Celestial Metahumans

Metahumans with magical powers coming from popular or celestial sources.

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Aerligian

Those whose tongues hold the truth.

• Lifespan : 70-120 years

• Diet: Common mortal fare

• Habitat: Subarctic to northern temperate coastal lowlands and rolling hills

• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Aerligians have the same range of appearance as humans, with a copper-tinge to their eyes and red highlights in their hair no matter the rest of its color. They call these highlights "sparks." Their tongues have intricate patterns that look like dark, inky tattoos on them. These are their True Names.

If an aerligian places both of their hands against the skin of another and wills it, they can force another to speak true. Doing this is exhausting for the aeriligian and the target and does not last longer than a few minutes except with the most powerful aerligians.

When an aerligian speaks, their True Name is affected by it. If they speak of someone else or something unrelated to themselves, their True Name reacts neutrally, but if they speak of themselves, whether they speak truly or falsely, their True Name reacts as if it were true. Thus, if they lie about themselves, it becomes true. This does not mean that they may speak themselves into Divinity, however, because if they speak falsely of themselves in a manner that is greatly distant from their truth, it will instead simply rip themselves apart. Furthermore, if they speak falsely of themselves, it reduces the amount of the energy of truth that exists within them, weakening themselves overall. Thus, they cannot speak themselves into a strength they do not have.

It is a contradiction. If they speak falsely of themselves, it becomes true, but their truth diminishes. This is the inherent paradox of the aerligians. If they, however, speak only truly of themselves, the inherent truth within them, the truth magic that they embody, becomes stronger, and they gain powers based on their honesty and sincerity.

If an aerligian speaks a knowing lie, even if it is not about themselves, their tongues grow clammy and cold, which feels unpleasant, but is not debilitating. If they speak a knowing truth that is difficult to speak - speaking truth to power, admitting something that will have negative consequences, etc. - their tongue feels warm in their mouth, and they feel a mild frisson of pleasure.

An aerligian can identify anything they consume if they hold it long enough in their mouth before swallowing if it is edible (edible meaning that it has nutritional value to them, as opposed to merely being digestible). Inedible things (limited by size or digestibility) are engaged the same as any normal item in the mouth.

Aerligians are adept at knowing when someone is speaking truth or lies. They can often understand the nuances of subjectivity in what others are saying very easily.

Aerligians come from a coastal country far to the east. As honesty is a highly held cultural value, there is a constant struggle internally for a certain level of respectability from leaders, which has led to violent conflicts. Though religion is a major part of the lives of the original nation of aerligians, there is a deeply held principle that the church be separate in terms of personnel from the government. This often leads to conflicts between the two and debates on where the line is.

In early times, they were in more separated communities, and individual communities often engaged in sea-raiding for survival in harsh winters. The descendants of these early raiders still have great power in the coastal regions. Craft unions also exist as a political force, especially in the cities. The conflicts have led many to head to the colonies to escape from it.

They come from a democracy, but there is a complicated relationship to their pre-democratic past. They have more progressive values, value radical honesty, and believe themselves servants of the community first. They hold their physical prowess to be an important value as protectors of the community.

Aerligians know their True Names and therefore live their truth, which includes their true gender. They assign at-birth a binary gender, but once the child can speak, they know soon the child will reveal their true self. Therefore, there are many genders among the aerligians, and they are welcomed and cherished.

Aerligians are usually seen in other societies as unusual for their cultural honesty, but they are valued by those who believe in truth and honesty or those who seek to use those powers for gain. As such, aerligians are sometimes cautious of outsiders. This has led some to view them as aloof, but once they get to know someone, an aerligian will usually prove to be a close friend and confidant. Outside their own societies, they usually gravitate toward journalism, legal professions, or investigatory work. Feldaers, as a socialist republic, is often accused by other countries of being a totalitarian state that forces their version of the truth on everyone.

PRO 9 ATH 8 STR 8 AWA 9 WIL 9 PRS 9 STH 6

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Dikang

Metahumans who are empowered by principled action.

• Lifespan : 70-120 years

• Diet: Common mortal fare

• Habitat: Anywhere

• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Dikangs appear to be human.

