2029: Parahumans List Revised Summer 2012

[Note:  You'll see references to 'Parahumans' and human Parahumans. This is confusing, I'm sure. Before I started editing this piece I referred to all 'Parahumans' as 'human Paranormals'. I tried to do a document-wide search and replace and this is the temporarily not-so-great result. I'll be correcting that and adding some editing touches in the days ahead. But for now...this is a good basic primer on the 'Parahumans' of my 2029 fictional universe. Enjoy.]

PARAHUMANS

General

Generally speaking, human Parahumans don't discover their powers until adolescence. A few get their powers early, in early childhood. Others are “late bloomers” and don’t get their powers until their 20’s, 30’s, or even beyond. 

Most human Parahumans’ powers don’t seem to have any genetic component, or, at least, not one that has been found. Some families seemed to show a history of paranormal powers. Others, not so much.

Many Para powers are time-limited, requiring a rebound time. Others are ‘on’ all the time. Different Para types had powers that they have to ‘activate’ or ‘turn on’ while others have their powers on always. It just depends on the type of Paranormal.

There are no clear physical signs or ways of testing to see if someone was a Parahuman. No medical tests seemed to turn up paranormal powers. No blood tests, no EEG’s, nothing. Only seeing a paranormal use their powers gave clear proof that a person was a human Parahuman. All reports of paranormal activity were investigated and those suspected to have paranormal powers were put on a watch list until definitive proof was obtained.  

In general, most Parahumanss don’t know when other Parahumans were around though a few Paras were very good at recognizing others. The list of Paras who can ‘read’ the presence of other Paras was fairly small.

All human Parahumans have regular human DNA and mostly share all human weaknesses. Some have powers that make them more special than others but they are not immortal and are generally susceptible to most all human frailties and weaknesses.

It is estimated that between 10 and 20% of the general population had some form of paranormal ability. No one knew if that figure was accurate one or not.

Psi

Psi was considered a hypothetical “power” that might explain paranormal abilities.  No one knew what it entailed, where it came from, how it could be measured or what it’s limitations were.  Many psi powers appeared to have common limitations (silver and lead, for example) but there was no understanding of how anything fit together or worked on any level. This didn’t stop scientists from positing that this energy, “psi” was the source of paranormal ability.

Scientists, on the whole, hated the idea of psi because there was no way to measure it. For most scientists it was a nice descriptive word but nothing else. Without some way of measuring whether psi energy existed or not it seemed to many a meaningless concept.

Some physicists believed that psi is related to quantum mechanics. Some neurologists believed that an understanding of psi and what it was would unlock the secrets of consciousness. Evolutionary theorists wanted to trace the history of paranormal powers back to when they first emerged, believing that paranormal ability was a sign of a leap in human evolution.

What the concept of psi is good for is in determining the relative strength of different Parahumans. Criticisms of the psi ratings were found all over.  Many Para powers couldn’t be forcibly tested, so, it was uncertain for many what their true powers were.  Some Paras repressed their powers, clouding their true strength. Others didn’t push themselves to their full potential but, in general Parahumans who were thought to be powerful were given a high “psi” rating relative to others. The government used this imperfect measurement system to rate various Paras because it had nothing else to work with.

Ironically, other Paras were often used to gauge a Paranormal’s psi rating. When possible Telepaths were used to read minds. Recorders looked into a para’s past. Cybers might be used to examine all their computer correspondence. Most courts rejected the validity of evidence obtained through paranormal means meaning psi ratings and the process in which they were determined were deemed to be off limits.

Legal

Legal issues surrounding human Parahumans were many and varied. Depending on the Para involved there may be only a few laws involved or, for some, there may be many. Each paranormal is forced to deal with laws applying to them in their own ways.  One law that covered all human Parahumans was the Paranormal Registration Act (PRA). Another law that has serious consequences for human parahumans was the The True Patriot Act. 

The Paranormal Registration Act required all persons who discovered they had a paranormal ability to register themselves with the federal government within 72 hours of learning of said ability under penalty of law. As a rule, the time frame regarding the need to register is mostly ignored. The government only cared about registration and identification of Parahumans, not so much the speed in which they “came out”. 

Once registered, Parahumans were expected to update their registration once a year (many did this at tax time, while filing their taxes) or upon any important life changes (a move, new job, marriage, divorce, birth of child, etc..). Failure to update also carried with it penalties. 

All registered Parahumans were required to carry smart card enabled ID’s that could be scanned at a distance, identifying them and their powers. Being caught out and about without one’s ID was an arrestable offense.

The True Patriot Act built upon the PRA by giving the government special powers to deal with Parahumans who were deemed a risk to the community. By going to court, the government could get a protective warrant, allowing law enforcement to either arrest or, in some cases, kill a resisting Para who was deemed a threat to security. Certain powers were seen as greater threats than others and treated accordingly. When arrested, if the process of incarcerating a  dangerous Para was deemed too difficult a Paranormal could be forced to undergo a lobotomy. While lobotomies didn’t seem to rob Paras of their powers, or, if they did, they did so incompletely, they did seem to make the vast majority of Parahumans more ‘manageable’. Many paras out and out forgot that they had paranormal powers after undergoing the procedure. 

The FBI was charged with oversight of Parahumans and investigation of paranormal offenses, though, in general, they left minor offenses up to local law enforcement, picking and choosing the cases they felt were truly in “the national interest”. The FBI unit charged with all this was the Paranormal Investigations Unit, or PIU.  Members of the PIU were often Parahumans themselves. Local law enforcement agencies were allowed to have PIU’s of their own but were greatly limited in the size and powers of the Parahumans they were allowed to employ. Some got around this by hiring Parahumans as “consultants” who weren’t technically part of their PIUs. It was understood by the FBI that any severe Para crimes would be referred to them for their handling, cutting local law enforcement out of the picture limiting the need for local PIU units to employ Parahumans past a  certain level of power.

The FBI worked closely with the NSA who, under the True Patriot Act, received expanded powers to do domestic surveillance on suspected Parahumans. Also working close with the FBI was the Attorney General’s office and their Judge Examiners Division.

The Judge Examiners, a special branch of judicial investigators within the Department of Justice with special powers, were attached to the Department’s Paranormal Crimes Division. They were given the authority to directly represent the president and the US by using their powers. They could declare a local emergency, triggering martial law in a limited area for up to 72 hours after which, any further martial law had to be approved by federal judicial review.

National emergencies could be declared but needed immediate presidential approval unless there were extreme extenuating circumstances. Whenever the PIU and a Judge Examiner were in the same area, the Judge Examiner could pull rank and gain access to any PIU information. 

Employing Parahumans in the private sector often required a “waiver”, depending on the Para’s powers and strength. The “waiver” process was often long, intrusive and intensive. Many employers sought to hire Parahumans under the table as a result, though, if caught doing so, this could result in criminal punishments.For those working under a waiver, waivers had to be updated yearly with their Paranormal registration.  

Medical

Many Paranormal powers seemed to be linked to certain medical and psychological conditions. No hard scientific proof has ever shown that the one caused the other but a link still existed in many cases. It seemed that most Paranormal powers come at a price and seemed to increase the odds of certain diseases and conditions. Though causality couldn’t be proven, each individual type of Para seemed to have certain diseases and conditions that were more common for them.  

Limitations

All Parahumans had limitations that came along with their powers. For each individual Para we’ll explore their particular limitations but there are some hat are broad enough to cover many, if not all Parahumans. 

Aging  --  Most all Parahumans suffered issues surrounding their powers as they aged. All Para powers required concentration and aging tended to negatively effect the ability to concentrate on one’s powers while using them. For Shapeshifting Paras, those who could shift into other forms, aging could cause unintentional shifts and make intentional shifts harder. Many found that they weren’t able to keep shifts going for as long as they are used to and have problems shifting back into their base form. 

Unintentional power usage was also an issue that many aging Parahumans had.  Not only did they have a hard time controlling their powers when they used them, but many suffered from a form of Paranormal power ‘incontinence’, accidentally using their powers at inopportune times without meaning to.

Emotions  --  During times of strong emotion, many Parahumans found it hard to control their powers, unintentionally triggering their powers or, if trying to use them, finding it hard to focus in their controlling of them. Mental disorders were known to create real problems for human Paras, often requiring mandatory medical treatment to help them control their powers. While the meds wouldn’t affect a Paranormal’s powers directly, they would help the Para better focus on their powers by allowing them to better deal with their mental and/or emotional issues. 

Brain Injuries/Damage  -- While no area of the brain had been identified as controlling Paranormal behavior, it seemed that human brains were the location of a human Para’s powers. Parahumans who suffered brain damage and/or medical conditions affecting the brain (brain cancer, brain aneurysm, etc.) suffered severe issues with their powers.  Many paras will permanently lose control of their abilities. Others, lose their abilities partially, or, altogether. Some lose the ability to use their abilities on command, finding that their powers come and go intermittently. Since the exact relationship between brain and powers is unknown, no treatments exist for how to help these paras, although, it’s been shown that pre-frontal lobotomies do make paras more calm and manageable, thus helping manage severe cases where a para’s powers are beyond their control.

