Eidolon

Among the various races of Sidereus, the Eidolon people are a race apart. Created by the goddess Tal'rëa from human stock shortly after the death of the goddess Asteria at the hands of the Dark Lord Onûs, the Eidolon were imbued with a special ability that seems to transcend magical power. The Overgod blessed Tal’rëa’s children with the ability to draw upon the mystical power within their own minds. These powers, called “Psionics” by scholars, have been spotted in other races over the past few centuries, but the Eidolon’s gift transcends the psychic powers of any other race.

Eidolon are generally the same as Humans physically, with two major differences. Eidolon have a large brightly colored tattoo-like birthmark on one half of their face. Which half of their face this mark appears on depends on the handedness of the Eidolon. A right handed Eidolon will have the markings on her left side, and a left-handed Eidolon will have them on her right side. These markings cover most of the individual’s face, but can often spread down the entire side of her body. Eidolon sages claim that the particular design of an Eidolon’s markings will change subtly over the course of her life, sometimes as frequently as once a month, but that the general color and orientation is consistent. Eidolon also have a single crystal affixed to the center of their forehead. The crystal is organic in origin and emerges from the individual's skull while they are still in the womb. As a result, all Eidolon children are born with these crystals.

The reasons the Eidolon were created remain something of a mystery to most of the people of Sidereus. The Eidolon generally hold to the simple belief that they were created to “oppose a great evil”, a statement to which many of the other peoples of Sidereus respond with a great amount of cynicism since it has yet to be proven.

Eidolon are still establishing themselves culturally, being a very young race in comparison to the other races. Eidolon society is generally very loosely organized, roughly centered around a tribunal of the more gifted members of the group. Eidolon culture view very few things as taboo. Generally the practice of magic is frowned upon by Eidolon because it requires the person in question to move her focus away from her other talents. Divine magic is still practiced by Eidolon in devotion to Tal’rëa, despite the difficulty most Eidolon have with practicing magic.

Eidolon are a patient and soft-spoken people. Their intellect can be staggering as many Eidolon are able to do complex calculations in their head or see the flaws in a plan before it is anywhere near fruition. Eidolon rarely engage in games of chance since in many cases there wouldn't be a point for them. Eidolon romantic relationships are often very complex and emotionally intense. The Eidolon do not have many of the sexual taboos common in Human cultures, but they do consider actually sleeping with another individual to be a major step in a relationship. Eidolon are empathic, causing intense emotional experiences – like dreams – to be shared if they are too close to a person experiencing them. As a result, they will only share a bed with someone with whom they are very intimate for fear of having to suffer through a nightmare together or crossing personal boundaries by sharing a particularly erotic dream.

Eidolon have no qualms about consorting with the members of other races, and bonds between Eidolon and other races are relatively common. However, an Eidolon can only breed with another Eidolon. There are no half-blood Eidolon children.

Eidolon tend to be incurable optimists. Among Eidolon it is generally believed that anyone’s lot in life can be changed through patience and unceasing perseverance. Eidolon make wonderful counselors and advisors because of their patient and far-seeing outlook. Their affinity for understanding the unseen cannot be understated, as many Human chieftains, monarchs and rulers seek out Eidolon advisors to help ensure the health and well-being of the people under their rule.

Eidolon have a strange link with certain types of crystals that not even the Eidolon fully understand. It is not uncommon for an Eidolon and her adventuring party to come across seemingly worthless stones that the Eidolon quickly snatches up for immediate study. These crystals can have a number of effects on the powers of an Eidolon, many of which are very positive.

Playing an Eidolon can be the perfect experience for a relatively new player who wishes to have access to magical abilities without wanting to deal with the bookkeeping and out-of-game research that magic in Sidereus can require. Psychic powers are less versatile, but much easier to use, and require very little in the way of thought or preparation before an event to use. Also Eidolon have a number of special abilities that can make for very interesting encounters for those players who are really willing to get into the more dramatic aspects of the game. An Eidolon character may bring up some interesting challenges for a player, since Eidolon are tied to a fate they don’t fully understand. This could lead to interesting twists in-game that you may not expect. Be prepared.