Aspects

Aspects are a new type of ability on Tenebrae. These abilities are not native to Pathfinder and in effect, are "free." They are intended to reflect the development and energies you've spent on your character, as well as the high-magic setting of Ea. Due to their benefits and nature, each character may only ever receive one. That is, they could select Winter-Touched, and could progress to Winter-Touched I and II. If we ever developed a III, they could go for that as well...but not Fire-Touched, for example.

Characters are awarded Aspects through roleplay. For instance, for the Grave-Touched Aspect, a character may spend an inordinate amount of time around graveyards, developing a fascination with them, and so forth. An elemental one may occur from being struck by lightening, and developing a "draw" towards high, elevated places. After such a time near these places, the world itself may respond...resulting in such conditions as the Grave-Touched Aspect.

These Aspects cause ingame effects. Returning to the Grave-Touched Aspect, such a character may receive a certain "chill" to their aura. Or, it may be less obvious, such as that elements they craft will always carry that "feel." An elemental-touched person may be prone to sparks or static electricity.

To receive an Aspect, a character submits a +request to staff stating intent. This intent must be declared at least 1 full level ahead of time. However, if during the course of roleplay, you happen to find another Aspect suits them better, you are welcome to apply this time to the new Aspect. ...however, this latter exception only works for the Level Is (that is, before you've fully begun to develop).

Once you let us know your intent, you engage in RP ongrid and are welcome and encouraged to draw others into your story. For Lightning-Touched, begin the story of a monumental lightning strike, or static cling. The roleplay and character are yours to develop. Then, once you reach your level goal, you submit another +request to staff. This +request does not need to be long. It should mention briefly:

• This is how it affected my character
• Here is a summary of some RP I did
• Here is how I involved other people

...and you receive the Aspect. If an Aspect has multiple levels, the character can advance to the second, or even third level, in much the same manner. System-wise, any Aspect that duplicates a spell or effect functions as a spell-like ability unless stated otherwise.

There are a number of different types of Aspects, and we may consider adding others after a time.

Character Aspects

Character Aspects are Aspects focused on your character's story. That is, what's happened to them. They may also reflect skills and abilities outside the ordinary. Given their nature and the nature of these Aspects, sorcerers and sorcerer multiclass receive a special restriction. That is, they may not take one that is opposed to their bloodline. The reason here is that such characters already possess a certain saturation of magic--this saturation does not leave room for opposing forces to "move in." That is, the rooms are already full, and only complimentary magics tend to respond.

Craft and Profession Aspects

You've devoted yourself towards learning a particular craft or way of life. To reflect it, this feat awards you 2 skill points to any Craft or Profession skill. The one exception is that this may not be used for Craft/Artifice. This may not place you over the max allowable points for that skill.

II: You gain 3 more skill points in the previous skill. This may not place you over the max allowable points for that skill.

World-Touched Aspects

Magic infuses the world of Ea. It flows through it like water, and just as a creature may be made from magic, or become the living embodiment of an ideal (a creature of chaos, a creature of law), so too can magic influence influence other, living beings.

The following Aspects, for the most part, reflect the inherently magical nature of Ea's landscape.

Ancestor-Touched: As your understanding of your race's history grows, so does your connection to it. The strength of your ancestors guides you from time to time, and the traditional gods of your ancestors bid you welcome. Guidance 3/day, self or same-race only.

II: You hold your ancestors close. So long as you act in ways honorable to them, you may attempt to meditate and ask their favor. This action takes at least 10 minutes, and there is a 50% chance it is successful. If so, it provides a +2 to any one d20 skill or save as your ancestor also had skill within that area and was able to impart advice. This must be used within 24 hours of enacting the ritual, and may be attempted once per week.

Arcane-Touched: Though you aren't "supposed" to, your exposure to magic has left it making a kind of sense to you. Sometimes, when you look at the pages in just the right way, they begin to form words. You've likely spent some time among the agents of Eluna. Read Magic 3/day.

II: You're sensitive to the workings of arcane magic, and the casting of such sometimes causes a prickling along your skin. Something in you just "knows." The feeling isn't specific--which is its benefit and its danger. It makes no difference between the intensity of the magic, or its nearness, only that it is there. Treat it as a Detect X spell, with a 60' range, first round capabilities only.

While useful, the ability isn't always reliable. That is, 20% of the time, the reading is false, 20% it doesn't work at all, and the rest it works as intended.

This ability may be suppressed at-will, usually by distracting yourself--that is, as you might distract yourself from an "itch," or train yourself not to pay attention to the continual buzzing in the background, and so forth. The exact method is up to you to roleplay.

