This chapter provides an overview of psionicists of the Tyr region. This is not an exhaustive listing, and DMs should freely invent schools and characters. DMs may want to withhold some of this information from players.

Balic is home to an excellent psionic university known as the Cerebran Andropinis, Dictator of Balic, believes that it is easier to keep track of the psionicists in his city if he sponsors a single training center. The people of Balic are proud of their university and view it as a great accomplishment for their city.

The Cerebran is located on the outskirts of the city, by the shores of the Silt Estuary. It is an impressive collection of majestic marble buildings surrounded by groves of olive trees. The masters of the university believe that the tending of the groves aids young students in developing patience.

Andropinis allows the university to administer itself, and no templars or soldiers are stationed on its grounds. This creates a seething hotbed of revolutionary ideas and conspiracies. Unfortunately, the dictator has thoroughly infiltrated the Cerebran with loyal spies who keep tabs on the most disloyal.

The Cerebran is led by an aging woman known as Iphigenea, a powerful telepath referred to as the Speaker of the Cerebran. Iphigenea is not pleased by Andropinis’ rule, but she feels that the school will run better if the dictator is not angered, so she cultivates an appearance of loyalty.

The Cerebran currently enrolls more than 100 students, but many are young patricians with little interest in the Way.

Human Female Psionicist

16th Level

Lawful Neutral

Str 9 Int 16

Dex 13 Wis 19

Con 12 Cha 15

Hit Points: 39 THAC0: 13

Armor Class: 6 (ring of protection +4)

#AT: 1

Damage/Attack: by weapon

PSPs: 239

Iphigenea was raised in the noble family of Raxides and, like many of her peers, was sent to the Cerebran to learn psionics at a young age. There, she proved to be unusually gifted. As a young woman she journeyed widely across the Tyr region and had many adventures before returning to Balic. She rejoined the Cerebran and eventually became its Speaker.

Iphigenea is a cold, calculation person who shows little emotion. She polices her campus to make sure that the dictator’s templars will not have an excuse to do it for her. Iphigenea is likely to turn in fugitives or troublemakers to preserve the university from the sorcerer-king’s anger. However, she is no friend of Andropinis and will work to frustrate his goals if she believes that the university will not be endangered by her actions.

Tectuktitlay, sorcerer-king of Draj, is known for his intense interest in the Way. He personally supervises the House of the Mind, a psionic academy located in Two Moon City—the walled fortress in the heart of Draj. Every child of promise id taken to the House of the Mind and schooled by Tectuktitlay’s mindbenders.

No one knows why the king takes such an interest in tutoring talented students. Some claim that the king is looking for a special and unique talent, others believe that the king wants to make his armies invincible by fielding more psionicists than other city-states, and a few whisper that Tectuktitlay is building a priesthood of mindbenders for some dark purpose.

Although Tectuktitlay devotes a good deal of time to the school, he cannot be there constantly. The master of the House of the Mind is an aging psionicist known as Ixtabai the Blind. He oversees the day-to-day operation of the House and the routine instruction of the students. Ixtabai is aided by two dozen lesser psionicists and several powerful Moon Priests.

More than 200 students are taught at the House of the Mind, nut only 15 or so have any real potential. These advanced students frequently receive personal instruction from Tectuktitlay, who trusts high-level training to no one else.

The House of the Mind is not a forgiving place. The students are driven ruthlessly by the lesser masters, who seek to impress the higher masters by obtaining results quickly. Students are often subjected to severe punishments for minor mistakes, and Tectuktitlay has been known to kill those who disappoint him.

It is against the law to tutor a person in the Way outside of the House of the Mind. A few wandering masters can be found practicing their trade in secret in the poorer hovels of the city, but no other psionic school exist. One of these masters, Tlotipec, is tied to the city’s Veiled Alliance and have accumulated several disciples among the city’s slaves and criminals.

