Acetica

The acetica (or aces) are a range of "supernatural" or "superhuman" abilities, feats and features boasted by the solfolk of Symbia, and the Changed of Terra after Second Wave. They are provided by the entomnis, who weave reality at the quantum-distance, allowing the benefactors great speed, enormous strength, or will over the elements, just to name a few.

Etymology
The term "acetic" has a history shared with Terra. While the meaning is tied firmly with the type of acid blue-side, it is solely descriptive of the apparently magical phenomenon green-side.

The split between the two can be tracked to the orginal acetum "vinegar" (properly vinum acetum "wine turned sour"), originally past participle of acere "be sharp; be sour".

The blue-side prevalence of alcohol and vinegar as foodstuffs meant the term quickly became dedicated to wine, acid, and related subjects.

Green-side, the term drifted to mean "sharpened", not simply sharp but "having been sharpened" much like the word "honed". Ancient solfolk found that, given enough emotional energy and training, the very will could be "sharpened" into effects upon the world.

This can be seen clearly in the long disused phrase for this not-yet understood "magic" was desiderata acetum "desire focused to a point", giving acetica "the sharpening (of desire)".

Terran classification
With the smaller available pool of Changed for study, Terran scholars immediately did something Symbians had always found too cumbersome for use: they began a classification system of the different aces.
 * Personal: An ace that affects only the single individual, e.g. mystica.
 * Social: An ace that affects the individual or other people as they choose, but not inanimate things, e.g. empathica.
 * Environmental: An ace that affects anything, animate or inanimate, e.g. brawnica.

Prevalence
The acetica are found in almost every sentient being found on Earth, with the most recent studies putting the population of acetica-born at 98%. Solfolk without acetica are known as sansard (poetically or euphemistically, terrafal).

The Crown
The following entries will service as the defining data for all acetica, for use by commissioned artist and author.

Solfolk draw five lines between the acetica known to study. Each grouping or 'wheel' is defined by the underlying principles of each acetica. Many aces are seen as a 'fence sitter', leading to what solfolk call 'the crown', a round, cyclic understanding of the acetica, and their relationships to each other.

FORWARD
'' They of piercing strength, now entering the field, dominated all there was, for fire burns the skin, earth blears the eye, water pulls the body, and wind crashes the ear. ''

Forward acetica are universally seen as the 'main' members, making up the body of study. The aces that tend to split and vary are also within this wheel, including the elementals and their seemingly endless sub-acetica and variants.

Fire Water Air / Lightning Earth Light / lumin

BELOW
'' 'Must we beg of the use of Those Below,' asked the acolyte. The Seer, wise to such fears, could not help but smile. 'If we do not call upon Them, we would soon fear those who would.' ''

Sneaky, thieving, and drawing ire, the Below Wheel consists of the acetica least appreciated by the general solfolk populace. Invisibility, illusions, lies, deception and darkness. If it's misunderstood, dastardly or simply a little dour, Below is as useful a wheel as it is dangerous.

Invis, illusions, becoming a ghost, abbad

ABOVE
'' Why does the falling stone find no ground. Why does the battle find a winner before it begins. Why does the search take but a moment. Why does the journey take as long as a smile. Look Above and hail, hail to those who hang among the clouds, those who call Sol friend. ''

While Forward and Below may concentrate on the Light and the Dark, Above is all about motion. The hyper-rapid kinetics, the dutiful portics, the eyes of the posit'; this wheel fashions itself around mass, energy, time, and space.

Speed, ports, positica, time

WITHIN
'' Near ev'ry soul whom ever walked this fine land, unbeknownst to them, was blind. The world is teeming with the winding paths of the past, and forested with the ev'r splitting trees of the future-come. Watch where you tread: death is ev'rywhere, as is life, and the temulous mix of the two. Look Within, or remain blind. ''

Everything must die, and so the domain of the Within Wheel manifests. Seeking truth, history, deep past and the unknown future, this wheel consists of those who weave tremendous and ancient forces, hoping to answer the questions most important to all solfolk: what is true, what is possible, and the meaning of life and death.

mystica, emotica, shaman, data

HELD
'' Grip hold of the self, shape it true. Be the weapon, be the shield, let your Voice lead this charge. Your wheel is Held, young warrior. You will see blood, and your kin will spill it, and staunch it both. Fear not your flesh, for it is your brother, a champion. ''

Pure and unadulterated physical prowess defines the wheel of the Held. Like sculptors, members of this group dedicate themselves to twining acetica and body into a seamless whole. The brutal brawnics, the immortal haelen, and the myriad of form-bending, limb growing, material infusing acetica; all report to the Held, the wheel of bodily acetica.

=Acetic Index= The following table aims to 'condense' all known acetica into one quick reference. Pages dedicated to certain acetica should be created.

