Psionics

Psionics are the use of mental powers to sense phenomena, communicate with other beings, and manipulate both matter and energy.

1. The science of psionics is psionicology, and one who studies psionics is a psion or psionicist.
2. The use of mental talents to manipulate matter and energy, sense, communicate, or other powers.

Library Data Referral Tree

Psionics

§ == ( Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information: ) == §

• Psionicology
  • Psion AKA Psionicist
  • Psionic Talent
  • Psionics Institutes
  • Psionic Strength
• Psionic Technology
  • Psi-drug
• Psychotronics
  • Psionic Shield Helmet
  • Psionic Switch

Description

It has been demonstrated that minds (human or non-human, conscious or unconscious, intelligent or unintelligent) contain some capacity to operate without the apparent use of physical facilities.

Psionic Capabilities

Psionics falls into several primary talents:

• Awareness, the ability to control one’s own body. Awareness is not capable of affecting others and may not be used for healing or enhancing other characters.
• Clairvoyance, the ability to sense events at some location displaced from the viewer.
• Telekinesis, the ability to manipulate objects without physically touching them.
• Telepathy, the ability to contact other minds directly. In rudimentary forms, it allows the communication of feelings and emotion; in advanced forms, it allows the transfer of information.
• Teleportation, the ability to allow instantaneous movement from one point to another point without regard to the intervening matter. Psionic teleportation is limited to the movement of the teleported character’s body and (for highly skilled teleports) his clothing and weapons.

Awareness-derived Psionic Powers

Non-canon: Some special psionic abilities in the Awareness (Body Control, not healing or attribute enhancement) family include:

• Levitation or transvection, the ability to raise the human body into the air by paranormal means.
• Psycho-dexterity or Psi-Augmentation, the ability to use awareness to influence the dexterity of one's self.
• Psycho-nootropics, Metapsionics, or Psi-Augmentation, the ability to use awareness to influence intelligence and thinking.

Clairvoyance-derived Psionic Powers

Non-canon: Some special psionic abilities in the Clairvoyance (Extrasensory perception) family include:

• Clairalience (smelling), a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person accesses psychic knowledge through the physical sense of smell. Clairalience is also alternatively known as clairolfactance or clairescence.
• Clairaudience (hearing/listening), a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person acquires information by paranormal auditory means. It is often considered to be a form of clairvoyance. It is an ability to hear in a paranormal manner, as opposed to paranormal seeing (clairvoyance) and feeling (clairsentience).
• Claircognizance (knowing), a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person acquires psychic knowledge primarily by means of intrinsic knowledge. It is the ability to know something without a physical explanation why you know it, as the concept of mediums.
• Clairgustance (tasting), a form of extra-sensory perception that allegedly allows one to taste a substance without putting anything in one's mouth.
• Clairsentience (feeling/touching), a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person acquires psychic knowledge primarily by feeling.
• Clairvoyance (second sight), an ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through means other than the known senses, also known as extrasensory perception.
  • Precognition or Premonition, the ability to perceive or predict future events.
  • Retrocognition, the ability to see past events.
  • Remote viewing, the perception of contemporary events happening outside of the range of normal perception.
• Psychometry, the ability to relate details about the past or future condition of an object or location, usually by being in close contact with it.

Telekinesis-derived Psionic Powers

Main Article: Telekinesis
Non-canon: Some special psionic abilities in the Telekinesis (Nonphysical object, energy, or force manipulation) family include:

• Cryo-kinesis, the ability to spontaneously cause freezing.
• Electro-kinesis, the ability to spontaneously manipulate various types of electromagnetic energy.
• Pyro-kinesis, the ability to spontaneously start fires.
• Psycho-energeia, the ability to create and project force fields.
• Psycho-graphy, the ability to produce written words without consciously writing.
• Psycho-kairos, the ability to affect the weather through paranormal means.
• Psycho-kinesis, the ability to perform an assault on inanimate objects.
• Psycho-stasis, the ability to put an object or living being into a state of temporal suspension.
• Quanta-kinesis, the ability to manipulate the nuclear forces of the universe.
• Trans-mutation, also known as psycho-transmutation, is the ability to change one form of matter into another.

Telepathy-derived Psionic Powers

Non-canon: Some special psionic abilities in the Telepathy (Paranomal communication) family include:

• Projective Psycho-empathy, the ability to induce visions or hallucinations in others, either audial, visual, or a combination of aural and visual effects.
• Psycho-automata, the ability to telepathically communicate with computers or robots.
• Psycho-empathy, the ability to sense another sophont's emotions. Telempathy

Teleportation-derived Psionic Powers

Non-canon: Some special psionic abilities in the Teleportation (Paranormal transportation) family include:

• Apportation, a form of paranormal teleportation, that allows the transference of an article from one place to another, or the appearance of an article from an unknown source.
• Projective Teleportation, the ability to teleport others instead of one’s self.