Human Male Psionicist

10th Level

Lawful Good

Str 15 Int 13

Dex 12 Wis 18

Con 17 Cha 14

Hit Points: 44 THAC0: 16

Armor Class: 5 (inix leather armor +3)

#AT: 1

Damage/Attack: 1d6+3 (short sword of quickness)

PSPs: 145

Tlotipec grew up as a merchant of House Tsalaxa and had no interest in psionics until he was forced to attend the House of the Mind. The difficult regimen brought his latent powers to the surface, and he emerged as a powerful teleporter. Tlotipec returned and used his skills on his family’s behalf for a time, but recently left his house and struck out to work on his own.

Tlotipec has turned his back on greed and slavery and works to make the world a better place. He has become and important ally of the Veiled Alliance in Draj, and he is recruiting talented students from among the poor, the criminal, and the enslaved. He hopes to lead a revolution to depose Tectuktitlay.

The people of the Forest City are devoted to cultivating psionicists. When a child shows psionic talent, he is brought to the Seers’ Dagada. Once inside, the child’s family abandons him, and he assumes a new name among the Seers. Unlike the brutal House of the Mind, the Seers’ Dagada is patient and understanding. New students are embraced as family members. Even students who fail to master their powers remain, taking care of the physical works that keeps the dagada running.

The leader is a psionicist named Agafari. Like the tree for which he is named, Agafari is tall and strong, with a deep and meditative nature. Although he disapproves of the Forest Queen’s rule, he keeps his mouth shut. The oba would prefer a more malleable leader in the Seers’ Dagada, but is satisfied with Agafari’s results.

The dagada numbers over 250 people. Half are failed students, and one-quarter are young students. The rest are psionicists of various levels. Many of these are gone for long periods of time, undertaking missions for the queen or journeying among the Seven Cities for their own purposes. Gulg doesn’t bar students from going elsewhere, but sending gifted children here is deeply ingrained in its society. Psionicists who practice their skills outside of the dagada are encouraged to live there.

Human Male Psionicist

14th Level

Chaotic Good

Str 17 Int 15

Dex 12 Wis 19

Con 15 Cha 13

Hit Points: 53 THAC0: 14

Armor Class: 10

#AT: 1

Damage/Attack: 1d6+3 (short sword of quickness)

PSPs: 210

The tall, dignified Agafari speaks rarely and carefully. Born in Gulg, he was raised as the son of a judge. He did not display his talents until late in his childhood, and therefore remained with his father, learning forest lore long past the time when other psionic children are taken to the Seers’ Dagada. Agafari still retreats to the forest to meditate from time to time.

Although he is only in his middle 40s, Agafari is blessed with a preternatural wisdom. He is patient and observant, and he makes no decisions without careful consideration. Agafari is beginning to realize that the oba is nothing but a petty tyrant in disguise, and is giving thought to ways to oppose her rule.

In the village of North Ledopolus lives one of the most powerful psionicists of the Tyr region—the dwarf Shardivan. Although he is growing old, Shardivan still accepts students. He guides a small school that flourishes in the village, though he is extremely selective in who he agrees to teach.

Although no one in the village knows it, Shardivan is a member of the Order. He retired from active service after the Dragon Crown’s incident, but still provides assistance to passing members. Shardivan’s current focus is to train his assistant, a half-elf named Terika, to take over the school when he dies.

Dwarf Male Psionicist

26th Level

Neutral Good

Str 14 Int 14

Dex 12 Wis 18

Con 21 Cha 14

Hit Points: 81 THAC0: 11

Armor Class: 8 (ring of protection +2)

#AT: 1

Damage/Attack: 1d6+1 (bone hand axe +2)

PSPs: 357

Shardivan is almost 250 years old, and he is nearing the end of his life. He gave up adventuring only a few short years ago and is enjoying retirement. He spends his time working with promising students, trying to pass on what he has learned to the psionicists of yet another generation.

Although he no longer serves the Order, Shardivan has many close friends there and often visits them. He will not get involved in the day-to-day business of Ledopolus, but if the village came under a serious attack, he would help to defend it.

Cradled in the fiery slopes of the Smoking Crown, a hidden monastery overlooks the Lake of Golden Dreams. This is the home of an ancient society of psionicists known as the Brotherhood of the Mind. The Brotherhood was founded by a noble Nibenese psionicist named Liumakh almost 500 years ago.

