The Kinesis Numen delivers pretty much what it says it does: motion, both harmful and benign. It can be used to increase a Wraith's speed and range of motion, and it can be used to slap the Living and the Dead around without laying a finger upon them. Likewise, it can be used to pick things up and move them by force of will alone. Masters of the Numen say that it teaches the Wraith to intertwine her will and body into one seamless thing. When in this unified state, what might have seemed impossible before becomes quite possible - perhaps easy. If it could have been imagined, it can - with time - be done, in spite of the Wraith's physical limitations.
As Kinesis is "common," no group holds a monopoly upon it, or complete antipathy towards it. The Pardoners warn their flocks not to overdo the Path of Fury, as its use is known to strengthen the Shadow, and The Order warns against spectacular uses of the Path of Motion. But no Concord would seek to ban it completely, given how useful a tool it can be.
Paths Kinesis has three recognized Paths: The Path of Fury is the dark standard by which this Numen is often misjudged. It allows Wraiths to turn their anger into kinetic energy, and direct that energy towards others - often with painful results. The Spooks who use this Path are happy to sell their services, but they aren't known for their subtlety. And since its use causes the Shadow to gain power, they aren't cheap, either. The Path of Speed, on the other hand, is relatively harmless - or so the Slipstreaks like to say. The Path teaches the secret to manipulating speed: increasing or decreasing it on a person, or even a place. Slipstreaks are also known to be in two places at once, somehow, but how could anyone keep track of such a thing...? The Path of Motion belongs to the Poltergeists, who use it to move objects by force of will in the lands of the Living and the Dead. As their name suggests, they use it to toss things around - by the one or by the dozen - and create whirlwinds of objects. They can also build "bodies" for themselves out of bits and pieces
Those Who Know Wraiths who came to their ends due to Happenstance or Violence
can have an Affinity for this Numen, seeing as how action brought
about those ends. Many like to say that those who died by Violence
gravitate towards the Path of Fury, and cultivate an understanding
of some of the more... baroque Combination Arts. But that's
just a stereotype, surely.
Basic Art * Object in Motion The first step along the paths of Kinesis requires a Wraith to reach out with either her body or mind, exert a tiny influence on a small object, and move it a short distance. This can be done in both the Live and Dead worlds, and can be used on an object some distance away so long as the Wraith can see it. This Art can also be used to "freeze" the motion of something, so that it won't fall or move, but only in the Deadlands. System: To move an object, the Wraith's Intelligence + Dexterity + Kinesis must be rolled. Essence need not be spent if the Wraith physically reaches out to "touch" the object, but if it's some distance away - or the Wraith does not wish to reach for it - 1 Essence must be spent. Success is based on how much the object weighs, and how far the Wraith wishes to move it. One success moves one pound one inch, two successes would either move a one-pound object for two inches, or a two-pound object for one inch, and so on. If the Wraith wishes to hold something in place in the Deadlands, she must make an Intelligence + Stamina + Kinesis roll, and spend 1 Essence. The object cannot have a size larger than the Wraith's Essence Pool, and will stay suspended until the allotted time runs out, or the Wraith pulls it down, herself. Each success increases how long the object is kept motionless:
one is an hour, two is a day, three is a week, four is a month,
and five is year. An Exceptional Success keeps it there permanently,
or until the Wraith pulls it down. |