Mindscapes, a subsystem for psionics WIP

What is a mindscape

Every sentient being has a mindscape, a mental realm that is a reflection of their conscious and subconscious inner world. Only intelligent beings, creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or more, can have mindscapes. Mindscapes can either be latent or active. Most mindscapes are latent, as creating and maintaining an active mindscape requires psionic potential and conscious effort. Latent mindscapes take on a form that reflects the creatures personality in some way. The mindscape of a fearful person could take the form of a nightmarish hellscape, while an artist might subconsciously create an artistic and beautiful latent mindscape that reflects their personal flair and values. Latent mindscapes are often, but not always influenced by the alignment of the owner. The creator of a latent mindscape does not have direct access to their own mental realm, but often visits it when dreaming. A creature capable of lucid dreaming may even exercise some control of their latent mindscape, but this ability pales in comparison to the kind of alterations a trained psionic individual can introduce to their mindscape.

The subconscious is a powerful thing, however, and latent mindscapes can often have dangerous features and obstacles that reflect some inner conflict or trauma of the mindscapes owner. Deep fears or negative emotions can manifest in a latent mindscape as dangerous creatures or terrain, and dealing with them can be difficult as they are normally not capable of dying inside the mindscape that spawned them. A creature spawned in a latent mindscape returns to life some time after being slain, normally within 1d6 hours after dying. If the owner of the latent mindscape is present within the mindscape and is capable of lucid dreaming, they may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + the slain creatures CR) to attempt to suppress the part of their psyche that spawned the creature. A successful save extends this duration to 1d6 days instead.
It is possible for the owner of a latent mindscape to die while present in his mindscape, but it is not fatal. Instead, if the owner is killed while visiting his mindscape through lucid dreaming, they enter a dark, dreamless sleep state and wake up fatigued the next morning.

A latent mindscape may also be home to NPC characters that represent parts of the owners psyche. Interacting with these NPCs may provide valuable insight into the subconscious mind of the mindscapes owner, and it might even be possible to change parts of the owners personality by influencing these NPCs. This is the stuff of entire adventures, however, and as such is not covered by these rules in any detail.

An active mindscape is a persistent mental landscape created by focusing psionic energies into mental constructs. Any psionic character with ranks in Autohypnosis can create an active Mindscape. Doing so requires 8 hours of deep meditation, followed by a DC 15 Autohypnosis check. After meditating and succeeding the Autohypnosis check, a persistent active mindscape is created within the character’s mind. A character can visit his mindscape at any time by taking a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity and making a successful DC 10 Autohypnosis check. A character entering a mindscape does not disappear from the physical world. The character creates a detailed mental simulacrum of themselves and projects it into the mindscape. Extreme mental exertion is required to construct this kind of mental avatar. While inside a mindscape, the character is unconscious and is considered helpless.
If the owner of an active mindscape is killed inside his own mindscape, they immediately jump back into their physical body and must make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10 + the damage dealt by the killing blow, or be stunned for one round.
A mindscape can be up to 100’ in diameter +10 for every manifester level beyond 1st.

The active mindscape is persistent, meaning that any action taken or alteration made within it are permanent unless otherwise specified.
A newly created mindscape is a flat, featureless gray plane. Once within this mental plane, the owner of the mindscape can make superficial alterations to the landscape and features of the mindscape by making a successful Autohypnosis check of varying DC depending on the nature of the alterations made.
Possible alterations include buildings, plant and animal life (any plants and animals created are harmless and passive), weather (any weather effects created are harmless and applies no penalties or ill effects) and lighting (even in pitch darkness, no penalties are conferred by mindscape lighting conditions). Any such alterations are purely cosmetic, they can not be used to make attacks or deal damage and apply no harmful or beneficial effects. Features of a mindscape can provide cover and concealment.
A character who has created an active mindscape may invite another willing creature into his personal mental landscape. Any willing creature touched can enter into a meditative trance along with the character, who makes a single DC 15 Autohypnosis check to enter the mindscape as a group. For each creature beyond the first, the DC of this check increases by +1. It is impossible to force an unwilling creature into a mindscape this way.
A non-psionic creature can be invited into a mindscape in this way, but doing so raises the DC of the check by an additional +2. On a successful Autohypnosis check to enter the mindscape, all willing participants are rendered unconscious for as long as they are inside the mindscape.
Once inside a mindscape, a creature can leave at any time as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Anyone inside the mindscape of an unconscious creature can remain there and act as normal. Anyone who is physically inside the mindscape of a creature as it dies immediately appear next to the corpse, and must make a Will save (DC equals 10 + the CR of the creature, minimum 12) or be stunned for 1d4 rounds; creatures who succeed at this save are instead dazed for 1 round.

