[Banestorm] Yrth as a Psionic setting

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

I don't see the value of a pro-psi force in the Ring Islands. Just assume the anti-psi force is A) subtle on Earth propper, it prevents those with less than a certain amount of skill learning psi (which means skilled Psions can act on Earth) and B) the anti-psi force is unequally distributed on Yrth.

Not sure that I'd want to use that, but it is an interesting idea.

Originally Posted by Astromancer

I might suggest that Yrth's moon causes the anti-psi force to wane when Yrth's moon is brighter. And that each orbit of Yrth's moon around Yrth slightly weakens the force. This would cover the slow reduction of the No Manna area in the Banestorm book.

By the way, don't have the slow weakening actually be connected to the moonlight. Correlation isn't causation after all. But let the PCs think it might be. It's a fun red herring.

True. Also works somewhat to explain werecreatures in-setting, if they seem to respond to the Moon (transformation or projection would be easier then, with that variant). Would probably need an explanation for why it happens to coincide with the full moon, though.

Originally Posted by binn05

Found it! Rá! I'm absent-minded, but still not crazy!!! Do you hear that, voices inside my head????

I was thinking about Torsionic Radiation. Pyramid #3.29, p23.
It is about a psi radiation that causes "psychic pollution that causes emotional distress in sapient creatures, kill plants, and destabilizes the weather."...

Lets see, do I have that? *looks it up* Interesting. Not sure whether I want to use it or not, but it's interesting.

Originally Posted by binn05

Did you think about using Wildcard skills?
Since I'm not using specific Power Talents (Telepathy Talent, TK Talent, etc.), but using Template Talents (Psi Talent, Sanctity, Chi Talent, etc.), each template has a list of specific psi abilities that they can buy. So, I'm using wildcard skills like Anti-psi, Telekinesis, and Thermokinesis).
But this is DF, not Fantasy. It is working nicely for us, though.

Did not really plan on using Wildcard skills for that, but they could be useful in some games.


Incidentally, if I'd been more awake, that quirk in the template would have either been much more generic ('Always carries a set of 'lucky' dice,' for example), or entirely absent (replaced by lowering the cost of one of the skills or techniques, probably). It was just there because I didn't want the final cost to be 51, and I was already going to see if there was a 'Patron Saint of Gamblers,' for Mystic Order purposes.

EDIT: For those of you who are Catholic, he's apparently also the patron of gamers, though that might not be meant the same way.

[Astromancer]

Thank-you Binn05.

Prince Charon, might I suggest that Yrth's moon's gravitational field interferes with the source of the anti-Psi radiation. Make the orbit of Yrth's moon far more eliptical than than of Luna. If at the full moon Yrth's satellite was only 160 thousand miles away (two-thirds of Luna's orbit) and at the new moon Yrth's moon was 500 thousand miles away, the gravitational effects on Yrth would vary wildly.

[Prince Charon]

Lambard the Cheerful, 2019

Age: 27

Attributes

ST 11 [10]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 10 [0]

Secondary Characteristics

HP 11; Will 13 [5]; Per 12; FP 10

Social Background

Languages: Northland (Native) [0]; Anglish (Accented) [4]; Dwarvish (Accented/Broken) [3]; Elvish (Broken) [2]; Sahudese (Broken/None) [1].

TL: 3^

Cultural Familiarity: Nomad Lands [0]; Christian region [1]; Dwarves [1].

Subtotal: 127


Advantages

Clerical Investment (Loki) [5]
Status 1 [5]

Coincidence (Nuisance Effect: Must speak or gesture, -5%; Pact (Ritualism), -5%) 1 [25]
^ Coincidence (Alternative Ability of Coincidence; Emergencies Only, -30%; Pact (Ritualism), -5%) 1 [4]
^ Adjustment 5 (AA of Coincidence; Nuisance Effect: Must speak or gesture, -5%; Pact (Ritualism), -5%) [5]
^ Curse 3 (AA of Coincidence; Nuisance Effect: Must speak and gesture, -10%; Pact (Ritualism), -5%) [5]
^ Second Chance 2 (AA of Coincidence; Pact (Ritualism), -5%) [5]
^ Suggestion 4 (AA of Coincidence; power limitation changed from 'Telepathy, -10%' to 'Probability Alteration, -10%'; Hearing-based (Target's Hearing), -20%; Nuisance Effect: Only on people who share a language with me, -10%; Pact (Ritualism), -5%) [5]
^ Weather Control 1 (AA of Coincidence; Nuisance Effect: Must speak and gesture, -10%; Pact (Ritualism), -5%) [4]
Combat Sense 2 [48]
Probability Alteration Talent 2 [10]
Protected Power (Probability Alteration) [5]

Perks

Shield-Wall Training. [1]
Skill Adaptation (Combat Sense is based on DX). [1]
Sure-Footed (Uneven). [1]

