| Chapter 1: Masters of the Way |
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| Masters of the Way |
| Psionics and Race |
| Dwarves · Elves · Half-elves · Half-giants · Halflings · Humans · Muls · Thri-kreen · Other Races |
| Psionics and Society |
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The Sorcerer-Monarchs · Templars · Nobles · Free Citizens · Slaves · Tribesmen |
| Psionics and Law |
Athasian psionicists are born of almost every sentient species, including character races and humanoid monsters. In a world where many powerful monsters also share a command of the Way, it is only natural that the intelligent races learned to defend themselves against psionic attack.
Dwarves[]
Dwarves are among the most numerous of the character races. They are capable of living among humans, but also flourish when left to their own devices. Dwarven craftsmen can be found in every city, and dwarven villages dot the Tablelands.
Most dwarves don't bother with the Way, but those that do become excellent psionicists. Their great physical strength and stamina are well-suited to the study of Psychokinesis and Psychometabolism, and the dwarven ability to focus on their studies is unrivaled on Athas.
Dwarves can pursue a second profession. This is rare, but some choose the path of fighter/psionicist or cleric/psionicist. Dwarf psionicists live among their own kind in dwarven villages, using their skills to protect the villagers from all threats
Elves[]
Elf merchants and raiders can be found throughout the deserts of Athas. The swift-moving tribes rarely lay down to sleep in the same place twice. Like dwarves. elves can coexist with humans, and large elven communities (the Elven Markets) can be found in every Athasian city.
Elves rarely have the patience to take up the Way, and elf psionicists are rare. The elven make-up does not include a great deal of persistence, and elven Will is often weaker than that of other races. Despite this, a few elves study the Way to give their tribes one more advantage in battle and trade.
When an elf takes up psionics, he often combines it with a
second calling. Fighter/psionicists, thief/psionicists, and sommage/psionicists can be found among the elf tribes. Elves prefer Clairsentience and Psychokinesis, but their frail Constitutions make Psychometabolism difficult for them to master.
Half-elves[]
Found wherever the paths of elvenkind and humanity cross, half-elves are loners who truly belong to **either race. Most are born and stay in the cities, children of tribes who have temporarily settled in the Elven Warrens. Others follow their elf parents when the tribes begin to roam again.
Half-elves share some of their elf parents' weaknesses, but often take up psionics, as it is a solitary calling. Mastery of the Way provides independence and self-knowledge, traits that half-elves seek to develop. It is more common to find multiclassed psionicists than single-classed psionicists among half-elf students of the Way. The ranger/psionicist is probably the most common half-elf character combination.
Half-elves often study Telepathy, because it augments the remarkable rapport they have with animals. They also make good psychokineticists.
Half-giants[]
The most powerful warriors on Athas, half-giants are content to dwell in humanity's shadow. Nearly all half-giants are mercenaries, gladiators, or slave soldiers serving in the armies of the sorcerer-kings.
Half-giants are greatly hampered in psionic studies by their limited intellect and weak Will. Many people might assume that a half-giant psionicist is some kind of joke, but this can be a deadly mistake. Exceptional half-giants often study the Way.
While a single-classed half-giant psionicist is almost unheard of, some half-giants study psionics in conjunction with the martial arts. The half-giant's enormous strength and stamina lend themselves to the study of Psychometabolism and Psychoportation. A half-giant fighter using the devotions of adrenalin control or body weaponry becomes a killing machine that can take apart a mekillot bare-handed.
Halflings[]
Children of the Forest Ridge, halflings are alien to the people of the Tyr region. They are separated from the other peoples by physical, linguistic, and cultural barriers that are difficult to breach. A halfling outside the Forest Ridge is an outcast or wanderer who has turned his back on his people.
Psionics play a vital part in halfling culture. The study of the Way is considered to be honorable and is highly encouraged by halfling society. A complete halfling warrior doesn't rest until his mental skills match his physical talents.
Halflings have a natural aptitude for psionic study. Their traditions of psionic learning are not traced to Tarandas, but are unique to their race and have been handed down from time immemorial. Some people claim that halflings invented the use of the Way.
Halflings are often possessed of a Will far stronger than appearances would indicate. They favor the Telepathic abilities and can be extraordinarily dangerous in psionic combat. A great percentage of halfling in share their profession with a study of the Way: ranger/psionicists, druid/psionicists, and thief/psionicists are the most common.
Humans[]
The most numerous of the peoples of Athas, humans dominate the Tablelands, organized into cities, villages, and wandering tribes. Given the sheer numbers of humans, it isn't surprising that the majority of psionicists are human. Lacking the physical advantages of some of the other races, humans are quick to turn to supernatural powers to compensate.
The role of psionics in human society varies greatly from culture to culture. In some places it is regarded as a practice nearly as vile as sorcery, but in most areas psionics are a recognized and accepted part of life. The most powerful creatures on Athas—dragons, avangions, and elemental clerics-are humans who combine the study of the Way with their advancement in another art. Human psionicists are very diverse and can specialize in any discipline.
Muls[]
Bred as slaves, muls are found in the slave pits, arenas. and fields of the great human cities. From early childhood. they are condemned to an existence of heavy labor or bloody arena games. Death is the only escape for many muls. Only a handful of these crossbreeds are born into the ranks of free citizens or slave tribes.
The tough mul constitution lends itself to the study of Psychometabolism, but most muls have difficulty mastering the other disciplines. Since most slave owners take steps to ensure that their property does not get schooled in the Way, it is very rare for a mul to receive any formal training.
When a mul does take up the study of psionics, he usually becomes multiclassed. As with dwarves, fighter/psionicists and cleric/psionicists are most common among muls.
Thri-kreen[]
Hunters of the scrub plains and stony barrens, thri-kreen packs roam the Tablelands and the Hinterlands. Like halflings, they are aliens to the culture of the Tablelands. Wandering thri-kreen often visit the "civilized" cities, motivated by the desire to learn more of human society.
Thri-kreen often study of the Way, paying almost as much attention to it as the halflings do. They favor Telepathy and Clairsentience, but have a significant disadvantage when using Telepathic powers against nonthri-kreen subjects; their insect minds don't easily contact the minds of other races.
Thri-kreen possess a powerful, alien Will. It isn't unusual to meet mantis warriors who make the study of the Way their only profession. The natural fighting ability of the thri-kreen can be augmented to frightening levels with the Psychokinetic or Psychometabolic disciplines. Thri-kreen packs almost always include psionic members. The thri-kreen often coordinate psychic and physical attacks as they seek to bring down their prey.
Other Races[]
Besides the character races, there are many other intelligent beings who make extensive use of psionics. The most prominent are gith, jozhal, nikaal, beastheaded giants, belgoi, and braxat. Racial tendencies are noted in the appropriate M ONSTROUS COMPENDIUM® entries, but it is worth noting that not all individuals of these races will conform to the racial averages. Exceptional gith or belgoi are frequently encountered among the raiding tribes of these vile creatures.