Psionic Powers:

Cerebral Gatecrash
Discipline: Telepathy; Level: Psion/Wilder 2, Psychic Warrior 2, Dread 2, Tactician 2, Vitalist 2, Cryptic 2, Gifted Blade 2
MANIFESTING
Display: Audio, visual
Manifesting Time: 1 Standard Action
EFFECT
Range:Touch; Target: One Creature with a mindscape
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; power resistance: Yes
Power Points: 3

By sheer force of will, you pierce the mental barriers of the target and break into their mindscape. Treat this just as if you had entered your own mindscape, except you cannot bring other participants into a mindscape this way.
Once inside the mindscape, you can exert your dominance there and take control of the mindscape. Any Mindscape feats you have function in an enemies mindscape.

Augment: You may augment this power in one or more of three ways:
For every additional 2 power points you spend, the DC to negate your changes in the mindscape increase by +1.
For every additional 4 power points spent, you may bring one willing ally with you into the mindscape.
By spending 2 additional power point, you can increase the range of this power to close (25 ft + 5 ft./2 levels).

Detect Active Mindscape
Discipline:Telepathy; Level Cryptic 0, dread 0, gifted blade 1, marksman 0, psion/wilder 0, psychic warrior 0, sighted seeker 1, tactician 0, vitalist 0
Display: Auditory and visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Cone -shaped emanation centered on you
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None; Power Resistance: No
Power Points: Psionic focus or 1

As detect psionics, except noted here.
Instead of detecting psionic auras, you detect the presence of an active mindscape.
1st round: Presence or absence of an active mindscape
2nd round: Location of an active mindscape; you know which creatures have an active mindscape.
3rd round: You learn the size of each creatures mindscape, as well as whether or not they have structures erected.

Augment: By spending an additional 2 power points, you may peer into a single mindscape you know is active and present. Looking into a mindscape reveals any erected structures and defences present.

Cerebral Link
Discipline: Telepathy; Level: Psion/Wilder 2, Psychic Warrior 2, Dread 2, Tactician 2, Vitalist 2, Cryptic 2, Gifted Blade 2
MANIFESTING
Display: Audio, visual
Manifesting Time: 1 Standard Action
EFFECT
Range:Touch; Target: One willing creature with a mindscape
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); power resistance: No
Power Points: 3

This power forges a permanent link between two mindscapes, allowing for travel between them. Once manifested, a portal-like structure is erected in both mindscapes. To travel between mindscapes, one needs to move through the portal structure. Once you fully pass through the portal surface, you appear next to the portal in the other creatures mindscape.
This power does nothing if the target does not have a mindscape, or is not psionic.
The creature with which you forge a link must be willing, otherwise the power fails.
If the creatures passing through the portal are under the effects of the Enter the Gate power, or are otherwise physically present in the mindscape, they physically appear next to the owner of the mindscape they are currently in when they exit the mindscape. Otherwise they simply exit the mindscape as normal.

Augment: By spending an additional 7 power points, you may target an unwilling creature with this power, forcing a connection between their mindscape and yours.

