From-the-Beyond Skill

The skill presented here was derived from the Yog-Sothothery skill presented in Sandy Peteresen's Cthulu Mythos supplement. The name was changed to better fit with the Aurelian Empire setting.

The following new skill is available any time you could choose a skill to gain proficiency, although this proficiency has a downside unique among skills, representing the mental strain from contemplating truly alien concepts. If a class, background, feat, or other effect grants proficiency in either Arcana or Religion, you can substitute From-the-Beyond as the skill proficiency you gain. Unlike Intelligence skills, researching and understanding the forbidden knowledge and horrors associated with From-the-Beyond is as much an act of willpower as it is a collection of facts and skills. (At the GM’s option, you may be able to use this skill to apply your proficiency bonus to other ability checks, such as an Intelligence check to unravel an eldritch puzzle or a Charisma check to interact with creatures of the Mythos.)
A Wisdom (From-the-Beyond) check measures your ability to recall Mythos lore or formulate new understanding about a Mythos phenomenon from seemingly unrelated clues. The Mythos includes similar and related creatures and forces, alien planes of existence, unstable magic and science, means of bypassing the laws of time and space, and lore regarding most aberrations. In addition, this skill can be used in place of other skills to cast spells as formulas.

Side Effects

Gaining proficiency in From-the-Beyond strains the mind of most creatures other than aberrations, fiends, oozes, and undead. If you are proficient in this skill:

• You take a penalty equal to half your proficiency bonus on saving throws against dread (see Chapter 4), confusion, insanity, madness, magical effects that give the frightened condition, and similar effects.
• Further study leads to a weaker mind. If you have the Expertise feature or another trait or feature that modifies how you apply your proficiency bonus on all Wisdom (From-the-Beyond) checks, the saving throw penalty becomes half the modified proficiency bonus. For instance, if you have the Expertise feature applied to From-the-Beyond, you would apply double your proficiency bonus on ability checks using the From-the-Beyond skill and your saving throw penalty would be equal to your full proficiency bonus.