1403188
They have no need to feel the emotion on their own, and there is no feedback. However, it costs them more to maintain that connection and inspire emotion. There does need to be some glimmer of the desired emotion there, but it doesn't take much.

1403183
Well you would think that you could store a phylactery in a room or other container with some form if binding spell limiting how far they could manifest a physical form. Like say inside of cage they can't break.

1403200
That's interesting. Probably is hard for beings that don't really feel emotion.

1403215
Against threats such as the undead, demons, or golems, they are almost totally useless.

1403177
Don't you mean the Autumn Equinox?

1403228
Probably.

The next group of Mentalists are simply known as Bleeders, and their specialty is Anatomic Enhancement, the ability to remove the mental blocks one’s mind may put in place to prevent one from overexerting themselves. Not only this, but over time, Bleeders can convince a body to change its true self, to take on attributes of an animal or change their appearance entirely. With a quick effort of will, Bleeders can block out pain, reduce stress, or slow down time by accelerating the minds of their subjects. Bleeders are the most easy to find, as they pair well with Mages to push the limits of what they can do and advance the cause of science as a whole.

Bleeders are so named because of the aftereffects of their magic, which can often leave subjects broken, battered, and bleeding due to their inability to limit themselves. Of course, Bleeders can use this magic on themselves, making them fearsome warriors, and they can enhance the bodies of assailants in such a way as to make themselves very difficult targets, such as speeding up a punch of spear thrust in order to cause their opponent to miscalculate. The truly skilled Bleeder can even manage to convince themselves that they are something entirely different than what they are, growing fangs in the middle of a battle or thinking twelve moves ahead of an opponent before they can figure out their next attack.

1403259
You mean these guys can change genders?!

1403278
There's a brothel in Crescent City that specializes in that. Called the Sun and Moon.

1403286

I finally found a reason to use this

1403286
I could have lived my whole life not knowing that.

1403313
Not nearly as strange as half of the stuff that goes on in Crescent City, and I mean that quite sincerely.

1403313
Actually, come to think of it. How are you aware of this information, Professor?

1403286
I'm not really seeing too much of an issue here. In fact, I could see a benefit to all of that type of behavior.

1403316
Note to self: Don't go to Crescent City.

1403318
It's a wretched hive of scum and villainy. I used to work in that city, and I saw some shit.

1403322
Popular with married couples, believe it or not.

The next Discipline is that of Emotional Manipulation, one of the few arts Mentalists practice that resemble Clerics. The practitioners of this are known as Weepers, and they specialize in increasing emotion in others. The practiced Weeper can fan infatuation into obsession, joy into mania, or annoyance into a homicidal rage. For this reason, they tend to be mistrusted in matters involving the heart in rural areas, as even the very best Weepers occasionally lose control of their powers. However, in more enlightened lands, the proficient Weeper can make a fortune with their powers.

Many choose to work as marriage counselors, combining psychology with gentle nudges in the right direction to achieve that which their magic cannot give; true and lasting emotions. Weepers can also work as grief counselors, therapists, and other such professions, though they are generally banned from jobs requiring impartiality such as law or politics.

1403322
I understand there is a use for those who are confused as to which gender they consider themselves to be. But what about the ones that change their own gender just to mess with others?

1403327
Would you care to elaborate on what you saw?

1403329
World views...crumbling...

1403331
Eventually such a thing will backfire on them in an ironic way.

1403333
Two words that were never spoken together before, and I hope I never see that certain event which inspired them again.

Dragon orgy.

1403327
So moving away from Mos Eisley, how is it that sending your allies into a frenzy that accidentally kills them not considered a bad thing?

1403348
Trust your Bleeder, and they'll make sure you snap out of it before it gets too bad.

1403344
...Now you've just made me curious. Probably for the worse, but still curious.

1403344
*enters a semi-comatose state*

1403330
So Weepers are inverted Soothers?

1403372
1403373
This was in a bar on the sea side of the city, and it was hardly even after dinner. Everyone was drunk out of their minds.

1403380
By and large, yes.

1403344
Okay, but have you seen someone kick a pigeon down a city block only to have a homeless guy catch it and take off?

The Final Discipline is perhaps the most well-known and darkest of the Disciplines, that of Mental Domination. Those who practice it are known as Binders, though no Binding Magic is used in this. Mental Domination is the complete and total obliteration of unwanted thoughts, desires, or emotions. Domination is the systemic destruction of a personality, to be replaced with the desired characteristic. Those who undergo this treatment, known as a Dampening, are effectively killed and replaced with something else. They could be turned into a mindless thrall or a bloodthirsty maniac or a lovesick slave at the whim of the Binder.

There is a reason, however, we do not see Binders who have forsaken the Laws building vast empires of thralls. To create a thrall takes time and effort. Even the very best take days, and the general consensus on average length is a little over a month. Additionally, the process is taxing on the Binder, who must focus all of their will on their subject as well as their magic. Multiple thralls can be seen to in a day, but they can only be enthralled one at a time.

Why is this magic not outlawed entirely? This is because most of the time, it is not used on sentient beings, and those who do meet with swift justice. Binders are renowned for their ability to tame wild beasts for use in normal society, and it is from the taming and sale of thrallbeasts that they contribute to society. Many a noble house has a pack of tame wolves roaming the grounds to destroy intruders, or exotic and unusual pets like eagles to hunt with

1403402
Isn't this the sort of thing a Cleric would be capable of as well?

1403446
No, they bond with an animal. Naturalists form partnerships and soothe animals. Binders tame animals.

1403402
So their main contribution is cheaper guards for people to have or exotic pets? Nothing more?

1403457
Binders broke the mind of a murderer in Crescent City who had raped and killed thirty one people, most of them children. Binders brought low the Lich known as Blackthorn and held him still while Mages took him apart to see how he worked. Because of that, hundreds, if not thousands, of lives have been saved. Binders are better guardians than most Paladins. But you had best hope that the one they have defeated is no one who will be missed, because the ones they enthrall will never, ever come back.

1403473
Well, a Binder enthralling some bandit warlord vs a guardian killing him, that guy is never coming back.

1403473
Well that's good to know. It seemed that from your earlier description that Binders were either pet vendors or evil empire builders.

1403473
Couldn't a traveler simply leave their body during the process of enthrallment?

Now, we're going to all engage in an exercise. Do you have your timers ready? If so, set them to five minutes, but don't start them yet.

1403496
And go where or do what? Die a few hours later?

1403496
If they were quick enough.

1403497
Set

1403497
Ready

1403497
Is watching a clock good enough?

1403485
I prefer death. Enthrallment is a fate worse than death.

1403497
Kay.

1403513
Isn't total mind death still death? With the former you basically have a bag of meat walking around and doing stuff, but it isn't the fictional warlord.

Right. I want you to take the index and middle fingers of your right hand, and rest them in between your eyes, right between your eyebrows. They should rest somewhere right above the part where your skull drops away to your nose.

Gently apply pressure there. Don't push, just apply enough pressure to dimple your skin. Now, I want you to see if you can feel something there, it should feel like a slight tingling. Once you can, close your eyes and focus on that tingling.

You might feel it start to move back, like it's sinking into your skull. Just focus on that tingling and let it back. If you can, hold it in the center of your mind until the timer goes off. Focus on that tingling if you can, and then, with your attention on it, try to let yourself drift.

1403532
I'm sitting here thinking whether or not to mention the hands and hooves thing.