Liumakh was a powerful telepath who dreamed of unseating the Shadow King of Nibenay. He was convinced that a sufficient gathering of psionic power could defeat the tyrant. Unfortunately, the Shadow King learned of his plots, and he and his followers were forced to flee. At that time, Hamanu of Urik was feuding with Nibenay, and he gave them sanctuary.

Liumakh and his followers constantly work to bring down the Shadow King, but they’re never able to succeed. In studying his enemy, Liumakh realized the nature of the sorcerer-kings, and his secret order changed its goal to the accumulation of raw power. He planned to destroy the sorcerer-kings and take his role as the ruler of Athas.

Over the centuries, the Brotherhood’s importance has fluctuated. Despite this, not one sorcerer-king has fallen to its plots. The Order closely watches the Brotherhood, but to date it has not achieved a level of power that would require intervention. Hamanu of Urik pretends to ignore them, but he occasionally spies on the Brotherhood to see what they are up to.

Currently, there are 12 members of the Brotherhood. For years, they have been engaged in a quest for ancient texts of psionic enchantments. The Brotherhood is still led by Liumakh, whose unending ambition for power continued after his death. Liumakh’s followers are scattered across the Tyr region.

Human Male Psionicist (Undead)

17th Level

Lawful Evil

Str 16 Int: 19

Dex 16 Wis: 16

Con 20 Cha 17

Hit Points: 81 THAC0: 12

Armor Class: –4 (4)

#AT: 1

Damage/Attack: 2d6 plus drain 1d4+1 Wisdom

PSPs: 193

Liumakh is an undead creature similar to a ghost or spectre. In his insubstantial form, he has an Armor Class of –4 but can’t use his physical attack. When he becomes solid, it drops to AC 4. Liumakh’s touch in this form inflicts 2d6 points of chilling damage and drains 1d4+1 Wisdom. Drained Wisdom returns at the rate of 1 point per day. If a victim is drained to a Wisdom score of 2 or less, Liumakh is able to command him as if he had magically charmed the victim. Liumakh is immune to all mind-affecting magic and can only be damaged by +3 or better weapons.

Liumakh is in search of more followers and will try to persuade any intruders in the monastery to join his Brotherhood, particularly if they show any signs of developed psionic abilities. If persuasion fails, Liumakh attempts to use his psionic abilities and Wisdom drain to coerce victims into following his orders.

Nibenay is home to a variety of schools, colleges, and circles. There are dozens of psionic schools in the city, ranging from tiny gatherings of four or five students in a city park to powerful universities with scores of students. Rivalry between the various institutions is intense, but violence almost never breaks out between the competing factions.

The largest university is the School of Augurs, a powerful organization run by an enterprising dwarf master named Djef. The school supplements its tuition income by hiring out its students for telepathic message service and psychoportive parcel delivery. These services are expensive, hut reliable. Djef’s ambition and commercialism have driven several students from the School of Augurs to the city’s monasteries.

The city also maintains a psionic school within the walls of the Naggaramakam. The academy is part of the Chamber of Air, one of the hierarchies that make up the Nibenese government. The Chamber of Air is base in the group of buildings known as the Temple of Thought. The head of the Temple of Thought is Siemhouk, the High Priestess to the Shadow King.

Siemhouk is a young girl who stands at the right hand of Nibenay himself. Despite her youth (she is only 14), she is a 15th-level templar and 14th-level psionicist. Since her duties often require her presence in the Shadow King’s court, she leaves the day-to-day administration of the psionic academy to a skilled master named Chagrama.

In recent years, Nibenay has seen a revival in its ancient monastic traditions. The monasteries of the Exalted Path and Serene Bliss have grown in power and influence. Elemental clerics and psionicists have gravitated to them. The Exalted Path is especially attractive for psionicists, since the current abbot goes out of his way to recruit young students of the mind.

The Exalted Path is led by Thong Nal, an ancient cleric of air. Unfortunately, he has come under the psionic influence of Kayardi Drasad, a member of the Order posing as an acolyte. Drasad is using Nal to make the Exalted Path monastery into a center for psionic learning under the Order’s agenda.

