Stay of Execution – Akashic Veil

[Compulsion, Healing, Necromancy]

Class:	Fisherking
Chakra:	Voice
Saving Throw:	Will negates (bound); see text

“You cannot die yet. I have not granted you permission to leave my service!”

When weaving this veil, select another veil you have woven that would be a valid target for the feat Merciful Veils. The selected veil gains the benefit of the Merciful Veils feat.

You also gain the ability to cast stabilize at will as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to your veilweaver level.

Essence

For each point of essence invested in this veil, the nonlethal damage inflicted by your veils increases by +1.

Chakra Bind (Voice)

Binding this veil to your Voice chakra grants you the power to force a defeated creature to serve you for a time. Whenever a creature within close range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 character levels) would die or be destroyed, you may intervene as a free action, even if it is not your turn.

The creature is instead reduced to 1 hit point, and an akashic seal is placed somewhere on their body that lasts until the next sunrise. While this seal persists, the target is prevented from performing any of the actions listed in the forbid action spell unless you explicitly allow them to do so. A successful Will save allows the creature to ignore this restriction for one round, after which the seal restricts their actions once again.

Additionally, you may force the creature to enact a single, simple command. For example, you may tell a creature to “move here” or “start talking,” but you couldn’t tell the creature to “go to Aldhaven city” if they don’t know the way there or “tell the complete truth,” as “the complete truth” is too complex of a concept for this ability.

Frequently Asked Questions: Stay of Execution

What kind of commands can be given?

The GM has the final word on what command can be given, but as a guideline, the command should be simple enough to be stated in one or two sentences. Things like “Go home” “Drop your weapons” or “Sing the national anthem” are all valid choices, assuming that there’s nothing preventing the creature from doing so. An immobile creature cannot go anywhere, a wolf cannot normally drop their weapons, and a bandit couldn’t sing an anthem if they had no voice or didn’t know the words.

As commands get more complex, the greater chance they have of not being executed properly, or simply failing outright. A cultist could be forced to speak about an incident, but he can’t be forced not to try to lie. If compelled to speak truthfully (such as being within a zone of truth), they may choose to omit details or give unimportant details that are technically true.

Likewise, telling someone to “complete everything on this page” or “sign this page,” and then presenting someone with a page of tasks or a contract is the same as commanding them to do all of those tasks or adhering to everything in that contract, which would fail because this would be multiple commands instead of the single granted by the feat. However, signing something simple, such as a written confession of a crime, should likely be allowed, as it is only one task.

Should a command be given that the creature could not complete, the command is wasted, but the character who uses this ability should have a good idea about what it can accomplish and what it cannot; even if the character’s player does not. Thus, the GM and player should work out what would work and what won’t in regards to this ability.