Teshanni

The Teshanni were green-skinned Near-Humans with natural psionic abilities. They were native to the planet Teshan in a part of the galaxy considered to be Wild Space during the time of the Galactic Empire.

Appearance and Personality
The Teshanni were Near-Humans with green skin tones. Their eye color was also only in shades of green. Their hair was typically dark green to black, although browns and reds were rarely found. They stood 1.4 to 1.9 meters in height, with weight ranges similar to Humans as well. Teshanni did not possess a stereotypical personality. As with Humans, Teshanni personalities ran the gamut from kindness to curmudgeon, openness to introspection, optimism to cynicism. Teshanni tended to be rather intelligent and a very perceptive species.

Orange Eyes
About 1 in 17,000 Teshanni are born with orange colored eyes. All Teshanni born with this condition grew up displaying sociopathic traits. With their history showing that most were criminal sociopaths including several serial killers, the current practice was to euthanize orange-eyed younglings.

Psionic Traits & Abilities
Very early in their evolution, the Teshanni developed extraordinary mental abilities. While the Teshanni had developed space technology, their mental abilities allowed certain areas of technology to not develop as far as the galactic standard. They have no mechanical communications devices as they could communicate mentally over great distances. Due to their ability to levitate themselves and others, they only used conveyances for long journeys. They did have advancements in the medical field, even though a Teshanni healer could heal another by taking on their wounds and then healing themselves. There were no weapons found on Teshan. Not that there was no violence in Teshanni culture, it was that they were able to mentally attack another’s mind or conjure various forms of energy weapons that extended from their hands or body. Teshanni had been known to overuse their mental abilities causing them to become fatigued and requiring rest.

Government
There was no supreme ruler or governing body on Teshan. The Teshanni used a consensus form of participatory democracy to govern themselves. Teshanni towns and villages had a circle of elders who were in charge of opening mental contact creating a chain of communication across an area or planet wide. All Teshanni willing to contribute their opinion got an equal say in the decision making process.

Teshanni in the Galaxy
During Emperor Palpatine’s New Order, the Teshanni and their planet were not widely known to the galaxy. Only a small percentage had left their system; some scouts, adventure-seekers and criminals. How these adventurer’s mental powers were reacted to by the galaxy was dependent on where they were located at the time. The reaction might have been one of awe and wonder, they could have been suspected of being Jedi, or on a primitive world they might have been attacked as demons.

RPG D6 Stats
Technology Level: Space

Government: Participatory Democracy

Home Planet or System: Teshan

Attribute Dice: 10D

DEXTERITY 1D/3D

KNOWLEDGE 2D/5D

MECHANICAL 2D/4D

PERCEPTION 2D/5D

STRENGTH 1D/3D

TECHNICAL 2D/4D

Special Abilities:

Increased Stamina: Teshanni receive a +1D bonus to stamina rolls on Type I atmosphere worlds.

Psionics: By their nature, Teshanni have extraordinary mental powers, known as psionics. Individual psionic powers each have their own die code, just like other skills. At the time of character creation only, Teshanni characters get 4D bonus skill dice which must be placed in psionic skills. Improving psionic skills costs character points equal to the number before the "D." Double the character cost without a teacher. Training time is one day per character point spent. Learning a new psionic skill requires one week of training and costs 10 character points with a teacher. Without a teacher, training time is three weeks and cost 20 character points. (Training time may be reduced one day per additional character point spent; minimum training time is one day.)

Story Factors:

Mental Stress: One in three Teshanni suffer from blackouts or migraine headaches.

Force Sensitivity: While Teshanni can use psionics to resist Force powers, their minds are more sensitive to mind-based Force attacks, which cause double damage. Teshanni are not believed to be able to learn Force skills.

Move: 10/12

Size: 1.4-1.9 meters tall

Lifespan: 180 standard years

Psionic Energy
Each Teshanni character starts with 16 psi-points, which may be improved between adventures by a number of character points equal to their current psi-points, up to a maximum of 24 psi-points. Whether a psionic skill check succeeds or not, the character suffers a loss of one psi-point and on a roll of "1" on the Wild Die they lose two psi-points. If a character runs out of psi-points, it is difficult to use his psionic abilities until he recovers at least some of his psi-points. If a character uses a psionic skill and loses more points than he has available, he suffers a level of fatigue for each point that wasn't available to spend. (see Tire skill for levels of fatigue.) The character can attempt a Difficult willpower roll (a free action minus any fatigue penalties) to use a psionic power when they have no psi-points, but they will continue to fatigue themselves.

