Elans are not born; they are made. Living humans (and, it is rumoured, some other races) are selected from a pool of applicants and screened by a special elan council. Those who pass muster undergo a secret psionic process in one of several hidden elan enclaves, where they abandon their humanity (or whatever) for a new, psionically energised existence. Thus, elans do not reproduce biologically, but rather psionically, through a mysterious psionic ritual known only to elans. Even their “children” are usually already fully formed adult humans. Non-human elans are never produced, in the sense that, no matter the original species of the candidate, the new elan form is, to all intents and purposes, human. When candidates seek the transformation to elans, they must petition existing elans for the privilege of undergoing the process. Elans are a secret lot in this regard, and do not publicly reveal their enclaves or places of making; the elans select new aspirants and turn away those they feel are unsuited to life as an elan. Newly created elans retain the basic memories and personalities of their previous lives, but lose all their previous class levels, skills and other characteristics; a newly created elan is a 1st-level character, free to reinvent themselves as a member of their new race. This rampant secrecy, combined with the necessity of a “transformation” makes elan highly suspect in the eyes of many within The Unification, though there are several elan Citizens on the Citizens' Council and even a few Voices of the District. In spite of this, many regard elan as barely a step away from The Fallen and a heady temptation to take otherwise model citizens down a dark and twisted, albeit apparently innocuous, path.

   Personality

Elans are nearly as adaptable, flexible and ambitious as humans. Because their exceedingly long life spans sometimes lead the living to think the worst of them, elans practice a certain restraint, especially with regard to the subject of their origin. Otherwise, personalities vary widely (sometimes even in the same elan).

   Physical Description

Elans typically stand just under 6 feet tall and weigh about 180 pounds, with males generally taller and heavier than females. Because the council members who make the selection of aspirants have their own preferences, elans of a certain “generation” often share certain physical characteristics. The current council members favour results after transformation of pale skin, red hair, and a youthful quality. Overall elans vary in looks almost as much as humans do. An elan dresses in style typical of the area in which they live (to all the better pass as human), including the adoption of unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, body piercing, and the like. Elans have effectively unlimited lifespans. As long as they are not destroyed, their mental arts could conceivably continually energise and rebuild their bodies for a thousand years or more. Elans do not sleep as members of many other races do. Instead, an elan meditates in a deep trance for four hours a day. An elan resting in this fashion gains the same benefits that a human does from 8 hours sleep. While in this trance, an elan concentrates on suffusing their body with psionic energy, healing the hurts of the day, and restoring animation and resiliency to their tissues.

   Relations

Elans mix with members of other races, especially humans. It is probable that their relations would undergo a shift should their true nature become widely known, so one of the essential tenets of elan existence is secrecy.

   Alignment

Elans tend toward no particular alignment, not even neutral. The best and the worst are found among them.

   Elan Racial Traits

• -2 Charisma: Elans, despite their attempts to blend into the human population, continue to come off as just a little unusual (and, in some eyes, wrong).
• Aberration: Elans are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Medium: As Medium-sized creatures, elans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Elan base land speed is 30 feet.
• Elans (unlike most aberrations) do not have Darkvision.
• Naturally Psionic: Elans gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
• Resistance (Su): Elans can use psionic energy to increase their resistance to various forms of attack. As an immediate action, an elan can spend 1 power point to gain a +4 racial bonus on saving throws until the beginning of their next action.
• Resilience (Su): When an elan takes damage, they can spend power points to reduce the severity of the damage. As an immediate action, the elan can reduce damage about to be taken by 2 hit points for every 1 power point spent.
• Repletion (Su): An elan can sustain their body without need of food or water. If the elan spends 1 power point on this, the elan does not need to eat or drink for 24 hours.
• Level Adjustment: +0.