An Electi is any sentient human or Therianthropic human born with an innate, “magical” ability that is entirely unique to the individual. These abilities, often defying conventional physics and logic, set Electi apart from ordinary humans, making them both a marvel and a source of controversy. The exact origins of these meta-humans remain a mystery, with no definitive scientific or historical explanations. However, recorded instances of Electi births first emerged in the 1970s, without any prior evidence or precursor to their existence.
The sudden and unexplainable appearance of Electi individuals led to widespread confusion, fear, and even hostility. As the first generation of Electi struggled to understand and control their abilities, society reacted with skepticism and often outright persecution. Governments, religious groups, and scientific communities all sought to explain, regulate, or suppress these anomalies, leading to a turbulent history of discrimination and conflict.
For most Electi, their abilities manifest between the ages of seven and eleven, though rare cases have been documented where powers emerge earlier or much later in life. The nature of these abilities varies wildly—from relatively straightforward powers, such as generating electricity, floating a few inches off the ground, or freezing water, to bizarre and highly specialized abilities, such as a reality-bending aim assist that ensures perfect accuracy or the ability to extract a specific type of metal from one’s own bloodstream at will.
The ability can also range from a passive effect, such as a supernatural byproduct or involuntary condition of the Electi itself, to abilities that require active concentration or a deliberate trigger to activate properly. Some abilities may also be item-based, in that the ability’s effect is dependant on a physical, naturally-occurring or man-made object particular to the Electi. Others still may be directly connected to or involved with non-human biological organisms and/or matter, such as plants or insects.
However, this “blessing” of power is rarely without consequence. Most Electi abilities come with inherent limitations, weaknesses, or outright harmful side effects. These drawbacks can be as simple as extreme fatigue after prolonged use or as debilitating as permanent sensory loss. Many Electi abilities are considered more of a curse than a blessing, such as a body’s heels constantly shedding all friction upon making contact with a surface, making normal bipedal movement nearly impossible, or an altered respiratory system that allows the user to breathe any gaseous substance—except oxygen. These downsides reinforce the notion that the “magic” of this world is not hardly a blessing, but instead demands an equal or even greater physical cost to use.
Additionally, these abilities are not hereditary nor manifest more than once, meaning certain individuals are not genetically predisposed to have a higher chance of being born an Electi nor can eugenically produce specific Electi abilities based on the abilties of the parents; the ability comes absolutely randomly and is unique to its Electi and that Electi alone. And, once the user of the ability dies, that ability expires with them.
Due to the sheer breadth of heterogenity with these living phenomena, society remains divided on the place of Electi within the modern world, with some embracing them as evolutionary pioneers and others regarding them as dangerous anomalies that should be controlled—or eradicated. This ongoing struggle defines the reality of Electi individuals, forcing many to navigate a world that may never fully accept them.