Lunar Cycles – Many parahumans were affected by lunar cycles. For shifters, the longest amount of time they can stay in a shifted form generally coincides with a lunar cycle. At the end of the cycle, they are “force shifted” back to their base form. From there, they are forced to sit out their rebound time. 

Some non-shifting Parahumans get a “full moon boost” and were able to use their powers longer, suffering less impact as a result. Parahumans who had this boost, also saw their rebound times greatly reduced on a full moon. Many Paras also saw power upgrades, not only were they able to use their powers longer and suffer less, but some Paras get more power on a full moon. Some weak Parahumans received powers equal to an average Para, average Parahumans, powers equal to a strong. Strong Parahumans who received a full moon boost generally didn’t get any stronger and just gained the ability to use their powers longer for less of a price in energy.

The 100 Virus  --  The 100 Virus was a proposed condition, not really a virus, that was believed to affect some Parahumans and limit their use of power to a total of only 100 uses. Back before science could identify things, the condition was named a virus but no science has been able to show that such a virus existed. Medical tests done on Parahumans with the condition versus Paras without show no differences. 

Several symptoms were used to determine whether a Para had the condition or not. All-over body pain after using powers which increased with each use, increasing lethargy, coupled with longer rebound times after power use, severe headaches and migraines after power use,  nausea and stomach problems after power use and worsening depression after power use were all hallmarks of the condition.  If at least 3 symptoms were present, it was assumed that the Para involved had this condition. 

After the 100th use of their powers, the Para was thought to lose the ability to use their powers altogether. The depression that they felt, as a result, was often long-lasting and sometimes resulted in self-harm and even suicide. The only known ‘cure’ was for the Para in question to not use their powers at all.

Gawainism  --  Gawainism affects some paras as well. Like the knight in the Arthurian tales, paras who suffer from Gawainism gain in strength as the sun climbs in the sky & lose strength as the sun goes down.  Gawainism sufferers are their strongest around mid-day & have little to no power at all while the sun is down.

Seasonals  --  Some paras have seasonal disorder in which their powers are stronger in certain seasons than others.  Cryos who have seasonal disorder may, for instance, be stronger from fall to spring while Pyros may be stronger the opposite way.  Some paras are stronger in the seasons they were born than they are in other seasons (they refer to this as being a child of the season in question, "a child of summer", "a child of winter").

Equinoxity  --  Some Paras suffered from equinoxity, a condition that robbed them of their powers at the spring and autumn equinoxes. They can do nothing during those times. 

Dormancy – For reasons not entirely known, some Parahumans went into “remission” and found that their powers became “dormant”. Why this happened led to many theories but no one theory seemed to have a good explanation. What happened afterwards varied greatly. For many, a remission of powers could be partial or total. If partial, they merely saw certain aspects of their powers diminished or lost or, they may have had access to all their powers but at a weaker level.

Most Paras who suffered a dormancy period lost their powers for a varying period of time. Some lost them for a short time, others, a long time and a few, lost their powers altogether. If a Paranormal was in a dormant state, generally, they could receive brief flashes and surges of power, now and again, only to see these “teases” vanish and disappear. 

Having a dormancy period once seemed to increase the risk of having a dormancy period again if one were to even get their powers back.

Restored powers coming out of a dormancy period might return at full strength, as they had prior to going dormant, or they might return at lesser strength. Some Parahumans suffered a power “eruption” when their powers returned, suffering a brief, intense period where they were overwhelmed by their returned powers before they could get control of themselves again.

Rebound Times  --  Many Parahumans required a down time, often referred to as “a rebound”, after using their powers.  Rebound times varied due to several factors:  age, health, strength of powers, length and effort of using powers, and emotional state. Rebound times generally got longer with age, younger Parahumans having much shorter times, on average, than older ones.  Health is a factor. A sick para will require a longer rebound time to recover their full powers than a healthy one. Paras who naturally have very strong powers recover faster, all other things being equal, than weaker paras. One rule that is always constant is, the more effort and energy used while using one’s powers, the longer the rebound time required to get back to full power. Emotional states also affected rebound times. A depressed Para, for instance, took much longer to rebound than a non-depressed one.

A good rule of thumb for Parahumans was that, strong Paras rebounded in half the time they were used to when using their powers (‘half time’), average Paras will rebound in the same amount of time they were used to when using their powers, while weak Parahumans would rebound at a rate of two times the time it usually took them when they were using their powers. However, young, healthy, powerful Paras could rebound faster than ‘half time’. The rule of thumb just cited was true, for the most part.

After an hour or two of rebound time, a Paranormal could often use their powers, weakly, for a limited time. Anytime a Paranormal used their powers during their rebound time, they just lengthened their rebound time, making it take longer for them to reach full strength. While a Paranormal could use their powers while rebounding, they wouldn’t be at full strength, might not be able to use the full range of their powers and might not be as “sharp” in controlling their powers.

Not all Parahumans required a rebound time, as mentioned before, some have their powers ‘on’ all the time.

Supernaturals

While Paranormal is the term used for humans with ‘other than natural’ abilities, there are Others, who are Near-Human, Werebeings or Undead who make up the greater world of “Supernaturals” thus making the term a catch-all.

Major v. Minor Powers

A human Paranormal may have a major power or a minor power, depending. The definition of ‘major’ and ‘minor’ is often hotly debated where certain powers are concerned.

Multiple Powers

With few exceptions, human Parahumans born with one major power are limited to that power. Parahumans born with a minor power may have two, even three minor powers or, in some cases, may have a major power to go along with their minor power, though this is rare.

13/30’s  --  They can shape shift into their 13-year old self or their 30-year old self but their shapeshifting ability begins only at certain times. As a shapeshifter, they can begin shifting back to their 13-yr old self only after they’ve turned 21 and they can only begin shifting back into their 30-yr old self after they’ve turned 50.  After 50, they can shift back to either form as is their want. Shifts are time-limited and there’s a rebound period after where the power can’t be used. Shifts are almost always intentional. Their DNA stays the same and they keep their current memories and life experiences with them into the shifts they make. For reasons no one quite understands, there are more women who have this power than there are men.

23’s  -- Every 23’s power is different but all of their powers revolve around the number 23. It’s a late-blooming power, not becoming apparent until the user turns the age of...23. Then their power is revealed to them in an extremely vivid dream. Some 23’s have a minor power, others, a major one. It is almost always unique to the individual.

24/7/365’s  --  Human parahumans who can go without sleep for varying lengths of time, so long as they are willing to sleep an equal amount of time afterwards to repay the accumulated sleep debt. During the repaying of their sleep debt, 24/7’s will wake for minimal amounts of time to eat, drink and take care of bodily functions but will spend all the rest of their time sleeping to make up for the time they spent totally awake. In their awake periods they’re hyper alert, hyper focused and never get tired or drowsy. The length of time they stay awake is intentional but the power to stay awake for up to a year at a time is always there.

500’s --  Human parahumans who can live to be 500 but not one day older. Their blood is favored by magic users and True Vampyres, especially the older they get, as it is thought the better they taste. Though long-lived and hardy, they can’t have many children, only being able to have a child once every dozen years or so. All 500’s move around a lot, needing to change identities to keep themselves secret. Also, they all have a specific birthmark on the back of their necks. Even if they mate with another 500, there’s no guarantee their children will be 500’s as it’s not thought to be a hereditary trait, just a random occurrence. While very hardy they can, occasionally be struck down by very virulent forms of rare diseases. They can, of course, also be die before reaching 500 by their own hand, in a murder or in an accidental death. They have near photographic memories and often become very good at many things due to their extremely long lives. Power is always ‘on’.

Agers  --  Can age backwards to a previous age that they’ve been. They seem to get better at their power with age, unlike many human parahumans. Agers also, naturally, seem to reach the upper limits of the ‘normal’ human life span, many living into their 120’s. While spry and vibrant in old age, they love nothing better than shifting back to a younger form of themselves. It’s a time-limited power and has a rebound time. Shifts are almost always intentional.

Allergies – Can give others allergies to certain things that vary in severity. Time limited power, requiring a rebound period. A major power.

Animators  --  Power to animate inanimate objects. A time-limited power, Animators make objects ‘come alive’ and give them mission-specific jobs which they will continue to try and do unless the Animator runs out of time on their power, the objects themselves are destroyed, or the jobs are finally accomplished. Once ‘animated’ the objects owe their loyalty to their animator and seem to be able to see, hear, smell and touch. They seem, literally, ‘alive’. Strong animators can animate many objects at once while weak ones may have to work very hard to just animate one thing. Power is time limited and intentional. It requires a rebound period. Practice at animating certain objects makes future animations easier and less energy-intensive.

Anipaths  --  Can communicate with any non-human, non-paranormal mammal and many species of birds. To a very minor degree they can also communicate with reptilians and amphibians but most Anipaths find these conversations boring and one-sided as there’s not a lot going on in the brains of most reptiles and amphibians. Many Anipaths prefer to speak to certain animal species over others and become ‘fluent’ with those animals while a few seem to have a knack for talking to just about everything. Strong Anipaths can create mental links with the animals they’re talking to and actually see and hear things through them, from the animal’s point of view.

Antidotes --  Just a pin-prick of an Antidotes blood can stop the most lethal drug overdoses, poisons, venoms and toxins. Antidotes themselves are, of course, immune to all of these things as well, though they are not immune to diseases and/or medical conditions. Their power rests in their blood but they have to ‘turn it on’ for it to be used, so, killing and bleeding an Antidote, while it will get you a  lot of blood, won’t get you the power that their blood is capable of producing. For an Antidote to ‘turn on’ their blood, they have to ‘will’ it on, sincerely willing their blood to take on its healing properties.

Anubi --  Human Parahumans who can mummify the living and then un-mummify them. They are amongst the most powerful of Human Parahumans and can ‘end’ many Undead species with a simple touch. All Anubi are immune to other Anubi. A mummy created by one Anubi can only be ‘resurrected’ by that same Anubi. While mummified, a person doesn’t age and falls into a timeless sleep. Once ‘resurrected’ they awaken as if nothing had happened to them. This can cause difficult re-adjustments for those who’ve been mummified a long time. It’s an intentional power but there is no time limits on it nor is there a rebound time. Anubi have to ‘will’ their power on for it to work. Just brushing up against someone, for instance, won’t mummify that person.

Aquas  -- Have power over water. Cannot be drowned. Can expel water out of their hands in powerful jet streams. Can draw water out of anything that has it in it. Unlike Cryos and Pyros, they can save up a ‘reserve’ of water they can tap into at any time so they don’t really have a time limit on their power per se, nor do they really have a rebound time. Power is intentional and considered a major one.

Audios  --  Power comes from their voice. Their Scream can not only shatter glass but burst eardrums and cause those within range to pass out from the pain. Their Whisper can drive some people mad. Their Mantra makes it impossible for a person to think of anything else. Their Hum is annoying and incredibly distracting. Immune to other Audios. A major power, intentional. No time limitations, no rebound time required.

Automatic Writers  --  Get messages from ‘the other side’ and are compelled to write them down, no matter what they’re doing. Their messages are often important and because of that they’re usually  considered ‘protected’ persons by others with supernatural abilities. A side-effect is that many a Writer goes mad. The messages may be in other languages and mostly make no sense to the Writer themselves but they’re still compelled to write the messages down. They come when they come. Some are constantly busy to the point of near exhaustion while others get messages only rarely. Power is always on. there’s no rebound time or time limitation.

Babels --  Can cause others to speak gibberish. Powerful Babels can do this to large groups of people. Babels reach into the minds of others and mess with their language centers causing them to temporarily speak total gibberish. Power is time limited, intentional and requires a rebound period. Are immune to other Babels. Usually considered a minor power.

Baby Whisperers  --  Can telepathically communicate with babies from newborn up to one year of age. Those they can’t ‘talk’ to they can ‘tap into’ to and see, hear,  and sense what they’re sensing. Lose the ability to communicate with babies once they turn about a year old but even years later those kids, should they meet the Whisperer that communicated with them, will feel a special bond. Telepathy is usually considered a major power but this one is hotly debated. Power is always on and intentional. No time limitations or rebound times involved. Can’t communicate telepathically with anyone else.

Balancers  --  Can never lose their balance. Ever. This applies to their ability to balance objects. They can’t drop anything unless they want to. Power is always on. Considered a minor power.

Balloons – Human Parahumans who can levitate and can control their ups and downs on their own they just can’t steer, putting them at the mercy of the wind as far as the direction they travel in, just like a balloon. Flight is considered a major power. Power is intentional. No time limitations or rebound times.

Barbed Wires  --  Human Parahumans who can create barbed wire and draw it out of their skin (arms, chest and back). They can keep the barbed wires (or razor wires) attached to them, or they can ‘spin them loose’ where the strings of wire can take on ‘life’ on their own and do the bidding of their creator. A major power. Power is intentional. Their are time limits on the power and a rebound time is required after using before the power can be used again.

Beards  --  Almost always a male power (though a few women grow them) Beards can us the hair in their beards in multiple ways. The hair is wire strong and can be used to strangle another person. Tugging on the beard can free a strand of hair that one can lay down as a place marker, helping them find their way. Individual hairs can be tugged out and thrown as darts. Beard can be lengthened by pulling on it or folded up like a shade. Power is always on. Hard to define. Power is intentional.

Berserkers --  When in a berserker rage, they’re invincible. During a Berserker rage they can’t be harmed in any way. Time limited power. Requires a rebound time. During their rages they don’t sustain any injuries. Many don’t remember their rages but some do. Time limited power with a rebound time required. Strong Berserkers can go for a half hour in a rage while weak ones may only last 5-minutes (they can still do a lot of damage in those 5-minutes however. Power is mostly intentional. Considered a major power.

Bleeders  --  Universal donors. Unlimited blood supply. Can never bleed to death. Are immune from any blood borne diseases. Are big favorites of True Vampyres who like that they can feed on them seemingly forever. Usually considered a minor power. Power is always on.

Blobs  --  Can shapeshift into a gelatinous blob form. Mucus Blobs are gross and slimy but still sticky. Tar Blobs are hot and sticky while Lava Blobs are destructively hot and sticky. Can absorb any written information they ‘blob over’ in its entirety. Time limited power, rebound time required. Are pretty much invulnerable in Blob form. Blob sex is pretty amazing, supposedly. A major power.

Blues  --  Power is over anything blue. Red trumps blue, meaning that the mere presence of red keeps a Blue from being able to use their powers. Can’t control anything alive but, like an Animator, can control any and all other objects just so long as they’re blue or a shade of blue. Power is always on. Considered a major power.

Bodymorphs --  Human parahumans who can control their body weight and shape. They can expand to be 400-lbs if they want or shrink down to just 99-lbs. Time limited power that requires a rebound time. One bonus is no stretchmarks. Usually considered a minor power. Intentional.

Boomerangs  --  Anything they pick up and throw they can summon back to them if it doesn’t circle back to them on its own. Power is always on. No time limitations, no rebound times. Usually seen as a minor power. Not always the most accurate of throwers, however.

Borrowers  --  Can ‘borrow’ other human Paranormal powers temporarily. Time limited power. Requires a rebound. ‘Borrowing’ puts the other Para into a coma while their power is being ‘borrowed’. Stronger Borrowers may be able to ‘borrow’ more than one power at a time and hold on to them for longer periods than weaker ones. Usually considered a major power. Other Paranormal are not able to sense them. Some powers are more attractive to ‘borrow’ than others and some ‘powers’ take a lot of practice to be able to master.

Breathers  --  Human parahumans who’s power revolves around breathing. Lungs are able to filter out almost everything and get the air they need. Can also store up an oxygen reserve for use if needed later. Capable of exhaling pure oxygen and giving it go someone in need. Can breathe in all the oxygen in a room, leaving it without any. Since their lungs are amazing filters they can’t breathe in anything toxic or poisonous. There’s a time limit on how long they can go without air as their reserves aren’t inexhaustible, however, their power is always available to them. Usually considered a major power.

Bulletproofs  --  Doesn’t matter what the bullet is made of, if it’s a bullet, they’re impervious to it. But that’s the limit of their abilities. They’re ‘merely’ bulletproof. Usually thought of as a minor power. Power is always on. Can be stabbed, get sick, can be hurt and or killed any number of ways but being shot by a bullet isn’t one of them.

C/T’s  --  Human Parahumans, Comedies & Tragedies (C/T’s) can induce fatal hilarity or fatal sadness and anything that leads up to either condition. Their power over emotions are only over these two, however. Any power that can compel death is usually considered a major power. Power is intentional.

Cadejos – Shapeshifting human Parahumans who can assume a Cadejo form (a large shaggy dog with burning red eyes or glowing blue eyes, goat legs and cat’s tails. They come in three color combinations, black, white and both black and white. Black Cadejos have red eyes, white ones, blue, black and whites can have either. Black Cadejos are generally violent and aggressive and nasty predators. Whites are usually very protective and have strong herding instincts. Black and whites are unpredictable wild cards. Can only shift at night. Basically invulnerable in shifted form, only a Cadejo can kill another Cadejo. In human form, same frailties and weaknesses as any human. Usually seen as a major power. Intentional.

Cambions  --  Their powers are strongest against False Vampyres but they’re very seductive to even True Vampyres. None of the Undead can harm them though they’re very attracted to them. Cambions draw the Undead but when an Undead tries to harm them, they experience sharp pain. Normal human frailties. The Undead pretty much lose their minds around Cambions, finding it hard to focus, think and react, making Cambions excellent vampyre hunters. Always on power. A major power, at least where the Undead are concerned.

Cannibals  --  Consuming other Parahumans gives them the powers of the paranormal they’ve eaten. Eating humans, adds their remaining years to their life. The powers they gain by eating other Parahumans have the same limitations for them as they did for their victims. Often very aggressive with sociopathic tendencies. Major power. Intentional.

Carproofs  --  Can’t be harmed by cars or in them. Can be harmed in every and any other possible way but are ‘carproof’. Power is always on. Intentional. Usually seen as a minor power.

Casanovas  --  They can get any of their lovers to do anything they want. Very charismatic, Casanovas are naturally very attractive to everyone they meet. A kiss gives them some power over you. Physical intimacy gives them great power over you. Strong Casanovas can control many ‘lovers’ for long periods of time while weak ones are more limited. Those who have been affected by a Casanova can be ‘tapped’ again but being ‘tapped’ too many times increases the risk of the other going mad. Each ‘tapping’ increases the strength and length of time of the connection. Casanovas are always male but their victims can be either male or female. Basic charisma is on all the time. Power over others is time limited. Powers are mostly intentional and considered major.

