Dimensional Spells
Dimensional spells are a form of magic that depend on energies originating outside one's space-time continuum to function. Some target their caster, as is the case with personal spells, while others affect something else in one's environment, as do universal spells. But other dimensional spells actually take aim at the very nature of causality, twisting reality itself such that it may better suit their casters' whims.
The most complicated spells to cast, aside from an entreaty of some sort, dimensional spells require three distinct triggers to catalyze their execution. Whether conceptual, phrasal, gesticulate, or even consumptive in nature, a dimensional spell will utilize three of the four components to actualize, which means they are the easiest to negate with mere mundane restraints - particularly if a material requirement is unavailable.
Keeping that in mind, one can readily guess that a dimensional spell requires more time to cast than lesser magic. Using those three triggers to draw forth energies from another universe, a sorcerer is somewhat slower to act compared to other characters on a turn where he or she invokes dimensional spells. This is reflected in the optional initiative rules, where a penalty for casting this form of spell is indicated.
On the other hand, the caster of a dimensional spell is using very little of their own power to manifest its magic. While a small amount of their own energy is consumed when making use of dimensional energy spells, magicians are only slightly affected by its expenditure over the long run. Thus, where the optional fatigue rules are concerned, dimensional energy spells are the least draining for a sorcerer to utilize.
While they seem to balance out in a mechanical sense, strictly speaking, there is a danger in the use of dimensional spells. They're not directly tied to the notice of specific extraplanar beings, as are entreaty spells, but dimensional spells nonetheless draw upon forces that the world at large - and often the caster of such magic itself - rarely understand. In other words, they're rife with unanticipated side effects.
At any rate, herein lies the descriptions of all fifty known dimensional spells, collected for your convenience:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | V |
A
Age Control / Others
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 1 point per rank
Wielding this ability, a character can change the 'clock' on an organism, seemingly altering its age. Age control / others can increase or decrease a target's apparent age by a number of years that is equal to its power rank number. This power only functions within Very Near distance of its wielder, and targets may resist the power if they can pass an Endurance (res) ACTION roll against its rank as an opposing intensity.
Age control / others can modify the age of its target as is desired, though the effects of such sudden, onset aging are rapidly debilitating. On average, a character will lose -1 CS of one physical and one mental ability score for each decade of aging past their 'prime'. If reverting someone to a child-like state, apply this -1 CS for every four years before they reached adulthood.
Of course, there's also the lovely side effects that such extremes of age can bring, including brittle bones, being unable to reach the pedals, etc.
If a character is aged so old that they should be long dead and buried, or is rendered so young that their age would be a negative number, they will simply vanish in a puff of light and smoke. This doesn't actually kill the target, so much as file them and their mass away in another dimension temporarily, their existence having momentarily been rendered moot.
The effects of age control / others generally only lasts for a short period of time. A green power ACTION will let the power's effects last a number of turns equal to its power rank number, while a yellow ACTION roll multiplies this amount of time by ten, and a red ACTION extends it to a like number of hours. It occasionally lasts longer, however, acting to permanently renew, revitalize, or hobble its target.
Occurrences of this stripe are most often accompanied by other weird happenings going on with the character at the same time, such as radiation exposure, Probability Fallout, and the like. They're not the sort of thing one can really bank on in play, they just sort of 'happen'; an instance of permanent age modification is most likely something the Judge will use to advance the plot somehow.
Mind you, this effect can be obtained regularly as an extreme enhancement to age control / others. Such enhancements often take the form of revolutionary, futuristic aging treatments, the weird emanations of 'exotic' matter characters might blunder into, or other such oddities. Aging too far either direction in a 'permanent' state is considered a lethal attack, however - something to bear in mind.
Anchor
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
By means of the anchor ability, a character binds themselves to their current trajectory in seven-dimensional space. What this means is that, once anchor is invoked, its wielder will continue to move as he or she was before, and cannot easily be dislodged from said movement. Typically, this is used to root a body in place, on say a floor, wall, or ceiling, to hold them steady for other purposes.
So what's all this business about trajectory? No matter where you are in the world, you're always moving. While standing motionless, your body is still on a planetary body that is rotating while orbiting a star that is itself circling a galactic core, etc. You're also continually moving through time, albeit at the same rate everyone else usually is.
Anchor merely ensures you don't stray from this path, as the ability sees it, from its point of activation. This means that upon being invoked, anchor will prevent you from being swayed from your current course, whether you were stationary or on the move. It also keeps you from being shifted in time or space - or through other dimensions. Defeating an anchor requires overwhelming its power rank.
While using anchor in a (relatively) stationary position is a simple proposition, using it while on the move can be fraught with peril, especially if you encounter items in your path. Loose objects, like water, bowling pins, or even people, will simply be shoved out of the way. But a larger object, such as a concrete bunker, will not. Resolve such collisions per a charging attack, based on the anchor power rank.
If the MS of this object or structure exceeds the rank of the anchor ability, it will disrupt the anchor and cause it to immediately fail. Either way, the anchored character is immune to the damage caused by such attacks, which allows them to (with an anchor power of high enough rank) inflict serious damage on large and inanimate objects ranging from trees to battleships.
B
Banishment
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 3 points per rank
A drastic measure to be sure, banishment involves physically ejecting a body from their current plane of existence. While this may seem extreme, it beats killing someone outright, while getting them out of your hair at the same time - possibly for the rest of your life. To dispose of a target, a banisher must pass a power ACTION against the Psyche (will) of their foe (or an anchor, if its rank is higher).
If this ACTION is successful, the target is flung from the universe entirely - but where to? To determine this, roll a second power ACTION. If this second ACTION fails, the banisher has merely 'skipped' the target out of our realm of existence for 1d10 turns, and he or she will bounce back to cause further trouble as soon as that duration has expired. Not nearly as permanent a solution as promised, which you can see.
A green ACTION, on the other hand, will remove the target from this plane of existence, returning them to their plane of origin. This is a good tool against extradimensional invaders, but what of people who are native to the plane the banisher is on? They will be ejected per a failed ACTION, but will remain out of 'sync' with the current space-time for 1d100 turns, instead. A bit longer, but still less than permanent.
A yellow ACTION roll will achieve a permanent banishing. What this does is bounce the target to another, random dimension. Which one? Nobody knows, really. The whole idea is to simply get rid of a body, not to point them in a specific direction here. Banishment could transport them to an idyllic heaven or perhaps a realm wholly hostile to life as we know it. But, without an actual body to speak of, who will ever know?
A red ACTION, now, this is where the banisher can do specific things. A red banishment ACTION allows the banisher to not only remove a troublesome target from his or her personal space, but also allows them to deposit said target wherever they would like. Maybe he or she knows of a specific universe (or part of one) that is nigh-impossible to escape from, or one that is just too pleasant for their foes to ever want to leave.
Of course, a banisher can 'pull their punches' with this ability, if they don't want to permanently cast someone off into the multiverse beyond. That is rather harsh, after all, and it tends to tick off the banished person's friends - not to mention the actual banished target, who is likely going to be very, very angry at the banisher. And if they can ever find their way back home, you know things are going to get ugly!
C
Clairalience
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Clairalience allows its wielder to smell things far, far beyond the range of their natural sensory apparatus. This power works by crafting artificial, transient mental constructs that act as invisible, surrogate noses (or whatever) in the area a clairalient wishes to smell. These 'pretend' noses are disembodied from the wielder of this ability, usually by a staggeringly wide margin, but function as if their creator were actually present.
This power functions on the Far range table, allowing the person using it to observe events in far-flung locations in real time, regardless of the laws of physics or even common sense. The nature of clairalience allows it to defeat most methods of disguising one's scent, as the surrogate olfactory organs can quickly move about to determine the source of would-be countermeasures - and then disregard them.
While using clairalience, the character with this ability can smell anything that they otherwise could in the observed area, but cannot directly affect it at all. Similarly, events occurring in the observed area cannot directly harm the clairalient, though sensory overload (from, say, noxious odors) can happen. No damage or poison can transfer through this link, but a particularly nauseating scent can temporarily sicken a clairalient.
The activation of clairalience 'mutes' one's normal olfactory sense, presenting the power's stimulus to its user instead. The clairalient's other senses function just fine, however, so while one cannot smell imminent danger approaching them while this ability is active, they can still hear, see, feel, or even taste it, whichever of such may be applicable in a given instance.
Clairaudience
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Clairaudience allows its wielder to hear things far, far beyond the range of their natural sensory apparatus. This power works by crafting artificial, transient mental constructs that act as invisible, surrogate ears in the area a clairaudient wishes to hear. These 'pretend' ears are disembodied from the wielder of this ability, usually by a staggeringly wide margin, but function as if their creator were actually present.
This power functions on the Far range table, allowing the person using it to observe events in far-flung locations in real time, regardless of the laws of physics or even common sense. The speed of sound is no detriment to clairaudience, and in fact, with a high enough clairaudience rank, the wielder of this ability could eavesdrop upon events occurring on other planets - live, right as they are happening!
While using clairaudience, the character with this ability can listen in on anything that they could otherwise hear in the observed area, but cannot directly affect it at all. Similarly, events occurring in the area listened to cannot directly harm the clairaudient, though sensory overload (from, say, loud noises) can happen. No damage can transfer through this link, but effects such as hypnotic music can function via clairaudience.
The activation of clairaudience 'mutes' one's normal audio sense, presenting the power's stimulus to its user instead. The clairaudient's other senses function just fine, however, so while one cannot hear imminent danger approaching them while this ability is active, they can still see, smell, feel, or even taste it, whichever of such may be applicable in a given instance.
Clairgustance
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Clairgustance allows its wielder to taste things far, far beyond the range of their natural sensory apparatus. This power works by crafting artificial, transient mental constructs that act as invisible, surrogate tongues (or whatever) in the area a clairgustant wishes to sample. These 'pretend' tongues are disembodied from the clairgustant, usually by a staggeringly wide margin, but function as if their creator were actually present.
This power functions on the Far range table, allowing the person using it to observe events in far-flung locations in real time, regardless of the laws of physics or even common sense. While a sense of taste is generally restricted to physical contact with one's person, clairgustance allows one to vicariously sample the flavors of items and substances (and even people) without physically interacting with them!
While using clairgustance, the character with this ability can taste anything that they could otherwise sample in the observed area, but cannot directly affect it at all. Similarly, materials in the remote area cannot poison or harm the clairgustant, though sensory overload (from, say, intense flavors) can happen. No damage can transfer through this link, but particularly disgusting tastes can temporarily sicken a clairgustant.
The activation of clairgustance 'mutes' one's normal sense of taste, presenting the power's stimulus to its user instead. The clairgustant's other senses function just fine, however, so while they may be tasting cakes on the other side of the planet, a clairgustant may not readily be ambushed while using this ability - unless, of course, the flavors they experience are just that engrossing.
Clairtouchence
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Clairtouchence allows its wielder to touch things far, far beyond the range of their natural sensory apparatus. This power works by crafting artificial, transient mental constructs that act as invisible, surrogate fingers (or whatever) in the area a clairtouchent wishes to feel. These 'pretend' digits are disembodied from the clairtouchent, usually by a staggeringly wide margin, but function as if their creator were actually present.
