TELEPATHY - RANK I
Telepathy can come in many forms from a simple conversation not dissimilar from a telephone call, to a more immersive experience such as sharing senses, feelings, and even images. More advanced forms of telepathy, such as sharing points of view, must be learned. New hosts will find that they can communicate freely with members of their brood, however prolonged communication with hosts outside their brood can trigger headaches, light headed sensations, nausea and even losing consciousness for short intervals. Hosts may communicate with their brood members at a distance of up to 50 kilometers and hosts outside their brood up to a distance of 25 kilometers.

In addition to the useful bits of touching another person’s thoughts there are some mild side effects. Very new hosts may find themselves incapable of quieting their thoughts. A room full of new hosts can be incredibly loud. Luckily their range is rather short, because otherwise no one would get any sleep. Eventually hosts can learn to keep their thoughts to themselves, although this can be difficult when emotions run high.

     SPECIALIZED ABILITY - RANK I
All hosts have a skill that corresponds to their symbiote's subspecies. IOTA abilities manifest physically - something hosts can do with their bodies; RHO abilities are mental skills - skills hosts can control with their minds. Each host has only one specialized ability. These abilities aren’t necessarily unique and duplicates may exist, but they tend to suit the character and likely are an improvement on a talent the character already has.

     IMPROVED PHYSICALITY
One of the main benefits of the symbiotic relationship is an overall increase in physical abilities. Hosts will find they are approximately 25% more physically capable than they were in their previous lives and that this improves slowly over time. Typically a mind has limits set in place for your body which are designed to prevent an individual from going beyond what they are physically able to do and injuring themselves. The symbiote has the ability to push the limit of these blocks and to supplement a host body's ability to cope with stress. That said, it’s not perfect which is why physical training is still important to all members of the Nest. Additionally while hosts may feel pain less keenly, it is no less damaging to the body. It is absolutely possible that a host might accidentally severely injure themselves. Iota users will find these abilities easier to train and control over time.

     IMPROVED MENTAL ACUMEN
Another side effect of the symbiote is an increase in cognitive abilities. The symbiote allows you to process information more quickly, resulting in improved senses, greater information recall, and will find things like learning a new language much easier. Hosts will find they are approximately %25 more mentally capable than they once were and that this improves slowly over time. Hosts will find their vision, hearing and sense of smell improved. The downsides of this are obvious: young hosts will no doubt find their sharper senses overwhelming and unpleasant. Have you ever smelled someone’s breath from across the room? You will! Rho users will find these skills easier to train and control over time. (special note: this skill is dormant and doesn't improve - it merely becomes more honed and easier to control over time; as such, there are no upgrade details listed below.)

     RANK I to RANK II
               Month 3 - Month 9
     RANK II to RANK III
               Month 7 - Month 18
     RANK III to RANK IV |
               Month 11 - Month 30
     RANK IV to RANK V
               Month 18 - Month 40
     RANK V and BEYOND
               ????

TELEPATHY - RANK II

(+) No more headaches, hooray! With this skill, a host can communicate outside of their brood without worrying about nasty side effects. It also quadruples the communication range. Hosts will find it easier to control the type of transmissions they send and their clarity.
(-) Mental transmission to a host’s brood members becomes incredibly easy - maybe even too easy. It’s much easier to bleed clear emotions or memories to your brood members. Brood members who both have Rank II telepathy may find themselves in uncomfortable feedback loops with one another.

TELEPATHY - RANK III

(+) Local telepathy enables the user to communicate with any host as long as they’re on the same planet or equivalent surrounding space. It’s very easy to accurately project anything the host may like, including a live transmission of whatever they are currently seeing, hearing, or feeling.
(-) Hosts may find themselves picking up other psychic feedback from different sources, some of which can be very confusing or even upsetting. A planet is a big place.

TELEPATHY - RANK IV

(+) System telepathy enables the user to communicate with any host within the same solar system. Hella.
(-) Space, again, is very loud. Unshrouded mental projections can become very overwhelming. A host may spend as much time trying to block things out as connecting. Of course, as deep in as they are in the Nest hivemind it’s very likely that they won’t care much. The Nest is loud and they are deep.

TELEPATHY - RANK V

(+) Galactic telepathy. The user can communicate with any host within the same galaxy.
(-) You are now just a single limb of a vast, unknowable hivemind body. Have fun.

TRACKING - RANK I

(+)This ability enables hosts to easily locate members of their brood as long as they’re within their telepathic range. It’s an innate sense, an ability to feel where their other brood members are.
(-) Like, anywhere. Like really anywhere. Like you might wish you didn’t go looking levels of anywhere.
PRE-REQUISITE: Telepathy II

TRACKING - RANK II

(+) Users can easily locate any host in or outside of their brood as long as they’re within their telepathic range. If digging especially deep, hosts may be able to consciously share awareness and/or experience the physical sensations their brood members are currently experiencing.
(-) Once again, why. Hopefully thee person you're looking for isn't having a bad time. --Or too good of a time.

ABILITY BORROWING - RANK I

(+) This ability allows the host to borrow one (1) specialized ability from one of their brood members within their telepathic range for a single use with a duration of no more than two hours. This ability is only available roughly once every IC week.
(-) Hosts may also find themselves borrowing other things such as personality, memories, feelings, and attitudes. A hosts's sense of self may suffer in the aftermath.
PRE-REQUISITE: Telepathy II

ABILITY BORROWING - RANK II

(+) This ability allows the host to borrow one (1) specialized ability from one of their brood members within their telepathic range for a single use with a duration of no more than two hours. This ability is available roughly every two IC days.
(-) The host's sense of self is already wavering. Being this close to someone else is addictive. Terrifying. Hosts will have more difficulty feeling at home in their own skin.

ABILITY BORROWING - RANK III

(+) This ability allows the host to borrow one (1) specialized ability from one member of the Nest within or without their brood, within their telepathic range for a single use with a duration of no more than two hours. This ability is available once every IC day.
(-) This connection outside of a host's brood only serves to pull them deeper. Hosts will feel a sense of belonging not only with their brood, but with other members of the Nest. They will find it very difficult to pull away from that connection. Hosts may find it very difficult to remember who they are - which parts are theirs and which are someone else entirely.

ABILITY BORROWING - RANK IV

(+) This ability allows the host to borrow two (2) specialized abilities from any two members of the Nest within or without their brood, within their telepathic range for a single use with a duration of no more than two hours. This ability is available once every IC day per ability.
(-)It doesn’t really bother you that those aren’t your hands.

ABILITY BORROWING - RANK V

(+) This ability allows the host to borrow multiple specialized ability from multiple member of the Nest within or without their brood, within their telepathic range for a single use with a duration of no more than two hours. This ability is available roughly five times in one IC day if it doesn't kill you.
(-) You are now a single limb in a vast and unknowable body --but at least you can breath fire right?!

SPECIALIZED ABILITY DEVELOPMENT

This is dependent on your characters and their chosen skill and ranges from the base skill of RANK I to RANK III. Please follow the tiers approved in your application. If you wish to make changes to your skill tiers, please contact the mod account to discuss it.