Cassandras  --  Psychics see possible futures, Cassandras see the future. Only, they’re not able to communicate it in an intelligible way. The true futures they see drive them temporarily mad and come to them in dreams, visions and/or hallucinations. They try to communicate wheat they’ve seen, often with great urgency but find that they can’t make sense of it or make others understand them. Some ‘interpreters’ can bond with a Cassandra and learn to interpret their visions with a fair degree of accuracy but this takes a lot of time, trust and practice. Power is always on and considered a major power. Some men have the power, despite the name, but the power seems to ‘affect’ women disproportionately.

Cephalophores --  Can detach their heads and in detached form are more or less invincible. Time limited power with rebound time. Even in attached form, Cephalophores can rotate their heads a full 360-degrees. Torsos seem to have all their senses even without their Heads. Both can be separated for a period of time with no ill effects but at some point the Torso will be compelled to reunite with its Head and will do just about anything to do it. Heads are awake and alert while separated, even if they can’t move. Like their Torso’s, a detached Head is basically indestructible. They’re vaguely aware of their Toro’s whereabouts and activities but don’t get ‘filled in’ on it all until after they are reunited. Decapitating a Cephalophhore just activates their power, so, there’s no good way to cut their heads off. A major power. Intentional.

Chameleons  --  Can shape shift but only into other human forms. Can assume their appearance their voices, their scent but keep the Chameleon’s DNA. Also, don’t gain any knowledge or memory of those they shift into. Every person they shift into adds another person to their ‘wardrobe’. Shifts are time limited and require a rebound time. Very convincing in Chameleon form. The form they ‘grab’ though is the form they keep for use later, so, it can look ‘dated’ and isn’t reflective of the true person’s current form, though this often doesn’t matter at all. Considered a major power. ‘Grabbing’ a form requires intent.

Chocolatier  -- Can turn anything into chocolate. Anything non-organic and inanimate. And their chocolate...is amazing. In fact, it’s so amazing that eating it causes people to fall under the Chocolatier’s power for varying degrees of time. Are immune to chocolate and many of them, ironically, don’t like chocolate much. Weak Chocolatiers only have the power of suggestion while strong ones can really get into a person’s head (with a minimal amount of chocolate) and control them for a period of time. Depending on who you talk to it’s either a major or minor power. Intentional.

Clowns  --  Can shape shift into a Clown form. Time limited, requires a rebound time. Tend to be very aggressive and volatile in Clown form. Many develop a taste for human kids and enjoy eating them. Can be destroyed in Clown form with silver, fire or being decapitated but are otherwise invulnerable. Shifts are mostly intentional and seem to have an addictive effect making those affected want to shift whenever possible. In fact, some Clowns live for their shifts ‘enduring’ the time between. Usually considered a major power.

Consciences  --  Human Parahumans who’s power is always on. They appear as past victims to those who’ve harmed others, looking like them, sounding like them, seeming to know all about what happened. They get a ‘glimpse’ of  the event involved and know that they have this power over another person but it’s not a power they control, they just sort of have to go with it. Usually considered a minor power, it’s always on.

Cryos  --  Power over the cold. Time limited power, requiring a rebound time. Can generate cold out of nothing several different ways. Are sensitive to heat, even when not using their powers, they get overheated very easy. More powerful Cryos can use their power for long periods of time. Freezing a living thing always kills it. Power is intentional and a major one.

Cybers  --  Able to project themselves into electronic devices and computer networks by shapeshifting themselves into data. As data they can move through any and all computer networks and are very good at evading security measures. Time limited power that requires a rebound time. A major power in the minds of many. Transitioning from data to person can be a bit challenging for many. Intentional power. Can ‘finger read’ data networks by just touching a monitor and mentally projecting themselves into them but it’s not as thorough and as effective as going into them themselves. 

Daedalae  --  Human Parahumans who can fly but only for a temporary period of time. Arms turn into wings but wings only last for a limited amount of time before they go away. Experienced Daedalae can feel their ‘flight times’ ending and get down before their wings disappear. Power is time limited and has a rebound time. Is intentional. Most consider human flight to be a major power.

Dancers – Human Parahumans who can hypnotize others while dancing and make themselves invulnerable in the process, just while they dance. Usually thought of as a minor power, it’s time limited and requires a rebound time. Power is intentional. Powerful Dancers can hypnotize large groups and go at it a long period of time. A minor power.

Depriveds  --  Can go extreme long periods of time depriving themselves of necessities. Can go decades without eating, if they want. Same with breathing, drinking water, sleeping, taking care of bodily functions.  Most Depriveds can only deprive themselves of one thing at a time while some strong ones can deprive themselves of multiple needs. Time limited, requires a rebound time. Intentional power. Some see it as a major power, others, as a minor one. Don’t have to binge eat, or drink or anything when they stop depriving themselves. Most consider it a major power.

Dhampirs --  Connected to vampyres and have the power to track and incite fear into any and all vampyres, True and False. Most powerful connection is to True Vampyres who have no power over them and can sense them coming. Vampyres fear a strong surge of fear when a Dhampir is around. Like Cambions, Dhampirs make great vampyre hunters. Power is always on and a major one where the Undead are concerned.

Digitizers  --  Human Parahumans who can digitize anything, living or no. They can store the digitized information on anything that they save digital information. Anything they digitize they can restore in perfect form. A major power. Power is intentional. Power is intentional but not time limited and has no rebound time. Can digitize anyone and anything just at will and undigitize it as well. Strong Digitizers can have many things digitized at once while weak ones are more limited. A major power.

Disgustings – Can control and conjure up vomit, feces, urine and mucus on demand. Can control their scent and make themselves smell really, really revolting if they want to. Can conjure up feces, urine, vomit and mucus several different ways and use them as ‘weapons’. Power is always on and requires no rebound time though their ability to control their smell weakens as they age, making them smell worse as they get older. Mostly an intentional power. Usually seen as a minor power.

Dolls  --  Shape shifters who can turn into a doll, any doll, any type of doll. Are impervious in doll form but retain all their senses. Usually have favorite dolls they like to switch into, sort of signature dolls. Power is time limited and requires a rebound time. It’s an intentional power. Most shapeshifting is seen as a major power.

Dopplegangers – Can ‘imprint’ on one person at a time and shift into them gaining all their knowledge, all their experiences, thoughts and memories as well as looking just like them and having their DNA. Limited to just one person at a time however. When they sleep they get that day’s “update’ from their double so, they’re always a day behind information, feeling and experience-wise. When their double dies, a Dopple has a period where they can’t imprint on to another, a ‘grieving period’. This varies and is shorter for stronger Dopples. Shifts are time limited and require a rebound time. Power is a major one and is intentional.

Dorian Grays  --  As long as their photo or painting stays safe, they’re invulnerable and ageless. Stop aging at age 21. The first picture or painting taken of them after age 21 is the picture or painting (real or digital) that they have to protect at all costs. While they protect it, they don’t age and are totally invulnerable. Anyone gaining power over this image has total control over the Dorian. While the name implies a man, there are plenty of female Dorians as well. A major power, it’s always on and not time limited.

Dream Divers  --  Can project themselves into the dreams of others. Can only use their power while sleeping. Strong Divers can interject themselves into more than one person’s dream at a time and can stay in them longer periods of time. They’re not passive observers but active participants with power to mold, change and shape another’s dream experience while in their heads. With a touch, they can ‘grab’ a person to Dive into later, while asleep. Power is time limited and requires a rebound time. Is intentional and seen as a major power.

Dream Weavers – Human Parahumans who, if they start out asleep physically linked to another, they can do one of two things:  1).  They can draw the other into their dream world (a world they can control down to the most minute thing) or 2). They can enter the dream world of the other, where they have no control and can act only as an observer. Power is intentional and thought to be a major power. Requires physical contact with the other person at all times to work, unlike with Dream Divers. There are no time limits and no rebound time required but excessive power use cuts into needed REM sleep  time. 

Duos  -- Have a male and a female side that share the same body, in shifts. One is usually slightly more dominant than the other but both have to deal with the fact that they inhabit the same body and have to share it. While one form is ‘out’ the other is ‘asleep’. Shifts can be forced (by the more dominant) or come at regular times. Dominant side is the side they are born as originally.  The other gender is usually ‘born’ around age 12 or 13 and the ‘sharing’ begins. The other gender often swears that they were present all along but they just hadn’t developed enough to reveal themselves. The DNA of both halves of a Duo are identical. Each half of a Duo may (or may not) have the powers of a Paranormal themselves, as if they were a separate person.

Dusk and Dawns  --  Power to become invisible, like Invisibles, but only for a brief time at dusk and at dawn. However, they are even better at being invisible at these times than Invisibles are generally. The shifts happen, every dusk and dawn and they can’t be stopped. Usually seen as a minor power it is automatic and regular.

Electros  --  Have power over electricity. Cannot be electrocuted. Tend to attract lightning without any effort. Can expel lightning out of their hands. Can draw electricity out of any device that has it. Unlike Cryos and Pyros can save up a ‘reserve’ of electricity they can tap into at any time so they don’t really have a time limit on their power per se, nor do they really have a rebound time. Power is intentional and considered a major one.

Emoters  --  Can strongly influence the emotions of others. Emoters can nudge emotions in one direction or another. If a person is sad, they can be made sadder. If a person is susceptible to jealousy, they can be nudged to be jealous. Emoters power is always on. It’s mostly seen as a minor power. More common in females than males.

Epicureans  --  Their meals have a special paranormal power. Their power lies in their cooking and what they cook is truly magical. They can make meals that drive people mad with passion or mad with sadness. They are quite the cooks. Have to make the meals themselves for the meals to have power. Are immune to the meals of other Epicureans. A minor power but a very well thought of one in the Paranormal community.

Exes  --  Supernaturally bond with all those they have sex with. They’re forever linked telepathically and emotionally afterwards. Exes can ‘tap into’ their past lovers and see, hear, feel, experience what that person is experiencing, no matter how far away. They know when they’re afraid or when they’re in danger. They can read their thoughts no matter how far away, at any time. This can be a good thing or it can be a terrible thing depending on the Ex involved. The power is usually seen as a major one due to its telepathy. The power is always on. There is no rebound time.

Exorcists  -- Can see ghosts just fine, even when ghost don’t want to be seen. Can ‘cleanse’ haunted buildings. Can ‘end’ ghosts who are causing a haunting or are behind a possession. Immune to possession themselves much of their power is on all the time but the actual act of exorcising a ghost...that takes energy and requires a rebound period after. A major power.

Faces  --  Human Paranormal shapeshifters who can change their face at any time. They can’t change their body, they can’t change their DNA, their height, their body type...any of these things. But they can change their face to that of another at any time. Mostly thought of as a minor power, the power is on all the time.

Familia  --  Can shapeshift but only into members of their immediate family. Requires a rebound time and is time sensitive. Even after an immediate family member dies, a Familia can continue to shift into them. A Familia’s DNA doesn’t change and they don’t absorb their relative’s experiences but they look and sound just like them and since they’re immediate family, a Familia may know a lot just on their own. A power that is thought of as both a major and a minor one, depending on who you ask.

Fausts  -- Can choose a path of unlimited knowledge or unlimited pleasure through a ritual but with consequences. The ‘time of choosing’ comes for them at age 16, on their 16^th birthday. They are doomed to choose and each choice gives consequences. Unlimited knowledge gives long life but much suffering. Unlimited pleasure gives a short life but, well, unlimited pleasure. By choosing one path or the other their fates are sealed. If they choose not to choose a choice is made for them, by the Universe apparently, and it is revealed quite quickly. The power (such as it is) is thought of as minor. It’s always on. More common in males than females.

Feelers  --  Using their fingertips they can ‘feel’ and learn a lot of stuff. Can read printed works, even in languages they don’t know, through their fingertips. Can track people and animals with their fingers, by touching a track. Many feelers can ‘feel’ illness with their touch. By touching something can learn who the last person to touch it was and what they did. A minor power, it’s always on.

Fireproofs  --  Like Bulletproofs, Fireproofs have one power and in this case, they’re ‘merely’ fireproof. Can never burn, be burned, get a sunburn even. So, cremation after death is out of the question. Many like to take ‘fire baths’ liking the way the flames ‘ticke’ since they can’t be burned. Mainly thought of as a minor power but it’s always on.

Flagellants  --  Flagellating themselves, Flagellants build up the ability to endure unspeakable pain. Even without flagellation, they’re highly pain resistant but regularly practicing flagellant acts greatly increases their pain resistance to unbelievable levels. They don’t need painkillers. Power is always on and is usually considered a minor power.

Floaters  --  Human Parahumans who cannot drown or sink in water, they always float, no matter what. A minor power that is always on.

Foggers  --  Human Parahumans who can generate different kinds of fog and control them. Foggers can create many different types of fogs and are always immune to the kinds of fogs they themselves can create. It’s a time limited power that requires a rebound time. Because some of the fogs can have lethal effects, the power is considered a major one.

Gifters  --  Human Parahumans who can ‘gift’ powers, either temporarily or permanently, to Normals. That’s the extent of their power. A major power, it’s always on.

Greens – Human Parahumans who’s power is limited to any and everything green. But whatever is green they can control and make to do their bidding. Blue trumps green, however, and their power is useless around things that are blue. Can’t control anything alive but, like an Animator, can control any and all other objects just so long as they’re green or a shade of green. Power is always on. Considered a major power.

Guides – Human Parahumans who can never get lost, who can always find their way, always. GPS doesn’t work around them but isn’t needed, obviously. No matter where they go, they not only know where they are, but they know all the ways in and out of where they are that are possible, automatically. Power is always on. It’s often thought to be a major power.

Hammerheads  --  Their skulls can never be broken. It’s impossible for them to suffer any sort of blunt force trauma to the head. By the same token, if something happens in their brain (cancer, aneurysm) their skulls can’t be opened up to get at it. Their necks are equally strong and unbreakable. Punching them in the face is a painful experience. usually considered a minor power, it’s always on.

Harveys  --  Human Parahumans who, when very young, use their imagination and their abilities to actually create a ‘real’ imaginary friend that they are bonded to for the rest of their lives. Their Imaginaries are created at age 5 and are always present the rest of their lives (just a summoning away). Harveys can see their Imaginaries but no one else can, until they are attacked and dealt with by them. Power is always on and a major power.

Headhunters  --  Human Parahumans who keep the heads of those they kill. Headhunters can ‘summon’ the heads they keep to talk and often seek to be ‘friends’ with them. They can ‘end’ any head that displeases them or they grow bored of. As long as a Headhunter is alive, the heads they collect are sentient, aware and can talk. A major power, it’s always on.

Hearers  --  Human Parahumans who’s power revolves around extraordinary hearing. They can understand languages they don’t speak by hearing them. They can hear frequencies others cant. They can hear the slightest sounds at a great distance. Usually considered a minor power it’s always available even if it’s not ‘on’.

Heartless – Human Parahumans who have no hearts. Their power is always on but their being alive is something of a conundrum without hearts. No one understands how they can be alive, least of all them, but their not having hearts does have its perks, True Vampyres won’t usually feed on them because they say their blood tastes ‘stale’. Being shot in the chest or stabbed in the chest...there is no danger of going through their heart.

Horuses – Human Parahumans who are protected against all things supernatural and who’s presence creates a supernatural free zone around around them. Similar to Neutralizers but different.No Supernatural being (including human Parahumans) can harm them. People close to them are protected as well. A major power, it’s always on.

Hypochondriacs  -- Human Parahumans who can take on any disease and/or medical condition they want to take on and appear to actually have it, even though they don’t. They’re so good at assuming these things that all tests will show that they do, indeed, have what they pretend to have. Power is time limited and requires a rebound time. Usually considered a minor power.

Illusionists  --  Human Parahumans who can create illusions in their targets minds. Strong Illusionists can affect large groups all at once while weak ones can only affect one person at a time. A major power that is time limited and requires a rebound time. Illusions are extremely life-like and effective.

Immaterials  --  Human Parahumans who can de-materialize and go through walls and rematerialize. Can partially dematerialize if they want. A major power, it’s time limited and requires a rebound time.

Immunes --  Immune to diseases, toxins, poisons and any and everything supernatural. Can’t get sick, can’t get possessed, can’t be poisoned. Power is always on and is thought to be a major power.

Inkers  --  Human Parahumans who can generate ink out of their index fingertips and use it to write with. Their inks can be permanent or invisible. They can tattoo people with their inks and this connects that person to the Inker no matter how far apart they are. A minor power it’s always available even if it’s not on.

Ironfists  --  Can turn their fists into iron gauntlets (complete with iron claws). Powerful. Pack quite a punch. Because they’re made of iron they’re lethal to many Supernaturals. Minor power it’s time limited and requires a rebound period.

Insectiforms – Shape shifters who can shift into numerous bugs and, as long as one bug lives, they live. They can turn into a colony of ants, a swarm of flies, a swarm of bees, of hornets, a mound of termites, a plague of locusts. They experience things through all of their insect forms and as long as one of their ‘bugs’ survives, they survive. Time limited power with a rebound time. Considered a major power.

Inside-Arts  --  Human Parahumans who can hide inside man-made works of art (not digital ones). Can project themselves into any man-made art (sketches, paintings, pottery, sculpture, bas reliefs) and hid there with all their senses intact. Time limited power with a rebound time required. Strong Inside-Arts can alter works of art to better aid in their hiding. Thought by most to be a minor power.

Invisibles  --  Simply put, they are Human Parahumans who can become invisible. Time limited power that requires a rebound time. With but a few exceptions, they can’t be seen at all. A major power.

Invulnerables  --  For brief periods of time they can be totally invulnerable but the damage they absorb during these periods take away from their lifeline. The more severe injuries they survive in their periods of Invulnerability, the more time they take off their life expectancy. Power is time limited and requires a rebound period. A major power.