Psycho-manipulation-derived Psionic Powers

Non-canon: Some special psionic abilities in the Psycho-manipulation (Paranormal manipulation of self or other sophonts for healing, attribute enhancement, or other reasons) family include:

• Psi-Augmentation, the ability to use awareness to affect others (to either increase or decrease characteristics).
• Psycho-invisibility, the ability to distort the senses of another being, in effect, causing an object or living being to become invisible.
• Psycho-medicine, Psychometabolism, or Vitakinesis, the ability to use awareness to affect others (to either increase or decrease characteristics, or to heal).
• Psycho-mentalia, the ability to affect the mind, often to control a mind, tele-suggestion, or control the mind, tele-cerebro-control.
• Psycho-vampirism, the ability to draw bio-energies from an individual and weaken or even kill them.

Other-derived Psionic Powers

Non-canon: Some special psionic abilities not in any of the primary psionic groupings include:

• No information yet available.

Even More Psionic Capabilties

Non-canon: Some other special talents exist that do not conform to the normal classifications, or are different than the usual descriptions for those abilities.

Some other special psionic abilities in the Clairvoyance (Extrasensory perception) family include:

• Jump-sight, an ability that improves the ability of an interstellar navigator. This talent is often linked to a talisman, but not noticed as one, as the talisman is usually a computer where the character is running the program to compute an interstellar jump.
• Premonition, an ability that allows a person to see an event in the future. Usually very unreliable, but sometimes the details are very accurate.

Some special psionic abilities in the Psycho-manipulation (Paranormal manipulation of self or other sophonts for healing, attribute enhancement, or other reasons) family include:

Other Psionic Capabilities

Non-canon: Although psionic activity generally lends itself to classification, some individuals defy this very classification. Individuals with special talent are capable of some activity which is not described above.

History

Until circa -1000, psionics was little studied in most regions, except on a disorganized level (parapsychology, the occult, spiritualism, and so on). It was known and practiced among the Zhodani, and by some minor races, but it was by no means widespread.

• However, during the Long Night, many races, (human and others) turned introspective. As a result, many finally began to engage in serious research in psionics, which revealed much about the empirical nature of the phenomenon, although the principles involved were, and remain, little understood. However, even though it assumed scientific validity, psionics remained a backwater science until about 650, when it underwent a tremendous burst of popularity.
• Psionics within the Imperium reached its peak in the latter half of the 700's. In the 790's, however, the crest of popular opinion broke with the revelation of scandals within the Psionics Institutes; the result was the Psionics Suppressions (800 to 826), which shifted public opinion away from support of psionics.
• Please see Psionic Accords for more information.

Major Races & Psionics

The six major races have various relationships with psionics.

Aslan & Psionics

No information yet available.

Droyne & Psionics

All Droyne seem to possess great psionic potential and can be trained to become very capable psions. Every member of the species seems to have natural talents that require little to no training.

Hivers & Psionics

Hivers do not naturally have psionic capabilities.

• They are unable to acquire psionic skills or talents, and cannot detect them in others.
• Psionics do not work directly on Hivers.
• Their minds cannot be read, for example, and psionic assault does not work against them.
• However, Hivers can be acted on physically by psionics; a Hiver could be pushed by telekinesis.

Humaniti & Psionics

Many humans possess great psionic potential and can be trained to become psions. A very select few have natural talents that require little to no training.

K'kree & Psionics

K'kree psionics are roughly equivalent in quality to human psionics. Public hatred is not so extreme as in the Imperium, but psionics is distrusted as "new" and contrary to K'kree tradition. Research facilities similar to the Psionics Institutes are available. Because there is no illegality in psionics, these facilities are quite open and aboveboard. Unfortunately, the only K'kree likely to visit them are those whose place in society is to conduct research; generally, adventurers will not be able to casually acquire psionics in the Two Thousand Worlds, unless those in authority grant permission for them to do so.

Vargr & Psionics

Many Vargr possesses great psionic potential and can be trained to become psions. A very select few have natural talents that require little to no training.

Worlds & Sectors (Astrography)

While psionics use can be found throughout Charted Space, several of the races have a greatly decreased incidence of psionic use. These races include the following sophont species:

• Aslan
• Hivers

Otherwise, psionics is widespread throughout Charted Space.

