An Introduction to the Mindscape

A term dredged up from the early texts concerning the Ancients known only as ‘the Mindriders,’ the Mindscape

is what the greater telepath community call the collective energy of all thoughts. Perceived in a variety of ways by a

multitude of telepaths, it is often compared to an alternate or parallel dimension of sorts. The Mindscape is where

telepaths find others’ thoughts floating in the ether or swim with their own minds in search of other mental presences.

The various alien races have different names for the ‘place’ that theorists call the Mindscape but they all translate

roughly the same. While the Mindscape is not truly a location or dimension such as hyperspace, it does have a

bearing on how telepaths see or hear the world. It can be empty as a void or crowded like a traffic jam and only the

telepaths would ever know the difference.

While it is almost impossible to actually describe the Mindscape to any mundane without falling short of what

it actually feels like, there are matching guidelines that seem to describe it from every telepathic culture.

The following entries are some of the most prominent ‘facts’ about the Mindscape

and what it means to telepaths who perceive things through it.

The Cacophony of Stray Thoughts

Telepaths have a gift like none other but it does not come without cost. Mundanes have no way of knowing how

‘loudly’ they are thinking or the kind of tumultuous sound their constant and echoing thoughts create. Telepaths

have to constantly keep their minds partly closed to the hum and buzz of outside thoughts in the Mindscape. The

more minds placed in a location, the louder the mental noise. If emotions are high in these places, the noise can be

downright deafening. This is partly why places like sports arenas, busy gambling halls and mental health facilities are

commonly avoided by telepaths – the noise of mundane thought is just too much for them.

If a telepath is placed in a position where overwhelming mental noise could fill the Mindscape around him (Games

Master’s discretion), he might be required to first take a DC 15 Concentration check with the telepathy skill in order to push aside the noise long enough to use a Telepathic Ability, this check is made prior to any rolls for any telepathic abilities.

In particularly bad areas, like the examples given above, a failure on this roll should result in 1d4 nonlethal damage from the barrage of thoughts crushing their way into the telepath’s mind.

‘I’ve ordered my Sleepers from the Humans; I only hope they get here before the Interstellar Worlds Cup.I have midfield seats!’

- Rezzinex Purgot, Syndicracy Psionic Union

What You Cannot See Can Hurt You

Most telepaths are capable of blocking their presence in the Mindscape or at least dulling it to the point of

seeming much less powerful than they are. Telepaths that do not want to be bothered by others of their kind will

often constantly dull their presence in the Mindscape. They flare brightly for just a moment in order to use

their gift before sinking back behind mental blocks and covers. This practice means that there are some extremely

powerful minds roaming around the galaxy that could be shielded from view. Other telepaths will not be able

to see these mental giants, making them a stealthy danger in the Mindscape.

In game terms, the use of the Bland Mind variation of the mind mirror power effectively cloaks a telepath’s presence

in the Mindscape, as does the new Mindwraith feat

‘There is nothing more unsettling than meeting someone face to face that you know to be a teep and they’re frakkin’ invisible in the ‘scape. Eerie, it is.’

- Herman Ferriman, Freelance Scannist

Echoes and Ghosts

Strong emotional energies influence the Mindscape and none are stronger than those released at the time of

death. The Mindscape becomes extremely thin whenever someone’s mind is fading from life. So thin, in fact, that

telepaths can often see the imagery going through the mind of the dying. Some see a vortex of light, others a dark path

or even music and welcoming friends to guide them. No matter what the images seen by the dying mind, a telepath

must be careful not to focus too much on the Mindscape at that time. The emotional strength of such an event could

draw the telepath’s mind into the Mindscape forever. A sudden death rarely triggers such things but any type of

lasting pain or suffering can.

There has even been note of some mind energies lingering for years near the place of their demise. Supernaturallycharged

theorists call these energies ghosts but most telepaths choose to refer to them as ‘posthumous echoes.’

At the Games Master’s discretion, a telepath could view the Mindscape while someone is dying, possibly seeing a

vision of passing over. If this is the case, the telepath can use the Surface Scan ability upon the dying individual

without needing to pass a Telepathy check. The use of this power will look and feel to the telepath like a normal

conversation but it will take place solely in the Mindscape. If the telepath remains in the conversation too long, he

will need to pass a telepathy skill Concentration check DC 20 or suffer one point of permanent Wisdom damage as his or her

mental presence is drawn into the Mindscape. This check must be made consecutively until passed, with the telepath

becoming a mindless vegetable at Wisdom 0.

‘I have heard about the infamous necropaths of the Brakiri and their ritual scanning of the dying. I did it once for a friend and I cannot see how they can ever choose to do it.Some things should be left alone.’

- Vendalla Ymri, Abbai Mentalist

Lexicon

The following is a list of terms used in the galaxy that refer to telepath-related topics:

Architect – Nickname used to describe a telepath specialised in false memory implantation.

Battering Ram – Term used to describe any telepathic technique designed to smash through mental barriers and blocks, heedless of the safety of the target.

