Creatures from the prior worlds, mutants, bandits, ultraterrestrials, and more are real and present dangers for those who explore the Ninth World. Fear makes most stay put, which leads to isolation. But you’re not afraid. You know that you’re a match for any menace. When something threatens you, you threaten it right back. Nothing can avoid your gaze, but some things certainly would like to.
Glaives often choose this focus.
Connection: Choose one of the following.
1. Pick one other PC. You once saved this character from a dangerous situation.
2. Pick one other PC. This character once ran full bore into you while running away from . . . something. You stopped them just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but they seem to hold it against you.
3. Pick one other PC. You feel indebted to this character and go out of your way to protect them from harm.
4. Pick two other PCs. You tried but failed to save their loved one from an NPC or creature you threatened to kill if it didn’t stand down. It also got away from you, and is still out there.
Additional Equipment: You have a weapon
of your choice.
Minor Effect Suggestions: Your foe is
frightened by your watchful intensity and backs away, unwilling to attack. It can still defend itself.
Major Effect Suggestions: You regain 2
points to your Might Pool.
Tier 1: Watchful Intensity. You are trained
in all tasks related to perception and intimidation. Enabler.
Rally on Me (2+ Intellect points). Being
brave in the face of adversity requires an assurance that one’s defenses are sound. You or a creature within short range gains an asset to one defense roll within the next round. For each additional Intellect point you spend, you can simultaneously provide
Stares Down Adversity GM Intrusions:
Threats can be craftier and tougher than the character realizes. Foes sometimes possess abilities a character doesn’t know about. Small foes conspire against the character in ways they don’t expect.
you get flashes of several dimensions between your actions. Some dimensions you glimpse are not much different than where you started, but others risk mentally unbalancing you. When the duration of this ability elapses, you can attempt a difficulty 5 Intellect task to try to remember at least one of the dimensions you flickered through. If you get such a fix, you can use Dimensional Survey or Into the Outside to go there again (once you gain those abilities), should you wish. Action to initiate.
Tier 4: Dimensional Survey (5+ Intellect points). You step into an alternate
dimension and are able to remain there for up to one hour before you are snapped back, which inflicts 4 points of ambient damage (your control over interdimensional superficies isn’t perfect). If you want to stay, you attempt to do so by making a difficulty 5 Intellect roll, which extends the time before you snap back by another hour.
You must know that the destination dimension exists; the GM will decide if you have enough information to confirm its existence and what level of difficulty is required to reach it. Instead of applying Effort to decrease the difficulty, you can apply Effort to bring other people with you; each level of Effort affects up to three additional targets. You must touch additional targets to allow them to come with you. Action.
Tier 5: Untouchable (6 Intellect points). You
change your phase state for the next minute so that you can’t affect or be affected by normal matter or energy. Only mental attacks and special transdimensional energies, devices, or abilities can affect you, but likewise you can’t attack, touch, or otherwise affect anything. Action to initiate.
Tier 6: Into the Outside (8+ Intellect points).
You step into an alternate dimension, and are not subject to flickering or being snapped back after a set duration. You must know that the destination dimension exists; the GM will decide if you have enough information to confirm its existence and what level of difficulty is required to reach 2. Pick one other PC. You believe this
character hails from an alternate dimension. Whether you ask them about it is up to you.
3. Pick one other PC. Whenever this character is near, your abilities seem to take longer to activate and become more difficult.
4. Pick one other PC. If they are near you, they gain the benefit of any ability you use on yourself if you choose to spend 1 more Intellect point.
Additional Equipment: Explorer’s pack. Minor Effect Suggestions: You restore 2
points to your Intellect Pool.
Major Effect Suggestions: You gain an Insight after a brief glimpse of several potential parallel worlds branching off from where you stand now. (You do not have to spend 3 Intellect points for this Insight.)
Tier 1: Walk Through Walls (2 Intellect points). The journey to the outside begins
slowly. You can pass through physical barriers at a rate of 1 inch (3 cm) per round (minimum of one round to pass through any barrier). You can’t act (other than moving) or perceive anything until you pass entirely through the barrier. You can’t pass through energy barriers. Action.
Dimensional Lore: You are trained in
tasks related to knowledge about alternate dimensions. Enabler.
Tier 2: Glimpse the Outside (2 Intellect points). You gain a brief glimpse of several
potential parallel worlds branching off from where you stand now. That glimpse provides information by showing you the results of several different actions you might take, allowing you to learn a bit more about something you can see. You get an asset on a task involving that person or object. Action.
Tier 3: Flicker (4 Intellect points). For one
minute, you flicker back and forth between where you are and a variety of random dimensions. To everyone else, there is a 50% chance each round that you don’t seem to exist between your actions, which means you can’t be attacked if you happen to be in combat. From your perspective,
Insight, page 62
Steps Into the Outside GM Intrusions:
Something takes a bite out of a flickering character. A character fails to snap back to the starting dimension after using Into the Outside. The character steps into the wrong dimension after using Into the Outside.
NEW FOCI
You probably wear a cloak with a hood or something similar to hide your artificial parts from those who would persecute you.
Nanos and Seekers are most likely to choose this focus.
Connection: Choose one of the following.
1. Pick one other PC. This character knows your true nature, even if no one else does. You suspect the character might be from another world.
2. Pick one other PC. This character has informed you that they can hear “otherworldly melodies” whenever they stand next to you. You have no idea what the source of such sounds might be—you can’t hear them. It’s up to the character whether they find the music soothing, unnerving, or annoying.
3. Pick one other PC. You’re pretty sure that they are just here to mine you for parts. They choose whether or not this is true.
4. Pick one other PC. That character confided in you that they suspect you are an agent of an enemy race of creatures from another world. You deny it.
it. Instead of applying Effort to decrease the difficulty, you can apply Effort to bring other people with you; each level of Effort affects up to three additional targets. You must touch additional targets to allow them to come with you. Action.