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Comprehend

Type: Sensory • Action: None • Range: Personal • Duration: Permanent • Cost: 2 points per rank

You can comprehend different sorts of communication. Each rank in this effect allows you to choose one of the following options:

Animals

You can either speak to or comprehend animals. You can ask questions and receive answers, although animals are not any more friendly or cooperative than normal. Furthermore, wary and cunning animals are likely to be terse and evasive, while especially stupid ones make insane comments. If an animal is friendly toward you, it may do some favor or service for you. For 2 ranks you can both speak to and understand the "speech" of animals.

Languages

You can either speak or understand the language of any intelligent creature. You can speak only one language at a time, although you can comprehend multiple languages at once. This effect does not enable you to speak with creatures that don't possess a language. For 2 ranks you can both speak and understand all languages. For 3 ranks anyone able to hear you can understand what you're saying, regardless of language. Being able to also read any language you comprehend requires 1 additional rank.

Machines

You can communicate with electronic devices, making inquiries and understanding their replies. This requires two Comprehend ranks. Most are limited by their programming and peripherals in terms of what they "know," and may not be able to answer some inquiries with anything other than an "unknown" or "not found." At the GM's discretion, you can use the Technology skill as an interaction skill when communicating with machines.

Objects

You can communicate with inanimate objects, granting them the ability to speak to you or simply "reading" impressions from them. This requires two Comprehend ranks. Objects only "know" about events directly affecting them or occurring in their immediate area. Gamemasters can apply the guidelines for Postcognition to this effect.

Plants

You can communicate with plants, both normal plants and plant creatures. This requires two Comprehend ranks. A plant's sense of its surroundings is limited, so it won't be able to give (or recognize) detailed descriptions or answer questions about events outside its immediate vicinity.

Spirits

You can communicate with incorporeal and normally invisible and inaudible spirit beings, such as ghosts or certain extradimensional entities, depending on the context of the setting. Rank 1 essentially allows you to function as a "medium" of sorts, able to perceive spirits and relay what you see and hear. Rank 2 allows you to be clearly under-stood by denizens of the spirit world, as well. At the GM's discretion, this effect may extend to undead creatures, demons, or other supernatural entities, depending on the setting.

Flaws

Limited by Type: You can only comprehend a broad type of subject (only elves, canines, avians, or sea creatures, for example). For an additional application, you can only comprehend a narrow type of subject (dogs, falcons, or dolphins, for example). Broad -1 cost per rank. Narrow -2 cost per rank.