Harold Polk’s mastery of language turns everyday phrases into tools of subtle influence, each carefully crafted to direct attention and control focus, whether in the courtroom or in casual conversation. His words are designed to blend seamlessly into any setting, creating a form of linguistic programming that shapes perception without raising suspicion. In the courtroom, phrases like “Objection,” “Eyes Only,” “Under Review,” “Leading the Witness,” and “Relevance” grant him control over proceedings, guiding attention where he needs it. In more covert settings, phrases such as “Just Between Us,” “By the Way,” “In the Meantime,” “That Reminds Me,” and “One More Thing” allow him to divert focus, prompt hesitation, or subtly steer actions, all within the flow of casual conversation. Each phrase becomes a tool of influence, enabling Harold to shape interactions with language alone, whether he’s in court or blending into the background.
Spend an Action. A number of Sapient, Living targets within 50 feet who can perceive you through no greater than your Charisma rating are affected. Audiences or mobs with a singular focus count as one target. Roll Charisma + Culture at Difficulty 6. All affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.
If you succeed, the targets will keep their full attention focused on you for as long as you maintain Concentration. They will automatically fail any rolls related to noticing anything other than you.
If you pass from their perception and they are unable to pursue you, the Effect ends. If they can follow you, they must do so for 2 Rounds or the Effect will end. The Effect ends early if the target is Injured or violence occurs nearby.
This does not affect the target’s opinion of you or their mood, and they may take any Actions while affected (including attacking), as long as that action centers on you. Fascinated targets cannot Concentrate.
You may activate this Effect as a Reaction to contest any Action a valid target is taking. The target does not roll to resist, and beating their Outcome does not fascinate them. This interrupts Concentration.
This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.
Dee finds an OSHA violation and lectures the people nearby about safety while reminiscing about her painful memories of the factory.
Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action. A number of Animate targets within 50 feet who can perceive you through no greater than your Charisma rating are affected. Audiences or mobs with a singular focus count as one target. This Effect cannot be used unless A safety violation is in the area/building. Roll Charisma + Technology at Difficulty 6. All affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.
If you succeed, the targets will keep their full attention focused on you for contested Outcome in Rounds. They will automatically fail any rolls related to noticing anything other than you.
If you pass from their perception and they are unable to pursue you, the Effect ends. If they can follow you, they must do so for 2 Rounds or the Effect will end. The Effect will continue even if violence occurs nearby or if your target is Injured. It does end if the target takes Damage from a source other than you.
This does not affect the target’s opinion of you or their mood, and they may take any Actions while affected (including attacking), as long as that action centers on you. Fascinated targets cannot Concentrate.
Gripping her weapon, Nikki can cry out and make herself seem like a more dangerous target...which will likely end badly.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. A number of Animate targets within 50 feet who can perceive you through no greater than your Charisma rating are affected. Audiences or mobs with a singular focus count as one target. This Effect cannot be used unless your grit is active. You must actively and obviously use crowbar to activate this Effect. Roll Charisma + Melee at Difficulty 6. All affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.
If you succeed, the targets will keep their full attention focused on you for Contested Outcome in Rounds. They will automatically fail any rolls related to noticing anything other than you.
If you pass from their perception and they are unable to pursue you, the Effect ends. If they can follow you, they must do so for 2 Rounds or the Effect will end. The Effect will continue even if violence occurs nearby or if your target is Injured. It does end if the target takes Damage from a source other than you.
This does not affect the target’s opinion of you or their mood, and they may take any Actions while affected (including attacking), as long as that action centers on you. Fascinated targets cannot Concentrate.
You may activate this Effect as a Reaction to contest any Action a valid target is taking. The target does not roll to resist, and beating their Outcome does not fascinate them. This interrupts Concentration.
