Café de Nuit

Please post any comments, critisism, and ideas here the Guide to Psionics.

You may also want to cover the psionic undead and other evils (aboleths, etc), especially those from psionic cultures such as Kalidnay and Bluetspur. Given the similar-yet-different nature of Athasian undead, it might not be a bad idea.

Also, 2 cultures you missed: the Thaani in Barovia (unless I overlooked it) and the nomads of Pharazia, there was a reference I believe in DoD, IIRC. The reference gave me at least a plausible excuse to link a Mistway from Pharazia to Kalidnay in my campaign.

I didn't forget the Thaani; they'll be covered in the chapter on psionic monsters (their legacy is intertwined with the illithids). Bluetspur will get a mention in that same chapter, particularly regarding the illithid vampires that Lyssa von Zarovich helped create. The domain is way too hostile even for the fictional author and after one experience (yet to be written) he won't be going back in person. But as for aboleths and other major psionic monsters, I have to go on what I know is and isn't found in Ravenloft. AFAIK aboleths are not found in the Realm of Dread, nor are many other psionic monsters beyond mind flayers--and they're exclusive to Bluetspur. Udoroots, callers in darkness, spectral savants, and many others fit nicely but seem rare. Others, especially the Gith races and outsiders, don't seem to exist there beyond unique creatures. Psiliches will definitely be getting a solid look and hopefully an update to 3.5 psionic rules.

It wasn't just the Pharazian nomads, but even settled Pharazians who become murabits (psychic warriors), outcasts who are misunderstood by their own people and become mercenaries. I can make some guesses as to their culture and practices but I lack enough references to make any detailed writing. Actually that would be fictionally accurate. The murabits are not trustful of outsiders. Can someone let me know if these guys are based on the Hashishin? They seem similar.

Kalidnay is actually getting its own chapter. I'm thinking of a play on the setting's name, like "Power Under the Dark Sun" for the title. A nod to all my fellow Athasian fans. For now I'm working on the second chapter, a closer look at the myriad paths of psionic power (core and prestige classes) and how their abilities have been altered by Ravenloft.

Damn you Windows Live OneCare!! My old private PC fried two weeks ago because of OneCare and I just got my new system to replace it (this is important because said PC is next to my D&D bookshelf). Chapter Two, including the first Dread Possibilities sub-text, should be out in a week. Any suggestions for altered class feature for the psionic core classes? Prestige classes? Or really anything to add?

I've got the "A" powers posted, but only those from the EPH. Powers from CPsi, as well as the other letters, will be posted when I'm not AFB.

Have you read the netbook on psionics? QtR6 has an short article named Minds in the Mists which deals with psionics, and i seem to remember at least two other articles about Psionics, one about Bluetspur and one about adapting 3E classes to the setting.

Do you intent to research into the canonical psions that are sprinkled throughout Ravenloft publications? Of the top of my hat there is a psionic lich in on eof the MMs, Aubrecker is a psion, there's a seer's secret society in Gaz 2, some carnies are mildly psionic.

Yeah, I read the netbook. Only the one I read was for 3.0 psionics, not 3.5. The psilich was included in RLDMG and will get included in the psionic threats, as will the Living Brain and the entire domain of Bluetspur and everything illithid-related. Then I have to detail the domain of Kalidnay, which will take a while.

As for canon psionicists, I'll mention the Society of the Veiled Palm but that's the only group I know of. I've never even heard of anyone in Carnival being psionic (and with WotC banning all previous editions from download it's unlikely I'll ever get the information I need ).

The post will also include psionic powers from several additional books like CPsi, Dragon Magic, the four Races of books, Frostburn, Sandstorm, Cityscape, and Magic of Incarnum, plus any other books I have but forgot to mention (sorry, no Eberron content will be included). Plus I still have to find ways to suitably twist psionic classes without making them completely unappealing, there's a ton of text on psicrystals in the RLDMG I have to quote, and that's just the beginning (literally; all that work is just for the first three chapters).

