Other Powers to Draw From

I've gone back and edited yesterday's post, and now present some of the other sources of power that mystics will be able to draw from in the game. At this stage many of the prerequisite abilities are subject to change, especially since there are a few sources that share abilities, and there are a few sources where I've chosen abilities that kind of made sense, but don't quite feel 100% right.

Note that these are just the sources of energy, and they serve a purpose of flavouring the type of magic engaged by the different mystics in the game... they have very little to do with the actual effects that the mystics are capable of invoking.

Destruction

Sometimes the act of creation requires a balancing act of destruction, and sometimes destroying something is symbolic of destroying something else. Either way, those who open a Destruction conduit are required to deliberately destroy a specific item; where the actions associated with the task involve damaging the targeted item. Sacrifices may involve doing more damage than expected with no benefit.

Prerequisite Ability: Break (Physical)

1 energy: Temporary damage to an item (which can be fixed or replaced with a successful action)

2 energy: Permanent damage to an item (which cannot be repaired but might be replaced with two degrees of success)

3 energy: Permanent destruction of an irreplaceable item

Examples might include: pyromania, using an atomic reactor, demolition, or wanton vandalism  

Dream

It is said that familiars come from the realms of dream, a land that the subconscious mind is capable of accessing when the senses are no longer receiving input from the physical world. Drawing this power requires being asleep, or needing a target who is asleep; where the actions resolving this often involve psychic connections to the dreamer or navigating the dreamscape. Sacrifices may bring nightmare effects into play, or may cause an instant awakening, severing the connection.

Prerequisite Ability: Dreamwalk (Paranormal)

1 energy: Tapping the energy of another dreamer

2 energy: Being asleep and tapping your own dream

3 energy: Working effects in the dreamlands

Examples might include: being under the influence of psychotropic drugs, being in a coma, or lucid dreaming techniques

Energy Nexus

There are many places where the energies of the mystic realms seep into the physical plane, allowing changes to occur. Those who have attuned themselves to these places often require a specific type of location; their actions specifically serve to tap the energy of the area, focusing and refining it for use. Sacrifices typically increase the amount of time until the location is adequately recharged.

Prerequisite Ability: Notice (Paranormal)

1 energy: Locations of local significance, not tapped for energy recently (recharges at end of scene)

2 energy: Locations of regional or national significance, not tapped for energy in the last 24 hours (recharges to this level if untouched after a day of story narrative)

3 energy: World-renowned locations, not tapped for energy in the last week (recharges to this level if untouched at the end of the story)

Examples might include: crossroads, war memorials, monuments, bridges, or cemeteries

Familiar Bond

This is the second type of connection that most mystics possess, it is a continual link that remains as long as a familiar and mystic are bound to one another. Opening a conduit with this connection requires time to accumulate and a strong relationship between the familiar and their mystic. Sacrifices may cause arguments between the familiar and the mystic, or increase the amount of time it takes until the bond is recharged.

Prerequisite Ability: Telepathise (Paranormal)

1 energy: the connection hasn’t been tapped for energy in the last 24 hours

2 energy: not tapped for energy in the last week (or so far in the current story)

3 energy: not tapped for energy in the last month (or so far in the current story)

Not all familiars take the form of animals, some may manifest as sentient weapons, animated trinkets, or imaginary friends.

Flux

Typically associated with the Dionysian cult, Flux has spread to other mystics as a reliable connection to the mystic energies of the universe. Using this requires a degree of the drug Flux in the bloodstream; which causes a disconnect from reality, and where mystic actions eat at the connection to reduce the drug’s level. Sacrifices may induce drug side effects or metaphysical mutations.

Prerequisite Ability: Survive (Physical)

1 energy: 1 dosage of flux in the bloodstream (causing a single penalty to all non-mystic actions)

2 energy: 2 dosages of flux in the bloodstream (causing a double penalty to all non-mystic actions)

3 energy: 3 dosages of flux in the bloodstream (preventing all non-mystic actions)

There are no other examples, Flux is Flux. It is said that there may be mystics who use alcohol or cannabis in a similar way to empower their manipulations of reality.

Living Sacrifice

A character with a connection to Living Sacrifice channels energy from the the moment a soul breaches the divide between the physical realm and the underworld. Using it requires the death of a living being: where actions bring the target to the state of near-death. Sacrifices may completely kill the target without additional benefit, or may leave evidence to those who might come later.

Prerequisite Ability: Focus (Paranormal)

1 energy: Sacrificing a non-sentient life

2 energy: Sacrificing dozens of non-sentient lives (or one sentient life)

3 energy: Sacrificing hundreds of sentient lives (or dozens of sentient lives)

Examples might include: spreading pathogens/diseases, poisons, homocide, or launching wars.  