Enter the Gate
Discipline: Telepathy; Level: Psion/Wilder 4, Psychic Warrior 4, Dread 4, Tactician 4, Vitalist 4, Cryptic 4, Gifted Blade 4
MANIFESTING
Display: Audio, visual
Manifesting Time: 1 Standard Action
EFFECT
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); power resistance: Yes
Power Points: 7

You dissolve your form and physically transport yourself into your own mindscape. Your physical form turns into quickly fading ectoplasm, and you appear inside your mindscape with all possessions and gear. You may leave the mindscape at any time as a swift action, reappearing in the exact spot you were when you discorporated. Anyone who is physically inside the mindscape of a creature as it dies immediately appear next to the corpse, and must make a Will save (DC equals 10 + the CR of the creature, minimum 12) or be stunned for 1d4 rounds; creatures who succeed at this save are instead dazed for 1 round.

Augment: By spending an additional 5 power points, you may instead target to one or more willing allies. These allies are then discorporated and appear in physical form inside your mindscape.
When augmented in this way, once the allies exit the mindscape they appear next to your current location. You cannot travel physically into your own mindscape with this power or by any other method while others are physically present inside it, though you can enter your mindscape normally.

Feats

Mindscape feats are special psionic feats that alter or augment a mindscape. To qualify for a Mindscape feat, a character must have levels in a psionic class or have the [psionic] subtype, or otherwise be capable of creating a mindscape. All mindscape feats count as psionic feats.


Waking Mindscape (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Autohypnosis, 5 ranks
Benefit: You no longer fall unconscious while inside a mindscape. When entering a mindscape, you are still aware of your physical surroundings. The intense concentration required to project into a mindscape means your physical body can only take move actions for as long as you remain inside the mindscape, and you can only speak in single words or short sentences.
In addition, if you have the Mindscape Architect feat, you may shape and dismiss your own structures and make superficial alterations in your mindscape without entering it.

Mindscape Architect (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Autohypnosis, 5 ranks
Benefit: You are adept at constructing mindscapes, and can materialize objects and structures that provide additional benefits while inside a mindscape you have constructed.
You gain a pool of 3 architect points to spend on structures in your mindscape. Each structure has a listed cost, and you may spend your architect points on structures after 8 hours of rest, when you regain your power points. Any architect points invested in structures are locked, and can only be regained by dismissing the corresponding structure. Your spent architect points refresh when you meditate to regain your power points, but only if you have already dismissed the corresponding structures.You may not build duplicates of any one structure. 
A mindscape structure takes up a 10’ square area of the mindscape, is 15’ tall and is clearly visible from anywhere in the mindscape unless it is concealed by a landscape feature. A mindscape structure has Hardness 15 and 30 HP.
You choose the location of the structure within the mindscape as you erect it. If you are outside your mindscape as you erect the structure, you choose it’s location as you enter your mindscape.
You must be inside your mindscape in order to shape a structure there and invest architect points into it, or to dismiss a structure there. Shaping and dismissing a structure is a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity.
The character chooses the location of the structure when he erects it. If they are outside the mindscape when they erect it, they choose its location as they enter the mindscape.
By investing an additional architect point in a structure, you can benefit from that structures effect even while not inside your mindscape as long as you maintain psionic focus.
The following structires can be built inside your mindscape with Mindscape Architect:

1 point:

Effigy of Aptitude
You can construct an effigy of aptitude, a monument to your own ego. An effigy of aptitude gives a +2 aptitude bonus to a single skill of your choice for as long as you remain in your mindscape.

Monument of Puissance
You can construct a monument of puissance, celebrating your own power. You gain a +1 bonus to your manifester level for the purpose of manifesting powers with the [telepathy] descriptor for as long as you remain in your mindscape.

Banner of Resilience
You can construct a banner of resilience, a celebration of your own mental fortitude. You gain a +2 bonus to your choice of Reflex, Fortitude or Will saves for as long as you remain in your mindscape.