This power functions on the Far range table, allowing the person using it to observe events in far-flung locations in real time, regardless of the laws of physics or even common sense. While a sense of touch is generally restricted to physical contact with one's person, clairtouchence allows one to vicariously feel items and substances (and even people) without resorting to physically interacting with them!
While using clairtouchence, the character with this ability can feel anything that they could otherwise touch in the observed area, but cannot directly affect it at all. Similarly, materials in the remote area cannot harm the clairtouchent, though sensory overload (from, say, complex textures) can happen. No damage can transfer through this link, but particularly extreme tactile input can momentarily distract a clairtouchent.
Activating clairtouchence 'mutes' one's usual sense of touch, presenting the power's stimulus to its user instead. A clairtouchent's other senses function just fine, however, so while they may be dipping 'pretend' fingers into the sun or running them along monowire, a clairtouchent isn't easily ambushed while using this ability - unless they're so engrossed in what they're touching that they aren't otherwise paying attention, that is.
Clairvoyance
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Clairvoyance allows its wielder to see things far, far beyond the range of their natural sensory apparatus. This power works by crafting artificial, transient mental constructs that act as invisible, surrogate eyes in the area a clairvoyant wishes to see. These 'pretend' eyes are disembodied from the wielder of this ability, usually by a staggeringly wide margin, but function as if their creator were actually present.
This power functions on the Far range table, allowing the person using it to observe events in far-flung locations in real time, regardless of the laws of physics or even common sense. The speed of light is no detriment to clairvoyance, and in fact, with a high enough clairvoyance rank, the wielder of this ability could spy upon events occurring on other planets - live, right as they are happening!
While using clairvoyance, the character with this ability can view anything that they could otherwise see in the observed area, but cannot directly affect it at all. Similarly, events occurring in the viewed area cannot directly harm the clairvoyant, though sensory overload (from, say, bright lights) can happen. No damage can transfer through this link, but effects such as hypnotic lights can function via clairvoyance.
The activation of clairvoyance 'mutes' one's normal visual sense, presenting the power's stimulus to its user instead. The clairvoyant's other senses function just fine, however, so while one cannot see imminent danger approaching them while this ability is active, they can still hear, smell, feel, or even taste it, whichever of such may be applicable in a given instance.
Clone Projection
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 1 point per rank
A variant form of energy doubles, clone projection allows its possessor to create a singular duplicate of themselves, comprised of the imaginary matter known as psychoplasm. Once this copy is created, the wielder of this ability may project his or her mind into it, and then 'drive' this avatar of themselves as if it were their own body. If blocked from such projection somehow, the psychoplasmic double is unable to act on its own.
This projected clone has the same physical and mental statistics of its creator, as well as their super-human capabilities (whether inherent or knowledge-based). It also has the same Health score, and if said score is reduced to zero, the projected clone will dissipate, the energies used to create it rent asunder. When this happens, the clone projector's mind will simply return to its normal habitat, Stunned for 1d10 turns.
The power rank of clone projection determines both how long the created duplicate will exist and how far it can wander from its creator. A projected clone can operate anywhere within Middle distance of this power's wielder, and can last for a maximum number of hours that is equal to this ability's power rank.
Contingency
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: while maintained (for each contingency)
Cost: 2 points per rank
On occasion, a spell caster may wish to benefit from his or her magical prowess while not actually having the ability to cast spells. By making use of a contingency, they can make this happen no matter what situation they find themselves in. This works by first invoking contingency, and then the spell one wishes to hold 'in reserve'. The contingency ability will then prevent the spell from taking effect.
At least, until a specific condition is met.
This condition may be anything the thaumaturge or psychoturge wishes, from being forced unconscious to a specific time of day, or perhaps upon exposure to any particular external stimuli. For instance, a mage may arrange to be teleported to their lair upon being knocked unconscious, to give off an eldritch wave when uttering a chosen word, or even a dose of flight upon falling more than a story at a time.
A character may support one contingency per rank in this ability, though each counts as one spell or psionic for the purposes of ability maintenance. This requires one to strike a balance between preparing for the unexpected and leaving room for day-to-day spellcasting. Of course, if conditions change, he or she can always stop maintaining one or more contingencies to deal with whatever chaos has broken out.
Crowd Control
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
An advanced form of mesmerism, crowd control can sway the actions of a large array of people simultaneously. When invoked, crowd control will prompt a Psyche (will) ACTION roll against this ability's intensity upon everyone within Very Near range, save for exceptions of its wielder's choosing (such as allies or whatever). Those who fail this ACTION fall into a suggestive, hypnotized state immediately.
Once this state is achieved, the targets may be forced to do anything in regards to their immediate behavior (leave the building now), or instead suffer the implantation of a post-hypnotic suggestion (you want to vote for me this November).
If in the form of a command, crowd control will last only as long as it takes the targets to complete the chosen directive, at which point individuals so affected will resume control over their actions. A suggestion implanted by crowd control, on the other hand, will last for a number of days equal to this ability's rank number, and can even override the target's normal ethics and beliefs on a red ACTION roll.
Although victims of crowd control are usually zombie-like and unresponsive while under the influence of commands, they will behave perfectly normal while suffering from a suggestion - at least until they act on it. Afterwards, they will resume normality, though such controlled individuals may wonder just what got into them to make them act so out of character.
D
Dimensional Interface
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank
This potent ability allows a character to literally transform his or her very body into a hole in the space-time continuum. What this means is that they become a walking, talking opening between our universe and somewhere else. While the dimensional interface is active, the character using this ability is equidistant between the connected planes, and is technically resident upon both at the same time.
This allows them to perceive events on both simultaneously, and they can perform actions on one or the other, as they see fit. Furthermore, they can use this ability to naturally cross from one to the other entirely; this just involves 'leaning' into the second plane when terminating the power, even if it was initiated on the first. While this is a creative way to cross the planes, one may ask just what the benefit of this ability is, otherwise.
Its main purpose is to allow passage from one plane to another. Others can step 'through' the character maintaining a dimensional interface, as if he or she were a living, breathing doorway between the planes. Furthermore, the interfaced character can move materials and energy between the two realms they're connected to at will, doing so with an intensity equal to this ability's rank.
What this means is, a dimensionally interfaced character can channel 'stuff' from one realm to another, wielding this ability as a versatile attack. They can project whatever matter or energy is available from one side to the other, using this ability to inflict its rank in damage, of a type that is dependent on what is hurled through. This can be almost anything, depending on the nature of the dimensions interfaced.
For instance, if connected to the astral plane, a character could emit spectral flames from their very body. Alternately, if interfaced with a realm that is naught but solid matter, they can project that instead, inflicting Blunt or Edged Attack damage, depending on its shape. This action can work either way, and an interfaced character can draw things from the 'real' world into this new plane, though this requires physical contact.
An important thing to keep in mind is that a character that is interfaced between two dimensions is only 'material' on one at a time - the one they're presently acting upon. Our hero interfacing with the astral plane, above, would be intangible there (per that ability) when channeling spectral flames into the 'real' world, but would be easily touched (or attacked) in our own space-time while they're emitting said flames here.
He or she can achieve intangibility on both as a power stunt, but cannot act on either in such a state (though people and matter can pass through them still, albeit at a non-damaging velocity / intensity). Additional power stunts involve connecting to additional universes. When a character begins play, they can only interface with one other dimension to start with, and an additional dimension may be acquired with each stunt.
Dimensional Transit
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 1 point per rank
When wielding this ability, a character may move from the universe he or she is currently occupying to another. Dimensional transit functions almost identically to teleportation, except that it utilizes more physical axes; after using this ability, a character may actually occupy the same three 'classical' dimensional coordinates, but their location in either the fifth or sixth dimension has shifted.
Changing one's 5th axis allows a character to access variant timelines, while altering their 6th axis lets them move to different universes sharing the same timeline. When a character with this ability begins play, they may initially access two universes: their home plane and another realm of their choosing. They may add further planes of existence down the line as power stunts, one for each new universe they wish to visit.
When a character is attempting a stunt to 'learn' a new universe, follow the basic procedure here. A red ACTION roll is necessary when accessing a universe intentionally for the first time, yellow ACTIONs are required when traveling to realms experienced intentionally more than once, but less than six times, and green ACTION rolls are needed to access a plane for the sixth through the tenth time.
Once a character has attempted to stunt a new universe ten times, it is considered familiar, and they only require a green ACTION to access it thereafter - as is the case with their two initial planes. On the other hand, accessing a completely random universe requires no ACTION roll; the character will appear in any other plane the Judge desires, but at least they're no longer where they were (great for emergency escapes).
A character may transit from one dimension to another with passengers and/or cargo if they wish, but is limited in how much matter he or she may move. This limit is based on the power rank, as if it were a Strength score. In other words, a hero with Excellent (20) ranked dimensional transit may carry up to 800 lbs. with them, while a villain possessing this ability at Incredible (40) rank can bring up to ten tons along for the ride.
Dream Projection
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Dream projection is an ability which allows its possessor to send their consciousness into the dreaming mind of another being. Doing so allows the dream projector to interact with the subconscious mind of his or her target, avoiding conscious attempts at subterfuge while communicating with them, and lets them directly interact with the mindspace generated by a dreaming state.
When a character projects their mind into the dream of another, they behave as if astrally projecting; they must use Reason in place of Strength, Intuition in place of Agility, and Psyche in place of Endurance. This is because the dream projector can actually combat the consciousness of the dreamer while present in their mind, though said consciousness can indeed fight back in the same fashion.
While this is a potent ability in and of itself, dream projection can be particularly devastating when wielded with several related powers. In particular, illusion projection gives a dream projector control over the flow and content of a dream, as it directly overrides what the dreamer would otherwise experience. Furthermore, such imaginary threats can inflict actual psychic harm to a dreamer's mind, since they originate from within!
Which brings up the prospect of a dreamer's demise while a character's mind is projected into their dream. Such an occurrence will typically cause an amount of Karmic damage to a dream projector that is equal to the dreamer's Psyche (presence) rank. This may or may not be enough to kill a dream projector outright, though if he or she has been tussling with a dreamer beforehand, this might bode ill for them.
Dream projecting is an action which must be maintained consciously, but this may be done for quite a while; dream projection has a maximum safe duration equal to its rank number in hours. For example, a projector with Excellent (20) dream projection may send their consciousness into the dreams of another for almost a full day - assuming their target could actually dream for such an extended length of time.
This is because, while dream projecting, the character's body remains in a coma-like state, burning little energy (per the Trance talent). It must have air to breathe, but it is otherwise inert, and need not consume food or water until the projection is complete. At this point, the dream projector, if they've been 'out' for a good long time, may need to consume large amounts of food and water to recover.
Dream projection can send its wielder's mind into the dreams of anyone within Middle range of his or her location.
E
Energy Cohesion
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 1 point per rank
Energy cohesion is the ability to transform ordinarily immaterial energies into a seemingly substantial power matrix. When so transformed, energy takes on the semblance of solid matter, the shape of which is solely limited by the imagination of this ability's possessor. Such 'solidified' energy will maintain that state indefinitely, unless specifically reverted by the wielder of energy cohesion or if damaged somehow.
To render a form of energy solid, one must pass an energy cohesion power ACTION roll against either the intensity of the energy to be solidified or the power rank of the ability controlling it (if opposing the constructs of an energy controller). Energies so transformed aren't inherently harmful to the touch, but will give hints as to their true nature (cohesive fire will glow orange and flicker, for example).
