Psyker

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An Imperial Sanctioned Psyker[4a]

A psyker is a being who exhibits the ability to use psychic powers.[25] Psykers exist in almost every sapient species in the galaxy and in more than a few non-sapients too.[72]

Many races have these individuals, whereas other races are innately non-psychic and never produce psykers, like the C'tan and Necrons, which despise psykers so far as to engineer warriors that actively seek out and destroy them. Some races, like the Eldar, are inherently psychic.[25]

Psychic powers are most commonly drawn from the Warp, but Orks draw power from their collective Waaagh!.[34]

Psychic powers can take many forms, from predicting enemy movements to projecting bolts of devastating psychic energy. Some can even aid troops towards more devastating attacks.[39][42]

Psychic Disciplines and Techniques

Ventracon Grey Prophets,[75] psykers[66]

Although the powers of psykers are many and varied, they usually fall into one of several disciplines. The five most common are listed below.[4c]

In the Imperium, the least common of these five disciplines is divination,[78] and one of the most common of these five is pyromancy.[79]

There are also generic psychic powers, also commonly found amongst pyskers of various species and cultures like the most common five, but not considered to share a discipline.

Psychic Disciplines by Culture

Imperial Psyker[76]

Psychic Foci

An Imperial psy focus[80]

Psychic Foci, (also called psy-foci,[73] warp-totems or mind-eyes)[74] are techniques,[7b] materials, or devices used by psykers to help them more easily channel, focus, enhance, or amplify their powers. Devices can be sacred bones, carved witch staves, blessed icons, crystals,[7a] sophisticated devices crafted by the Adeptus Mechanicus, or something else. The most famous equipment used by psykers in the Imperium is doubtless the Emperor's Tarot, which helps act as a powerful divinatory tool in the hands of a trained psyker.[7b] More Chaos-aligned psykers may use an ancestral bone, irradiated crystal, twisted metal scrap from a murdered spouse, or so on. What would otherwise be an unremarkable object could be used as a mighty accessary in the hands of a psyker.[74]

The Imperium's Adeptus Astra Telepathica trains their sanctioned psykers to primarily use their force staves as psychic foci.[77]

Unsane

The Unsane are the weak, the oppressed - those whose physical bodies may plot to preclude them from war, but whose minds are so strong as to bind their ruined bodies past their death. The Warp whispers to such individuals, its denizens ever scratching at the shreds of their sanity, for they exist beyond the grace of the Emperor. To look into the eyes of such a being is to surrender one's sanity to a greater madness, from which death is but a temporary reprieve.[9]

Psykers by Race

Imperial Psykers

"Imagine knowing there was a door to the realm of Daemons, and the slightest inattention on your behalf would see them batter it down and rip you to shreds. Now Imagine that door is inside your head. That's what being a psyker is like."

- Castus Lupa, Savant Adjunct.[7c]


Psyker Acolyte of the Inquisition smiting foes with bio-lightning whilst channelling a telekinetic barrier around themselves.

First appearing in across human worlds by the end of M22,[4b] psykers represent humanity's future: the ideal creature into which mankind will evolve, a more powerful, intelligent, and capable life form. The psyker mutation is becoming increasingly common among humanity, presaging the emergence of a new, psychic race. This new race is still weak, its members lacking the mental strength needed to resist the dangers of the Warp. They are both a threat and a boon to the Imperium.[1][4d]

Left unchecked, psykers present a potential danger to entire worlds, and much of the Inquisition's role is focused on hunting them down. The Imperium ensures psykers are suppressed, tracked down, and controlled; those strong enough will be recruited into Imperial service, fulfilling vital roles in the Imperium as Sanctioned Psykers and Astropaths. The weakest are doomed to serve humanity through service in the Adeptus Astronomica, as nourishment for the Emperor of Mankind,[1] or are simply lobotomised, becoming one of innumerable servitors. Most tainted are weeded out and executed before reaching Terra.[47]

The Imperium classifies its own psykers based upon their level of psychic ability. Known as the Assignment, the levels of this scale indicate the power of the psyker. An Omnicron level psyker may only have mild, subconsciously activated psionic abilities, while an Alpha-Plus level Psyker is capable of snapping a titan in two.[2]

When warp storms flare up so too do the number of psyker births.[69] The appearance of the Cicatrix Maledictum brought about changes. The psyker mutation usually manifests itself at an early age, but exceptions have appeared. Now so-called "nascent" psykers may be born with a dormant mutation that activates when exposed to the destructive influence of the Warp. In this new era, the destructive power of the Great Rift awakens psykers in unprecedented numbers. It is theoretically possible that anyone in the Imperium is now a potential psyker.[14]

Psykers in the Imperium, sanctioned or not, are expected to commit ritual suicide over becoming daemonically possessed, if the options are available.[67a]

Origins

The exact origins of the earliest human psykers are lost to time and nothing but myth and legend remain. However, the earliest human psyker known to exist appears to be the Emperor, according to some.[1]

