Geass

-Geass-

Geass; power of the gods, divine talent, the god seed. Theories surrounding a class five psion have circulated among cults, mystics, and storytellers for ages, but there are none konwn on Radden. Class four is a direct line of power from the gods that only a master of bending could take head on. What could step beyond that?

Class five psions are rare. In fact, in recorded history, only a couple hundred have been born. But they weren't the all-powerful avatars that would be expected from a class five psion. These psions are given a different kind of gift, known as the god seed that manifests as a symbol overlayed on either their left or right eye. The power given by this god seed is known as geass.

The geass is a seed that grows slowly as the powers are mastered. Each geass is a single power that alters the minds of other people. Powers range from creating illusions, stopping the perception of time, mind reading, altering people's feelings/opinions, controling others actions, or altering memories. Each power has limits that are slowly overcome as mastery increases, and they can only be activated by certain actions or conditions (ex. eye contact, vocal commands, etc). Those few who master the power of geass are extremely powerful, and their powers can extend to the very bending of reality, making them immortal. Reaching a mastery of the geass is nearly impossible. Only 2 have ever managed it.

Five stages in growing the power of geass.
1- The user of geass has a power, and can experiement with it. Many people die during this stage from recklessness and believing themselves to be more powerful than they are. It's easy to mistake a geass user for a class 2 or 3 psion. Those who do survive this stage learn the importance of keeping their geass secret, a skill that will become second nature to them.

2- The geass begins to act out of control. While the user may be content with their level of power, the god seed inside them is starting to sprout. Aching to reach full potential, the geass will act out, especially in dire situation or where it can demonstrate its potential to the user. This can sometimes be suppressed by stopping it at the source (ex. wearing contact lenses if eye contact is necessary to use geass). Most geass users die in this stage, as an out of control geass can consume them and those around them like a wildfire.

3- The main way the geass user overcomes stage two is by using the power to its full extent. The next step is not external, but internal. As they exercise their power it can easily get to the user's head. Unlike bending, where the bender has to move and show what they're doing as they attack, the user of geass usually can play with their enemies without them even noticing. Greed and overconfidence can lead the user to get themselves killed, and underuse of the power can lead them back into step two.

4- At this point mastery is within grasp. The user has begun to understand the way the geass fits in with the world around them, and have found how to use their power in unexpected ways. The user seems to be able to bend the laws of their geass to near maximum potential. The main thing they need to do is to endure and survive long enough to do something significant. There are no rules for how this period ends, but the change when it does is significant.

5- Mastery of the geass. At one point how the geass functions in the universe clicks, and it no longer seems like a supernatural power, but just another piece of the universal puzzle. The class five psion crosses the line from mortality to immortality instantly. There are no visible changes to him, but his mind operates on a different level. he user can still be stabbed, but no part of his body can be separated or destroyed, and any piercing wounds are instantly sealed when the object leaves. Only gods and other masters of geass are on a level to hurt him. At this point the Master has grown enough to plant the seed of the gods, geass, into a mortal.

Examples of each level
Examples of a class five psion, Janell, who traveled on to become a goddess. Her geass, given her by Death, was the power to influence personal opinions and preferences of others.

1 - Geass is never unknown by the user. While Death silently planted the seed, the change for Janell was immediate. She suddenly realized how to alter people's opinions around her by just her thought. Trying to be responsible with her power, she kept it secret and used it conservatively.

2 - Things went haywire when people's opinions started to swing dramatically with her every whim. The geass was sprouting, and showing to everyone just what it could do. One day she met a stranger, and the thought crossed her mind to make him like her. He immediately turned and began showering her with gifts. This wasn't what she wanted, so Janell switched his opinion down a notch. The geass stretched again, turning the stranger violently hostile. Janell barely escaped with her life. Janell from then on lived in near total isolation until she could control the power again.

3 - Insanity will cripple most class five psions in this stage. Fascinated with her new power, Janell found a small village after her seclusion and made living there love her. It was obvious to some that the people were being bewitched by this girl, and many people sought to take the life of the one causing such commotion. But unlike most powers, no one could hate her when they got near her, and so she survived this stage. To this day the poeple living in that area worship Janell, the witch their ancestors loved.

4 - Janell grew tired of the power, no longer obsessed with it, and began again to toy with the power rather than those affected by it. Eventyually she learned to manipulate it so well she could travel to other countries and teach others her language though her opinion. She'd make them have such a higher opinion of saying "yes" instead of "ci" that they would, and such a higher opinion of thinking "yes" meant "ci" that they'd interpret it. Within days the people would be able to speak without her further influence.

5 - Eventually the god seed grew in her until Janell's mind clicked. For centuries she's walked the earth, learning to love those around her more than she influences them to love her, and secretly spreading understanding and appreciation to those she passes by.

There are only two level five psions to reach mastery, and eventually godhood. They were Janell (power to influence opinions) and Death (power to enter dreams).

Mindset of a class five psion
There are many traits that describe a class five psion. Some only show up in certain stages of their progression, but most of them stay with the psion throughout their life.


 * IQ - Being a psion, all of the geass user's power comes from the mind. The god seed doesn't increase one's wisdom, but their intelligence will grow by 50-100 IQ points.


 * Games - Toying with their powers is an integral part of learning to develop them, and so a geass user is given the love of toying, especially with people. Geass users love chess, and frequently see themselves as the king, the only necessary piece, and expend their 'pawns' in reality like they would on the board.


 * Insanity - This usually arrises in stage 3 of their growth, but insanity can come upon anyone, and overstay its welcome. Many class fives are born insane, and many stay mad with power through stage 3. Death shows signs of insanity still.


 * Patience - As long as things are going their way, a geass user can stay calm and composed. If things are going according to plan, that's all the more reason to stay put and continue planning several steps in advance.


 * Sadism - Not a trait shared with all geass users, but it's easier to become sadistic while using others as pawns. This is the main cause of an early downfall for many class fives. If they're discovered for what they are, they're hunted.


 * Solipsism - Starting as early as stage one, the geass user will realize just how well everyone conforms to their will, almost like a lucid dream. It's easy to wonder if life is really real, or if it really is just a lucid dream... one you obviously have control over.


 * Secrecy - It's built into the god seed to keep the user a secret. A seed must be buried in the ground to keep from being eaten before it's allowed to grow. If a geass user isn't anonymous, they're easily hunted. Long after the need to stay alive is over, the geass user will still want to stay hidden from the world. After all, in an eternity of immortality, a secret is one thing that can never be replaced.