it into charged force fields around themselves and others. Psionipaths are often unstable—and can seem unstoppable in battle situations (though their force fields can be broken down by Flashers and Shades). Reported Psionipaths: Ruy Ignis, Maruca Chebota
PYROKINETIC: An elf who can sense and control the heat in the air and use it to spark anything from a tongue of flame to a raging inferno. Like with other elemental abilities, a Pyrokinetic’s hunger for fire can be insatiable, and that craving eventually led one of them to call down Everblaze. When he attempted to teach others, the lesson tragically resulted in five deaths (which is what caused the Council to ban pyrokinesis). Since the ability is now illegal, Pyrokinetics are forced to live as Talentless. Reported Pyrokinetics: Fintan Pyren, Brant, Marella Redek
SHADE: An elf with the ability to sense and control darkness, either by focusing on shadowvapor, or (in the case of the strongest Shades) by focusing on shadowflux. Shades can also use their shadow to carry their voice into someone’s mind (shadow-whispering) and can read a person’s potential for darkness. Given the focus on light in the Lost Cities, Shades are often mistrusted and ill-spoken-of. Reported Shades: Tam Song, Lady Zillah, Umber
TECHNOPATH: An elf who can communicate with technology through its inherent “language” and can use that knowledge to create new inventions or manipulate gadgets to their will. Reported Technopaths: Dex Dizznee, Tinker, Lady Iskra
TELEPATH: An elf who can sense the thoughts of others and shield their own mind. Telepaths have a code of rules to follow (to prevent them from abusing their power) and are extremely important to the Council, serving as Keepers, Washers, and Probes. If they find another Telepath they trust, they can even become Cognates (which gives the pair a greater level of power). Reported Telepaths: Sophie Foster, Fitz Vacker, Alden Vacker, Mr. Forkle/Magnate Leto, Sir Tiergan Alenefar, Councillor Emery, Councillor Kenric, Prentice Endal, Quinlin Sonden, Gethen Ondsinn, Damel Kafuta, Lady Pemberley
TELEPORTER: An elf who can use momentum to build a unique type of energy that can create a crack in the void for them to slip through. Once inside the void, they can travel to any location they visualize (so long as it’s not underground). Reported Telepaths: Sophie Foster (though alicorns can teleport as well)
VANISHER: An elf who can sense the light making contact with their skin (or clothing) and allow it to pass through their cells (instead of bouncing off), rendering themselves invisible—even when they’re moving (though the length and quality of their vanish is dependent on their training). Reported Vanishers: Councillor Ramira, Biana Vacker, Della Vacker, Alvar Vacker, Wraith
VOCIFERATOR: An elf who can manipulate the volume of their voice to an extreme degree, making earsplitting screams that force everyone to pay attention to them and that can even be incapacitating. Reported Vociferators: Councillor Noland
AN ABUNDANCE OF SKILL:
The elves are so focused on special abilities that they often overlook (or completely forget) that they also possess a number of useful skills. Practice is needed to fully utilize each skill—which is sorely lacking in the Lost Cities. (Foxfire’s physical education session touches on a few, but the real skill training happens at Exillium—which is part of the problem. Until recently, Exillium was seen as an unfavorable institution.) Efforts are currently being made to place more emphasis on skill training, particularly since the Neverseen brought down the castle in Lumenaria with nothing more than skill, focus, and patience—and Alvar Vacker used skills to survive and escape an otherwise deadly situation.
Known elvin skills include:
APPETITE SUPPRESSION: controlling hunger by focusing on something else as a distraction. Can even slow digestion and allow longer survival without food.
BLINKING: similar to vanishing—but blinking lasts a maximum of a few seconds, and requires far greater concentration and absolute stillness.
BREATH CONTROL: controlling the distance between breaths by distracting the mind, slowing the body’s systems, and focusing on the air remaining in the lungs.
CHANNELING: using the mind to send energy where it’s needed—whether it be to the legs, arms, core, etc.—to boost speed, strength, or concentration. The same energy can also be channeled outward, causing the ground to tremble—or much worse.
DARKNESS VISION: focusing on the small amount of light that exists (because there’s almost always some light) and letting the mind amplify it to provide illumination.
LEVITATION: concentrating on the force of gravity and pushing against it with the mind to achieve weightlessness. Movement takes practice, since there’s no traction.
BODY TEMPERATURE REGULATION: focusing on whatever small amount of heat or cold exists and allowing the