• It is safe to assume that any sophont species that possesses a Psionic Talent will embrace the use of said talents.

Worlds with Psionic Activity: 1105

Records of previous or current psionic activity can be found on the following systems and worlds:

500 Worlds in Psionics

A'ie Jelde  •  Aaidie  •  Ababl (Zi 0407)  •  Abajiachiats  •  Abrjdepl  •  Ache  •  Achiatlie  •  Adltsap  •  Adrablsish  •  Adrazhiaql  •  Aekoblprebr  •  Aflebshaql  •  Afltibr  •  Afrzhal  •  Ail Ashe  •  Ajdemch  •  Akzdedriats  •  Alenzh  •  Alepzdibia  •  Anchief  •  Anchiefl  •  Anchish Riatl  •  Anshdem  •  Answerin  •  Ants  •  Anzchiefr  •  Apge  •  Apllestenzh  •  Aramis (SM 3110)  •  Attica (SM 0414)  •  Auritaurus  •  Avalar  •  Aviadrpi  •  Avrrsiabl  •  Ayldem  •  Ayssthon  •  Azhierebr  •  Azzhdof  •  Badredlons  •  Bafanzabr  •  Banzstotl  •  Bapenj  •  Bartsel  •  Batlpat  •  Bemnamezh  •  Bersha  •  Bezdeplie  •  Bieiazhanz  •  Biezchodl  •  Blianjpots  •  Blichshe  •  Bra'tlidl  •  Braudel  •  Brazde  •  Brenzhstel  •  Brezaiafl  •  Brezh  •  Brianznav  •  Bribrzhaldloq  •  Brietl  •  Britliesav  •  Brkralifl  •  Brnzens  •  Brovlekal  •  Caladbolg  •  Capital  •  Chabob  •  Charqapl  •  Chaz Shtia  •  Chechedrsta  •  Chenchoz  •  Chiaqlneqr  •  Chiashov  •  Chivtsram  •  Chtalekl  •  Chtatspier  •  Chtechedl  •  Chtenzhyofre  •  Chteqjedr  •  Chteqriakl  •  Chtezfrie  •  Chtiadl  •  Chtianshkrets  •  Chtintse  •  Chtostit  •  Cleci  •  Cluseret  •  Dadetlal  •  Daflanzhr  •  Daknatstiant  •  Dalkr  •  Datliatl  •  Defridlie  •  Deifr  •  Dentszimar  •  Depriale  •  Devliensh  •  Dezitl  •  Diafriapl  •  Diazhtia  •  Diliefidr  •  Dintnikl  •  Ditlfinch  •  Divre  •  Dlaeie  •  Dlants Zdiqef   •  Dlashte  •  Dlatsviel  •  Dliepl  •  Dlifiabeb  •  Dovre'  •  Draklteshse  •  Drants  •  Draplja  •  Dratldieve  •  Drellesarr  •  Drepadze  •  Drietlqliata  •  Dripliestavl  •  Drovrbro'  •  E'zhdets  •  Ea (Kn 0507)  •  Eardaqr  •  Ebamplench  •  Eberish  •  Eblonzyerefl  •  Echedr  •  Ejoshcheakl  •  Eljiechfadr  •  Enjtodl  •  Enlas-du  •  Ens Zhdo  •  Enzhliep  •  Enzstits  •  Epfintsez  •  Eplob  •  Eqklrbiens  •  Esalin  •  Etievrianch  •  Etl  •  Etlplibrfaf  •  Etsamdap  •  Evaduts Brem  •  Ezdlash  •  Ezdo  •  Ezh'qriedle  •  Ezhpliqel  •  Ezyrvr  •  Fabred  •  Felcha  •  Fevlpian  •  Fiachi'chr  •  Fiaerinzh  •  Fiechzhdaie  •  Finzhravl  •  Fitl  •  Fitlibrepl  •  Fitsetl  •  Flanstsie  •  Flevklrtl  •  Fliaplav  •  Fliaqzdaint  •  Fliestezhdibl  •  Flostiej  •  Fradlzhe  •  Fraliabl  •  Freqsteblmedr  •  Frezhietsed  •  Frianskliach  •  Friaprche  •  Friebeblinz  •  Garonne (VR 0914)  •  Gatina  •  Goertel  •  Halimaa  •  Hieronymus  •  I'chieble  •  Iadriefria  •  Iadrkinszher  •  Iadvada  •  Iafrtliets  •  Iala'yash  •  Ialiel  •  Iancharzh  •  Iantzpliq  •  Ianzcheql  •  Ianzh Vleia  •  Ianziam  •  Iaplepedr  •  Iasha  •  Iashiedr  •  Iavlia  •  Iazniench  •  Ichedrchins  •  Idliaosh  •  Idrzh  •  Idzhdaiash  •  Iedlsazo  •  Iefriaqr  •  Iejshtal  •  Ieklstiav  •  Ienazh  •  Ienjefroda  •  Iense  •  Iensheqr  •  Iepriats  •  Iepzhda  •  Ieqrafrde  •  Ieqrekavl  •  Ier Lal  •  Iero  •  Ietqlaz  •  Ievzhdil  •  Iezhoql  •  Ieziefl  •  Ifsenja Siakr  •  Iile  •  Ijstare  •  Ilieflie  •  Imau  •  Inzserav  •  Ipliadl  •  Iqrchipl  •  Iqreiel  •  Irapratl  •  Ishdlefafr  •  Ishirdu  •  Itschtia  •  Ivldenzh  •  Iyentint  •  Izsiqrl  •  Jablnishoz  •  Jadljetefl  •  Jaitnab  •  Janzya'jopr  •  Jdatlo  •  Jderiebl  •  Jdianzhili  •  Jdiprqrafr  •  Jdrievril  •  Jelniekl  •  Jiaster  •  Jifreste  •  Jinsli  •  Jodrjdedr  •  Junidy  •  Kabriabr  •  Kafivr  •  Karin  •  Kaythe  •  Kazhdet  •  Kebiach  •  Kemnagii  •  Kienzhafi  •  Kievritl  •  Kikuyu  •  Kimalad  •  Kinshazh  •  Kipranch  •  Kiqkrrbish  •  Klabietleja  •  Klachtiapl  •  Kleashfla  •  Kledl  •  Kloshfrier  •  Koath  •  Koavrivr  •  Krelibr  •  Kriachtie  •  Krianstabr  •  Lanse Sho'  •  Lavarlietl  •  Lebeau  •  Lontzda  •  Lythgoe  •  Marlakasi  •  Matlmadl  •  Mazotz  •  Melfrien  •  Miablstaprez  •  Miapltlem  •  Miflyats  •  Miprsakint  •  Mire (SM 0527)  •  Mirriam (SM 0333)  •  Morninglori  •  Murchison  •  Nadrie  •  Nanjechtaeq  •  Naqibka  •  Natle  •  Naviensh  •  Netlensh  •  Niedrsa  •  Niedrsedl  •  Nivrdiatia  •  Nizhvrebnov  •  Nox  •  O'branzdli  •  O'staz  •  Odrshabriad  •  Onzaqle  •  Oplkianzh  •  Oprizhedl  •  Oythepru  •  Pa'an  •  Palavl  •  Paqlianzefl  •  Patield  •  Paweba  •  Pepraet  •  Piablzda  •  Piaflstodlezh  •  Piaqlsta  •  Piepievr  •  Pieshivl  •  Pieshqar  •  Pifrqliteql  •  Pinja  •  Plaplyensh  •  Plarkibl  •  Platon  •  Plenchzdiepr  •  Pleplidlat  •  Pleteplish  •  Plialinz  •  Pliazh  •  Prablanjab  •  Prablvrdl  •  Praqlia  •  Prela  •  Prevzdi  •  Priafevajal  •  Prilissa  •  Qatlie'  •  Qiejik  •  Qleprier  •  Qlierqliejez  •  Qloidans  •  Qranchava  •  Qratlodr  •  Qravlaqra  •  Qrekrsha  •  Qrins  •  R'bak  •  Rabrij  •  Rache  •  Rafrapl  •  Ralhe  •  Rapp's World  •  Rats  •  Refrzhdia'  •  Regina  •  Remsen  •  Riapriedr  •  Riatldlelcht  •  Ridadrjiach  •  Riensh  •  Riezive  •  Rinanshya  •  Riv  •  Rorre  •  Rqliachi  •  Rtetlavl  •  Rzhe  •  Saarinen  •  Saskatoon  •  Satkant  •  Sefliezedl  •  Sejtiblinch  •  Senzprerez  •  Serenity  •  Sheklzdibr  •  Shenchonchenz  •  Shiaflansh  •  Shiansar  •  Shiantsram  •  Shievinstob  •  Shifrledl  •  Shiirand  •  Shipebr  •  Shiwonee  •  Shok Ons  •  Shombrie' Prak  •  Shrchaqr  •  Shtadrchteba  •  Shtadre'ianch  •  Shtatli'  •  Shtia'ial  •  Shtiebla  •  Shtiem  •  Siabzhi  •  Siara  •  Siatlsidez  •  Siavrdrat  •  Sienjenz  •  Sienzchie  •  Sietlzdie'  •  Siplyievo  •  Sishekre  •  Skyfish  •  Sobrsiel  •  Spridlepl  •  Springarn  •  Srdrqlaf  •  Sri   •  Sriezdazh  •  Stansinz  •  Starn  •  Stazdovare  •  Stefllients  •  Steshnino  •  Stiatl  •  Stibrliets  •  Stieipr  •  Tanjchiada  •  Tapsa-64  •  Terra (SR 1827)  •  Tewfik  •  Tiachtiebria  •  Tiaklienzi  •  Tiorsedlie  •  Tladqle  •  Tlanshelen  •  Tlaprezhel  •  Tlavlia  •  Tlechisha  •  Tletl Niabl  •  Tliabr Ons  •  Tliaiem Veqchta  •  Tlianirad  •  Tlianz  •  Tliblecha  •  Tlidiser  •  Tliedlie  •  Tliefl Lentapr  •  Tlientsatl  •  Tlifiemdrezh  •  Tlishkriaz  •  Tlitanj  •  Tlrt  •  Toraago  •  Trnibaql  •  Tsanitsiaj  •  Tsevlnebl  •  Tsibipl  •  Tsiprierfie  •  Tsodr  •  Tsoniab  •  Turan  •  Ursimga  •  Uthgvoe  •  Vanejen  •  Vashtebl  •  Vazhe  •  Vazia  •  Veqde  •  Viaplash  •  Vibnans  •  Vienzhezh  •  Viepchakl  •  Vinjiepram  •  Vlenshfiek  •  Vlrtlo  •  Vomchiazhetl  •  Vrialiniep  •  Vriaozbench  •  Vritli  •  Wypoc  •  Yaiavl  •  Yainzh  •  Yaskekue  •  Yedrvrakl  •  Yiranz  •  Yoprtianch  •  Yurm  •  Zanchqlaz  •  Zazher  •  Zdarbaq  •  Zdechenz  •  Zdenzchach  •  Zdez Magna  •  Zdi'chaf  •  Zdianchiat  •  Zdiatiadl  •  Zdiebieqdlaz  •  Zditsiadl  •  Zdoqrche  •  Zdovesil  •  Zeshtient  •  Zeyiri  •  Zhadlezh  •  Zhafleam  •  Zhdadrtlib  •  Zhdafldef  •  Zhdant  •  Zhdazhaq  •  Zhde  •  Zhdeql  •  Zhdidlfien  •  

