2.5.1 Houses of PowerPsychic groups have existed in the world for ages. They have recruited into their ranks a wide variety of their kind. Some groups are orders that recruit specific types of talents into their ranks. Some are gangs of thugs that seek out new members based on attitude, looks, or some other quality they find fitting. Some private organizations either seek or open their doors to psychics that are in need, while some try to exploit the psychics. Some are government agencies that have discovered psychics are a tool to be used. Some are research based agencies that have many motives, private and government sponsored. Some psychics get involved with a church or other religious organization and are exploited to promote the religion. Not all psychics belong to an order or faction.
Factions and Houses of Power: There are Medical orders that recruit healers.
Trancers, otherwise known as Mediums and Necromancers, specialize in communicating with ghosts and spirits.
Magicians are psychics that tap into their abilities through ritual and rote. They believe they perform magic. Their magical knowledge is merely the catalyst for their psychic abilities. That's why magic works for some folks, and it doesn't work for others.
Witches are magicians. In fact, all users of magic, whatever they call themselves, are the same in that they use their abilities through what they consider magic. Even clerical "divine" faith healing magic is simply a manifestation of psychic energy.
Yogans are skilled in talents involving the self and skin contact.
Seishin are a paramilitary group that recruits electrokinetic, telekinetic, and cybercognative psychics.
Resonance Order has a variety of members, but they mostly recruit precognitive and telepathic psychics.
Tantras focus on talents that enhance pleasure, mind melding, and combining of talents.
The Psi Forces are military branches of governments. All are classified, and none are said to exist.
The Illuminated recruit all psychics and eliminate rogue Psis. Their numbers are unknown, and they may be loosely associated with gang psis.
Shadows are mostly telepaths for hire.
Psi Cops - local and state law enforcement are often supplemented by Espers from other government agencies, and they are collectively known as Psi Cops
Cleaners - also known as Fixers are from the House of Dinner. Cleaners specialize in keeping rogue psis and groups in line.
2.5.2 Cult of AsclepiusAlso known as the House of Medicine. Their members are known as the Immortals . They are mostly healers, empaths, dreamers, and telepaths that attempt to help ailing people. They recruit potential doctors from all walks of life, and they encourage the development of psychic healing in all its forms. They also encourage restraint at using psychic abilities to heal too often. They do not wish to see the world of psychics revealed to the Blanks, because Immortals have first hand knowledge of what that could mean to the world. The fear and loathing coming from the non-psychics is too much for many to handle. They, more than any other House, fear the days that psychics are revealed to the world.
2.5.3 IlluminatedThe Illuminated consist of a mix of Espers that range in talents from telepaths, healers, and even witches and faithers. They recruit under disguised names or under no identity at all. They are out to promote the psychic life and prepare the world for psychics to be able to come out of the closet, despite the precognitive warnings. The Illuminated believe knowing the future, they can alter it. And they will.
2.5.4 YoganYogans build their talents in enhancing the physical self and others through skin contact. They recruit anyone who will add to their numbers, but once in the Yogan fold, the new members are trained in the Yogan Arts. They are frequently tall and muscular and wearing skin tight clothing. Many prefer black attire and will keep their hair growing dark.
2.5.5 SeishinThis group formed from an ancient tribe of strategist. In ancient China, the Seishin were initially five Espers that took over a military operation, but when the people they were helping revolted against them, they went underground. Believing they could help others better by keeping themselves unknown. They are a paramilitary group that recruit telekinetics and electrokenetics. They also have precognition espers that specialize in cyberkinesis, and they have the occasional telepath among them. "No matter what they think is correct, the way to help the world is to push them in the right direction, or remove them from causing harm." - Seishin saying.
2.5.6 TantraPleasure is their main goal. The Blanks of the world can never understand what it is like to be a Tantra. Keeping themselves hidden is primary to all other things. Their members practice and encourage group mind melding. This allows them to combine their individual abilities into a massive consciousness and create a super-ego the strength of their combined minds. Psychics near them can actually feel something akin to a gravitational pull toward their melding, and those that get close enough, may attempt to join the melding. Tantras stimulate the pleasures of the mind, and discovery of the potential for pleasure. The ultimate attraction for Tantra is a peaceful place to relax and enjoy the universe. House Tantra is one of the most powerful houses. However, they are usually so caught up in their own pleasure they fail to recognize things going on in the world. Typically, things that affect them directly come into their focus, and they attempt to fix anything that might cause them problems.
2.5.7 TheroRecords indicate that when the House Thero was first formed, or just before it was formed, a close friend of a Psychinian discovered his friend had unusual abilities. They discussed the Psychinians condition and decided that it should be investigated further. Together they formed The Seekers of Resonance People. They tried to find others like the Psychinian. They became close friends and looked for signs that might show who was Psychinian. They had very little luck, until one day the Psychinian and his friend telepathically linked with one another to delve deep into the Psychinians mind. The records indicate they were locked in mental rapport for days, but it doesn't say exactly how many. When it was all done, the friend nearly died from the lack of nourishment. The Psychinian looked completely healthy and required no food or drink after that. He helped his friend back to health and told him that many things were coming into his mind. He found the answers to a great many things, and he needed more. He craved to move on. Then, as his friend watched, the Psychinian faded out of existence right before the eyes of at least six other Seekers.
