Zephyren's birdlike senses have attuned him to the so-called languages of the animal kingdom. He can finally comprehend the song of the forests, but this is only the beginning.
On music:
It's a blemish in Zephyren's past, yet one of his most fond highlights all the same. The sense of community that music brings is universal, as anyone can understand when a score sounds upbeat or solemn. He could put his emotions into it and no one would know the subject of his grief, only that he does have feelings after all. It never quite leaves his mind, so he finds himself stopping in his tracks whenever he hears it - whether geophonic or anthropophonic or biophonic - he has to appreciate how it all flows together.
On animals:
Wildlife is harder to spot in Hong Kong, with all the urbanization. Zephyren remembers his first few months in Canada, which were often spent just gawking at the animals he's never seen. Particularly, he had no idea coyotes were dangerous. Whoops.
On comprehension:
Now that even animals can speak to him, he has more noise to filter through. It might just be his downfall.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to Creatures as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
Ajax knows the beauty and majesty of his Mother's work quiet well. He has always wished more people could appreciate her, and with his new ability he can ensure they witness the wonders of Nature and experience it's beauty for themselves.
To do this Ajax must violently rip their heart from their body, symbolically severing its connections and fill it with Nature's power. This causes plants to grow on the heart and roots to penetrate the delicate flesh, as their body is filled with power and their mind flooded with visions. Ajax gives these blessings in the hopes that they will inspire those who bear them to spread word of Nature's beauty and power.
List of possible Augments
Augment: Balm of the Forest (+2 dice to stabilizing injuries)
Augment: Call of the Wild You have access to the functionality of a smartphone at all times
Augment: Nature's Fury Your unarmed attacks do +2 Weapon Damage instead of -1
Augment: Hollow of the Heart Your heart functions as a hidden pocket. It can hold no more than a briefcase (15 liters)
Augment: Mantle of the Earth (2 Armor)
Augment: Blessing of Sylvan Sanctuary You do not suffer harm from heat, cold, pressure, or lack of oxygen in a forest, provided that challenge normally exists in a forest.
Augment: Speed of the Squall Your Free Movement is increased by 10 feet
Exert your Mind and spend 30 minutes. Select a Living target within arm's reach. The target can easily Resist.
You may add one augmentation to your target. Each augmentation counts as a Trauma and can have exactly one of the following Effects:
The augmentations you provide are not outwardly visible nor obvious.
You may end this Effect prematurely as a Free Action.
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see Ajax reach into his targets chest and pulls their still beating heart out. Plants and roots begin to sprout all across the heart. Anyone watching will feel an incredibly uncomforatble itching sensation in their chest, as if roots are growing through their own heart.
Lightning Arcs around The Sparkman, the Shock Suit's coils allowing him to effectively fire out a pulse of electricity, as if it were some sort of stungun. The effect is delayed, but it works well enough.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Living target within 30 feet. You must actively and obviously use Copper Wiring to activate this Effect. Roll Dexterity + Firearms at Difficulty 6. Affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6.
If you succeed, your target becomes drowsy for the next 3 Rounds, during which time they suffer an additional -2 dice Penalty to all Actions. At the end of their drowsiness, they fall into a state of sleep paralysis for Contested Outcome x 3 hours. During this time, they remain fully conscious and aware of their surroundings but are incapable of taking any actions.
Sleeping targets will not prematurely wake up on their own, and can only be awoken by taking Damage or nearing death from hunger, thirst, or suffocation. Drowsy targets always fall asleep, regardless of what happens while they are drowsy.
N
Exert your Mind and spend 30 seconds to trap a region of any shape that contains your current location and fits entirely within 20 feet. This trap lasts one day or until triggered or disarmed. Roll Brawn + Alertness Difficulty 6.
The trap looks like Childs toy. Only those who have seen this trap before can identify it as a trap. Anyone who is aware of the trap may intuitively avoid, trigger, or destroy it.
Any Sapient target that enters the chosen region will trigger the trap. Affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7. If they are incapacitated or unconscious, they fail automatically.
When the trap is triggered, the target loses that much Source. Once their Source is depleted, excess Outcome is applied as Mind Damage. If you deal at least 3 Mind damage, the target gains a new Trauma of your choice. The Trauma should be general and not specifically mention you. You should not have to be involved to trigger the Trauma.
This Trauma may be removed by Effects or mundane therapy, as normal. Affected targets are aware that they are being attacked and can generally tell who did it.
