storyteller

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
====== Psychic Knacks ======

Psychic Knacks are the domain of those inspired individuals commonly known as mesmerists. These paranormal powers are applications of focused will and lie mainly within the realm of the mental. However. some mesmerists are also capable of truly spectacular physical manifestations, whether altering their own bodies capabilities or affecting the world around them. Mesmerists register as etherically active on a Z-wave image resonator, and some methods of divination can detect them as well (though there's some debate as to whether accurate divinatory talents are another psychic manifestation or something entirely different).

===== Psychic Knack Descriptions =====
Theoreticians generally place psychic powers in one of three categories, determined by the extent of the powers measurable effects on the physical world or the mental equilibrium of test subjects. Level one psychic Knacks are usually sensory in nature or have no discemable capacity to inflict physical injury or psychological trauma on a healthy adult human. Level two Knacks have measurable physical manifestations (temperature, Pressure and so fwth) °' ca"affect a subject’s mental processes enough for a psychia- subject has no particular feelings about or actively wants Ltrist to record a measurable behavioral change. Level three to reveal but can't, one success is enough. lf it's some Knacks generally have the potential to cause lethal injury thing the subject wants to avoid discussing but isn’t paror permanent psychological changes. ticularly afraid of saying, two successes will retrieve it.


These three classes are general niles of thumb, not Emotionally sensitive topics or oath-bound secrets re-
ironclad niles. Some potentially lethal physical powers quire three successes. Things that the character actively have limiting factors that place them in level two due to fears revealing require four successes. lf the secret will reduced danger, and exceptionally strong sensory abili- get the subject killed or ruin his life if it comes out, the ties may be rated as level two or even level three due to player needs five successes, and the mesmerist had best their range, scope or invasive nature. ln short, the three be prepared to guard his newfound knowledge carefully.  classes are a mechanic for game balance that also has a convenient reflection in the world of Adventure.

These powers are not hierarchical; a character does not have to buy a level one Knack before purchasing a level two power.

====== Level One Psychic Knacks ======

===== Brain Skimming =====
You have some basic telepathic aptitude — perhaps just enough to get yourself in trouble. While you can't insert false images or memories into your subjects’ minds, you can read their surface thoughts, the almost-verbalized truths that bubble up from the depths of consciousness.  This isn’t always an exact science, as your readings are often colored by your own expectations or by the differences in the ways you and your subject perceive the world. Still, it's accurate enough that you can tell truth from lies or find out the answer to a question that your subject is actively trying to avoid. This Knack doesn't usually implant knowledge directly into your mind unless you see your abilities as that cut and dried. You may see the truth you seek in a ﬂeeting vision, hear a ghostly whisper in your ear or taste your subject's lie on the back of your tongue.

==== System  ====
The mesmerist must engage the subject in
conversation, and the discussion must at least tangen-
tially touch on the subject about which the character
wants to know. The player specifies the information for
which she wants to dredge and rolls Rapport. If the sub-
ject is aware that the character is trying to get some-
thing specific out of him (Storyteller's discretion or a
contested Subterfuge roll), he may try to resist the ef-
fort by thinking of other things (nursery rhymes, snatches
of popular song, vulgarities directed at the mesmerist).
The mesmerist’s attempt then becomes a resisted action
against the subject's player, who rolls Willpower. Any
successes the defender gets subtracts from the
character’s ability to penetrate his mind.
The degree of success required depends on how
closely held the information is. if it’s something that the

Failure reveals nothing useful, while a botch may give the
mesmerist incorrect or contradictory details.
This Knack requires some degree of successful com-
munication between the participants. Also, if the target
knows nothing about what the mesmerist is digging for, no
amount of successes will offer up useful information.

===== Command Voice =====

Many drill sergeants believe the perfect soldier is one
whose brain is not connected in the usual manner. Orders
should enter his ears and move directly to his body without
the intervention of his thought processes. When you put
the full force of your mind behind your voice, you can
achieve similar results with even the most thick-skulled or
independent individuals. People leap to obey your orders
without ever considering what they’re doing.

==== System ====
 The diameter issues a short verbal command
to a maximum number of subjects equal to her Charisma
dice pool. The command must take no more than three sec-
onds (one action) to speak at nonnal speed, and it must be
something that the average person could do in three sec-
onds. Finally, any subjects must understand the language
the mesmerist speaks (unless the character also has Per-
fect Translation). The player spends an inspiration point
and rolls Command. Each subject who does not have more
dots in \Mts than the number of successes the player rolled
must execute the command as his next action, unless the
command would obviously place him in direct danger of
death or mutilation. lnspired characters may spend a Will-
power point to avoid perfomiing the action.

