The Sight
Perhaps the oldest known form of human metaphysical abilities, The Sight is the rare wielded by few Gifted individuals to manipulate the world around them with nothing but their minds.
Seer Powers
Each Seer Power is a branch of the same tree. All Seer Powers are related, and every Seer has the potential to unlock and develop all of these abilities. They may include telepathic abilities (such as Mind Sight and Telepathy), psychokinetic powers (such as Telekinesis and Pyrokinesis), or powers that directly manipulate the Essence within living beings (Psychometabolism).
Each Seer ability has two elements: Strength and Art. Each level of Strength or Art in a power costs 2 Metaphysics points. The Strength of the ability represents the raw power that the psychic has: the damage they inflict, how far they can reach, how long their effects last. The Art represents the degree to which the psychic mastered the use of that power.
The Effects of Strength
All Seer Powers have a table that shows what a psychic with a given Strength level can do. In general, the higher the Strength, the more far-reaching and impressive the ability.
The Effects of Art
The Art of a power determines how skilled the psychic is at using it. Usually, when attempting to use a power, the Seer rolls with their Art level in that power along with an attribute (detailed in each individual power).
Using Powers Defensively
All Seer powers can be used defensively in some manner, as described in each power. Generally, a power can’t be used for its usual purposes while it’s being used defensively, though the Director may permit it on a case-by-case basis.
Essence and Seers
Most Seers do not manipulate Essence directly, but their powers have the side effect of strengthening their mental fortitude, thus increasing their Essence. The Seer’s Essence Pool gains 1 point for each level of Strength or Art in a power. Though Seers with Essence Channeling are few and far between, these gifted Seers can tap into their auras to create truly awesome results. Every 2 points of Essence spent increase the Strength of a power by 1 during its next use. Unlike Sorcery, only the amount gathered in a single turn can be used in this way - a Seer can’t build up Essence over multiple turns to use with on a power.
List of Seer Powers
Claircognizance
The power of Claircognizance grants the Seer an uncanny connection to the Realm of Memory. Seers with this power are prone to flashes of insight into events of the past or hints about the future.
Using Claircognizance
Many uses of Claircognizance are spontaneous and not under the control of the Seer. Typically, the Director tells the player to roll with their Perception and Claircognizance Art levels. Add together the task’s Success Levels and the Claircognizance Strength to get the degree of details revealed. The Seer’s Claircognizance Strength says how far back or forward in time the Seer can see. Looking into the future is often much harder than looking into the past. The Director may choose to impose penalties on attempts to see into the future, depending on how likely a given future is.
If the Seer is searching for something within the Realm of Memory, they can attempt a Perception and Claircognizance Art Test to add their Claircognizance Strength to any Willpower Test for finding information within the Realm.
Using Claircognizance Defensively
As an action, the Seer may try to predict their opponent's attacks. To do so, the Seer must pass a Perception and Claircognizance Test. If they pass, they may add a bonus equal to their Claircognizance Strength on all their defence rolls until their next turn.
Dreamsight
In the Realm of Dreams, the power of the mind is paramount. It makes sense, therefore, that those whose minds are magically empowered would find themselves a great deal more powerful within it. Seers gifted with Dreamsight find it easier than most to manipulate the environment within the Realm of Dreams, and can even project a fraction of its power within the other Realms.
Using Dreamsight
A dreaming Seer can use their psychic powers to enhance their abilities within a dream. Firstly, when attempting to become lucid in a dream (normally requiring Perception and Lucid Dreaming), the Seer may add their levels in Dreamsight Art to this test, as their training in manipulating dreams makes them more acutely aware of when they’re in one. Once in a lucid dream, the Seer may attempt to bolster their powers within the Realm of Dreams with a Willpower and Dreamsight Art Test. If they succeed, they may add their Dreamsight Strength to their Willpower for all tests and tasks involving Lucid Dreaming. This lasts for 1 Turn per Success Level.
Finally, once within the Realm of Dreams, the Seer can project their dream persona not only to the Outer Realms, but also to the Realm of Life. The Seer can either try to find a Gateway to the Realm of Life, in which case their persona will appear at that Gateway’s destination - or they can treat their Panorama as a Gateway, in which case their persona appears on the Realm of Life just besides their physical body. This functions much as a Sorcerer’s and Shaman’s Projection powers, except the Seer must store at least 5 Essence within their Panorama, and once they wish to return, the Seer must return to their Panorama (this leads to a minor advantage over other forms of Projection, as the Seer may simply try to Awaken themselves in order to return to the Realm of Dreams, and doesn’t carry the risk of losing their body).
Using Dreamsight Defensively
In Addition to actively increasing one’s Willpower while dreaming (or Projecting with the Dreamsight power), the Seer can reinforce their projection against Essence-based attacks. This requires a Willpower and Dreamsight Art Task, and the Seer gains an Armour value equal to twice their Dreamsight Strength for 1 minute per Success Level.
Mind Sight
A Seer with the power of Mind Sight can interpret the Essence in a creature’s aura to read their thoughts and emotions. Characters with this power are acutely aware of the normally invisible flows of Essence, and as such can clearly see the position of any spirit or other invisible being within a number of meters equal to their Mind Sight Strength, unless the creature tries to hide itself, with a Resisted Task using the Seer’s Perception and Mind Sight Art versus the creature’s Willpower, doubled.
Using Mind Sight
The most common usage of Midsight is peering into the minds of others. The target must be in range (see Strength Table below) and within line of sight of the user. This uses the Seer’s Perception and Mind Sight Art. A character may become aware of the intrusion if they succeed on a Difficult Perception Test, though that may only defend themselves if they have some supernatural defence, such as the Shielding Invocation.
Most of the time, Mind Sight produces brief flashes of information from the subject's mind. If the Seer wishes to instead maintain mind-to-mind contact, they must succeed at a new Willpower and Mindshight Art Task, with each Success Level allowing for 1 minute of constant observation. This is an exhausting endeavor for the Seer. Each minute drains the Seer of 2 Essence points, and the concentration required to maintain the effect causes the Seer to take a -2 penalty on all other Tests and Tasks.
Using Mind Sight Defensively
This power strengthens the Seer’s mental discipline, allowing them to use Willpower and Telepathy Art to defend themselves against any supernatural effect that attempts to control or intrude on their mind (such as the Affect the Psyche Invocation or other Seers using Mind Sight or Telepathy).
Psychometabolism
Likely the rarest of psychic powers, Seers with the power of Psychometabolism have the ability to absorb the pain and suffering of others, taking it unto themselves. Psychometabolism is extremely powerful, and at its highest levels can make the psychic nearly immortal, though healing oneself or others is always a difficult and draining process, both physically and emotionally.
Using Psychometabolism
Curing a wound or disease is a Willpower and Psychometabolism Art task, and requires the psychic to physically touch the patient. During the process the psychic feels the full agony and torment that the patient is feeling. Even if the patient is sedated or unconscious, the Seer takes on all the pain that would have been felt. Most practitioners of this power learn to detach themselves from the pain, though it’s still a draining experience. After the Psychometabolism task is concluded, the Seer must make a Difficult Willpower Test or lose 1 Essence and 1 Life point for each 3 points of damage healed. Each additional healing attempt on the same patient within 24 hours adds a cumulative -1 penalty to the Willpower test and a -2 penalty to the Art test. Healing oneself is possible, but the Willpower Test to resist draining incurs a -2 penalty.
Curing a disease also risks draining the user if the Willpower test is failed. Mild diseases (a cold, the flu) drain 2 Essence and Life Points; moderate diseases (smallpox, pneumonia) drain 5 of each; serious diseases (tuberculosis, malaria) drain 10 of each; and terminal diseases (cancer) can drain 20 of each. Life Points and Essence drained by using Psychometabolism can only be regained through natural healing.
Using Psychometabolism Defensively
Psychometabolism can be used to defend against powers or effects that seek to directly harm the Seer’s life force, such as the Soulfire Invocation or a Medium’s Wishkill.