Subtotal: 129


Disadvantages

Chummy [-5]
Code of Honor (Northman's, Loki variant) [-9]
Disciplines of Faith (Ritualism) [-5]
Trickster (12) [-15]
Weirdness Magnet (Probability Alteration, -10%) [-14]

Quirks

Always smiling, save in the most extreme circumstances. [-1]
Open follower of Loki. [-1]
Particular about his mead. [-1]

Subtotal: -52


Features

Religious Ritual (Nordic) is a Complementary Skill for all psi skills. [0]


Skills

Acrobatics [DX/H] [1] 11
Acting [IQ/A] [2] 12
Animal Handling (Canines) [IQ/A] [1] 11
Animal Handling (Equines) [IQ/A] [1] 11
Area Knowledge (Nomad Lands) [IQ/E] [1] 12
Axe/Mace [DX/A] [2] 13
Boating (Unpowered)/TL3 [DX/A] [1] 12
Body Language [Per/A] [2] 12
Bow [DX/A] [1] 12
Brawling [DX/E] [1] 13
Camouflage [IQ/E] [1] 12
Carousing [HT/E] [1] 10
Climbing [DX/A] [1] 12
Detect Lies [Per/H] [4] 12
Diplomacy [IQ/H] [4] 12
Disguise/TL3 [IQ/A] [2] 12
Escape [DX/H] [4] 13
Exorcism [Will/H] [2] 12
Fast-Talk [IQ/A] [4] 13
Gambling [IQ/A] [2] 12
Hiking [HT/A] [4] 11
Knife [DX/E] [1] 13
Knot-Tying [DX/E] [1] 13
Literature (Oral) [IQ/H] [2] 11
Mind Block [Will/A] [2] 13
Navigation (Land)/TL3 [IQ/A] [1] 11
Observation [Per/A] [1] 11
Occultism [IQ/A] [1] 11
Pickpocket [DX/H] [2] 12
Religious Ritual (Nordic) [IQ/H] [4] 12
Seamanship/TL3 [IQ/E] [1] 12
Shield [DX/E] [1] 13
Singing [HT/E] [1] 10
Survival (Woodlands) [Per/A] [1] 11
Symbol Drawing (Futhark) [IQ/H] [2] 11
Theology (Nordic) [IQ/H] [4] 12
Tracking [Per/A] [2] 12
Traps/TL3 [IQ/A] [4] 13
Weather Sense/TL3 [IQ/A] [1] 11
Wrestling [DX/A] [2] 13

Adjustment [IQ/H] [4] 14*
Coincidence [IQ/H] [4] 14*
Combat Sense [DX/H] [4] 15*
Curse [Will/H] [2] 14*
Second Chance [IQ/H] [1] 12*
Weather Control [IQ/H] [1] 12*

* Includes +2 from Probability Alteration Talent.

Subtotal: 91

Techniques
Counterattack (H) Axe/Mace-5 [6] 13
Feint (H) Shield-0 [2] 14
Hook (H) Axe/Mace-5 [4] 11

Delayed Effect (H) Curse-5 [2] 10
Evil Eye (H) Curse-4 [2] 11
Remove Curse (H) Curse-1 [2] 14
Transference (H) Second Chance-10 [4] 5
Faster Onset (H) Weather Control-8 [2] 5
Thunderbolt (H) Weather Control-7 [4] 8
Unsupervised Change (H) Weather Control-10 [2] 3

Subtotal: 30

Total: 325


Equipment

Axe
Medium round shield
Spagenhelm
Good clothes
Sturdy boots

Notes

I'd trim his skills, but there's a limit to how much that can help, and I'd have trouble deciding which ones it makes sense for him to have at default, or as part of a Dabbler perk.

The 'Evil Eye' technique allows the user to afflict a Curse at range, through eye contact. Thunderbolt works mechanically mostly like the EK version, but fluffwise, it works by making it very, very likely that the target will be hit by a bolt of lightning from the storm that the user is controlling. Lambard's Suggestion ability works mechanically rather like to the Telepathic ability of the same name, but fluffwise can be thought of as a highly specialized form of Adjustment or Coincidence: He makes it very, very likely that the target will agree with him.

The variant of the Northman's Code of Honor used by Loki's followers is somewhat more loose in regards to lying, and using subterfuge. A lot of Loki-worshipers develop negative reputations because of this, something Lambard has managed to avoid... so far.

Lambard is an example of my concept of a Nomad Lands Mystic in this setting. He's a pretty powerful adventurer, but tends to run into all the strange stuff in his travels - of course, to him, that's just Loki's way of making life interesting, and not something to complain about.

[AlexanderHowl]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Thank-you Binn05.