Battle-Scarred: Perhaps you lost an eye, or some fingers. Either way, your battle scars are quite prominent and show that you're a veteran of battles that you lived through and the other guy didn't. Among more primitive cultures or tribes (such as the oruch or Dranei), you receive a +1 Diplomacy bonus.

II: Your scars show greater experience. Among more primitive cultures or tribes, you receive a +2 Diplomacy bonus. This replaces and does not stack with the one received from Battle-Scarred I.

Dream-Touched: Whether an affinity for the Dreaming Goddess or hours spent in meditation, your understanding of the nature of dreams has grown. You possess a limited ability to encourage this state in others, and may cast lullaby 3/day.

II: Your understanding of dreams grows, as does your ability to understand, and control, your body's natural rhythms. You may have spent some time among the temples and monks of the Dreaming Goddess or of Navos the Raven.

Once per week, you may focus your internal energies and assist yourself or another another individual into entering a deep, healing sleep. When in this trance-like state, the subject recovers a number of hit points equal to their Constitution bonus, in addition to that recovered from a night's rest. This stacks with bonuses given from care from a successful Heal check, as this is considered applying bandages and salves in addition to the increased, restful mental state.

Possessors of this ability often have an affinity for the deities of Navos or Eluna, and will often find welcome in these Temples.

Grave-Touched: A student of the line between life and death, you've spent too much time around graveyards, or time meditating, contemplating on what true death may be. In response, Death has touched you, rending your aura at times, somewhat chill. Three times per day, you may use Disrupt Undead. This gives you an affinity for the temples of Vardama, who often recruit those who show this Aspect.

II: When using your ability, the grave whispers to you, granting you a +2 to a forensics Heal check when determining cause of death, time of occurrence, and so on. This does not allow you to determine additional information--it only provides a bonus to the check, reflecting the grave's somewhat chilling willingness to communicate with you.

Healer's Affinity: Through your time on the battlefield, you've gained an understanding of wounds and diseases. At times, something in you has learned to respond before your fingers can tie the bandages. You may find additional welcome (and work) at the temples of Althea. Stabilize 3/day.

II: Althea's grace works through your fingertips. When you use your stabilize ability gained from Healer's Affinity, you also heal the creature for 1d6 hit points.

Hunted: This might also be called Hunter. Somehow, they got under your skin. There was a connection, or maybe the scars were just that bad, but you've developed a certain type of intuition as relates to a specific type of creature. Pick a category of creature from the ranger's favored enemy list. From exposure to this type, you receive a +2 on knowledge checks related to them.

II: As you've studied them, so you've become more wary. When one nears, something in you just "knows." The feeling isn't specific--which is its benefit and its danger. It makes no difference between one, or many, of a kind. Treat it as a Detect X spell, with a 60' range, first round capabilities only.

While useful, the ability isn't always reliable. That is, 20% of the time, the reading is false, 20% it doesn't work at all, and the rest it works as intended. This uncertainty is intended to reflect the hyper-alert or paranoid nature of your character in regards to these creatures.

This ability may be suppressed at-will, usually by distracting yourself--that is, as you might distract yourself from an "itch," or train yourself not to "be so paranoid." The exact method is up to you to roleplay.

Hymn-Touched: A student of the arts, you pick up instruments with surprising ease. Though you may never develop it, some bardic lineage is in your veins and you've likely gained the notice of the Ceinarans. By concentrating, you can bring some of this forth, calling on a memory of this lineage. This takes the effect of a musical Ghost Sound, 3/day. The only sound mimic'd is musical in nature, and will tend to be of a specific type aligned to you.

II: The ties to the Hymn are subtle, though they show. Any instrument you pick up gleams, as though wishing to be played. In game terms, the instrument is treated as masterwork so long as you continue to play it. This is only for determining the quality of performance and has no other effects. The condition of the instrument does not matter, only that it is an instrument--for a brief moment, a broken violin might be coaxed into the wonder of its yesteryears.

Plague-Touched: You've led a rough life, and can call upon this experience to harden yourself against outside forces. Resistance 3/day, self only.

II: In times of hardship, you've been known to subsist on the most wretched of foods. You may exist on half as many rations a day as anyone else, so long as there are other substances to fill in the gaps. Your ability to digest some things is akin to a goat. For example, part of a shoe, certain types of insects, or whatever the DM might rule is usable. Though non-traditional, and perhaps normally not digestible, you are not harmed by these "foods," though this does not, for instance, allow you to eat your way out of a prison cell (though you could attempt to digest your shirt). In addition, you receive a +2 to saves to avoid fatigue or damage from continued starvation.

Sun-Touched: Over time, you've developed an affinity for the sky and Sun, and likely with the followers of gods such as Serriel or Daeus. Light 3/day.

