Sykers

Edge: Arcane Background (Syker)

Requirements: Wild Card, Novice, Psionics d6+, Smarts d8+

Arcane Skill: Psionics (Smarts)

Power Points: 10

Starting Powers: 3

Backlash: When a syker rolls a 1 on his Psionics die, he suffers severe brainburn that causes 2d6 damage plus half the Power Points he was about to spend. If the ability required 4 Power Points, for example, brainburn would cause 2d6+2 damage.

Available Powers: Armor, barrier, beast friend, backwash, blind, bolt, boost/lower Trait, confusion, deflection, detect/conceal arcana, disguise, drain power points, farsight, fear, fly, havoc, healing (self only), invisibility, mind reading, mindlink, mindwipe, puppet, quickness, slow, slow burn, slumber, smite, speak language, speed, stun, succor, telekinesis, telekinetic squeeze, wall walker.

Special Rules:

• Baldness: Syker powers burn out the user’s hair follicles. It can be regrown if the syker ceases to use his powers, but begins to fall out quickly the moment he resumes.

History

The governments of the world learned much in their long and deadly struggle against the Reckoning. In America, the Agency and the Texas Rangers captured numerous creatures, studied countless spellslingers, and eventually even learned of the Hunting Grounds and the dark secret behind ghost rock and mad science. These governments—along with others around the world—looked for ways to tap directly into this power and create a new breed of “super soldiers.”

The answer came in the form of Asian priests and martial artists. These individuals had managed to tap into the power of the Hunting Grounds directly, without dealing with manitous, nature spirits, or higher beings for their powers. Their power was channeled directly through their psyches and shaped by mental training. After several world wars, it was clear sykers were powerful battlefield agents, but their real strength lay in intelligence, misdirection and obfuscation. By World War II, every major government employed these mind warriors as spies and commandos.

The Faraway War

In 2044, Hellstromme Industries opened the Tunnel, a gateway in space that allowed ships to fly through and come out in a distant corner of the galaxy called the “Faraway System.” Faraway had seven planets orbiting the local star, most of which were useless hunks of rock, but the fourth planet, Banshee, was inhabited by a primitive race called the anouks, or “grapes” for their purple color. More importantly, Banshee had ghost rock. Mining operations started almost immediately despite frequent conflict with the anouks. But despite their prowess, the anouks didn’t have a chance against the high-tech weapons of Hellstromme Industries and later the United Nations marines.

Not until the appearance of the Skinnies. These grotesque creatures appeared to be abnormally emaciated anouks, but it soon became clear they possessed supreme mental abilities. Embraced by the battered anouks, these terrible creatures wiped out colonial settlements and isolated military outposts at an alarming rate. UN General Paul “Overkill” Warfield was tasked with stopping the growing “revolt.” Warfield realized the skinnies were extremely powerful psionics and called on the UN member nations to send sykers to Banshee. They were organized into the United Nations Syker Legion—or the Legion, for short. Once the Legion arrived, the UN forces went on the offensive. Warfield’s sykers were at the forefront of countless battles to exterminate the “grapes” and their skinny overlords. Sykers also infiltrated human sympathizer groups and used their mental manipulation to turn their rebellious followers on each other.

Near the end, sykers wound up fighting alongside UN troops as they assaulted the anouk villages and eventually the skinnies’ fortresses. The Legion had almost won when the Last War broke out and the nations of Earth recalled their conventional forces. The Psychic Legion was left behind in a vain attempt to organize the colonists against the rebels and anouks, a force the leaders back on Earth rationalized as nearly defeated. Sykers and a handful of Colonial Rangers organized defenses all over Banshee, but the numbers were too great.

Then the sykers were recalled as well. Some went gladly, happy to escape the lost cause. Others resisted but were compelled to return by force or coercion and leave the colonists behind. In 2081, the last remaining sykers boarded a Hellstromme Industries ship called the Unity and returned home through the Tunnel. Shortly after, the Tunnel collapsed and the colonists on Banshee were left to their fate (a tale told in Deadlands Lost Colony). The battered sykers became close in these final days. While in transit, they swore the “Oath of Unity,” after the ship they traveled on. They vowed never to harmeach other, no matter who gave them the order. Those who break this oath are called Oathbreakers, and those who declined to take it are called “Apostates.” One very powerful syker, a member of the Voodoo Guru platoon, even managed to somehow burn a permanent “A” on these individuals’ heads. There is no love lost between Oathtakers, Oathbreakers, and Apostates in the Wasted West. Most of them blast on sight.

The bombs fell while the Faraway sykers were in transit. They arrived in our solar system to find the Earth in ruins. Most eventually boarded drop pods and landed in Houston, Texas, then wandered on their own or in small groups from there.

Earth Sykers

While the Legion was battling anouks and skinnies on Faraway, desperate generals back on Earth threw their remaining sykers into traditional attacks and defenses. But their powers of infiltration and subversion were no match for machine guns, laser guided bombs, and hovertanks. Even their ability to cloud minds meant little when faced with mindless warbots crawling across blasted battlefields. The most talented sykers quickly developed new powers better suited to this style of war. Many became killing machines whose only purpose was to destroy everything in their path. It’s been said that if a Faraway syker is a knife, an Earth syker is a tire iron.

Syker Hindrances

Apostate/Oathbreaker (Major)

Apostates are Banshee sykers who refused to take the Oath of Unity as it returned to Earth. All of the Apostates had a black “A” singed onto their forehead by a group of sykers called the Voodoo Gurus. This is permanent and cannot be removed. Most Apostates are villains, but some refused for reasons of loyalty to their nation or because they didn’t trust the other members of the “bald-headed brotherhood.” Whatever the reason, if your character is an Apostate, other sykers who aren’t are enemies. Most are likely to look for a reason to fight (to the death). If your character swore the oath and later broke it, she’s an Oathbreaker instead. She didn’t get the black A on her forehead, but if a rival Oathtaker discovers the treachery, he is honor-bound by the oath to kill her.

Oath of Unity (Minor)

Your character is one of the Faraway sykers who swore the Oath of Unity. He’s vowed never to harm another syker who also took the oath except in self-defense.

Psyker Edges

Fortitude

Requirements: Novice, Arcanebackground (Psionics), Psionics d8+, Faraway syker

This was a skill perfected on Banshee to help the sykers of the UN Legion combat the supremely powerful skinnies. A syker can suffer a level of Fatigue to gain +d6 Power Points, or two levels of Fatigue to gain 2d6 Power Points. This is a free action. The syker may not Incapacitate herself with this Edge. Fatigue accumulated in this way may be recovered by silent, still meditation or sleep at the rate of one level every four hours.

Overkill

Requirements: Novice, Arcanebackground (Psionics), Psionics d8+, Earthsyker

Earth sykers who found themselves thrown on the battlefields of the Last War were unprepared to fight battles against hovertanks, hordes of infantry, and warbots. Those who survived did so by learning to boost their powers by spending bits of their souls. A syker who has this Edge can increase the damage of a single psychic attack by incurring one level of Fatigue for an extra 2d6 damage, or two levels for an extra 3d6 damage. This must be decided before damage is rolled.

Bonus damage applies to a single damage total. If the power has multiple attacks (such as projecting two bolts), the syker may add the damage to two totals by suffering two levels of Fatigue (Exhaustion). The syker may not Incapacitate herself with this Edge. Fatigue accumulated in this way may be recovered by silent, still meditation or sleep at the rate of one level every four hours.

Syker Equipment

The various governments of the world developed a multitude of equipment to make their sykers even more effective. Added to that arsenal, mind freaks who fought on Banshee found a variety of psychic-boosting items that were used to level out the playing field when taking on the awesome power of the skinnies.

Amanitrol:

This drug is made in crude syker-run labs from common mushrooms and fungi found throughout the world. It makes it easier for sykers to concentrate, allowing them to maintain multiple powers with no modifier to their Psionics roll for 2d6 rounds. It does dull the other senses, though, causing a –2 to all Agility-based skills.

Cost: $100/dose; Scarcity: Uncommon.

