Kinesics Scanners
Under Review
This content is currently under review, and is likely to be added to or modified Winter 2025/2026.
A tablet device, scanner, or glasses; anything that could theoretically scan someone and give an on-screen result.
Official Ardent Supply
Equipment
| Name | Equipment Description | Shop Value |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesics Scanner | Use the call “Read” to get a one-word response on the target’s emotional state or reaction. Activate using 1 Power. Designed for Diplomatic gameplay. This is Specialist Equipment and can only be used by members of the DIPLO Division. | 12 |
Upgrades
| Name | Upgrade Description | Shop Value |
|---|---|---|
| Lie Detector Upgrade | During conversation, you may use the call “Detect Lie” to identify whether a statement, or part of a statement, was a lie. Designed for Diplomatic gameplay. This is Specialist Equipment and can only be used by members of the DIPLO Division. | 20 |
Other Suppliers
Details of other sources and known items will be added here when reported.
Description
Read
Read is a single call which prompts the target to respond immediately with their emotional state or reaction. When using the call, “Read: emotional state” or “Read: reaction” can be specified. Unless they have a call or ability that prevents it, the target, be they crew or player, must answer honestly and in the spirit of the question, using their best judgement to try to match what the caller is asking for. If absolutely need be, clarifying questions can be asked. Read is an out-of-character call, so the target might suspect they are being scrutinised but they won’t know what information they have revealed as a result of the call.
Typically, the “Read” call will get you a one-word response, but the target may expand on that if they wish to add more detail.
Detect Lie
Detect Lie is a call that can be used at any point during a conversation with a player or crew member. The call “Detect Lie” is best used immediately after a specific statement has been made or information given, and only assesses intent, not the objective fact of a statement. If several facts were presented in quick succession, using this call will identify whether there was a lie within the overall statement, and not tell you exactly what the lie was.
“Detect Lie” is an out-of-character call, and targets should not generally react in-character to its use; their response of “Yes” or “No” is also out-of-character. The target might suspect they are being scrutinised, especially if it is repeatedly used, but they won’t know what information they have revealed as a result of the call. Very rarely, crew characters will explicitly know what is occurring.
How To Use
Read
- This item is used to discover a target’s emotions at that moment in time, and while it can be used anytime, it is best used immediately after something has happened that you want to find the reaction to.
- You should roleplay briefly activating the device, then may use the call “Read”, expending 1 Power.
- The target must give an immediate one-word response to the call.
- If the target responds with “Resist”, you can’t get a clear reading on them. The Power is still expended.
Detect Lie
- Another character makes a statement.
- Immediately call “Detect Lie”, expending 1 Power.
- The target responds “Yes” or “No”, then continues the conversation.
Examples
The young street trader is hiding something. “Nobody came by here, I promise.” Skriller knows all too well what it means to keep secrets, but she also knows something else is afoot here. Rather than address the comment, Skriller tries to get to the underlying problem; “Read: emotional state”. The crew member playing the trader responds immediately: “scared”. Aha, time for a new approach.
“Would you believe, Minister, that we know all about your little soirées?” With a flourish, Baxter pulls out a brown paper envelope. The Minister grins wolfishly; “there’s nothing you could have on me that I’m not ready for”. “I wouldn’t be so sure” says Baxter, slapping the envelope down on the steel interrogation room table. The contents spill out, displaying lurid deeds in a cold and calculating black and white. Immediately, Baxter’s player makes a call: “Read: reaction. To seeing the pictures, obviously”. The Minister swallows a nervous gulp and responds; “dread”.
Finbar Three watches the negotiations between the two parties closely. He’s not leading the conversation, but he is observing, figuring out how to use it to the Ardent’s advantage. He patiently lets the Northern Rol representative finish their opening statement, and then asks, “Detect Lie” to discover whether there is a lie in the statement. The Northerner replies, “No”, and the conversation continues as it was, undisturbed; they appear to be telling the truth. Almost immediately after the Southern Lug delegate begins speaking, Finbar interjects: “Detect Lie”, to see if the Lug delegate is trying to mislead the Rol. The Southerner replies “Yes”, they are indeed! This likewise does not change the conversation. As the conversation begins to flow properly, Flynn gets in two more uses of the Lie Detector in back-to-back; Lug makes a speech about the ship, “Detect Lie” get the answer “Yes”, but there were several points made and Flynn doesn’t know which is the lie. Another short statement is made and Flynn once again asks “Detect Lie”, replied with “No”; that last fact was true this time.
The two representatives now start to get suspicious; as far as they’re concerned, their strange Anthroid mediator from off-world hasn’t said anything, but he keeps using his strange device at vulnerable moments. Finbar catches on to this, and also notices that he only has one Power left on his Lie Detector anyway, so he decides to rely on his training to guess deception himself and save the Detector as a backup, thus allaying suspicion. He has plenty of information to bring back to Diplo.