Meditation

A character with a connection to Meditation needs to spend time focusing their mind. Opening a conduit with this connection requires time, patience, and concentration; where actions bring the mystic to the level of consciousness needed. Sacrifices often add time to the required duration before the state is reached.

Prerequisite Ability: Focus (Paranormal)

1 energy: Minutes of successful meditation

2 energy: Hours of successful meditation

3 energy: Days of successful meditation

Examples might include: ritual chanting, sitting in silence, engaging in repetitive motions or martial arts kata.

Ritual

One of the oldest forms of energy accumulation is the Ritual connection. Opening a conduit with this connection requires placement of sacred objects and establishment of an empowered space; where actions place the necessary items. Sacrifices may render those items unable to be used in future rituals.

Prerequisite Ability: Conduct (Mental)

1 energy: 1 ingredient used, and a few minutes

2 energy: 2 ingredients used, and a few hours

3 energy: 3 ingredients used, and a day or longer

Example might include: lighting candles, religious ceremonies, purification, iconography

Runes

Requires placing rune stones around the target, or carving runes into the target; where actions identify the right runes to use and their correct placement. Sacrifices may expend runestones, or leave permanent marks in the target for future investigators to find.

Prerequisite Ability: Analyse (Mental)

1 energy: cheap and replaceable runestone or quickly carved/drawn runes

2 energy: expensive and rare runestones, or elaborately carved/drawn runes taking hours to inscribe

3 energy: unique one-of-a-kind runestones, or masterwork runes taking days to inscribe.

Examples might include: viking runes, i-ching stones, or carved greenstone  

Sanctum/Workshop

Requires a designated personal space; which gradually absorbs energy from the world around it. Sacrifices may increase the time it takes for the sanctum to recharge.

Prerequisite Ability: Manufacture/Repair (Mental)

1 energy: a personal space, not tapped for energy in the last 24 hours

2 energy: a dedicated private space, not tapped for energy in the last week (or so far in the current story)

3 energy: a secret and hidden space, not tapped for energy in the last month (or so far in the current story)

Examples might include: a garage, a cabin in the woods, a secured penthouse, or a locked cupboard

Self Harm

Requires injury to oneself, causing penalties that may linger long after the effect has subsided (self-harm may not be absorbed by an aegis)

Prerequisite Ability: Survive (Physical)

1 energy: a degree of injury that lasts a scene (unable to be overcome by magic)

2 energy: two degrees of injury that last a scene or one that lasts the rest of the story/week (unable to be overcome by magic)

3 energy: two degrees of injury that last the rest of the story/week (unable to be overcome by magic)  

Examples might include: physical injuries such as cutting, social injuries such as humiliating yourself, mental injuries such as XXX, psychic injuries such as XXX

Statistics

Requires mental actions for calculations to determine the right numbers and how they apply to the situation. Sacrifices may involve not getting the numbers right, and unexpected side effects occurring.

Prerequisite Ability: Investigate (Mental)

1 energy: commonly accessible data (success on an investigation/research action)

2 energy: detailed data requiring limited research over hours (two successes)

3 energy: extensive data requiring heavy research over days (three successes)

Examples might include: computer data sets, census information, maps.  

Words

Requires the right words spoken or written to invoke the necessary effects; where actions identify the right words and the right ways to apply them. Sacrifices may involve leaving written clues for investigators to find, or alerting others with spoken words.

Prerequisite Ability: Orate (Social)

1 energy: a single word spoken clearly or written quickly

2 energy: a short phrase spoken loudly or written carefully

3 energy: a long poem spoken loudly or calligraphically written

Examples might include: spoken incantations, sacred calligraphy, scrawled personal notebooks.

SPECIAL: Quintessence/Aether/Orgone/Qi/Ki/Dark Energy

As long as a character has any level of connection, they sense that certain items may be infused with forms of mystic energy. Such items commonly have crystalline structures, but not always; some are pieces of plant matter, fine powders, or even liquids. The energy infusing these items goes by many names, depending on the mystic’s culture, but regardless of its name, it is highly valued due to its versatility and ease of use. The most established documentation of these items infused with energy can be found among the documents of Taoist Alchemists, so many groups use a hybrid term in honour of those scholars; they are commonly called Qi-cells. As long as a character is not actively using all of their other conduits, they may draw additional energy from a Qi-cell.

Prerequisite Ability: Channel (Paranormal)

Each of these items has a maximum number of energy it may store, as long it contains any energy it remains intact (and may be capable of recharging any lost charges). When the last energy point is withdrawn from the item, it becomes broken, often crumbling to dust.

Examples might include: “Activated” crystals, orgone generators, holy water, unicorn tears, aetheric magnets, ancient amulets, perpetual motion machines, etc.