===== Marked Man =====
‘tleiarinnalliewarrisll/ti1dhﬁnwhentlietiinei'sr1§rL”
With this Knack, you can “mark” an individual or
object. This mark gives you an innate sense of your
subject’s location relative to you, allowing you to track it
anywhere in the world! Neither distance nor intervening
matter can block this sense. However, you must beware
overconfidence — this Knack gives you absolutely no
infomiation on your subject’s condition or surroundings.

==== System ====
 To “mark"a characteror item. the mesmerist
must first touch it: the player spends an inspiration point
and rolls Navigation. The character thereafter gainsa com-
plete sense of the marked individual or object's relative dis-


tance and direction from herself, which lasts for one week
per success rolled. ifa living subject dies or an unliving one
is destroyed, the link is broken. A character may simulta-
neously maintain a maximum number of marks equal to her
Reﬂective inspiration facet.

===== Perfect Translation =====

You have minor facility with telepathy. While you
cannot probe another mind, you can touch the parts of
consciousness that control communication. With suffi-
cient concentration, you can understand the meanings
and concepts behind virtually any form of spoken or ges-
ture-based communication.

==== System  ====
The character must be able to see or hear
the subject without mechanical intervention — a radio
broadcast or the like attenuates the thoughts behind the
words too much for Perfect Translation to work. The player
rolls Rapport; no inspiration point expenditure is neces-
sary. One success allows translation of basic concepts. three
facilitate ﬂuent conversation, and five allow the mesmerist
to understand even the most complex specialized ideas (as-
suming she has the necessary background to comprehend
intemal medicine or astrophysics...).
Perfect Translation provides only the mesmerist with
total understanding. Still, while others cannot understand
the character's words, she can convey general concepts
through body language and snippets of her conversational
partner’s own words. Also, a mesmerist with this Knack
may use any other powers that inﬂuence the mind against
targets that would otherwise not understand her.

===== Psychic Hand =====

You can exert low levels of raw telekinetic force.
You do not have the control necessary for fine manipula-
tion and lack significant strength. Still, you can press.
grasp or tum small objects with the power of your mind.
in a similar vein, you can use the Psychic Hand to deﬂect
attacks! The Psychic Hand is invisible unless you choose
for it to become visible, in which case it appears as a
ghostly shimmer in the air.

==== System ====
Psychic Hand lasts for a number of turns
equal to the successes gained from an Endurance roll.
Altemately, the player may spend one inspiration to ac-
tivate the Knack for the scene. While in effect, the mes-
merist can move it anywhere within a radius equal to Z0
meters per point of the character's inspiration. The player
declares which application of Psychic Hand he wants each
time he uses it: a manipulating “hand” or a protective
shield. Only one may be active at any time.
The "hand" can exert a maximum force of twice
the character’s Willpower in kilogram-meters per turn.
So, a character with Willpower 7 can exert l4 kilogram-
meters per tum: moving a one-kilogram object l4 meters
or a 7-kilogram object two meters or so forth. it grasps
like a nomial human hand encased in a mitten but has no
capacity for fine manipulation. Likewise, it has no lever-
age or speed to generate any sort of attack. if a situation
demands resolution by the numbers, assume the Psychic
Hand has one point each in Strength and Dexterity.
The shield spreads the psychic force into ﬂat bar-
rier roughly one meter wide by two meters tall. Being
focused psychic force, it is not impenetrable, but it can
slow or deﬂect attacks. This shield provides bashing and
lethal soak equal to the mesmerist’s Reflective facet. it
can be placed between any attacker and defender within
the Knack's effect range. Unlike normal soak (see p. ZOO),
if the shield reduces an attack's damage effect to zero,
the defender takes no damage!
Example: Doctorlorbo 's men have locked Dirk (Wil-
power 6, Stamina 3, Reﬂective facet 4) away in a cell Dirk
decides to lift the pistol from the holster of his snoozing
guard and bargain for his escape with bullets. The pistol
weighs about one and a half kilograms, so Dirk can move it
up to eight meters in one turn (llkilogram-meters divided
by 1.5 kilograms). As his cell door is only ﬁve meters from
the guard, he can snatch the weapon in a single turn.
Later in his escape, another guard pops up. Dirk
throws the Psychic Hand between them, giving him a to-
tal 7/4 soak. The guard fires his pistol, getting three dice
on the damage effect — and drops his jaw in surprise
as his bu/let ricochets off the very air!

===== Scientific Prodigy =====

You plumb the depths ofscientific theory, con-
stantly pushing the bouridafies. However, you don't go it
alone — indeed, you psychically draw upon the knowl-
edge and creativity of the colleagues and assistants you
woHn with! Even individuals who have no formal scien-
tific training may be of great benefit in such an effort,
for you can draw on any related knowledge they may have,
no matter how little they may be consciously aware of it.
Depending on your personal inclinations, you may or may
not give your research team the credit it deserves.

==== System ====
:Ttiis Knack enhances the character's super-
scientific ability (see p. W6 For complete rules). it does not
allow for directed sifting of others’ thoughts or knovdedge;
instead, it acts as a kind of gestalt from which the mesmer-
ist draws her conclusions. The character receives one ad-
ditional die to her research and development roll for each
assistant she has, up to a number equal to her intelligence +
Reﬂective facet. (Tlle character may have more asistants,
but this Knack gives her no further benefit from them.) No
roll or inspiration expenditure is needed.

===== Telluric Resonance =====

All mesmerists are, by nature, attuned to Z-waves to
a certain extent. However, your affinity for this energy goes
beyond that of most mesmerists. You can sense the flow of
 Only other individuals, but
 very ether itself. This sensitivity allows you to
etect stalwarts and other mesmerists with a fair degree
, as well as sense the use of more powerful 
 dynamic Knacks. You can also tell if a .
entific device relies on telluric energy manipulation to ro
duce its effects.Todetermineifagiveri denoe' 5
an innwahve invention, the player rolls  one suc.
*5 9'V°5 i yes or no answer.
if another character uses a dynamic or '
_ _ _ _ psychic
 a radius of l0 times the mesmerist’s lnspi.
"am" '" "lelefi. the Storyteller secretly makes an Aware.
2:; ml!‘ A d'ﬁ'°“!tY ma)’ aPPl)'. dependent on the class
e power used: standard for a level three Knack, +1
for a level two Knack or +3 for a level one Knack On
success gives the direction and distance to the charactef
r-i.nui=i.| 1-1u;ii:i

====== Level Two Psychic Knacks ======

===== Brainstorm =====

Knackflne of the less common and more feared telepathic
“om s.|as a ‘plaster of Brainstomi you are capable of
Irig ess t an a direct mind-to-mind attack, Viciims
of Brainstorm expenence an instant of total violation then
?|'J1"";le"§e, gtﬂbbing Iagonyin their heads as you bu,-| (he
_ Orfe 0. your will against them. Depending on (he
subjects ability to resist such effects, he may be slightly
make“ °r reduced f‘? 3 9_!l7!*eI‘iI1g wreck. Some victims of
_ power seek retribution upon recovery, as the expe-
rience can be profoundly unnerving.

==== System ====
: The target must be within the mesmerist's
line of sight and within IO times the mesmerist’s inspira.
Ion score in meters. The player spends an inspiration
point and makes a cross-matched (Manipulation + De.
structive facet) roll; the target resists with a Willpower
roll. if the mesmerist has intimate knowledge of the
target 5 psychology (Storytellers discretion, but casual
wl'° "set! the P°WBI‘. as well as what level it is. Three\\\1¢qI1aintance does not suffice), the attacker gains three
succefsszs allow the character to identify the power in
Use, I s e has prior experience with it.

===== Thermal Manipulation =====

Y°“" gifts!’ °l so-called psychokinetic teohniques may
not be sufficient to ignite fires or freeze the air but you
Fifi‘ control over ambient temperature and even af-
Iec ire to some degree. Temperatures are less threaten-
lug to you than nomial — the Sahara at high noon is merely
pleasantlybaliny, while the coldest Russian winter regis.
ters  a bit nippy._With practice, you can even extinguish
small fires or melt ice with the power of your mind

