Raamin templars concealing their identities

According to this 4E article from Dragon Magazine, Raamin templars assume new identities to protect themselves and their families from retribution. Is it possible that Raamin templars wear masks when conducting their duties? If so, what kind of masks are suitable for the Athasian heat?

Apparently, the crazier, the better?

https://images.app.goo.gl/8ETisLx44t29EpZq8

https://images.app.goo.gl/UHLpGtU2obJ4cgjAA

Also, this hat/helmet looks stupid hot to me: https://images.app.goo.gl/ZHsJzEByPMi1yNWW9

Seriously though, even a black domino mask is often enough to screw with facial lines and disguise a person’s identity. Or maybe they just used paint/cosmetics - given some while lines, this would be pretty effective as a disguise: https://images.app.goo.gl/WZuwUhi155odNpTM6

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Citizen: “Mr Templar, if you are going to fine me 10 ceramic pieces, I insist on seeing your face”.
ban2

Templar: “Are you sure? Some things are not meant to be seen”.

Citizen: “I am. Unmask yourself or know yourself to be a coward”.

Templar: “Very well, citizen”. Templar unmasks.

psurlon

Citizen: “Take the ten ceramic pieces with my gratitude. Forget I said anything”.

Templar: “Masks. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t”.

How about something like this?

Brazen Beasts from A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones). The Brazen Beasts have exactly the same issues as the Raamin templars. Risk of being assassinated and their families suffering retribution.

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Those look crazy hot. But it’d certainly do the job.

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That’s what Psionic Endure Elements is for.

Build it into the mask, or get a tattoo, maybe get a wired tattoo with recharge and auto trigger once a day and forget about it.

That way you can wear what you want.

Build an impressive voice changer into the mask, too. Maybe glowing lights in the eyes. Control Light and Control Sound are easy psionic powers to use for this.


Speaking from an evolutionary point of view, almost all surviving Athasians should have Psionic Endure Elements as a Psi-like ability by now. I’m just saying. And probably Sustenance too, or at least the Photosynthesis power in the case of city dwellers. After all, the SKs need people to be dependent on them for something, so water needs works in the case of the Photosynthesis power.

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Aren’t both of those powers banned from DS, just like Decanters of Endless Water?

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Makes no sense, ecologically or evolutionarily speaking, that they would be. Switching to a psionic fuel source for both body and mind is a logical possible result of a world wide disaster. At least for those dwelling out in the wastes for generations.

Those coddled by SKs in cities might be a different story, never having had to adapt…

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They’d be outlawed because they break the low-level trope of limited resources (water).

If EVERYONE could keep themselves cool and hydrated, it’d be generic DnD in a temperate, picturesque landscape where everyone got 2 less low-level psionic powers to choose.

Logically in-game, you’re right. Metagame-wise, that’s ridiculous.

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No. Both are in DS. Sustenance is far more expensive, however. Look here - I even created a thread about sustenance items last year.

I was thinking about this the other day and how to present such a situation to the PCs. Here is a vignette.


“How long has it been now?”, one onlooker asked another.

The psion had been sitting there for 40 days already. The psion wanted to prove that through psionic control, one could go without food, water or shelter indefinitely and was planning to do so for 100 days.

“Day 40”, replied the other onlooker. “Can’t tell if he is thinner than before. He was already skin and bones. A lot darker though”, the other onlooker added.

4 days later the fasting psion was found dead, a crossed legged corpse in mediation position. There were disputes among the city folk about how it happened. Some said that there were limitations to even psionic powers. Others said that the psion was old any would have passed on anyway. Some thought it was murder, by poison perhaps. Almost all of the city folk agreed that it is best not to push your luck and not eat and drink at all.