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Psionics are abilities that can affect other elements of the universe through mental power and will alone. Some psioinc powers are purely mental, able to affect other minds, while others seem to be able to directly manifest changes in the physical universe. The exact mechanism of how psionic powers function is poorly understood, even by the psionic scientists of the Commonality. It is thought that psionic abilities draw energy from a dimension, strand or reality parallel to our own - a realm of pure mental energy, shaped by our thoughts in the real world, and structured as a web of interconnectedness that links all things in our own physical reality. The Elysian Nexus Trees are thought to provide a connection to this psionic realm, and are able to use the web of interconnectedness to temporarily link different points of our own reality.
The exact manifestations and “style” of psionic powers an individual is able to manifest is usually reliant on their Species. Elysians, the most well-known and well-developed psionic culture, have a range of abilities that focus on interfacing with other minds, and interacting with biological phenomena and the strange minerals they call Psi Crystals. Their abilities manifest via training and focusing of the mind, “reaching out” to other minds, or using deep focusing techniques to control their physical bodies and psi crystals, like an extreme variant of autonomic control exercises. Other psionic species report using forceful thoughts and emotions to manifest physical force, while others report using a deep rapport developed with their own bodies to cause a variety of changes to occur.
What is known about psionic abilities is that using them to create changes in the physical universe drains energy from the user - this is often thought of as mental energy or psionic potential. This limits the amount of psionic activity an individual psion can manifest over a short period of time, although this mental energy does regenerate with periods of rest, replenished by the psions natural mental activity or via their biological processes.
The Elysian Commonality have attempted to quantify this energy during their study of psionic phenomena, and have formed two schools of thought regarding how an individual’s psychic reserves should be measured.
The oldest unit of measurement is the Enth (E). This is the amount of psychic energy that every Elysian starts with when they psychically awaken. In their most formative learning years every Elysian thinks of any psychic expenditure in relation to this whole. Hence this is the natural, comfortable unit for an Elysian to measure Psychic Potential Energy.
The second, newer unit of measurement, is the Telenth (Te) (one psi point). Some Elysians contest that having to refer to most psychic expenditure as a fraction of a whole number is awkward, inefficient and archaic. The telenth is a cleaner way for an Elysian to measure Psychic Potential Energy.
One Enth represents 2 Psi Points - a starting Elysian characters base allocation, while one Telenth represents a single Psi Point.
If you play a psionic character, particularly an Elysian, the Game Team recommends that you pick one of the two forms of measurement that your character grew up with. This method seems right to you, you can work in the other unit but it is uncomfortable. Honestly the unit you grew up with is clearly superior and you just wish the other lot would stop being so die-hard about the whole thing and just switch over.
