Did you kill Malone?

[Sean Waters]

Malone is dead. Murdered. You have a 10 EGO suspect and 4d6 telepathy. Cool.

 

Malone was murdered five years ago, so on the face of it that is EGO+20:reading memories. You are unable to dig out the information from your suspect's brain.

 

What if you are cunning though? Well, not that cunning: just ask him, "Did you kill Malone?"

 

That is going to make him think about it, and it then becomes a surface thought and reading it is easy, n'est pas?

 

Well, I dunno. Seems a bit too easy to me. What do you think?

[jackalope]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Well' date=' I dunno. Seems a bit too easy to me. What do you think?[/quote']

 

I think unless the suspect has some sort of training in resisting telepathy, and an understanding of the technique being used against him, he'd better pray he's innocent, because he's one half-phase action away from being found out.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

I think unless the suspect has some sort of training in resisting telepathy' date=' and an understanding of the technique being used against him, he'd better pray he's innocent, because he's one half-phase action away from being found out.[/quote']

 

Mustn't think of pink elephants, mustn't think of pink elephants, mustn't....

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

It's not that easy. After five years, you might get any of the following as a surface thought:

 

1) "Who the hell is Malone?"

2) "I don't know, one of them might have been Malone."

3) "Who the **** is this guy and why is he in my office?"

4) "Oh wow, those are some tight tights!"

5) "Why is he/she staring at me? It's kinda creepy."

6) "I know you can read MY thoughts.... Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow"

 

Ok, probably, not the last one. And there is a chance that it would come up to the surface, especially if he didn't know a Telepath is reading his mind, but it's fairly likely that he would make breakout roll before end of turn and you get a clear image of him thinking about Malone on the surface.

 

And you only get one shot, since after that, he's wondering what that strange feeling he has in his mind.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Assuming he knows who Malone is, and assuming he doesn't suspect you're telepathic, it's a lead-pipe cinch that the answer to your question will become a surface thought as soon as it's asked.

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Malone is dead. Murdered. You have a 10 EGO suspect and 4d6 telepathy. Cool.

 

Malone was murdered five years ago, so on the face of it that is EGO+20:reading memories. You are unable to dig out the information from your suspect's brain.

 

What if you are cunning though? Well, not that cunning: just ask him, "Did you kill Malone?"

 

That is going to make him think about it, and it then becomes a surface thought and reading it is easy, n'est pas?

 

Well, I dunno. Seems a bit too easy to me. What do you think?

 

It's been five years. If your suspect knows that telepathy exists in the setting, it is quite possible he may have trained himself in the meantime not to think about murdering Malone.

 

Spend some time talking to him, bringing up memories from the place and time, maybe an Interrogation roll, and then it's all surface thoughts.

 

And yes, that's a perfectly valid tactic.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Ok, next step...if he does know you are telepathic, how does he avoid thinking of Malone (and, for that matter, knowing you are a mind reader, all of his other guilty secrets?) - INT roll? EGO roll? Avoid thinking guilty thoughts is hardly an everyman skill!

[jackalope]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Ok' date=' next step...if he does know you are telepathic, how does he avoid thinking of Malone (and, for that matter, knowing you are a mind reader, all of his other guilty secrets?) - INT roll? EGO roll? Avoid thinking guilty thoughts is hardly an everyman skill![/quote']

 

I'd say it's an EGO Roll.

 

Complimentary skills: KS: Mediatation, KS: Yoga, KS: Zen

 

All of which train you to clear your mind of any conscious, active thought.

 

Q: "Did you kill Malone?"

 

A: "Ohmmmmmmmm..."

[Ben Seeman]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

I'd say it's an EGO Roll.

 

Complimentary skills: KS: Mediatation, KS: Yoga, KS: Zen

 

All of which train you to clear your mind of any conscious, active thought.

 

Q: "Did you kill Malone?"

 

A: "Ohmmmmmmmm..."

Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day! Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day!

[jackalope]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day! Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day!

 

No that's this power:

 

Visualizing "Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day!":

Ego Attack 3d6, Damage Shield (+1/2), Continuous (+1); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Causes violent puking and 3d6 STUN; -1)

Cost: 37

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

EGO Rolls are the basic, I know I should do this, but I don't know if I have the willpower to think of it.

 

INT Rolls are the basic, can my brain figure the solution to a problem fast enough?

 

So, EGO Roll to block your thoughts, and an INT roll to figure out that you should make you EGO roll to block your thoughts.

[Rapier]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

I'd say it's an EGO Roll.