Sora's coat shimmers, rippling as it's true form is revealed. The wings of the Jet Dragon, a set of silvery-grey wings split into three talon-like vents unfurl from where the jacket once was. Crimson dragon energy spews from each vent, allowing Sora to soar into the air. When not in use, they wrap around Sora, returning to the form of his jacket.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
As long as you are conscious, you are immune to falling Damage and may hover in place mid-air. Additionally, you may glide as you fall, traveling 35 feet horizontally for every 10 feet you fall. While gliding, you fall at a minimum speed of 10 feet per Round.
You may ascend into the air and fly using your Jet dragon wings. You require 5 feet of clear space on all sides to fly. You may add 50 feet to Movement you take while flying.
You are subject to the following effects while gliding or flying:
Invoking his oath, Alan undergoes a flashy transformation sequence to become the superhero, Paragon. In this form, Alan's body is completely replaced by the Paragon's signature costume, a suit of white armor with a billowing blue cape and emblem of peace emblazoned on their chest. They appear like an fictional character brought to life, moving as if animated between frames and possessing pure white eyes that change size with their expression.
Exert your Mind (unless you are in a major metropolitan area) and spend two Actions performing the following ritual: flashy transformation sequence. You must maintain Concentration while activating this Effect, and it fails if you are interrupted.
You transform into an animated superhero for 3 hours. You have access to all of your Powers while you are an animated superhero, and you can use your equipment. The Injuries and Battle Scars of your Alternate Form and your true form are tracked separately.
While transformed, your Brawn is increased by 2 and your Charisma is increased by 2. You do not suffer any Stress while transformed.
While transformed, instead of your normal clothes and equipment, you are equipped with: Paragon Superhero Gear
Possession of this Power grants the following Battle Scar: Zero To Hero: Your physical prowess only functions within the body of your superhero identity. When you are outside of your Alternate Form, your Strength and Dexterity attributes are set to a 1.
Possession of this Power grants the following Trauma at all times: Main Character Syndrome: You're the protagonist of the story, destined to save all the side characters you are superior to. You must succeed a Self-Control roll in order to believe something or take an action which contradicts this delusion and With Great Responsibility: You are compelled to follow your morals. Whenever you are faced with the opportunity to save a life or enact justice, you must succeed a Self-Control roll to resist the urge.
The Psychic can speak directly into someone's mind, engaging in an entirely telepathic conversation. While they do, they take on a blank, vacant stare in the direction of their target, and appear to be muttering gibberish to themselves under their breath.
Exert your Mind and 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 can see your target.
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.
The Thief examines an object closely for a minute to appraise its value. As their eyes dance across the subject, their pupils split vertically, and their irises fade to gold. If it is a particularly valuable item, the Thief may greedily lick their lips, revealing a forked tongue.
Within a minute, they have determined how materially valuable the object is and why.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Charisma + Culture at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
Finally, the girls are fusing the way theyโve wanted to since they began Contracting, three and a half years ago. It took Graceโs left eye for them to try this, but the girls are now able to spend a week focusing their energy towards a Battle Scarred area and permanently replacing it with The Spiritโs ghostly flesh. The replaced chunks, eyes, arms, whatever may come, appear just as The Spiritโs: bluish and semi-transparent, but now function just as the respective physical flesh would.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Any Injury you receive heals quickly, reducing its Severity by one level every 6 hours. Any Injuries you receive while this Effect is active do not deteriorate over time. However, any Battle Scars caused by such an Injury will remain unless it is Properly Stabilized as normal.
All Injuries you receive are considered Properly Stabilized. You may also choose to heal any Battle Scar on yourself that may not have been caused by an Injury. Doing so takes one day, and the Battle Scar affects you fully until that time.
Possession of this Power grants the following Battle Scar: any scars that heal this way leave the flesh in that area bluish and semi-transparent, causing you to be viewed as a freak by most people who see you.
The werewolf's gnashing teeth sheer through steel and bone alike. Those caught in their maw rarely make it out alive.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are in werewolf form, and you are engaged in unarmed combat.
+2 dice to rolls for Attacking, Defending, and Clashing without a weapon. Unarmed attacks do +0 Weapon Damage (instead of -1).
You may Defend against melee, projectile, or firearm Attacks from any range and Clash with those in range of your Attacks. Attacking materials like steel or spikes will not Damage you unless it has an Effect that does so.
You also gain the following effects:
Be amazed as the magician wields a deck of simple playing cards with all the poise and precision of a ninja's shurikens. Fear not, for they will not hit you, unless they want to.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with playing cards.
+2 dice to all rolls utilizing playing cards.
You also gain the following effects: