Telesthesia

By Dan Coffin (b1gator@camalott.com) with changes by Brandon Quina (lore@tmgbbs.com)

Psykers

I developed this especially for my "B5" chronicle. The elite few with this Arcanos are still a guild (but not a guild by name) and have been absorbed into the Stygian military structure (like the Psi Corps in B5). Much like the Psi Corps, these few wraiths might be the one thing that stand between Oblivion and victory.

[Note: use of this arcanos causes your left palm to become filled with what looks to be a tattoo of deep space (i.e. stars, in various colors). The more you use the arcanos the more stars.]

Basic Abilities

Guarded Thoughts: Before a wraith can learn to plumb the dark depths of an alien mind, he must first learn to master his own. Through meditation and mental exercices, a wraith can learn to structure his thought patterns and strengthen his willpower.

System: To protect the character's mind from others' prying use of Telesthesia, the player rolls Wits + Telesthesia (opponent's level of Telesthesia). All difficulties of Empathy, Sense Deception, and Intimidation rolls against the character are increased by two.

[Signal: You can send a short phrase to someone who you have eye contact with. You have no information about them, or their thoughts with them, merely silent one-way communication.

System: No roll is required unless the target resists. If he does you must roll Wite + Empathy (target's Wits+2). This art costs 1 Pathos.

Confuse: By sending incoherent thoughts to another's mind, you may cause him great confusion. The target knows what you are doing and could get very mad, if not already mad at you.

System: Roll Wits + Empathy (target's Wits+3), each success creates a -1 die penality to all actions, though never below one die. This ar costs 1 Pathos.]

* Second Sight

Through the use of this art, the psyker can use his powers to gaze through the eyes of another. The target will not know that he is being used by the psyker, and the only outward sign of this "possession" of the target's sense of vision is a change in the color of the target's eyes. The natural eye color of the target will change to the eyes color of the psyker's and will remain that way until the effect is discontinued.

System: This art can be used on a mortal or a wraith. The player rolls Manipulation + Telesthesia [Manipulation+Empathy] (target's Wits attribute [target's Wits+3]). This art costs 1 Pathos.

** The Big Picture

With this level of Telesthesia, the psyker can not only "access" his target's sense of vision, as with the first level, but can experience sensory input from all of the target's senses- sight smell, sound, touch, and taste.

System: This art can be used on a mortal or a wraith. the player rolls Manipulation + Telesthesia [Manipulation + Empathy]). This art costs 2 Pathos.

*** Presentiment

By utilizing Telesthesia at this level, a psyker can read a target's surface thoughts. By spending a few moments to concentrate, the psyker can penetrate the target's built-in mental defenses and suddenly "know" whatever the target is thinking at the moment. The information garnered through the use of this art is often superficial and unimportant, but can come in handy is certain instances. Two psykers with *** Presentiment can also share a crude form of telepathic communication, each one reading the other's thoughts and "thinking" a response. Note that this ability does not apply to deep memories, emotions, etc.

System: This art can be used on a mortal or wraith. The player rolls Intelligence + Telesthesia [Intelligence + Empathy] (target's Wits [Wits + 3] attribute ). If the player botches a roll, not only does the attempt fail, but the target becomes aware of the psyker's attempt to read his thoughts. This art costs 2 Pathos.

**** Plumb the Ego

This art allows the psyker to delve into the depths of the target's deep consciousness, revealing those thoughts that the target would hide from others (and sometimes even himself). Any information in the target's mind is open to the psyker should he succeed in his attempt to use this art, including deep-seated memories, dreams, emotions, truths, etc. While this art can be used for healing or therapeutic purposes, it is most often utilized in a more insidious and hurtful manner; to tear information violently from an unwilling victim's mind. Such "mind rape" is damaging to the victim and is a serious crime punishable by discorporation in Stygia.

System: This art can be used on a mortal or wraith. The player rolls Intelligence + Telesthesia [Manipulation + Empathy] (target's Wits [Wits + 4] attribute) to first enter the target's deep consciousness. To find a particular thought, memory, or emotion, the player rolls Perception + Telesthesia [Perception + Empathy] (target's Intelligence [Intelligence + 3]). If the player botches a roll, the art not only fails, but the target knows of the character's intrusion into her mind. With a successful Willpower roll, the target can expel the psyker from her mind.

***** Whispers of the Conscious

With this highest level of Telesthesia, the psyker can use his power to transmit his thoughts, usually just one or two sentences, to his chosen target. The target cannot communicate directly back unless he has Telesthesia at this level as well, but by using this art in concert with *** Presentiment, a psyker can read his target's surface thoughts and then send a reposnse.

System: This art can be used on a mortal or wraith. The player rolls Manipulation + Telesthesia (target's Intelligence) to successfully send a message. Only 1 success is needed to send a few words, 2 successes for a sentence, or 3 success for a picture or esoteric concept (i.e. broadcasting "love").

With this art the character can reconstruct whole segments of the targets memory. Or destroy the same memories. This can be therapeutic, but can also be used for destructive purposes. This is a very difficult art, and is only attempted if sorely needed for some reason, because of the drain it places on the psyker. Note: 'Destroyed' memories are still there, but are seal up behind mental blocks.

System: This art may be used on a mortal or wraith. The player rolls Intelligence + Empathy (Targets Wits +4) to enter the target's deep conscious. To modify or erase memories the player makes a Manipulation + Empathy resisted by the target's willpower. (Difficulty of 6 for psyker, and 8 for the target). The psyker needs to get 10 successes to change or erase memories. If willing, the target doesn't need to resist. A botch on this roll causes the memories of the psyker and the target to overlap confusing their own memories for another's. Each roll the psyker makes cost 1 Pathos. The art (not each roll) also grants 3 angst.]