#serpentfolk

Handsome Endashu

(art by Cameron McMurtrie on Artstation)

And we’re back with another subconscious mind option for the Second Edition version of the psychic class, and this time we’re looking at Gathered Lore!

While plenty of psychics are self-taught, learning by doing and figuring things out as they go, today’s subject represents those with the gift who were lucky enough to have had access to the accumulated lore of occult magic, allowing them to learn from past masters no matter what discipline they belonged to.

This makes for a more intellectual sort of psychic, their method of recalling and invoking spells being less emotional and more intellectual association. Their magic is invoked by memorized mantras and thought-associations, such as recalling the tune of a travel song while teleporting, or a lecture on defense while forming a barrier. In this way, these psychics often resemble arcane casters, though their power is still clearly occult.

The Gathered Lore subconscious mind brings to mind the old lore discipline for psychics in 1e, as they are conceptually-similar.

Given their focus on knowledge, it should come as no surprise that their abilities derive power from their intellect.

When unleashing their power, they gain sudden clarity on past lessons, allowing them to aid others nearby with perfectly-timed advice.

A feat associated with this option lets them Scour the Library, recalling information on a foe as well as analyzing it’s behavior, improving their ability to attack and defend against it for a few brief moments.

Other feats they might find useful include Counter Thought, Cantrip Expansion, Thoughtform Summoning, Parallel Breakthrough, Sixth Sense, Steady Spellcasting, Mental Static, Forseen Failure, All in Your Head, Mind Over Matter, Unlimited Potential, and any others that suit your build.

Like other Subconscous Minds, there’s not a lot here, but being able to provide minor buffs to allies and to themselves in combat can be quite useful for a more supportive build, though of course you also need to consider your Conscious Mind choice as well.

While their scholarly nature certainly makes them very akin to wizards, consider how being occult mystics makes them differ from arcane mages. Little things that a wizard would not take seriously are very serious to them, for example.

When the necromancer that animated him died, Third Eye was left alone guarding a vast library. Perhaps it was merely time, or maybe it was residual magic in the books, but the skeleton regained sapience and began to read, carving occult symbols into his bones to channel his burgeoning psychic power. However, he is running out of books to read, and the call of knowledge drives him to abandon the library.

Teeming with prehistoric life found in few other places, the cavern known as the Flooded Delve was once home to an ancient serpentfolk conclave, where their knowledge was preserved. Seeking that knowledge is the task that travelling psychic scholar Yera has hired the party to assist in. However, as they will soon find, there’s far more than just eurypterids down there.

Made some Toyhouse icons for some Gallecross characters including the boys of course but also including some side characters!

Jazakhza (manticore), Alkimos (sphinx), Governor Vivian Trevill (faun), Mayor Lyniara Heqeta (swanmaiden/siren), and Wither (serpentfolk) & Boon (ogrefolk).

This is @minicy 's edgy fail snake rogue and fun fact I. Love Her