Same with 8 Int Barbarians somehow acing their -1 Arcana checks when Gale fails with +5. A DM could explain that they found a note on the floor explaining it (which doesn't have anything to do with knowledge, but somehow it needs to be explained rationally)
What is so irational about the possibility that Wizard whos mind is permanently occupied with effort to exactly remember several memorized spells and potentialy keeping concentration has ben unable to recall exact description of something ... while mind of Barbarian that have litteraly nothing to do outside of combat (and in many cases even in it) were able to remember that? O_o
Arcana dont affect just things you learned ... it also affect if you understand those things, if you remember those things ... and most importantly of it all, if you are able to recall them when needed.
Gale mind is clearly preocupied enough so he simply didnt recall it, whatever the roll was made for.
Barbarians isnt.
Simple as that.
Also ... finding a note on the floor should in my humbe opinion made by Perception + Wisdom ... rather than Arcana + Intelligence. :-/
