I was thinking a bit about Empathy and found myself wondering where it's headed. I took another look at that document from Throne City that was posted back when the skill was renamed, and to save folks from having to go dig it back up I'll just include it here. It went like this:
<<"We agreed. We should have never have retreated so far from society as to allow what has happened to happen. We grew apart in our power, as our power made us grow apart. Now it is too late. We can no longer live amongst the beings of this world. We can barely tolerate contact with one another, even at such distances, yet we cannot be alone. Never alone. We, who healed so many, can never be healed. Our gifts have grown too strong to be blocked, or even dulled for more than moments. And yet, we must face up to our responsibilities. One of us shall be chosen, and we shall cast that one out, may we somehow forgive ourselves for such an act. That one shall be tasked to do what must be done, while sanity and power remains. The children must be free. Only in freedom can there be growth and development. That which was begun must never be allowed to take place. The one tasked shall ensure that those with the knowledge eradicate all such from the records, before they themselves must forget. The power that allows so much must be channeled and lessened in others. The empathy cannot be removed from the children to come, but it must be channeled only into the transference of injuries, so as to prevent it from growing too great, as it has with us. Safeguards must be put in place, and some shall be designated to ensure that they are followed, so that the future is secured from such peril. We can only hope that our designated Guardian shall be able to do what must be done successfully. I pray it won't be me...">>
Something to the effect that changing the name to Empathy opened up future possibilities for what the skill can do was also stated at that time. Now, a little over two years later, "Empathy" can still do nothing more than "Transference" could, with the exception of the grossly underpowered Manipulate Friendship, which, incidentally, is an outstanding concept despite it's lack of effectiveness (unless I'm overlooking something, but I don't think I am...I guess some might count the Perceive Health upgrade, but that was an upgrade and not "something new"). What is the "so much" mentioned in the document that "this power" allows, and when will we be able to actually wield some of it? Is there anything currently in the works to this effect? We've pretty well exhausted the healing ideas (leastwise just about everything conceivable has at least been suggested at some point), so it would be nice to know what other areas are being explored. It's getting a bit tiresome watching my list of useless shift options grow at a sub-glacial pace to get a false sense that I'm actually improving somehow...and I'm not even what many would consider "highly skilled" yet, speaking strictly in terms of ranks.
Thanks,
-Master Healer Karthor
PS: This is also an opportunity for folks to suggest things that Empathy should be able to do. I'd throw something out there, but don't have anything at the moment.