2.5.8 GuraneGurane are not as powerful as the other Houses, but their influence can be felt in many world events. Most members are Pagans and Witches, and they use their psychic abilities to help correct the world's injustices. Few members actually know the true name of their house or that they belong to it, but any "gifted" Witch will be guided by this houses influence. These members channel their psychic abilities by casting spells and ritual incantations. Their biggest asset is their covens and networking. Combined psychic talents can be formidable, for this is where their true power lies, in numbers.
2.5.9 Skin TradersThough not really considered one of the Houses of Power, this faction of psychics consist of those who study medicine and healing like the Asclepius, and those who focus their psychic talents inward like the Yogan. Many of the ex-members of this group can be found in mental institutions or in the care of healers. Skin traders seek the answer to an aging question behind the legend of the werewolf and shape changers of old. Members routinely alter their appearance, some even taking the extreme risk of altering their bodies to the shape of an animal. This is usually done with great care and with other members to assist, just in case something goes wrong.
2.5.10 TrancersOtherwise known as Necromancers and Mediums, Trancers are involved with handling the psychic entities such as ghosts and spirits. An odd property of being a Trancer is the psychic entities are attracted to them. Once touched, Mediums become easier for spirits to see. The way of the Trancer is a way of never ending company and companionship with the unseen, for good or ill. Trancers can gain information from the dead and can enlist (or force) the aid of ghosts. However, the unseen are not to be trifled with, and Trancers must take care not to loose touch with this reality.
2.5.11 ShadowsPredominantly telepaths for hire. These mental marvels are in this for themselves and for those who will pay a good price. They rarely take sides in any dispute between the houses, choosing to be neutral in all things psychic. This being the case, they will not spy on other houses or lone psychics unless they are seeking those who are psychically talented into their ranks. They will infiltrate the world of Blanks and gather as much information as required. Though they are loathe to do so, many will even alter the memories of Blanks as the need arises.
2.5.12 WiredAlso known as dope heads, the Wired are chemically enhanced psychics. Their ability to meld with machines and animals and humans set them apart from other psychics. They have trouble with the abilities getting away with them, and they often end up with physical ailments and mental disorders more often than other psychics. This seems to be a small price to pay for their abilities develop quickly.
Centers of power fluxuate rapidly with this faction.
2.5.13 PsychiniansPsychinians are not a House or any organization. They are a class of humans, if they can be called humans. Beyond any understanding is the Psychinians and their bloodlines. Family lines can be traced back to a few possible Psychinians, but only the most basic information and speculation can be said of the Psychinians of modern day. The House Thero have the greatest collection of knowledge regarding these beings. Their one common aspect that has endured throughout the centuries is their ability to cease to exist at the moment of enlightenment. It is theorized that Psychinians are psychics with the potential to exit this reality and move on to another. Some have theorized they are creatures of pure thought manifest as flesh, and only to discover their true nature is more profound than anything imaginable by others. No longer bound to the physical world in which they've live, they move on to another part of the universe to discover life or create new life on other planets. Psychinians are unaware of their true nature from birth, unless told. Once they embrace their identity they embrace their existence as pure thought. Then they cease to exist.
2.5.14 OragwainsIt is the dream of many Immortals to help humans survive the future. Some do so with the best intentions of beating the natural order of things, but they can turn in the direction of the Skin Traders. Oragwains are the result of one very talented Immortal, taking to experimenting with human DNA. In early 1902, Dr. Oragwain used his psychic talents and his medical knowledge to develop a species of human that were not quite human any more. They were designed to be psychically talented and completely self reliant. Their eventual escape from the Doctor's lab had many psychics, including Dr. Oragwain, worried about the consequences of his experiment, and many sought them out. The doctor was unsuccessful at finding his experiments, and eventually he and his experiments faded from the memory of history. As much time had passed, the Oragwains revealed themselves to the Houses of Power, and in doing so secured themselves as a quasi-house of power. They are called upon whenever major psychic events threaten the unseen world. The Oragwains share a mental link with one another and can keep the link open across the distance of globe. They are famous for their ability to teleport, a rare talent among psychics. Other than emergencies, they keep far away from the minds and eyes of others, preferring to live in the deep jungle. Oragwains can create offspring when they choose and by whom they choose, male or female, or without a mate. The navel is their birthing canal.
2.5.15 Psi Forces Governments that wish to remain unified have an Esper Military Force. Patriotic psychics answer the call of their country and provide the psychic defenses needed to maintain a countries might. It is when these forces break down that serious infiltration into a country takes place. Much in the way of war and tactics known and practiced by the Blanks takes a backseat to what goes on in the unseen political arena. When leaders make rash decisions, seemingly incomprehensible reasons for going to war, it is the unseen pulling the strings. Most Esper Military are on the defensive due in large part to the potential threats from every corner of the globe, including within their own country.
Some of the larger countries go on the psychic offensive from time to time, but the results have been less than favorable in the past 100 years. They will not, however, give up trying offensive tactics. Keeping the Blanks unaware of their presence is critical to a countries success, and spin doctors have fake psychics ready to take the fall for any leaks in Esper Security.
2.5.16 Cleaners His house will openly attack other houses. This faction is paranoid and they attract members that are conspiracy minded. Their numbers are not known, but they are numerous enough that the other houses try to keep their distance from them. On occasion, confrontation with the Cleaners leads to blood spilling, deaths, and a cover up. The cover up comes mostly from the Cleaners. They are called the House of Dinner because they have regular dinner parties for charities, but it is as a ruse to attract more members, to keep an eye on the general public and private citizens.