Prince Charon, might I suggest that Yrth's moon's gravitational field interferes with the source of the anti-Psi radiation. Make the orbit of Yrth's moon far more eliptical than than of Luna. If at the full moon Yrth's satellite was only 160 thousand miles away (two-thirds of Luna's orbit) and at the new moon Yrth's moon was 500 thousand miles away, the gravitational effects on Yrth would vary wildly.

It would make complete solar and lunar eclipses impossible (the relative size of the moon would be too small to eclipse the sun and too large to be eclipsed by Yrth). A perhaps better situation would be to add two moons, one 50% the size of the moon at 50% the distance and one 25% the size of the moon at 25% of the distance. The tidal effects of the second moon would be twice that of the first moon while the tidal effects of the third moon would be twice that of the second moon.

When the moons are full, psychic powers would become more erratic, adding +1 per full moon to the final result of the dice roll. When the moons are new, psychic powers would become more stable, adding -1 per full moon to the final result of the dice roll. For example, on a night with three full moons, a 15 would become a 18 while it would become a 12 on a night with three new moons.

[Prince Charon]

Jean-Pierre le Bleu, 1993

Age: 32

Attributes

ST 11 [10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 10 [0]

Secondary Characteristics

HP 11; Will 12 [10]; Per 10; FP 20 [30]

Social Background

Languages: Aralaise (Native) [0]; Anglish (Accented) [4]; Arabic (Accented) [4]; Old Aralaise (Broken) [2]; Latin (Broken) [2].

TL: 4^ [5]

Cultural Familiarity: Christian region. [0]

Subtotal: 67


Advantages

Fit [5]
Ship Rank 2 [8]
Born Sailor 2 [10]

Affliction (Disadvantages: Weirdness Magnet, +15%; Area Effect 8 yards, +150%; Based on Will, +20%; Increased Range x2, +10%; Malediction, +100%, Selective Area, +20%; Astral Projection, -10%; Requires Will Roll, -5%) [40]
Astral Projection Talent 3 [15]
Protected Power (Astral Projection) [5]
Second Sight (see Notes) [24]

Perks

Astral Awareness. [1]
Gestalt Familiarity. [1]
No Hangovers. [1]
Rules Exemption (FP can exceed HT by 100%). [1]
SOP (Watch the Woods). [1]

Subtotal: 112


Disadvantages

Chummy [-5]
Code of Honor (Pirate's) [-5]
Duty (Sailor; 12 or less) [-10]
Odious Personal Habit (Curses like a sailor) [-5]
Reputation (Weirdness Magnet; Aralaise sailors (large group), 10 or less) -2 [-3]
Sense of Duty (Crewmates) [-5]
Wealth (Struggling) [-10]

Quirks

Always wears something blue. [-1]
Dislikes being too far inland. [-1]
Fond of wine, perhaps too much. [-1]
Mild lecherousness. [-1]
Night person. [-1]

Subtotal: -48


Features

Occultism is a complementary skill of all Psi skills. [0]


Skills

Affliction [Will/H] [8] 16*
Area Knowledge (Araterre ports) [IQ/E] [1] 10
Area Knowledge (Ring Islands) [IQ/E] [2] 11
Boating/TL4^ [DX/A] [1] 11**
Brawling [DX/E] [2] 11
Climbing [DX/A] [2] 10
Fortune-Telling (Oracle) [IQ/A] [2] 13*
Gambling [IQ/A] [4] 11
Knot-Tying [DX/E] [1] 12**
Leadership [IQ/A] [2] 10
Main-Gauche [DX/A] [4] 11
Navigation (Sea)/TL4^ [IQ/A] [2] 12**
Occultism [IQ/A] [4] 11
Retrocognition [IQ/H] [2] 12*
Running [HT/A] [2] 10
Sabre [DX/A] [4] 11
Seamanship/TL4^ [IQ/E] [2] 13**
Shiphandling/TL4^ [IQ/H] [4] 12**
Survival (Island/Beach) [Per/A] [4] 11
Teaching [IQ/A] [2] 10
True Sight [Will/H] [4] 15*
Weather Sense/TL4^ [IQ/A] [2] 12**

*Includes +3 from Astral Projection Talent.
**Includes +2 from Born Sailor Talent.

