Empathy

Power Required: 10 Range: Close (P7 Medium)

Action: Standard Empathy Check: DC 16

Concentration: Yes Multiple Subjects: No

Chakra Cost: 20

This telepathic ability allows a telepath to effectively shut off the emotional response in any given target, turning them into an automaton of action and logic. By putting the emotional centres of the brain into an effective hibernation, the telepath prevents the target from putting any of his own personality into anything he does.

While the ability is in effect, the target cannot add or subtract his Charisma bonus to or from any die roll whatsoever. He cannot be influenced by other skills that are Charisma-based, and cannot be affected by other telepathic abilities from the Empathy Discipline while this one is still in effect. He is unaffected by fear of any kind.

For roleplaying purposes, the target is cold, blank and tends to calculate his reactions.

Coldheart Variations

5 Internalize (DC 18): The telepath uses the coldheart ability to hold back the target’s emotions while still allowing the responses from outside stimuli to manifest internally.

This variation functions exactly as the main version of the ability, but it only stops the target from using his Charisma bonus. Others are still free to use their Charisma-based skills upon the target freely, and should he succumb to them he will act accordingly. The target is still immune to other telepathic abilities from the Empathy Discipline, however.

5 Floodgate (DC 22): The telepath uses the coldheart ability to create a memory cache for emotional turmoil and stimuli long enough to create a force too strong for the mind to handle when it is opened. While the power is in effect it acts exactly like the normal coldheart ability, but instead of simply blocking the impulses this ability stores them. When the telepath chooses to cease concentration upon the ability all of these stored emotions come rushing back in the form of an incapacitating blast of mental anguish. The target suffers 1d3 nonlethal damage for every round that this version of coldheart was in effect upon him the instant the ability ceases.

Power Required: 14 Range: Close (P9 Medium)

Action: Standard Empathy Check: DC 18

Concentration: Yes Multiple Subjects: Yes

Chakra Cost: 28

This telepathic ability is the staple function of the Empathy Discipline. It allows telepaths to trigger specific emotions in their target(s), hopefully getting them to perform in a desired manner. Use of this ability is often subtle and seamless, with those who have succumbed to it feeling odd afterwards but not disoriented. A successful use of this power brings the desired mix of emotions to the surface of the target’s mind. This is very useful for steering someone’s opinion or reaction to the result the telepath desires. If successful, the telepath gains a bonus equal to his P-Rating to all Charisma-based skills with the target while the ability is maintained.

Emotion Variations

5 Hatred (DC 23): The telepath has the ability to flood a target with a tidal wave of seething hatred. This hatred is not specifically focused but tends to be directed toward whatever the target last interacted with. If successful, the target must make a DC 15 Will save. If the save is passed the target will keep his hatred a conversational matter, lashing out with words only. If the save is failed however, the target will escalate immediately to physical violence and savagely attack the object of his dislike. If unarmed the target will use fists (or equivalent natural weapons) but if armed the target will use a weapon. It should be noted that if the target of this power already has a hatred (secret or not) for someone/something in the general vicinity (the telepath, perhaps?), he will automatically focus the augmented hatred upon it and automatically fail the Will save against lashing out at it.

5 Mollify (DC 20): Telepaths are often the focal point of mundane aggression due to their gifts but this ability allows a telepath to protect himself against such rage.

The telepath can shut down angry emotional responses in his targets, disarming their fury and hopefully making the situation easier to handle. If the target(s) are hostile (known or not to the telepath) they receive a Will save DC 15 to keep their choler up and continue their hostilities. If they fail the save they abandon their current hostilities but can resume them immediately after the Mollify ceases.

Power Required: 8 Range: Medium (P10 Long)

Action: Standard Empathy Check: DC 16

Concentration: Yes Multiple Subjects: No

Chakra Cost: 16

This telepathic ability uses underlying emotion to muddle the ability to focus telepathic talents. Telepathic abilities used by the target of this ability result in fuzzy contacts that are often difficult to maintain and often distorted by inappropriate emotional reactions. It is not as pervasive as Jamming, nor does it place much stress on the target in question – it merely makes telepathic abilities harder to use by the target.

A successful use of this ability adds the user’s P-Rating to any of the target’s Telepathy skill check DCs for abilities not found in the Empathy Discipline. If the targeted telepath passes the base DC but not the adjusted one, they will get a muted, distorted and emotional version of the power they were intending to manifest. Such powers are typically more under the control of their subconscious mind than their conscious mind.

Dulling Variation

5 Empathic Void (DC 20): The telepath focuses his ability to push all emotional responses down and keep his mind clear. Love, lust, happiness and even fear are all set aside. This use of dulling adds the user’s P-Rating to the

Telepathy skill check DCs of any Empathy powers used against him for as long as it is active.

Power Required: 10 Range: Close (P10 Medium)

Action: Full round Empathy Check: DC 16

Concentration: Yes Multiple Subjects: No

With this ability the telepath focuses on the emotions behind his targets’ avarice and greed. If this power is successful, the target will have a strong desire to take possession of a specific material object chosen by the telepath. The target will not go against the nature of his character to do so.

This means that a merchant will pay more than normal for the object or refuse to sell it but a common thief will take shortcuts to steal it. Any skill checks made by the target to haggle or appraise the price of the object will be made at a –3 penalty and further complications could be imposed by the Games Master depending on the nature of the target.

Intimation Variations

5 Abstraction (DC 24): The telepath uses the Intimation ability to make his target want to acquire something that is not a material object. The telepath instead chooses something insubstantial, like a specific career or perhaps even freedom.

Otherwise this variation functions exactly the same as the parent ability.

5 Greed (DC 20): This variation does not focus the target’s need upon a single object but on general wealth instead. ‘Wealth’ has a rather general definition and can change from target to target. A Human or Brakiri might want to hoard credits, while a Llort might grab armfuls of senseless knickknacks. Whatever the target decides is his idea of wealth, he will do everything possible (without senseless risk – which is also defi ned by the individual affected) to acquire it while this ability is in effect.

5 Lust (DC 22): The telepath calls upon one of the oldest motivational forces in nearly every lifeform across the galaxy – seduction. By triggering all the right synapses and pleasure centres in the target’s brain, the telepath uses this ability to make a target strongly attracted to the telepath’s desired target. Lust functions just like the parent ability but allows the telepath to direct the target into wanting a person instead of a material object. This ability will not function on a target that has no sex drive but a target that has no reason to fi nd the telepath’s ‘object’ attractive will receive a DC 18 Will save to not succumb anyway.

5 Mine! (DC +3): This variation does not create a desire to acquire something but instead to make sure others do not. The telepath uses this ability just as he would for any other reason, but adds three to the diffi culty in order to make the target go to great lengths to protect his possessions from outside interaction. The target will believe that everyone is looking to take the ‘object’ in question from him and will defend it from outsiders.

The exact nature as to how the target will defend his property is up to the Games Master but targets always receive a DC 15 Will save to avoid doing anything against their basic natures