Brawnic, rubrica, body morphing, haelen


 * Hydanica
 * Haelanica
 * Positica
 * Chronolica
 * Portica
 * Mystica
 * Empathica
 * Vidica
 * Tenebrica
 * Brawnica
 * Clavica
 * Enertica
 * Kinetica
 * Gravitica
 * Spedica
 * Dataetrica - power over knowledge, symbology, language, computers, enhanced thought, and at best, communion with the [[entomnis]
 * Amatorica
 * Elementia
 * Planica - alternate planes of existances, hammerspace, black-wells, affinity for para-dimensions.

TvTropes to the Rescue

 * All Your Powers Combined
 * Didactica: boasted in wildly differing ways by Cindre.


 * Animal Eye Spy
 * Naturica: Performed regularly by Henna, the Shaman.


 * Animal-Themed Superbeing: Subverted, as the solfolk are themselves 'animal themed' but do not boast powers of that sort.


 * Anti-Magic
 * Abaddica: so feared and reviled that it's used as a curse, "abadd".


 * Astral Projection
 * Mystica: Boasted very usefully by Corr'.


 * Bad Powers, Bad People: Cindre explores this; his dark form, gnarled hands, and energy-sappy power all should total an imposing and destructive person. Slowly, Cindre rebuilds himself into a person of justice, but for a time he is grim, angry, and spiteful.


 * Bad Powers, Good People: Cindre develops into this slowly. Also Adia, whom learns various poisons, stuns and shocks while remaining a very strong 'good' protagonist.


 * Ball of Light Transformation: Solfolk associate power with light, and the most powerful acetica usually involve brilliant light shows.


 * Barrier Warrior
 * Kenetica: Zel is rather good at deflecting, but Ben perfects the art of bringing any moving object to a standstill.
 * As for "energy-shields", Tyrol and Cindre both fill the role nicely.


 * Batman Can Breathe in Space
 * Haelenica: Adia Can Breathe in Space, and does not like it.


 * The Beastmaster
 * Naturica: Henna's signature ability, with companions ranging from wolves, a hyena, a dolphin, two eagles, and a grizzly bear (a Kodiak bear, to be exact).


 * Bouncing Battler
 * Rebrica: Snow Loppe is, effectively, a little white rabbit made out of bounce and bend. Notably, thrown down an abandoned mine-shaft and laughed all the way down.


 * Casting a Shadow
 * Light Elementalism: Dominion over both light and darkness, as demonstrated by Cindre.


 * Chrome Champion
 * Symn, although daes 'synthetic' nature swerves this trope somewhat.


 * Combo Platter Powers:
 * Light Elementalism: Control over light, darkness, heat and fire; also flight, and a consistent resistance to gravity.


 * Do-Anything Robot: Symn is, in the truest sense, an amorphous blob of water-suspended nano-components. Dae can take on any useful form dae requires at any time.


 * Does Not Know Her Own Strength: Ringy's backstory.


 * Domain Holder: Ben and Edolin within a virt. They also manage to draw more than one enemy into a virt, to then confuse and interrogate them.
 *  "So this is what it feels like, to be the entomnis." 


 * Dreaming of Things to Come
 * Mystica: Corr and Litany are both capable of exploring a strange 'dreamscape' while sleeping, filled with visions of the past, present and future.


 * Dreaming of Times Gone By
 * Mystica: See above.


 * Dream Spying:
 * Mystica: See above.


 * Dream Weaver:
 * Mystica: See above.


 * Elemental Absorption
 * See Elementalism below.


 * Elemental Barrier
 * See Elementalism below.


 * Elemental Powers
 * Elementalism: There are five elements, each with varying aspects. An elemental can absorb, shield, and control certain energies each.
 * Water: Rain, weather, lightning, and Luna. Can take on 'liquid' forms, and consume endless amounts of water.
 * Earth: Stone, dirt, metal, and most importantly, growth and plant life. May assume the form of boulders, gravel, and sand, and move through the ground effortlessly.
 * Air: Speed, motion, invisibility, sounds (both distracting and deafening). May take on gaseous forms, and absorb any gas.
 * Fire: Fire and heat. The purest and simplest element. Capable of assuming the form of fire, and consuming fire and warmth.
 * Light: The "Governing Element", borrowing from the other elements, adding light and shadow control. Takes on a shadowy form, and consumes light.


 * The Empath:
 * Empathica: Mark is a very adept emotion reader, also able to 'push' emotions to others.


 * Emotional Powers: Cindre's powers are deeply twined with his emotional state, which proves both useful and disastrous.


 * Energy Absorption:
 * See Elementalism above.
 * Kenetica: 'Netics can absorb large amounts of 'motion' (or kinetic energy) to be used later.


 * Extra Ore Dinary:
 * Earth Elementals


 * Extreme Omnivore:
 * Consumica: If it sits still long enough, Bastion can and will eat it. Materials eaten then bolster Bastion's strength, provide ancillary acetica and power his Healing Factor.


 * Eye Beams:
 * Fire Elementals. Curiously, not within Cindre's repertoire (Light Elementals only gain a portion of Fire's power).