Jeckyll & Hydes (J&H’s)  --  Just like the story, they have a dark side. Like Duos they are two people sharing the same body. Their gender may or may not be the same. The ‘Jeckyll’ side will always be dominant but keeping their ‘Hyde’ side at bay is difficult and can’t be done forever. A major power.

Jibber Jabbers  --  Speak a language no one can understand, unless the Jibber Jabber wants them to. Each Jibber has a unique language, no two can understand each other unless they want each other to understand. A minor power that is always available, even if it’s not on.

John/Jane Does --  Human Parahumans who have no fingerprints and who’s DNA is ‘generic’ and can’t be traced back to them. They have no smell and they don’t leave an impression on another person’s memory as they are considered most ‘unremarkable’. Power is always on. Considered a minor power.

Keymasters  --  Human Parahumans who can unlock any lock of any type, ever made. Period. Power is always on and seen as a major power since no lock can keep them out.

Kites  --  Human Parahumans who can levitate into the air but use energy ribbons they control to anchor themselves to the ground so they don’t simply fly off into space. Once they begin levitating they can only control their altitude through use of their energy ribbons.  Ribbons anchor them so, they’re stationary. Not protected from the elements or the dangers of altitude, however. Once the begin levitating all of their senses become super heightened. An intentional power it’s thought to be a ‘minor power’.

Landers – Human Parahumans always land on their feet. Always. No matter how far they fall. Always land safely with no harm done. They can’t land any other way. It’s a minor power and is always available to them.

Laser Pointers  --  Can generate focused laser dots with their index fingers. These laser dots can be annoying but can also be intensified to burn through metal cleanly. A major power, it’s always available, even if it’s not ‘on’.

Lawners  --  Odd human Parahumans. They can shape shift into pretty much any common lawn ornament or thing one would find on a lawn (garden gnomes, plastic flamingos, lawn chairs, stepping stones, garden statuary, etc.). It’s considered a minor power, is time limited and requires a rebound period. 

Lazarine --  Can raise the recently dead and some more older dead bringing them totally back to the living. Anyone ‘raised’ by a Lazarine who dies a 2^nd death is dead for good and beyond their reach. Not everyone they bring back from the dead is glad to be back. It’s a major power and requires a rebound time after each use. 

Leaches  --  Human Parahumans who’s mere presence saps the strength of other Human Parahumans, making them weaker than normal. They’re undetectable to other Parahumans though they can ‘read’ and ‘sense’ a Paranormal nearby just fine. They have their uses but they’re not very popular with most other Parahumans. A minor power, they’re power is always on.

Leapers  --  Can leap to great heights and for very long distances. Their landings are always a roll of the dice, especially if they can’t see where they’re leaping to. A minor power that is always available, even if it is not ‘on’.

Leashes  -- Can generate energy ribbons that they can use to lasso others and create leashes with. Time limited power that requires a rebound period. Leashes burn and can’t be broken in most cases. It’s a minor power.

Lucretias  --  With their vagina dentata, they’re not like any women you’ve ever come across ever. They’re vagina dentata can bite off anything inserted into their vaginas (up to steel rods). Sexual assault of a Lucretia is not a good idea. A major power it’s always on. 

Mara  --  Human Parahumans who can generate insomnia and/or sleep paralysis. Theirs is a time-limited power that requires a rebound time but is a major power due to its effects on others and their sleep patterns. Touch is the key to the power.  More often female than male.

Markers  --  Human Parahumans who can mark others with energy and use it to track them anywhere, anytime. Their energy marks remain in place while the Marker who placed them there lives. Getting rid of the mark is difficult and often impossible. A minor power, it’s always available even if it’s not ‘on’.

Morgauses  --  Always female human Parahumans who can bear you whatever daemon you want to do your bidding. You have to have sex with them and tell them what you want during the act and they can will themselves pregnant with the daemon of your choosing. What happens after that is all on you, not them. They just bring daemons into the world. Power is always available. They’re immune to the daemons they create and tend to be looked upon favorably by other daemons due to their being a ‘gateway’ into the world so most daemons are loath to do them harm even if summoned into the world through other means. A major power.

Masks --  Can generate masks, of any kind and any number to wear and hide their true appearance. Peel away one mask and another can take its place, just like that. Masks are always available, even if not on. Considered to be a minor power.

Maximizers – Like other Sensors but they can only “Maximize” one sense at a time, however, they have the ability to maximize any of their senses and are not just limited to one. So they can maximize their vision, their feelings, their hearing. It’s a major power but is time-limited unlike other sensors who have their powers always available to them. Power requires a rebound period.

Medeas – Can see child murderers and abusers who have either committed a crime or possibly may commit one. They can clearly tell the difference between the two as they know the details of the crime that’s been committed but only see one path of a possible future crime. Always female, never male. Some consider it a major power, others, a minor one. Power is always available even if it’s not on.

Mediums  --  Can communicate with the spirits of the dead. Can summon the spirits (if the spirits are willing and able to be summoned). Are extremely sensitive to ghosts and the spirit world. Power is always on and is considered a major power.

Mimics  --  Can verbally mimic most anyone and anything. Power is always available even if not on. Have a great ear for sounds and once they hear something they can mimic it perfectly again and again, anytime. Thought by most to be a minor power.

Mirrors  --  Can see things in mirrors as well as hide in them. While hiding in a mirror they are usually undetectable but an see, hear and sense any and everything happening in view of the mirror they’re in. They can view all the happenings the mirror has seen from the previous hour, for weak Mirrors to the previous 48 hours for strong ones. A major power it is time limited and requires a rebound time.

Necros  --  Can temporarily bring the dead back to life by having sex with them. The length of time they can bring the dead back for varies. Strong Necros can bring the dead back to life for up to a full day, while weak Necros can only do so for an hour at a time. A major power it’s time limited and requires a rebound period. The dead must be in good enough shape to have sex with.

Networkers  --  Form voluntary bonds they can use at any time, for a limited time only. Can communicate telepathically with those they’ve formed these bonds with. Can ‘tap’ into them when they need to in order to get information. A major power it’s always available, even if not on.

Neutralizers  -- Their power is to neutralize the powers of all human parahumans who are near to them. Neutralizers don’t have to do anything, they merely need to be. Their simple presence neutralizes all other human Parahumans’ powers. A major power that’s always on.

“Niners”  --  Have 9 lives meaning they can die up to 9 times. A major power, obviously. They always ‘revive’ the night after their death. A major power that is always on.

Numerics  --  Their powers are all in the numbers. They have photographic memories where numbers are concerned. They can perform immense mathematical calculations in their heads. They can see patterns in large sequences of numbers. They can manipulate numbers when and where it is possible. It’s thought to be a major power and is always available even when not on.

Oedipals  --  Can erase the emotional pain of others by taking it on themselves but, go blind in the process. The length of time that they are blind varies depending on the severity of the emotional pain they are taking on. Those they help always report feeling a great weight lifted. A major power that is time limited and requires a rebound time.

Orpheuses – Human Parahumans who can use music to summon the spirits of the dead to do their bidding. It’s a time limited power and requires a rebound time. An Orpheus can only bring a spirit to them and control it for a brief period of time. The spirits they bring into existence come from the ‘Ether’ and weren’t ghosts before as they have no power over spirits that are already ‘in being.’ A major power.

Overseers  --  Human Parahumans who are immune to the zombie virus and have the power to attract and control zombies, forcing them to do their bidding. A major power. They can see the living who are infected by the zombie virus. Power is always on and a major power. .

Penelopes  --  Bond with those they have first fall in love with and are forever loyal and linked to them, no matter what. Can never love again. Are always female. A minor power in the minds of most, it is always on.

Peter Pans  --  Always male human Parahumans who stop physically growing old at a certain point in their youth and remain young-looking the rest of their lives. A minor power that is always on.

Pied Pipers  --  Parahumans who, by playing music, they can control others. The control they have over others only lasts while the music is playing or, for strong Pipers, for a brief time after the music has ended. Time limited, requires a rebound time, a minor power.

Plantiforms  --  Can shapeshift into any plant form or into a hybrid human/plant form. Keep all their senses in plant form. Can shift at any time but the power is time limited and requires a rebound time. A major power.

Pogos --  Parahumans who can hop and bounce like no other. Time limited power with a rebound time required. While hopping and bouncing, they’re hard to get a hold of and even harder to hit. A minor power.

Popeyes  --  All Popeyes have a special food or drink that gives them temporary, immense strength and fighting ability. But it’s only when they consume this one food or drink. Power is time limited. Rebound time is required. The name implies males only but this is not the case as females are just as likely to be a Popeye. A major power in the strength it provides.

Possessors  --  Parahumans who can possess ghosts and make them do their bidding. Strong Possessors can forcibly control multiple ghosts. Are immune to unwanted possession but are good at drawing ghosts’ wraths. Time limited power that requires a rebound time.

Possums  --  Experts at playing dead. Are so convincing, that medical science believes them to be dead. Can not only play dead convincingly but keep it up for a while. A minor power. Time limited. Requires a rebound time.

Pricklies  --  Very similar to Spikers except they break out in pricklies, cactus-style. The barbed thorns aren’t just painful but can easily become infected. A mostly minor power. It’s always available even if it’s not on.