Extended Duration
The effect of certain skills can be further extended if the character is willing and able to spend one psi-point to keep it going. The time unit increase is based upon the skill level the character has achieved in the appropriate skill.

Psionic Energy Recovery
A character can attempt to recover psi-points at the end of any hour in which he did not use a psionic skill. The outcome of the attempt depends on the result of a willpower check: a "1" on the Wild Die, character loses one psi-point (suffering fatigue if he had no points); Easy, one psi-point recovered; Moderate, two points recovered; and Difficult, three points recovered. If a character spends eight hours resting and not attempting to use psionic abilities, all of his psi-points are recovered (no willpower check required).

Battle Mind
(Extended Duration)

To use this skill, a character focuses on the battle at hand and makes a skill check. The difficulty achieved indicates the benefit received while the skill remains active.

Bioweapon
(Extended Duration)

When employing this skill, a character generates a staff, club or blade of biokinetic energy that extends from his hand and can be used as a melee weapon. The bioweapon does STR+3D damage. The skill check determines the type of damage the weapon does: Easy, stun damage; Difficult, normal damage. The bioweapon can be used to parry physical and energy attacks. If the character has the Battle Mind skill, he can also parry ranged attacks if his parry beats the attack roll by five or more points.

Clairaudience
(Extended Duration)

With this skill, a character selects a location and projects his mind to that spot, hearing sounds as though he was physically there. The use of the skill doesn't screen out noise around the user, so he might have trouble hearing what's going on at a distance. It provides no help in interpreting unknown languages or recognizing unfamiliar sounds, and the mental ear can't move from the location it's projected to. Because the user remains conscious within his body, he is aware of what's happening around his body. The better the result of the skill check, the longer the ability lasts: Very Easy, one round; Easy, two rounds; Moderate, three rounds. This duration can be extended by one psi-point for every additional round.

Clairvoyance
(Extended Duration)

To employ this skill, a character selects a location and projects his mind to that spot. He can see everything going around that spot as though he was physically there. This projection must be to an unobstructed location, not (for instance) to a place inside a solid object. The use of the skill doesn't block the user's normal vision, so he sees double images unless he closes his eyes. It also provides no help in seeing through obscuring elements, such as walls, closed doors, or darkness, and the mental eye can't move from the selected spot. Because the user remains conscious within his body, he is aware of what's happening around his body. The better the result of the skill check, the longer the ability lasts: Very Easy, one round; Easy, two rounds; Moderate, three rounds. This duration can be extended by one psi-point for every additional round.

Contact
(Extended Duration)

This skill allows two-way communication, even if the target has no mental powers. This is not mind reading, so those contacted only communicate what they wish. If the target is willing, it doesn't cost any extra psi-points to extend the duration of this skill. If the intended target isn't willing to communicate, he may add his Perception to the difficulty. If the user manages to establish contact, an unwilling mind can attempt to expel the user once each round by making a new opposed roll. The difficulty to use this skill is Easy plus the following modifiers.

Control Metabolism
(Extended Duration)

Through the use of this skill, a character can regulate his metabolic processes. This allows him survive longer without food and water. He can control the amount of oxygen flowing into his body. The character takes control of the surrounding atmosphere, pulling oxygen molecules through the skin and into the lungs, this lets the user negate the need for a breath mask or any rebreather gear. This skill also allows the character to slow his body functions to a point where he can pretend to be dead, should he need to fool others in some situation. The difficulty to use this skill is Difficult.

Electrokinesis
With this skill, a character can cause a electrical charge to build up in the air around him, and he can direct that charge up to 30 meters away, delivering 5D damage to a single target within visual contact. The charge can be released at any point after build up during the current round or the next round (for no added psi-point cost), but discharging the energy requires an additional skill check. If charge is not released, it simply dissipates. The character cannot initiate any other psionic skills while the charge is present around his body. The difficulty to build up the charge is Difficult and to release the charge is Easy or the target's dodge.

Empathy
This skill allows a character to "read" the surface emotions of another character he is within visual contact. A successful use provides a character with an understanding of the target's emotional state and provides a bonus when using encounter skills with the target character. The difficulty is Moderate or target's Perception.

Heal
Use of this skill allows a character to make a natural healing roll for the current day regardless if his injury. The difficulty is Easy for wounded characters, Moderate for incapacitated characters and Difficult for mortally wounded characters.

Illusion
(Extended Duration)

This skill enables a character to fool a target's mind by projecting an illusion into it. An illusion can be sight or sound, but no other senses can be affected. The skill is usable only against targets the character can see, and it has maximum range of 5 meters per die the user has in the skill. The difficulty is the target's Perception. Multiple targets can be selected to receive a single illusion, but each additional target beyond the first provides a cumulative +3 penalty to the difficulty. The target with the highest Perception rolls for the group.

