Axel Webb is a half-drow occultist who works the nightshift at the Arkham Caine Museum of the Occult. He is friends with Detective Chiaroscuro Gray, who brings him onto investigations when there is a supernatural or occult aspect to the case.
Loyalties
Axel is deeply loyal to his employer, Muriel Caine, who allows him access to all kinds of prohibited eldritch relics and artifacts. While Muriel pointedly does not ask about Axel's illicit use of the museum's exhibits, it is likely that if she were to find out she would not be surprised by his occult hobbies.
Axel is also loyal to Chiaroscuro Gray, who protected Axel during the events of Case 214 after then-teenage Axel got in over his head with the Velstrac. He idolises Gray and firmly believes that, without the hardboiled detective, the city of Atramentum would be an even more dangerous and corrupt place than it already is. Although Axel may dislike how frequently Gray gets him into physical danger, he trusts that Gray will also always get him out of it.
Family Ties
Axel has a tense relationship with his wealthy birth family. He has chosen to rent a leaking attic apartment in midtown Atramentum rather than remain in his domineering parents' luxury townhouse. As a child, Axel was paraded by his mother, Carlotta Webb, as a party accessory, but was otherwise expected to keep out of the way. His drow father, Lukas Webb, was a formidable and intimidating presence, who demanded Axel learn the family business.
Both of Axel's parents discouraged any displays of emotion, using mystical and mundane methods to keep him compliant. His mother would tell him to "save his tears for the pillow" when he was upset, while his mesmerist father used powerful psychic magic to magically dominate his son, until Axel developed enough will to sometimes resist the controlling influence.
Axel left home at fourteen (eleven in half-drow years) and now rarely speaks to his parents. His father sometimes sends messenger spiders to demand favours, most recently requesting Axel arrange a business meeting with Muriel at the museum. Axel does not pass on the message, and is only sometimes able to kill the spiders before the eight-legged spies can return to Lukas with their invasive intelligence.
Fort: +7; Reflex: +5; Will: +6 +2 vs. aberration confusion or fear. Blinded for one round, then dazzled in areas of bright sunlight or within radius of a Daylight spell.
Fortitude: +7 Reflex: +5 Will: +6 ( +2 vs. any effects or spells originating from aberrations that cause confusion or fear. )
Defensive Abilities:Distortion (20% concealment as a standard action with full standard Illusion implement.)
Weaknesses:light blindness
Offense
Speed:30 ft.
Melee:CURSED CHAKRAM +4/-1 (1d8-1) Critical: 20x2. Damage type: slashing
DC 15 Reflex save or cuts self on the blade (half damage, no Strength modifier).
Ranged:CURSED CHAKRAM +9/+4 (1d8-1) Critical: 20x2. Damage type: slashing SpecialIf an attack misses, the chakram boomerangs around and attacks the wielder. If it hits the wielder, it sticks in their body and can be removed as a swift action. If it misses the wielder, it lands in an adjacent square.
Special Attacks:
Special Abilities
MAGIC CIRCLES: Knows how to draw magic circles. To draw a circle, must have chalk, salt, blood, powdered silver, or some other appropriate substance at hand (although Axel can press a magic circle into a softer surface such as dirt or clay). Drawing a circle takes 1 minute and requires the Axel to expend 1 point of mental focus (either generic focus or focus from any one of his implements). Once completed, this circle functions as a permanent magic circle against any alignment of the occultist's choosing. The circle can't be against a component of the occultist's alignment (if he is lawful good, for example, it can't be a magic circle against good or law). The circle remains until its form is physically broken (for example, if the lines are smeared or the salt is scattered). Only a living creature can break the circle; environmental effects can't break it. Axel can have only one circle created in this way at a time. If he creates a second circle, the first one loses all its magic powers. This type of magic circle can't normally be focused inward to bind an outsider. OUTSIDE CONTACT - ["Caravaggio Gray"]: Knows the true name of 1 particular outsider(s). Such outsiders can have no more than 3 Hit Dice. Whenever the occultist creates a magic circle, can expend 1 additional point of mental focus to focus the circle inward and lure that outsider to the circle (similar to using lesser planar binding). The outsider is bound for up to 10 minutes. During this time, the occultist can bargain with the outsider for 1 piece(s) of related information. This requires a payment of at least 20 gp (or items of at least that value that are of interest to