Preternaturalism

Preternaturalism Rules

Preternaturalism on its own is the separation of the natural and the supernatural however preternatural magic is often categorized also as "psychic magic" by humans due to its focus on the mind and the link to the occult.

Mental Spells

Preternaturalism spells are all cast through the mind, and unlike normal spells in that they often require the user to exercise their mind to summon a spell, sometimes leading to great mental anguish for the caster due to the strain it can cause.

Due to the nature of the spells however, they all go against Mental Defense unless otherwise specified, and often deal psychokinetic damage. Psychokinetic damage is damage dealt through mental attacks, characterized by internal swelling of the brain and causing convulsions and seizures.

Immunity to mind-affecting effects makes characters immune to psychokinetic damage, and Preternaturalism spells which target Mental Defense. In addition to this, immunity to mind-affecting effects means you cannot use any Preternaturalism spells, even if you have learned how to.

Mental Illnesses

Characters who undergo traumatic events sometimes end up becoming Preternaturalists themselves, especially if it's a supernaturally traumatic event in which their mind is being rend asunder by the very nature of what they're seeing. Magically traumatic events sometimes (10% of the time) produce Preternaturalists while naturally traumatic events rarely (1% of the time) produce Preternaturalists.

If a character is suffering from a mental illness already, there's a chance their mental illness may attempt to lead them into digging deeper and discovering latent psychic potential. These are often dangerous semi-real hallucinations which guide the way, directing them to what they must do (which normally includes horrible, disturbing practices which only further deteriorate their mind).

Characters can attempt to forcibly summon this entity if they're mentally ill, requiring a DC 30 roll adding only your Reason and Common Sense sub-ability scores to this roll. If you succeed, the entity will show itself and help guide you as above.

The psychic entity guiding you reduces your Sanity by 1d6 for each minute you interact with it, and in order to acquire psychic power it will ask you to perform a task which will deal another 3d4 to your Sanity upon completion. If you agree and take the Sanity damage, you become a psychic (and thus are a Spellcaster) and acquire the Telekinesis spell free.

Learning Preternaturalism Spells

These spells are typically learned by sacrificing Spells you would normally gain from your Occupation or advancement. Some may need to be learned by completing a special task, however these are the exception rather than the norm.

Stamina

Preternaturalism spells still cost Stamina just like normal spells, using half the MP cost for the Stamina cost. This isn't due to physical exertion through movements however and is instead the spell taking its toll on their body, maiming and injuring them. Hit Points may also be spent like Stamina for Preternaturalism spells at a 1:1 ratio, causing nosebleeds at least and at its most extreme causing blood to ooze from every orifice they have, sometimes even oozing from the very pores of their body.

Preternaturalism Spells

Telekinesis

MP Cost: 5 | Duration: 2d4+Secondary Attribute rounds | Range: 12 squares

You are able to lift, manipulate, and interact with items within the spell's range (12 squares), for carrying the items, they cannot exceed weight equal to the following: (Spellcasting Attribute * 40) + (Secondary Attribute * 30).

You can manipulate multiple objects at once, so long as their total weight doesn't exceed your Telekinesis' weight limit. In addition to this objects you can lift can float around you in an orbit if you choose to do so.

Thought Transfer

MP Cost: 4 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 6 squares

On a successful hit with a Spellcasting check versus Mental Defense, you can successfully begin stealing an opponent's memories and thoughts. For each round you maintain control of this spell, you can steal additional memories. Maintaining this spell doesn't cost any Stamina or take any actions, but prevents casting of any other spell. After 4 rounds a victim's thoughts will have been fully stolen, allowing for sifting through their memories to learn what you can. These thoughts are temporary and fade after 24 hours.

Mirrored Mind

MP Cost: 4 | Duration: 1 minute | Range: 6 squares

Choose an ally within the spell's range to target; upon casting this spell both you and your ally 'share thoughts' as if you were both of one mind. While under the effects of a mind reading spell your ally is detected as having the same thoughts as you. Their own thoughts are unable to be read without first bypassing your own Mental Defense.

Read Thoughts

MP Cost: 4 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 6 square cone

You can emit a 6 square cone in front of you; and on a successful Spellcasting check versus the Mental Defense of those within the cone, their minds are read and all of their innermost thoughts are known to you immediately. This flood of thoughts is overwhelming if too many thoughts are coming in at once, if you read the thoughts of more people than your Reason score, you suffer Confusion at Moderate Intensity for 1 round.

Repeat Action

MP Cost: 10 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 8 squares

Choose an enemy within 8 squares of you, and on a successful Spellcasting check versus their Mental Defense they must repeat their last action they took on their upcoming turn. If the opponent affected by this is attacked by anyone before this effect resolves they are able to act normally but instead suffer from Confusion and Flat-Footed at Low Intensity until the end of their next turn.

Unnatural Charm

MP Cost: 6 | Duration: See below | Range: Melee

By taking some form of intimate action against someone within melee reach of you (such as kissing, hugging, or other appropriate actions) you can attempt to persuade them subtly through both relying on their natural instincts as well as altering the way their mind sees this to be more favorable towards you. On a successful Spellcasting check versus the opponent's Mental Defense they are forcibly a attracted to you (even if they would not normally be) and see you as a love interest, willing to do whatever you desire so long as it brings them closer to you. These requests cannot extend to self harm, but can extend to indirect harm of loved ones.

This spell lasts for 1 day, however the feelings of 'love' linger beyond the normal duration, creating great confusion and disgust in the original recipient. This can also develop into an unhealthy obsession, causing some to desire you in more erratic and dangerous ways that even the spell couldn't have brought to fruition...

