Hedge/Isle of Tears

Mechanics of the Isle of Tears

For history and story related to the Isle, please check the Library.

This page is an online duplicate of +view here/empathy from room H41, Isle of Tears, in game.

Empathy Drain - Automatic & Resisted

The Isle of Tears exists under a powerful supernatural effect which can be resisted, but never avoided. There is a sense of presence throughout the island, a sense of cold, alien, demanding hunger, plucking at your will, invading your innermost heart.

For the first 15 minutes, you will feel oppressed/as though you were being pulled at/watched/being loomed over by a predator you've no way to escape, but your empathy and emotions in general are still unaffected.

• Every 15 minutes your character is on the island, lose 1 dot of Empathy (type: +aomi).

  This manifests as a cumulative penalty on all further resistance rolls.

  Being on the island for 15 minutes means you are at -1 to your next Resolve + Composure.

  Being on the island for 30 minutes means you are at -2 to your next Resolve + Composure. Et cetera, et cetera.

• Every 5 minutes your character is on the island, roll Resolve + Composure.

(Merits like Indomitable or other innate abilities apply. This is supernatural mental/emotional influence. )

Don't roll on the 15 minute markers. Those are considered automatic failures.

If you succeed, no additional penalty is levied.

If you fail, add another -1 to your existing penalty total (type: +aomi).

You immediately begin suffering the effects of the island, if you hadn't yet been there for 15 minutes.

You feel no warm emotions. You feel no loyalty.

You feel no pleasure, no joy. Cold satisfaction for a job well done is the 'warmest' sentiment left to you. The value of your most beloved friend/heart-mate is reduced to its simplest, most selfish level: how can this person's presence/skill set benefit you and what you want? Are they a physically crippled yet emotionally wonderful, loving, creative person who specializes in, say, carving soap? They are weak baggage better off being a meal or bait. The relationship's value is nil.

This deadening effect on your positive emotions will remain until you leave the island.

Empathy Damage - Explanation & Details

Penalties gained on this island apply to all Empathy skill rolls, including Contracts. Any time you gain a penalty, use the +aomi command to set it on your +sheet. The command will only work on the Isle itself. See '+help aomi' for more details.

These penalties heal at a rate of 1 per week.

Once your Empathy has effectively been poisoned below 1 dot, you may no longer apply any Empathy Specialties to your rolls, as a Specialty requires you to have at least 1 dot in that skill. Adroitnesses are a magical effect, and may still be used.

Additionally, you may no longer attempt to resist the hunger of the island until you have regained a positive "dot" of Empathy (i.e. until your penalties have faded enough to bring you back above zero). Negative numbers do count.

If you're at -2 Empathy, you have to heal once to hit -1, another time to hit 0, another time to hit 1 dot in Empathy again.

i.e. you need to wait 3 RL weeks to get 1 dot back.

Example

Charlotte is a very brave, yet foolhardy person who needs the Tears of Aomi to help her mend the dreams of her motley. She has Empathy 5. She visits the Isle of Tears.

• 5 minute check.

Charlotte rolls Resolve + Composure. She passes the check.

• 5 minute check.

Charlotte rolls Resolve + Composure. She passes the check.

• 15 minute auto-drain.

Charlotte types +aomi to represent that she has temporarily lost a dot of Empathy.

Empathy is now at 4.

Charlotte's future Res+Comp rolls will all be at -1.

• 5 minute check.

Charlotte rolls Resolve + Composure. She passes the check.

• 5 minute check.

Charlotte rolls Resolve + Composure. She fails.

Charlotte's penalty is now -2.

Charlotte types +aomi.

Empathy is now at 3.

• 15 minute auto-drain.

Charlotte's penalty increases to -3.

Charlotte types +aomi.

Empathy is now at 2.

• 5 minute check.

Charlotte rolls Resolve + Composure -3. She fails.

Charlotte's penalty increases to -4.

Charlotte types +aomi.

Empathy is now at 1.

• 5 minute check.

Charlotte rolls Resolve + Composure -4. She fails.

Charlotte types +aomi.

Empathy is now at 0.

Charlotte may no longer use any Empathy specialties.

• 15 minute auto-drain.

Charlotte's penalty increases to -5.

Charlotte types +aomi.

Empathy is now at -1.

Charlotte has, during the hour she has been on the island, successfully located a small handful of Tears of Aomi. She leaves, and helps her motley, though she finds she has trouble interpreting their emotions, and when SHE thinks she is saying logical things, they get offended. She can't quite understand why.

(Check +ref/skill empathy for a cheat sheet on what the skill covers, by the book. That will help you RP out the effects of the damage.)

• 1 week later, Charlotte's Empathy heals by 1.

Empathy is now 0.

Healing is automatic, done by a coded timer.

• 1 week later, Charlotte's Empathy heals by 1.

Empathy is now 1.

Charlotte may now use any Specialties she has in Empathy again.

• 1 week later, Charlotte's Empathy heals by 1.

Empathy is now 2.

• 1 week later, Charlotte's Empathy heals by 1.

Empathy is now 3.

• 1 week later, Charlotte's Empathy heals by 1.

Empathy is now 4.

• 1 week later, Charlotte's Empathy heals by 1.

Empathy is now 5.

So, all in all, it takes Charlotte 6 RL weeks to heal from spending 1 hour on the Isle of Tears.