==== System ====
Since each end of the temperature §¢a|e
requires a different mental focus, the character can only
generate Thermal Manipulation for one extreme at a time.
Tg‘ atcltivat? the Knack for the scene, the player de,;|a|-es
w e er s e is protecting against heat or cold, then
spends an inspiration point and rolls Resistance. Each
Zgccess apds. one_to_the character's soak total against
urces ol Iﬂjtlly inﬂicted by that temperature extreme
— Iﬂﬁlﬂdlng fire- or ice-based attacks. A single success
is sufficient to immunize the character against casual ex-
tremes of temperature for up to lZ hours.
_ To extinguish a fire, the character concentrates on
it for the tum. The player rolls Willpower. Every two suc.
pisses, l’€t;l.;(6€ the fire‘; damage effect by one level (see
th ire._ P- F ). A fire whose damage effect drops below
ree is snu fed out entirely. The fire may have a maxi-
mum radius of the chaiacter’s inspiration in meters Melt-
Irlg ice uses the same mechanic, with every two sumesses
tuming one cubic meter's worth of ice to water.
additional dice on his roll. For every net success the mes-
merist has, the target loses one temporary Willpower
point and cannot take any action save fleeing for one sub.
sequent turn. if she is reduced to zero temporary Wi||.
power, she falls unconscious for (8 - Stamina rating)
hours. if the mesmerist botches. the target is forever
immune to all further Brainstonn attacks from him

===== Cloak of Dread =====
_'r'l;on’t,/riakemeangy. ltwoddgo vgy],a®,fo‘.ym~
ab t ere s something preternaturally threatening
0 °"th)‘°lJ,\:l0mething you can focus to dramatic effect
w'?t:_ er‘ he" 7°" Summon up the darkness that lies
I  '!:i)’°|"Y $011!, you gain an aura of palpable menace.
t:elVI|_ ua; lg. lesser prowess shnnk from you in fear as
"' '15 _ lﬂl‘ll>I‘BlI1s yammer about tigers in long black
coats. Animals tend to ﬂee in terror or attack in des-
Peﬁtlcu, depending on their temperaments.

==== System ====
The player spends an inspiration point to
activate Cloak of Dread for the scene. The character's
intimidation Ability score is doubled. Animals run from
him in fear unless they are already comered or are starv-
ing predators. Due to a subliminal belief that any attack
will be met with an instant and devastating reprisal, low_
grade °PP°"9ﬂts (ordinary nameless thugs) go after (5,-.
gets other than the character if possible; otherwise, they
stnke with their least damaging attacks (throwing a Punch
instead of using a knife, say),

===== Evil Eye =====

_ _ This Knack is particularly difficult for psychk (hm.
reticians to document because many of its most poweifi I
practitioners do not believe they’re using psychic power-5,  You may see this Knack as a means of reducing a subject's
basic self-confidence, or you may believe that you have
the power to place a curse on your victims! Whatever your
personal beliefs, the effects of this power are the same.
When you use Evil Eye, you implant beliefs and commands
into your target’s subconscious mind that lessen the effi-
ciency with which his brain and body operate.

==== System ====
: To place a “hex” on a target, the mesmerist
must look him in the eye and make some sort of sign —an
arcane gesture, spitting in the subjects direction, or some
similar act, The player makes a cross- matched (Wits + De-
stnictive facet) roll; if the target is Inspired, the attacker
must also spend an lnspiration point. At the Storyteller's
discretion, the player may gain an additional die ifher char-
acter also declares a suitably dramatic curse to the victim.
Successes on the roll are split between the duration
of the "hex" and its severity, as per the Following tables:
Successes Duration
l the rest of the scene
Z eight hours
3 one day
4 one week
5+ one month
Successes Effects
l +l difficulty to all Willpower,
~ Mental and Social rolls
Z +l difficulty to all rolls
3 +2 difficulty to all rolls; the sub-
ject loses one temporary Will-
power point
4 +2 difficulty to all rolls; the sub-
ject loses two Willpower points
5+ +3 difficulty to all rolls; the sub-
ject loses three Willpower points
A character who loses temporary Willpower points
cannot regain those points until the "hex's” duration ends.
Subsequent attempts to give a character the Evil Eye have
no effect until the first curse expires.
At the Storyteller's discretion, the victim may end
the curse before its natural expiration. Remember that
the Evil Eye is actually a set of telepathic suggestions, so
the problem is not mysticism — it is belief Even the most
rigidly scientific personalities are subject to these sug-
gestions, so lack of belief in psychic phenomena or magic
is no defense against the initial “curse.” lt may, however,
be of aid in subsequent psychotherapy...
Example: Mister Saturday places a hex upon a
troublesome adventurer. Engaging the interloper in con-
versation during a party, the houngan informs the poor
Fool that he 's angered the spirits, Saturday calls down
the wrath of the loa upon his subject. Mister Saturday's
player achieves a whopping six successes and decides to
split these evenly between duration and effects. The
adventurer loses one Willpower and is at +2 difﬁculty to
all his actions For the next Z4 hours.