Reopen Wounds

MP Cost: 10 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 6 square radius

Everyone (including allies) within 6 squares of you has a Spellcasting check made against their Bodily Defense. On a successful hit, any healing spells they have been affected by within the past minute are undone, resulting in injuries bursting and bleeding once more. Remove any healing effects from those caught within the radius, even that of regenerated limbs and beings having been brought back to life from death.

Dreamscape

MP Cost: 6 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 4 square radius

All opponents within a 4 square radius have a Spellcasting check made against their Mental Defense. On a successful hit, they suffer from Unconsciousness at Low Intensity for 1d6+1 rounds. Additional hits of this add to the duration in addition to increasing the intensity, however if the intensity is brought to Severe the duration transforms from rounds to minutes instead.

Mind Ray

MP Cost: 5 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 6 squares

Against a single opponent you may make a Spellcasting check against their Mental Defense. On a successful hit, they lose 2d4 points of Sanity plus your Primary Attribute.

Madman's Laughter

MP Cost: 8 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 6 square radius

Make a Spellcasting check against the Mental Defense of everyone within a 6 square radius of you. Those who are hit lose 1d8 Resolve per point of your Secondary Attribute.

Mind Shield

MP Cost: 14 | Duration: 1 minute per Primary Attribute | Range: Self

You can create a barrier which acts as a protection against psychic attacks. In addition to a bonus to your Mental Defense equal to the average of your Primary and Secondary Attributes, you also receive a set of Defense Points equal to your Primary Attribute multiplied by your Secondary Attribute. These Defense Points only apply against psychokinetic damage, or spells which deal damage that require to hit Mental Defense. This includes damage like "Sanity Damage" and "Resolve Damage".

Delusions of Grandeur

MP Cost: 9 | Duration: 1 round per Primary Attribute | Range: 6 squares

Choose a target within 6 squares and make a Spellcasting check against their Mental Defense. For the duration of the spell the creature affected refuses help from allies including healing, or other such benefits. In addition to this, they take a -2 penalty to all checks.

Succubi's Grace

MP Cost: 10 | Duration: 1 hour per Secondary Attribute | Range: 6 squares

Make a Seduction or Spellcasting check against an opponent's Mental Defense. On a successful hit, they are utterly enraptured by you and seek to become physical and intimate with you, even if it means danger. They will follow almost any command (see below) and will follow you regardless of any outside circumstances. Characters who wouldn't normally be sexually attracted to you due to sexuality receive a +5 bonus to their Mental Defense against this. Other bonuses and penalties are up to the GM (for example, PCs should receive a +10 bonus to Mental Defense versus this if an Aberrant creature cast it).

Commands the character wouldn't normally take require another check (using Spellcasting or Seduction) against their Mental Defense with an additional +10 bonus. These are actions such as harming family members or loved ones, or committing grievous crimes or sins. A guard obeying duty would require this check if commanded to attack his friend and fellow guardsman, but no check is needed for a command such as abandoning his post for an ale.

Angered Rant

MP Cost: 7 | Duration: 1 minute per Primary Attribute | Range: 6 squares

Make a Spellcasting check against the Mental Defense of the target creature, and on a successful roll the creature begins ranting and raving uncontrollably, letting off steam as well as kicking up a frenzy (of words, specifically). In combat they are unable to act unless broken from this spell; attacking the affected creature or using physical force on them (such as a slap or shaking them) snaps them out of it.

Those who listen to the rant have a check made against their Mental Defense which counts as the Storytelling skill by the ranter yet uses your Spellcasting in place of it if your Spellcasting would be higher. Any bonuses they receive to Storytelling also apply to your Spellcasting check. Those whose Mental Defenses are rallied to the speech and begin listening intently to it imposing a -20 on all Sense based skills for them. This penalty lasts until the rant ends.

Euphoria

MP Cost: 11 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 4 square cone

Make a Spellcasting check against the Mental Defense of all of those within the cone. Those who are hit by this cone of euphoric bliss are afflicted with Dazed at Moderate Intensity for 1 round. If someone is hit by this spell they cannot be affected by repeat castings of the spell by the same caster within the same day.

Placebo

MP Cost: 5 | Duration: 1d4+1 rounds | Range: Adjacent ally

You can touch an adjacent and willing ally, and with this spell the effects of a single negative status effect are negated for the duration of the spell. Once the spell's duration is over the status effect returns however.

Imprinted Event

MP Cost: 8 | Duration: Instantaneous | Range: 12 square radius

In a 12 square radius centered on yourself, you can learn information from the surrounding area regarding important and recent events. Events which are important or traumatic leave stronger imprints which last longer, and can be detected up to 1 month after they've happened (or longer at GM's discretion). Otherwise recent events can only be detected 1d4 days before (rolled when casting the spell), giving you a blurry image of what's happened in the surrounding area, like a foggy dream. This may or may not reveal useful information at GM's discretion, however looking for more obvious clues this way should be relatively easy.

White Noise

MP Cost: 12 | Duration: 2d4 rounds | Range: 6 square radius

You can select an area within 12 squares to drop a 6 square radius of droning white noise and static, interrupting any ability to hear to those within it. Creatures within the radius who are capable of hearing receive an attack against their Mental Defense, and on a successful hit they are Deafened at Low Intensity until they leave the radius, and each round they remain in the radius they receive another attack which can increase the intensity.

Leaving the radius causes the Deafened intensity to go down by 1 stage per round.

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