Today’s post is mostly psionic and other supernatural character traits for House Verge

See part 1 for a broad overview of House Verge, part 2 for a little more detail and part 3 for initial cultural and historical details, part 4 for additional historical and cultural details and part 5 for non psionic traits.

House Verge Supernatural Legacy

Like other Maradonian Houses, House Verge has a psionic legacy. With its additional Lithan heritage, it has some additional supernatural traits.

House Verge Psionic Legacy

House Verge was a legitimate Maradonian house with its genetic heritage (albeit mixed with Ranathim blood) and engineered psionic abilities. See Psionic Legacy on the Psi-Wars wiki for details.

House Verge has latent Psychokinesis Abilities. If the character has the Verge Bloodline perk and the requisite Bloodline Purity levels, he may take the following abilities and talents whenever he wishes:

Bloodline Purity 0: Gecko Grip [1], Small Scale TK [1], Strong Blade [1], Tactile TK [5/level], TK Tether [1]

Blood Purity 1: TK Blast [4/level], TK Grab [2/level]

Blood Purity 2: TK Lock [4/level]

Blood Purity 3: TK Hand [varies]

Blood Purity 4: Psychokinesis Talent +1 to +4 [5/level]

Sample Verge Psionic Packages

Verge’s Might [24]

Prerequisites: Verge Bloodline

Advantages: Tactile TK 4 [20]

Skills: Tactile TK (H) Will [4]

Verge Far Hand [24]

Prerequisites: Verge Bloodline, Bloodline Purity 1

Advantages: TK Grab 10 [20]

Skills: TK Grab (H) IQ [4]

Verge Controller [24]

Prerequisites: Verge Bloodline, Bloodline Purity 2

Advantages: TK Lock 5 [20]

Skills: TK Lock (H) IQ [4]

Third Hand [16]

Prerequisites: Verge Bloodline, Bloodline Purity 3

Some Verge have been known to have such control of their telekinesis, they can use it as a third hand.

Advantages: TK Hand 1 [16]

Power Vampire [56]

Prerequisites: Verge Bloodline, Bloodline Purity 0 (no higher), no other psychic abilities or talents

On rare occasions, something goes wrong, and a child of House Verge is born with the ability to steal psionic powers with a touch. This is usually considered a bad omen and may be kept a secret.

Advantages: Steal Power 1 [55]

Features: Taboo Traits (any other psychic ability besides Social Vampire)

Skills: Steal Power (H) Will-2 [1]

House Verge Sorcerous Legacy and House Lawbright

Over the centuries, House Verge has continued to cultivate its psionic abilities. After encountering Lithian and being cut off from Maradonian culture, House Verge used its Akashic knowledge to cultivate a sorcerous bloodline. It took centuries and many generations, but House Verge was eventually successful. This new line resurrected the ancient name, Lawbright, and established itself as House Verge’s “spiritual advisors.”

Sorcery packages are for a future post. I think characters will be able to select bloodline spells for which they have sufficient Bloodline Purity without Sorcerous Empowerment. I have not yet decided which spells/colleges they will be able to access, but I think they will typically be barred from Blood Sorcery due to their “vampire suppressant” genes. They should be able to act as replacements for the Maradonian Akashic oracles. Verge selected for destiny and dream related sorcery, so Lawbright might simply have Shadow and Star Sorcery, or they might have a unique “college.”

Mithna Enthir and the Enthir Edict

House Verge’s Lithian name is Mithna Enthir, and the names are often used interchangeably. House Verge has been steeped in the Lithian world. Verge learned of the Mithna Edict and was intrigued. Instead of “hacking” Ozamanthim’s magic like Mithna Zatharos, House Verge attempted to combine its Akashic eugenic and destiny manipulation with its Lithian sorcery to imitate Ozamanthim’s oaths but tailored for its own purposes. The result was psionic in nature rather than divine. It was also less powerful and less permanent but also less volatile. Verge oaths are ineffective on characters already under the effect of one of the other Mithna Edicts (including Mithna Zatharos). Ozamanthim’s legacy is powerful and jealous. It will not allow lesser oaths to take root.

The Enthir Edict consists of both nature and nurture - an appropriate lineage coupled with training and oaths. Candidates for the Enthir Edict are trained from a young age in their destinies and duties and are administered secret Akashic/Lithian rites when they come of age. The oaths are always at least nominally voluntary and are only effective on characters of a Verge bloodline.

