Psychometry

20 points

You can sense the history of a place or inanimate object – its use, its user's personality, etc. This is usually a supernatural gift of some sort (such as psi), but it could also represent a technological "time-scanning" power that can see the past.

To use Psychometry, you must touch the subject item or location, concentrate for one second, and make an IQ roll. This roll is at no penalty for an event that occurred the same day, -1 for one that occurred up to 10 days ago, -2 if up to 100 days ago, -3 if up to 3 years ago, -4 if up to 30 years ago, -5 if up to 300 years ago, and so on. At the GM's option, you might notice very strong "vibes" on an IQ-4 roll, even if you aren’t concentrating.

On a success, you receive the general sense of emotions and events tied to the object or place ... if it is linked to emotionally charged events (an uneventful history might leave no impressions at all). This is not always a good thing – a terrifying impression might require a Fright Check! On a critical success, you experience an actual vision. No matter how well you roll, you cannot detect magic, spirits, etc. Still, a magic item, ghostly haunt, or ritual site is likely to have an emotionally charged history, giving strong impressions.

On a failure, you receive no impressions at all, and cannot attempt to read that object or place again for 24 hours.

Special Limitations

ESP: Your ability is part of the ESP psi power. -10%.