All dikangs are metahumans who draw energy from adhering to a specific set of principles derived from building community and resisting oppression. They evolved as a response to the crushing violence of empires, and though they are rare, their communities are powerful. The principles that empower them are selflessness, building community, solidarity with the oppressed, and refusing to work for and resisting tyranny and oppression. These broad principles are often made more specific depending on culture and background of the dikang.

There are many nations of dikang in the world, mostly originating from an ancient culture in the southeast. But those in the colonies are either there as refugees or slaves, coming from many cultures and blending. This blended culture includes music, cuisine, and art from around the world, making it a burgeoning melting pot.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 8 AWA 8 WIL 8 PRS 8 STH 8

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Ispilu

Twinned metahumans with a deep equilibirum

• Lifespan : 120 years
• Diet: Common mortal fare
• Habitat: Anywhere
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Ispilu have the same range of appearance as humans do, but they always come in pairs of twins whose appearances complement one another. While height and frame will be roughly the same (though one might eat more or have an accident that leaves their bodies altered), eye color, hair color, and skin color will always differ. They will be otherwise identical. Habits, especially in appearance, might also be complementary. For instance, one might wear their hair long while the other keeps it short, or one might be more athletic than the other. On rare occasion, instead of being born as twins, they are born as one intersex individual.

Ispilu have the ability to trade places with their twin every three years, magically swapping via teleportation.

Each pair of ispilu has an emotional bond such that they know what the other is feeling at almost all times if they are closer than 2,000 miles apart. They can always understand one another, even if both don't speak the same language (which is very rare). They can also act in concerted effort, moving as one or in complementary fashion. Ispilu warriors often use this in combat, but any ispilu pair can do this in any circumstances, whether taking a test, washing the dishes, or casting a spell. As long as it is an action and not a mere thought or feeling or biological process, they can act together. Metaphysically, they share a True Name but not souls.

The local ispilu are embedded in the wider native culture.

Ispilu are greatly demonized by powerful countries. Prejudices and stereotyping of twins in general are rooted in hatred of ispilu. They are accused of mind-reading, identity stealing, and terrorism.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 8 AWA 8 WIL 9 PRS 8 STH 8

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Macpion

Metahumans whose sapphire hearts glow with passion.

• Lifespan : 120 years
• Diet: Common mortal fare
• Habitat: Anywhere
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Macpions are metahumans who appear to be human except for the sapphire glow coming from their hearts.

Macpions are empathic; they can sense the emotions of anyone within 20' of them, though crowds make this harder. If they are feeling passionate about something or someone within 20' of them is, their hearts glow with sapphire blue light, and they gain special abilities:

• Hyperfocus: they can themselves hyperfocus on their passion or offer hyperfocus to someone within 20'.
• Improve skill: they can improve the relevant skill in a target to the passion the other is feeling if they touch them.
• Redirect: they can redirect their own passion to help someone else's, giving them temporary skill in relevant skills.

There are many nations of macpions around the world, but the largest and original is from the west. In their home nation, these macpions live in a communities focused on allowing them to pursue their interests and passions. They have a communal culture that allows them to share all basic needs, but they take turns doing the important labor of coordination and meeting those basic needs, including community cooking, caretaking, medicine, building, cleaning, farming, and maintenance. They try to keep this rotation steady and fair, meaning everyone has at least four days for every seven to focus on their passions.

Local macpionsa re embedded in the wider native culture.

Their culture therefore produces much art, science, technology, and crafts that are very deeply personalized, but shared communally. This leads to a greater understanding of one another, which in turns allow them to be more supportive and connected.

Those macpions who end up in the colonies are usually taken there as slaves. They are forced to serve the powerful with their abilities, which often breaks them emotionally and mentally. Those few who live there as free people are usually severely traumatized.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 8 AWA 9 WIL 9 PRS 9 STH 7

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Nitotem

Metahumans who bond via trust.

• Lifespan : 120 years
• Diet: Common mortal fare
• Habitat: Anywhere
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed in the colonies, matriarchal in their native lands

Nitotems are indistinguishable from humans.

