From Grigbertz

Revision as of 18:35, 26 April 2011

Flax is the name given to the reality-manipulating powers of the Serpent People in the Dino Girls campaign. These work by "skipping" from one alternate reality to the next, incorporating elements from parallel realities. It obeys some of the rules of physics, such as the conservation of matter and energy, but can "chat" heavily and cause extremely improbable events to occur by selecting and synchronizing quantum effects.

Flax is a kind of luck or probability potential. Sentient creatures have the ability to pick and choose between different possible futures based on quantum observations of the future. Choosing favorable outcomes consumes Flax, suffering misfortune accumulates flax. For the average human, these two effects cancel each other out in a lifetime. Wearing a Flax Focus allows the accumulation and amplification of Flax energies, allowing the selection of a far wider array of possible outcomes.

Originally, personal setbacks and frustration caused the jewelry to activate, accumulating Flax potential. The user was bound, a physical reminder and tether for the flax energy. Once activated, the wearer could use the flax of the hard gold jewelry to alter reality in ways disproportionate to the setbacks suffered. As the use of Flax matured, this changed. There is now an ambient field of Flax energy to draw upon; instead of being periodically empowered, Flax users can now now continuously use their powers. Doing so consumes your personal Flax reserve and requires a period of recovery afterward.

Powers

Flax powers cannot create something out of nothing. They cannot use most summon powers, and create powers transform rather than create matter. But there is usually quite enough ambient energies and waste matter lying about for this not to be a problem.

Certain things simply do not exist in the Dino Girls universe, such as immaterial spirits. Powers that rely on such agencies either fail or need a different explanation.

There are two basic kinds of power users in Dino Girls - scientific users and intuitive. Intuitive power-users are restricted to one particular skill and can only use powers related to that one skill. Scientific power-users are restricted to one or more Forms, and must have an Expert schtick related to each form they choose. Because Flax is the only tradition in Dino Girls, these restrictions do not count as Limitations.

Origin

Flax is powered by the Chi origin. It is a matter of inner harmony projected on the outside world.

Flux Focus Jewelry

The Flux Focus items have powers of their own.

• They sustain the wearer as Animal Adaption
• They provide damage resistance to Concussion and Impact energy, and further points can be invested to expand this protection to other areas. This works like Resist Concussion and related powers.
• They sustain pregnancies, helping the wearer to carry lizardfolk eggs to term. It used to use flax powers to prevent abortion, but this effect seems to have faded.
• They induce a state of slight euphoria, making the wearer happier, more tractable and open to suggestion.
• As a Limit Break, you can add your Mind to the result of a stunt, as long as that stunt is mundane and relates to the use of a skill or form you can use powers from.

Restrictions

There are three kinds of restrictions of Flax; Flax Potential, Limitations, and Methods. Limitations and Methods are normal for traditions in Action, while Flax Potential is unique to the Flax tradition. Each is described here.

Flax Depletion

Flax Depletion is special to Flax users. As you use your powers, and in particular when you make grand displays of power, you use up your personal accumulation of Flax energy. This can lead to the loss of all powers for a longer or shorter period of time. Rather than to have hard and fast rules for when powers are lost and recovered, the system indicates which factors contribute to power expenditure and power recovery. It is then up to the GM and players to interpret this in game terms.

After a scene in which you have used a lot of power, there is a chance that your supply of Flax runs out. This normally happens after the scene comes to an end; your powers are reliable as long as you are in action, but letting down your guard and relaxing disperses the Flax field. In extreme cases the Flax can run out in the middle of a scene; this generally only happens when you have severely taxed your powers.

Flax Loss

The following factors contribute to Flax Depletion. Once triggered it is the same as Power Loss. In very severe cases, all power use is lost, above and beyond normal Power Loss.

• Great luck (rolls of +5 or better, whether using Fortune or not)
• Limit Breaks
• Finishers
• Power Experiments
• Using powers when not in bondage
• Using powers when not sexually stimulated
• Using powers for long periods or when fatigued

Flax Recovery

It can take months to recover from Flax Depletion , but can also happen in as little as a few hours. Several factors can help this process.

• Bondage
• Submission
• Sexual stimulation
• Imprisonment/Sensory deprivation
• Survival-related trials, mundane chores
• Setbacks
• Bad luck

Limitations

All Flax users are subject to [Power_Loss_(Action)#Power_Submission Power Submission]. Some have additional Power Loss Limitations in addition tot hat.

Methods

Description of methods

Bane

This is an optional method for Flax.

Costume

This is an obligatory method for Flax. You must be wearing at least a Flax Focus collar in order to use flax powers. In addition, depending on what skill the power is tied to, there are other requirements as well.

• Charm - Bound Arms needs arm cuffs and prevent most physical manipulation and the use of weapons and implements. You can still use a Tiny ranged weapon.
• Create - Immobilized, stuck or leashed, generally to whatever you are using create on. Prevents movement beyond one or two meters. If you are stuck to a creature whose Body is greater than yours, you are forced along as it moves, otherwise you are both immobilized unless you cooperate.
• Impress - Bound Legs needs leg cuffs and makes you unable to stand unsupported, which prevents and hinders many actions as determined by the situation and stunt description. Your Move is reduced to 1.
• Know - Bound Arms needs arm cuffs and prevent most physical manipulation and the use of weapons and implements. You can still use a Tiny ranged weapon.
• Maneuver - You must be nude.
• Melee - You must be nude.
• Ride - 'Immobilized, stuck or leashed, generally to whatever you are riding on. After a teleport you become leashed to something near your destination. Prevents movement beyond one or two meters. If you are stuck to a creature whose Body is greater than yours, you are forced along as it moves, otherwise you are both immobilized unless you cooperate.
• Shoot - Bound Arms prevent most physical manipulation and the use of weapons and implements. You can still use a Tiny ranged weapon.
• Spot - Blindfolding restricts your awareness, giving you only a rough estimate of objects and creatures in a diameter equal to your Mind; you are insensitive to things beyond this range.

Echoes

This is an obligatory method for Flax. Whenever a Flax user suffers a setback of some kind, an emotional reversal, fails to use a power, or is otherwise frustrated, her flax focus jewelry activates, storing the flax potential and restraining her. The chance that this will happen increases if the setback was unexpected; something that was known to be impossible or an expected negative result will not trigger an accumulation of Flax.

Depending in what triggered the accumulation of Flax you will be restrained in a different fashion; see the Costume method above for what skills and powers relate to what kind of restraint.

The restraint is released when the flax energy is expended, either after a prodigious use of powers or when the wearer is satisfied and sated, both physically, emotionally, and intellectually. This usually happens at the end of a session.

Loss of Control

This is an optional method for Flax.

Power Explosion

This is an optional method for Flax.

Power Misfire

This is an optional method for Flax.

Power Reserve

This is an optional method for Flax.

Power Signature

This is an optional method for Flax.

Power Words

This is an optional method for Flax.

Restraint

This is an optional method for Flax. If the focus roll fails, you get bound as indicated by the roll. Note that you cannot try to focus using Restraint if you are not restrained; you must be at least hobbled to try and focus this way.

Tantrism

This is an optional method for Flax.

Trance

This is an optional method for Flax.