Synad

"I DON'T THINK THIS THING IS HUMAN..." Alyk whispered to his companion. They had traveled for days to reach the hermit, fabeled to cure the affliction which had plagued Alyk's elven mind for days now. Finally, reaching this creature's secluded hovel, they sat before him in the mid-day light as it whispered to itself only a few feet away, gazing into a multifaceted crystal. The creature gave off the impression of humanity... yet to Alyk and Jinna the movements and interactions seemed practiced; as if the creature had watched humans for many years as an actor studies a role... "It doesn't quite... talk like us does it?" Jinna replied, "I've heard it speak in two, maybe even three voices so far." The pair halted their conversation as the hermit ceased his muttering, standing up in an awkward, almost animated way. He gave a semblance of a smile to the elf and the human as he spoke. "I have devised a potion. It should ease the pain. And also your mind." It said to them in its stilted manner of speech. The creature's pale skin glinted oddly in the light as it turned around to the oaken table behind him, searching through a number of vials. Alyk nudged his friend, unable to speak as horror crept over him. At the edge of the light in the room, where shadows covered him, two faces on either side of the creature stared back at them with that same practiced smile.

A typical Synad is almost indistinguishable from a normal human or elf, living amongst their societies and adopting their cultures. These creatures may appear slightly aloof or unsocial, but in fact Synads are three independent minds inhabiting the same body, acting as a cooporative whole led by the Overmind. Whereas most other races crave social interaction, a Synad is perfectly content conversing with its other minds. Each mind has its own thoughts and feelings separate from the whole, able to give unique perspectives and multiple viewpoints on the same topic.

The Minds of a Synad

A synad is composed of three unique minds all inhabiting the same host body: The Overmind, The Oracle, and the Collective. Each of these minds has its own traits, personality, and thoughts

The Overmind

The Overmind of a synad is the foremost, handling all concious actions such as walking, speaking, or fighting. This is the synad's middle head, the only one to appear in physical form at all times. The Overmind is governed by pure logic, thinking mainly in terms of absolutes.

The Oracle

The Oracle mind is more subdued, dictacting the reasoning and emotions of a synad. The Oracle is considered the wisest of the heads, storing the synad's long term memories and experiences. The Oracle may provide advice to the Overmind about past experiences or memories, providing valuable insight into the actions a synad should take in any situation.

The Collective

The Collective Mind is known as the "passive mind." This mind acts as a bridge between the other two minds, accessing ancient psionic networks of synad knowledge. Though a difficult and mentally straining task, this mind can access information perceived by the minds of all other synads.

Secluded Lives

In the bright light of day, a synad passes for a tall, slim, almost featureless human. However, creatures may perceive the Synad to have three heads out of the corner of their eyes: a central one appearing humanoid, and two additional ethereal heads on either side of it. This effect is more noticeable if the Synad is in dim light, or is tired from a day's events. Given the Synad's desire to blend in with normal society, they may seek to avoid gloomy areas or social interaction altogether.

Though uncommon, a synad may reveal their heritage to a close companion or friend, but this act requires immense trust from both parties.

If a synad is discovered

without this act of trust,

they may seek to flee

or become hostile