CYBERKINESIS

Source Material: Sorcerer Revised Edition, White Wolf

Computers were once the sequestered tools of wealthy corporations and the academic elite, but advances in technology gradually made them affordable to the rest of the world. Tonight, innumerable people have mobile devices in their pockets that are more powerful than the early computers that took mankind to the moon. Indeed, there are now more laptops, cell phones, and personal electronic devices than there are people in the world, and their invisible signals blanket the air, saturating the night with nearly-limitless data.

Cyberkinesis is the ability to read, understand, and control these electronic devices without a direct interface. Scattered reports of this relatively new Numina Path first appeared in the late 1980s. During this time period when the public consciousness came to accept computers, more and more Psychics developed this talent. 

Paranormal researchers believe that Cyberkinesis is a specialized application of telekinesis. The Cyberkinetic generates small-scale electromagnetic fields that alter the operating systems of computers and other electronic equipment (stereo systems, burglar alarms, iPads, etc.). 

NUMINA: CYBERKINESIS

◉◎◎◎◎: Cyberkinesis 1 - Switch (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 60
• Energy Cost: 2
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Larceny, Computer
• Resist: None
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +2 Mental Attack
  • +3 Mental Skill
  • +10 Initiative

Description: 
The Psychic can telepathically switch on or off an easily-operated electronic device and computers.

System:
The Player identifies in local chat the electronic device he/she/they wishes to turn on or off. The Player then spends 2 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. 

Allowable devices include anything with an electronic switch. This can be any device that has a circuit board and requires electricity or a battery. This does not include anything with an actual physical switch, such as mechanical lock or door bolt. 

This ability also allows the psychic to short-circuit electronic on/of switches. When used, there is an unmodified roll of 50+ to catch the device on fire.

◉◉◎◎◎: Cyberkinesis 2 - Linked (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 70
• Energy Cost: 5
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Larceny, Computer
• Resist: None
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +2 Physical Skill
  • +5 Initiative

Description: 
The Psychic can use and operate a computer without touching a keyboard or mouse, and activate programs loaded onto the computer or electronic device. This does not give him any override codes or passwords. If the Psychic "has" a password, he can easily enter it without touching the keyboard, but he could not login to the machine without a valid password. This is line of sight.

System:
The Player spends 5 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. The Character may easily operate any computer or computer-driven device without touching the keyboard, mouse or other controllers. The Character must be within sight of the device and can program/reprogram a computer merely by thinking about how he/she/they wishes the program to operate. The program will write itself in whichever native code the device uses.

◉◉◉◎◎: Cyberkinesis 3 - Read (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 80
• Energy Cost: 8
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Larceny, Computer
• Resist: None
• Duration: Per Device
• Permanent Affects:
  • +3 Mental Attack

Description: 
The Psychic can telepathically "read" electronic communications stored on any electronic device, such as a computer, tablet, cell phone, etc.  The device does not need to be on, nor does it need to have power to it. While the Psychic can read emails, encrypted data and any type of file, he/she/they have no way to record the data except for what they can remember. It is possible for the Psychic to "read" the information aloud and have someone record the information.

The Cyberkinetic can mentally access any devices within his line of sight. This is not a form of telekinesis in which the Psychic is wielding the controls. Rather, the Cyberkinetic accesses the device by using a psychic version of radio waves similar to Wi-Fi to infiltrate the device and control it from within. When connected to a device via this power, the Cyberkinetic can employ any of the other levels of Cyberkinesis without having to make physical contact.

System:
The Player spends 8 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. The Character may easily access data on any computer or computer-driven device without touching the keyboard, mouse or other controllers. The Character must be within sight of the device and can read any file or email contained on that device. 

◉◉◉◉◎: Cyberkinesis 4 - Hack (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 90
• Energy Cost: 12
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Larceny, Computer
• Resist: None
• Duration: One full turn to complete.
• Permanent Affects:  
  • +3 Mental Defense
  • +5 Initiative
• Temporary Affects:
  • +5 Larceny Mod for the turn IF you are in physical contact with the device.

Description: 
The Psychic can easily over-ride any security system or electronic device within line of sight and hack any passwords or cyber security measures. Touching the device is not required, however physical contact with the device will give a Temp Bonus of +5 to your Larceny Mod.

System:
The Player spends 12 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. After one full turn, the Psychic is able to deactivated the lock. For example, the prison door slides open, the electronic vault door swings open, or a firewall has been removed — just as an example.

◉◉◉◉◉: Cyberkinesis 5 - Reprogram (Mental Skill)

• Base Roll: 100
• Energy Cost: 18
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Larceny, Computer
• Resist: None
• Duration: One full turn to complete.
• Permanent Affects: None
• Temporary Affects:
  • +10 Larceny Mod if in direct physical contact with the device.

Description: 
The Psychic can swiftly reprogram any computer system or device that has a computer at its core and alter or rewrite the programming, and bypass security systems - no matter the type of computer or machine language it uses. WIFI is not required since the Cyberkinetic is using his own Psychic version.

The Cyberkinetic can only alter the software program and change code. He cannot psychically add a new program or alter the native hardware of a device. 

Example #1: the Cyberkinetic can access a database and lock out all the users. Or, hack past a firewall to gain access to the users and all their information on a Dark website or a secure bank account and transfer money to another account. But he cannot hack into a drone and make it shoot streams of fire if it does not already have flamethrowers as an option. He can also psychically access an ATM machine, find an account with large amounts of cash, and have the machine spit out $20 bills up to the daily limit for withdraws.

System:
The Player identifies in Local Chat what his Character is going to attempt doing to the computer/device. The Player then spends 18 points of Energy and makes a successful roll. Changes to programming must keep the programming similar, but the Psychic can alter it in significant ways. 

Example #2: Hacking an ATM machine, the Cyberkinetic can alter the programming to deposit requested withdrawals into another account instead of chucking out money from a machine. Or, alter the time it takes for money to be deposited from the machine (as an example) for 10 minutes, display an "Error Code," then walk up and collect the cash shortly after the pissed-off bank customer has left. 

Example #3: You could hack into a company's database and can gain access to the Human Resources files to terminate employees, or give a specific one a promotion and raise. Or tamper with a school's academic records to give yourself all A+'s. Or, transfer porn files to the Mayor's computer. So many fun things you can dream up and do.

NOTE: Examples are simply illustrations and seeds of inspiration of what can be achieved and are in no way the limits of an ability's uses. That's up to your imagination and your Storyteller.