T'Lorian

## Description

The T'Lorian are a thin, psychic humanoid alien species from T'Lorra. They are generally 4 and a half to 5 and a half feet tall, spindly and have a slightly large head with three eyes.

Every culture has their stereotypes. T'Lorians are secretive. T'Lorians are standoffish. If they were falling, a T'Lorian would rather slam into the ground than catch themselves if it meant they had to make skin to skin contact with someone's hand. Unlike most stereotypes, all of that is actually true. Outsiders think that makes them snobs. It doesn't. T'Lorians are no more likely to be snobs than any other species. Like with most things, context is everything.

Every T'Lorian is inherently psychic whether they choose to pursue that path or not. Unlike most psychic races, they aren't necessarily telepaths. Instead they have psychometry and telekinesis. It's been argued that the T'Lorians developed telekinesis from sheer force of will because they had to live with psychometry.

The visions they receive from their gift aren't restricted to just inanimate objects either. Those particularly adept have a better chance of gleaning the particular information they're after, but it's always a toss of the dice. As such, the T'Lorians are very careful about who and what they interact with. Many wear specially designed gloves with removable patches on the fingers and palm for ease of use. Still, most will not touch another person if they can help it, even if the refusal makes the T'Lorian appear rude. T'Lorians do not shake hands. For a T'Lorian to make a deliberate physical contact with someone is a grand gesture, usually reserved for the exceptionally close relationships that could survive even the disclosure of the worst secrets.

A great deal of drama in T'Lorian fiction is fueled by the conflict between society's demand for silence and the troublesome secrets stumbled upon by all the different characters. The rest of the Confederacy has picked up on this, and it's become a clichéd plot device to have all the shenanigans resolved by the manipulations of a stock T'Lorian character that inexplicably knows everything. Because that's another part of the reputation. T'Lorians are supposed to be sneaky masterminds that gleefully manipulate the weak-minded like pawns or puppets. Which is... Okay, so T'Lorian heads are larger than logic dictates, but phrenologists didn't bother to make up a location for psychic abilities so what can they know?

There is a jaded acceptance among T'Lorians that it is impossible to escape the past. To prevent memory build-up, there's a very sharp division between objects. All items fall into one of three categories: disposable, personal use only, or intentional heirloom. Disposable items can range from single use to a two year life span. Afterwards, it either naturally disintegrates or is recycled, which is usually enough to wipe it of memories. Even in a shared household, it's rare for anything to be considered communal. Each individual T'Lorian will use only their own set of plates, silverware, fabrics, and furniture. Most structures are built with the understanding that it will be taken apart, recycled, and rebuilt every decade or so. Some buildings, however, are deliberately built to last for hundreds of years for the express purpose of maintaining memories of the past. T'Lorians hold a special veneration for their ancestors. (Pessimists say it's only because no ancestor ever really leaves.) Intentional heirlooms escape the recycling process due to their association with a now deceased person of note. Some are purely personal. A T'Lorian might keep a grandmother's bowl or an uncle's coat so that they can call up a memory of their relative whenever they need to. Some are a matter of public record. Memories can be checked out from libraries. Upon rising to a new position, an incoming employee will be temporarily gifted some item that has been passed down from his predecessors.