Once rendered solid, energies will possess an effective material strength equal to this power rank - no matter the solidified energy's original intensity. This makes them great for producing anything from personal body armor to restraints to contain enemies to large, pretend creatures to harass others. The creator of a solidified energy object may manipulate it as if he or she possessed similarly ranked object animation.
If broken by an attack, solidified energies immediately revert to their original state. This process inflicts damage equal to the original intensity of the solidified energy -1 CS, of its normal type, against the person or thing who broke the solidified energy matrix - if they're adjacent to it.
When intentionally reverted, solidified energies are usually dissipated harmlessly - unless such power is redirected by the use of other abilities, or otherwise re-formed into a different solid by this ability.
Energy cohesion can be used against living targets, often by converting the heat permeating their entire bodies into a solid form. This is considered a Metabolic attack, inflicting like damage - and may be resisted by the target's Endurance (res) score. In addition to taking damage from successful attacks of this sort, one must pass a Strength ACTION against the MS of their own solidified heat to even move!
This ability may be used on any form of energy present within Near distance of its wielder.
Environmental Independence
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1/2 point per rank
A vital ability for explorers of the bizarre, environmental independence allows a character to subsist without the essentials of life for a considerable amount of time. If suddenly without access to food, water, air, or even sleep, the environmentally independent character will continue to function just fine, able to 'put off' those vital needs (hopefully) for as long as is necessary.
Environmental independence functions with a duration that is rated in hours, as is based on its rank number. For instance, an Unearthly (100) ranked environmental independence lets a character subsist if trapped in a cave-in for just over four days, not needing food, air, or water (though sleep may be preferable in such situations). But what of those characters who wish to forego sustenance entirely?
This can be done by acquiring the ability at Class 5000 rank, which either costs 8 points with the point-based character system or counts as two powers when using the random die roll generation system. This can prove costly, so it's possible to limit environmental independence by stripping some of its protection(s) out as the player sees fit.
For each type of sustenance this ability does not cover, subtract one point from the final cost / add +2 CS, as each is considered a strong limitation. So, for a net cost of, say, five points, one could forego the need to breathe entirely, but still require food, water, and sleep.
Extend
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank
Characters may use this ability to extend the effects of a spell beyond its normal target (hence the name). Many spells only affect one target at a time, whether it be the caster or someone else, but extend can be used to spread the effect to multiple recipients. For every rank in extend that a person has, he or she may increase the effective number of targets a spell has by one.
The wielder of this ability may benefit from this effect by invoking extend, and subsequently casting whatever spell they wish to 'multiply'. Extend is not limited solely to the spells its wielder knows; by coordinating one's actions with another spellcaster, a character with extend may use it on the other caster's spells as well. In a group with multiple spellcasters, just one wielding extend can make the whole vastly more versatile.
While this can be accomplished with most magic, the main benefit of extend is in both speed and spell maintenance. While covering five individuals with the body armor spell can be done without extend, for instance, it requires the effective casting and maintenance of five separate spells. Extending a spell, on the other hand, only requires the maintenance of two effects: extend and the spell to be extended.
And if the wielder of extend is working with another person, the load is split between them, with one maintaining the extend effect and another maintaining the spell that is being extended. This frees up a character to bring many more effects into play if he or she wishes, or to at the very least cover more people with defensive magics (or more foes with offensive spells) than they otherwise could.
The only real limitation on extend is that it can only be used upon a spell that requires maintenance; magic with an 'encounter', 'instantaneous', 'permanent' or 'special' effect cannot be used alongside extend. Thus, a wizard could easily defend an entire team with intangibility or manipulate the minds of a small group with illusion projection, but they cannot extend an eldritch bolt or healing / other effect in the same fashion.
F
Finding (Telelocation)
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 1 point per rank
Finding is the useful ability to locate something no matter where it is. This potent power allows one to use what they know about an object, no matter how little, to determine its position in 7D space-time, and does so within a distance as determined on the Far range table. If an object is further away (or in a different universe or time frame) vague directions are provided instead.
A green ACTION is all that is required for things a body is intimately familiar with (anybody on his or her super-hero / villain team, or their favorite blaster). Yellow ACTIONs are necessary when the character tries to locate something that isn't so familiar (such as the new janitor). A red ACTION is only needed if the wielder of this ability attempts to locate something they have only seen or otherwise sensed once.
This sense can't locate a person or object that its wielder is totally unfamiliar with.
Future Control
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
The power of future control involves the fine manipulation of multiple probability fields to achieve a desired result. This is similar to, but more complicated than, the luck power, as that ability tends to only function on immediate concerns (within the space of a die roll). Future control, on the other hand, actually reaches through time to manipulate imminent events - all this to bind fate to one's will.
When reaching into the seething cauldron of probabilities that is the most likely future a timeline will follow, the wielder of future control only has a small window of opportunity to realign things. This window is a number of turns that is equal to the future control power's rank number. A Good (10) ranked future control, for example, would let someone tinker with events ten turns, or one minute, from now.
Generally, future control is limited spatially as well as temporally. In addition to the relatively short lead time it provides, future control can only be used on events its possessor can perceive. This usually requires he or she be within Near distance of the event to be, unless they can sense it through other means, such as clairvoyance, or perhaps closed circuit television cameras.
Manipulating a solitary action or the outcome of a singular event requires but a green power ACTION. This includes things which can be resolved with a simple die roll (such as a punch one is going to throw imminently). Single outcomes can also come in the form of something not quite expected, such as Likes to Bite suddenly breaking its leg or throwing a shoe on the last lap of the Kentucky Derby.
Future control is capable of much more complex alterations in imminent probability fields, however. A yellow power ACTION roll can be attempted to change the outcome of multiple related actions or events (such as causing a group of cars in a race to suddenly malfunction), or to momentarily change the mind or opinion of a single target (altering imminent Popularity ACTIONs, or perhaps a decision the target intends to make).
Similarly, a future controller can attempt incredibly detailed changes in an outcome to be. A ACTION roll of red magnitude is usually required when one is trying to alter the decisions or intentions of multiple individuals (such as a corporation's board of directors), altering a large array of probabilities, or causing extremely unlikely events to occur (everyone wins at the slots simultaneously).
It is important to note that some actions cannot be directly swayed by the forces that future control can bring to bear. They are simply too big, or too important in the grand scheme of things - even if such is not readily apparent. In this case, the event must be altered in smaller steps, using successive actions against smaller, related probabilities that add up to affect the larger eventuality to come.
H
History Control
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 3 points per rank
History control is the ability to reach into the past and meddle with events that have already occurred - without all the pesky time travel that is normally required to achieve the same effect. How it works is that, upon deciding to change a recent event, the character with history control creates a 'bubble' of probabilities, a field of such that extends between the present and the past event to be changed.
Within this bubble, reality itself is in flux - existing in multiple states concurrently. The course of events triggered by the outcome of an unchanged action exists alongside the outcome of the action after it is altered. A history controller may then view the eventualities caused by both outcomes, and choose which of the two he or she prefers. This means one can change the past, or not, depending on which present they like more.
Manipulating a solitary action or the outcome of a singular event requires but a green power ACTION. This includes things which were resolved with a simple die roll (such as a punch one threw - and missed). Single outcomes can also come in the form of something not quite expected, like altering a beef patty such that it was not properly refrigerated before someone cooked and ate it.
History control is capable of much more complex alterations in previous probability fields, however. A yellow power ACTION roll can be attempted to change the outcome of multiple related actions or events (such as meddling with last week's stock prices), or to actually change the mind or opinion of a single target (altering the results of failed Popularity ACTIONs, or perhaps a decision the target made recently).
Similarly, a history controller can attempt incredibly detailed changes in the past. A ACTION roll of red magnitude is usually required when one is trying to alter the decisions or intentions of multiple individuals (such as a crime syndicate's leaders), altering a large array of probabilities, or causing highly unlikely events to occur (more people vote for that milquetoast third party candidate).
Bear in mind that some past events are so pivotal that they may actively resist being changed. This may be the case with something that drastically altered the chain of events between itself and the present, such as some sort of cataclysm or especially a Presidential election. Sometimes these can be changed with multiple uses of the power - but may also be opposed by others with this exact same ability!
When a character reaches back into the past, intent on upturning the current probability field of the universe with one dictated by the changes he or she would like to make, they have a somewhat small window of opportunity to alter things. This temporal window consists of a number of days equal to the history control power rank number; for example, Remarkable (30) history control allows for a month of leeway, give or take.
Generally, history control is limited spatially as well as temporally. In addition to the relatively short period of temporal fluctuation it allows for, history control can only be used within a short distance of the event(s) that are to be altered. In other words, history control requires that its possessor be within Near distance of the past event or events to be tinkered with.
This may sound similar to how the future control power works - and it is, save for the direction through time it reaches. Both powers cause timeline deviations from the point of the inflicted alterations, but history control is trickier since that deviation occurs at a point before the person wielding the power actually utilizes it - at least in a causal sense.
Thus, each time the history controller uses this power, he or she will bud off an alternate timeline, wherein they know they changed something - but everyone else is (generally) unaware anything has been altered. This leaves behind the original timeline where the history controller didn't alter anything... possibly prompting others in the 'abandoned' timeline to wonder just what the character's super-power actually is.
This sounds like it is a recipe for a whole lot of paperwork, but in grand scheme of things it isn't. Technically speaking, each moment in time sees an infinite amount of alternate timelines branching off of every other timeline based on the results of an infinite amount of potential outcomes. So, one could simply look at history control as 'steering' their life in a more desirable direction.
More involved changes might cause a bit of irritation to one's Judge, though, who has to jump through hoops now and then to account for changes to his or her carefully laid plots that occur thanks to sudden ripples in the timeline. Who then, just to share in the fun, might introduce any number of ways to annoy the history controller - possibly including another history controller as a nemesis!
I
Initiative Control
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
Normally, initiative is determined by having each character roll one d10, and adding whatever initiative modifier they have to the result. However, using the initiative control ability, its wielder can interrupt the nature of this essential game mechanic, slightly twisting time into knots to benefit themselves or others - or alternately, to the detriment of their enemies!
On a green power ACTION roll, an initiative controller can change the placement of one character's order in the sequence of events. This can be themselves or anyone else, and said placement may be anywhere they desire (first, last, etc.). A yellow ACTION roll allows the initiative controller to reconfigure the initiative of everyone present, friend and foe alike, causing actions to take place where they dictate in a given turn.
A red initiative control power ACTION allows a more serious temporal change. With this level of success, the initiative controller may add an action to one's rotation in a given turn, or alternately take one of their actions away! The idea is that this will balance out eventually, of course, the person with the added action slowing down later to compensate, or the person whose action was stolen getting two sometime later.
That's the idea, anyway. Successive red ACTION rolls could potentially remove a given character's ability to act for several turns, which may be enough to take them out of a fight before they can even do anything in the first place. Or set someone up for a bruising when all of those 'missing' actions come home to roost all at once.
Initiative control may be resisted by anyone with protection against warping attacks, time control, or just this ability in particular.
Investment
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 3 points per rank
Investment is the process of imbuing a living being with enhanced abilities and/or super-human powers. This can be a highly dangerous skill to possess, both because of its incredibly high demand and because you never know when one of your creations will betray you with the powers you granted them. Unlike the creation of empowered items, investing super-human powers into a living target is simple.