 

Complimentary skills: KS: Mediatation, KS: Yoga, KS: Zen

 

All of which train you to clear your mind of any conscious, active thought.

 

Q: "Did you kill Malone?"

 

A: "Ohmmmmmmmm..."

Heh. Reminds me of that scene from Hollywood Homicide (what can I do Harrison Ford AND Josh Hartnett? DROOOOL). They are interrogating the younger cop and he is doing yoga on the table.

[CBikle]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Any answer other than "No I didn't kill Malone" or "Hey, this guy thinks I killed Malone !" is probably going to answer your mentalist's question anyway.

[Mantis]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

That is going to make him think about it, and it then becomes a surface thought and reading it is easy, n'est pas?

 

Well, I dunno. Seems a bit too easy to me. What do you think?

 

Well, you're the mentalist, you already know what I think... . I think it's too easy - why spend the points on enough Mental power to read memories if all you have to do is ask a person about these memories?

 

Perhaps all the mentalist gets is the formation of the verbal response, but with no information about whether the source is a long-held Memory or a just-created Lie. Or, if they do get some indication of Truth or Fiction, such indication may be as unreliable as the non-verbal cues used by real-life investigators when they question suspects.

 

However, even if you decide it is that easy, what then? The Mentalist knows the suspect is guilty - how will they prove this in court? A moot point if they are a vigilante , but a court generally needs more than a mind-scan as evidence.

[alexraccoon]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

If you have read/seen their memories using telepathy then you know how the murder was committed, where the body is along with any evidence pertaining to the crime and you have the motive. This information sent annomously to the police and your character watching the site to prevent the perp moving it should enable him to be brought to justice.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Well' date=' you're the mentalist, you already know what I think... . I think it's too easy - why spend the points on enough Mental power to read memories if all you have to do is ask a person about these memories?[/quote']

 

In addition to alexraccoon's excellent comments, if I have to ask to find the answer, I can't go for a higher effect to prevent the target knowing he's been scanned, such that he doesn't know I know he killed Malone (and thus doesn't know to be extra-careful of me, get me out of tyhe way too and/or hide the evidence because someone is getting close).

 

And the advantage to the Mentalist, assuming it works, is he now KNOWS the target is guilty, or isn't. If Malone is guilty, other lines of inquiry will not be pursued, preventing the mentalist wasting time investigating other suspects. If the target didn't do it, then the Mentalist won't waste fiurther time investigating him. As noted in many other places, telepaths spoil a good mystery quite readily.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

I think it's too easy - why spend the points on enough Mental power to read memories if all you have to do is ask a person about these memories?

So you don't have to ask them.

[jackalope]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

A Telepathic Lie Detector is cheap.

 

But real Telepathy, 12d6 or so, allows for some pretty wicked effects.

 

EGO +50 result: Implant deep memories with no trace of act.

 

I have used this ability to implant memories of entire affairs and long personal relationships. In one game, a power telepath insinuated himself into the group by implanting memories of friendship in the entire team that went back for years. When they tried to think about him, all they could remember was all the good times they had with him, how he had always had their back, etc. One of the female characters even remember their torrid love affair and the deep affection she still felt for him.

 

Of course, none of them had ever met the guy before. They invited him right into their base, set him up, let him tag along on some missions, and were totally shocked when their "best friend" sold them out to a villain group (which ultimately led to the destruction of their base).

 

Telepathy is almost always used as a lie detector, sometimes as a messaging system, but rarely if ever is it put to real, creative purposes.

[TaxiMan]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

A true sociopath can convince himself he really didn't do the crime. After early interrogations and lying about it with a cover story, they can come to believe the cover story. Memories are malleable, not imprinted on stone.

 

A non-sociopath could feel such fear and guilt that a neurosis forms, blocking the memories.

 

In between those states, and a telepath would read the truth like a billboard.

[jackalope]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

A true sociopath can convince himself he really didn't do the crime. After early interrogations and lying about it with a cover story' date=' they can come to believe the cover story. Memories are malleable, not imprinted on stone.[/quote']

 

Hey, that's a good point. Though, not quite accurate. You never forget anything, because memories are permanently burned on neurons, but it's possible to convince yourself that something else happened, and to remap your brain so that it never actively remembers certain things. But the original memories remain.

 

I remember reading about a woman who took a srious blow to the head, and woke up able to read and write in Summerian letters. Actually, she could only write in Summerian. Still used English, and English grammar, but the characters were Summerian. Eventually it was determined, via hypnosis, that the woman had once walked past a student in a library and his book had been open to a chart of English/Summerian conversions. After the brain damage, her mind had tried to repair itself by rewiring, and - unable to access memories of writing English characters - substituted the Summerian she'd once gotten a brief glance of for English. Crazy, huh?

