Separate Headspaces

This Merit represents rigorous training to cultivate the ability to carry on two or more truly simultaneous and completely independent thoughts or mental tasks (e.g. reading a book while mentally piecing together evidence from an investigation into a theory, or managing mind-numbing pain while looking around a room to plan an escape).

Training
The process for learning this merit involves, first learning a language that isn't your own native one, then memorizing a sizable work of literature originally composed in that language to the point where recalling any of it's parts is effortless (similar to effortlessly recalling a catchy song).

Each language contains within it its own assumptions on the flow of ideas and thus your mind works differently in that context. The work of literature gives the flow of ideas from the language a mold to move through. This mold becomes it's own sustained structure within your mind - a separate "headspace".

Mechanics
Separate Headspaces (•)—Purchased

This Merit may be re-purchased as many times as desired, up to a limit of the number of purchases of the Language merit (max 6 times).

Aside from providing opportunity for stunts, once per story per purchase, the character may use one of the following effects: For the latter two effects, multiple purchases of this Merit can be used at the same time to increase the number by one for each one used.
 * ignore all penalties from distraction for a roll (like a wound penalty)
 * resist a Derangement (Exalted CORE, p 168) instead of spending Willpower
 * divide the amount of time for a mental-based action by two
 * perform one mental-based action at the same time as another action without any penalty or issue

Additionally, learning this Merit is grounds for purchasing the Merit "Eidetic Memory" (Exalted CORE, p 161), despite it being "Innate", as one of the headspaces become dedicated to observation and memory exercises.

Credits et all
Lovingly adapted from Iron Druid Chronicles