There is no mandatory preparation time involved, no special requirements one must quest for. While these make great potential limitations, they are by no means a necessity - the wielder of investment just invokes it and dishes out the enhancements. The entire process requires but two ACTION rolls, assuming the recipient is willing, and these ACTIONs determine the nature and the permanency of the invested enhancements.
The first ACTION is to determine what the wielder of investment may invest in his or her target. A green ACTION allows them to enhance any of their target's ability scores, up to their normal maximum. An example of this would be increasing one's Strength to Excellent (20), or their Agility to Incredible (40). A yellow ACTION allows for the creation of super-human ability scores - at least, as high as investment allows (see below).
A red investment ACTION allows for the creation of actual super-powers - anything from flight to laser beam eyes to... whatever, really. A character with investment may invest a number of powers into others equal to its rank number, all of which include their own super-human capabilities (aside from this one). It pays to determine these in advance, but this information isn't immediately vital.
The rank of a newly invested enhancement depends on the rank of investment itself. Invested ability enhancements have a maximum equal to the investment rank (with a minimum boost of +1 CS), while invested powers will manifest at the investment rank -1 CS. These values may naturally be raised by the recipient at a later point - assuming the new powers are permanent.
Otherwise, why bother?
The thing is, investment isn't always a good thing. Perhaps the wielder is trying to give people the power to transform the air around their bodies into antimatter - without any safeguards to avoid the impending explosions and radiation exposure. If used as an attack, or even if someone simply doesn't want what the investor is offering, they may resist by passing an Endurance (res) ACTION roll against the rank of investment.
At any rate, once the powers have been imbued into the target, it's time to figure out how long they'll last. A green ACTION roll will make imbued powers last for a number of days equal to the investment rank number. A yellow ACTION will extend this figure to weeks, and a red ACTION roll can make such abilities semi-permanent, allowing them to linger for a number of months equal to the investment rank number.
Assuming the investor does not remove the powers before that time has elapsed.
Mind you, a red investment ACTION can instead make permanent super-powers or other improvements in the target. This is entirely up to the Judge, and where player characters are concerned, may require they pay the Karma cost for these new abilities before they're considered permanent. If the Karmic books are not balanced in time, these abilities are subject to Plot.
As is the case with any other special abilities or equipment the character trips over during play.
Invulnerability
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 8 points (flat cost), plus 2 points for each additional invulnerability
A character with this ability possesses complete immunity to any one attack form of their choice. This invulnerability can counter any one kind of attack listed within the Costumed Adventurer Simulation Engine, from blunt attacks to fire damage to mind control. When subjected to the chosen form of attack, a character with this ability may completely shrug it off - though others in his or her surroundings may not be so lucky.
During character generation, a player has the option of adding additional, specific invulnerabilities as he or she sees fit, each increasing the cost of this ability as a whole by 2. For instance, a character with invulnerability to cold attacks may wish to add an invulnerability to, say, corrosion, edged attacks, and electricity. This adds up to an effective cost of only 14, instead of paying the full price for all four.
Also, players may choose a form of this ability that they can share with their allies. A field effect version of an invulnerability functions within one area of its possessor, who may 'broadcast' it to anyone they choose inside this radius. This counts as an extreme enhancement to invulnerability, and essentially doubles the cost of the power overall. Note that reducing the effectiveness of invulnerabilities is not an option.
As an example, let us look at our hypothetical friend with four invulnerabilities, as described above. To gain the broadcast version of his or her invulnerabilities, they must increase the total cost of invulnerability by fourteen, making for a grand total of 28 points. Expensive, sure, but their teammates would certainly love having them around!
K
Karma Control
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
The strange and insidious ability of Karma control allows its wielder to manipulate the Karma totals of either themselves or others. Though it manipulates a character's Karma sums, the wielder of Karma control ironically cannot spend Karma to help actions with it succeed. This power may be countered with resistance to warping attacks (any uses of the power) or resistance to vampirism (the third use of the power).
The basic use of Karma control involves adding a 'buffer' of Karma to oneself or another, equal in size to its power rank number. This simply requires a green power ACTION (any success will do), and lasts for as long as it takes for the affected individual to use the bonus Karma points. One must spend Karma gained in this fashion before the power will work on them again, and gained points may not be used for advancement.
Alternately, a Karma controller can perform the opposite action on others, reducing the amount of Karma they have on hand. This requires a yellow power ACTION roll, and if successful will lower one's Karma total by this power's rank number for 1d100 turns. Unlike the previous application of this ability, Karma control can 'stack' Karma reductions on a target repeatedly - since it inflicts but a temporary loss.
Finally, Karma control can be wielded to permanently transfer Karma from one character to another. This requires a red power ACTION, and when successful, can move up to this power's rank number in Karma points from one character to another (less is possible, if desired). Points gained in this manner may be spent any way the recipient desires, and points lost due to this use of the power must be regained normally.
It is important to note that taking Karma from another (by, say, transferring it to oneself) may well be considered a villainous act. If one is already 'evil', this may not be a big deal, but a would-be hero probably needs a good justification to use this facet of Karma control. Wielding it against one's foes may be good enough, but siphoning Karma from random people at the mall should be a lot trickier to justify.
L
Layered Shield
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
A layered shield is essentially a heavily reinforced individual shield. It operates in the same fashion, save that it is, well, layered. For every rank above Feeble (2) that a wizard has in his or her layered shield, they have an additional shield 'sandwiched' in higher dimensions directly behind the first, of identical power. When the first layer is broken, the second will immediately pop out and offer like defense to its caster.
This doesn't mean that a mage has an infinite amount of protection from attack. If the first shield is shattered by an attack that is more powerful than the layered shield spell rank, more than one layer of the shield may be broken. For each additional +1 CS of damage that hits this shield above its spell rank beyond the first, another layer will be broken; a +5 CS assault will, for instance, shatter four layers of a layered shield.
If a wizard runs out of layered shields, the attack that breaks through the last will not actually harm him or her, per a normal individual shield. One layer of a layered shield will regenerate each turn. The specific protection a layered shield offers is identical to that of its individual counterpart (save for the layering, of course):
Rank -1 CS / Spell Rank / Spell Rank / Rank -6 CS / Rank -8 CS
Link
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank
The wielder of this ability may combine their special powers with those of several other, willing individuals, to pool the group's collective prowess. The initiator of this link is usually in command of this enhanced power's use, and can wield it at his or her discretion. While the link is active, its initiator may directly wield their powers or those of the link's participants as if they were their own.
For each doubling of people participating in a link, add a +1 CS to whatever power its initiator is wielding. As an example, eight psis are pooling their capabilities together, thus granting the leader of their pack a +3 CS to whatever actions they take with their powers. People can join or leave the link any time after it has been initiated, though maintaining a link under such conditions requires a yellow ACTION.
Generally, linked powers work best when they have a common origin or type. Sorcerers play nice with sorcerers, energy generators ideally pair up with energy generators, and so on. Adding disparate power sources or types, either to start with or later on, inflicts a -1 CS to the ACTION to initiate (or alter the membership of) this linked power pool for each component individual that doesn't 'match'.
Locational Sense
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: 1d10 turns + maintenance, if desired
Cost: 1 point per rank
The inverse of telelocation, locational sense is an ability which allows its wielder to know their precise, seven-dimensional coordinates relative to a chosen point of reference. Such a reference point can be anything the possessor of this sense chooses, such as one's place of birth, one's time of birth, their current home, or even something less personal, like last Thursday, or mile marker 329 on Nebraska's stretch of I-80.
Pinpointing one's relative position in standard dimensions merely requires a green ACTION roll (latitude and/or longitude, distances, et cetera). A yellow ACTION adds time to the equation (3.5 hours since I woke up, or some such). A red ACTION roll includes other planes of existence in the mix (am I in the right timeline, how many planes am I from Asgard, and so on).
While seemingly simple in scope, locational sense ensures one will never be lost. Even if they're not quite sure how to make it back home.
Longevity (Agelessness)
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: permanent
Cost: 1/2 point per rank
Thanks to this ability, certain characters can live far, far beyond what is considered a normal human life span. While not immortal, a character with longevity can survive through the ages - assuming no serious injury or disease claims him or her first. The length one's life span is extended depends on when they gained this power. If one is born with it, longevity will be applied as a multiple of a normal human's life span.
For instance, mythological dwarves naturally possess longevity. Thus, they apply the longevity multiplier against the age of seventy years (slightly higher than the actual average, but mathematically simpler). However, if one acquired this power later in life (through, say, a scientific accident), longevity will apply as a multiple of the standard life span minus the age at which they gained their longevity.
As an example, let us assume that a scientist develops an artificial aging suppressant, and administers it to herself as an experiment at the age of thirty-five. Having already spent half of her normal life span, she would apply the longevity multiplier to her normal life span minus her age, which is also thirty-five years.
But what is this longevity multiplier, you ask? Simply put, it is the longevity rank number cubed. The formula for longevity is as follows:
(normal lifespan (70) minus age longevity acquired) times power rank cubed = eventual lifespan
To show this formula at work, let us look at those dwarves from before. With their 'mere' Feeble (2) ranked longevity, we can determine their eventual lifespan by plugging numbers into the formula as described. Seventy (normal human life span) times eight (the rank number cubed) is five hundred and sixty years. That's not forever, but definitely allows for a very long life, compared to the average man on the street.
A more complicated example would be that chemist described above. Subtracting her age from a normal human life span, we wind up with thirty-five years remaining. If we assume a power rank of Good (10), we can plug in the numbers and go with thirty-five (life span minus her age) times one thousand (Good's rank number cubed) to come up with a result equal to thirty-five thousand years remaining on her life.
See, sometimes college can come in handy!
Of course, some might find all of this too complicated - or alternately, they may just want a character who does not age at all. By spending two slots on this power (random character creation) or by purchasing it at Class 5000 rank (point-based system, for eight points), one can instead have what is called Agelessness instead of mere Longevity. This means your character will never die of old age.
Either due to the natural progression of time or because of the aging power!
Luck
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 3 points per rank
Similar to the very basis of magic itself, luck is an altering of probabilities to achieve a desired effect. In game terms, this is managed by actually controlling how thrown dice are read. The normal order of 'tens die' and 'ones die' is discarded, being replaced by the luck power based on the effect one desires. The die with the highest number is read first (for good luck), or the die with the lowest number is read first (for bad luck).
The character possessing luck may manipulate a die roll at will, whether their own or anyone else's. This may seem incredibly powerful, and it is, but there's always a danger in meddling with causality. Every time an altered die roll has a zero (0) in it, the Judge should take note, and roll a d10 of their own, in secret. In that many turns, the character whose luck was altered will experience a reversal.
What this means is, if a character was cursed with bad luck, and made a percentile roll with a zero in it, they'll experience good luck in a number of turns equal to the Judge's secret roll. On the other hand, if the wielder of luck was giving themselves good fortune, they'll experience bad luck in a like manner. This is a side effect of space-time righting itself in response to the luck manipulating character's actions.
