Charlatans

Spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use Smoking Pipe to activate this Effect. You cannot investigate the same target more than once per hour. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Occult ( dice) at Difficulty 6.

You learn a single specific piece of information, chosen from the following list, about your target:

• Determine if this target is Alien in origin or whether it has any Alien energy or outside influences. You receive information about the type of energy, including the name of the relevant Source pool or equivalent.
• You learn the object's intended function and how to use it for its intended purpose, though not necessarily the ability to do so.

This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.

You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action to activate. Select a Living or Sapient target within 20 feet. This Effect cannot be used unless you, or the body you are currently possessing has been within 10 metres of a suitable host for more than five minutes. If this occurs, they have 'contracted' you. If your current body dies while a suitable host is within a mile, you must make a contested Mind roll, with up to your Mind score number of potential targets. If you fail and there are no potential targets within range, you die. If you succeed with any, you possess them. This effect also occurs if a target forces you out of their body. Roll Intellect + Alertness ( dice) at Difficulty 6. The target may resist by rolling Mind ( dice) at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you possess your target for a number of months equal to the Contested Outcome. You are in full control of the host body’s actions. While the possession is active, the host body will gain a severe egg allergy, making it very obvious to anyone who sees them that something is not right.

Your host’s consciousness will similarly be swapped into your original body, and they will have full control over it until the Effect ends. You may spend an Action to end the possession early.

Stats: During the possession, you use the host body’s Body rating, but your own Mind rating. Any rolls you make use the host body’s Brawn, Dexterity, and Perception but your own Charisma, Intellect, and Abilities. You gain the effects of any physical Assets and Liabilities they have. You have access to the target’s mind, and are able to see their memories and learn any hidden knowledge or information they possess.

Gifts: You have access to and can use any of your own Powers which are not intrinsic to your biology or physical body. You may access and use any of the target’s Gifts or other supernatural effects while you are possessing them.

Death: If the host body is killed or destroyed while you are still possessing it, you will die along with it. If the possession ends and your original body was killed, you may make a contested Mind roll against the host. The loser becomes a helpless observer as long as you both inhabit their body.

Eviction: If you attempt to force your host to take actions which would violate one of their Limits or their instinct for self-preservation, they must make a Trauma roll. If they succeed, the possession ends and you are evicted from their body. If they fail, they will gain a new Trauma.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select an Animate target within 200 feet 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. You must maintain Concentration while the effect is active. Roll Intellect + Occult ( dice) at Difficulty 6. The target may resist by rolling Mind ( dice) at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you are able to view your target's memories. If you fail, the target knows you're attempting to read their memories.

You may ask a number of specific questions about their memory equal to your Contested Outcome. For example, “what is their computer password,” “What were they doing at 4:00PM yesterday,” etc. You cannot get answers to broad, analytical questions like “are they a good person?” or “what are their plans for the future?”

Each question you ask and memory you replay takes a single Round to read.

This Effect is not obvious, and the only sign you are using an Effect is Writing in a journal, eyes unfocused. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.

You may read memories that the target has forgotten.

Possession of this Power grants the following Trauma at all times: Cocaine is my god!: It's white hot ecstasy suffuses every atom of your being. Roll self control to not administer cocaine to yourself or others in stressful situations..

Exert your Mind and spend a minute to activate. Select a non-Alien Device within arm's reach. This Effect cannot be used unless you have sky access. You must use up $10000 cash (or equivalent currency) in order to activate this Effect. Cannot be used to improve Armor.

For the next day, your target receives 2 extra dice to all actions taken with its intended use.

Spend an Action. Select a target any distance away from you. You must have a specific target in mind, but you require only an intuitive understanding of them, such as their name, face, or Location. This Effect cannot be used unless you have seen the target's reflection in-person before.

You open up a line of communication to your target, and may converse with them as long as one of you maintains Concentration

The conversation will only be perceived by the intended recipient. You must share a common language for your target to understand the message.

This Effect is not obvious, and the only sign you are using an Effect is the reflection of the target appearing in your eye. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.

Spend an Action.

You may lock, unlock, and/or open any number of doors, containers, knots, or locks within arm's reach of you. Cannot be used on Alien technology.

If you successfully operate a lock, you may choose to destroy it, rendering it inoperable.

Spend an Action. Select a target within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use at least a gallon of water to activate this Effect. Roll Dexterity + Athletics ( dice) Difficulty 6. The target may contest by rolling to Dodge or Defend as a Reaction, Difficulty 6.

If the Contested Outcome is positive, the target takes that much Damage plus 4.

You may use this Effect to Defend against any melee, projectile, or firearm Attacks within range or Clash against any Attack targeted at you. Using it to Defend deals no Damage but does not cost Exertion.

This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Location within 50 feet. You must be in an area abundant with man-made structures and materials.

Select one of the following alterations to create out of standard building materials originating at the target:

• Wall: Create a straight wall made of standard building materials up to 40 feet long, 10 feet high, and 12 inches thick. This wall can also be used to create a bridge, ramp, or similar. It must be free-standing.

The alteration begins to form when you activate this Effect and finishes forming on your initiative in the next Round. Until it finishes forming, it is not guaranteed to function.

This alteration lasts one minute but may be prematurely destroyed or altered. Your alterations may be broken through with appropriate tools. Anyone attempting to break through must roll Brawn + a relevant Ability. A cumulative Outcome of 6 across all attempts breaks a hole large enough to move through. See the extended system text for GM guidance on various tools.

Spend an Action. Select a Non-Alien door, container, knot, or lock within arm's reach. This Effect cannot be used unless the targeted lock or door is being used to restrain or imprison you.

You may lock, unlock, and/or open your target.

Exert your Mind and an Action. Select a Inanimate target within arm's reach which could fit inside a briefcase (15 liters). You must actively and obviously use a pointed hat with stars and moons to activate this Effect.

Your target will become Animated indefinitely. You may choose to end the effect at will, as a Free Action. You can maintain a max of 4 targets animated at once.

Animated Objects have the following restrictions and capabilities:

• Awareness: Animated targets are capable of perceiving the world around them within reasonable limits. They cannot communicate in a clear or coherent way.
• Movement: Animated targets can use an existing method of locomotion (wheels, etc); otherwise they can move across the ground at 15 feet per round, or hover up to a height of 7 feet in the air at 10 feet per round.
• Combat: Animated objects cannot take offensive actions in combat.
• Artifacts: Animating an Artifact does not grant the animated object access to any Effects built in to that Artifact.
• Ability Use: If an action requires a roll, Animated objects have a dice pool of 7 when performing a task for which they were designed, and a dice pool of 4 for taking any other actions.
• Toughness: Animated targets are as easy to destroy as they were prior to being animated. If destroyed, the effect ends.
• Following Orders: Animated objects are controlled by the GM, and will follow any commands you give them, as long as they don't require problem-solving.