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synodiporia_ooc2019-11-26 06:26 pm
powersthatbe) wrote in synodiporia_ooc2019-11-26 06:26 pm
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Slivers & Shards: Jaunt Info
Post-Apocalyptic Psionic Kaiju Funtimes
December 1 - January 24
First was the Age of the Ancients. Nine billion Ancients ruled over all of the Living World, ripe with mushrooms, blue with water. They lived on the High Tables, for they were ascended beings and knew the secret of breathing there. They reigned, we think, for a hundred thousand years, since the birth of the world. They knew Paradise, and they built Heaven. But they were fools, and used fire in war. They burned the World down.
Second was the Age of the Mystics. For ten thousand years after the Death of the World, the Mystics built Spires on the edge of the Tables, unlocking glorious powers and sheltering a chosen few - eight million, it is said. They ruled whole Tables, but no one ruled all the Dead World. The eight million Mystics knew secrets of fire the Ancients never did, and while the World was not theirs to travel, everyone in it lived safe, and no one died before they turned one hundred. But they were fools, and their power ran on water. The seas dried to dirt, and the Mystics died.
Third was the Age of the Shadow. For one thousand years, the Umbrian Protectorate united the Vales of the Fallen World. They could not live on the High Tables any longer, and all people were born thirsty and died thirsty, but they were still united, and they were careful with their resources. They ruled Nations the size of Vales. They delved in the depths for crystals, and found they could place thoughts in them. Many of the secrets of the Ancients and Mystics still rang in the depths. The world had died twice, but the Umbrians thought if they could control the minds of everyone, they could prevent a third apocalypse. But they built the hellstones, crystals that could destroy Vales who wanted to think for themselves. And the hellstones, being a violation of the earth as the Mystics violated water and the Ancients violated fire, drew the third apocalypse up from the heart of the world. The Nation-Eaters devoured Vale after Vale, and the Umbrian overlords were shattered for their hubris.
This Age doesn’t have a name. It’s been a hundred years since the Fall of the Protectorate. By the end of the Age there will only be 60,000 people left, they say. Nobody rules anything larger than a Spire, and anybody who thinks he rules a Spire himself best look out. The secrets of the past were lost when the Umbrian Shadow fell. The only secret knowledge people have now is what their grandparents told them - and their grandparents knew the world would end again soon. “Don’t fuck up the air,” we remind each other. Earth, Fire, and Water all turned against us, abandoned us. The world may be nothing but Slivers & Shards, but this is all the world we got left, and it’s going away soon. Hang onto it.
SPIRE-SPECIFIC POWERS
A Factor, while kything, may automatically use Psychic Computer with everyone in kythelink. Factors do not face the normal limitations on Pinning - a Factor always knows the direction of every city-sized psychic presence within a hundred miles, and may use the precision elements of pinning at a distance of twenty miles. They may detect and interact normally with anyone Tripping. A Factor may correctly solve any single math problem at a time that they have seen solved in error - including, for example, “how much force will it take with this bow I’m holding to hit a stationary target four hundred feet away?” But not “if this running warrior is varying speed and direction as they charge me, how much force will it take to shoot them three seconds from now?” Factors must see the calculation fail first - which makes others regard them as withdrawn and arrogant. Factors tend not to see the percentage in correcting that perception.
Katador
A kything, enraged katador is immune to pain, fatigue and reaving, and may burn psi while kything. In place of a teke-shield, a katador may automatically staunch their own wounds with telekinesis. This does not prevent damaged muscles or organs from failing, but it does stop blood loss. Katadors deliberately cultivate a short fuse - there’s no such thing as a katador who keeps their cool under pressure or in the face of a slight or insult.
Nector
A Nector may Teke to disintegrate chemically stable matter at a rate of one pound per second. All living matter has ongoing chemical reactions, and cannot be targeted by a Nector’s ability. A Nector burning flesh may separate acidic and alkaline elements in what they’re breaking down, creating caustic chemical dusts and vapors, or may allow the friction of the dissolution to transfer heat or friction along the surface of the dissolving substance. Nectors using these abilities together can precipitate a large number of nasty chemical reactions, but are also among the best blacksmiths in the Fallen World. Nectors’ abilities run on adrenaline, and as a result Nectors are very high-strung. Unlike Katadors, fear and anxiety are as likely as rage. Startled Nectors tend to reflexively dissolve objects near them. Nectors are considered to be capricious and unpredictable, and in a world where nothing is wasted, their ability to turn objects to dust is both frightening and disgusting.
Magnator
Kything Magnators can combine telekinetic power by powers of two rather than linear progression. (Two Magnators can lift four times as much, three can lift eight times as much, etc). A Magnator can burn flesh to produce electrical energy roughly equivalent to Liminal Energy, and can use a chemical battery as a source of power to burn from. Admitting to being a Magnator outside of Lodestar is often an invitation for a lynch mob to form, as the Magnators of the Umbrian Protectorate used their skills to power nationwide utilities with dreampushers, but brainwashed those dreampushers with right-think to believe in self-sacrifice and the Magnators’ fitness to rule. Magnators’ tendency to burn flesh means they’re likely to be scarred and undermuscled, and they often have shortened lifespans.
Genitor
Genitors may Tell, Pin, and Kythe with animals, plants, and fungi. While kything with a non-sapient life form, they may burn flesh to generate energy for that life form. Most Genitors cultivate dormant fungal colonies within their own bodies, and may use them as bio-weapons in self-defense. They are not immune to damage from such activated bioweapons, although they can end ongoing damage by deactivating them again. A Genitor who has seen combat frequently very often has compromised lungs, muscle capacity, or even brain damage from repeated exposure to active bioweapons - but Gentiors make food, and so they’re the most revered adepts in the Vale.
Vocator
Vocators are not limited by single-target restrictions on their psionic skills. They may divide their power and attention between as many as four targets at once. Vocators with reaving skill can force a kythe on others, and use Psychic Stun, Psychic Spear, Psychic Hypocognition, and Sensory Deprivation on those they’re kything with. Vocators have a poor sense of individuality, and often take on the emotions of others around them, even when not Telling or Kything. Vocators aren’t really ditzy - they just get confused about where they stop and you begin.
Cleritor
Cleritors remember ages past. While more Cleritors know how to shade than any other type of Vale adept, that isn’t how. Cleritors can choose to kythe only physically, or only mentally. A Cleritor kything mentally with a dying individual may choose to retain up to six memories of that individual, or store those memories in unprimed crystal. A Cleritor kything physically with a wounded individual can share physical health equally, sharing injuries - but Cleritors generally deny having such a power, because their purpose is not to risk their lives in healing, but to gather the secret knowledge of generations past. Skilled Cleritors may even be able to read memory off fresh corpses. Kything with the dying is a deeply disturbing experience. Cleritors tend to be morbid, depressed, and old beyond their years. Living around psychically active crystal also makes them seem placid and muted in their reactions, for fear of activating unprimed crystals. Cleritors have one other notable power - they can kythe while in Astral form, meaning they can be mentally present at a battle while physically distant.
Cabalist
Nobody except Cabalists knows how Cabalist skills work or what the limits and drawbacks of Cabalist skills are. For more information on how exactly Cabalists do, see here; the mods recommend only reading this if you’re considering playing one.
The common perception of Cabalists is that they possess no manners and no boundaries or sense of privacy, shamelessly asking any question, transgressing any rule of manners. This perception is, of course, one hundred percent correct.