Enthir Edict [0]

Prerequisites: Code of Honor (Enthir Edict); Verge Bloodline; Must not be under the effect of any other Mithna Edict

Characters under the Enthir Edict are infused with a powerful destiny in the Golden Path. The specific details of the destiny are individualized, but it is always intended to pursue the Golden Path in some way. They are also given a powerful doom if they fail to keep their oaths.

The Enthir Edict grants 3 Destiny Points per session. They work like Impulse Buy points that must be spent in pursuance of the chosen Destiny. Characters who violate their oaths lose access to these Destiny Points until they perform an appropriate atonement. The destiny manipulation is psionic in nature and can be disrupted using standard anti-psionic means. Destiny points may not be spent while nullified or otherwise disabled.

The Enthir Edict also grants 3 Doom Points per session. They work like Villain Points that the GM can use against characters who have violated their oaths. The GM is encouraged (but not required) to use these Doom Points in pursuance of the chosen Doom.

Sorcerers and Mystical Tyrants can force the Doom on characters who have not violated their oaths using special spells or miracles. Mithna Temos can also impose a Doom on one who has violated the Mithna Edict despite not being bound to it. Verge attempted to avoid Ozamanthim’s influence but got a little too close in some respects. Characters affected by such abilities may spend Destiny Points to negate this effect or accept the Doom and gain a Destiny Point in return.

Finally, characters under the Enthir Edict may gain certain sorcerous abilities using Oath Magic. These are typically “self buffs” with an additional Pact limitation on top. For example, a character may learn Sorcerer’s Sight as an innate advantage with an added Pact limitation for 9 points.

Statistics: Code of Honor (Enthir Edict) [-10]; Destiny 3 (any appropriate; Psi, -10%) [14] + Doom (any appropriate; Mitigator, Oath, -65%) [-5] + Oath Sorcery [1]. Note: This is based on other uses of Destiny Points such as Tactician (Pyramid 3/61, p.9) and Finesse (Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Thieves, p. 25). The requirement that the points must be spent in pursuance of the chosen destiny, the Oath requirement, the ability to force the Doom on the character and bloodline requirement balance the faster refresh. The point cost would be basically the same with appropriately limited and mitigated refresh rate alterations anyway.

Code of Honor (Enthir Edict) [-10]

The Enthir Edict includes the following commands:

Obey the commands of House Verge
Pursue the Golden Path
Preserve House Verge’s Honor
Honor your oaths

These commands are typically much more manageable than the Mithna Edict and far less onerous, but they do have some quirks. For instance, pursuing the Golden Path involves following the direction of Lawbright Chiva when speaking as oracles, but it also involves following the direction of Maradonian Akashic oracles even if opinions of the Golden Path differ.

The ruler of House Verge is required to consider the advice of his advisors and needs of his people even if his voice is nominally the “commands of House Verge.”

Characters under the Enthir Edict are not bound by the oaths of their parents, but they are bound by the oaths of those to whom they have sworn fealty. This does not include any ancient oaths to Alexus since those bonds were effectively severed long before the Enthir Edict was created.

Other Notes

House Colttrodder

I have not forgotten about Verge’s other cadet house. Colttrodder doesn’t have major changes in its supernatural abilities. Instead, House Colttrodder manages commerce in the Astral Spiral.

Recognizing Mithna Enthir

Characters specifically looking for House Verge with knowledge of both Galactic Common and Lithian should recognize Mithna Enthir as House Verge. Characters with appropriate History specializations and linguistic knowledge might need to roll to recognize the connection.

Enthir Edict

I originally thought that some connection between House Verge and the Mithna Edict would be interesting but also possibly too complicated. House Verge is a relatively complex and alien house after all. I received feedback nearly asking for something using Akashic destiny manipulation with the Mithna Edict, so I decided to create the Enthir Edict as a Destiny based variant. House Verge is already optional, but I wanted to make the Enthir Edict extra optional. Not everyone has it, but it is available for anyone who is interested.

People Using House Verge

I have read reports of at least two people using House Verge in their games. I did not expect that.

Acknowledgments

Christopher Rice pointed me to Tactician and Finesse and helped me simplify the Enthir Edict build.

The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.