Psionics

In a world where magic is plentiful, true psionics are hard to come by. The frequency of illusion and divination based magic provides an easy method to prove that one can wield the power of the mind. In rare circumstances though, a true psionic will awaken to their supernatural abilities, given from the god Iolond itself. A psionic is never born into the world, but rather made through the trials and tribulations that somebody may face in their life. Only those closest to Iolond, whether through dedicated worship or forming a direct relationship with it, receive these divine gifts.
There are a wide variety of psionic powers that exist, though not all of them are known due to how rare a true psionic is. Some can delve deep into the minds of unsuspecting targets, others can manipulate the elements with their mind alone, and some can weave themselves into the shadows. There is no limit to what the mind can truly do once it's awakened; all a psionic has to do is give into its call. Emotions play a big part in these abilities as well, but can oftentimes prove to be an obstacle to even the most disciplined psionics. Given that they're powers granted by a god of chaos and are granted during times of chaos, the nature of psionic abilities is unpredictable.
Psionics who were once practitioners of magic lose their ability to use it once their psychic powers have awakened. It's not understood why such a thing happens, but it's believed that the energy within is channeled much differently in order to prevent serious bodily harm. The energy within a psionic is as stable as a homemade bomb, so the addition of magic would only push the body beyond its limits, leading to catastrophic results. Psionics are encouraged to feel their emotions despite the mess it may cause and repressing themselves can prove to be dangerous when it all boils over.
If a psionic falls out of favor with Iolond, they are stripped of their supernatural abilities and their connection to the void in which their energy existed is severed. Former psionics are plagued with health issues, namely chronic migraines, blindness, memory loss, and hallucinations. In worst case scenarios, a former psionic will suffer from terrifying bouts of psychosis. These problems can't be solved through mundane or magical means. The former psionic must find a way to make amends with Iolond and should their efforts prove acceptable, their ailments will cease to be.

History

Despite the lack of readily available research, tests can be done to prove whether someone is a true psionic or a mage that specializes in divination. The identity of most psionics remain unknown. They dabble in lifestyles that keep them within the shadows and allow them to pull the strings of society from behind the scenes. People with psychic abilities seldom offer themselves up to scholars, so the research that does exist on them tends to be speculative. One well known psionic is Zakina Kociak-Falenmir, whose abilities awakened after she sacrificed a powerful artifact in order to defeat the Baba Yaga.
Unfortunately for the world of academics, Zakina is a busy figure and one who isn't thrilled by the prospect of running through their experiments. It's been notoriously difficult to reach out to her, no doubt due to the fact that she's the queen of The Isles of Basilla, but several academies are eagerly waiting to hear from her. Another notable psionic was Tiatha Ta'frandir, an elven spy that served within the Caelsimilan military. She specialized in mind reading and manipulating the emotions of those around her. At the start of her career, Tiatha was tasked with interrogating prisoners of war, but her talents were better suited for high-stakes missions. Unfortunately, after a string of successful missions, the enemy nation discovered her true identity and had her executed.
Michiko was a psionic kitsune with powerful telekinetic abilities, as well as retrocognition. She swore no allegiance to any military nor the nations they protected. She made her living as a freelance mercenary, often taking the jobs that involved missing persons. It's unknown what happened to Michiko and the last time anyone heard from her, she was looking for information on the Order of the Tenth Circle. Some believe that she wished to join their ranks and others felt she wanted to unravel one of the larger mysteries of Caelsimilian and Teme-Rasadan history.

Cultural Reception

People who exhibit psychic abilities naturally tend to be shunned from their communities. The general populace can't comprehend their powers, thinking that a psionic will always take the opportunity to probe their minds to uncover their darkest secrets. Psionics have earned the label of "untrustworthy", which further isolates them from their peers. Psionics, for a multitude of reasons, don't announce their presence to others. Their secretive nature calls their existence into question often, so much so that some societies believe they're nothing more than a myth.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Rare