Nitotems are empathic, but their range is smaller than most empathic species - only 5' radius. However, they gain greater range if they are near to anyone they trust - these people they can sense within 40'.

If they form a deep trust with someone, they may link hands and form a magical bond that allows them to sense each other at any distance. The deeper the trust, the deeper the bond, the more power they can share. Those they trust implicitly and completely they can empower in any creative endeavor or social experience. In the most potent bonds (often between family members or lovers), they can take physical damage for one another. If their trust is betrayed, the bond is broken, and they suffer physical harm.

Because they can sense emotions, their trust is influenced by what they sense in others. They cannot form a perfect bond with someone they just met, even if it is justified. They can form a bond after two interactions or four hours of engagement, assuming trust is established, and after that, they must maintain trust for either 25 interactions or 100 hours of engagement to be able to achieve a perfect bond. That bond is still only possible if the feeling is actually there.

Nitotems live in small communities in the area. In these communities, they use their deep bonds to protect and care for one another, know each other's needs, and support one another. These matriarchal, egalitarian communities are often under attack by those who wish to steal their land, resources, or people, and they have learned to create complex defenses.

Those that end up in the colonies are usually there as slaves. They mostly do basic labor and service work, and they are usually deeply traumatized by their experiences.

PRO 7 ATH 7 STR 7 AWA 8 WIL 8 PRS 9 STH 8

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Taala

People of healing clay.

• Lifespan : 120-150 years

• Diet: Salt- and mineral-heavy mortal fare

• Habitat: Temperate hills, flatlands, and valleys

• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Taala appear to be humans made of clay. They move and operate just like humans, have blood and organs like humans, but their flesh is made of reddish clay.

Because their flesh is made of clay, taala can reshape it as they see fit. They cannot create new clay except through growth, nor can they shape bone, organs, blood, etc., but they can make their flesh into different forms and shapes.

Taala can take parts of their clay and press it into other taala in order to share clay. When they do this, they allow the other taala to feel their emotions and sense some of their thoughts.

The clay of a taala has healing properties. If they sacrifice their clay and use it as a poultice, wrap, tourniquet, bandage, or otherwise apply it to a wound, it will heal that wound slowly but surely, even if the wound should be fatal. If they apply it to the head, chest, or stomach of a sick person, that person will heal slowly but surely, even from fatal diseases. There are limits to their powers, but they go beyond what most healers can do.

Unlike elemental lifeforce, the energy within taala is celestial lifeforce, which is distinctly the energy of healing, health, curing, medicine. Elemental lifeforce includes and understands that death and disease are a part of life; though it can be used to heal someone or even revive someone from death, it must be forced to. Celestial lifeforce, which is part of the clay of the taala, will automatically do so if applied to someone. The default of their healing magic is that it will restore a body to the state that is most conducive to living longer.

If a taala needs to alter someone’s body in order to heal them in a manner that does not automatically heal, they must have a knowledge of what they are doing to direct the energy. That is, they can heal automatically with no knowledge of biology if they simply use their clay undirected, but if they direct the energy to do something, they need to know what they are telling it to do or they could cause major problems.

The power required to heal something is equal to how close it has brought someone to death. A disease, any disease, caught early, can be easily cured, but in late stages, if the body has suffered a lot of damage, even a common cold will be hard to cure.

The power a taala has is determined by how much clay they use, how healthy they are, and how much they have used their clay to heal before - the more they have helped others, the more power they have to keep doing so.

If they misuse their power to harm others (excluding the undead), they will lose their powers to a degree equal to the harm they cause. If they completely run out of power to heal, their bodies dry out and they become conscious statues, a fate worse than death.

Some general guidelines on difficulties:

• Flesh wound: 1

• Normal wound: 7

• Deep wound: 13

• Re-attaching a newly missing limb: 16

• Mortal wound: 19

• Restoring a newly missing limb without having the limb to re-attached: 22

• Near-death or technically dead: 25

Celestial lifeforcedoes not take social factors into concern - i.e., it will not turn a person of an oppressed group into a member of a non-oppressed group. Some forms of paraplegia, for example, will not be healed by default. If there is a current source of that paraplegia affecting a person - ongoing damage to nerves, damage from disease, or an unhealed wound - that will heal and probably restore walking ability, but if a person has an old injury that is not life-threatening but prevents use of their legs, the energy will not automatically heal it.