Of course, there's another catch to luck. Incredibly potent, luck always comes with at least one strong limitation. Such can include (but isn't limited to) being able to only cause good or bad luck (not both), the power affecting everyone in the current area (whether good or bad), being unable to affect the luck of inanimate objects at all, or even gaining no Karma during encounters when the luck ability is in play.
This limitation does not increase the power (or discount the cost) of luck.
The rank for luck is used for few things, and ACTION rolls for such are rarely invoked. The rank number for luck does indicate the maximum amount of times in a given day one may manipulate probabilities in their favor. It also shows how well the lucky character can manipulate the fortunes of individuals with resistance to warping attacks - or perhaps others with the luck ability as well.
M
Macro Sense
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank
This potent ability allows a character to tap into a vast external source of information. His or her mind may be privy to the nature of reality itself, or it might instead subconsciously link up with the knowledge of all other sentient beings. Either way, they can use this link to study a person, place, or thing of interest exhaustively, learning about the entire existence of the subject of their inquiry.
The amount of information that this power can cull from... wherever... is typically overwhelming, no matter how specific a query may at first seem to be. Finding general or simple information about a subject requires a green ACTION, while more complex and intimate details may take a yellow ACTION roll. A red ACTION might even be required for particularly obscure, arcane, or secret and forbidden lore.
One thing a character with macro sense can do without an ACTION roll is track extremely powerful entities in his or her area. They will automatically sense sources of Class 1000 or greater power within their vicinity, as determined by the Far range table.
Macro sense is a very potent ability, and often allows a character to know things that 'man was not meant to know'. While incredibly handy, this access to unbelievable amounts of data can have a chilling effect on one's mind. In addition to causing tendencies of omniscience (and why not, really), macro sense can actually prove a threat to one's sanity if it is used too much in a short period of time.
The 'safe' amount of use for macro sense is once a day, plus one for every rank of Reason a character has over Feeble (2). A hero with Remarkable (30) ranked Reason, then, can use this ability six times in one day without causing themselves undue harm. If this amount is exceeded, the Judge may make a secret Reason ACTION roll for the character. If it fails, the character might slip into temporary insanity.
Driven mad after being inundated with too much data, the character may drift into catatonic withdrawal - or just ceaselessly gibber at anyone they see. Typically, this madness will only last until the character falls unconscious, allowing their mind to process everything it has been exposed to (or at least some of it). But repeated abuse of the power can cause the generation of deleterious mental Quirks - or worse!
Matter Duplication
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
The power to duplicate matter is the ability to create a replica of extant matter. Upon being presented with something, the possessor of this power has the option to create a copy of whatever it happens to be. This 'something' can be in a solid, liquid, or gaseous state, may be one object or many, active or inert, or even living! The power cares not, but the exact precision with which it works is somewhat variable.
When presented with something to replicate, the possessor of matter duplication may roll a power ACTION if he or she wishes to use it on the proffered material(s). As long as this ACTION roll is at least green in hue, the power can precisely copy the physical structure of the object(s) or substance(s) before its wielder, which makes it great for the purposes of mass production - or counterfeiting.
But the physical structure of a material is not necessarily all that makes it what it is. A computer, for instance, has a variety of energy states active within it at any given point, particularly in its data storage medium. Alternately, an ice cube is very cold - copying one without replicating its temperature would cause the duplicate cube to melt instantly. Duplicating energy state(s) requires a yellow power ACTION roll.
Finally, the characteristics of some materials appear to defy logic... or at least conventional physics as we know it. Such materials are usually campaign-specific metals and substances, and are often magical, psi-active, or deionic in nature (or a mix of these three qualities). Duplicating the metaphysical profiles of such things (above and beyond their mere atomic structure) requires a successful red power ACTION.
When copying material, matter duplication can only produce so much at a given point in time. It may produce, per turn, an amount of matter equal to its power rank in pounds. If one wishes to duplicate an object of larger mass, they must use the power for multiple turns, spending the appropriate amount of time to manifest a singular object if its weight exceeds their per-turn matter duplication limit when necessary.
As is the case with other matter generating powers, the use of matter duplication is stressful on the body. Each turn the power is active, it will cost its possessor one Health point, damage which must be healed in whatever fashion is normal for the character. This because weaving matter from the ambient subatomic particles in one's environment is an incredibly difficult task to perform, even under optimal conditions.
How long a duplicate lasts can be determined with a second power ACTION, made after matter has been replicated by this power. A white ACTION makes it last for a number of turns equal to this power's rank number, a green ACTION lets a duplication exist for a number of minutes equal to this power rank number, and a yellow ACTION allows a duplicate to persist for a number of hours equal to this power's rank number.
Finally, a red ACTION roll made after a duplication is completed will allow a copy this power has made to exist indefinitely.
Mind Walk
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Each sentient mind is like its very own plane of existence. Whether speaking of the conscious mind or otherwise, the totality of a sentience casts its shadow on the seventh dimension. Such shadows land in a space where thought and matter meld, a realm that can be traveled to by those who know how, contracting their existence on the lower dimensions and arriving fully manifest where their mind's shadow normally rests.
This is the process of mind walking.
Once in this realm of minds, the so-called mindscape, the mind walker can travel between sentiences, experiencing the spaces created as different consciousnesses influence the mental turf around them. Almost anything can happen in these turbulent spaces, as each mind is unique - and the influences of varying minds on a given point in space can shape it in curious and distressing fashions, depending on their strengths.
But why would one want to visit such a strange space-time, you ask? Primarily, one can travel to the shadow of a sentient mind, and then re-materialize in the 'real' world next to its possessor. This makes a mind walk a great way to travel anywhere, with no range limits. Assuming that a mind walker can find a sentient being where they'd like to travel, they can use this ability to literally go anywhere!
Alternately, at the heart of one's mental shadow, a mind walker can directly enter the consciousness of its owner. This requires a mind walk ACTION roll against the Psyche rank of the person whose mind is to be accessed. If this ACTION is successful, the mind walker may wield any psionics against the mind they're trespassing within at either the mind walk power rank or their normal rank +1 CS, whichever is higher.
Since they're physically interacting with their target's consciousness, a mind walker resolves combat normally. When damaged, they suffer direct, physical damage during such battles. The target, on the other hand, suffers Karmic damage from whatever harm a mind walker inflicts, and is treated for combat purposes as if they are astrally projecting. Defeat in the mindscape dumps one's body out near their assailant's location.
And that's not the only hazard while on a mind walk. In addition to the random hazards generated by the ever-changing influences of the minds that comprise the mindscape, there are entities that make use of this plane. Fellow travelers are the easiest to deal with, for they're often moving from place to place as well, and don't want the hassle of a fight. But the things that actually live here, they can be the stuff of nightmares.
Literally.
Denizens of the mindscape can be capable of absolutely anything, for they're formed of the stuff of dreams, random thoughts and urges, and even imagination - if not all of the above. They may be harmless as a butterfly or as menacing as a devil - and may shift from moment to moment, both in power and in behavior. After all, these mindscape entities are nothing if not a product of their mercurial environment.
Mystic Servant
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank
A mystic servant is a semi-sentient construct created by a magician. When cast, the spell will create the servant from nothingness, and invest within it a rudimentary intellect equivalent to that of its creator. The servant is not alive, only possessing a transient existence defined by the maintenance of this spell. The appearance of the mystic servant is entirely up to its creator, and can easily be tailored to any magic school.
Mystic servants will usually possess two super-human (or supernatural) abilities, each of which will be equal to this spell in rank. These can be almost anything, really; an elemental creature might have eldritch bolts of flame and perhaps a blazing aura, while an impish monster may instead bear claws and the power of darkness. They're similar to familiars for the most part, save for their lack of free will.
Once created, a mystic servant may be directed to serve in a labor or a combat role, as is needed. In the latter case, a mystic servant has an amount of Health points equal to this spell's rank and Typical (6) abilities, save for its Reason and whatever special powers it may have. If destroyed, a mystic servant quickly dissipates, and the spell that animates it ends.
Recreating a mystic servant is as simple as recasting the mystic servant spell. It will exist as long as this spell is maintained, and each servant created counts as one spell for the purposes of spell maintenance. Of course, for each extra mystic servant created, apply a -1 CS penalty to the ranks of the servants' special abilities and intellect; maintaining additional transient entities dilutes their overall effectiveness.
N
Nativity Sense
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: 1d10 turns + maintenance, if desired
Cost: 1 point per rank
Characters with this sensory capability have the means of detecting when someone or something in their vicinity is not in their proper, seven-dimensional coordinates. Nativity sense will perceive the presence of items out of time as well as those out of space, and can even spot astral forms and other 'snoopy' entities in nearby planes that interface with our own.
This ability works with a range as is determined by the Middle range table. A green ACTION roll is usually all that is necessary to see such things, unless some agency acts to mask their alien nature. To spot these cloaked persons or items, a character with a nativity sense must pass an ACTION roll against the intensity of whatever extraplanar stealth screen is working against them.
O
Override
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 3 points per rank
Override is a variant form of history control. The possessor of this ability can use override to overrule the results of the Judge's die rolls. The power can be used once per game session for each rank the character has in it. For example, wielding override at Feeble (2) rank would let someone change the Judge's dice once per game, while using it at Unearthly (100) would instead give them ten overrides.
When such a change is made, the general result is that while it originally looked like the die roll held sway, the reality of the situation is that things actually happened as the overrider preferred. Perhaps the side kick looked like he'd been killed by a burst of automatic gunfire at first, but as it turned out he merely received several 'clean' wounds, and will ultimately pull through. That kind of thing.
Such changes are not automatic, and the difficulty of making such an override depends on the nature of the intended change. To shift a Judge's roll by one color result (say, from green to white), a green ACTION is required. Altering it by two color results (perhaps from red to green) takes a yellow power ACTION roll, and switching the Judge's dice by three color results (white to red, or vice versa) necessitates a red override ACTION.
P
Planar Control
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 3 points per rank
This strange and dangerous ability allows its wielder to manipulate several properties of the local space-time. Technically speaking, planar control works by temporarily altering one or more of the area's seven-dimensional coordinates, thus causing it to overlap with the realm which normally possesses those characteristics. This causes the traits of the two distinct, joined locations to mix and match.
Planar control can be used in one of six main fashions. By altering one of the standard three dimensions of an area, a planar controller can momentarily shift it to anywhere else, really. A change such as this involves, say, shifting a part of Nome, Alaska's latitude and longitude until it overlaps with Caracas, Venezuela. Each city will experience a meteorological change (Nome will heat up, whilst Caracas will cool down).
This ability can be wielded to change an area's temporal coordinates, instead. An example of this would be shifting modern day Gettysburg, Pennsylvania back to July 2nd, 1863. While the core geography would remain the same, you'd have a lot of panicked locals trying to figure out where all these Civil War reenactors came from - and plenty of Confederate soldiers being hit by inexplicable horseless carriages.
Moving up into yet higher dimensions, planar control can manipulate a space's fifth-dimensional coordinates. This allows one to move an area until it overlaps with the equivalent area on a variant earth. If matched with a world very close to our own this may not be readily apparent, but doing so with an earth whose dinosaurs were never rendered extinct in a cosmic calamity might cause people to see a plethora of weirdness.
Stepping further out of one's experience, characters with planar control can also change the sixth-dimensional coordinates of their area, making a transient link with any other universe sharing the same timeline. An instance of this sort of manipulation includes shifting a portion of the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota until it overlaps with Asgard - and watching the hilarity (and stab wounds) quickly ensue.
