Neuro-Externals
All three biological species in Pioneers include exceptional individuals who are able to project signals from their own nervous systems into the nervous systems of biological entities nearby. Certain neurons in their central nervous system have slight protrusions through the nerve-sheath which emit electromagnetic signals. The individual can then learn to focus them, normally by employing mnemonic phrases, and synchronise them briefly with the nervous system of another organic sentient.
How this affects their relationship with society is covered in the full culture brief for each civilisation.
On the field, they may use vocal calls to affect other characters, except those from the Distributed Process, who do not have nervous systems.
Neuro-External powers can be divided into two streams, aggressive and emapthic.
A character who is Neuro-External can only be on the aggressive stream or the empathic, not both.
A Neuro-External is classified at a power level between 1 and 4, and has an emotional energy pool equivalent to their classification.
You may only choose to be Neuro-External at character creation, although it is possible to increase your classification during play.
It takes one point from the emotional energy pool to use a neuro-external power.
The emotional energy pool can be recharged through 5 minutes of roleplay with at least one other character which is appropriate to recharging the type of emotional energy in question, such as friendly conversation, reciprocal physical affection or low intensity, friendly competition foe empathics, and stand up row, intense competition or brawling for aggresives.
If you are Neuro-External, you may train in any power in your stream during downtime.
The Neuro-External vocals are explicitly IC, as the empowered character uses language to reinforce and activate the neural link that they have established.
A Neuro-External call is interrupted if anything causes the character to lose a damage point or enter critical state.
The “prevent seeking” and “prevent suggestion” calls must be used within a few seconds of the relevant call they are blocking and can be used to block the use of the power on the calling character themselves or another character within 5m of them.
Aggressive Neuro-External powers.
Aggressive Neuro-External powers have a range of 5 metres
[Target] Feel my power, know that I stand against you and inflict (mass) pain! A jolt of pain causes the target to drop anything they are holding in their hands.
[Target] Feel my power, know that I stand against you and inflict (mass) fear! The target is very afraid of you for 10 seconds and must roleplay accordingly.
[Target] Feel my power, know that I stand against you and inflict agony! Target falls to the ground in agony for 30 seconds, dropping anything they are holding in their hands.
[Target] Feel my power, know that I stand against you and prevent your seeking! Any seeking call is cancelled and the target may not use that power again for 5 minutes.
[Target] Feel my power, know that I stand against you and prevent your suggestion! Any suggestion call is cancelled and the target may not use that power again for 5 minutes.
[Target] Feel my power, know that I stand against you and inflict bodyshock! Target becomes Critical as if they were on zero damage points. When stabilised, they will still have any damage points they have not lost in the interim.
Emapthic Neuro-External powers.
Empathic Neuro-External powers work on touch, or within a range of 1 metre depending on roleplay preferences. Using a power on touch means you do not have to state the target.
[target] Feel my presence, know that I stand with you and bring you soothing. Restore one damage point to a healthy or stable character.
[target] Feel my presence, know that I stand with you and bring you courage. Target is immune to fear effects for around five minutes
[target] Feel my presence, know that I stand with you and bring you panacea. Stabilise a critical character.
[target] Feel my presence, know that I stand with you and bring you centering Remove any RP effect for as long as contact or 1 meter distance is maintained.
[target] Feel my presence, know that I stand with you in a seeking. Target must present downtime cards, you may pick one and read it.
[target] Feel my presence, know that I stand with you and bring you this suggestion. You may give a suggestion consisting of up to 4 words and for 5 minutes the target will believe or follow it providing it will not lead them to seek their own death.
[Target] Feel my power, know that I stand against you and prevent your seeking! Any seeking call is cancelled and the target may not use that power again for 5 minutes.
[Target] Feel my power, know that I stand against you and prevent your suggestion! Any suggestion call is cancelled and the target may not use that power again for 5 minutes.