Sources

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Marc Miller. Worlds and Adventures (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 38-46.Marc Miller, Robert Eaglestone, Don McKinney. Worlds and Adventures (Far Future Enterprises, 2019), 38-46.
• Marc Miller. The Kinunir (Game Designers Workshop, 1979), 41.
• John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Library Data (N-Z) (Game Designers Workshop, 1982), 14.
• J. Andrew Keith, Marc Miller, John Harshman. Zhodani (Game Designers Workshop, 1985), 6-7,12-13,23,25,28,44-45.
• J. Andrew Keith, Marc Miller, John Harshman. Droyne (Game Designers Workshop, 1985), 11,15-17.
• J. Andrew Keith, Marc W. Miller, Loren Wiseman. Hivers (Game Designers Workshop, 1986), 22-23.
• Loren Wiseman. "Special Psionic Powers." Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 05 (1980): 25-27.
• Marc Miller. Players' Manual (Game Designers Workshop, 1987), 96-102.
• Gary L. Thomas, Joe Fugate. "Psionic Knights." The Travellers' Digest 17 (1989): 19-24.
• Jae Campbell, Leighton Piper. Signal-GK 01 (Signal-GK, 1989), TBD.
• Loren Wiseman. "Special Psionics." Challenge 47 (1990): .
• Frank Chadwick, Dave Nilsen. Traveller: The New Era (Game Designers Workshop, 1993), 245-258.
• Dave Nilsen, Loren Wiseman. Aliens of the Rim (Game Designers Workshop, 1995), 25,80.
• Marc Miller. Marc Miller's Traveller (Imperium Games, 1996), 123-128.
• David L. Pulver. Alien Races 1 (Steve Jackson Games, 1998), 134-142.
• Dave Nilsen, David L. Pulver, Andy Slack, David Thomas. Alien Races 3 (Steve Jackson Games, 2000), 94.
• Amanda Dickerson. Psionics Institutes (Steve Jackson Games, 2005), 15-26.
• Novel: Traveller 5th Edition Agent of the Imperium
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord and Master of Sophontology (Marquis) Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science