The following chart gives the percentage chance of a character hearing different types of noise. A character does not need to be actively listening for a noise, but when characters are moving, talking, or are distracted in some way, they would be unlikely to hear any but the loudest sounds. As a general rule, a group of characters who are themselves making a noise will only hear sounds which are actually louder. So a party moving cautiously will hear normal or loud noises, but not other soft noises.
| Type of Noise | Examples | Score | Noise carries for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft | Cautious movement, whispering, keys turning, lock-picking | 30% | 4 yards |
| Normal | Standard movement, conversation, doors opening or closing | 60% | 8 yards |
| Loud | Barging down doors, running, charging, combat, incantation, horses moving, rapid searching, breaking glass, shouting, crying out, screaming | 100% | 16 yards |
Characters need to be actively listening to hear sounds through a door or wall (i.e. must actively press an ear against the door/wall in question). Noises do not otherwise penetrate doors or walls, except possibly as very indistinct moans or howlings.
Normally, each character get only one effective 'listen' through a door or wall. No matter how long characters spend with their ears pressed against a door, they will hear no more subsequently than they did on their initial roll. The gamesmaster can bend this rule, but players should be discouraged from spending all their time listening through doors and walls.
A charater deliberately listening at the door of a room may roll as normal to hear sounds within. Only one character may listen at a normal-sized door at a time. Characters listening through a thin, wooden, or plaster wall may hear sounds within, subject to a -10% modifier. Thick brick, stone, and earthen walls block all noise.
A sleeping character will be woken by a noise if a Listen test modified by -20% is passed.