Psychics  --  Can see possible futures. Do so in various ways. Can’t say with any certainty which future is the ‘true’ future. Power is always on and is a major one. Some see things in dreams, others in bowls of water, others use crystal balls, some see it through the art they feel compelled to make. The various ways in which psychics ‘see’ are as varied as they are as individuals.

Pumpkinheads  --  Turn into pumpkin headed creatures. Are invulnerable in their Pumpkin forms. Their heads seem to glow from inside, as if they were lit from within, perhaps by a candle. The rest of their skin is an orangish-yellow and they have dark claws on their hands. All their senses are intact. Major power. Time limited. Requires a rebound time.

Puppeteers  --  Similar to Ventriloquists but they can take physical control of others and make them do their bidding. Strong Puppeteers can control a lot of people at once, weak ones, only one at a time. Time limited power that required a rebound period. A major power.

Pyros – Power over heat and fire. They are the opposites of Cryos. Time limited powers with rebound time required. They can generate fire any number of ways, through their breath, with their hands, by seeming to ‘pull it out of  the air’ and some strong Pyros, just with a stare. Like fireproofs, Pyros are immune to fire themselves. A major power.

Quicksilvers  --  Can turn into liquid mercury blobs but can unlike Blobs can form into a liquid mercury humanoid form as well. Can conduct electricity. Can shift between liquid and solid easily and quickly. Time limited power that requires a rebound time. Virtually invulnerable in  quicksilver form. A major power.

Racials  --  Paranormal shapeshifters who can shift into any racial identity that they want to. Their DNA stays the same, they can’t change gender or size but they can change their racial appearance. A mostly minor power. Time limited, it required a rebound time.

Radars  --  Have an internal radar that tells them when non-natural beings are nearby. Power includes but is not limited to other human Parahumans. It’s always on and is a major power.

Rapunzels  --  Always female Parahumans, their power lies in their hair. Like Beards, their hair can grow and can become ‘alive’. Their hair is powerfully strong and can act as a rope, can strangle others, is bulletproof and create a ‘hair shield’ for the Rapunzel. Power is always available, even if not on. Their hair seemed to have an intelligence all its own. A major power.

Rebirthers --  Parahumans who can choose to be reborn, over and over and are able to choose their mothers ahead of time. They can recall all their past lives. They can accumulate a lot of knowledge in the process. They can choose to come back as the same gender or change genders as they wish. A major power.

Receivers  --  Can pick up any and all messages, normal and paranormal that are sensed by them. Encrypted messages don’t matter as they are able to break any encryption known. Their power is always on and is a major one. Any message they sense in the air around them, they can ‘pull out of the air’ and read.

Recorders  --  Able to see any and all events that have happened in the past involving Parahumans. Their view is always to the past and always captures the activities of Parahumans only. They’re unable to see other Supernaturals (generally). A major power, it’s always available, even if it isn’t on.

Red Riding Hoods  --  Always blonde female Parahumans who’s power is focused on Werewolves only. They’re immune to their bites. They can sense them while Werewolves are unable to sense them back, mostly, until it’s too late. Power is always on and a major one, where Werewolves are concerned.

[Note:  It seemed a neat idea to me to find a foil for Werewolves (the most popular Werebeings, by far). As I thought about it I could think of no better foil than Red Riding Hood. There’s a little “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” thrown into the idea as well, I admit.]

Reds  --  Human Parahumans with power over anything red. Green trumps red. Can’t control anything alive but, like an Animator, can control any and all other objects just so long as they’re red or a shade of red. Can’t control anything when green is present. Power is always on. Considered a major power.

Regrowers --  Can’t regrow their head, if lost, but can regrow any other organ or body part if lost or damaged. Some body parts take longer to regrow than others and in that case, a Regrower may enter a coma-like state until the regrowing is done. Not invincible or invulnerable and too much damage done to their body all at once can overwhelm and kill them. A major power. Always available, even if not on.

Regurgitators  --  Can swallow and store pretty much anything in their digestive track, throwing it up (in perfect condition) later, when needed. Not only this, but while swallowed, the object doesn’t show up on any MRI’s or x-rays. Strong Regurgitators can ‘hold onto’ many things, while weaker ones are more limited. The power is time limited and requires a rebound time. A major power.

[Note: I’ve always been fascinated by birds regurgitating their food for their young. It seemed to me that keeping things safe by swallowing them and then regurgitating them safely would be a clever, magical way to store things of import.]

Relivers  --  In their sleep, Relivers can travel back in time and ‘relive’ past events. Need something from the event or depicting the event (that something has to be physical) for them to go back and ‘relive’ it. While they ‘relive’ the event, they can’t interact or participate in it but they can change their point of view to see an event from any and all possible viewpoints. A major power, it’s only available to the Reliver in sleep.  It’s a time-limited power and requires a rebound period.

Remote Viewers --  Can see things happening in the present, remotely, from a distance. Power is always available, even if not on. A major power. Weak Remotes can only see things, strong Remotes can see and hear and sometimes even smell at a distance.

Resurrectors  --  Can shape shift into the form and identity of a deceased person bringing that person ‘back to life’. During that shift they can ‘become’ that person, accessing that person’s memories and experiences but they never truly ‘become’ that person just the closest approximation possible. Time limited power, requires a rebound period. It’s a major power. Seems to be much more common in women for some reason, than men.

RGB’s  --  Powers over all 3 colors. However, 3 colors trump them when present, white, black and gray. Can’t control anything alive but, like an Animator, can control any and all other objects just so long as they’re red, blue or green or a shade of one of the three. Power is always on. Considered a major power.

Rocks  --  Can turn into rocks or into rock people. Time limited power, requiring a rebound period. Invulnerable in rock form. A major power. Have all their senses in rock form even though they don’t appear to have eyes or ears or even a mouth.

Rubbernecks  --  Can’t be decapitated or suffer a broken neck. Human Parahumans who’s necks can stretch out up to 6-ft and can twist and turn in the process. Power is always available, even if it’s not on. Allows a Rubberneck to literally stick their neck out and look around a corner. A major power.

Sadists  --  Gain power from inflicting pain. They gain power from inflicting pain but they enjoy giving pain because it gives them power. The more pain they inflict, the longer they live. The inflicting of pain becomes an addiction as Sadists feel immense pleasure in the process. A major power.

Sampsons  -- Always male human Parahumans, who, with hair over the collar, have amazing strength. Short hair, not so much. Tend to lose their hair as they grow older. As long as their hair is long, their strength is always available, even if not on.

Scarecrows  --  Can change into animated scarecrows. Time limited power that requires a rebound time. It’a  major power. Scarecrows are invulnerable in shifted form. Can summon and control murders of crows to do their bidding.  

Scribes  --  By touching a person and then, immediately writing their name down on a piece of paper, a Scribe can create a Scroll of Life, a Scroll that contains all the information about a person’s life up to that point and which magically updates on the fly as the person lives their life. Scrolls of Life can only be read by Scribes. The piece of paper turns into a scroll over night and can’t do so if someone is looking at it. A major power that is always on.

Sedatives  --  Parahumans who can calm and sedate others. Their mere presence is calming. Power is always on. A major power.

[Note:  In such a fast-paced world, it seemed to me only right to have a Paranormal who could calm things down a bit.]

     

Shades  -- Shapeshifting Parahumans who can take on a spirit-like form which is obviously human but white and covered in a shroud, hiding their identity and giving them a traditional “ghost in white sheets” look. Can fly. Solid but not, in shifted form. “Normals” who see a shroud are often affected by it and report strong feelings of grief and sadness after seeing one. Are able to take the heat out of a room. Ghost rules affect them, even though they’re not a ghost. A major power, it’s time limited and requires a rebound period.

[Note: Ancient death shrouds have always interested me so I thought, why not a shapeshifting Paranormal who could become ghost-like while still alive and somehow tie into the whole ghost in white sheets thing?]

Shadowcasters  --  Can create shadows of themselves that do their own bidding. Strong Casters can generate multiple shadows to work for them. Time limited power with a rebound time required. A major power. Casters can sense any and everything through the shadows they cast.

[Note:  Shadow people are a fascination. So it seemed to me a natural to have a Paranormal who could create them and control them to do their bidding.]

Shells  --  Can create bony shells that cover their torsos. Can seal themselves up in their shells like a turtle. Time limited power, it requires a rebound period. Many consider it a major power. Shells may look ‘just bony’ but are bulletproof, fireproof and mostly blast proof. While they only cover the torsos, many Shells say they’re not that uncomfortable to be holed up in.

[Note:  The “Teenage Ninja Turtles” are a clear inspiration here but so too any magical/mythical creature that is bony and skeletal.]

Shielders  --  Are able to project invisible energy shields. Time limited power, a rebound period is required. It’s a major power. Strong Shielders can weaken their shields and split some of their power off to ‘lend’ to others nearby. Very effective against many Supernatural and magical powers, not just real world threats. Can seal their shields against air born threats for a limited time. Can reverse their shields to serve as cages, capturing others and sealing them up within them.

Short Circuits  -- Their mere presence short circuits any and all electrical devices and shuts electricity off. Their power is always on. Considered a major power.

[Note: Electricity, in one form or another, is so essential to the world in which we live, a Paranormal that could render it useless seemed to me a must.]

