I have this rogue psyker that I'm trying to develop and I need to figure out a way to advance his skills and "learn" new abilities. I won't be allowed to simply purchase new talents from his psychic discipline without finding a logical way in game to go about advancing his powers. The purchases will be elite advances and I'm wanting to nail down a really good reason as to why his abilities are flourishing.

He is extremely reluctant to use his powers, not a single soul on the ship even knows he has powers yet and I'd like to keep it under wraps for a while longer. Not being the type of guy that could just experiment with his powers, I figured he will either have to find some kinda of forbidden information or be exposed to a psychic phenomena that triggers some latent power. He's an extremely pious character so dark evil things and chaos involved things aren't really going to be something he'd search out, so that isn't really an option when it comes to "how did he cultivate and hone his powers"

If you have any ideas or if there is anything lore-wise or in the source books themselves that would be helpful to utilize that would be great.

He already has a psy rating, I'm just trying to explain his development from a what some may call a wyrdling into an actual talented and battle ready psyker.

Warp did it?

Perhaps he considers the psychic powers he uses to be acts of faith, and is lead to pursue that vein of thought by cultists embedded in the ship's clergy? Clairvoyance as visions granted by the Emperor, Telepathy as angels whispering the sins of those around him in his ear, et cetera.

If he is exceptionally pious then perhaps he was mind clensed. The Imperium occasionally mind clenses people for a variety of reasons, often because they have seen something that they shouldn't have and their minds have become damaged. This way they get to continue to serve the Imperium without ever knowing what they saw. Also it can meen they're extra loyal due to the mental conditioning.

The process is never 100% however so perhaps his growing abilities are old memories returning or areas of his mind that were not locked off comepletely.

Show me on this doll where the bad bad daemon touched you...

"warp did it" just seems more of an easy way out sort of fix though!

Weedy, I like the thought, it makes for a super cool "borne" feel but just doesn't fit with the character background laid out by the origin path and his personal back story.

I was thinking about the possibility that if he came in contact with a powerful psychic that it might unlock all of the repressed potential inside his head, or possibly a situation where his mind snaps and he realizes that to fight some of the things that go bump in the night he'll have to fight fire with fire. Much like some inquisitors think the best weapons to use against Xenos is their own weapons.

Perhaps he considers the psychic powers he uses to be acts of faith, and is lead to pursue that vein of thought by cultists embedded in the ship's clergy? Clairvoyance as visions granted by the Emperor, Telepathy as angels whispering the sins of those around him in his ear, et cetera.

This is a fantastic idea, although to him those powers could be acts of faith where as to others they might be seen has witchcraft/sorcery/heresy.

I was thinking about the possibility that if he came in contact with a powerful psychic that it might unlock all of the repressed potential inside his head, or possibly a situation where his mind snaps and he realizes that to fight some of the things that go bump in the night he'll have to fight fire with fire. Much like some inquisitors think the best weapons to use against Xenos is their own weapons

The psychic unlock is a decent way to go but it seems to me that it'd be an everything at once situation where he goes from zero to fully unleashed psychic in one hit. That might be what you're looking for but if you're looking for a gradual progression then it doesn't seem to fit.

Perhaps one of his relations was a sanctioned psychic in the Imperial Guard and his memoirs can have been handed down to this character. That way he can come to realize over time that psychic power is something that can be used in the service of the Emperor and therfore something he could actually practice.

From that background it seems like he'd want to avoid using powers at all costs so the faith angle that Errant suggested seems like your best bet.

Perhaps in the future he grows to be such a powerful psyker that he causes such widespread devastation and death that his powers reach back in time to communicate with himself, and attempt to steer himself onto a more controlled and restricted path? Every time you unlock a new power, it's you being granted a skill that future you knows that you need or are ready for with the unfortunate knowledge that this means future you hasn't ceased to exist, and you're still on a path where you're going to unleash daemons and kill all your friends.

Shame the Emperor couldn't have this. If only he had Darth Caedus "left himself a message", he might've seen more of his own failings coming. Oh well, then we wouldn't have our grimdark future/present.

Shame the Emperor couldn't have this. If only he had Darth Caedus "left himself a message", he might've seen more of his own failings coming. Oh well, then we wouldn't have our grimdark future/present.

The Horus Heresy novels are very strongly hinting right now that the Emperor has foreseen all of this, or at least once the heresy started he's seen how it ends with his "death".

It also indicates there are a number of possible futures though. Shame we know which one we get.

Shame the Emperor couldn't have this. If only he had Darth Caedus "left himself a message", he might've seen more of his own failings coming. Oh well, then we wouldn't have our grimdark future/present.

The Horus Heresy novels are very strongly hinting right now that the Emperor has foreseen all of this, or at least once the heresy started he's seen how it ends with his "death".

It also indicates there are a number of possible futures though. Shame we know which one we get.

The grimmest and darkest one possible. Because... 40K, son. No unicorn and rainbows in this future.

Not that they'll ever advance the story, but if they did...