Planar control can alter seventh-dimensional coordinates, though such super-spaces are usually coincident with the rest of space-time anyway. This coincidence can be amplified, however, such as making one's area mesh better with the astral plane to reveal the presence of ectoplasmic matter and entities. This may allow one to interact with ghosts and astral forms directly, but is otherwise harmless.
Combining one's space with the mindscape of another's nightmare, on the other hand, can be downright devastating. A dreamspace unleashed upon the real world can cause literally anything to happen, depending on the mind generating the nightmare in the first place. Strange physics, monstrous creatures, and even interruptions in causality might be inflicted on an area merged with someone's subconscious!
A sixth use for planar control involves stabilizing an area of space-time, instead of destabilizing it. This can be used to seal portals in an area that lead to other spaces or times, pitting the rank of planar control against that which made them to begin with (or with a yellow ACTION for naturally occurring rifts). Planar control can even be used to lock out teleportation, dimensional transit, and time travel powers!
The distance with which one can cause transient alterations in space-time is similar to that of related powers. Standard dimensions can be shifted with Far range (per teleportation), allowing someone with a Monstrous (75) rank to be able to reach any point on earth (which has a 7926.28-mile diameter). Shifting to different time periods works like time travel (that Monstrous planar control could move 421,875 years along the timeline).
Higher dimensions are more ambiguous. Reaching a specific variant timeline or another universe entirely isn't dependent on distance, but whether or not the wielder of planar control knows how to get there. These require a power stunt for each (as with dimensional transit), but if the character with this ability has dimensional transit as well, they can apply stunts to reach dimensions with it to planar control (and vice versa).
The size of an area so blurred by planar control is determined on the Near range table. That Monstrous (75) ranked planar control power indicated earlier could temporarily merge two areas within a mile radius of its wielder - that's a lot of real estate! A blended space remains for up to a number of turns equal to the power rank number - unless the planar controller specifically concentrates on maintaining the effect.
But why do this, you ask? Blurring two locations together can be a great way to travel between them directly. By connecting two areas in space-time, the wielder of planar control can walk through the affected area and, upon reaching the end of its circumference, lean into the new location in preference to the old. By doing so, the power will terminate - but its wielder will arrive in the new location no worse for the wear.
The problem is that other people, if they realize what is going on, can perform the same trick - and anyone carrying an item out of a blurred space that doesn't belong can introduce anachronisms into their realm. A Civil War combatant from before might steal a cell phone and a Beretta 9mm pistol from modern-day civilians and wander out of planar control's radius, thus causing serious divergences in the time stream.
That's why it pays for a planar controller to operate this ability for short periods of time; if people are menaced by dinosaurs for only a few seconds, the odds of anyone being eaten are greatly diminished. On the other hand, planar control can be a great way to cause mass panic, and makes for a supreme diversion if one is trying to cover their tracks when engaging in illegal activities.
Portal
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank (before added features)
A portal is a direct connection between two different locations. Matter and energy may freely pass through one end of the portal and instantaneously arrive at the other, regardless of the intervening space, time, or dimension. Portals are two-way affairs, and anything on one end of a portal can move through to the other, regardless of which side of the portal the traveling material or energy is on.
Strictly speaking, the portal ability can only link two locations within the current space-time its wielder currently occupies. However, it may do so on the Very Far range table, linking two locations that are vastly distant from each other. For example, a character wielding the portal ability at Incredible (40) rank can construct a bridge between two points that are up to 2.5 million miles apart!
This may sound similar in effect to teleportation, but the advantage over that ability is that portal allows any number of persons, things, or energies to pass through. As long as the portal is open, anything can use it to move between the two locations with ease. There is no weight limit, no fatal materialization risks, or anything else to impede the use of the portal. That and it reaches farther, too.
Furthermore, one's portals can have even more features... at additional cost. Its possessor can add the ability to make portals into other dimensions or times by adding one point per rank (or making portal count as an additional power), or they can add the ability to build portals to both by increasing the cost by two points per rank (or making portal count as two additional powers).
If traveling through time or to other planes of existence is added to the portal ability, these features function as they normally would, where capability and/or range is concerned (see dimensional transit and time travel for more on this). These variant portals function in the exact same way as a regular portal would, it's just that their destinations are (often vastly) different.
Portals can be used offensively as well as for transit. One such use involves opening up a doorway to somewhere full of hostile creatures. While this is often more than enough to dispatch an unsuspecting foe (either temporarily or permanently), the problem is that the things on the other side of the portal are not under the control of its creator, and just might come for them next!
Another offensive use of portals is to open a portal in such a manner that it will snare someone or something in the area. This requires a to-hit roll based on the wielder's Agility score (and the target may attempt a dodge if physically capable of it).
Postcognition
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Postcognition is the ability to vicariously relive the past in relation to a person, place, or thing. This requires physical contact with the subject, and may investigate a number of years of its history equal to the postcognition power rank number squared. For example, a postcognitive bearing this ability with Incredible (40) rank can directly examine and relive the history of a subject up to 1,600 years into the past!
A postcognitive vision mainly gives information relevant to the subject. If something important happened in the area that the postcog's subject was unaware of and didn't affect it directly, postcognition might not pick up on it (Judge's discretion). Similarly, coaxing the desired amount of detail out of a subject with this ability can be tricky; the color result of the postcognition ACTION roll determines how useful the offered data is.
A white ACTION roll typically won't give anything useful, and may in fact be counter-productive to the postcog's goals. A green ACTION roll will provide accurate, if minimalistic information. Yellow ACTION rolls provide accurate and somewhat thorough details about the period of time being examined. Red ACTIONs can provide all of this and more, sometimes gleaning extra information that isn't otherwise apparent.
The kicker is that for a player to not know they're getting bum (or excellent) information, they don't get to roll the ACTION required when using postcognition - that's left to the Judge. A player may declare they're adding Karma to the roll, but he or she won't know how much they need; they can shout out a number and be bound to that expenditure, but may not even need all of it if the Judge rolls high enough.
This all assumes that postcognition is used on an unfamiliar target. When wielding this ability on familiar persons or items, a postcog may add a +1 CS to the ACTION roll, a +2 CS when used on their property, or close friends and relatives, and a +3 CS when used on themselves. The latter is useful when trying to determine what might have happened to oneself while unconscious (or dead!) for any long period of time.
Precognition
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 3 points per rank
Perhaps one of the most difficult abilities to possess, precognition allows its wielder to see the future! This works by peeling back the veil of time, and looking upon events before they unfold. Characters with this capability have the power to shape the very nature of their reality, for they can conceivably bring events to pass that otherwise would not happen - or prevent seemingly certain eventualities from occurring at all.
This works because while a timeline is immutable, the precognitive character is not necessarily viewing their own, eventual fate. You see, there are an infinite number of variant timelines, and every second an infinity more branch out from our own, depending on the outcome of events large and small. By nudging things in one direction or another, a precognitive person can steer their future towards a certain path, for good or ill.
Precognition can look ahead a number of hours equal to its power rank number; Excellent (20) rank gives a body about a day's worth of notice regarding impending events (great for winning the lottery), while Shift X (150) rank can see almost a week into the future. This allows a precog to monitor future events while working to bring about one specific outcome or another, to see if their actions are helping (or not).
Whether or not the precognitive individual wishes to change anything is another matter entirely.
The trick with precognition is that the success or failure of an action with the ability is unknown. The dice are not rolled by the player - instead, the Judge makes precognition ACTION rolls in secret, and the player may not add Karma to this roll. The validity of a precognitive reading is dependent on the results of this ACTION, and the Judge is encouraged have a blast with any failed precognition ACTION rolls.
On the other hand, something useful should be gleaned upon precognition's success, in relation to the color result. A green ACTION, for instance, will give accurate but vague information in the vision. A yellow ACTION roll will provide ample data about a future occurrence, making it easier to determine what the context is. A red ACTION may even give additional information about the situation that isn't readily apparent.
As one can guess, precognition is extremely powerful, and as a result a character who possesses it must take at least one potent limitation to hold it in check - which does not add to its power level (or reduce its cost). Said character can take more, of course, and subsequent limitations will in fact benefit their precognition's power to cost ratio, but at least one is mandatory. Such limitations can include the following:
- The precognition is out of the character's control - he or she sees visions when the Judge decides it's time.
- The precognition only affects a single class of subjects, such as living beings, inanimate objects, or locations.
- The precognition can only work on something its wielder is touching (or an area they're standing within).
- The precognition only occurs in dreams, lending a whole new definition to promnesia (déjà vu).
- The precognition is the only vision the character can see, until it comes to pass or is prevented.
Precognition itself is only at its maximum effectiveness the first time it is used on a given day. Each subsequent use of the ability reduces its effective power rank (both for the resolution of ACTIONs and the range with which it can peer into the future) by -1 CS. The limit to this is Shift 0 rank, at which point a character can only use the power to peer into the immediate future of those in their vicinity.
When a precog's daily prognostications are all 'used up', he or she may only peer one turn into the future - and then, only in relation to the actions of others within their current area. If this ACTION (which must be yellow or better) is successful, a precog may act with this foreknowledge, and if he or she wins the initiative, they may even share his knowledge of the next few seconds with allies.
This use of precognition doesn't 'drain' the rank of the power if it hasn't already reached shift 0 levels, and may be used indefinitely.
Q
Quarantine
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
By invoking the quarantine power, its possessor can act to corral something away from the rest of the multiverse! This usually involves shunting the target into a transitory, dimensionless plane - effectively putting it in stasis. The quarantined being or thing is effectively isolated from anything else in the six conventional dimensions, and cannot interact with them in any way whatsoever!
This is not banishment, however; quarantine is impermanent, incapable of kicking anything out of reality. The effect only lasts as long as its wielder can actively maintain a quarantine. A mere green power ACTION is all that is needed to quarantine something, though a living target is allowed a Psyche (will) ACTION roll to resist being shunted... elsewhere. Unless they're inexplicably willing, that is.
R
Reanimation
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
Reanimation is the ability to instill a semblance of life into formerly living creatures. This works in a number of fashions, the end result being that the formerly inanimate biological matter reanimation was used upon has been given the ability to move again! Such reanimated creatures are under the control of their creator, and will usually do his or her bidding without question - they've instilled them with their new unlife, after all.
The difficulty of reanimating the dead depends on just how much of it remains. A fresh corpse (aside from minor damage, such as whatever ended its life) requires a green power ACTION. Yellow ACTIONs are necessary when a considerable portion of the body is gone, or if it has suffered serious damage (dying in a fire, losing an arm). A red ACTION is called for when naught but a skeleton remains of the body.
Most often, the reanimated creatures will take the form of a zombie - a nigh-mindless humanoid. This assumes that reanimation was wielded upon relatively intact human corpses. The less intact a corpse is, the less Health it will have; a skeleton is a form of zombie that is mostly devoid of flesh, and has but eight Health points. If used on animals, characteristics for such must be worked out independently.
However, a reanimator can create more powerful forms of undead if they wish. This requires the use of additional abilities, but it is within the realm of possibility. For example, a reanimator who also possesses vampirism can themselves raise vampires. The only problem with this is that more powerful - and more intelligent - undead creatures are harder to control, and may actively plot against their recreator to gain their freedom.