===== Flame/Frost Conjuration =====
"lgiite a ﬁre with the power ofyourmind? impossible!"
This Knack covers two similar yet distinct talents
derived from the power of the mind. Flame Conjuration
lets you create fire out of nothing, while Frost Conjura-
tion enables you to freeze the very air. These talents are
referred to by layman's terms such as “firestarting" or
“ice throwing“ as well as more scientific labels such as
pyrokinesis and cryokinesis.
Each option sees common use as a psychic weapon,
though more mundane applications are possible.
Pyrokinetics have been known to cook dinner or heat an
apartment with the power of their minds, while
cryokinetics sometimes condense water from the air to '
reduce the humidity or create ice cubes.

==== System ====
: This Knack must be purchased separately
for each type of manifestation, fire or ice; each type can
alsobe used two different ways. Flame Conjuration can heat
a small (hand-sized) area or hurl a fist-sized ball of flame.
Frost Conjuration can freeze a small patch of an object's
surface or freeze the air and project shards of ice crystals,
The mechanics for each work roughly the same; the
pyrokinetic application uses heat and flame while the
cryokinetic version manifests as flash-freezing.
To force an immediate extreme temperature change,
the character affects a target between fingertip and hand-
size at a range of up to Z0 meters times her Perception
rating. The player spends an lnspiration point and rolls
Willpower, the effect sustains itselfa number of tums equal
to the successes rolled. A fire ignited this way bums out
after the time passes, but flammable materials it ignites may
bum longer. An area flash-frozen becomes so frigid and
brittle that it may shatter. Used this way, the Knack has a
three dice lethal damage effect, plus one die for every two
successes the player rolled. Materials affected take a little
while to dissipate the thermal energy; substances such as
metal or stone may be painfully hot or cold to the touch for
several minutes afterward.
When used as a projectile attack, the player spends
an lnspiration point and rolls Awareness as a standard
ranged attack roll. The attack has a range of l0 meters
times the character's Perception rating. lt has a base three
dice lethal damage effect plus the mesmerist’s rating in
her Destructive lnspiration facet. Victims may dodge this
attack as they would dodge any standard ranged attack.
Whether a fireball or an ice blast, the attack travels in a
straight line; neither psychic manipulation nor wind con-
ditions can divert its path. '
At the Storyteller's discretion, the character can
perform minor tricks (lighting a lady's cigarette or warm-
ing dinner for Flame Conjuration; cooling a car's radiator
or keeping ice cream from melting for Frost Conjuration)
without expending an lnspiration point. ln general, if
something looks impressive but doesn't have any impact
on the game beyond looking nifty, don’t require an lnspi-
ration expenditure or a roll for it.
The Storyteller may also allow this Knack to be used
as the basis for electrical generation. This "psychic light.
nlﬂg would generate a spark of electricity (enough to
jump start a car battery, perhaps) or emit a crackling
lightning bolt (damage as above). The Storyteller may
alter certain aspects as he sees fit.

===== Hypnotic Presence =====
You are falling under my spell
With but the slightest effort of your will you can
place most individuals into a light hypnotic trance. While
if 9" A1’-‘TIC ed, they are wholly susceptible to your W,‘V you can extract answers to even the mostprobing ques
tions or implant commands that your victims will never
remember until they Find themselves carrying Hiem pug

==== System ====
: The character must make eye contact with
the subject and concentrate for a tum. The player s nds
an l"5Plr°ll°" P°i"l and rolls Rapport. lf she scorespizore
successes than the victim has dots in lntelligence, the
;1)’P'l°§I5 attempt succeeds. The hypnotic trance lasts for
IO minutes per point of the mesmerist's lnspiration. Dur-
ing this time, the subject must answer any questions posed
to him with the literal truth as he knows it.
To implant a command during the trance, the player
rolls Subterfuge, Each successful command requires a
number of successes equal to the subject's lntelligence,
A command may not directly violate the subject's self.
preservation instincts or basic moral code, but anything
else is fair game. A mesmerist may implant a maximum
number of commands equal to her own Willpower These
commands last for a number of days equal to the
mesmerist’s Command dice pool. after which they fade