Throne fails, Emperor dies, galaxy goes to hell in a hand basket... then something/someone happen that creates a semblance of balance and we start over again.

Trying to develop powers through faith? Tell me my son, have you ever considered becoming a saint?

Not all of the unexplainable, probably-warp-related phenomena in the game is likely to be laid at the feet of the Dark Gods. The Emperor keeps busy with doling out his visions, dreams and omens. There are some good examples in the Gaunt's Series- a talking statue, a brass message capsule that keeps coming back and a retired (also, dead for decades) Sororitas come to mind. Another possible example unreliant on Abnett is the Legion of the Damned. The Black Templar can claim the visions had by the one who is to don the mantle of Emperor's Champion, at least back in the 4e codex.

Talk to the GM about what powers you want to manifest. Meet a crazy old crewmember on board the ship with some odd, military mannerisms- maybe he'll introduce himself as Drew- and he might inspire something. Maybe you won't be the only PC to meet him, either. Maybe the Voidmaster recognizes the description you give him as belonging to a guy on one of the gun-crews. A few weeks later, you might notice a resemblance to the stained glass of Saint Drusus in the Chapel, but when you go back to look for him... gone, and no one on the gun crews knows who either of you is talking about.

Trying to develop powers through faith? Tell me my son, have you ever considered becoming a saint?

Not all of the unexplainable, probably-warp-related phenomena in the game is likely to be laid at the feet of the Dark Gods. The Emperor keeps busy with doling out his visions, dreams and omens. There are some good examples in the Gaunt's Series- a talking statue, a brass message capsule that keeps coming back and a retired (also, dead for decades) Sororitas come to mind. Another possible example unreliant on Abnett is the Legion of the Damned. The Black Templar can claim the visions had by the one who is to don the mantle of Emperor's Champion, at least back in the 4e codex.

Talk to the GM about what powers you want to manifest. Meet a crazy old crewmember on board the ship with some odd, military mannerisms- maybe he'll introduce himself as Drew- and he might inspire something. Maybe you won't be the only PC to meet him, either. Maybe the Voidmaster recognizes the description you give him as belonging to a guy on one of the gun-crews. A few weeks later, you might notice a resemblance to the stained glass of Saint Drusus in the Chapel, but when you go back to look for him... gone, and no one on the gun crews knows who either of you is talking about.

THIS. This is some of that next level **** right here.

Flatterer.

Should we kiss now or...?

That may violate forum policy. Not sure. Let's keep it... well, PG at least.

That may violate forum policy. Not sure. Let's keep it... well, PG at least.

So he is saying you can hold hands. Anymore more than that is prone to

Trying to develop powers through faith? Tell me my son, have you ever considered becoming a saint?

Not all of the unexplainable, probably-warp-related phenomena in the game is likely to be laid at the feet of the Dark Gods. The Emperor keeps busy with doling out his visions, dreams and omens. There are some good examples in the Gaunt's Series- a talking statue, a brass message capsule that keeps coming back and a retired (also, dead for decades) Sororitas come to mind. Another possible example unreliant on Abnett is the Legion of the Damned. The Black Templar can claim the visions had by the one who is to don the mantle of Emperor's Champion, at least back in the 4e codex.

Talk to the GM about what powers you want to manifest. Meet a crazy old crewmember on board the ship with some odd, military mannerisms- maybe he'll introduce himself as Drew- and he might inspire something. Maybe you won't be the only PC to meet him, either. Maybe the Voidmaster recognizes the description you give him as belonging to a guy on one of the gun-crews. A few weeks later, you might notice a resemblance to the stained glass of Saint Drusus in the Chapel, but when you go back to look for him... gone, and no one on the gun crews knows who either of you is talking about.

I agree that this is super viable, and well thought out. My GM simply told me to reference Faith and Coin, although I'm unsure what he wanted me to do with it. I'm evolving the my character's persona in my head to try and figure out how I could go about achieving these ends. Maybe not striving for sainthood but definitely moving toward a more devout military leader.

He will be confused about his place in the universe being a follower of the imperial creed but having these traitorous powers. Maybe later going to the extreme of implanting subskin armour with hexagramatic wards on them, purity seals on his armour, etc. to protect him from chaos much like grey knights do?

I'm not an expert on the imperial creed and was wondering if there is any source material on it so that I may read it, become versed with it and then bear this knowledge in game to more directly display my extreme faith.

I'm also at a loss for how I should introduce my party members to these powers, hoping they won't turn on the character right away.

Just piping in here to tell you that you should have a look at the Theosophamy and Soul Ward Disciplines, from Into the Storm and Navis Primer respectively. They are both disciplines based heavily on faith in Him On Earth. Theosophamy centres a lot around closing and sealing rents in the warp, as well as banishing daemons, as well as being adamant in their faith. Soul Ward is a bit more "caring" discipline, focusing around shielding and invigorating friends while dealing judgement upon those who have turned their back on their one true Lord and Master.