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Track (Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition)

Skills

Definition

Track represents your ability to follow the physical signs of someone's passage—footprints, broken branches, scuff marks, tire tracks, blood trails, and other indicators. In Call of Cthulhu, Track is the skill for finding where someone or something has gone when they don't want to be found. This skill covers tracking through wilderness, urban environments, and even indoor spaces. A skilled tracker reads the story told by physical evidence—how many people passed this way, how long ago, what direction they went, and whether they were hurrying. In Lovecraftian investigations, you might track cultists to their meeting place, follow a creature's trail to its lair, or trace a missing person's last movements.

How it works

**Base Value**: 10% **Key Uses**: - Following footprints and physical trails - Determining direction, speed, and number of quarry - Tracking through wilderness and urban environments - Identifying animal or creature tracks **Special Rules**: Surface affects difficulty—soft ground is easy, hard surfaces are much harder. Weather degrades tracks—rain, wind, and snow can destroy signs. Time since passage also increases difficulty. Hard or Extreme successes reveal more detail about the quarry.

Tips

**Build Advice**: Very useful for investigation-heavy campaigns, especially those involving missing persons or wilderness segments. **Occupation Synergies**: Pairs with Spot Hidden for noticing subtle signs, Natural World for identifying animal tracks, and Navigate for following trails over long distances. **Character Concepts**: Hunter, scout, police detective, private investigator, ranger, bounty hunter, naturalist.

Frequently asked questions

Can I track in a city?

Yes, though it's harder on paved streets. You track by scuff marks, dropped items, witnesses who noticed passage, tire marks, and other urban signs. The Keeper sets difficulty based on surface and traffic.

How old can tracks be?

This depends on conditions. Fresh tracks in soft earth might be followable for days. On hard surfaces or after rain, tracks disappear in hours. The Keeper determines based on environment and weather.