High Priest Mikhal wrote:Yeah, I read the netbook. Only the one I read was for 3.0 psionics, not 3.5. The psilich was included in RLDMG and will get included in the psionic threats, as will the Living Brain and the entire domain of Bluetspur and everything illithid-related. Then I have to detail the domain of Kalidnay, which will take a while.

As for canon psionicists, I'll mention the Society of the Veiled Palm but that's the only group I know of. I've never even heard of anyone in Carnival being psionic (and with WotC banning all previous editions from download it's unlikely I'll ever get the information I need ).

The post will also include psionic powers from several additional books like CPsi, Dragon Magic, the four Races of books, Frostburn, Sandstorm, Cityscape, and Magic of Incarnum, plus any other books I have but forgot to mention (sorry, no Eberron content will be included). Plus I still have to find ways to suitably twist psionic classes without making them completely unappealing, there's a ton of text on psicrystals in the RLDMG I have to quote, and that's just the beginning (literally; all that work is just for the first three chapters).

IIRC, CPsi compiles the powers from the "Races of" and environment book series.

I'll have to double check, but if so that's a bonus. Less books to sort through.

You may want to reconsider using Magic of Incarnum. It would require (within the context of the Twins) Alex to give a detailed explanation of incarnum to avoid the confusion of blackest necromancy. You, Alex, and my fellow readers may understand what incarnum is and isn't; I believe to a native of RL, even an informed one, might still mistake it for necromancy (soul energy, essence of soul energy, unborn souls, that sort of thing).

Either that, or change the nature of incarnum in Ravenloft. Perhaps it's not unborn soul energy at all there, but something either darker or lighter as suits your campaign needs.

Good point, Tykus. When I was listing off books I forgot that incarnum is a different system in itself. Better scratch that one.

EDIT: Bah, it seems the Cafe does not support the "[strike]" HTML tag. That or my browser doesn't.

It's been three months since I moved, and no sign of my cat has been found. It sickens me to think I've lost a fuzzy friend and may never see him again, but I have to face reality.

I've finished Chapter Three of the Guide and begun on Chapter Four. You may have also noticed a few other updates in other threads; this is thanks to WoW's latest patch making it impossible for my computer to run the game as is (which I'm upgrading even now) and because...well, I'm just plain sick and tired of the game. I'm more interested in the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO (Jedi Knight with the Sentinel Advanced Class when I can take it; I learned the hard way all I'm good at, and the only thing I really even like doing, in MMOs is DPS ). And yes, Alexander Dreamfire does have a Jedi-esque origin, so don't even bring it up. This also means I'll be busy on Wookieepedia studying the expanded SW universe for a while, so enjoy the updates while they're coming.

Wow, it's been a year since I updated this. No, I'm afraid I never did find my cat. But I did adopt another kitten from a rather horrid shelter (I know they're run on shoestring budgets, but is it too much to ask that they clean the litter boxes every day?!) over a year ago. His name is Sammy and he's the most affectionate, cuddly cat I've ever met. His coat has an iron-gray hooded cloak pattern on his upper half and snow white fur below that. A nickname I have for him is Iron Cat (now imagine cats meowing Black Sabbath's "Iron Man").

Chapter Six of the Guide to Psionics goes into three planes that have relevance to psionics and the idea of the multiverse's "mind," the Plane of Thought (an original creation), the Region of Dreams, and the Far Realms. In addition I discuss a new material, dream crystal, at length and its importance to Abber nomads and psionicists of all stripes. I admit, I stole the idea of turning a crystal into "cloth" from SW:TOR, specifically the skill of Synthweaving. I haven't posted it yet as it feels a little empty for a whole "chapter." Once Chapter Seven is also done I will try to format the collected RTF into Adobe PDF and add sidebars that go into the crunch where appropriate to the fluff.

You should definitely make a netbook out of this.