 * Faux Flame:
 * Air Elemental: their signature visual effect.


 * Flight:
 * Light and Air Elementals, Kinetica, Planica, Mechanica, and more!


 * Flying Brick: Subverted, all fliers (so far explored) are somewhat physically weak. No Superman expy to be found here, folks.
 * Ringy regularly finds herself airborne, either thrown or by leaping from a height. Landings are negotiated as needed.
 * "The concept 'look before you leap' just doesn't apply to her, huh."


 * Flying Firepower:
 * Light Elementals, as well as Air Ele's.


 * Functional Magic: Toyed with. The acetica are expressions of a combination: the solsons mind, and the entomnis' power. Whether the entomnis are an odd race of pixies, or a strange breed of nanobot, or something even stranger, no one can tell. Not even Ben, who manages to talk with them more than once.
 * Regardless, the acetica are regularly used for transportation, construction, entertainment, and.. so on..


 * Gemstone Assault:
 * Earth Elementalism.


 * Gravity Master:
 * Kinetica: The key strength of a "netic" is the ability to bend and induce gravity. In fact, netics don't truly fly, they "fall forward".


 * Green Thumb:
 * Naturica: Henna may sprout Sol-knows what plants and trees from near anywhere, to ridiculous levels.
 * Earth Elementals: May grow and control plants and trees, but only those already present. Earth ele's tend to have a pet tree.


 * Hand Blast:
 * All elementals, and kenetica.


 * Having a Blast:
 * Fire elementals.


 * Healing Factor:
 * Haelenica, as well as Cindre whom learned it from Adia.


 * Healing Hands:
 * Haelenica: displayed by Adia, haelen are able to mend literally any physical disease or damage, simply by placing hands on the patient.


 * An Ice Person:
 * Water elementals: can, rarely, learn this trick, as shown by Tyorl, who perfects the ace to the point of revealing little known aspects.


 * Imagination-Based Superpower:
 * Daetrica: becomes this in many ways, with the help of holograms and other tricks.


 * I See Dead People:
 * Mystica: One of the most important aspects. While communion with the dead is not possible, mystics can infer the feelings and last wishes of the dead, even divining the last moments of recently deceased.


 * Immortality:
 * Complete Immortality: The entomnis, who profess to not know death.

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 * In a Single Bound:
 * Incredible Shrinking Man:
 * Innate Night Vision:
 * Instant Armor:
 * Intangibility:
 * Invisibility:
 * Jetpack:
 * Ki Attacks:
 * Kiss of Death:
 * Living Lie Detector:
 * Lovecraftian Superpower:
 * Light:
 * Magic Powered Pseudoscience:
 * Magical Eye:
 * Magma Man:
 * Magnetism Manipulation:
 * Make Me Wanna Shout:
 * Make Them Rot:
 * Making a Splash:
 * Master of Illusion:
 * Master of Your Domain:
 * Mind Manipulation:
 * Mind over Matter:
 * Multipurpose Tongue:
 * The Nose Knows:
 * Not Quite Flight:
 * Nigh-Invulnerability:
 * Omniglot:
 * Open And Shut:
 * Paper Master:
 * Pest Controller:
 * Playing with Fire:
 * Poisonous Person:
 * Power of the Void:
 * Power Copying:
 * Power Nullifier:
 * Power Parasite:
 * Powered Armor:
 * Powers via Possession:
 * Prehensile Hair:
 * Psychic Powers:
 * Psychic Radar:
 * Psychic Surgery:
 * Pure Energy:
 * Reality Warper:
 * Robot Buddy:
 * Rubber Man:
 * Seeing Through Another:
 * Self-Duplication:
 * Semantic Superpower:
 * Shapeshifting:
 * Shatterpoint Tap:
 * Shock and Awe:
 * Shockwave Clap:
 * Sizeshifter:
 * Soul Power:
 * Space Master:
 * Speaks Fluent Animal:
 * Spider-Sense:
 * Spike Shooter:
 * Spring Coil:
 * Super Breath:
 * Super Cute Super Powers:
 * Super Intelligence:
 * Super Mode:
 * Super Reflexes:
 * Super Smoke:
 * Super Speed Reading:
 * Super Senses:
 * Super Speed:
 * Super Spit:
 * Super Strength:
 * Super Toughness:
 * Superpower Russian Roulette:
 * Swiss Army Superpower:
 * Talking in Your Dreams:
 * Taken for Granite:
 * Telepathy:
 * Touch Telepathy:
 * Technopath:
 * Teleporters and Transporters:
 * Thinking Up Portals:
 * Time Master:
 * Touch of Death:
 * Vacuum Mouth:
 * Vampiric Draining:
 * Vein-O-Vision:
 * Voluntary Shapeshifting:
 * Walk on Water:
 * Wall Crawl:
 * Weather Manipulation:
 * Weaponized Teleportation:
 * What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?:
 * Winds of Destiny, Change:
 * Wreathed in Flames:
 * X-Ray Vision:
 * Your Heart:

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