Achieving control of one's undead creations requires a power ACTION against the Psyche (will) rank of said creature. This is almost always successful against mere zombies, who have a Shift 0 Psyche (will) score. More powerful undead creatures may very well resist this control, however, and if they break free they might assault their recreator if they've been treated badly (either for real or in the undead's imagination).
The fun part is that this trick works both on undead creatures that a reanimator has created and those created by other reanimators. To 'steal' control of another reanimator's minions, a reanimator must pass a reanimation ACTION against the intensity of the other reanimator's reanimation ability. If successful, they can then attempt to control that undead as if they'd just created it (per the above).
A reanimator may create any number of undead minions to do his or her bidding, but can only actively control a limited amount of such at a time. The number of undead one can simultaneously command is equal to this power rank number. While reanimators can only directly command this many at once, other undead under their sway will continue previous tasks given to them - at least, until they've completed such.
Alternately, a reanimator can temporarily animate bits of dead bodies, much as other matter animators can handle their own areas of interest. This requires a green power ACTION, and allows a reanimator to control any deceased biological matter available like a macabre puppet master. This does not create new undead creatures at all, but simply allows the reanimator to make use of such 'spare parts' in a pinch.
Reanimation's major concern is that its creations are contagious. Almost all undead possess the means to create more of their kind, which is usually considered a negative consequence of their undead status (such as the Curse of the Zombie, or the Kiss of the Vampire). Indirect creations of a reanimator are considered theirs for the purposes of control, but if unaware of them they may become free-roaming undead.
And this never bodes well for a civilization... any civilization. So why bother? Zombies and the like are a great source of free labor, however smelly. Let loose in a factory, a zombie work force can continue to perform the tasks given to them indefinitely. And when you really need a horde of monsters to wipe out the neighboring town, why bother with the more skilled minions amongst your ranks? Send in the zombies!
Resurrection
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
This potent ability allows its wielder to raise the very dead. This is not reanimation, in that one is not creating near-mindless zombies and other undead to do his or her bidding, but the restoration of full life functions! There is both a physical and a metaphysical aspect to this ability, the former of which depends on how much of the dead body is intact, while the latter depends on how long a body has been deceased.
In other words, resurrections require two distinct ACTION rolls.
The first has a difficulty based upon how much of a corpse remains. A green ACTION can resuscitate an intact (or nearly so) body; this corpse has only minor damage, if any. A yellow ACTION is necessary if the body is only partially intact, or suffered severe damage (died in a fire, or is missing one or more limbs). A red ACTION can restore life to a body that is mostly gone (skeletal remains, cremation, or frozen and shattered bodies).
If this first ACTION is successful, the body has been repaired and is ready to receive its spiritual inhabitant. If this seems too difficult (a character makes a point of raising the long dead, or their allies have a habit of being eaten alive) one could make use of abilities like the conjuration spell to iron out the kinks here, and restore the body to pristine condition (thus only requiring a green ACTION to get the body prepared).
Once the shell is ready, the resurrector must give it the spark of life, and reunite the body with its lost essence. If the body died within the last year, this is a green power ACTION, while a yellow ACTION roll is required if it died within the last century. Reaching back further than this requires a red ACTION, as the corpse's spirit has long since moved on to the next stage of its existence, whatever that may be.
If successful, this will draw the lost anima from wherever it had gotten to and fuse it anew to its former body. The resurrected entity will be disoriented for 1d10 turns, during which time it will acclimatize itself to its renewed state of life. After this, the resurrected character (or animal, or whatever) may do as it wishes, not at all being bound by the will of their resurrector (though likely grateful, for the most part).
Resurrection can be a powerful tool for adventurers, as it mostly negates the threat of death, but there can be consequences.
Generally speaking, a body will not remember what occurred to it after its death. However, the longer a body has been resident in some afterlife or another, the more likely it is to have memories of some sort about that time. Even more likely, the individual entities in charge of said afterlife will take notice if one of their charges has been ripped from their care after a couple of centuries.
On the other hand, a character that has been resurrected many times may irk the ire of whatever death god(s) hold sway over them. They may be tired of repeatedly losing one of their prizes to the resurrector, and may pay him or her a visit. One never knows if this will involve a stern talking to about the nature of life and death, or instead taking the resurrector's soul in the place of the resurrectee's.
Similarly, dice rolls to the contrary, it may be impossible to raise a person from the dead if their spirit has been irrevocably changed after leaving the body. This can involve anything from becoming one with the universe to transforming into mythological creatures such as angels or demons, or even having one's essence consumed or destroyed somehow. If this happens, the resurrection will fail.
Not that the resurrector may necessarily know this. When this ability is used on a being whose anima has been transformed or destroyed, it's possible that someone may take notice and insert something else instead of the soul in question. If this occurs, the wielder of this ability may attempt a Reason ACTION roll to determine if something has gone awry; if successful, the resurrector will at least know what has happened.
If it fails, they'll be none the wiser (and hilarity may quickly ensue).
Most of these concerns involve edge cases, though, and usually won't be a serious problem to the wielder of this ability. For the most part. But it does pay to avoid raising people from the dead willy-nilly, or else one might end up like Asclepius. He raised the dead for fun and profit, until Zeus struck him down for his perfidy. Sure, he was eventually elevated to godhood himself, but it was a rough road getting there.
S
Sorcerous Invisibility
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
Its name something of a misnomer, sorcerous invisibility is an illusory trick one may wield to keep the use of his or her magical powers a secret. How it works is that, when casting magic of some sort, sorcerous invisibility disguises its effects as mundane phenomenon. For example, a sorcerer firing eldritch bolts at demons on a busy street corner might overlay the scene with imagery of them heaving a rock at muggers.
While maintained, this ability masks the obvious effects of magic, actively working against the Intuition (alt) of anyone within Near distance of the caster. If witnesses to the magic fail an ACTION against this power rank, they won't realize anything fantastic is going on. In fact, if the use of sorcery has no direct effect on the environment, they may not even know anything transpired at all!
The power of sorcerous invisibility interacts with the other spells a mage is using, other magic in the environment, and the minds of those within range, such that everyone affected perceives real-time updates to their environment to cope with the spells on display before them. This allows mages to combat each other without alerting the 'mundanes' when they cannot relocate to a more convenient and/or isolated field of battle.
Or, alternately, lets a wizard or psychoturge keep knowledge of the occult from driving mere mortals mad upon exposure to it.
Sorcerous invisibility is more powerful than ordinary illusion projection in that it isn't hampered by ever-greater numbers of witnesses. On the other hand, it is limited in that it only masks magic or magical beings in the vicinity. Also, anyone with nonapparent vision or the ability to detect magic or other energetic phenomenon may be alerted to its use, even though their standard senses are completely fooled.
Spectral Freedom
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: permanent (no maintenance required)
Cost: 8 points (flat cost)
Spectral freedom is a quality of one's consciousness that allows it to persist without inherent ties to a physical anchor. At any point, the possessor of this power can separate his or her very mind from their body, transplanting it into the astral plane. This universe is an aspect of a higher (seventh) dimension, which is coterminous with most points in space and time... as well as some both in-between and beyond.
In this state, the character's mind behaves as if it is astrally projecting. Characters with that power can interact with the consciousness of the spectrally free individual, possibly even engaging in battle if desired. In the event of such combat, one's Fighting rank remains the same, though they must substitute Intuition for Agility, Reason for Strength, and Psyche for Endurance when necessary.
Furthermore, a character with spectral freedom has access to all of their knowledge if called upon to battle astrally. This means that, if forced to do so, they may bring any talent-equivalent powers to bear in combat (such as spells or psionics). Spectrally free individuals can even make use of any inherent mental powers their original body had access to, since these are usually considered a 'part' of them to begin with.
The difference between someone using astral projection and spectral freedom is that there is no time limit to the latter. While an astral form must eventually return from whence it came, a spectrally free character need not do so. One's body may not ultimately survive the experience if it isn't properly cared for (on life support, etc.), but their mind can go on existing in higher dimensions indefinitely.
This is quite an advantage upon death. When slain, the mind of the deceased with spectral freedom will simply slough off its dead meat as if it were wandering about any other time. The trick is that it now has nowhere left to return to - which, while inconvenient in terms of interacting with the 'real' world, won't directly do anything to endanger the continued existence of one's mind.
What does threaten the life of a spectrally free individual's mind is, naturally, suffering psychic damage. If one's mind is defeated (their Mental Health is depleted), they must pass a Kill check or begin to lose Endurance ranks, as would any other person. The character with spectral freedom can thus still be slain, it just takes killing their consciousness to get rid of them permanently (as much as one can slay a super-human).
Since they aren't drawn into realms of the afterlife like the ordinary deceased (unless their mind is destroyed, per the above), the spectrally free are at liberty to create all-new relationships with the living. Barring separate powers such as possession or mind transfer, these detached minds can only 'roost' in a body, interacting with its owner in their dreams (or normally, if their host possesses the spectral sense).
If such contact is unwanted, this may attract the attention of those who specialize in warding off ghosts. But most often, the spectrally free do this to benefit both themselves and their hosts, perhaps helping them out in exchange for furthering their own agendas in the world of material things. Assuming they're not blatantly using corporeal beings for their own amusements.
One reason that many experts of the occult most often confuse an individual with this power for a garden-variety poltergeist is that particularly strong-willed individuals can achieve a state of spectral freedom upon their demise. This requires a Psyche (will) ACTION roll against Unearthly (100) intensity upon the physical death of such a person, who then gains this ability in exchange for their physicality.
But for those who fear their 'final reward', or simply aren't done with whatever work they've chosen to do, this isn't such a bad deal.
As a spell, spectral freedom is one of those rare abilities which do not count as one power for the purposes of power maintenance. This is because it's more of a permanent change in how one's very consciousness works, rather than an ability they must concentrate upon. This is particularly true if its possessor's physical body is destroyed - the power then defines their very existence!
Summoning
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: special
Cost: 2 points per rank
Summoning is the ability to draw forth living creatures, whether sentient or otherwise - and bind them to your will! It can be used to make manifest creatures native to one's world, alien beings from across the cosmos, or even enigmatic entities from beyond the universe. A summoner may bring forth one creature or many, to be directed towards any task they are capable of... assuming they're strong enough.
Once the summoner has decided what he or she wishes to call forth, they must roll a power ACTION against the Psyche (will) score of their target. If this ACTION roll is successful, the creature will appear before them, and can be directed to perform one task. Once this task is completed the summoned entity will disappear, the summoner's hold upon it broken, and will smartly return from whence it came.
This assumes that only one creature was called by the summoner. If the summoner wishes to bring about multiple creatures, each doubling of such subtracts a -1 CS from their effective summoning rank. This may not be a huge deal when conjuring up a cloud of Africanized honey bees (who have no Psyche rank to speak of), but summoning a horde of pixies might be the last thing the summoner ever did.
Except for the screaming and so forth.
This is because, if the summoning ACTION fails, the called creature(s) might answer the summons anyway. Those creatures that do so may act as they please, no matter what the summoner demands of them. And the more uncontrolled creatures one calls forth, the more creatures there are to vent their frustration upon the summoner for attempting to drag them away from their lives to do someone else's dirty work.
