[4E] Who Built This Ruin?

I'm currently running a D&D 4E campaign, and we ended the last session with the PCs chasing some raiders out of an old ruined cathedral. I have a backstory for the ruin, but since the PCs are new to the region I only want to offer them hints as to what it is (it's part of a much larger backstory that will be revealed as the campaign progresses). If I want the members of the party to recognize that what remains of the architecture is of Dwarven design, what skill would be best to test?

I was thinking Insight, History or Dungeoneering, but I figured I'd get some opinions here. Also, if there's some skill that you think would be more suitable, let me know what it is and why.

Thanks!

History, yes. The skill makes perfect sense.
Religion, because it is a cathedral. Most religious buildings will incorporate a lot of religiously significant elements. This check would probably reveal what deity the cathedral was devoted to, not (though if it's Moradin it might be pretty obvious) reveal who built it.

I'd say no to Insight, but then yes to dungeoneering. Insight is more for dealing with living people methinks, but dungeoneering may be applicable due to the fact that it is a ruin, and those seem to be what dungeoneers spend a lot of their time romping around in.

This depends... Was the ruin build on rock AND roll?

Horrible puns aside...

I'd say Perception to notice that they need to make a History check. You have all their passives, right? Tell the person with the highest passive perception that they noticed some markings. A History check would reveal that the markings bear some similarity to Dwarven or Giant writing today. (Assuming you have Dwarven and Giant derived from the same ancient language.) Maybe with a Comprehend Language ritual casting, they might gain some special knowledge about the place by reading the markings.

And maybe some Religion to determine what god(s) the cathedral was built to worship...

I'd say that Dungeoneering would allow the PCs to figure out the approximate age of the ruins and of what quality the stonework is.

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Originally Posted by Thajocoth

This depends... Was the ruin build on rock AND roll?

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dang, you beat me to it.

1) History will tell you about the area and who settled there. It may also include some architecture.
2) Religion. It's a cathedral. Who built it will be somewhat evident from who worships there.
3) Dungeoneering. My go-to for architectural questions. A DC 15 will answer a "Did X common race build this?" A DC 25 will probably tell you who did build it.

If one of the pc have dwarven as language he could just notice that the inscriptions in the cathedral are wrote in dwarfs's runes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark Hall

1) History will tell you about the area and who settled there. It may also include some architecture.
2) Religion. It's a cathedral. Who built it will be somewhat evident from who worships there.
3) Dungeoneering. My go-to for architectural questions. A DC 15 will answer a "Did X common race build this?" A DC 25 will probably tell you who did build it.

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To throw some DCs in here, refer to PHB 180.

History: If cathedrals are major deals in your campaign (and they should be - generational works and so forth) then the location of any cathedral should be DC 15. If this cathedral is in a "lost" or forgotten area, DC 20. If the cathedral was built before the current civilization existed, DC 25.

Religion: A DC 15 should tell you what god they worshiped, but I would bump up History DCs by a step (DC 20 if known, DC 25 if lost) for who built it, particularly if the God is not a Dwarven one.

Dungeoneering: This is what tells you all about the architecture. DC 15 will identify it as Dwarven presuming that stylistic elements remain. DC 20 could tell the age or particular style of "dwarven" architecture used. Bump up the DCs by a step if the ruins are particularly ruined.

Insight is not at all applicable, since it deals with social situations, not rocks.