Pathfinder 1E Ideas for interesting and useful bits of knowledge

[ImperatorK]

I'd like to ask you for ideas on pieces of knowledge that could give power to those that would seek it out. Basically I'm asking for quest hooks for a PC that tries to gather power and because Knowledge is Power he recruited one of the settings greatest scholars to work for him. Other than powerful weapons, treasures and artifacts I'm drawing a blank on other things that could be useful.
The scholar can easily make DC 75 Knowledge checks of any kind.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Necronomicon - the book dead, the elder gods and lost knowledge, it is said those that read from it go mad from the truths it proves and the lies that can't be undone.
- from H.P. Lovecraft

The skull Bob - old as time itself, spells and knowledge trapped inside an skull that is commanded to be an occult Internet for those that own it.
- from The Dresden Files

The Mirror - on the wall, answers questions put to it.
- from Snow White

 

[ImperatorK]

Um... I'm asking for useful knowledge, not ways to gain knowledge... Like for example the lore about the power and location of a long lost artifact.
I already have a lore provider - the above mentioned scholar - now I need ideas for lore that would be useful for gaining power.

 

[Herobizkit]

Music of the Spheres - a complete song, when assembled, can allow a mortal to gain Divinity. Written in the Language of The Gods, each note is carefully written and contained within the blood of one of eight Scions, Original members of the original Eight Races. [As a twist, one of the Races could be Elemental or Demonic/Devilish in nature, making it even harder. Then perhaps you might need a specific Divine Instrument to play it...]

The Leviathan - Rumor exists of a great "Ark" that once allowed mortals to visit the Home of the Gods in the Heavens. The device is quite large (Dragon turtle sized, maybe?) and requires a massive influx of power to function - like that of, say, Perfection's Key.

 

[paradox42]

If you're rejecting "powerful weapons, treasures, and artifacts" then your question gets too vague to answer in a game context (and without knowing details of your game and setting).

Define "power" for the purposes of your question, and that may spark more ideas.

 

[ImperatorK]

It's intentionally vague so that your imagination isn't restricted. Who knows what you guys might come up with. And I'm "rejecting" weapons, artifacts and treasures, because they're easy, I can come up with some myself or just sort through my D&D books, they're full of those. I'm asking for something a little bit more original than that. But if you insist, you can give your ideas for them, if you have any.
The only thing I can say about the setting is that it's intended to be a fairly generic D&D world. Think Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms or Golarion. There's no details yet, it's a homebrew world that waits to be detailed during the game with the help of my players.

I can't really define "power" for you, because my definition might be incomplete or inadequate and because of it I might miss out one some good ideas. I will only say that I'd prefer the gain of power to be fairly straightforward and doable regardless of the character's abilities.It's all vague and undefined, because I don't want to stifle anyone's creativity.

 

[paradox42]

The problem with just leaving it open like that is, "power" in any derivative of D&D is usually understood to mean level/HD- or combat statistics. None of which can be increased by simply rolling Knowledge checks and following the advice thus gained. Items are one of exactly two ways to directly change the combat statistics other than gaining levels (and feats) via experience points, so the most immediate way to increase power using skill checks is to point you towards items which will increase your power. The other way is spells (or similar effects), which can be dispelled unless they're Instantaneous duration. I suppose in theory you could have a Knowledge check point towards a long-lost spell, but that requires tinkering with the skill check rules- by RAW a 9th-level spell is only DC 34 at the highest (for a spell that just targeted the person making the check). Just plain knowing about the spell's existence would obviously have to be less than that, since knowing of a spell's existence is logically necessary to identifying the spell's name from its effect.

If you have a different definition of "power" than level/HD/combat stats, then suggest it; holding back will not get you more posts. Within the game system as written, items and spells are the only ways Knowledge checks could point you towards direct power increases. I don't count Planar Touchstones because that requires taking a feat- which gets us back to requiring XP again. Gaining XP isn't something a Knowledge check can directly do for you unless you change the world/rules to allow it. Which leads us back to my suggestion about the world/setting being important- if the world has special mechanics somewhere, somehow, like the way gods are born/made, then that can work. But it's not setting-neutral.

Creativity in an open environment usually requires a hook to hang itself on before anything starts to gel; it's like crystal growth that way. Once the ball gets rolling, others build on it and stuff starts to filter out and connect together to make Something Cool.

 

[ImperatorK]

Examples of official stuff that increases power:
- Magical Locations, which, IIRC, give feats for gold;
- The Shadar Pool, found in Dungeon #92, gives XP, inherent bonuses, resurrects;
- Ritual for becoming a half-dragon, found in an adventure in one of the Dungeon Mag's (no actual rules for it, only fluff, but it's there, and I even used it already in my games);
- True name of an outsider, I don't remember what exact benefits it gives, but it sounds like a big deal;

If you have a different definition of "power" than level/HD/combat stats, then suggest it; holding back will not get you more posts.

"Things that will give significant benefits to those with appropriate knowledge (about them)." Happy now?

 

[Marshall Gatten]

The Language of the Birds - the first of all languages, perfect and divine, spoken by all creatures at the creation of the world. It is lost forever. But if one could find a way to learn it, they would be able to communicate effortlessly with any being. All people would hear the speaker as if he was using their native language perfectly, and all who speak to him would be perfectly understood. Whether speaking to a dwarf, an infernal demon, an angel, a blade of grass, or an ancient piece of stone, all is understood when speaking the Language of the Birds.

The True Name of granite. With this True Name, the very stone can be commanded. An impenetrable citadel could be raised from the bedrock. A chasm could be opened beneath your enemies. The castles of your opponents could be reduced to dust.

How to determine if a cat wants in or out when presented with an open door and somebody holding it for them.

 

[Thotas]

Where the bodies are buried is always useful info in a campaign. As in, secrets of the major NPCs. If you can make sure they can't bury your body next of course.