Awakened
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Awakened (???) is a term used to refer to individuals possessing Shùnéng (术能, ability). Any sentient being can trigger their latent abilities and become an Awakened by experiencing an extremely stressful event and through study, training, or magic.
There has been extremely rare cases of animals being Awakened and possessing Superpowers, such as Schrödinger and Panda Warrior, proving that non-sentient creatures can be Awakened, although it is currently unknown how they became so.
Normally, a person can only have one Shùnéng, since they require Qì which is strongly associated with the soul and one body can only house one soul. The only permanent exception to this rule is Tianshi, who was already Awakened before his first death and was given a new Shùnéng as he was resurrected, allowing him to have two at the same time.
Although several Awakened can share the same Superpowers, each Shùnéng, that is, a bundle of associated Shù (术, technique), is unique to each individual.
Types
Biomancers
Biomancers are Awakened whose Powers alter their own physiology, that of their allies, or that of their opponents. Their Powers can range from size alteration and physical enhancement to full animal transformation, among others.
Elementalists
Elementalists are Awakened who are able to generate and/or manipulate one or more element(s), from the basic five elements of fire, water, earth, wood, and metal, to more exotic elements such as glass and diamond.
Mystics
Mystics are Awakened whose Powers are gained from Ghosts, Demons, or God.
Technopaths
Technopaths have Powers that either require certain equipment to be used properly or that is strongly associated with technology.
Role in Society
Awakened have existed since the Adamic Era. In ancient times, Awakened generally served as rulers, generals, and priests, contributing their abilities to their respective societies, although criminal use of Superpowers is not unheard of. Egypt flourished under a society led by Awakened, being an international centre for commerce, culture, and study.
Over time, however, war, disease, and disaster greatly reduced the numbers of Awakened until they became a tiny fraction of the world's population. They were forced into hiding as societal views on them grew increasingly negative, being grouped in the same category as, and sometimes confused for Sorcerers, false prophets, .
In the early 2010s, there was a resurgence of Awakened.