The Transcendent Mind

 

The mind holds many secrets. Some known to conscious man, others still locked away. A rare few are blessed with a mind that can warp the physical boundaries of space, time, and spirit if only in short bursts. To the Harkanians, these men are mystics, both feared and revered. Some communities seek them out as spiritual leaders, prophets, and saviors. Out of fear or religious custom, many slay the gifted as soon as the transcendent mind manifests during early adolescence.

Psychic Characters

Every newly created 1st-level character with an Intelligence score of 15 or more may check to see if he possess the gift of the transcendental mind. The percentage chance a character possesses any psychic ability is equal to the sum of the character's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. 

Powers Granted

A character blessed with the transcendent mind begins with the power to Control Self, which is always the first ability to manifest in budding psychic. Each time the character rises in level, he has a similar chance to develop the use of a new power. If successful, the player rolls an eight-sided die and compares the result to the table below. If the character would gain the same power twice, no additional power develops.

1 - Astral Sight

2 - Dimensional Step

3 - Mind Blast

4 - Mind Control

5 - Precognition

6 - Telekinesis

7 - Telepathy

8 - Player's Choice

Using Psychic Powers

After a psychic mind uses a power, the player must rolls 2 six-sided dice. The number of psychic powers the character possesses is then added to the total. If the result is less than 7, the psychic must rest his mind overnight before he can regain the use of his abilities.

Psychic Powers

Astral Sight

Too see past the barriers of the physical world is no mean feat. Yet to the transcendent mind, it is as simple as shifting one's attention away from a daydream back to reality. Walls seemingly fall away. Containers display their contents. Vaults reveal themselves.

This power allows the psychic to see through physical objects for as long as the psychic continues to concentrate. Fighting, running, using another psychic ability, or any similarly complex action breaks the user's focus. As does sustaining even a single point of damage. Range 3".

Control Self

Before it can manipulate time and space, the transcendent mind must first master itself. Fear, pain, and uncertainty; balance, grip, heart-rate; the need for food, drink, and air; vulnerability to heat and cold - they can all be shaped as a potter forms a bowl. Cultivating pristine self-control is the first step along the path of the transcendent mind.

This power grants the psychic precise and complete control over his bodily functions. The psychic can sustain this power for as long as desired (up to 1 week) but must rest for an equal amount of time immediately after.

Dimensional Step

Space can be bent with a glance. Two creases in the fabric of reality kiss. A simple step forward stretches beyond ordinary comprehension, seeming transporting the transcendent mind across vast space in a single instant.

This power teleports the psychic the specified distance in a chosen direction. A jump of 12" can be made without any chance of misstep. Out to a distance of 48", there is a 10% chance the psychic arrives 1-3" away from his intended destination. Roll a six-sided die to determine the direction (1 = North, 2 = South, 3 = West, 4 = East, 5 = Up, 6 = Down).

Mind Blast

The body is weak. The mind is fragile. To rupture the ego is to exterminate the soul. The transcendent mind wields psychic energy like a knife, a knife so sharp a single sweep can sever the link between the mind and body.

Blasts one victim with raw psychic energy. The attack inflicts 3 six-sided dice of damage unless the character can make a successful saving throw vs. spells. Psychic characters add +3 to their saving throw to resist this power.

Mind Control

The soul is a deep wellspring. The mind comprehends only the small stream of awareness that passes from the depths of the spirit into consciousness. With practice, the transcendent mind can break into another's soul, manipulating thought and action alike, utterly dominating the victim.

Unless the victim can make its saving throw vs. spells, it falls under the psychics's complete control. The influence lasts as long as the psychic continues to concentrate. Fighting, running, using another psychic ability, or any similarly complex action breaks the user's focus. As does sustaining even a single point of damage. Psychic characters add +3 to their saving throw to resist this power. Range: 6".

 

Precognition

The transcendent mind focuses on the trajectories and relative positions of all matter, seen and unseen, in the immediate area. The eyes close. The imagination acts. The mind simulates a illusory reality and glimpses into the future.

This power tells the psychic what would happen if he were to take a particular course of action. This ability to functions perfectly when glimpsing up to 5 minutes into the future. A psychic can look ahead up to 10 minutes, but with only 75% accuracy. When glimpsing up to 30 minutes into the future, the psychic's prediction will be accurate only 50% of the time.

Telekinesis

Gravity is the life-preserving force that prevents all matter from dispersing into the empty and endless void. It a force to be reckoned with and a force to manipulate. To move matter, the transcendent mind simply redirects the flow of gravity. Precision requires years to perfect.

This power allows the psychic to move matter with metal power alone. The psychic can lift up to 20 pounds per level at one time. The telekinetic force continues for as long as the psychic remains concentrated. Fighting, running, using another psychic ability, or any similarly complex action breaks the user's focus. Range: 6".

Telepathy

The mouth is but a crude imitation of true, unbound communication. Telepathy, directed by the transcendent mind, allows an unparalleled and intimate connection to blossom: a sincere confession of the heart's every desire, perfect transmission of ideas and memories.

Directly connects the psychic's mind with that of another intelligent creature. In this state, communication transcends language and the psychic can read the creature's surface thoughts. The psychic can attempt to dive deeper and access the creature's memories. Though when the psychic does so, the victim is allowed a saving throw vs. spells to push the psychic out of his mind. (Psychic characters add +3 to their saving throw.) The telepathic connection remains as long as the psychic continues to concentrate. Fighting, running, using another psychic ability, or any similarly complex action breaks the user's focus. As does sustaining even a single point of damage. Range: 6".