The halfling village of Ogo is ruled by Urga-Zoltapl, an accomplished cleric and psionicist. Halflings prefer to pass on their wisdom in a single student-mentor relationship, but halfling psionicists tend to gather at Ogo. At any moment, a number are there, exchanging ideas and information. Most share their race’s values; strangers are enemies; nonhalflings risk their lives in the Forest Ridge. Rarely, though, a visitor may win the

halflings’ friendship by performing a great service to the forest. Some of these forest-friends are psionicists who remain to study with the masters of Ogo.

The most powerful psionicist in Ogo is Xaxachtel. A member of the Order, he monitors lesser halfling psionicists. The halfling leaders have a fairly good idea of what the Order is and what it is up to, so Xaxachtel makes no secret of his power or agenda. The most accessible halfling psionic master is a young woman named Teranya, a student of sorcery and the Way. Unlike many of her people, she has adventured widely in the Tablelands and knows much of the other races. She enjoys exchanging news with travelers and has occasionally interceded with Urga-Zoltapl to spare adventurers or traders.

Halfling Female Psionicist/Illusionist

13th Level/13th Level

Chaotic Good

Str 10 Int 16

Dex 20 Wis 19

Con 14 Cha 13

Hit Points: 39 THAC0: 14

Armor Class: 3 (cloak of protection +3)

#AT: 1

Damage/Attack: 1d6+3 (wooden spear +3)

PSPs: 197

Spells: 6 1st, 6 2nd, 6 3rd, 5 4th, 5 5th, 3 (including illusionist bonus)

Teranya is a cheerful and curious halfling who is a cousin of Urga-Zoltapl, the powerful chieftain of Ogo. She was raised to be a rain-guardian, a halfling trained in both the Way and he arts of illusionary magic. Her insatiable curiosity drove her to leave Ogo to explore the fascinating world around her. After many years of adventuring throughout the Tyr region, she decided to return to her homeland and report her findings to her people.

Teranya enjoys teaching children and is one of the village’s principal instructors in the Way. She also accepts more advanced students from time to time. She strongly believes that the time has come for halflings to interact with the world outside the Forest Ridge, but he fellow tribespeople are not so quick to accept change.

The ancient home of Tarandas’s first school, Raam remains one of the leading cities for psionic research. Dozens of small colleges, circles, and orders reside here, studying the works of Tarandas and expanding the knowledge of the Way. A number of these groups are little more than misguided cults, but the largest organizations are making excellent progress.

The most prestigious psionic school in Raam, and possibly the entire Tyr region, is the Psiumarkh. This ancient school is descended directly from the order founded by Tarandas herself more than 900 years ago. For centuries the masters of the Psiumarkh have carefully maintained a policy of strict neutrality, avoiding the petty squabbles and intrigues of the city. This has allowed them to survive the civil wars and oppressive purges that have cycled through the city for decades.

The Psiumarkh is currently led by a Grand Master named Tierard, a wizened old man who sometimes is distracted by strict adherence to propriety and form. The masters of the various disciplines are beginning to maneuver for Tierard’s seat, which they believe will become vacant soon.

Another school worth mentioning is the Yellow Monastery. The Yellow Monks form an order devoted to the development of telepathic powers. The Monastery has a fair amount of influence in the city and is noted as a symbol of resistance to the rule of Ahalach-Re. The monks themselves are completely dedicated to a set of principles, including opposition to slavery, magic of any kind, and gladiatorial games. Students of the Yellow Monastery almost always remain there to become monks instead of moving on to different studies.

Some of the nobles of Raam are interested in psionics, as well. The most noteworthy of these is Maraxes, a charismatic lord who has assembled a small court of mindbenders, clerics, and wizards around himself. Maraxes claims to be opposed to Abalach-Re, but he is secretly under her command and acts as a magnet to attract her enemies to one place. For now, the Great Vizier is content to use Maraxes to gather information, but she may decide to destroy his followers the moment she deems they have become a real threat.