Forcing celestial lifeforce to alter a body in order to heal in a manner that isn’t the default is not difficult - it simply requires the taala touch their clay that is being used to heal with and will it to do so - but it comes with a risk. If the taala alters the body in a manner that will shorten life rather than extend or preserve it, the powers of healing within that taala will weaken, possibly even go away if they kill someone with it. And if they lose this power, their clay becomes unliving, thus turning them into conscious but immobile statues.

As such, there are certain conditions considered maladies in class societies that are not truly maladies - autism, having a great weight, being transgender - that celestial lifeforce will not affect unless willed to do so by the taala using their power.

Most taala will not alter someone’s autism, as altering the brain is very risky and they probably don’t know how to alter it to change the autism anyway, even if there is ample evidence that ableist culture is harming the autistic person.

Taala do not casually alter someone’s weight, either - it’s difficult to create mass for thin people (it requires transforming clay) and removing weight requires (a) doing something with the excess tissue and (b) it can lead to unforeseen health complications without knowing how to change weight safely. Only those taala who have studied anatomy and biology will even try to do something about a person’s weight, and then only with what they deem a very good reason. For those people who weigh more than average and have health conditions related to it, the celestial lifeforce simply heals the condition and not the weight. For the most part, this is all that’s needed, anyway.

For transgender people, taala are sometimes capable of altering their bodies to better match society’s expectations relatively safely. Thus, it depends on the taala’s comfort level with altering someone’s body, their own beliefs about gender and bodies, and their confidence in altering a body. They can, however, use their clay to alleviate the physical and mental stress of dysphoria, even if it’s only temporary.

For other questions, consult the GM.

The original nations of the taala come from far to the east. They were once human, but they engaged in a ritual seeking to heal the entire world, ridding it of disease, and through this ritual burnt themselves into malleable clay forms. Or so their legends say.

Since their early days, they have been hunted and enslaved by empires, and for Ages, this was their existence. Very few lived outside of enslavement. But as empires rose and fell in their home region, some were able to escape and reclaim their culture. They live in small communities isolated from other nations because of the long history of enslavement they have suffered. As an oppressed nation with no country of their own, they have long since left behind their distant roots as a matriarchal society and integrated into the various countries they now dwell in. Some of their customs do survive, however.

In the colonies, they are all enslaved or descendants of slaves. None are native, but they are often welcomed in native groups and assimilate to them quickly.

Traditionally, gender among the original taala has been seen as malleable, and given their mutable bodies, they did not connect biology and gender until forced to do so by oppressing nations. They still have some customs that eschew gender norms among them, particularly their respect for those who do not match the rigid gender roles of their oppressors (effectively, trans people). Among them, trans folks are honored as more potent healers (which statistically is true, though not set in stone). Same-sex marriage is honored among them even when it is not by their oppressors.

They are viewed as a means to an end by ruling classes, and as heretics or cannibals by others. This latter is a misinterpretation of the sharing of clay that is intentionally spread by those who seek to keep them oppressed. Those who get to know them or live closer to them tend to realize how untrue it is and how potent and helpful their healing powers are.

PRO 6 ATH 8 STR 9 AWA 8 WIL 8 PRS 7 STH 7 Clay 11

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Tanagata

Metahumans empowered by compassion.

• Lifespan : 120 years
• Diet: Common mortal fare
• Habitat: Anywhere
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Tangatas are empathic metahumans from the distant south who are empowered by compassion. They are indistinguishable from humans.

Tangatas can sense the emotions of others within 20' of themselves, though this can be difficult to distinguish clearly when there are crowds.

If anyone within that range is experiencing compassion (feeling, giving, or receiving), the tangata will feel the same compassion, though at a greater intensity. If they then assist those engaged in compassion, the feeling within them can be transmuted into usable energy.