===== Inspirational Aura =====
“Once more unto the breach! "
You ‘have discovered one of the keys to maintaining
the cohesion of a group in the face of even the most ex-
treme cnses, With this telepathic talent at your command,
you can reinforce the psyches of your comrades and fol-
lorizers, Gpstilling them with a renewed sense of purpose
2 “FT 'T19"95§_t<_> followyour orders. A sense of right-
ess I slt e recipients, giving them the wherewithal to
tackle with gusto feats that might otherwise give them
pause. Masters of this Knack can convince their subor-
dinates and allies to storm the very gate; of He" armed
with nothing but buckets of ice water.

==== System ====
: The player spends an lnspiration point and
rolls Command. Any difficulties to actions drop by one
for every two successes rolled for the remainder of the
scene (round down; three successes rolled would reduce
any difficulty modifiers by one). This Kna¢k affects each
character working on the mesmerist's side _ bug not
the mesmerist himself — up to a number equaling the
trgetshmenslis lnspiration score._The benefit applies ﬁrst
ose c osest to the mesmerist and can include player
characters and Storyteller characters.
red ghe mesmerist_doesn't benefit from the difficulty
th "C I9", but still gains from this Knack. For the rest of
)9 $¢e"9, the character adds his Reflective facet total to
his Command dice pool when issuing orders to any cham;_

ter who benefited From this Knack — as long as the or-
ders are of an appropriately heroic nature. The Storyteller
has the final say in what is appropriately heroic. g
A character with lnspirational Aura may never gain
the beneﬁt of reduced difficulty through this Knack. ei-
ther via her own use of it or through the inspirational
Aura of another character.

===== Teledigitation =====
“lt was horrifying! These... these ghostly hands apn-
peared and plucked the necklace from about m throat!
Teledigitation is the Knack that mgst informepj
people think of when they hear the word t9lEl(ll‘I8SlS:
While you cannot exert a large amount of sheer teleki-
netic force, you can perfomi highly intricate fine manipu-
lations or even wield weapons! Essentially, Teledigitation
gives you a pair of “spectral hands" that are every bit as
capable as your own physical ones. They can pick a lock,
fire a gun, mix a drink or slap an unwanted suitor. The
hands are invisible unless you choose to make them vis-
ible, in which case they manifest as ghostly outlines or
shimmering idealized images.
_ Teoaigieiimiassepaeweﬁwﬁﬁbm. '
PsyoliicHaifid.>As,suoli.8¢fl?'=*tl"l9ll1°f‘i,"°_9ll"s,' ». ' ~
. the cllafacter an enhlmsil °.ll°°f~,  7
telekinetic Force with finesse! Triggering 
Knacks simultaneously costs one lnspiration ’ '
point; the effect lasts for ai rliimber  
‘ equal to the character's Stamina} vre-We '
both Knacks in effect, the character base
ofPhantom Handswitlia_Strei1gtl1 sooreqquql_ .
toherlntelligence.aDext9'ifity i~=iing“9=mal.q>*,,,1 -..
her Reflective fﬁmélfﬂlhd a maxiriiuﬁt  Pf, I
mwemsni  W "is  ‘ if
in meters per uirn._Ail 0_ulOl"llili'ill2tl0f'\s' 
asp§l‘l,l19T.¢lQ\ll9ll'ill°":"‘ll°$*. ~. ,, ,

==== System ====
: The player spends an lnspiration point to
activate Teledigitation for a number of tums equal to the
character's Stamina + Wits. This power provides a pair
of "spectral hands" that the character can use like a pair
of normal hands, with a range equal to IO times the
character's lnspiration score in meters. The spectral
hands can do anything that a nonnal pair of human hands
can do, acting as if they had Strength l and a Dexterity
score equal to the character's Reﬂective facet + l. lf the
"hands" hold physical objects, they can move at a maxi-
mum speed equal to half the character's walking speed.
The character can take actions with both the spectral
hands and her physical body. but the normal penalties
for multiple actions apply.
The hands provide the character with a sense of
touch comparable to her own. They have no actual physi-
cal substance; attacks pass harrnlessly through them. They
can act independently of one another, to the extent that
a pair of normal human hands possessed by a non-ambi-
dextrous character can, but may move no more than two
meters from each other.
At the Storyteller's discretion the  can
perform minor telekinetic tricks (turning light switches
on and off. Fetching drinks) without expending i|’\'lﬂSpl-
ration point. ln general, if something looks impressive but
doesn't have any impact on the game beyond looking nifty,
don't require an lnspiration expenditure or a roll for it.

