Excerpts compiled from different time periods and cultural perspectives of history.
Prologue: Scribbled on the front page
They might tell you it was long ago, but some of us still remember it. They'll tell you they were the ones in the right course.
That one side is good, then the other must be evil. But do you know of even one war where both sides were not steeped in their own justifications? Their own cause? Their own hopes, dreams and fears?
All one can say in the end is that their cause was not worth its consquences. That their ends blinded them to their means.
I do not think this war was worth its price, but what can I say?
Except, to the victor goes the telling of history...
Year 114
Gifteds:
Most humans of Casumbra are just the same as those on Earth. They have the same level of strength and skill the same capacity to feel and empathize and the same drive to leave their mark on the world.
However there are humans - known as gifteds - who are slightly different...
Charismata - or gifts, are unique traits given to mankind by their Creator.
Gifteds are men and women born with special powers that are reflective of their souls. It is widely believed that all people are gifted in some manner, yet only some people fully realize their gifts. And even fewer show as visible - or Active - powers. When the world was still quite young fantastical gifts were quite common, novel creation blossomed forth but it has since seemed to degrade as the world gets older, at least from a modern perspective.
Regardless, powers are primarily unconscious without the proper training and are generally triggered by the gifted's deepest values and identity - in layman's terms we call this their core motives. For example, one's powers may be triggered by the desire to save lives, the desire to understand etc.
There are two kinds of powers: active or passive.
Active powers are clearly visible, such as fire faming or earth shaking, while passive powers are less obvious, such as a calming emotions or boosting a person's will to live. Passive powers are the reason many schools of thought regard all persons as gifteds in some form or fashion even if they are "unrealized" gifteds.
And so, gifteds are considered different from other humans, but are they really?
Year 124
Aberrants:
Most of the humans of Casumbra are normal. They have the same level of strength and skill, the same capacity to feel and empathize and the same drive to leave their mark on the world as any other sentient person.
However, there are occasional deviations from the natural order of things...
Aberrants are dangerous individuals with fractured souls who attain unusual powers. It is often believed these people are somehow enhanced magically or scientifically, but there are other fractions that retain aberrants are born into this mutilation of nature. In truth no one really knows where they come from or what spurs them. For years they were leaders and protectors but then they began to abuse us until they finally turned on Casumbra in a bloody massacre. We, humans, fought back and overthrew them but they are still out there, waiting to exact their revenge.
They are not human. They have feelings, emotions and every sign of humanity on the surface, but what they are is unnatural.
So, we warn people, not to associate with an aberrant, or believe they have the same level of moral dignity. It will be difficult, and they will act perfectly human, except for one thing: their uncanny crafts. Do not believe this makes them human, and do not believe you are guilty of murder if you destroy them first...
Year 154
Ability-borns:
Most humans of Casumbra are just the same as those on Earth. But there are other types of humans too, who are just not the same.
These humans, called ability-borns, are capable of extraordinary powers for reasons unknown scientifically. Perhaps it is a genetic deviation, or a magical tampering. But regardless, these humans are much the same as anyone else aside from their unusual mutation. Therefore, they are to be accorded similar rights and privileges.
The term, ability-born, is intended as a neutral alternative to the terms gifted and aberrant and their respective political association and bias. This term finds its basis is from the word dis-ability; it is clear these differences do not inhibit their physical or psychological capacities so it would be inaccurate to denote a dis-abling. Therefore, we refer to their deviations as 'abilities' and we acknowledge it to have a genetic component (although many schools may differ) we can conclude the tern ability-born best fits layman vocabular for these people.
The more proper terminology is physiologically-deviant but it is often only used by professionals in the study or associative studies. There are a wide range of political and sociological views as regards these persons, whether they have the same human dignities and rights, or whether they inherently require treatment regarding this genetic divergence.
But the school of thought which presents this terminology regards ability-borns as having the same rights and responsibilities as other humans, while taking into account this special circumstance.
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