Sentient

Sentience is the ability to feel, perceive, or to experience subjectivity. The word derives from the Latin sentīens (“feeling, perceiving”). By this definition, a sentient is a lifeform with the capability to feel other’s sensation such as joy, anger, loss, or pain.

A sentient is both a blessed and cursed being. They are first and foremost described as having a range of extrasensory perception. In particular, a sentient feels the emotions of others around them as if they were their own. It can be incredibly overwhelming at times, especially for powerful emotions. Any emotion, no matter their strength, is amplified exponentially through the transfer of physical touch. If a sentient can learn to focus their perception, they have the potential to possess incredible insights on the world around them.

A sentient is born as one. From the earliest stages of life, it is clear they can perceive sensations uncharacteristic of other children. Depending on their care and mentoring, a sentient can develop a semi-normal life or they can be driven completely insane by the flood of information.

ADDITIONAL POWERS

Psychic Shadow: The ability to mask psychic presence, hiding from other Sentients.
Psychic Shield: The ability to erect a psychic shield to protect the minds of oneself and/or others from the influence of other Sentients.
Emotion Manipulation: The ability to make one feel pleased, happy, pained, or any other emotion for a transient period of time.
Pushing: The ability to attach a specific or new emotion onto another’s specific memory. Using this ability, a Sentient can also enflame or dampen someone’s someone’s current emotional state.

HISTORY

In another dimension, there exists a race of beings called the Finn. Long ago, the gods of the past Ages had perilous dealings with the Finn. Vaguely humanoid, these creatures were powerful beings with their own mysterious powers. One of their most common deals was to trade human wishes in exchange for the experience of human emotion, which they would drain from the human in question.

The first Sentients were introduced to the world when Jaxen Marveet made a deal in the 1st Age, leading to the birth of Loki in the 6th Age. The birth of Loki’s own daughter, Hel, was the catalyst: she was a Finn soul born into a human body. To adapt to the aberration, the Pattern was forced to create the Sentient ability.

In some Ages Sentients have acted like ambassadors for the Finn on Earth and were connected to them, like a feeding hose with which the Finn could siphon upon their addictions.

All knowledge of the portals that led to the dimension of the Finns have been lost in the current Age, but their influence still touches the world. If those doors are ever reopened, the Sentients will be the first to know.

SENTIENT CHARACTERS

• Aria Piccolo (deceased)
• Alessandra “Alex” Pirozzi
• Ashavari Mehra
• Anton Stepanov
• Kali Dagher (NPC)
• Mae “Mist” Kawata (NPC)
• Esper