2 point:

Statuary of Contemplation
You can construct a statuary of contemplation, a monument of deep meditation. You gain a second psionic focus for as long as you remain in your mindscape. This second focus can only be used to maintain or expend your psionic focus for the purposes of your psionic feats (except Mindscape Architect) and class features.

Cornucopia of Sustenance
You can construct a cornucopia of sustenance, a monument of renewed energy and vigor. This structure provides enough food and drink to allow a single creature to function for a single day. To feed additional creatures, you need to spend 1 power point per creature fed, to a maximum of your manifesting modifier per day.
If you spend an additional architect point on this structure, it functions as a Ring of Sustenance for you outside your mindscape.

Architect of Ruin (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Mindscape Architect
Benefit: You have learned to use your mindscape-shaping abilities to do harm. While inside another creatures mindscape, you can use the Mindscape Architect feat to erect harmful structures.
A harmful structure functions like a normal structure, except it's effects always affect the mindscapes owner outside the mindscape as if an additional point had been spent to construct the structure. You must spend architect points on structures created in your opponent’s mind as if you had erected a structure in your own mindscape. You choose the location of the harmful structure as you erect it. If you are outside the enemies mindscape as you erect it, you or the owner of the mindscape determine their location based on who enters the mindscape first.
You gain an additional architect point, which can only be spent to erect harmful structures.
If the owner of the mindscape is present, they may resist this alteration of their mental space. An unwilling mindscape owner gets a Will save (DC equal to 10 + your manifester level) to negate any changes made to their mindscape. If successful, the harmful structure is removed. The owner may attempt one such Will save every round for as long as the structure persists. Any harmful structures fade on their own after the owner of the mindscape where they are erected gets 8 hours of sleep.
The following harmful structures can be built inside an enemy mindscape using Architect of Ruin:

1 point

Barricade of Spite
You construct a barricade of malice inside the hostile mindscape, interfering with their manifesting abilities. As long as the structure stands, the owner of the mindscape takes a -1 penalty to their manifester level.

Migraine Banner
You raise a migraine-inducing banner, filling the mindscape with a debilitating aura. As long as the structure stands, the owner of the mindscape takes a -2 penalty to Will saves.

Weakening Monument
You construct a dark, distressing monument inside the hostile mindscape. As long as the structure stands, the owner of the mindscape takes a -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls.

2 point

Blood Red Sun
You call a blood red sun into existence, bathing the mindscape in crimson light that causes unbearable pain. As long as the structure stands, the owner of the mindscape is staggered. Any attempt to remove the staggered condition suppresses it for 1 round instead.

Shrieking Statue
You construct a grotesque statue whose howl fills your opponent’s mind. As long as this structure stands, the owner of the mindscape loses their Dexterity bonus to AC.

Persistent Ruin (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Architect of Ruin, Shape the Mind
Benefit: Your harmful structures and negative features are more difficult to get rid of. The DC of Will saves to resist your structures and terrain features increases by +4.
You gain 1 architect point, which can only be spent to erect harmful structures.

Purge the Mindscape (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Mindscape Architect
Benefit: You have learned to purge your mindscape of harmful influences without entering it. You may as a move action that provokes an attack of opportunity remove a single structure or feature of your mindscape without entering your mindscape or making an Autohypnosis check, by expending your psionic focus.
If inside your mindscape, this feat grants a +4 bonus to the Will save to resist changes to your mindscape instead.

Monument Strike (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Mindscape Architect, psychic strike class feature or warriors path class feature, BAB +6
Benefit: You focus your creative power into a single strike, erecting a harmful structure in your opponent’s mindscape.
As a standard action, you may expend your psionic focus and make a single attack at your highest base attack bonus against a creature that has a mindscape. If you have the psychic strike class feature or other source of precision damage such as sneak attack, you may add your bonus damage to this attack.
If the attack hits, you immediately erect a harmful structure in your opponent’s mindscape costing no more than 1 architect point. This costs architect points as normal. If you expend two additional architect point as part of this attack, you may instead erect a 2-point structure for a total of 3 architect points.
As with the Mindscape Architect feat, a particular harmful structure may only be erected once. Harmful structures fade on their own once the owner of the mindscape where they are erected gets 8 hours of sleep.
This feat can not be used against a creature that lacks a mindscape.
This feat can be used outside a mindscape.
You gain 1 architect point, which can only be spent to erect harmful structures.

