Gather Information (Cha)
Use this skill for making contacts in an area, finding out local gossip, rumor-mongering, and collecting general information.
Check: An evening's time, a few gold pieces for buying drinks and making friends, and a DC 10 Gather Information check get you a general idea of a city's major news items, assuming there are no obvious reasons why the information would be withheld. (Such reasons might include racial enmity - if you are an elf hanging out in an orc city, for example - or your inability to speak the local language,) The higher your check result, the better the information.
If you want to find out about a specific rumor ("Which way the ruined temple of Eryrhnul?") or a specific item ("What can you tell me about that pretty sword the captain of the guard walks around with?"), or obtain a map, or do something else along those lines, the DC for the check is 15 to 25, or even higher.
Action: A typical Gather Information check takes 1d4+1 hours.
Try Again: Yes, but is takes time for each check. Furthermore, you may draw attention to yourself if you repeatedly pursue a certain type of information,
Special: A half-elf has a +2 racial bonus on Gather Information checks, thanks to her ability to relate well to others.
If you have the Investigator feat, you get a +2 bonus on Gather Information checks.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local), you get a +2 bonus on Gather Information checks.