The Northern Strata: Psychic Swords

Psychic Swords

Psychic swords are precariously balanced between two different psychological agents, the Superego and the Id. Roll 1d12 to determine the Superego score, and 1d12 to determine the Id score. A sword’s Ego score is the difference of the Id and Superego. If the Ego is 6 or greater (positive or negative), then the corresponding higher half of the sword’s psyche is dominant. An Ego score of 2-5 indicates that the higher agentic half generally prevails (75%), and an Ego of 0-1 indicates a continuous struggle between the two agents (50% either way).

The Id causes the user to do the following:

• Aim towards the satisfaction of drives
• Seek pleasure and avoid pain to satisfy bodily needs
• Lead its user into greater danger to resolve violent urges
• Follow one’s libidinal drives to destroy and create life

The Superego causes the user to do the following:

• Conform to social rules/norms at the expense of one’s desires
• Censor and regulate illicit behaviours
• Prohibit the expression of drives, feelings, and actions
• Allow oneself to be captured by higher-level authorities which are closer to the sword’s social station

Influence of Drive in Key Situations

The referee calculates the total Drive of sword by adding the values of Id and Superego, adding an extra 1 for every Power or Extraordinary Psychic Ability. The total (8-28) is compared to the total of the character’s Charisma and Wisdom (6-36), modified by the physical state of the user. If in a fresh state (less than 10% damage), the character adds 1d6 to the total. If mentally or physically fatigued (10-50% damage), the user subtracts 1d4 from the total. If under sever mental or physical strain (50% or more damage), then subtract 2d4 from the total.

Difference	Result
6 or more	Higher score prevails
2-5	75% the higher score prevails
0-1	50% either way

Psychic Sword Generation

Sword generation follows the OD&D rules for generation, but where Intelligence is replaced with Consciousness. If a sword has 7 or more Consciousness, it is psychic as described above. Otherwise, it does not have sufficient capacity to affect its wielder.

Consciousness

d12	Consciousness	Communicative Ability
1-6	None endowed	None
7	One Primary Power	Dreams
8	Two Primary Powers	Dreams
9	Three Primary Powers	Dreams
10	3 Primary and the ability to use Languages	Speech
11	As 10 above but also Reads Magic	Speech
12	As 11 above but also has one Extraordinary Psychic Ability	Telepathy

d100	Languages
01-50	One
51-70	Two
71-85	Three
86-95	Four
96-99	Five
100	Take two rolls (ignore 100 if rolled again)

Primary Powers

Primary powers may be used once per day.

d100	Primary Powers
01-15	Rationalization. May reroll a failed save at the cost of 1d6 HP.
16-30	Defense Mechanism. Gain 2 bonus AC for 1d6 rounds, then lose 2 AC for the next 24 hours.
31-40	Fantasy. May cast Phantasmal Forces once per week, requires closing eyes.
41-50	Projection. Redirect an incoming missile attack against the closest party member
51-60	Fixation. Gain +2 to hit and +1 damage against a single enemy. Lose 1 to AC.
61-70	Repression. Shrug off a hit, taking half damage.
71-80	Id Resistance. May make up to 3 repeated attacks against a single enemy.
81-90	Transference. Redirect an incoming hit against the party member with the highest CHA.
91-95	Denial. If brought to 0 or less HP, may immediately gain 1d6 HP.
96-99	Sword envy. Adds +2 to hit against all sword-wielders. Lasts 1 round per character level.
100	Roll on Extraordinary Psychic Ability table instead of this one

Extraordinary Psychic Abilities

Extraordinary psychic abilities may be used once per week.

d100	Extraordinary Psychic Ability
1-10	Read Unconscious. Allows one to access hidden drives and desires of a willing participant.
11-20	Command to Enjoy. A single target must save or repress illicit material desires and pursue socially acceptable pleasures.
21-30	Detect Anxiety. Reveals fears and worries behind doors or darkness within 60′. Can penetrate solid rock up to 2′ in thickness.
31-40	Dream Telepathy. Allows one to enter and communicate via dreams at a distance of up 6 miles.
41-50	Parapraxis. A single target must save or inadvertently reveal secret intentions.
51-59	Lucid Dreaming. Allows psychic visions as Crystal Ball.
60-68	Commune. Allows one access to insights from the collective unconscious.
69-77	Summon Imaginary. Creates a mirrored duplication of oneself for 1d4 hours.
78-82	Feebledrive. The target must save or be rendered without desire to do anything.
83-87	Symbolic Judgment. A single creature must save against lectures or become immobilized for 1d4 turns.
88-92	Death Drive. Gain 4d6 HP for 2d6 rounds. At the end of the duration, lose 4d6 HP.
93-97	Libidinal Wish. As Wish, but each time it is cast, there is a 3-in-6 chance that the wish is overcome by unconscious urges, distorting its original intention.
98-99	Take two rolls ignoring results over 97
100	Take three rolls ignoring results over 97

Perchance Generator

Reference Art