Shape the Mind (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Autohypnosis 5 ranks
Benefit: You are able to shape a mindscape in such a way that the features you create can grant bonuses or penalties.
Shaping a feature is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
You may shape an area no larger than a 10’ square. Any bonuses applied to a terrain are granted to you and a number of allies equal to your Wisdom modifier. All penalties are applied to enemy creatures in the terrain. This allows you to create areas of difficult terrain, weather effects that impose penalties and lighting that obscures vision.
You may also create the following features:
Quickening terrain: Grants a bonus/penalty to Reflex saves
Favourable terrain: Grants a bonus/penalty to AC
Invigorating terrain: Grants a bonus/penalty to attack rolls
Charged terrain: Grants bonus energy damage
The DC to create a feature is 15 +1 for every point of bonus or penalty the terrain gives, to a maximum of +/-4.
The owner of the mindscape may roll a Will save (DC equals 10 + your manifester level) to resist these changes. On a successful save, the terrain reverts to its original state. The owner gets a Will save to resist alterations to his mindscape each round for as long as the changes persist.
Creating a feature costs 1 architect point. Architect points that can only be spent to erect harmful structures can also be spent on terrain features in an opponents mindscape.
You gain 1 architect point.

Dangerous Mind (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Mindscape Architect, Architect of Ruin, Shape the Mind
Benefits: You have understood the secrets of defending your mindscape, by laying psionic traps inside your own or an enemys mind. 
You may craft and place traps inside a mindscape. Crafting a trap requires an Autohypnosis roll (DC = traps craft DC + 5) and expending your psionic focus. If you are able to manifest powers, you may place a power you know of level 3 or lower with a range of touch in the trap. Otherwise, this functions as the trap creation rules in the Core Rulebook. Unlike other changes to a mindscape (except harmful structures), this trap disappears the next time the owner of the mindscape rests for 8 hours and recovers his power points and architect points. Unlike terrain features and harmful structures, if the owner of the mindscape is present they do not receive a Will save to resist the addition of traps to their mindscape.
Creating a trap costs 1 architect point. Architect points that can only be spent to erect harmful structures can also be spent on traps.
You gain 1 architect point.

Extra Architect Point (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Mindscape Architect, manifester level 6th
Benefit: You gain 1 architect point.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.

Mindscape Novice
Prerequisites: Lucid Dreaming, Must not be psionic.
Benefit: You gain the ability to create an active mindscape, though you do not become a psionic creature or gain the [psionic] subtype. Autohypnosis becomes a class skill for you. This feat also allows you to qualify for Mindscape feats as though you were a psionic creature.
If you ever take levels in a psionic class or otherwise gain the [psionic] subtype, you lose this feat and gain Mindscape Familiarity instead.

Mindscape Familiarity (Mindscape)
Prerequisites: Two mindscape feats.
Benefit: You have become adept at sensing the psionic energies emanating from active mindscapes. You may spend 2 power points as a free action to detect whether a creature has an active mindscape, as if you had manifested detect mindscape and concentrated for three rounds.

Lucid Dreamer
Prerequisites: Int 13, Must not be psionic
Benefit: You are capable of lucid dreaming, and able to visit your own latent mindscape. You may freely explore your own latent mindscape while sleeping, and may attempt to alter it in subtle, cosmetic ways by making an Intellect test DC 15. If you die inside your own latent mindscape you slip into a dreamless sleep, suffering from the fatigued condition for an hour after you wake up normally.
If you ever take levels in a psionic class or otherwise gain the [psionic] subtype, you lose this feat and gain Waking Mindscape instead.