Who Rewrite the Rules

Description

You know better than anyone that words carry power. In your case, your written word changes the very fabric of the universe…at least close by.

Somehow you have learned to rewrite the laws governing reality, and you seek to increase your influence, either through arcane augmentation, rigorous practice, or better understanding the source of your power.

Some have hailed you as a god, some treat you as a mutant. Whatever you may be, you are king of your domain, and your word is LAW.

GM Note: This is intended to be a very narrative focus, in general requiring GM-player discussion of rules before use.

Details

Connection:

Pick a PC. They react with random previous rules instead of the current rules within your influence and neither of you know why. This either paid off unexpectedly or nearly killed one or both of you at one point.

Esotery Effects:

Just the Way It Is: Esoteries you take with this character are treated as fundamental rules in your influence. Any esotery used only functions with an Immediate range limitation. As such, esoteries which interact at Long or Short range, such as Hedge Magic and Fetch, are inaccessible without GM approval.

Minor Effect Suggestions:

Your display of power within your influence strikes onlookers with awe. Add 1 to your next intimidation check.

Major Effect Suggestions:

One of your rules messes with the functioning of an enemy, leaving them stunned for one round as they figure out what's wrong.

Tier 1:

Rewrite Reality (2+ Intellect points): Inscribing your will over the natural laws of the universe, you write down a simple rule that applies within an Immediate distance of your character. The rule is sustained until replaced by a new one, and must change how physics, technology, or some basic operation works. Writing the rule takes at least 1 hour of concentrated work, and is open to GM Intrusion errors. The rule will apply as a level one environmental effect unless addition Intellect is spent to raise it, requiring two Intellect for every additional level. For effects which do not scale directly with level, associate every 2 levels with an all-purpose asset, and refer back to the level descriptions for more narrative rules.

Reader of Reality: You are trained in Numenera, patterns, and finding causes. Enabler.

Tier 2:

Master of Your Reality: You can sustain up to two rules simultaneously with a cumulative max level of 6. No rule may function at a level lower than 1. Enabler.

Tier 3:

Emergency Edit (4+ Intellect points): You frantically revise one of your rules, straining to alter the alterations to reality you’ve imposed. The basic rule cannot be completely changed, but the application/severity/wording can be tweaked. Takes one action to complete, costs 4 Intellect per level of altered rule before altering. Action.

“I AM Special!”: When writing rules you can include an exception for yourself, either to apply just to you or to everything else. Enabler.

Tier 4:

Prince of Reality: You can sustain up to three rules simultaneously with a cumulative max level of 8. No rule may function at a level lower than 1. Enabler.

Tier 5:

Practiced Author: You can write and rewrite rules in ten minutes instead of an hour. Does not change Emergency Edit. Enabler.

Multitasking Mind: Either add 4 points to your Intellect pool or become specialized in one of your earlier trained skills. Enabler.

Tier 6:

Sovereign: You can sustain up to four rules simultaneously with a cumulative max level of 10. No rule may function at a level lower than 1. Enabler.