Psionics — the Mind's Magic
Some power does not come from a spell book or a god's whispered blessing. It is the mind acting on the world by sheer will — and in SPAECIMH that is psionics, a branch of magic that feels nothing like casting.
Quiet by design
A psionic act has no tell. No gesture, no chant, no glowing focus — it is simply willed. A bystander usually sees nothing until the effect lands, and often not even then. The fire that appears in your palm was pain first, brightness second. Prefer the restrained setup; the surprise it earns is its own reward.
Because it needs no items or words, it cannot be denied by stripping your tools, binding your hands, or silencing you. And physical armor does not stop it — armor absorbs blows, not thoughts. Only a Mental Defense or a strong will holds the line against a hostile mind.
The powers and their attributes
Each power leans on a primary mental attribute (your target number) and a secondary that shapes its edge:
| Power type | Primary | Secondary | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telepathy | IN | CH | Read minds, share a mental link |
| Telekinesis | IN | PE | Move things by force of will |
| Pyrokinesis | IN | MA | Will fire into being |
| Empathy | CH | PE | Feel emotion, nudge a mood |
| Clairvoyance | PE | IN | See far, glimpse what's coming |
| Mental Defense | IN | EN | Armor for the mind |
The roll
Same 4d6 engine as everything else:
[4d6: X+X+X+X = SUM] ± MOD vs [primary attribute] → [SUCCESS / FAILURE]
Your Mana Level (see Magic & the Mana Level) bends the roll exactly as it bends any spell — a magic-rich world eases it, a magic-thin one makes it sting. Psionics is magic, just a quieter lane of it.
The cost of forcing the mind
Every act spends Mana (MA) on the usual scale. Push too hard — two or more heavy acts without rest, or an attack that slips past your Mental Defense — and a Psionic Cascade sets in: an invisible fatigue that stacks a + pressure on your next rolls until you rest. A swift Endurance lets you shrug off one level per scene.
Guard your mind and your stillness. The mind is a battery, not a furnace — and the quiet power is worth nothing if the world never gets to feel its weight.