Axor:

This drug was developed by the Mexican government back in the 20th Century, but its secret soon spread, and huge stockpiles were maintained by a host of nations, including the US and CSA. While impossible to make these days, there is still plenty to go around if you can find a stash. It makes it easier for sykers to concentrate, giving them a +2 to their Psionics rolls for 2d6 rounds.

Cost: $100/dose; Scarcity: Scarce

Banshee Stones:

A mineral found only on Banshee, sykolite was used by skinnies in a variety of types of jewelry or even hung from their necks by thongs. Experimentation by human scientists showed that this so-called Banshee stone acted as a sponge for psionic energy. These golf ball-sized stones have 2d6 Power Points when found or purchased. Sykers who wear them can access these Points for their own abilities. These Power Points return at the rate of 1/ day, and if ever drained down to zero, lose 1 Point permanently.

Cost: $1000/Power Point; Scarcity:

Unique (only available at the Marshal’s discretion)

Green Bird of Heaven:

Developed by Chinese scientists in 2020 and distributed in sticks of incense, Green Bird of Heaven makes it easier for sykers to rest and recharge their meridians. When burned in an enclosed space, this incense allows a syker to regain Power Points at double their normal rate. Powerful headaches sometimes result, though. A Vigor roll must be made to prevent the mind freak from becoming Fatigued for 24 hours.

Cost: $50/dose; Scarcity: Uncommon (Great Maze); Rare elsewhere

Red:

First developed from a plant on Banshee, this drug soon became so popular with sykers that seedlings were sent back to Earth, where it was grown in secret government labs. Many a clash has been fought by sykers over this resource, not only due to the power it gives them, but also due to its addictive properties. Red gives a syker 5 more Power Points that can be used in the next 2 hours, but is powerfully addictive. If used less than once a week, a brainiac needs to make a Spirit roll at +2 or gain a Fatigue level. If used more than once in a 7 day period, the Spirit roll is made normally. A 1 on this roll gains the hero the Major Habit Hindrance, which in turn causes a –1 to all Psionics rolls when not under the influence of Red. Snake eyes requires a Vigor roll from the syker. Failure means she turns into a “Red Zombie” (use walkin’ dead statistics but with red skin and the poor schmuck’s Psionic powers—time to make up a new character).

Cost: $200/dose; Scarcity: Rare

Sykoactive Helmet:

The sykoactive helmet was issued to sykers of both sides. Ordinary helmets often interfered with sykers’ abilities so a special helmet was developed. This helmet was made of specially tempered ghost steel that allowed the arcane energies used by the brainburners to freely pass through it. The helmet has all of the features listed for the Infantry Battlesuit helmet and grants Armor +2 to the head. The downside to this helmet is that continued use eventually causes the metal to become brittle. Roll 2d4 each time a syker uses an ability while wearing the helmet. The helmet’s Armor rating drops by 1 if the roll comes up snake eyes.

Cost: $5000; Scarcity: Very Rare

TSAR:

The Telepathically Sensitive Assault Rifle was manufactured exclusively by Hellstromme Industries before the war. The top part of the rifle is an ordinary assault rifle firing 5.56mm rounds (Range 24/48/96, Damage 2d8, ROF 3, Shots 30, Min Str d6, AP 2, 3RB). Slung under the barrel, however, is a gyrojet launcher from which the weapon gets its name. A syker plugs a cable into his head, which allows him to interface with the weapon’s electronics, locking onto the brainwaves of the target and sending a gyrojet round out to seek and destroy the poor sucker’s head. The round will fly around corners, up and over walls, and even go through heavy cover to hit its victim. The syker must make a Psionics roll (modified by cover) opposed by the target’s Smarts. If the syker wins, the round hits doing 3d10+4 damage (as a called shot to the head). On a tie, the round hits but does not get the head shot bonus. Harrowed can be targeted by TSAR rounds, but not walkin’ dead.

Cost: $3000 (ammo $100/round);

Scarcity: Rare (ammo: Very Rare)

Psyker Powers

Jump to the Savage Arcane Powers List

Several of the powers below were developed by either Earth or Faraway sykers. By this time, however, the knowledge has been shared and either variety may use them.

