Memory Manipulation

Abstract

Sorcerers in Arthorne have the ability to wipe recent memories with a touch. There are no recorded instances of memories being edited, wiped after a duration or from range, though it’s hard to disprove such powers. It’s possible to notice discrepencies, usually right after awakening from sleep.

Description

Many of the extraordinary in Arthorne are able to manifest a phenomena by touching their target that will cause someone to forget an entire period of time. The affected subject loses up to ten minutes of memory, with the subjective experience being almost indistinguishable from having briefly lost your train of thought. This phenomena, like most other extraordinary phenomena, likely has some cost to the caster, but from its liberal application I suspect that the cost is minimal.

Tactics

• Part of what keeps The Veil intact in Arthorne is liberal application of this phenomena to plug unintentional leaks of information, but this is the least interesting application and is largely unnecessary assuming “optimal play”.
• Applying it in a situation under friendly control allows liberal “retries” of social situations; different approaches to questioning or persuasion can be attempted to steer the outcome of a conversation towards its “optimal” outcome.
• While largely useless in the heat of combat, the brief disorientation can be used to disorient a subject for flight or for incapacitation.

Counterplay

• Written records are entirely unaffected by this phenomenon, and thus important information should be immediately recorded.
  • Systems to detect tampering with my own records, while invaluable, are beyond the scope of this entry*Need to figure this out sooner rather than later!
    
    .
• Deciding on an action to take when when memory manipuation is possible may help detect instances of the phenonmenon in the moment: Something like biting one’s lip in a specific way or grabbing hold of a specific object.
  • While this doesn’t stop the phenonmenon from taking hold, noticing these details without being able to recall implementing them suggests that the phenomenon has occured to me recently.
  • For obvious reasons I will not record my specific action in these notes, but to anyone who reads this: know that I do employ this technique and do not attempt to alter my memories.
• While often too delayed to be of immediate use, careful examination of memories for discontinuties in location or situation without explaination of the interval suggest that the phenomenon has occured.
  • Something about sleep “resets” the mind to be more attentive to these details, but also memories naturally fade in time. I should get into the habit of reviewing the previous day at dawn after I wake, as by its very nature it’s difficult to know when such phenomenon have occured the previous day.

Common Users

Those demonstrating other extraordinary phenomena should be assumed to possess this phenomenon until evidence suggests otherwise. As this phenomenon affects memory, all known users will be listed in this section as a precaution.

• Ren
• Azaleos