Kinetic Shield
(Extended Duration)

This skill allows a character to create an invisible defensive barrier that moves with him and provides protection from physical and energy attacks. The quality of the shield depends on the result of the skill check.

Levitation
(Extended Duration)

This skill allows a character, with only the power of his mind, to lift himself into the air and propel himself as if he were flying. How fast the character can move while levitating depends on the result of the skill check. Note: These figures are doubled on light gravity worlds and halved on heavy gravity worlds.

Mind Blast
This skill allows the user to direct a blast of pure mental energy at the other mind. The target must be within visual contact and no more than 40 meters away. Figure damage as if the skill roll was the damage total, while the target resists with his Perception or willpower. Damage is considered to be stun damage, although if the target suffer any damage at all, they are so crippled by pain that they are incapable of acting for the rest of the round and the next round.

Mind Reading
This skill enables a character to "read" the surface thoughts of another character with when the user is in visual contact. The difficulty is Moderate or target's Perception.

Mind Shield
This skill allows a character to establish a mental defense against psionic and Force powers. The skill provides a bonus to the user's Perception or willpower depending on the result of the skill check. The shield created by this skill remains in place for 5-10 hours (roll 1D+4) or until it fails to stop a power directed against it, at which point it collapses.

Photokinetics
With this skill, a character can excite the molecules in an object so that they give off illumination. The molecules remain excited for a number of minutes equal to the user's die code. The difficulty is Moderate.

Postcognition
With this skill, a character can sense the mood of an area and even "see" events that happened there in the past. What a character senses depends on the result of the skill check. With an Easy result, the character senses general emotions that have been left in an area. With a Difficult result, he also receives brief flashes of events that may or may not make sense to him. With a Very Difficult result, he actually experiences a brief encounter as though he were at the scene when the events occurred. A character can see a number of months into the past equal to his die code.

Precognition
This skill is the ability to receive impressions about possible future events - what the Teshanni sees will probably happen if he takes no action to change it. What a character senses depends on the result of the skill check. With a Moderate result, the character perceives vague images of a future event. With a Very Difficult result, he receives brief flashes of coming events that may or may not make sense to him. With a Heroic result, he actually experiences a brief encounter as though he is at the scene when the events transpire. A character can see a number of days into the future equal to his die code.

Psychokinetics
(Extended Duration)

This skill is the ability to move objects using the power of the mind. A character can lift objects that weigh a number of kilograms equal to his die code x 50, or push objects that weigh his die code x 100 in kilograms. How high and how fast an object can move depends on the result of the skill check. If used on another character, that character may add their Perception to the difficulty. Note: These figures are doubled on light gravity worlds and halved on heavy gravity worlds.

Psychometry
This skill gives a character the ability to read psychic impressions from inanimate objects. The character must touch the object to gain insight into who has used it and in what context. What a character senses depends on the result of the skill check. With an Easy result, the character receives simple emotions associated with the object. With a Moderate result, he receives simple images associated with the object. With a Difficult result, he experiences a brief encounter as though he is the person using the object or the owner.

Pyrokinetics
This skill allows a character to direct a blast of fire at a single target. The target must be within visual contact and no more than 15 meters away. The intensity of the fire depends on the result of the skill check. The target may use the dodge skill to avoid the attack.

Rejuvenate
This skill enables a character to remove the effects of fatigue. (see Tire skill for levels of fatigue.)

Suggest
If successful, this skill plants a thought into another person's mind and convinces that person that the thought is her own. The difficulty is the target's Perception. Modifiers may be assigned to reflect how extreme the suggestion is. Enticing someone to perform an act she would be inclined to do any way might have a +5 to +10 modifier to the suggest roll, while a suggestion to do something entirely opposed to the character's nature would provide a +15 or more modifier to the target's Perception. How long a suggestion lasts depends on the degree of success of the user's skill check. It could expire before it's time limit is reached, but it can't be extended beyond it's limit without another successful application of the skill at precisely the time when the original suggestion is due to run out.

Tire
This skill causes a target to become fatigued, perhaps prompting that character to decide that he is in need of rest. The target must be within visual contact and no more than 30 meters away.

Transfer Damage
By laying hands upon another character and making a successful skill check, the Teshanni alleviates that character's damage by absorbing it into himself. Once the Teshanni absorbs the damage, he must either use the heal skill, heal naturally, or receive medical attention to alleviate the damage he now suffers from.

Behind the Scenes
The Teshanni's psionic abilities are a D6 conversion of the psionics from TSR's Alternity designed by Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker.