Perceive health

Empaths have a special ability to perceive the life essences of the people and animals (and some highly-evolved intelligent plantlife) around them. This action trains empathy and power perception. As they gain skill, these sensations gain clarity and they'll be able to pick out certain properties of the individual (whether in hiding, if they have a disease, etc).

What can be sensed

• Fellow empaths
  • The presence of Xxxxxxx, a fellow Empath. (visible PCs and Empath NPCs)
  • The presence of an unseen fellow Empath. (hidden PC empaths, don't think there are hidden NPC empaths)
• non-empaths (profession indifferent)
  • The presence of Xxxxxxx. (visible PCs and named/important NPCs like shopkeepers, guildleaders, friendly faces, and guards)
  • An unidentifiable presence. (PCs and NPCs in hiding as opposed to simply not shown in the room description)
  • A relatively healthy presence nearby. (helpful/manipulatible critter, not undead/evil/cursed and not in hiding)
  • A malicious presence screeching in the far dark corner of your mind causes you to quickly open your eyes! (undead/evil/cursed, not in hiding)
• details
  • The presence of Xxxxx, whose grasp on life is tenuous. (low vitality)
  • (disease)
  • (poison)
  • (parasites--mites, leeches, worms, etc)

With increasing skill, an Empath will be able to sense life essences in other rooms farther and farther away, eventually encompassing a very large area indeed. Note that when a person/critter is hidden, this ability does not grant any mechanical bonus towards defeating stealth or pointing them out.

Warning: At times your senses will be overwhelmed. When this happens you will be stunned and also take internal head and nerve damage.