The chief problem with summoning is that the summoner does not know if a creature is truly under their control until it disobeys them. Powerful creatures love to take advantage of this loophole in summoning to try and wring something out of the summoner in return for services rendered. Alternately, they may threaten him or her with bodily harm after the task is completed, if they are not bargained with beforehand.
On the plus side, if they've indeed taken control of the called creature, a summoner can ignore this posturing... unless it learns enough about a summoner to find them afterwards. Or can resist the summoning power's banishment of it after it has completed the task the summoner called it to perform. Some entities truly lack a sense of humor, and can bear a grudge for a very, very long time.
T
Time Travel
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
Time travel is the ability to move forwards and backwards in time. This powerful ability works by pulling its wielder outside the normal space-time continuum and bouncing them off variant timelines, the angle of deflection determining how far one may travel in a single hop. The larger a power rank a character has in time travel, the greater an angular deflection they can achieve - thus trips through time that stretch even further.
Even a relatively small power rank can reach rather far into the time stream; a traveler may move through time a number of years (either forwards or backwards) equal to their power rank cubed. Thus, a Feeble (2) ranked time traveler can move eight years either way, while a Remarkable (30) ranked time traveler has a 27,000 year range - the latter allowing them to visit all of known human civilization!
This lends itself to any number of theories about how to alter the past, the present, or even the future. The problem is that whenever a body moves through time, he or she branches off a new timeline dedicated to each hop. For instance, when traveling to the past, a time traveler creates a timeline where they reached a point in history, leaving behind their original (where they didn't actually interfere with the past).
While in the 'new' timeline, the time traveler can alter 'their' past as they see fit. They can kill their grandparents, steal the Statue of Liberty, whatever. When traveling back to the present, they'll even see the results of whatever changes they have wrought - though even if they negated their own existence in this new timeline, they won't cease to exist because they are alien to it (despite being its ersatz creator).
Of course, the time traveler may not like the consequences of their actions, and might wish things to go back the way they were. Doing so is as simple as returning to one's original timeline (which has had a traveler-shaped absence in it since they left), though this requires stepping into the second temporal dimension, and is considered a power stunt, as it involves an aspect of dimensional transit.
The whole part about going to variant earths and back.
Alternately, one can hope their allies from the 'real' universe will come looking for them, in the event that this power stunt cannot be mastered. If the stunt isn't viable, and there is no likelihood of rescue, it's possible the time traveler may be out of luck. Or may have to go back into the past and stop themselves from changing things. Or perhaps try to do things differently, setting off even more divergent timelines.
While traveling to the future, you don't actually branch off a variant timeline until you return. When you do so, you immediately split off a different timeline wherein the future you traveled to has been rendered an alternate; that precise eventuality is no longer viable as a result of your present, the mere act of seeing it negating the probability of it occurring (it's one of those Schrödinger's Cat things).
Not to mention, you know, all those sleek future doo-dads you brought back with you.
Mind you, all of the above assumes you immediately return after entering the time stream. One can, as a power stunt, exit the timeline at their current point and just drift. This extends the range of time travel to an infinite degree, as the traveler may move along the timeline as far as they wish before allowing themselves to be drawn back in. The problem with this mode of time travel is the level of accuracy involved.
It's kind of hard to tell where you're going, temporally speaking, while outside of time. Roll an ACTION to determine relative accuracy. A white result means you could be at any time in any variant earth. A green ACTION means you have the timeline correct, but the time could be anywhen. A yellow ACTION gets you within a century of the desired time period, and a red ACTION gets you within about a month of where you want to be.
Transient Universe
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 1 point per rank
The ultimate smuggling tool, a transient universe is a pocket dimension that exists only for a short period of time. When this power is invoked, it will craft an extradimensional space with but one opening - usually at the side of its creator, or perhaps in an actual pocket on their clothing. This universe is of finite size, consisting of a number of cubic yards equal to its power rank number.
The power must be consciously maintained, but while this is done the character who wields this ability can store whatever material they desire in the space they have crafted, whether animate or otherwise - though the former may need its own air supply. If the power is terminated while matter is still resident in the pocket dimension, it will immediately spew forth upon the deactivation of the transient universe ability.
V
Vampirism
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank
In its basic form, vampirism allows its wielder to drain the life force of another, to recover lost Health. Vampirism always requires contact with the victim, and cannot be used at range. Upon touching the target, a vampire can drain an amount of their Health equal to this power rank number, assuming the target cannot resist; vampirism can be fought off by passing an Psyche (will) ACTION roll against its rank.
If this ACTION fails, the vampire may drain their victim as much or as little as they wish. Every additional turn they do so, the target is allowed another ACTION to resist. If this ACTION is ever successful, the victim immediately repulses the vampire and gains immunity from this form of their assailant's vampirism, but doesn't protect from other characters with the power, or other forms of vampirism the assailant may have.
If the character with vampirism is at full Health when they drain an amount of Health equal to their power rank number, they receive a +1 CS to their Strength, Endurance, Psyche, and all their power ranks save for this one (additional drains do not enhance them further). This boost lasts for 1d100 turns, after which point the character with vampirism will return to normal. Gaining another boost requires another feeding.
On the flip side, a vampire may instead bestow a gift of Health, at a loss of their own. This works in the same fashion, though an ACTION roll usually isn't required (most critically wounded individuals welcome healing), but if the target resists, the same ACTION as the above applies. Upon healing another via vampirism, the wounds so repaired will appear on the body of a vampire, a visual expression of the transfer of Health.
The risk in using this ability is twofold. First off, there's the danger of contagion. Draining a body of its Health completely is considered a lethal attack. If the victim of such an attack fails their Kill check, they will begin to lose Endurance ranks until either first aid is administered or they die. If such an individual dies, they will rise again as an undead creature, an essential vampire that requires the life force of others to live.
Secondly, if a vampire kills with this ability, whether accidentally or on purpose, they must pass a Psyche (will) ACTION against the intensity of their own vampirism rank. If this ACTION roll fails, the vampire will become addicted to the essence of others, and will require it to function as well. While addicted, the character with vampirism will suffer a loss of power each day they do not feed upon the Health scores of others.
This loss comes in the form of a -1 CS to their Strength, Endurance, Psyche, and all their power ranks (save for the vampirism, of course). To avoid this loss, the addicted vampire must drain an amount of Health equal to their vampirism rank each day, and if at a penalty, a like amount to recover each -1 CS lost to such abilities. The only way to shake this addiction is to go cold turkey - and that's not easy.
Withdrawal from the life force from others causes the CS penalties to mount, until the character's indicated ability scores and power ranks reach Shift 0. This prompts an Endurance ACTION, per a Kill result. If this ACTION fails, the character immediately dies, and will eventually rise as an essential vampire themselves. If it succeeds, they may attempt a Psyche (will) ACTION to overcome their addiction.
If this Psyche ACTION succeeds, the character is 'cured', and may begin to recover lost ability and power ranks at a rate of +1 CS per day. If the Psyche ACTION fails, however, the character must wait another day, and repeat the Endurance ACTION to see if they live long enough to attempt another Psyche ACTION to beat the urge. This continues until the character either dies or manages to get clean.
If a character with vampirism has ever been addicted to the essence of others, using the ability again may cause a relapse - even if they've physically recovered from the ordeal. Every time the character uses vampirism afterwards, they must pass a Psyche (will) ACTION, the failure of which indicates an immediate relapse into vampiric addiction. If they pass this ACTION they'll be fine - at least, until next time!
Naturally, an undead creature dependent on the Health of others to live cannot shake this requirement. This process only applies to still-living wielders of vampirism, and not its many victims.
Variable Power
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: special
Cost: 1 point per rank
The character with a variable power is capable of trading in one super-human ability for another. When variable power is invoked, it can copy a super-human ability from anyone within Very Near range. This new power will function at the rank of the variable power ability, not its original score. It will not affect the source of the power, and said source may have no idea that his or her ability was duplicated.
Once the variable power is set, it remains available to the wielder of such until they duplicate a new power, at which point they 'forget' the old power and 'learn' the new one. When the old form of variable power is forgotten, it is gone forever - unless copied again at a later date. While variable power can be used to acquire any power, it does not function on technology, talents, or other knowledge.
In other words, it can copy something like a mutant power, but not a device or a learned skill-equivalent like a spell. Copying the powers of another merely requires a green power ACTION roll.
As a spell, variable power has a unique duration. While the magic has an 'instantaneous' duration, its effects are continuous. Its wielder need not maintain variable power to keep what they have acquired in this fashion, and if the power is blocked somehow (such as the power block ability), it will return when that effect expires, leaving only when variable power is reused to acquire a new ability.
Vivification
Type: Dimensional Spell
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 3 points per rank
Vivification is the ability to breathe life into the lifeless! This power can work on organic or inorganic matter - basically anything that does not already possess a life force. When used on inanimate material, vivification will act to infuse it with essence, creating an all-new, living being. This being's existence will persist until it is destroyed, one way or another.
An entity brought to life by vivification will be capable of performing any action its form allows; the more complicated it is, the better. A die might be able to roll, if awkwardly, but cannot fire a gun. A mannequin can walk and the like, but is particularly fragile. An automobile can drive, and even hit people with its doors when it wants to, but has a hard time getting a fill at the gas station. And so on, and so forth.
When aimed at intelligent, yet non-sentient devices (computers, robots, and so on), vivification will grant such entities the gift of sentience. This has the effect of immediately rendering them free-willed, despite any safeguards to prevent that sort of thing. Digital beings so animated will transcend mere programming, and can literally write their own destiny... unless their owners stop them in their tracks, that is.
If used on formerly living matter, vivification can restore life to the deceased flesh. This is different from both reanimation and resurrection in that the resulting being is actually alive, but is not the same as he or she was before. Vivified beings can make use of any memory their flesh stores, if applicable, but whatever soul may have been tied to them has since moved on to (hopefully) greener pastures.
Such vivified entities are technically new beings, essentially making use of recycled flesh. If said flesh is in bad shape, the power will slowly knit it back together after animating it, doing so as if the body in question possessed power rank regeneration. Once the body has been fixed such that it can independently support the life force of the vivified matter, this tendency for rapid healing will fade away.
To create life where there previously was none, the character with vivification must make a simple power ACTION, its difficulty depending on what is to be vivified. Formerly living organic matter is easy to invigorate, since it held life force previously (green ACTION). Something that is intelligent but not alive, such as a robot, is a bit harder (yellow ACTION). Inert objects and matter are particularly hard to vivify (red ACTION).
A vivified object will often have personality traits that reflect its nature - though not always. A baseball bat might love being used to hit things, while a car may enjoy nothing more than going for a ride with its owner. Vivified things can become sentient if their animator desires, depending on their needs at the time, though this may be automatic in the form of invigorated robots or formerly dead human bodies.
The beings given life by this power will generally possess physical abilities and special powers (if any) appropriate to their form, if these have not already been determined previously. Mental ability scores (if any) can be of any rank desired by the vivifier, with an upper limit of this power's rank. If given sentience (or this quality is developed due to their nature), created life forms will also possess a Karma score.
The critical thing to keep in mind is that, while it is incredibly easy to create new life with this power, its products do have feelings. One might be liable for Karma loss if they create life only to sacrifice it for their own, immediate success - depending on the character, that is.
The process of vivification requires physical contact with the matter to be given life.