Subtotal: 61

Techniques

Commune with the Sky Spirits (H) Affliction-6 [4] 13
Life Support (H) Affliction-6 [4] 13
Astral Bow (H) Affliction-1 [0] 15
Stunning Misfortune (H) Affliction-1 [0] 15

Aspected Coincidence (H) Affliction-3 [0] 13
Spirit Summoning (H) Affliction-3 [0] 13
Talent (H) Affliction-2 [0] 14

Subtotal: 8

Total: 200


Equipment

Cutlass
Dagger
Fancy hat with a bright blue feather
Good clothes
Sturdy boots
Moneybag

Notes

Jean-Pierre was built partly using the Sailor template from GURPS Historical Folks p97 (and the 4e conversion hosted at RPK's MyGURPS.com, p41). A more traditional sort of swashbuckler might have some version of Daredevil (Probability Alteration) or Rapier Wit (either Telepathy, Biokinesis, or Probability Alteration) as the core ability. His Ship Rank is 4 per level because they aren't part of a real organization beyond the crew of one ship. Due to crew size, the petty officers are Rank 1 or Courtesy Rank 1, the senior officers are Rank 2 (Jean-Pierre is third mate, and tends to command during the late watches), and the ship's Master (Captain in modern terms) is Rank 3. Due to his Reputation, the ship that he was able to get a regular berth on, Le Belle d'Ansonne, is one that makes frequent visits to the Ring Islands, and thus has some difficulty getting 'normal' crew.

SOP (Watch the Woods): Many trips to the Ring Islands have gotten Jean-Pierre into the habit of always paying attention to what nature is doing around him when he's in it (making Survival and True Sight roles to spot hazards), even when the nature around him isn't on the Ring Islands. If there's any question of whether he's been paying attention to nearby wilderness (or anything that the GM agrees looks enough like it), he has. The need to pay attention is also why his skill in Area Knowledge (Ring Islands) is higher than his knowledge of the ports of Araterre.

Twenty years ago, the young Jean-Pierre de Aballo (the small village where he grew up) had the Uncontrollable and Unconscious Only limitations on his Affliction, and no techniques or Second Sight, yet. His parents found a cunning man (psychic) to train him. The man quickly realized that the boy's power was not luck magic (Probability Alteration) like his own, but spirit magic (Astral Projection), and passed him on to a sea captain who could see spirits. Thus Jean-Pierre's career as a sailor and a magician began.

One would expect the ability to afflict someone with Weirdness Magnet would be a Probability Alteration effect, but in Jean-Pierre's case, he has the instinctive ability to project thoughtforms (see Tulpa, GURPS Horror for 4e p81), usually short-lived ones, which cause strange things to happen around their targets. Afflicting abilities on a group is sometimes useful to him, especially if a friendly telepath sets up a gestalt. Removing the Weirdness Magnet effect from his spells adds a further -1 to skill; worse, he doesn't always remember to do that.

His Second Sight is True Sight 2 with Oracle and Retrocognitive Flashbacks 1 as Alternate Abilities (all based on Astral Projection rather than ESP) - fluffwise, he can see spirits, and they both help him see through illusions, and occasionally try to communicate things to him about the past or future, but in different ways. It started out as a more limited power stunt, one of his first, but was used so often that it became an advantage.


Grimoire:

Astral Bow [Advantage: Astral Sword (remove Melee Attack limitation, +20%) 3, +210%; Nuisance Effect (Must speak or gesture), -5%] [21]; [Loses Area Effect and Selective Area, -170%] [-17] - [+10%], -1 penalty

Commune with the Sky Spirits [Advantage: Weather Control 1, +220%; Probability Alteration changed to Astral Projection; Nuisance Effect (Must speak or gesture), -5%] [22]; [Area Effect of Affliction advantage reduced to 4 yards, -50%] [-5]; [Extended Duration, 1 hour, +70%] [7] - [+60%], -6 penalty

Life Support [Advantage: Hard to Kill (Astral Projection, -10%; Nuisance Effect (Must speak or gesture), -5%) 10] [17]; [Extended Duration, 1 hour, +70%] [7] - [+60%], -6 penalty

Stunning Misfortune [Stun, +10%; Disadvantages: Easy to Kill 7, +14%, and Unluckiness, +15%; Nuisance Effect (Must speak or gesture), -5%] [4] - [+10%], -1 penalty

(These three have no points spent on their techniques because a bought technique would need to be for a specific advantage, rather than a collection of possible advantages - one Aspect of the Coincidence ability, one Talent, or one spirit or type of spirit with a specific Frequency of Appearance.):
Aspected Coincidence [Advantage: Coincidence (Aspected, -20%; Probability Alteration changed to Astral Projection; Nuisance Effect (Must speak or gesture), -5%) 1] [20]; [Area Effect reduced to 2 yards, -100%] [-10] - [+25%], -3 penalty

Spirit Summoning [Advantage: Ally w/ Summonable, +100%; Astral Projection, -10%; Nuisance Effect (Must speak or gesture), -5%] [9] - [+25%], -3 penalty
(Any spirit Ally or Ally Group worth up to ten points.)

Talent [Advantage: Up to 30 points in one non-Psi Talent (Astral Projection, -10%; Nuisance Effect (Must speak or gesture), -5%)] [26]; [Loses Area Effect and Selective Area, -170%] [-17] - [+22%], -2 penalty
(Does not effect any GM-set limits on Talent levels.)


Thoughts?