s the right time to share, at least sometimes.
Potential Party Techniques
This is why this article is a fragment. We really should get some techniques here, Steph.
Quests and Campaigns
For a party of Knowledge Seekers, individual quests may place the party in situations where knowledge is key to unlocking the situation. Sometimes, they may be investigators who provide a special perspective to understanding a situation like a murder, a mysterious disappearance, a theft. At other times, they may be archaeologists, going out to a historical site to recover artifacts and uncover lost truths. They might be researchers tasked with developing a solution to a problem, like a way to deal with a magic curse that is spreading through the populace.
As they seek knowledge, they face thematic questions like:
- When is knowledge useful, and when is it dangerous?
- Why might people ignore a truth that is right in front of their eyes?
- How is knowledge valued? Who decides what knowledge is worth preserving?
- How do we handle situations that defy understanding?
- What happens when evidence contradicts societal common sense?
At the foundation of a Knowledge Seeker campaign, there may be some thread of truth, something lost, forgotten, or hidden away that the party uncovers and continues to pull at. They may have reason to believe in something that sounds like a conspiracy, as small puzzle pieces begin to fit together and paint a bigger picture. They may find themselves attempting to discover the truth behind a cover-up or unveil a mastermind who has been hard at work under everyone’s noses.
Examples in Media
Indiana Jones, The Mummy, Jurassic Park, Doctor Who, Ghostbusters, Warehouse 13, Magic Tree House, The X-Files, The Mentalist, CSI
Session Zero Discussion Points
As you start to make plans for a group of Knowledge Seekers, discuss what brings your Knowledge Seekers together. Do they have a common interest that’s initially a hobby and becomes something more? Are they all involved in some way with an academic institution? Have they been hired by a patron for their skills and various areas of knowledge?
Also discuss potential sources of conflict for the Knowledge Seekers as they go about their quests: Will they act primarily as investigators solving mysteries? Are they all caught up in a web of conspiracy? If they are seeking lost, forgotten, or ancient knowledge, what might get in their way? As they seek knowledge, what sorts of people might they offend?
Potential Party Contacts
- Cynfre, a sleep-deprived librarian
- Homas, a flamboyant noble
- Kata, a faithful priest/priestess
- Elurgin, a seasoned professor