This energy can be used to help others with no loss, or to help the tangata at a rate of a third of the points. Things they can do with the energy include the following:

• Strength of heart: the emotional energy is converted into physical strength
• Aura of compassion: the compassion becomes a visible aura that makes others see it, feel it, and like the bearer of the aura
• Emotional shielding: the energy becomes a shell that protects from any emotional magic or infernal power
• Warmth of heart: comfort, soothing, and warmth fills the target
• Soul embedding: the energy marks the soul of the target, giving them a permanent new power
• Increase empathy: any empathic senses gain a temporary or permanent bonus, depending on how much energy is used

Other powers may be possible. Consult with GM.

Tangatas live on small islands in the vast ocean. They have a culture of mutual support and care, egalitarian social structures, and foraging and farming. In general, they are vegetarian, though this is not biologically or magically necessary. Those who leave their secluded nation often end up adapting rapidly to other cultures because of their powers, though they tend to remain amongst the oppressed or exploited classes.

Those in the colonies are mostly there as slaves, and many of them remain even if they are freed because of a desire to help others. Though their powers do not necessitate it, they make a generous and principled personality more likely.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 8 AWA 9 WIL 9 PRS 9 STH 8

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Ysian

Metahumans who can shift their form to match their true selves.

• Lifespan : 120 years
• Diet: Underwater mortal fare
• Habitat: Underwater
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Ysians are hominids with bluish skin, silver eyes, retractable webbing on their feet and hands, gill slits on their necks, and hair of many different colors. They can alter their own forms considerably.

Ysians are constantly changing. Their abilities are directly related to their self-perception and esteem. All ysians have the power to glamour while underwater, and if they like their glamour, they can make it permanent. They gain new powers as their self-esteem and self-perception change, but they always derive from the flow of energies, reflections, and emotions.

Some potential powers include the following:

• Reflect self: reverse themselves physically and mentally so that their stats switch (ATH and STR with AWA and WIL).
• Flowing dance: move with the energies around them to redirect them.
• Heart mosaic: their emotions become palpable light around them.

Consult with the GM for other powers.

They can breathe on land, but they prefer to live in saltwater. They are slower on land.

Ysians live under the sea in a great city-state. They have a democratic government led by an elected council, and their economy is led by the people. Their customs revolve around a reverence for self-actualization, and they provide as many resources within their society to people to make that possible, including free and varied education, access to food and healthcare, and adequate housing.

Their city is lined with mirrors. The exteriors of many buildings are mirrored, and those that aren't are covered in murals. The streets are mosaics, and art is everywhere. They have a magical bubble over their main city that protects it from attack, and they have a force that volunteers to support it.

Most who end up in the colonies are taken as slaves. Those few who are freed strive to return home more so than many other species, but most are stuck in the colonies due to economic circumstances.

PRO 8 ATH 7 Swim 10 STR 8 AWA 8 WIL 9 PRS 9 STH 8

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Zasagina

Metahumans with jewel-hearts that shine when full of emotion.

• Lifespan : 120 years
• Diet: Common mortal fare
• Habitat: Anywhere
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Zasaginas are humans with jewels in their chests, just above their hearts. These blue jewels shine with emotion when the zasagina has a full heart.

Zasaginas are empathic. When they sense positive emotions or negative emotions fueled by something good (i.e., grief fueled by love, righteous anger, etc.), they are stronger and faster and more aware. When they sense negative emotions or positive emotions fueled by something bad (i.e., pleasure formed by exploitation), they grow weaker.

A full heart is defined by a heart empowered by nine different positive emotions at once (felt by people other than the zasagina). In this state, the zasagina can provide magical protections, empowerment to base stats, empathic senses, and celestial light to those who are fueling their power.

Zasaginas are from a country in the west where their nation is also oppressed. They fight for their independence there, but it has been a long struggle. They have an ancient culture of deep faith in each other, music and dance, forming strange statues, and holidays based around emotions.

Those in the colonies are usually there as slaves or descendants of slaves. They are usually very traumatized, but they are also defiant and often join resistance movements.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 8 AWA 9 WIL 8 PRS 9 STH 8