[TaxiMan]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

You never forget anything' date=' because memories are permanently burned on neurons < snip ... > the original memories remain.[/quote']

 

You know, I've heard that. During neurosurgery they can touch an electrode to the patient's brain and evoke memory flashbacks of mundane moments.

 

Still, the premise is difficult to prove - that you never forget ANYTHING. It's really impossible to prove.

 

And, if memories are permanent, that means there is a fixed maximum amount of experiences that a human can have. Philosophically disturbing - once your brain is full you die? Is that part of senile dementia?

 

If we get really sophisticated, can we "play back" an entire life, second by second, from a preserved / monitored brain?

 

If some neurons are burned permanently, why aren't the ones that help us find memories permanent? Maybe they are for people with photographic memories!

 

Do we adapt & learn using only 'unused' neurons? After they're gone, are we mentally rigid?

 

I'm NOT arguing with you, just thinking though a factoid that we both apparently have heard. Wondering if it's true, and what the consequences / implications are...

[Rapier]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Naw. We've got plenty of brain-space. We only use like 10% of the capacity or something. 4% for the non-roleplayers out there!

[zornwil]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

We've had a lot of this kind of thing in my game. I've never had a problem with it nor have I seen it break a plot, so long as you know the PCs have this capability. Derek suggested why sometimes it still won't quite work as you desire in his post regarding the possible thoughts after 5 years.

 

Then again, this in the context of superhero games. In a pulp or similar heroic-level game where the interrogation shouldn't be tantamount to at least knowing the truth (usually this alone isn't admissable in courts so requires more PC effort than just this, though often not much more), Telepathy is much more problematic but is also easily countered by depowering it and/or just auto-adding "Vague and Unclear".

[alexraccoon]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Given that the accumulated memories of a person are probably greater that a large library I feel as well that a telepath must make complimentry skill rolls ,something similar to research in order to find what thet,re after otherwise they are liable to be in the poor fellows head for some time. You could use this analogy to keep a mystery safer for longer. Give the player a large encylcopedia and tell them if they can't find the pin you've inserted into it before Malone walks of then they havent been able to locate the information they were after. If you apply this to a telepaths mind searches then it makes it much harder for them and probably more realistic to boot.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Did you kill Malone?

 

Given that the accumulated memories of a person are probably greater that a large library I feel as well that a telepath must make complimentry skill rolls ' date='something similar to research in order to find what thet,re after otherwise they are liable to be in the poor fellows head for some time. You could use this analogy to keep a mystery safer for longer. Give the player a large encylcopedia and tell them if they can't find the pin you've inserted into it before Malone walks of then they havent been able to locate the information they were after. If you apply this to a telepaths mind searches then it makes it much harder for them and probably more realistic to boot.[/quote']

 

But that is the other advantage of asking the question: it brings the memory to the top of the stack, so it is easy to locate.

 

Anecdote: I was playing a telepath character called Justice (telepathy and a big gun - you work it out) chasing a serial killer. We got to one victim before they dies and Justice got an image from his brain of a figure with claws leaping toward the victim. Then he died and that was it.

 

Tracked down claw guy who had claws and (unfortunately) mental defences. Bit of a tussle, took him down (fortunately not fatally, because...) the killings kept on happening.

 

Turns out Claw-guy had come across the murder in progress and leapt in to stop it. The victims last image was of his saviour not his attacker.

 

Whilst this is an interesting curve ball to throw the telpaths out there, you will only get away with it once or twice, then they get wise and you have to revert to game mechanics.

 

At present telepathy really is like doing library research: you score enough points, you get to the high shelves. It sort of assumes that a resisting mind can't hide anything - in fact, as this discussion has pointed out, it may well bring it to the fore (of course the base level is EGO, so stronger minds are harder to crack, but very high EGOs are rare.

 

It seems to me that we could re-write the telepathy table to combine age of memories (last hour +0, last day +5, last week +10, last month +15 last year +20 and anything longer +30)

 

AND

 

how hard the target wants to avoid you finding them (trivia +0, personal details +5, embarassing personal details +10, secrets +15, guilty secrets +20, major (life and death) secrets +25, major guilty secrets +30)

 

You may be able to reduce the 'age of memory' modifier by clever role playing and interrogation, but not the 'how bad do you want to keep that a secret' modifier.

 

Haven't actually used this yet, but it seems logical. Thoughts? (Hahaha, I crack me up)