SpAcE mAdnEss

At long last I am going over the psychic powers and metaphysics chapter; the last great chunk of text that needs editing. The era where the text is set is in bloody sight finally.  I would *really* like to get some higher-level playtesting for the psi powers in before that so I should probably cook up a few 2-5^th level characters and go from there.  

I should probably get further along on designing a character sheet for this thing. 

I wrote all the psi powers in one sitting in a white heat, a bit like I did the Sub-ether chapter.  Unlike the sub-ether chapter this is (so far) requiring a lot less revision (the Sub-ether chapter was the first written in completeness and so needed substantial revision to be up to code with the rest of the book.  All in all, giant improvements of course)

AT higher levels psi powers seem all about tapping other worlds and breaking down the barriers between them. Very Luther Arkwright, very Jerry Cornelius.  Also, a bit Hunter the Reckoning if you recall the creeping derangements at Virtue 7 to unlock level 4 powers.

Also, wouldn’t it be mighty inconvenient if psychic powers caused mutation?   They are as much Cronenburg or Barker as they Moorcock.

Right now, there is an (optional) rule mandating a check against space madness at fifth level and beyond.

“@ attaining fifth level, the Imperial Psion must succeed at a DC 14 Will save to avoid succumbing to the rigorous demands their powers, space, and time, place upon them.”   On a failed roll consult the Space Madness table

This must be repeated at sixth level (DC 16), seventh level (DC 20), eighth level (DC 24), ninth level (DC 26) and finally at tenth level (where the will save to avoid creeping space madness is now DC 30.)

“Space Madness” – inspired madness for higher level psions

1.         Garden variety paranoia;

2.         Feels trapped; The psion=spacer will go to any length to avoid feelings of déjà vu as though they are trapped in a loop of time from which they cannot escape……….

3.         Body warp – perception of self has been altered; likely through teleport or clairvoyance mishap.  Unusually preoccupation with and awareness of internal bodily processes, often to distracting degrees.  Likely will begin wasting away or accumulating large amounts of weight within 8-12 mos. “

If the table progresses very far it will get messy. Right now, it goes up to eight and I already feel it’s a bit excessive.  To be honest, there are a few things herein that fit that description. 

Of course, it’s self-indulgent. Who else is going to indulge me?  Ha.

Ultimately if I’ve done my job correctly you will be wishing for the joy of playing a wizard or an elf or even a cleric again after a few weeks of this psion shit.  They have it rough and that’s by design. If you’re going to do an end run around the universe these things they will have damn consequences.

You see me now the veteran of a thousand psychic wars……