====== Level Three Psychic Knacks ======

===== Cloud The Mind =====

As this power's name implies. you are able to cloak
your very presence from lesser individuals. When their
minds are clouded,you arebut a passing breeze and a Flicker
of shadow. barely perceptible to all but the keenest-eyed
observers. This Knack is telepathic by its basic nature —
it only affects the perceptions of living beings who can di-
rectly observe you. Mechanical sensors are unaffected, and
photographs of a scene will still reveal your presence when
developed, even if no observer remembers you being there.

==== System ====
 The player spends an lnspiration point to
activate this Knack, and the character's Stealth Ability iat-
ing is doubled for the scene. No casual observer notices
the character's presence or actions unless the mesmerist
does something blatantly obvious or the observer has a
higher Perception score than the number of successes the
player rolled on Stealth. The Storyteller is always the final
arbiter of what is blatantly obvious, but  geneial
guideline is “anything that directly and noisily ‘affects the
observer or the sun'ounding scenery" (initiating combat
always counts). Picking a lock isn't all that obvious if its
done out of direct sight, but kicking the door in is. V
A searcher who is actively seeking the charactep
(or actively seeking "someone who shouldn't be here,
in the case of an alert patrolling guard) may roll Aware-
ness. lf he scores more successes than the player scored
when activating this power, he pierces the Knack's veil
of ignorance. The character may still use mundane meth-
ods of disguise or camouﬂage in addition to this Knack;
such efforts are resolved normally. _

===== Mindhammer =====
 _ _ n
 withsiandirypsycliicmidit!
As a master of the most overtly powerful teleki-
netic Knack, you command a talent that easily makes up
in sheer destructive potential what it lacks in subtlety.
Mindhammer is little more than a direct telekinetic strike,
an invisible piston of force that can strike hardenough to
splinter wood or shatter bone.

==== System ====
: There's little room for improvisation with
this power: The mesmerist simply smacks her intended
target with a telekinetic wallop. The character must be
able to see her target, which must be within a iange equal
to Z0 meters times the mesmerist’: Perception rating.
The player spends an lnspiration point and makes a cross-
matched (Wits + Awareness) attack roll. Attempts to
dodge the strike are at +Z difficulty because the target
cannot see it coming. if the attack hits, it has a base bash-
ing damage effect equal to the mesmerist's Willpower
rating; extra attack successes add to the damage effect
normally. The area of impact is a perfect circle approxi-
mately the same size as the attacker's clenched fist.

===== Psychic Control =====

This Knack is among the most feared mesmerist
powers. Having the ability to twist another's mind makes
others rather nervous, so you're likely to find even close
friends distancing themselves from you when they dis-
cover what you can do. Conversely, govemments and pri-
vat_e groups alike may well take an unhealthy interest in
you — a nation with a pet mind-controller has an im-
portant new pawn in the game of global politics.

==== System ====
The target must be within a range equal to
IO meters times the mesmerist's Perception score, and
the character must concentrate for a number of minutes
equal to the successes needed (see below). The
mesmerist’s player spends an lnspiration point and a Will-
power point and rolls Command in a resisted action against
the subject's player, who rolls Willpower. Any successes
the defender gets subtract from the mesmerist's ability
to alter his mind. The mesmerist may spend additional
lnspiration for successes on a one-for-one basis.
The degree of change to the target's memory de-
pends on the final successes achieved. One success al-
lows trivial changes (he can't remember his home address,
he thinks the character has a different name); three suc-
cesses applies major alterations (he forgets where he
works, he believes he was married to a woman who never
existed); five successes creates extensive — even di-
sastrous — changes (he forgets to breathe, he remem-
bers being bom in Atlantis five centuries ago).
The mesmerist must decide her intended memory
alteration prior to the attempt; if she doesn't get enough
successes, the change has reduced intensity. The target
may also “buy down” the intensity by spending one Will-
power point immediately after the resisted action, modi-
fying the alteration appropriately. The Storyteller may
make the resisted roll himself to keep the resolution in
doubt and has final say on suitable modifications to the
original intent. Psychic Control can also be used to re-
store a subject's memories that were changed by some
other use of this Knack (certain spies have been placed
in deep cover using this very method).