Leon enhances his illusions with a few somber-plucked strings, energy flowing from the instrument in question as, for a moment, you can see the moon in the object's reflection. As he does so, the moon's reflection shifts from brilliant white to impossible pink; it bathes them in the magenta light that has come to him in his dreams. The morning of the hateful sun wreaths the object in question, and like a vacuum of sensation and knowledge it draws viewers in. An iota of the genuine unknown as what was is changed and twisted. The dark hunger of curiosity draws the viewer in: what is this, who is this, why is it? The pain of never knowing compels the onlooker to pursue, to ask after more, and to see to the exclusion of all else as their mind is trapped by the curse that comes with this enchantment. They have to know, and even those things with only the barest semblances of consciousness are introduced to this pain, though they cannot satiate it, doomed to pursue forever this new feeling that without the light of the moon, they will never know again.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action to trap a region of any shape that contains your current location and fits entirely within 50 feet. This trap lasts one hour or until triggered or disarmed. Audiences or mobs with a singular focus count as one target. This Effect cannot be used unless you are trapping an illusion. You must actively and obviously use A musical instrument to activate this Effect. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. If you fail or Botch, you receive one Mind Damage and a new Trauma. Roll Charisma + Performance at Difficulty 6.
The trap looks like A slight magenta hue to the object that draws the interest and curiosity of the viewer. Only those who have seen this trap before can identify it as a trap. Anyone who is aware of the trap may intuitively avoid or destroy it.
When setting the trap, specify the condition under which it will trigger. The trap can trigger against a target in the trapped region. All affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.
When the trap is triggered, the targets will keep their full attention focused on the trap for Contested Outcome in Rounds. They will automatically fail any rolls related to noticing anything other than the trap.
The Effect ends if the trap is destroyed, or the target cannot perceive it. The Effect will continue even if violence occurs nearby.
This does not affect the target’s opinion of the trap or their mood, and they may take any Actions while affected (including attacking), as long as that action centers on the trap. Fascinated targets cannot Concentrate.
Fascinated targets are at a -2 dice penalty to any rolls they make to resist any other Effects that you attempt to use on them.
Blake starts playing sweet sweet music that makes the people around them start paying full attention to them through manipulating the audio waves to make them more attention grabbing and obvious than any other piece of audio or visual stimulus at the time.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. All Animate targets within 50 feet who can perceive you through hearing are affected. You must actively and obviously use musical instrument to activate this Effect. Roll Charisma + Performance at Difficulty 6. All affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6.
If you succeed, the targets will keep their full attention focused on you for contested Outcome in Rounds. They will automatically fail any rolls related to noticing anything other than you. If they cannot perceive you through hearing for three Rounds, the Effect is broken. The Effect will continue even if they engage in Combat.
This does not affect the target’s opinion of you or their mood, and they may take any Actions while affected (including attacking), as long as that action centers on you. Fascinated targets cannot Concentrate.
You may only use this Effect once per day.
Jared Strikes a pose
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Animate target within 50 feet who can perceive you through. Roll Charisma + Alertness at Difficulty 6. The target may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.
If you succeed, the target will keep their full attention focused on you for Contested Outcome in Rounds. They will automatically fail any rolls related to noticing anything other than you.
If you pass from their perception and they are unable to pursue you, the Effect ends. If they can follow you, they must do so for 2 Rounds or the Effect will end. The Effect ends early if the target is Injured or violence occurs nearby.
This does not affect the target’s opinion of you or their mood, and they may take any Actions while affected (including attacking), as long as that action centers on you. Fascinated targets cannot Concentrate.
All it takes is a flick of your hair and a bat of your eyelashes, and you’ve got their attention.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. All Sapient, Living targets within 50 feet who can perceive you through sight are affected. Roll Charisma + Performance at Difficulty 6. All affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6.
If you succeed, the targets will keep their full attention focused on you for contested Outcome in Rounds. They will automatically fail any rolls related to noticing anything other than you. If they cannot perceive you through sight for three Rounds, the Effect is broken. The Effect ends early if the target is Injured or violence occurs nearby.
This does not affect the target’s opinion of you or their mood, and they may take any Actions while affected (including attacking), as long as that action centers on you. Fascinated targets cannot Concentrate.