Human Male Psionicist

9th Level

Lawful Evil

Str 11 Int 17

Dex 16 Wis 18

Con 11 Cha 15

Hit Points: 35 THAC0: 16

Armor Class: 4 (leather armor +2)

#AT: 1

Damage/Attack: 1d6+2 (bone short sword +3)

PSPs: 132

Maraxes is a prominent noble who openly studies the Way. He is the leader of the Darkara family and can command the loyalty of three or four lesser allied families. He was initially schooled in the prestigious Psionoramh, but left the college under mysterious circumstances 10 years ago.

Maraxes is a handsome and charming fellow who publicly denounces Abalach-Re’s rule and tries to bring other nobles into his opposition. Unfortunately, this is a charade. Maraxes is secretly loyal to the Great Vizier and reports to her frequently by mental contact. The Veiled Alliance suspects his double-dealing and rejects his eager invitations.

The free city of Tyr is home to on major psionic school, the famous School of Thought, and a number of lesser gatherings. The School of Thought is relatively new to the city; it was founded only 30 years ago by the noble Chessia. Before the School’s founding, almost all psionic training in Tyr was handled by individual masters who worked alone. Dozens of these masters still work in and around the city.

While Chessia provides the funding to keep the school open, she does not supervise it herself. The headmistress is a talented, enthusiastic woman named Sycia. She is well liked by faculty and students alike. Sycia is aided by two other masters, a half-elf named Fyrian Wynder and a half -giant known as Crag of the Silt Islands. Advanced students help out by giving basic lessons to beginning students.

Sycia has not been the headmistress for long. Thanik Arkos. the former headmaster, left only two years ago. Thanik’s parting was quite unpleasant—he murdered one of the other masters for a magical ring and disappeared. Thanik still lingers in Tyr, and has taken up the study of defiling magic. He plans to make himself the next sorcerer-king of the city.

The most prominent master outside the School of Thought is a battered old mul gladiator named Orosto. He lives in the city’s Warrens an tutors any who seek him out, asking no tuition but that his students return the favor to another later on. The mul is supported by the locals of his neighborhood, and in return he watches over the area and keeps the peace.

Mul Male Gladiator/Psionicist (dual-classed)

6th Level/8th Level

Lawful Neutral

Str 17 Int 13

Dex 13 Wis 17

Con 19 Cha 10

Hit Points: 68 THAC0: 15

Armor Class: 5 (studded leather +1, armor optimization)

#AT: 1 (3/2 with short sword)

Damage/Attack: 1d6+5 (bronze short sword +2)

PSPs: 112

In the days before the Kalak’s fall, Orosto was an experienced slave gladiator whose career had scarred him from head to toe. When Kalak was killed, Orosto led the gladiators in a revolt against the guards. Afterward, Orosto swore that he would never fight for another’s entertainment again, and he turned his attention to the study of the Way. Orosto uses his formidable mental and physical skills to protect the poor neighborhood he calls home, and he teaches any who come to him.

King Harnanu of Urik has issued standing orders to place any commoner or slave child who shows psionic promise to Destiny’s Kingdom for training in the King’s Academy. No other psionic schools are permitted to exist within Urik. The brutal regimen of indoctrination and physical hardship proves to be too much for many of the students. Those who fail are returned to their families, but some ever fully recover.

The children of templars, nobles, or merchants are exempt from templar conscription and may be trained by private tutors in their own homes. However, all practicing psionicists must register with the templars of the Bureau of Security. In the city of Urik, they are required to shave their skulls and mark their level of achievement with forehead tattoos.

Although King’s Academy graduates aren’t required to serve the state, a number enlist as templars or part of the city’s army. Psionicists are awarded officer rank in both organizations and may be assigned as special agents or aides to important commanders. For example, the High Templar of Games has up to 10 psionicists working for him at any given time.

Foreign psionicists entering Urik must register with the templars of the gates and display a special ceramic token on their clothing at all times. Violating this law can bring a quick and severe punishment. Psionic crimes are dealt with very harshly in Urik; the perpetrators are mindwiped and then exiled.

Despite this, some psionicists still choose to practice their arts in secret. The largest group of these lawbreakers is the Potters’ School in the city’s Craftsman quarter. In Urik, pottery making is a valued art; events such as weddings, funerals, and festivals are recorded by the casting end painting of clay urns.

The Potters’ School is what it claims to be, and more. In addition to instruction in artwork and claywork, several young psionic masters meet covertly to practice their art and instruct children in ways to hide their talents from Urik’s templars. So far, Urik’s templars do not suspect.

The Potters’ School is supervised by an aging woman named Temhia, one of the greatest clayworkers Urik has ever known. Her masterpieces sell for hundreds of silver pieces each. Temhia is not a psionicist and leaves instruction in the Way to a young man named Erriok, one of her more talented former students. He teaches a small circle of about eight children who demonstrate psionic promise.

Erriok is also associated with the city’s Veiled Alliance. He works constantly to foil Hamanu’s templars and advance the cause of freedom. He understands the value of a good cover and avoids activities that would expose him to the templars.

Half-elf Male Psionicist/Templar

11th Level/11th Level

Neutral Evil

Str 12 Int 16

Dex 10 Wis 19

Con 15 Cha 14

Hit Points: 47 THAC0: 15

Armor Class: 4 (bracers of defense AC –4)

#AT: 1

Damage/Attack: 1d6+3 (staff of striking)

PSPs: 169

Spells: 7 1st, 5 2nd, 4 3rd, 4 4th, 1 5th (Wisdom adjustments included)

Turen is the son of a minor human merchant and an elf concubine. He was removed from his home at an early age and forced to attend the King’s Academy. This hardened him into a cruel young man with a driving hunger for power.

Upon leaving the Academy, Turen joined the templars. He has risen to hold the post of Special Aide to the High Templar of Security. He monitors all psionic activity in Urik and leads any investigations of psionic crimes. Turen has concentrated his mental powers in arts of combat and domination and has bested many mindbenders in his time. He is still young and quite ambitious and has made many enemies inside and outside the templar priesthood.

Turen knows that someone is concealing gifted children from him, but his investigations have led to dead ends so far. He suspects the Veiled Alliance is somehow involved.

The Order is a society of high-level psionicists from all over Athas. It exists to ensure that strict neutrality and balance are maintained by masters of the psionic arts. In the Order’s view, psionics can be an unbalancing force and must therefore be monitored carefully. Only those with the wisdom to restrain themselves from interfering in Athasian society can be allowed to continue using mental powers past a certain point.

The Order is composed of psionicists of 21st level and higher. The members follow a common agenda, but rarely try to coordinate efforts. There is one exception to this rule—when the Order decides that a rogue psionicist must be hunted down and destroyed. Members of the Order never speak of the society’s existence to anyone except another member or a psionicist being approached concerning membership.

At this time, the Order is suffering the worst internal turmoil in its centuries-long history. Two years ago the leader of the Order, a powerful telepath named Pharistes, subdued the other leaders and launched a campaign of psionic purification across the entire Tyr region. Using a mystical gem known as the Psionatrix, he created a psionic suppression field that prevented anyone but members of the Order from using psionics.

Pharistes was defeated by a group of rebels. The Psionatrix was destroyed, and the psionic suppression ended. The cost was high—almost half the Order died in a single day of fighting in Pharistes’ fortress in the Dragon Crown Mountains.

Since the Dragon’s Crown incident, the Order has been very unsure of itself. Its agenda is under review, and policies concerning new members and organizational leadership are still in question. For now, the Order as a whole is defunct, although individual members still try to carry out business as usual.

The senior member of the Order in the Tyr region is a human named Mandalis, who lives in the city of Tyr itself. He is a mediator, or supervisor, of the Order. Five entrants, or low-level members, are assigned to him. The entrants include members in Nibenay, the Forest Ridge, Kled, Altaruk, and the Great Alluvial Sand Wastes.

While Mandalis tries to keep an eye on local happenings, the Order’s leaders continue to meet in the ruined fortress of Dasaraches to debate the organization’s future. Some of them argue that the Order should disband completely, others believe that the Order should openly declare itself, and still others think that they should return to the old methods.