The Balance of Adeptitude

Khet is, at least to many, considered a great equalizer. In reality, it is merely another criteria by which class divisions are formed. Tales of outland kingdoms paint pictures of societies historically divided by schisms of race and gender, but no such distinctions exist in the adept-rich Sovereignty of Helissia. That does not, however, mean that Helissia is without prejudice or class distinctions.

In communities where khet sensitivity is low or nonexistent, physical bearing and prowess lead the determination of power, decidedly skewing toward middle-young males. In more urbane, yet khet-weak, environs, intellectual prowess can elevate one above the dross, and yet intellectuals may still require the services of those with a physical advantage.

In Helissia, adeptitude is all that has ever mattered. Public opinion and political allegiance can be swayed by the appropriate application of khet. Crime is dependent on it, if for no other reason than to evade the detection of lawgivers who are equally reliant on it. Entire peacekeeping forces – the Royal Interdictor Service, for example – have arisen from the need for specific, targeted adeptitudes to counter the talents of narrow bands of malefactors.

In some ways, an adeptitude-based power structure has positive gains over alternatives. In Helissia – unlike some outlands like Faerbron – the subjugation of women is nonexistent. This is not to say that gender-prejudice doesn’t exist, only that it tends to flow both ways, and that the equal distribution of khet-sensitivity amongst genders means that physicality no longer determines advantage. It’s hard to bully someone who can close your windpipe at a hundred yards, or steer your mind into forgetfulness.

The manifestation of khet-sensitivity is seemingly random; there is no conclusive proof that adept parents will yield a higher percentage of sensitive children. Although the Helissian continent seems to bear the most per-capita adepts, the distribution has proven to ignore racial and gender boundaries. This leads some to philosophize that adeptitude, as a primary merit for societal advancement, is the fairest of all judgments… although there are many who disagree with that assessment, as it is common for those in positions of power to evangelize the factors that put them there.

Khet-sensitivity is also not the only factor in advanced adeptitude. A highly sensitive individual may lack control of their talent, making them an ineffectual adept, if not a dangerous liability. Relatively khet-weak individuals who strive to focus their limited talent can grow to rival much greater adepts.

Despite the claim that the randomness of adeptitude makes it a fair metric of worth, fairness is a subjective term, and does not always mean equality. Khet-insensitivity can relegate one to menial obscurity in spite of being strongly empathic or intellectual. Even those adroit at a trade or an art may be shunted away, unless that skill can apply directly to the needs of those more adept. It was these sorts of class divisions, and the conflicts that arose around them, that led to the development of firearms.