Backwash

Rank: Seasoned

Power Points: 3

Range: Smarts x Miles

Duration: Instant

This dangerous and highly-specialized power allows a syker to send a powerful and dangerous surge along a psychic link from a target to its source. If an ally is the subject of puppet, for example, a syker could use backwash to send a mental blast back along the psionic link and attack the puppeteer. The syker nominates a character currently affected by another characters’ power. The syker and original caster then make opposed arcane skill rolls. If the enemy is anything other than another syker, the attacker suffers a –2 penalty. If the target loses, he suffers 3d6 damage. If the attacker loses, he suffers a level of Fatigue instead. It may be regained by four hours of solid rest or sleep.

Mindlink

Rank: Novice

Power Points: 1+

Range: Smarts x 5

Duration: 30 minutes (1/10 minutes)

Mindlink allows a syker to create a limited telepathic connection between a group of people. The syker is automatically part of the group and pays 1 Power Point for each additional character in the link up to a maximum number of people equal to the syker’s Smarts. The link is purely willing communication, no thoughts that aren’t consciously transmitted are read. Those who do not wish to be part of the link make an opposed Smarts roll against the syker’s Psionics result. If any character in a mindlink suffers a wound or more, all other members must make a Smarts roll or be Shaken. If the linking syker is the one damaged, the roll is at –2.

Mindwipe

Rank: Novice

Power Points: 3

Duration: Permanent

Range: Smarts

Sykers rarely get embarrassed. If they do something they regret, they just scramble the witnesses’ memories and make them forget it ever happened. Mindwipe causes a target to forget a certain period of time defined by the syker. The power requires a full five minutes to cast, during which the victim must be conscious (and usually restrained). Mindwipe literally erases the memories. The victim has no recollection of the time lost. He likely won’t know this unless he has specific reason to note a hole in his recollection.

To use the power, the syker makes a Psionics roll opposed by the victim’s Smarts. If the syker succeeds, the victim forgets up to five minutes of time, plus another five minutes per success and raise. The time lost doesn’t have to be recent—it could be a childhood memory or something that happened recently.

Slow Burn

Rank: Novice

Power Points: 1–6

Range: 24/48/96

Duration: Instant

On the battlefields of Earth, traditional syker powers proved of little use against hovertanks and armored personnel carriers. Left with little choice but to improvise, brainburners learned to hyper-focus beams of pure pyrokinetic energy that could eventually penetrate even the heaviest armor. A syker casting slow burn must be stationary. He cannot move or be on an unstable platform such as most vehicles. The Power Points required depend on the Armor of the target, as shown on the table below. If a syker wants to burn through a vehicle with 70 Armor, for example, he must spend 6 Power Points, and causes 4d10 damage if his Psionics roll is successful. The beam counts as a Heavy Weapon. The syker can’t spend more points than required or increase his damage by spending more Power Points.

Slowburn Table

Power Armor Points Damage

1– 4 1 2d6

5 - 10 2 2d10

11– 40 4 3d10

41–70 6 4d10

71–100 8 5d10

Telekinetic Squeeze

Rank: Seasoned

Power Points: 3

Range: Smarts

Duration: Instant

This grotesque power uses telekinesis to squeeze, pull, and tear internal organs, bones, and other vitals. A good attack can kill a foe in one quick blast, leaving nothing but a mangled pile of bleeding flesh and busted bones. Sykers have been known to rip out hearts (they call this “Aztec surprise”), snap bones (“bone ripper”) or subtly pinch off major veins and arteries (“the big one”). Regardless of the specific effect and reaction, the attack is an opposed roll between the syker’s Psionics and the victim’s Vigor. Such fine manipulation of an unseen object is very difficult— the Psionics roll is made at –2. It does not work on undead, constructs, or creatures without a beating heart. Success inflicts 1d10 damage, plus 1d10 per raise. Only magical armor protects against this attack.

Trappings

Syker attacks are usually invisible unless they make use of pyrokinetic energy. Defenses are similarly difficult to detect— the deflection power is a vague, shimmering aura of energy, for example. Other psychic tricks, such as mind reading or mind wipe, have no actual visual effects, but the syker must concentrate quite heavily to do so. The saying goes that if a syker ever looks you in the eye, he’s probably in your mind.

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