■■■■■s were individually weak and incompetent. They were designed to be so, so as to encourage the development of societies where their two special abilities could come in play:
1)■■■■■■■■■■■■. This was not the logical extension of intelligence but a species ability. There were many intelligent creatures who themselves were capable of tribalism, cohabitations, cooperations, speeches, magics, supernatural abilities, etc. And they would be able to survive and thrive in ■■■■■ societies by adaptations and mimicry... But throughout the ages there had been no examples of them ever creating original ■■■■■■■■■■■■■ of their own, with the few cases that existed always an adaptation of another ■■■■■, and the maintenance of which by other ■■■■■s.
For "■■■■■■■■s", those that were from beyond ■■■■■■■■■■, despite their intelligences and prowess, they would simply be at a disadvantage when trying to do things that were "markedly ■■■■■".
(This would be expressed as a negative-skill of "■■■■■■■■".
Whenever a ■■■■■■■■ tried to learn a skill that could be designated as "a product of ■■■■■■■■■■■■", be it physical, mental or spiritual, their base check would be reduced by their level of "■■■■■■■■" even into the negatives, where dice results were made to subtract instead of adding.
■■■■■■■■ level descriptions:
Lv -1: Mixed-blooded ■■■■■s with majority ■■■■■ lineage, Boundary ■■■■■s (■■■■■■■■■■s, ■■■■■■■■s, etc.)
Lv -2: Mixed-blood ■■■■■s with minor ■■■■■ lineage, ■■■■■■■■s with ■■■■■like aspects (Vampires, wereoids, shapeshifters, etc.)
Lv -3: ■■■■■■■■s with very little ■■■■■ aspects, ■■■■■■■■s who did not usually engage with ■■■■■s, aliens,
The ■■■■■■■■ levels could be overcome via dedicated trainings in the form of additional skill levels. --- Eg. a ■■■■■■■■ level 2 wished to learn how to drive a car, he would learn skills the usual way, but that his skill base started at -2 instead of 0. He could still reach Lv3 eventually, but that meant he had to raise that skill by 5 level instead of the usual 3, for the exponential increase in skill cost extrapolated from basic skill costs.
And this must be done separately for EACH SKILL. Meaning that unless the ■■■■■■■■ was dedicated and resourceful, most would have problems going about their daily life in ■■■■■ society.)
2)Reality-shaping telepathic link: Empathy was also a species ability. While all life have some forms of empathy, only ■■■■■s could cross species barrier and feel in terms of another different lifeform. This was in part due to their constant unconscious low level telepathy that could identify other's thought process to a certain extent.
(Yes, a ■■■■■■■■ can like ■■■■■ and all they encompassed. Even love were completely viable. But their baseline perspective were biologically impossible to be ■■■■■-based.)
While at first it seemed just a minor aspect of the original species, the mutation of this branch of ■■■■■s have taken it to a massive turn: When they became the majority factor of the biosphere, this empathic interlink would bind together and create a "spiritual overnet". From that point on reality would be defined by ■■■■■■■■'s overall prespectives. While ■■■■■■■■s could still survive under this influence, their ability would be limited under this redefinition of reality as long as they were under ■■■■■■■■'s direct awareness.
Before the ■■■■ ■■■■■■■, ■■■■■■■■s were actually made stronger by this, as their existence and abilities have been a common daily acceptance within ■■■■■ society. Due to the influence of a certain secret society though, they have been systematically using ■■■■■■■■ to reduce the strength of "■■■■■■■ ways" then the spread of ■■■■■■■ to outright remove their influence within ■■■■■ society altogether. Their power would remain intact facing lone individuals or those "in the know", but once under public scrutiny the collective weight of the empathic interlink would force them to conform under local reality.
It was only after ■■■ where the secret society were overthrown by a collective of ■■■■■s, ■■■■■■■■s, and a 3rd party influence, that new perspectives were slowly reintroduced back and a new version of reality were beginning to form, though it would take generations more to see any real results.
Though certain faction still held the belief that the previous version of empathic interlink should be retained, as it was the most optimal way to uphold "The Way of ■■■■■■■■".
"The whole race was designed to be individually weak, because at the end of the day only the race itself mattered... And maybe that's why just tipping a toe out of line and 'poof!' you're suddenly in a whole other category."
-Agent L, recorded in a field exercise