Psions
Psions are basically psychics, which introduces a bit of sci-fi into the fantasy setting of Scarterra. It's admittedly an awkward fit, and psions are not welcome in most sectors of Scarterran society.
Psionics are widely distrusted because the powers greatly resemble the powers used by Void demons who once almost destroyed the entire world.
Causes
Unlike Infernalists, psions are born and not made.
Psionic births seem to be random. It's not known if psionic potential has a hereditary component. A large number of psions choose to remain childless, and those that don't normally don't broadcast their abilities so there is a good chance children of psions never know their parents were psions.
Symptoms
Psions usually have telepathic powers. But some the ability to manipulate objects with telekinesis, to manipulate energy with pyrokinesis, or the ability to psychically alter their bodies.
Prognosis
Psions usually develop their first inklings of power around the onset of adolescence. They either learn to control their pwers quickly, or else they get accused of Infernalism and are executed. Or else real Infernalists might find them and invite them which is arguably worse.
Many young psions run away from home. Others commit suicide. Those that get a handle on their power quickly usually learn to keep it secret.
Affected Groups
Almost any mortal can make an Infernal Pact with a Void Demon, but as far as anyone knows, only creatures that had their genesis after the Second Unmaking seem to have psionic potential.
This mainly includes humans, orcs, and igundans.
The goddess Greymoria creates monstrous children of vengeance in every era. Whether or not any of her youngest children such as the false vampires can have psionic potential remains to be seen.
Whether or not Greymoria even wants her children to wield psionic power remains to be seen. As the goddess of magic, she could view the emergence of psions as an untapped opportunity or as a dangerous threat.
Since Greymoria is experimenting with giving her new children new powers, it's difficult to separate what is a psionic ability from what is an innate Greymoria-created magical ability.
by me with Midjourney
History
by Me with Midjourney
Void demons live outside of known reality in the realm of malevolent nothingness known as the Void.
Most void demons do not have mouths. They do not eat (in the conventional way at least). They don't breathe, and they don't talk. They do communicate with telepathy. Stronger void demons have psychokinetic powers of various kinds.
Some magic spells can mimic certain Void demon abilities, but for millennia it was believed that innate telepathic and psychokinetic powers was solely the province of demons and their Infernalist pawns.
Cultural Reception
The powers of Scarterran psions are very similar to the powers of Scarterran Infernalists.
Because of this similarity, it is very easy for psions to be accused of Infernalism, and that is a capital offense pretty much everywhere. Most pisons choose to keep their abilities secret for this very reason, so most Scarterrans underestimate how many psions truly exist.
The high level of secrecy also makes it very difficult for psions to form societies of their own kind, so most psions are self taught.
There are some Scarterrans that believe that the emergence of psions might actually be a gift from the Nine to fight Void demons, but this is an unpopular minority opinion. An even less popular opinion is that mortal life on Scarterra is naturally evolving without the Nine's input.
Even if they don't believe psions are automatically demonic pawns, mages and theurgists do not like the idea of third type of spell-caster competing with them. A lot of magical societies and holy orders wield political influence as well as magical power, and a lot of them use their influence to make things difficult for psions.
by me with Midjourney
The subterranean igundans are one of the youngest mortal races in Scarterras, so they don't have any cultural baggage with the "Little Unmaking". They also have almost no contact with other races, so no one taught them that they are supposed to be afraid of psionics. For their part, the igundans are pragmatic opportunists. If an igundan develops strange powers, the igundans will consider it a good thing if these powers canbe a benefit the tribe.
This has led to misunderstanding as dwarves and humans have witnessed igundans using psionics openly leading to rumors that the rat-like igundans are in fact minions of the Void.
Type
Supernatural
Cycle
Chronic, Congenital
Rarity
Extremely Rare
Affected Species
Comments