II: Your ties to the Sun leave your body temperature slightly higher than normal, and its warmth seems to ease your mind and body at just the right times. When others stand in the shade, the Suns rays still somehow touch your shoulders. You receive a +2 to saves against natural sources of cold.

Tinker-Touched: From your time fixing broken clocks, wheels, and other objects, you've gained Reos' blessing. Mending 3/day.

II: Even when unasked for, tools always seem to be at your fingertips, and you possess an affinity for a particular type of craft. Select a type of craft you've ranks in. You possess an innate "sense" of this type of craft, and never suffer a penalty when you lack the proper tools. Your senses are such you can work with what's at hand, innately "knowing" how to flex odd or unusual tools to create the effect you want for this particular craft. Note this does not allow you to do away with materials or cost of materials--it simply means for that form of crafting skill, you're always considered to have some "basic" tools available to you, or are able to fashion them, given a reasonable period of time. When tools are present, you receive a +1 bonus.

War-Touched: Time in battle has left you more affected than most. Sometimes, you may feel the ghosts who had lost before just behind you. You may lend yourself guidance 3/day, and may find yourself drawn towards Kor's temples more than others. Self only.

II: When you hold a weapon in your hand, Kor's agents whisper to you. Once a day, by concentrating on a weapon and holding it, you may tell its rough age and the conditions by which it was made ("forged in fire, metal from the caves of...").

Spirit Aspects

Spirit Aspects deal with portions of the natural world, although the natural world of Ea is more magically-infused than most. These Aspects are more typically found among followers of Gilead, Dana, or the Green Word...though this is not always true.

Animal Affinity: Over time, through family history, exposure, or time near a Druid's Grove, you've developed an affinity for a particular type of creature. When working with this creature, you receive a +2 to Handle Animal checks. Likely, those of Gilead have taken notice of your talents.

II. Your bond with this particular creature deepens. Effectively, you may Speak With Animals with this creature as an extraordinary ability, at will. Though, this is less magical in nature than being able to imitate the creature's language, or gesture/act in such a way that they will understand. Regardless, an animal will still be an animal--pushing or directing a particular creature will still require a Handle Animal check, and so on. (Note: If you prefer, you may have this be a spell-like ability instead, for a more supernatural feel. The choice depends on your character and the story you wish to tell.)

Earth-Touched: Your connection with the earth has grown, to the point you may prefer to go barefoot even in the winter, and the temples of Dana or Gilead likely hold familiar welcome and camaraderie. Your affinity with your natural surroundings gives you a +2 to survival checks when it comes to finding food and water, though only so long as you are touching earth, and are in a natural setting.

II: Your connection with the earth deepens. When working with any animal that walks or crawls along the earth's surface, you receive a +2 bonus to your handle animal check.

Fire-Touched: Though not born with it, something about fire draws you. Spark 3/day. The temples of Ceinara may take notice of you.

II: You may spend hours watching the intricacy of flame. When you are nearby, natural fires tend to act oddly, occasionally may appear to flicker, or even "reach" towards you (harmlessly). In game terms, you may employ a small portion of natural fire as an instrument. Treat this as a performance (acting) check. This only works on natural fires, and has no effect on the fire's volume, duration, or any other effect. It may not be used as a weapon, though you may use it for effects that otherwise require performance to work, such as bardic music.

Lightning-Touched: Perhaps you were struck by lightning at one time, and instead of frightening you, you gained an interest in the winds and skies. High places may draw you, and you may be found outside during times of wind and storm. By concentrating, you can call on some of these elements, and generate small amounts of crackling lighting in the air around you or near others. This works as Flare 3/day, and you may find yourself drawn to remote, windy areas.

II: Your affinity grows stronger, as does your fascination with the wildness of the storm. When you encounter any winged animal or air elemental, you receive a +2 on handle animal or diplomacy, as appropriate.

Water-Touched: Water is familiar to you, perhaps from time spent upon it since birth or long voyages. Regardless, you can call small amounts of it to you at a time. This is reflected in the ability to Create Water 3/day. This may give you an affinity for the temples of Rada.

II: As your ties with the water grow, you can sometimes sense its essence. You receive a +2 to any survival check to find water, as well as to any check to avoid getting lost during maritime navigation.

Winter-Touched: From time in the snows and ice, you've an affinity for winter. You may cast Ray of Frost 3/day.

II: Your body holds the edge of an unnatural chill, and snow and similar weather tends to cling to you. When among snow, chill mist, or ice, you may employ a small portion of the environment as an instrument. That is, you may use it to make performance (wind or acting) checks. This only works on natural sources of cold, and has no effect on its volume or duration or any other effect. It may not be used as a weapon, though you may use it for effects that otherwise require performance to work, such as bardic music.