“We are the echo of the stars, carved in gold, dreaming in light.”
Appearance
The Anaki are breathtakingly beautiful in an alien, porcelain way — tall and slender with skin that gleams alabaster-white, faintly luminescent beneath soft light. Their ears are long and taper like sculpted marble. Their eyes are large and glossy black, reflecting emotional state as shifting color: sapphire for joy, amethyst for grief, gold for fury, silver for focused concentration. Most striking are the golden runes — living circuitry etched faintly across their skin, pulsing with psychic rhythm in time with their thoughts.
Origin & Lore
The Anaki are the keepers of the Elian line's oldest psionics. When the Thirteen Shifts began collapsing the ley line network, the Anaki felt it before anyone else — their rune-architecture is directly Essa-sensitive. They survived the Pulse Wars in their Starhalls, sealed environments maintained by psionic resonance fields. In Nexar, the Floating Metropolis, House Veyra — the Sky Merchants — maintain banking, skyship navigation, and diplomatic infrastructure. Their control of Essa trade routes gives them influence that extends well beyond their population.
Baseline Traits
All Anaki receive these traits at character creation at no cost.
Telepathic Resonance
Communicate telepathically with any creature within 30 feet that understands at least one language. The creature cannot respond telepathically unless it also has this ability.
Elian Resilience
Magic cannot put you to sleep. Advantage on saving throws against being charmed. On a successful save against charm or fear, grant an ally within 30 feet advantage on their next save against the same effect.
Lightborne Form
As a Bonus Action, your body glows softly, shedding dim light in a 10-foot radius. Advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks while this glow is active.
Psionic Grace
Proficiency in either Insight or Arcana. When making an Intelligence-based ability check, add your Dexterity modifier to the roll.
Light Grasp
Manipulate small objects within 30 feet using focused psionic pressure — interact with objects, open unlocked containers, retrieve items (up to 5 lbs).
Species Advancement Tree
You earn Species Points at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10. Tier 2 requires at least 1 Tier 1 purchase. Tier 3 requires at least 1 Tier 2 purchase.
Tier 1 Available at levels 1 and 3
Thought Read 1 SP
Reach into the surface thoughts of a creature within 30 ft (Wisdom save). Learn its emotional state, whether it is lying, or its intended action on its next turn. Uses per proficiency bonus per Long Rest.
Luminous Reflexes 1 SP
Add your Intelligence modifier to Dexterity saving throws. Uses per proficiency bonus per Short or Long Rest.
Harmonic Pulse 1 SP
As an Action, up to three creatures within 30 ft may each end one condition: charmed, frightened, or hostile. Once per Short Rest.
Starborn Focus 1 SP
Once per Short Rest, when making an Intelligence or Wisdom check, treat the d20 roll as a 15 if the result is lower.
Tier 2 Available at levels 5 and 7
Light Echo 1 SP
Project three psionic light-duplicates of yourself. Each time you are targeted by an attack, roll a d4 — on a 2–4, it targets a copy instead. Lasts 1 minute. Once per Long Rest.
Psionic Shield 1 SP
As a Reaction, grant yourself or an ally within 30 ft advantage on a saving throw against a psionic, magical, or fear effect. Uses per proficiency bonus per Long Rest.
Cognitive Harmony 1 SP
Telepathic range extends to 60 feet. Maintain simultaneous links with Intelligence modifier creatures. Can now transmit visual impressions.
Golden Circuit 1 SP
Always aware of the presence and strength of active Essa within 60 feet. Cannot be surprised by creatures using Essa abilities.
Tier 3 Available at level 10
Starslip 1 SP
As a Bonus Action, teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. May remain invisible until your next turn. Uses per proficiency bonus per Long Rest.
Resonance Apex 1 SP
Immune to charmed and frightened. Telepathic range extends to 120 feet. Once per Long Rest, broadcast a message to all creatures within 120 feet — hostile creatures must save or be stunned.
The Geometry of Thought 1 SP
At the start of combat, identify the greatest threat, who might act against allies, and who is compelled. Once per turn, share a free Action tactical read with one ally.
Roleplaying a Anaki
Speech as primitive art. Emotion as mathematics. Memory as weight. The Anaki analyze feeling in real time — grief is a frequency, joy a chord, fury a harmonic disruption. They seem cold when deeply moved.
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