View source for Creature: Psimental

This creature is my own creation.

==Psimental==
[[Image:Psimental.jpg|right|thumb|400px|A psimental.]]
: ''An insectoid creature, perhaps a scorpion or arachnid, made entirely of crystal, approaches. The light catches within its crystalline interior, revealing that it is composed entirely of crystal, with no biology to speak of. The eyes sparkle, seeming to reflect colors other than the deep amethyst of the rest of the creature. You feel a definite presence, as though there were something watching from within those lifeless gemstones that possesses a raw intellect of dizzying proportions.''

A psimental is a raw, mobile expression of psionic power. Psimentals have no mortal form, and are truly elementals of the Force of Psionics.

Psimentals are normally neutral towards most beings they encounter. Should they encounter a creature with magical or technological ability, they attack on sight and without remorse; a psimental attempting to slay a magic- or technology-aligned creature will not stop until the creature or the psimental itself is dead.

Psimentals are only surpassed by memementals in terms of being able to be reasoned with: psimentals are incredibly logical creatures, though capable of ridiculous twists of logic and reasoning that prevent only the most cunning from dealing with them on equal footing. 

Psimentals come in the same relative sizes as other elementals: small, medium, large, huge, greater, and elder. The larger and older a given psimental, the stronger its connection to raw psionics, and thus its size increases and its abilities become more dangerous.

Psimentals do not speak, but can communicate telepathically through imagery - as such, they can communicate with any creature with intelligence. However, given the nature of this telepathy, they cannot communicate with inorganic minds (such as artilects).

Psimentals are one of the types of [[Creature:_Force_Elemental|force elemental]].

===Combat===
Psimentals who engage in combat use their considerable psionics to the best effect. Each psimental is unique, in what particular expressions of psionics it wields. It is noted that the abilities of psimentals run the gamut of psionics, from simple ''telekinesis'' to ''molecular disintegration''. It is not known if there is any way to tell just how powerful a given psimental will be, though it can be reasonably assumed that larger psimentals will be more powerful and able to produce more powerful arcane effects.

Psimentals who become forced into melee do not attempt to flee, but continue utilizing psionic power until either they or their target is dead. Psimentals seem to utterly lack a survival instinct, and while they may make intelligent tactical decisions, their tactics revolve around killing their original targets rather than taking out threats to their survival.

===Lore===
A character knows the following information with a successful Knowledge (Psionics) or Knowledge (The Forces) check.

====Knowledge (Psionics)====
* '''DC 15:''' Psimentals are bizarre elementals that are composed of raw psionic energy. Each psimental is relatively unique, and their abilities vary wildly.
* '''DC 16:''' Psimentals communicate, through telepathic imagery. They suffer the same limits as psionic telepathy in this regard, and thus cannot communicate with sentient machines.
* '''DC 18:''' Psimentals did not always take on a crystalline appearance. This is an aftereffect of Kotrit Wayveri's use of epic magic to attempt to annihilate the Force of Psionics itself. Prior to that event, psimentals had no actual physical form, reflecting psionics' lack of a "tell."
* '''DC 19:''' Psimentals seem able to sense magic or technology, especially those who use these forces. They become immediately hostile when magic or technology is in their presence.
* '''DC 20:''' It is understood that, as beings made of raw psionics, psimentals are able to absorb psychic energy that they successfully resist.
* '''DC 22:''' Psionic effects that deal psychic damage have no effect on a psimental.
* '''DC 24:''' Psionic effects that disrupt psionics, such as ''catapsi'', are incredibly damaging to psimentals.
* '''DC 25:''' Psimentals can use psionic powers at will, to a degree greater than that of psionicists: they never fail to manifest their powers, and have a limitless supply of power points, though the number of power points a psimental can expend on a given manifestation seems limited by their size.
* '''DC 27:''' The remains of psimentals often contain remnants of psionic power from when psionics was shattered and forced into the gems of Adnez. Such remnants have the potential to imbue their wielder with a variety of effects, ranging from functioning as a power point receptacle to temporarily granting usage of psionic abilities.

====Knowledge (The Forces)====
* '''DC 18:''' Psimentals are bizarre elementals that are composed of raw psionic energy. Each psimental is relatively unique, and their abilities vary wildly.
* '''DC 20:''' Psimentals are incredibly violent towards users of magic or technology, and will attack them on sight.
* '''DC 22:''' Arcanomentals seem able to sense magic or technology, especially those who use these forces. They become immediately hostile when magic or technology is in their presence.
* '''DC 24:''' It is understood that, as beings made of raw psionics, psimentals are able to absorb psychic energy that they successfully resist.
* '''DC 25:''' Older or larger psimentals are sometimes known to be immune to some kinds of magical and technological effects. Not all larger psimentals that have been encountered have had these immunities, and there is known to be some amount of variety; it is unknown how to determine a given psimental's immunities ''a priori''.
* '''DC 27:''' Psimentals can use psionic powers at will, to a degree greater than that of psionicists: they never fail to manifest their powers, and have a limitless supply of power points, though the number of power points a psimental can expend on a given manifestation seems limited by their size.

===Summoning an Psimental===
Only specific psionic powers of the Metacreativity discipline can create psimentals. These are often forged out of the manifester's own will, and are thereby an extension of the manifester. So-called "free-roaming" psimentals cannot be created through mortal means.

Note that only psionic powers can produce psimentals. Other forces with effects that are capable of summoning or otherwise resulting in the appearance of an elemental cannot produce a psimental.

[[category:Creatures]]
[[category:Mechanics]]