Xeren

The inhabitants of the island of Derioch, Xeren are famed and feared for their grasp of psionic energies.

Physically similar to humans, Xeren have a number of minor differences, the most noticeable being the structure of a Xeran eye. Xeren do not have corneas, pupils or irises – instead, the entire orb is one colour, often blue, green or brown. This can be disconcerting for newcomers to the island of Derioch, as it is impossible to see where a Xeran is looking.

Xeran males are called Xeran, females – Xeram, the plural (in their own language) is Xeren and the children Xera. Note: the term Xera is used to denote all who are not yet Tier 2 it is not to do with biological age.

The Xeren can be divided into five main groups:

* The Tele-Empathic, who are able to both sense and receive emotions and strong feelings from others, even non-Xeren. Some tele-empaths have learned to use this power to heal even physical wounds.

* The Tele-Pathic can send and receive clear, audible and intelligible messages without the need for verbal communication, proximity or even line of sight. The range at which these messages can be sent varies according to the telepath, and some are more gifted than others.

* The Tele-Dominant are clearly visible, as they ritually shave their heads. Their baldness is a sign of their power, and tele-dominants are rightly feared. They possess the power to force another to abide by their will, through the sheer force of their minds. Though most tele-dominants avoid public displays of their might, several have fallen to the arrogance and hubris such power provides, and enslaved many.

* The Tele-Kinetic are gifted with the ability to move physical objects with the power of their minds. There is a clear gender difference with tele-kinetics: males are able to move large objects, weighing many tons; while females may only move smaller objects with ease, but can control a great many at once. In the fields of battle, male tele-kinetics batter enemy forces with rocks the size of houses, while females use dozens of sharpened crystal shards as both whirling armour and projectile weapons. Even more than the tele-dominant, the telekinetic are feared in battle.

* The Tele-Sensory are gifted with the ability to affect the senses of themselves and others. They can enhance or diminish any persons ability to taste, feel, see, hear or smell. Some are capable of doing this to an extreme level depending on their skill.

Male xeren- xeran tend to be able to ‘siphon’ more powerful psionic might, but females, xeram are able to siphon it over multiple targets much more easily. This appears to be a genetic trait and it has been bread into the xeren at some much earlier time. These tendencies and specialities have become so pronounced and been in place so long they are second nature. Accepting that men are better at single heavy tasks and women more skilled with multiple targets is simply accepted in the same way women giving birth and men being unable to do so is accepted.

Xeren are born with their abilities but these must be developed if they are to be useful just like any muscle or brain. However Xeren can identify quite early on the maximum potential of an individual and once this is ascertained their are given a Tier. You can never exceed your maximum Tier. You can maximize the things you can do within it, you can improve your finesse, understanding and skill, however your actual psionic might is simply limited by the potential you were born with. This is partially based on genetics, powerful Tier 5 parents are likely to have children who will also max out at Tier 5.

It should be mentioned that some Xeren, a significant minority, will be a Dual-Wielder. This means they were born able to access two of the sub-types or powers.

As a crucial part of a Xeren's development of their psionic abilities was becoming Master of the Middle. This was where training started for all Xeren and it was said it was also the final stage of the greatest masters of their powers.

It was also an important to be able to shut down the abilities in a meditative state where the passive input of the psionics were nullified or extrememly tightly controlled. This state was called different things by the different types of Xeren.

* Tele-Empathic called it the Isolation
* Tele-Pathic called it the Silence
* Tele-Dominant called it the Absence
* Tele-Kinetic called it the Stillness
* Tele-Sensory called it the Numbness

Each is slightly different but failure to manage it effectively can have disastrous results.

## Demographics

The population of Derioch is split along the lines of the power or psionic traits. However this split is not demographically even at all.