the outsider). The bargaining requires the occultist to attempt a Diplomacy or Intimidate check opposed by the outsider's Sense Motive check. Succeeding at the check by 5 or more reduces this cost to 10 gp. Failure increases the price to 30 gp, whereas failure by 5 or more allows the outsider to escape without giving any information (or receiving payment). The information gained can be anything that might be learned through a divination spell. The information is always correct but is frequently cryptic. It typically takes the outsider 1d3 hours to gather the information, at which point it returns of its own accord to deliver the information as promised. The outsider always resents being used in this way, even if the occultist and the outsider share an alignment component. After the occultist bargains with the outsider, the magic circle loses all power and the outsider is sent back to its home plane. Object READING: Can read information from items he examines. Examining an item in this way requires Axel to spend 1 minute handling the item. If the item is a magic item, Axel learns its properties and command word as if he had successfully examined the item using Detect Magic and succeeded at a Spellcraft check. This ability does not reveal whether the item is cursed unless the caster level of the item less than or equal to 8. If the item has any historical significance, Axel learns one piece of information about its past (as determined by the GM). Finally, if the item was last used no longer than 8 days ago, Axel learns one piece of information about the last creature to use the item. This information might be a glimpse of the creature's appearance, a brief vision of what it saw while using the item, or perhaps its emotional state when it last used the item. The GM determines what information is gained in this way. This functions like the psychometry occult skill unlock, but doesn't require a skill check and can be used at will.
Implement School Abilities
Conjuration
MIND STEED - Conjuration: As a standard action, can expend 1 point of mental focus to conjure a spectral horse (or, in Axel's case, taxi). This horse can be either Medium or Large, but it otherwise functions as Mount with a base land speed increased by 20 feet. The horse lasts for 80 minutes. SERVITOR - Conjuration: As a standard action, can expend 1 point of mental focus to summon a servitor. This ability functions as Summon Monster III, but can use it only to summon a single creature, and the effect lasts for 1 minute. Can't have more than one servitor in effect at a time. At any time, can expend 1 point of mental focus as a free action to extend the duration of an active servitor by 1 minute. SIDE STEP - Conjuration: Can create a temporary fissure in space by expending 1 point of mental focus. Can use this ability as part of a move action taken to move. The fissure begins in any square Axel designates and allows him to teleport to any other square you can see within 80 feet. Stepping between these locations expends 5 feet of movement, and the movement through the rift does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This otherwise functions as Teleport.
Divination
Object SEER - Divination: As a full-round action, can expend 1 point of mental focus to gain insight into an object in your possession. Can ask one question, but that question must be tied in some way to the object, such as the nature of its power, the identity of the creature that last possessed it, or even where the object was when a certain event took place. Always receive an answer from the psychic impressions imprinted upon the item, but they are sometimes cryptic or misleading. This ability otherwise functions as Commune. SUDDEN INSIGHT - Divination: As a swift action, can expend 1 point of mental focus to gain an insight into the immediate future. Can use this foreknowledge as a free action before rolling any ability check, attack roll, or skill check to gain a +4 insight bonus on that roll. Can use your foreknowledge only once per turn, and if it's not used by the end of your turn, the insight fades and no benefit is gained. WATCHFUL EYE - Divination: Can expend 1 point of mental focus as a standard action to create an invisible sensor within 30 feet that watches a 5-foot-square area. Whenever any creature enters that square, Axel receives a mental image of the creature as long as he is on the same plane as the sensor. The sensor remains active for 80 minutes. The image will not wake Axel from slumber, although he does receive all of the images the sensor collected upon awakening. The sensor can be deceived by invisibility and similar magic. Can expend additional points of mental focus when creating the eye to increase the size of the square by 5 feet per additional point spent (to 10 feet square, 15 feet square, and so on).
Enchantment
CLOUD MIND - Enchantment: As a standard action, can expend 1 point of mental focus to cloud the mind of one foe within 30 feet. That foe is dazed for 1 round if the number of Hit Dice it possesses is less than or equal to 8. If it has more than 8 Hit Dice, it is staggered for 1 round instead. The foe can attempt a Will saving throw to negate the effect. Whether or not it succeeds at the save, the target is then immune to this effect for 1 day. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Illusion
CLOAK IMAGE - Illusion: As a standard action, can expend 1 point of mental focus to hide appearance behind illusion as Disguise Self. Can expend 2 points of mental focus to appear as a creature of a different type, but must remain same size. Can spend an extra point of mental focus to target a willing creature other than self with ability. MINOR FIGMENT - Illusion: As a standard action, can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a minor figment. This can function as either Ghost Sound or Minor Image. In either case, the figment lasts for 8 minutes, and Axel can cause the figment to change once during its duration when a specified condition occurs. UNSEEN - Illusion: As a standard action, can expend 1 point of mental focus to become invisible, as Invisibility. This effect lasts for 8 minutes. Can expend 2 points of mental focus instead of 1 to use this power on a willing adjacent creature instead of yourself. Axel can still see creatures he makes invisible with this power. If the invisible creature makes an attack or otherwise takes an action that would cause the invisibility to end, Axel can immediately expend 1 additional point of mental focus to allow the creature to remain invisible if the creature is within 30 feet of him.
At will: Detect Magic (Lantern of Auras), Levitate (boots of levitation). 7/day: Beast Shape IV - raven (Ring of Seven Lovely Colours). 3/day: Mirror Image - immediate action, see item description (Mirror of Guarding Reflections).
Statistics
Str 6 (-2), Dex 14 (+2), Con 13 (+1), Int 20 (+5), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 18 (+4) CARRYING CAPACITY: Light: 20lbs. or less ; Medium: 21-40 lbs. ; Heavy: 41-60 lbs.
Base Attack:+6CMB:+4CMD:17
Feats: Empath, Ghost Whisperer, Sense Loyalties, Skill Focus (Sense Motive). Empath: Can use either Perception or Sense Motive when reading an emotion aura with the read aura occult skill unlock. Reading a creature's emotion aura takes you only a full-round action instead of 10 minutes, and if you succeed at your check, you also determine whether that creature is currently affected by a fear or mind-affecting effect and the relative strength of that effect (minor, moderate, strong, as defined in detect magic). You don't learn the source of the effect or the actual effect. You can also use the read aura occult skill unlock to read emotion auras more than once per day by opening your innate mental defenses. For 1 minute after you use this feat, you take a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear and mind-affecting effects (regardless of whether you succeeded at the check). During this time, you're also unable to attempt to read emotion auras. Using this feat doesn't use up your one daily use of the read aura unlock, which you can still use either to read another type of aura or to read an emotion aura without taking the penalty associated with this feat. Ghost Whisperer: Whenever you cast Speak with Dead or Speak with Haunt, treat your alignment as identical to that of the dead creature or haunt with which you are speaking, and increase the effective caster level of the spell by 2. Sense Loyalties: Can quickly sense a target's relationship to some specific god, patron, or government, and use that knowledge to manipulate them. After 1 hour or more of interaction, can attempt a DC 20 Sense Motive check to get a hunch in order to intuit what god, government, leader, or patron a creature is loyal to or worships. You must understand the language the creature is speaking, and if it's of a different type than you, you take a -5 penalty on the check. If the creature is attempting to conceal its loyalties, it attempts a Bluff check. If the result of the Bluff check is higher than 20, that result becomes the DC of your Sense Motive check. On a success, you learn whether the creature has a patron god, a witch patron, or a government to which it is strongly loyal. You can attempt to name up to four of a specific god, patron, or government by introducing them into the conversation as subjects, as noted below. You can use this ability only if you observe the creature in an environment where loyalty to a god, government, leader, or patron is being discussed. If this isn't already occurring, you can introduce the topic, but doing so may expose your interest. In this case, the creature you are observing and any other creatures able to hear you bring up the topic of loyalty to a god, government, leader, or patron can attempt Sense Motive checks (opposed by a Bluff check from you, which the GM rolls in secret). On a success, the creature realizes you are interested in determining the observed creature's specific loyalty. If you are attempting to determine whether the observed creature's loyalty is to a specific god, government, or leader as noted above, creatures who succeed at the Sense Motive check are aware of the specific god, government, leader, or patron about which you are interesting in learning.
Skills:
Skills
Acrobatics
+2
Appraise
+10
+5 involving gems and crystals. +2 for small or highly detailed items. Occult Skill: 1/day Psychometry.
Bluff
+9
+2 vs. undead when speaking Necril. +2 with full standard Enchantment implement. +2 to pass as fullblooded drow, elf, or human.
Climb
-2
Craft (Untrained)
+5
+2 for small or highly detailed items.
Diplomacy
+11
+2 vs. undead when speaking Necril. +2 with full standard Enchantment implement. Occult Skill: 1/day Hypnotism (+2 with Brass Spider).
Disable Device
+6
+2 with Brass Spider.
Disguise
+8
+2 to pass as fullblooded drow, elf, or human. +2 with full standard Enchantment implement.
Escape Artist
+3
Fly
+2
Heal
+2
Occult Skill: 1/day Faith Healing.
Intimidate
+5
+2 vs. undead when speaking Necril. +2 with full standard Enchantment implement.
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
Arcana
+14
Occult Skill: 1/day Phrenology.
Dungeoneering
+6
Engineering
+9
Geography
+6
History
+10
Local
+6
Nature
+6
Nobility
+6
Planes
+16
Religion
+11
Linguistics
+16
+8 using Planchette and Spirit Trumpet to communicate with haunts (+4 each). Occult Skill: 1/week Automatic Writing (+2 with Planchette).
Perception
+9
+2 for small or highly detailed items. +2 with full standard Divination implement. Occult Skill: 1/day Read Aura (1/day or more Read Emotion Aura).
Perform (Untrained)
+4
Ride
+2
Sense Motive
+16
+2 vs. undead when speaking Necril. Occult Skill: 1/day Prognostication. Occult Skill: 1/day (or more) Read Aura (Emotion only).
Sleight of Hand
+6
+4 to hide objects on body, increases to +6 to conceal small objects.
Spellcraft
+13
Stealth
+7
Survival
+2
Occult Skill: 1/day Dowsing.
Swim
-2
Use Magic Device
+19
+2 with full standard Enchantment implement.
Drawbacks
NERVOUS: Whenever taking 10 on an ability check or skill check that imparts any penalty for failure (aside from wasted time), Axel treats the check as if he had rolled an 8 instead of a 10, even if able to take his time. CHOKES UNDER PRESSURE: 1/day, GM may select one skill for which Axel suffers a -3 penalty to all checks. The GM need not make this decision at the beginning of the day, and can wait until Axel is making a specific skill check. The penalty remains until he has received 8 hours of sleep.
Axel has 16 points of mental focus that he can assign to each of his implements at the start of each day. The resonance powers are not depleted as mental focus is used. All of his Mental Focus Powers are DC 19.
Can shift mental focus from one implement to another by removing a number of points of mental focus from one implement and adding the same number minus 1 to another implement. This takes 1 minute of quiet contemplation while touching both implements. Can shift mental focus only from one implement to another implement; cannot shift generic focus into an implement. Unlike expending focus normally, this shift can reduce the effect of a resonant power in the implement from which the mental focus was taken. It does not, however, add to the resonant power of the implement to which the focus is added.CONJURATION IMPLEMENT
CONJURATION IMPLEMENT (Usually invests 4 focus points) RESONANT POWER - Casting Focus
Can add implement as an additional focus to increase caster level by 1 for every 2 points of mental focus stored (+2) to any conjuration spell he casts that has a duration measured in rounds/level. This increase applies only when determining the duration of the spell. Apply this increase after other effects that adjust a spell's duration, such as Extend Spell.FOCUS POWERS
Mind Steed, Servitor, Side Step. FOCUS SPELLS
Cure Light Wounds, Apport Object, Urban Step.
DIVINATION IMPLEMENT (Usually invests 4 focus points) RESONANT POWER - Third Eye
Implement grants a +1 insight bonus on Perception checks per 2 points of mental focus stored in it (+2). Also grants low-light vision if at least 3 points of mental focus are stored.
Could also extend Darkvision by 30 ft. if at least 6 points were stored and grant See Invisibility if at least 9 points were stored.FOCUS POWERS
Object Seer, Sudden Insight, Watchful Eye. FOCUS SPELLS
Psychic Reading, Share Memory, Retrocognition.
ENCHANTMENT IMPLEMENT (Usually invests 4 focus points) RESONANT POWER - Glorious Presence
The implement’s wearer gains a +1 competence bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks and ability checks for every 2 points of mental focus invested in the implement (+2).FOCUS POWERS Cloud Mind. FOCUS SPELLS
Memory Lapse, Demand Offering, Deep Slumber.
ILLUSION IMPLEMENT (Usually invests 4 focus points) RESONANT POWER - Distortion
The implement allows its bearer to distort his form and location, protecting him from harm. As a standard action, the bearer can gain a concealment miss chance equal to 5% for every point of mental focus invested in the implement (to a maximum of 5% + 5% for every 2 occultist levels you possess) until the next time the bearer makes an attack. If this miss chance reaches 50%, it doesn’t increase further, but the bearer gains all the benefits of invisibility. Creatures with see invisibility, true seeing, or similar abilities ignore the miss chance from this ability.FOCUS POWERS
Cloak Image, Minor Figment, Unseen. FOCUS SPELLS
Vanish, Mirror Image, Displacement.
AUTOMATIC WRITING (1/week) Axel can produce mysterious writing that pertains to the immediate future, either under the influence of enigmatic guiding spirits or by unleashing your subconscious intuition. Check: Once per week, can spend 1 hour posing questions while your hand unconsciously scribbles messages of varying legibility and accuracy. At the end of this hour, attempt a Linguistics check (+2 bonus when using Automatic Writing Planchett) to decipher the meanings of these messages. If successful, gain information as though using Augury. The chance of successfully producing coherent or meaningful writing from any of these effects equals 60% plus 5% for every 1 by which the check result exceeds the DC (to a maximum of 90%). The GM rolls the check and d% roll secretly, so that player can’t tell whether the messages are accurate. Action: Automatic Writing takes 1 hour.Try again: Yes. Can attempt to learn more about a subject, but can still attempt only one check per week.
DOWSING (1/day) Axel channel mysterious forces in the nearby environment to locate hidden resources. Check: Once per day, can follow a dowsing rod’s movements to locate a particular type of location. Each attempt requires 10 minutes of intense concentration, after which you attempt the Survival check. The maximum range at which Axel can detect anything using dowsing is 400 feet. The rod’s directions persist for up to 10 minutes. Can choose a particular target each time, and get the following information on a successful check. Find Water: (DC 15) The dowsing rod points toward the largest source of fresh water within range, including aquifers, lakes, ponds, and springs. Grave Dowsing: (DC 20) The dowsing rod points in the direction of the largest burial site, cairn, or tomb within range. Locate Metal and Gems: (DC 25) Concentrate on a specific metal or mineral. On a successful check, the dowsing rod points to the largest quantity of the selected mineral within range.Action: Dowsing attempts take 10 minutes to initiate. The results of the check persist for 10 minutes afterward. Try again: Yes. Can try to dowse from the same location more than once, but still only once per day.
FAITH HEALING (1/day) Axel can apply esoteric principles to temporarily suspend or remove curses, diseases, and ability damage. Check: can use faith healing once per day. The DC and effect of the Heal check depend on the task you attempt. You can’t use faith healing on yourself. Restore Vitality: (Effect's save DC) Suppress ability damage. Perform a 1-hour ceremony, then attempt a Heal check against the DC of the effect that caused the ability damage.
Succeeding temporarily suppress 1 point of ability damage for 1 hour, plus 1 additional point and hour for every 5 by which the check result exceeds the DC. A creature can benefit from this treatment no more than once per day. Suspend Affliction: (Affliction's save DC) Treat one curse, disease, or poison affecting a creature. enter into a deep trance for 1 hour while treating the subject, after which attempt the Heal check. If the check is successful, the effects of the affliction are suspended by 1 hour, plus 1 hour for every 5 by which you exceed the DC. This time doesn’t count against the effect’s duration (if any). The affliction can still be cured by other means while it’s suspended. Remove Affliction: (Double affliction's save DC) Can attempt to permanently remove an affliction in an 8-hour ceremony, then attempt a Heal check. If the result of the check is at least double the DC of the original affliction, the sufferer can attempt another saving throw using the original DC to permanently cast off the effect.
Action: Restoring vitality and suspending afflictions each require 1 hour in a quiet environment. Permanent removal of afflictions requires 8 hours of heavy activity. Try again: Varies. A creature can’t be the subject of faith healing more than once per day. Can’t try to permanently remove an affliction again.
Hypnotism (1/day) Axel can use the power of suggestion and subtle psychic influence to alter a subject’s mind and dredge up repressed memories. Check: can use hypnotism once per day. The DC of a Diplomacy check to hypnotize is 20 + the subject’s Will save modifier against mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effects. All uses of hypnotism are mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effects. Implant Suggestion: Can implant a suggested course of reasonable action in the mind of a willing creature, along with a defined trigger. To implant a suggestion, spend 1 minute inducing a trance-like state in the subject, after which attempt a Diplomacy check. A successful check implants the desired course of action, as a Suggestion spell with a duration of 10 minutes plus 10 additional minutes for every 1 by which your check result exceeds the DC. If the subject ceases to be willing, it can attempt a Will save (DC 18) once each round to shake off the effects. Axel can attempt to subtly implant a suggestion in the mind of an unwilling creature with an attitude of indifferent or better after 1 minute of continuous, calm interaction with that creature, but the DC is 10 higher. Recall Memory: Can draw out forgotten memories from a willing subject. You spend 1 minute inducing a calming, trance-like state in the subject, then attempt a Diplomacy check. A successful check allows the hypnotised creature to reroll any previously failed Intelligence or Knowledge check to recall the forgotten information with a +4 bonus. The information must be something the subject once knew or was exposed to.
Action: Hypnotism takes 1 minute of calm interaction. Try again: Yes. You can try to hypnotize the same creature more than once, but only once per day.
PHRENOLOGY (1/day) Axel can examine the skulls of intelligent creatures to analyse the subjects’ psychological attributes, since the shape of the brain influences the shape of the skull. Check: Once per day, can use fingertips to examine the shape of a creature’s skull. Reading a creature’s skull requires 1 minute of concentration and scrutiny while physically manipulating the skull. This technique can be used on a willing, helpless, or paralysed creature, or on decomposed remains (as long as the skull is intact or can be pieced together). This skill can’t be used on creatures without discernible skulls, such as constructs, elementals, oozes, or plants. After the minute is up, the GM attempts a secret Knowledge (arcana) check. The DC is typically modified by the subject’s Hit Dice. With a single check, You determine all the information whose DC you meet.
For instance, if you had a result of 22 when examining a creature with 2 HD, you would learn that creature’s race and age, gender, alignment, and class, but not its level or HD. Determine race and age: DC 10 Determine gender: DC 15 Determine alignment: DC 15 + creature’s HD* Determine class: DC 20 + creature’s HD* Determine level or HD: DC 25 + creature’s HD*
*A dead creature’s skull uses the HD the creature had when alive.
Action: Reading a creature’s cranium requires 1 minute of uninterrupted study. Try again: Yes. Reexamining a skull may provide new insights. You can attempt only one such check per day.
PROGNOSTICATION (1/day) Axel is skilled in means of folk divination. The most common methods are cartomancy (reading cards), cheiromancy (reading a creature’s palms), crystallomancy (crystal-gazing), extispicy (reading animal entrails), horoscopy (reading a creature’s birth stars), oneiromancy (interpreting dreams), osteomancy (reading cast bones), and pyromancy (reading flames). Check: Once per day, you can predict a creature’s fortune for the near future. You spend 10 minutes interpreting the divination means at your disposal. The GM then attempts a secret Sense Motive check with a DC modified by the subject’s Hit Dice (see the table below). The result of the check can give you basic insight into the subject’s nature, including its alignment, class, and levels or Hit Dice, and might reveal clues to the creature’s immediate future.
Determining the immediate future as an Augury spell has a chance of successfully interpreting meaningful readings equal to 60% plus 5% for every point by which the check result exceeds the DC (to a maximum of 90%). With a single check, you determine all the information whose DC you meet.
For instance, if you had a result of 22 when telling the fortune of a creature with 2 HD, you would learn that creature’s alignment and class, but not its level, HD, or fortune. Determine alignment: DC 15 + creature’s HD* Determine class: DC 20 + creature’s HD* Determine level or HD: DC 25 + creature’s HD* Determine fortune as Augury spell: DC 25 + creature’s HD*Try again: Yes. You can attempt to read a particular creature’s fortune repeatedly, but only once per 24 hours. Special: Specially crafted items purchased for the exclusive use of this skill grant a +2 circumstance bonus on Sense Motive checks to prognosticate.
PSYCHOMETRY (1/day) Axel can read the psychic impressions left on objects or in places by previous owners and events. Check: Once per day, can concentrate for 1 minute while in physical contact with an item or location, during which flashes of insight regarding the subject’s nature and ownership are received. After 1 minute, attempt a DC 15 Appraise check to decipher the visions. Gain one piece of information about the historical significance or the last previous owner—such as a glimpse of the last owner’s appearance or its emotional state when it last used the item—determined by the GM. Learn one more piece of information for every 10 by which the check result exceeds the DC, but must concentrate for 1 additional minute for each piece of information. Failing the check by less than 5 or if the item has no significant psychic imprint, reveals no information. Failing the check by 5 or more, the item appears to be psychically significant even if it’s not, and the information gained is wildly inaccurate.
Attempting to use psychometry on an item affected by Charge Object or Implant False Reading, automatically reveals all information imprinted by the spell and incurs a Will save. If the item is affected by an Implant False Reading spell, a success reveals the information was false, and the true information can be determined as well. On a failure, or if the item is affected by a Charge Object spell, Axel believes the information is true.
Action: Reading an object requires at least 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration. Try again: Yes. Multiple readings on an object or place always give the same results unless its circumstances or ownership have changed, but additional checks might reach further back into an object’s history. You don’t reroll the saving throw to determine if a psychic imprint is false. Psychometry can still only be used once per day.
READ AURA (1/day or more) Axel's psychic sensitivity allows him to read the psychic and magical auras of creatures and objects. Check: Once per day, can examine the natural aura of a creature or object to discern the subject’s alignment, emotions, health, or magic. This requires 10 minutes of concentration, after which attempt a Perception check. Each time, one of four auras must be picked to read: alignment, emotion, health, or magic. The result of the check applies only to the selected aura. Must be within 30 feet of the subject at all times during the reading.
Objects typically have only magic auras, though some also have alignment auras (and intelligent items have emotion auras). Can still attempt to detect a type of aura an object doesn’t have, but there are no results. The DC varies depending on the aura, as shown on the table. Read Alignment Aura: (DC 15 + creature’s HD or item's caster level) Attempt to read the alignment aura, learning the alignment and its strength. An alignment aura’s strength depends on the creature’s Hit Dice or item’s caster level, as noted in the description of the Detect Evil spell. Read Emotion Aura: (DC 20 + creature’s HD or item's caster level, if the item is intelligent) The colours within the target’s aura reveal its emotional state. If successful, learn the target’s disposition and its attitude toward any creatures within 30 feet of it. For a number of rounds equal to the amount by which the skill check’s DC is exceeded, gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks against the target.
Due to the Empath feat, Axel can use Sense Motive for reading Emotion Auras, and it only takes him one round rather than 10 minutes. Success also reveals whether that creature is currently affected by a fear or mind-affecting effect and the relative strength of that effect (minor, moderate, strong, as defined in Detect Magic), although the source of the actual effect is not revealed.
Axel can also read emotion auras more than once per day by opening his innate mental defences. For 1 minute after, takes a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear and mind-affecting effects (regardless of whether the check is successful). During this time, Axel is unable to attempt to read emotion auras. Read Health Aura: (DC 15 + creature’s HD) Viewing the flow of vital force, assess a creature’s physical condition. Reading a health aura reveals whether the creature is unharmed or wounded, if it is poisoned or diseased, and whether it is affected by any of the following conditions: confused, disabled, dying, nauseated, panicked, staggered, stunned, and unconscious. The total number of points available in its ki pool, grit pool, or similar resource is also revealed. Read Magic Aura: (DC 20 + creature’s HD or item's caster level) Can attempt to determine the number and power of all magical auras on a target creature or object (see Detect Magic to determine a magic aura’s power). If the check is successful, can attempt Knowledge (arcana) or Spellcraft checks to determine the school or identify properties of a magic item, as normal. If the item is affected by magic aura or a similar spell, this is revealed if the check result exceeds the DC by 5 or more and the actual properties of the item are revealed. If the spell is of a higher level (such as Aura Alteration), increase this threshold DC by 2 for every spell level beyond 1st.
Action: Reading an aura requires 10 minutes of study (5 minutes with prismatic crystal). Try again: Yes. You can read a creature or object’s aura more than once, whether you read the same aura or a different one. You can still attempt only one skill check to read an aura per day.
