•••• Telepathy
At this level of advancement of one’s extrasensory perceptions, a vampire may project his consciousness into a nearby individual’s mind. Doing so creates a mental link whereby the Kindred can communicate silently or even scan the surface of the target’s subconscious. The user senses any thought picked up as a voice inside his own mind, and the data can hardly be considered unobtrusive. Nevertheless, this power has the potential to be one of the most potent of the abilities in any vampire’s mystical arsenal. With enough practice, a vampiric telepath can uncover nearly any secret from any sentient being around him.
Telepathy is most effective on the mortal mind. When used on ordinary people, the character can maintain a link as long as he keeps concentrating, and as long as the mortal target does not leave his line of sight for more than moment or two. Trying to breach the supernatural mind, however, is a more difficult prospect. A given link is good only for the moment and must be reestablished each time the character wishes to send or dig for thoughts.
Telepathy is most effective on the mortal mind. When used on ordinary people, the character can maintain a link as long as he keeps concentrating, and as long as the mortal target does not leave his line of sight for more than moment or two. Trying to breach the supernatural mind, however, is a more difficult prospect. A given link is good only for the moment and must be reestablished each time the character wishes to send or dig for thoughts.
Effect
Dramatic Failure: Dramatic failure on a Telepathy attempt can be disastrous, as the user instantly adopts any derangements present in the target for the rest of the night.
Failure: Failure results in no link being established, and the character cannot try again for the remainder of the scene.
Success: Success allows a character to read from or add a thought to the subject’s mind. See the suggested modifiers list that follows for specific applications of the Telepathy power.
Exceptional Success: Exceptional success at Telepathy allows the character to gain an additional piece of information (or an additional aspect to the original insight).
Note that the player of any subject who is aware that he is being probed or “ridden” may spend a Willpower point to eject the telepath. Each time the telepath sends a message, the subject instantly becomes aware that the thought didn’t originate from his own mind. Each time the telepath digs out a piece of data, Intelligence + Composure is rolled for the subject to detect the intruder.
Failure: Failure results in no link being established, and the character cannot try again for the remainder of the scene.
Success: Success allows a character to read from or add a thought to the subject’s mind. See the suggested modifiers list that follows for specific applications of the Telepathy power.
Exceptional Success: Exceptional success at Telepathy allows the character to gain an additional piece of information (or an additional aspect to the original insight).
Note that the player of any subject who is aware that he is being probed or “ridden” may spend a Willpower point to eject the telepath. Each time the telepath sends a message, the subject instantly becomes aware that the thought didn’t originate from his own mind. Each time the telepath digs out a piece of data, Intelligence + Composure is rolled for the subject to detect the intruder.
Material Components
Cost: None for mortal; 1 Willpower for a supernatural subject unless the supernatural subject is willing.
Gestures & Ritual
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Socialize + Auspex – subject’s Resolve
Related Discipline
Effect Casting Time
Instant
Level
4
Applied Restriction
Modifier | Situation
+2 | Power is turned on a vampire with whom the user has a blood tie (see p. 162)
— | Attempting to project a single thought/message into the subject’s mind.
-1 | Trying to probe the subject’s surface thoughts for whatever idea is there at the time.
-1 | Each derangement the subject possesses.
-2 | Digging for one piece of data about which the subject isn’t currently thinking.
-3 | Searching for a specific memory or event buried deep in the subconscious.
+2 | Power is turned on a vampire with whom the user has a blood tie (see p. 162)
— | Attempting to project a single thought/message into the subject’s mind.
-1 | Trying to probe the subject’s surface thoughts for whatever idea is there at the time.
-1 | Each derangement the subject possesses.
-2 | Digging for one piece of data about which the subject isn’t currently thinking.
-3 | Searching for a specific memory or event buried deep in the subconscious.