Letia is planet inhabited by a people called ‘Letians’, brought there from another world by beings who’ve left centuries ago, after being given the tools to adapt and survive in a hostile environment.
The ones that brought them there, ‘The Elders’, were so highly advanced in their technological abilities, they didn’t just create tools and techniques to help the Letians survive, they rewrote their genetic codes to become compatible with the biology-based tech The Elders used.
Bio-tech and gene-sequencing, words and concepts so foreign for the Letians, it was all considered “magic”.
The Letians learned how to control the basic elements, manipulating fire, water, wind, earth, light, etc.
The more advanced or talented of them, managed to eventually raise their skill up to a level that they could even heal each other, or forge/manipulate metals.
Some even claimed there were Letians who could actually manipulate the minds of others.
All rumours, of course.
But their control came at a cost.
For everything they did, there would be an opposite to balance it out.
The more they used their abilities in a short time, the greater the cost to themselves.
After a certain “cool down” period, the negative impact of using their abilities would diminish until they eventually vanished completely.
Those who could manipulate fire, gradually found their own body temperature lowering.
Over-use of this, could lead to hypothermia and eventually death.
Those who could manipulate water, became thirsty and tired quickly.
Over-use of this, could lead to extreme dehydration and eventually death.
Those who could manipulate wind, became short of breath, unable to perform any physical activity without periods of rest, at risk of collapsing and losing consciousness.
Over-use of this, could lead to asphyxiation and eventually death.
Those who could manipulate earth, became heavier and heavier every time, making it harder to move.
Over-use of this, could lead to permanent paralysis and eventually death.
Those who could heal each other, took over a mild version of the injury or sickness they healed, healing far more rapidly from that injury or illness than others.
Over-use of this, quite often leads to permanent disfigurement and almost as often, death.
There has been some progress among the Letians, and after thorough research, some Letians have been able to tether their abilities to inanimate objects.
The bigger the object, the easier it was to tether their ability onto it, and the stronger the tether was.
The biggest downside of tethering, however, was that even though the Letians creating it still took the toll upon themselves, they wouldn’t restore by themselves over time. They would constantly suffer a reduced for of the side-effects, based upon how strong their tether was.
The one using the tethered item, also suffered the side-effects, yet at a significantly reduced rate.
Once the item that was tethered is destroyed, however, the tetherer slowly regained the ability to get over the side-effects and use their ability. Similarly, if the tetherer perishes, the item becomes inert and non-functional.
This is why tethered objects are usually kept in the family, or only given to or borrowed to people one is close with, to ensure the tether won’t give out at inopportune times.
Several ancient artifacts are rumoured to exist, left behind by The Elders, that were tethered with such strength and ability, that the wielder never experienced side-effects, and the object would be incomprehensibly powerful compared to the tethers created by the Letians themselves.
There have been some cases of rich or high-ranking Letians forcing others into indentured servitude, forcing them to tether to an item so that the rich, non-powered Letians could use abilities not in their bloodlines.
Others, however, find it an easy way to make money, selling their mildly tethered items on the black market.
Occasionally, someone hugely in debt will practically tether something to the point of near-death, using the money they get for it to make sure their family is looked after.
All of the latter practises have been forbidden by law, but still take place in the shadier circuits.