Some claim there were powerful psykers known as Shamans during humanity's prehistory, prior to the birth of the Emperor. These shamans had the ability to reincarnate after death, returning from the warp, but as the warp became more tumultuous fewer and fewer shamans would return from death. Having foreseen a dark future, the shamans would convene and choose to commit ritual suicide together so that their souls could be reincarnated as a singular being. This being was born to mortal parents and siblings, and would eventually become known as the Emperor. After the creation of the Emperor, records of psykers would disappear from human history for millennia.[68]

Other sources claim the Emperor was simply the first and most powerful psyker amongst Humankind. Perhaps being born as some kind of guardian to oversee Humanity's evolution into a psychic species.[1]

Travel and Communication

The Imperial Navy uses psykers on every vessel; Imperial faster-than-light communication requires an Astropath and Imperial faster-than-light travel requires a Navigator. The former is merely a specially-trained psyker; the latter is a particular kind of abhuman that is born to the role.[48]

Imperial Guard

The Imperial Guard's psychic forces are the Primaris Psyker and the Wyrdvane Psyker. They are trained at the Adeptus Astra Telepathica's Scholastica Psykana for service on the battlefield.[49]

The Inquisition

The Inquisition is well aware of the danger and boon that psykers pose. As such they typically seek to employ sanctioned psykers for various purposes. However, some Inquisitors are rumoured to employ unsanctioned psykers.[67b][7d] Inquisitors are invariably exceptional humans (including abhumans). It isn't uncommon for psykers of varying degrees of power to attain the rank of Inquisitor.[50]

Space Marines

Space Marines call their psykers Librarians, which are specifically trained for using their abilities. They also benefit from advanced equipment such as the psychic hood. This, coupled with his exceptional Space Marine physiology, makes the Librarian more useful than the average Sanctioned Psyker. The Librarian's powers are slightly more powerful, but still nothing compared to some other races' powers.[39]

Additionally, the entire Grey Knights chapter are powerful psykers.[11]

Space Wolves

Space Wolves believe that the power they use comes not from the Warp, but from the energy living within themselves and from Fenris.[8]

Unsanctioned psyker

Main article: Unsanctioned psyker

Psyker Gangs of Necromunda

Main article: Psyker Gang

Chaos Psykers

Chaos Space Marines

Chaos Space Marine armies are similar in design to those of Space Marines, using Sorcerers instead of Librarians.[45]

The Lost and the Damned

The forces of Chaos known collectively as the Lost and the Damned include Rogue Psykers (which include Mindwitches). Of questionable sanity and highly dangerous, Rogue Psykers are even more prone to possession by Daemons.[3] In addition, unlike their Imperial counterparts, Chaos Knight households sometimes have psykers ascend the throne, resulting in a Knight Abominant.[51]

Chaos Daemons

While all daemons are inherently of the Warp, many are psykers in addition. Khorne does not abide psykers among his minions[52], but the other Chaos deities do - and there are also daemonic psykers not aligned with any one deity, such as Be'lakor.[28d]

Eldar Psykers

Eldar

The Eldar are a psychic race, and some of their most powerful units have strong psychic powers. Eldar who tread the Path of the Seer are Warlocks. Spiritseers are specialised Warlocks. Farseers are Eldar lost on the Path of the Seer.[27]

Their powers are usually subtle, ranging from having visions of the future to detecting enemy movements to fighting mental battles. However, a Farseer may be capable of using telekinetic power to hurl a battle tank into the air.[53] One particular Craftworld, Ulthwé, may also group together its most powerful psychic units, making an expensive, but devastating unit.[54]

Dark Eldar

The Dark Eldar are similar in nature to the Eldar, but have given up the use of psychic powers. They do use psychic objects, but any psyker found on Commorragh is usually treated with great caution and fear. Because of the nature of their city, the use of psychic powers is one of the few things forbidden in the city of Commorragh.[5] Shadowseers are a notable exception to this rule.[6]

Others

Shadowseer is the Harlequin role assigned to psychic Eldar.[27] Eldar Corsairs employ Soul Weavers[55], Way Seekers[56], and Void Dreamers.[57]

Ork Psykers

Ork psykers are unique in that they draw their psychic power from other Orks instead of directly from the Warp. A large mob of Orks tends to generate what has become known as a Waaagh! field, which is then absorbed by the Ork psykers known as Weirdboys. They have little control over this and too much of a build-up will likely explode the Ork's head and devastate the surrounding area. A Weirdboy avoids combat, like most other fragile psykers, but can cast green flames capable of melting armour and killing the warriors inside. The powers of the Weirdboys are unpredictable and may have catastrophic results, but the gains from these units are often seen by the Warboss.[58]

T'au Psykers

The T'au have not developed psychic abilities, possibly due to a chemical mixture in their brains that prevents access to the Warp. Why this may have developed is unknown, but it prevents the T'au Empire from being easily corrupted by the forces of Chaos.[60] However, the T'au are able to comprehend the existence of Psychic potential, dubbing its study as Mind Science.[70a]