Pyrokinesis
The power of Pyrokinesis converts the psychic’s inner strength into pure energy. This power is very volatile, often serving as a powerful weapon, though it can just as easily turn on its user.
Using Pyrokinesis
Pyrokinesis Tasks use Willpower and the Pyrokinesis Art. Attempting to set someone on fire directly can’t be dodged, and is resisted with a Difficult Willpower or Constitution Test. Attempting to set fire to something near a target, or shooting jets of ball of flame can be dodged normally.
Using Pyrokinesis Defensively
The Seer surrounds themselves with an aura of incredibly hot air that melts bullets, burns anyone near the psychic, and deflects other fire-based attacks. This fire “shield” reduces the damage from any incoming fire attack by 3 per Pyrokinesis Strength level, and has a general Armour Value of 2 times Pyrokinesis Strength. This only defends against fire-based or physical attacks, not against Essence effects such as Soulfire. Anybody standing within a meter of the psychic takes 3 damage per Pyrokinesis Strength level.
Pyrokinesis may not be used actively while this is active.
Telekinesis
The power of Telekinesis grants the Seer the ability to move objects at a distance. A skilled psychic can perform great feats of dexterity through this power, such as playing a piano or fencing. This art uses the Seer’s Intelligence.
Using Telekinesis
Any object within line of sight may be manipulated with this power. The maximum weight that can be lifted is determined by the user’s Telekinesis Strength and the task’s Success Levels. Add together the Seer’s Telekinesis Strength and their Success Levels on the Telekinesis task, and treat it as though it were the character’s Strength attribute.
Tossing an object uses Dexterity and the Telekinesis Art, and any combat maneuver or precise skill uses the relevant skill and Telekinesis Strength. Alternatively, the Seer amy deliver a “telekinetic punch”, using Intelligence and Telekinesis, dealing damage equal to twice their Telekinesis Strength. A Seer can also use Telekinesis to supplement their own physical abilities, adding their Telekinesis Strength to either their Strength or Dexterity for a single task or test.
Using Telekinesis Defensively
Telekinesis can be used to block physical attacks. A telekinetic parry uses Dexterity and Telekinesis Art.
Alternatively, the Seer can use Telekinesis to create a “bubble” around themselves that blocks physical attacks. This requires an Intelligegence and Telekinesis Art task, and gives the Seer an Armor value equal to the user’s Telekinesis Strength level plus the Success on the task.
Telepathy
Perhaps the most common psychic power, Telepathy grants the Seer the ability to converse with others at a distance, as well as influencing people’s minds.
Using Telepathy
Sending a mental message uses the Seer’s Intelligence and Telepathy Art. This allows the Seer and the target to converse mentally for up to 1 minute per Success Level, with the Telepathy Strength level determining the maximum range that the bond can be maintained. Upon creating the bond, the Seer can choose whether it’s one-way, or whether the target can also send them mental messages. If the target isn’t willing, they can attempt to resist. Treat this as a Resisted task with Willpower (doubled).
Once a bond is made, the Seer may attempt to implant a command or idea in the target’s mind. This is always a Resisted Task, using the Seer’s Willpower, Telepathy Art, and any Success Levels on the initial bond, against the target’s Willpower (doubled).
If the command is contrary to what the victim would normally do, the victim gets a bonus ranging from +1 up to +7 on the Resistance Test, at the Director’s discretion. Keep in mind that it’s much easier to suggest “These are not the droids you are looking for” than it is to order “Use your gun to kill your partner, then kill yourself”.
Using Telepathy Defensively
This power strengthens the Seer’s mental discipline, allowing them to use Willpower and Telepathy Art to defend themselves against any supernatural effect that attempts to control or intrude on their mind (such as the Affect the Psyche Invocation or other Seers using Mind Sight or Telepathy).
Additionally, the Seer may create a field of psychic noise centered on them, with a radius of up to 1 meter per Telepathy Strength Level. Anyone attempting to use any form of mental communication within or through this area must beat the Seer on a resisted task, using the Seer’s Willpower and Telepathy Strength (not art!) versus the other person’s Willpower, doubled.
