Humans

[Ciannait]

In the past, humans had over populated the world. Now, their species is, for all extent and purposes, practically non existent.

After the Treaty of 2031, atomic and nuclear war had been baned world wide and the countries craving global power opted for biological warfare. Slowly adapting rare strains of the bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plagues, humans biologically engineered what would become the plague of all plagues.

Just over 20 years later, in 2054, the world as it was known would change forever. Wars had been raging between nations for years when the plague was released. With no antibodies to be administered, multi millions of humans died within months and the few “lucky ones” that survived were saved only by the blood that pumped through their veins. The Bombay blood type had been one of the rarest, if not the rarest blood types. Now however, it is the only type left in existence. As the only humans missing the H antigene, they were left, for the most part, unaffected by plague.

These few humans who survived the biological attack are now hiding from the creatures who they had previously believed only to be real in imaginations and movies. Originally after this discovery, the humans reacted as would be expected, with more fighting. They fought to keep control of what was once the world they new, poorly defending it with their dwindling numbers from the inevitable take over by what had once only been nightmares. Now though, keeping their distance, humans fight for their survival and nothing more.

Characteristics

The humans have not changed physically since the beginning of the 21st century. Their body structure remains the same as the John and Jane Does' continue to walk on two legs. Height, hair, eye, and skin color, and such all remain variables per each human. The life expectancy has decrease for some, seeing as they are the one of the few food sources for the vampires hunting them.

Powers

Some humans are born with limited powers even though they do not gain full use of said powers until they have come of age. Over time a humans gifts will increase in strength. These abilities allow the humans some hope that their race may yet endure. Although most humans with one or more of theses powers are only able to directly effect other humans, there are the rare humans who are powerful enough that they are able to harm lesser vampires and shifters.

Psionics:

As defined by the Wiki

Psionics is the study and/or practice of using the mind to induce paranormal phenomena. Examples of this include telepathy, telekinesis, and other workings of the outside world through the psyche. The topic is widely discussed in fiction.

Powers:

Pyrokenesis – Humans with this power are able to create and control fire with the use of their mind. TThose who have inherited this particular power can be extremely dangerous when in control of their gift. From simply lighting a candle to causing massive explosions this power is widely adaptable and has the ability to grow.

Empathy – The ability to manipulate emotions of another being. This ability is mostly used between humans, although some humans do have the strength to inflict this gift on the meak of the vampires and shifters on rare occasions.
Powers:

Telekinesis- This is mostly self-explanatory, though there is room for refined description. This is, simply put, the power to move objects with one’s mind, also called Mind over Matter. It can accomplish various effects, and is considered a talent dangerous to Vampires, perhaps because it is sometimes shared, perhaps because it makes a mere Human dangerous to them. Psionic gifts cannot be detected, save by another Psionic, generally speaking. A vampire could expect easy pickings, and get something else altogether.

Telepathy- The ability to read another’s thoughts or communicate with another with the power of one’s mind. This comes in a couple of flavors, each one with room for refined description. A basic Telepath is both a receiver and a projector, however, the generalist usually cannot achieve the more refined talents of the specialists defined below.

• Passive or Receptive Telepathy- As it sounds, this is the ability to perceive and receive another’s thoughts, but not to transmit or touch another’s mind directly. Range is variable, but essentially with only a little effort, surface thoughts can be read, with more focus, deeper thoughts. More energy would also be required to read such at a distance. Some Passive Telepaths are constantly perceiving a jumble of whispers, as if standing in an auditorium full of people and each one holding a different conversation with themselves. For some, it can be maddening. Learning how to tune the thoughts of others out is often their first steps in learning to control their Power.
  
  
• Active or Projective Telepathy- This is the ability to project one’s thoughts or words into another’s mind. An active Telepath can do more than communicate, at more refined power levels, they can plant suggestions, even memories, though generally speaking, such power is only for a specialist – yes, that means this sort of Telepath can’t perceive another’s thoughts, they can communicate and attempt to weave in memories, suggestions and so on.
  

Extra Sensory Perception- This is largely as it sounds, it is the ability to gain information with senses beyond the normal or even beyond the standard five senses. This, again, comes in a few flavors, each with room for description and refinement.

Precognition- The ability to see or know something before it happens. This can happen in a sudden vision, a dream, Tarot cards, runic dice, whatever form it takes it works wit variable levels of accuracy and with variable amounts of time before the event. Some Precogs get a few seconds of warning, others get days, or even years. The length of time is never variable, once chosen, it is set.

Postcognition- The ability to perceive what has already happened in a given space. For example, one could walk into a ten year old crime scene, and see the murder happen as if they were there. Again, various devices are possible for the focus or use of this power, and again, some Postcogs get a few seconds, some get years. The length of time is never variable, once chosen, it is set.

Clairvoyance- This is the ability to perceive events in a change. It is a bit like active precognition, in that one can tamper with the flow of events if one chooses. A clairvoyant can see how one thing affects another. Tripping this policeman today, may have a larger effect on the future of the Clairvoyant or those close to them. It is one of the more immediately useful forms of ESP.

Psychometry- This is a form of object based post and precognition. It can be both, or one or the other. By touching an object, usually, the Psychometrist can read the history of that item to a variable degree; seconds, days, or years. Unlike the others, this time frame isn’t defined, as an object can be of any age – days old, or a century. The psychometrist can perceive this history in a number of ways, visions being the most common.

Enhanced Senses- A simple phrase for a complicated ability. This is the ability to glean more with the five senses than any normal Human could. One could track by scent, like a Wolf, read the numbers on a dollar bill by touch, or anticipate changes in wind direction by how the air feels around their skin. They can literally hear a pin drop, or focus and read a person’s lies in the way their heart beats. Often, they can be easily shocked by sudden dramatic environmental changes; a gunshot might hurt their ears for a moment, or if seeing in the dark, as they can, sudden light might stun them. This is by no means definite, as their gift would also allow them a few seconds notice, thus nullifying any perceived advantage. They are also acutely aware of their own bodies in general, allowing them to learn how to fully control what are usually autonomic functions.

Remote Viewing- Precisely as it sounds. This is the ability to see a place at a distance that would otherwise be impossible. The ability to sit at home, and know what the inside of an office you’ve never been in looks like – even if it is in another area of the city, another state, and for some, anywhere in the world. One Remote Viewer of the earliest study of the phenomena claimed to be able to see as far away as the surface of Mars.


This list is by no means comprehensive, nor meant to imply magic of any sort; this is an effort to root these kinds of things in whatever passes for Science in the World of Veiled Secrets. It is also subject to change, modification, additions and even wholesale retraction at the whim of the admin.