At least three of the T'au's allied races, the Kroot, the Nicassar[59], and Gue'vesa Humans[70] however, possess psychic powers:

  • The Nicassar mainly use their psychic powers for the purpose of navigating their Dhows through the vast reaches of space, and also provide escort vessels for the T'au Space Fleet.[59]
  • Kroot who have fed upon creatures with psychic power may develop powers of their own. These Kroot are referred to as Shamans by their kindred and are responsible for leading their fellow Kroot in their ancestor-worshiping practices. The Kroot are also capable of Warp travel, although they only seem to be able to travel to planets with functioning ecosystems.[61]
  • The T'au empire contains numerous systems and worlds with human Gue'vesa populations, and some of these populations include human psykers, such as the Barolyr System. Makendra Vella was an Elderly human psyker, well respected amongst her own far-flung sect of gue’vesa.[70b] Shadowsun and the Ethereal Aun'la would consult her help in dealing with a plague sent by Oratius Glurtosk.[70a]

It has been discovered by Adeptus Mechanicus researchers that the members of the T'au Ethereal Caste possess a large, diamond-shaped, scent-emitting organ in their forehead which may allow them to control other T'au through the emission of pheromones or some other biological means; there is no evidence this has any relation to the Warp.[62]

During the Farsight Expedition, Farsight encountered a terrifying new enemy in the form of Chaos Daemons which emerged from a mysterious portal erected on a great Dais. During the battle, all of Farsight's accompanying Ethereals were killed by the gruesome creatures, and Farsight was only able to attain victory thanks to discovering a mysterious blade he used to close the portal, though he was briefly overcome by extreme bloodlust[12]. The experience of battling these foes and gazing into their sinister portal rattled O'Shovah, who realised there were far greater threats than the Ethereals were telling him.[4g]

Shortly after setting the foundations of the Farsight Enclaves, Farsight's decision to exile himself is what ultimately saved him from corruption by the Chaos Gods Khorne and Tzeentch, who had begun their ploy to corrupt his soul on Arthas Moloch.[12]

Necron Psykers

Crypteks are Necron technological specialists whose purpose is to study the highly advanced and ancient technology of their race. They are masters of the scientific and technological and in many ways a Cryptek's powers mirror those employed by the psykers of other races, such as the Imperium and Eldar. However, they differ in that instead of using a mutant mind to channel Warp energies, the Cryptek employs arcane science to harness the universe's fundamental forces[13a] and express them in complex mathematical sequences dubbed Algorithm-Chants to achieve feats similar to those of psychic sorcery.[65]

Trazyn the Infinite carries a specialised staff known as the Empathic Obliterator which is rumoured to contain the technology of the Old Ones. Should the Empathic Obliterator slay an enemy, a psionic shockwave ripples out from the body of the victim, striking down all nearby creatures of similar mind and purpose.[13b]

Tyranid Psykers

Main article: Tyranid Psychic Powers

The Tyranid forces are highly interconnected and linked to each other using the psychic powers of the Hive Mind. The Hive Tyrant acts as a node for the other forces on the ground. The Dominatrixes act as relays between the Norn-Queens and the other ground forces, helping to co-ordinate attacks from orbit. Tyranids also rapidly developed a number of psychic creatures such as Zoanthropes[63a], Maleceptors, and Neurothropes.[35b]

They use the Warp to communicate and travel, spending a good deal of their time in the Warp, travelling between planets to find sustenance. The Tyranid psychic interference and presence known as the Shadow in the Warp is devastating to all psykers that feel its touch.[63b]

During the Fourth Tyrannic War the Tyranids unveiled a new series of potent psychic organisms such as the Neurotyrant[64a], Psychophage[64b], Norn Emissary[64c], Neurolictor[64d], and Neurogaunt.[64e]

Genestealer Cults

A Genestealer Magus is born from at least one parent who is a Psyker, and this combined with its Xenos DNA makes the creature a highly potent psychic being which draws power through the Broodmind. They can use their psychic abilities to coerce or enslave others to their cause. Should a Patriarch or Magus dominate a region completely, the psychic shadow that gathers around him will grow darker and thicker until it begins to coalesce. This ever-shrinking miasma hardens into a many-limbed form known as Genestealer Familiar that will faithfully serve its Magus.[10] Especially potent psykers known as a Cult Benefictus are also employed by Genestealers.[26]

Leagues of Votann Psykers

The Squats of the Leagues of Votann have souls that burn dimly in the Warp and few amongst their kind display any psychic abilities. However, they possess special psychoactive Cloneskeins that have allowed for psychic specialists to exist, most notably the Grimnyr. Using specialised Barrier-Tech, these specialists can draw forth the power of the Warp and manifest it in a manner similar to the psychic powers of other races.[12]

See also

Sources

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