Sin Eaters  --  Can take away disease from others through a kiss that draws the disease out of the sick person and into the Sin Eater. Sin Eaters need to sleep after performing a ‘healing’ and often suffer fevers, shakes, pain and nausea as well. Power is always available, even if not on. A major power.

[Note:  Hardly a new idea at all (see “The Green Mile” for instance) but one that is interesting to me. Parahumans who voluntarily help others rid themselves of a disease and suffer somehow as a result but again, are doing it willingly. That seemed an interesting concept.]

Sizers  --  Can shrink to an inch high or grow as big as 12-ft. high. Clothing can be a problem. Time limited power, with rebound time required. A major power.

[Note:  This idea of growing and shrinking had me consider human Paras who were specialists in each but then I thought, what about just one Paranormal who could do both and explore what it means to be both tiny and a giant?]

Skeletals  --  Can shed their skin and become nearly impervious walking skeletons. Bones are mostly bulletproof but should they be broken off, they can collect the parts of themselves for re-assembly. Their shed skin bubbles and evaporates into the air in a matter of moments. Can flame their skulls if they desire, for further effect. In human form they can project bony skeletal claws out of their fingernails. They can just melt their heads if they want. leaving their bodies intact.

Skinwalkers  --  Like Chameleons they can collect wardrobes but in order to do that, they have to kill their victims first. This killing allows them to access all their victims knowledge and memories as well as their look, their voices, their scents. It gives them their DNA as well when they make their shifts. Shifts are time limited and require a rebound period. A major power.

Sleep Walkers --  Their power comes during their sleeping ‘walkabouts’ where they are totally invulnerable, totally powerful, totally indomitable. While they’re sleep walking. They may or may not remember their adventures while asleep. A major power. Power is time limited to when they sleep.

Sleeping Beauties  --  Can control (while asleep) any and all they kiss with intent. Are always female Parahumans. Even when awake, they are mostly immune from the ones they’ve kissed and controlled in the past though people they’ve ‘used’ don’t ever remember the fact later. 

Slimers  --  Can generate slime, a smelly, sticky, gooey, icky slime to use as a weapon. Hard to get off. Very distracting. Can also generate a slippery slime that makes them hard to grab a hold of. Time limited power with a rebound period required. A major power.

Slow Mo’s  --  Can slow time down and even temporarily pause it (but not stop it altogether) in the direct area they are in.

Sniffers  --  Powers are all about their sense of smell. They can smell things other humans can’t and learn a lot through the scents they pick up. Power is always on. It’s status as a major power is hotly debated.

Speed Talkers  --  Parahumans who can speak so fast that almost no one else can understand what they say except the person they’re directing their message to. A ‘minor power’. The power is intentional.

Sphericals  --  Parahuman shapeshifters who can turn themselves into mirrored spheres of varying size, depending on the need, from boulder sized to marble sized. Their spheres are hypnotic to those who look into them for too long and can move on their own. Time limited power with a rebound time required. A major power.

Spikers  --  Can project silver spikes out of every part of their body. Not only that, they can eject the spikes. Clearly lethal to all Parahumans and Supernaturals who have a problem with silver. Power is always available, even when not on. A major power. Fire the spikes out of their palms.

Spirit Photographers --  With special cameras they are able to capture things that no one else can capture on film. Only they seem to be able to identify and work these cameras. A minor power. Power is only activated when they’re behind their cameras.

Splitters  --  Can split into multiple forms of themselves that they refer to as Betas. As long as their main self, the Alpha, is unharmed, they’re okay even if all of their Betas are hurt or killed. Each Beta experiences things separate from their Alpha until they ‘reunite’ and blend back into their Alpha at which time the Alpha absorbs all the memories and experiences of its various Betas. Strong Splitters can split off into many Betas, while weaker Betas are more limited.

Sponges  --  Can absorb any and everything that they consume or that hits them, save it and access it for use later expelling it later, usually through the palms of their hands. Power is a major one and is always available.

Spreaders  --  Can collect diseases that they can willingly spread but are immune to any and all diseases they currently have collected while the disease is in their possession. A major possession.

Sprinters --  Parahumans who are amazingly fast over short distances. The more fit they are, the faster they are, but even those who are not fit can be amazingly fast. Distances range from 50 to up to 200-meters.

Stilts  --  Can stretch their legs up to 6-ft in length making it appear they’re walking on very high stilts. A minor power. The power is time limited and requires a rebound period.

Sybils  --  Invite ghosts to live within them, to share space, as you will, with multiple souls. In return, many of these ghosts happily do their bidding and grow very fond of their living ‘hosts’.

Tailies  --  Have tails. Different Tailies have different types of tails:  Prehensiles, Scorpions, Skunks, and Crocodiles. Power is always available even if not on. A major power.

Telekinetics  --  Power to move matter with their minds. Major power. Always available even if not on. A major power. Strong ‘TK’s’ can control many things at once, while weak ones are more limited.

Telepaths  --  Can communicate with their minds and read the minds of others. Strong Telepaths can even launch ‘mental attacks’ on others which can disable, so severe is their pain. A major power. Women seem to be telepathic more so than men for some reason.

Teleporters – Can teleport themselves anyplace they can think of. Works best if it’s someplace they’ve been to before. Time limited, rebound time is required. A major power. Strong Teleporters can take someone with them. Weak ones are limited to teleporting just themselves.

Therianthropes  --  The classical shapeshifters of legend, Therians can turn into any animal form living and a few can turn into extinct animal forms (mammal and bird only, however). Always available even if not on. A major power. One of the very few human Paranormal powers that can be handed down genetically.

Touchers  --  The power comes from their hands and the simple power of touch. There are multiple variations of The Touch but each Toucher has just one version of it. Some versions include:  The Touch of Truth, The Touch of Pain, The Touch of Sleep, The Touch of Forgetting, The Touch of Fear, The Touch of Spasm and The Touch of Time. It’s always available even if not on. It’s a major power.

Traders --  Similar to Gifters, they can collect paranormal powers to trade, however, they can only trade with other Parahumans. A major power. It’s always available, even if not on.

Trinities  --  Always male human Parahumans who can shapeshift into their fathers, their sons or become a ghostly spirit. Can change into the form of their son, even if they don’t have a son. This is done by changing into the form of a potential son, a son they could’ve had. Their ghostly form is vague, whispery, ambiguous. Their father form is their biological father, whether they knew them or not. A major power. Time limited with a rebound time required.

Tunes  --  Parahumans who, with every person they meet (there are rules to this) they remember, their face, their name and have a tune assigned to them. They never forget the face and name and the tune is always heard when that person comes near. Always. Power is always on. Thought to be a ‘minor power’.

Twins  --  Alone, no power, together? Very impressive, very challenging power. Both Twins are born with telekinetic and telepathic powers but one Twin is always stronger in the one than the other. Together, they’re a formidable force and amongst the most dangerous of human Parahumans. They’re frequently identical twins but need not be so. They’re forever linked (in life) to one another and more deeply than just through their shared telepathy.

Twisters --  Human tornadoes, basically. Once they begin spinning they can create a vortex of air that is violently dangerous. Time limited power with a rebound time required. A major power.

Two Heads  --  Have a second head, a real head, that comes up out of their back when summoned. Power is always available even when not on. The second head seems to always be aware even when it’s not present. The second head is mostly an adviser and counsel to the first. Mostly considered to be a minor power. 

Unihorns  --  Parahumans who can generate a horn in the center of their head. The horn is either reminiscent of a rhino horn or a spiraling unicorn horn. Horns can be used as weapons. Ageless and invulnerable as long as they have their horns. Cannot have children while they have their horns though, so, having their horns removed allows them to procreate.

Vaults  --  Are able to store information in their minds in such a way that it’s totally, completely safe. No one can get to it unless they willingly give it up. Cannot be forced to give their secrets up. Power is always available, even if not on. A major power.

Venoms  --  Have stingers. Can inject others with venom. The stingers can come out between the first and second finger on each hand. Different types of venom are available:  hallucinogens, neurotoxins and cytotoxins. Are immune to their own venom. A major power. Always available, even if not on.

Ventriloquists --  Can take over people and control them as if they were ventriloquist dummies talking through them. Time limited power, it requires a rebound time. Strong Ventriloquists can talk through many people at once, while weak ones are more limited. A major power. 

Vesuviuses  --  Parahumans who can belch out clouds of smoky ash, can generate and use molten lava as a weapon, can trigger earthquakes in their immediate presence and can occasionally ‘erupt’ sending out a shock wave of power around them. A major power. Eruptions require long rebound times before they can be attempted again. Other aspects of their power are also time limited but less so.

Vinos – Their kisses truly are like wine. A very potent, highly alcoholic wine. It’s easy to get drunk on their kisses. Power is always available, even if not on. There’s no way around getting literally drunk off of their kisses.

Virgins --  Always female Parahumans who’s power lies in their maintaining their virginity. They can live ageless lives as long as they keep their virginity. The minute they give their virginity up (willingly) they begin to age like a normal person.

Visuals   --  Their powers are all visual. Can see in all spectrums of light. Can see spirits and ghosts even if they don’t want to be seen. Can read languages they don’t know just by looking at them. Can see through things.

Copyright 2012, M.R. McCaffery. All rights reserved.