Prismeni
Source Player Core pg. 88
Prismenis are suffused with the energy of the Drift, a recently discovered hyperspace plane, and are spiritual kin to the spectra who call that plane home. Wherever they go and whatever they do, they always carry a fragment of the Drift inside them, and they can access that plane and its power through this internal connection.
Prismenis are inherently “plugged in” to the Drift, but the origins of this connection vary. Most prismenis are born prismenis—some to parents who were particularly devout followers of Triune and some to non-worshippers who happened to be in the Drift when their child was born, hatched, gestated, or conceived. Yet, not all children born in the Drift become prismenis, just as not all those born to pious Triunites become prismenis. Most believe that their lineage is a direct result of Triune's blessing, while others believe it comes down to luck, genetics, or a quantifiable scientific factor that's yet to be identified.
Some prismenis are not born but transformed, becoming prismenis only after prolonged close contact with a spectra or the Drift, connecting with a spectra gathering, or rewarded for performing a dangerous task on behalf of Triune. In these instances, becoming a prismeni is considered a blessing, granted by Triune to its chosen children. During the recent Drift Crisis, a year-long event that saw the Drift crash and slowly reboot back to functionality, more prismenis were born and transformed than ever before.
Like the Drift itself, prismenis are always in motion and prone to change. They dislike idleness and monotony and sometimes go out of their way to break routines, traditions, and expectations simply for the pleasure of trying something new. This refusal to settle is often literal, with prismenis changing jobs and homes frequently or drifting in and out of relationships with abandon, but it's just as often immaterial, with prismenis embracing innovation, experimentation, education, and new fads and trends. Prismenis like to travel and explore, usually to places and planets far away, and feel a thrill at experiencing the unfamiliar. Many can instinctively control and understand technology or speak wirelessly with technological creatures. Some can create and harness electricity. To many prismenis, entering the Drift feels like coming home, and most describe it as tranquil or soothing. Some prismenis have a connection to the Drift so strong that their body is sustained or rejuvenated by its energies—the Drift nourishes their bodies, heals their wounds, protects them from harm, and settles their everracing thoughts.
If you want to play a character who embraces change and exploration, or who has a connection to the Drift, you should play a prismeni.
Some prismenis are not born but transformed, becoming prismenis only after prolonged close contact with a spectra or the Drift, connecting with a spectra gathering, or rewarded for performing a dangerous task on behalf of Triune. In these instances, becoming a prismeni is considered a blessing, granted by Triune to its chosen children. During the recent Drift Crisis, a year-long event that saw the Drift crash and slowly reboot back to functionality, more prismenis were born and transformed than ever before.
Like the Drift itself, prismenis are always in motion and prone to change. They dislike idleness and monotony and sometimes go out of their way to break routines, traditions, and expectations simply for the pleasure of trying something new. This refusal to settle is often literal, with prismenis changing jobs and homes frequently or drifting in and out of relationships with abandon, but it's just as often immaterial, with prismenis embracing innovation, experimentation, education, and new fads and trends. Prismenis like to travel and explore, usually to places and planets far away, and feel a thrill at experiencing the unfamiliar. Many can instinctively control and understand technology or speak wirelessly with technological creatures. Some can create and harness electricity. To many prismenis, entering the Drift feels like coming home, and most describe it as tranquil or soothing. Some prismenis have a connection to the Drift so strong that their body is sustained or rejuvenated by its energies—the Drift nourishes their bodies, heals their wounds, protects them from harm, and settles their everracing thoughts.
If you want to play a character who embraces change and exploration, or who has a connection to the Drift, you should play a prismeni.
You Might…
- Be easily bored by routine, familiar sights and tasks, and predictable outcomes.
- Love to travel and experience new cultures and societies.
- Have an instinctive understanding of technology, especially starships.
Others Probably…
- Assume you know all about the Drift.
- Expect you to worship Triune or be close friends with a spectra.
- Consider you restless, flighty, or irresponsible.
- Count on you to pilot the party's starship, navigate, or maybe even act as the living Drift engine.
Physical Description
Prismenis look similar in appearance to their parents and are instantly recognizable as a member of their ancestry, yet they have unique features that set them apart visually from their peers, such as metallic gray eyes, rainbowcolored locks, thick cords or wire for hair, or flesh that shimmers with different colors in various lights. Many have technological or electrical components naturally integrated into their body or can create and manipulate electricity. When they're in the Drift, prismenis “come alive”—their hair, flesh, and eyes become more colorful and vibrant, their countenance more expressive, and their movements more fluid and elegant.
Society
While all prismenis are drawn inexorably to the Drift, they rarely stay in one place for long and prefer to remain on the move, making gatherings of prismenis few and far between. Sometimes, prismenis meet at sites important to spectras or Triune, such as Drift beacons, or at exciting, once-in-a-lifetime events. Such gatherings are often termed “flashmeets,” though religious prismenis tend to believe these gatherings are the will of Triune, drawing its disparate children together in joy or for a shared purpose.
Regardless of their backgrounds or lifestyles, prismenis value freedom and change. They take joy in discovery and exploration, both physical and intellectual, and understand that nothing lasts forever—nor would they want it to. Most prismenis trust their own feelings and instincts, and they understand when it's time to leave a relationship or show understanding when left in turn. They stagnate under the yoke of routines and traditions and might rebel while living in rigid communities.
Regardless of their backgrounds or lifestyles, prismenis value freedom and change. They take joy in discovery and exploration, both physical and intellectual, and understand that nothing lasts forever—nor would they want it to. Most prismenis trust their own feelings and instincts, and they understand when it's time to leave a relationship or show understanding when left in turn. They stagnate under the yoke of routines and traditions and might rebel while living in rigid communities.
Beliefs
Thanks to their deep spiritual connection to the Drift, many prismenis worship Triune. Those who don't tend to be atheists. Prismenis who worship other deities often favor gods of chaos, change, innovation, or travel, such as Besmara, the Newborn, Oras, Weydan, or Yaraesa.
Popular Edicts break with tradition, trust your feelings, visit new places
Popular Anathema allow others to dictate your decisions or impede your freedom
Popular Edicts break with tradition, trust your feelings, visit new places
Popular Anathema allow others to dictate your decisions or impede your freedom
Sample Names
Anon, Coda, Bellasoar, Ector, Freedom's Wing, Ilioch, Jalavel, Ozarin, Red, Sipri, Szazah, Tizera, Una
Versatile Heritage
Prismeni
Source Player Core pg. 89
You have an innate connection to the Drift. You gain the prismeni trait, in addition to the traits from your ancestry. While you're in the Drift, you can automatically pinpoint the location of Drift beacons, Drift lanes, Drift engines, and other Drift-related technology within a 100-mile radius. If you're Piloting a starship that doesn't have a Drift engine, you can serve as a connection between the Drift and that starship. This is a 1-minute activity that has the concentrate trait, and it allows the starship you're Piloting to enter or exit the Drift. Once within the Drift, the starship travels via conventional thrusters, as normal. When you get a critical failure on a Piloting check to Navigate or Plot Course through the Drift, you get a failure instead. You gain low-light vision, or you gain darkvision if your ancestry already has low-light vision. You can choose from prismeni feats and feats from your ancestry whenever you gain an ancestry feat.