Blip – Derogatory Psi Corps term for any Human telepath not registered with their organization.

Bogeyman – Slang term used to describe a telepath that uses implanted thoughts to terrify sleeping targets.

Cold Scan – Term used to describe the random scanning of unsuspecting or uninformed targets.

Eavesdropping – Slang term used to describe when a telepath is scanning a conversation without the targets’ knowledge.

Echo/Ghost – Term used in reference to any mental images left behind in the Mindscape when a person dies.

Escapist – Slang term used for a telepath that spends a great amount of time scanning the Mindscape instead of interacting with the physical world.

Fastball – Slang term used to describe a single telepathic sending without warning or subtlety.

First-Person Effect –Term used to describe how a telepath will sometimes be placed in a firstperson view of scanned events, causing small errors in how things are perceived in some crossspecies scanning.

Fog – Generally accepted term used to describe the cloud of ambient thoughts through which telepaths must ‘see’ to find others’ minds.

Frankenstein – Derogatory term used by telepaths to describe other telepaths who have undergone chemical or genetic enhancement to their abilities.

‘Gloves and Pins’ – Derogatory slang phrase used by non-Human telepaths to describe the members of the Psi Corps.

Hothead – Derogatory term used to describe Drazi telepaths.

Incubus – The male version of the Succubus.

Launderer – Slang term used to describe a telepath specialised in mindwipes and brainwashing; occasionally derogatory.

‘Leaving the Door Unlocked’ – Slang phrase used by telepaths to describe a mind that has had a post-telepathic suggestion added to make later contact easier. his or her ability to harm others physically.

Mindrider – The generally accepted name for a species of First One supposedly linked with telepathy, rumoured to have been creatures of pure thought.

Mundane – Term used to describe a nontelepathic being; often derogatory.

Music Box – Slang term used to describe a mundane trained to use songs and limericks to help block telepathic content.

Noise – Term used to describe the overall mental ‘sound’ created by numbers of minds together.

Puppeteer – Slang term for a telepath that specialises in controlling others’ actions through telepathy

Rent-a-Mental – Derogatory term used by telepaths to describe a telepath who hires his or her telepathic services out to the highest bidder.

Rogue – Common term used to describe any nonregistered telepath from a culture that requires them to register with a specific organization.

Succubus – Slang term, sometimes derogatory, for a female telepath who uses seduction to make stronger telepathic contacts with targets.

Superman – Slang term used for a telepath who has chosen the Mentalist path

Teep – Slang term for anyone with telepathic talents; occasionally derogatory.

Teek – Slang term for anyone with telekinetic talent; occasionally derogatory when used by other telepaths.

Think Tank – Slang term used to describe any large group of telepaths.

Warmind – Slang term, sometimes derogatory, used to describe a telepathic soldier who uses his

or her abilities commonly as a weapon or other wartime resource.

The Day of the Dead - Mindscape Related?

Even though it only occurs once every two hundred years, the Day of the Dead is a powerful

holiday observed by Brakiri all over the galaxy. A comet that has circled Brakiri space for as

long as they have had historic records passes and bathes the whole area in its glittering energies.

Those who are bathed in its passing are given access to the spirits of the deceased for roughly

ten standard hours. This phenomenon is very specific as to where it occurs, even following

legal and nonsensical borders like embassy grounds and purchased or leased territories.

The only theory that holds up to any reasonable scrutiny is that the comet is some kind of

Mindrider experiment or artefact in motion,boosting the Mindscape in the areas of Brakiri

minds that believe in the holiday and the comet’s power. If collective faith of the believers was

strong enough, perhaps the Mindscape would drag old mind echoes back to the perceptions

of those caught in these areas. Why or who the individuals might perceive varies greatly

depending on what sort of energies they might be carrying with them but the Mindscape is

made powerful enough to show them.

This theory is not fool proof, nor does it help anyone understand why the comet

behaves as it does, but it does have an adverse effect on telepaths drawn into Day of the

Dead territories. All P-levels are raised by an effective 2d6 during the ten hour window,

lending even more credence to the overall idea behind the holiday.

Mindrider Capabilities

The Mindriders, even the smallest gathering of them like the one inside Thoughtforce, are absolutely the most

powerful telepathic forces ever to exist in the galaxy. Any and all telepathic abilities and functions usable by

the spacefaring races of the Third Age are like parlour tricks when compared to the telepathic capacity of the

Mindriders. They can, at a whim, sculpt and manipulate energy and matter with the speed of a thought.

In game terms, a single Mindrider can choose to perform any number of telepathic abilities in a single action without

needing to make any form of Telepathy skill check(s). These powers are performed with the strength of an

effective P-Rating of 20 and there are no natural defences to their abilities. Only chemical or technological barriers

(Cerebral blocker, BlNk-44X and so on) can possibly stop a Mindrider telepathic ability – and even then only on a

roll of a natural 20 on a d20.