Example: Count Nil wants Ace Borgstrom to forget ‘
he was ever engaged. The Storyteller says this requires VI
l,three successes, but after the resisted action the dastardh
Count has only two successes. The Storyteller decides Ace
knows he's engaged — he's just not sure who it's to!

===== Psychic Synergy =====

You can coordinate the actions of your underlings
so well that they seem to share a single biain. Whether
through singular leadership, telepathic communication or
some sort of hive consciousness, you can direct your fol-
lowers' behavior to lead to the most efficient outcome.

==== System ====
 The player spends an lnspiration point and
rolls Cofrknd at standard difficulty. If successful, those
loyal to the character may ehgage in complex tasks with-
out the need for communication. The subjects need not
be in the immediate vicinity, but the character must know
exactly who he wants to communicate with. The number
of successes indicates the scale of communication. One
success allows for coordinating with up to a half-dozen
people, three successes is sufficient to direct over a score
ofsubjects, and five successes allows fordirecting at least
lO0 individuals — all without the need for radios or a
chain of command! ln addition, anyone affected by this
Knack may also add their leader's Reflective facet to their
dice pools for the rest of the scene. Finally. everyone af-
fected by this Knack acts on the lnitiative turn indicated
by the highest roll within the group.

===== Sleight Of Will =====

This is arguably one of the most powerful Knacks
in existence, though it is also one of the rarest. With this
power, you can move small objects with naught but an
instant of concentration and a bit of creative visualiza-
tion. While telekinetic powers can achieve similar effects,
Sleight of Will is unique in that the objects it acts upon
do not move through the intervening space! They simply
vanish from one point and appear at another with no vis-
ible motion or expenditure of energy save for a slight
twinkle. To date, no mesmerist skilled in Sleight of Will
has been able to move a person in this fashion (though
rumors persist of particularly powerful mesmerists who
can apport themselves...). "

==== System ====
: The mesmerist can move an object with a
maximum weight equal to her Reflective facet in kilo-
grams between any two points that she can sense within
a radius of Z0 times her Perception in meters. The two
points may be anywhere witltin this radius, as long as she
can see or feel both of them. Other Knacks that allow
remote sensing count for these purposes. To move an
object, the player spends an lnspiration point and makes
a cross-matched (Stamina + Awareness) roll. One suc-
cess is sufficient to move the object. lf the player scores

three or more successes. use of Sleight of Will does not
count as the character's action for this tum — so, with
enough successes, this Knack could move a weapon into
the character’s hand in an instantaneous fast-drawl
lf the mesmerist tries to move an object out of con-
tact with another character‘ the player must defeat the
target’s player in a resisted Willpower roll. (“Out of con-
tact" means anything the target holds or has upon his
person.) Objects moved with Sleight of Will retain all of
their physical and chemical properties, though the mes-
merist may change their orientation as she sees fit. ln
practice‘ this means a falling object continues to fall af-
ter being moved with this Knack, but the mesmerist may
choose for the object to reappear falling upward(though
gravity will soon reverse its course). Objects moving too
fast to track with the naked eye may not be affected with
this Knack, which makes it useless for deflecting bullets
— though it is quite effective at reversing the courses
of thrown objects (such attempts are subject to the niles
for hitting moving targets; see p. Z01). lf the character
wants to change a moving object's course to target a spe-
cific individual, the player makes an Awareness roll at +1
difficulty that counts as an attack roll.

===== Touch of Life =====

Many observers consider you to be touched by God
— or to be a pawn of the Devil. You can exert your will
to heal virtually any injury, bringing your comrades back
from the gates of deathl As long as even the barest spark
of life remains in your subject, you can knit broken bones
and seal torn flesh with your very will.

==== System ====
: The character touches the subject and
spends a minute in concentration‘ The player spends an
Inspiration point and rolls Medicine; each success heals
one level of bashing or lethal damage. For each patient,
the mesmerist can heal up to twice her Reflective facet
in bashing health levels and equal to her Reflective facet
in lethal health levels. The player may allocate the suc-
cesses to the subject as she sees fit. Even if the player
fails the roll, the subject is stabilized and suffers no fur-
ther blood loss or other worsening of condition. A botch,
however, inﬂicts one additional level of bashing damage
on the patient. No subject may benefit from this power
more times in Z4 hours than he has points of Stamina.
{{tag>sys}}
storyteller

User Tools

Site Tools

Page Tools
