So, um, Durithill suggested that I put my ideas for Stigmas in the forums and I think this is where they're supposed to go...
Ampullae
Ampullae of Lorenzini are the organs that allow sharks and rays to sense electrical fields. They are highly sensitive and allow the elasmobranchs to sense the electricity generated by the struggles of a wounded fish from a long distance away. There is speculation that they may be able to read the thoughts of other organisms as they are nothing more than electrical impulses. On sharks, they appear as large, dark pores on the underside of their noses.The ampullae stigma would appear as a series of dark pores, either on the hands or the cheekbones (I'm leaning towards cheekbones, personally). It would allow the user to sense the electric signals created by the movement of muscles, as well as sense the flow of electricity through wires and electrical devices. After being upgraded enough, the user would be able to distinguish thoughts and the higher the rank, the clearer the thoughts are. There would be a limit to how far the ability could sense, and certain things could interfere with it (i.e. thick concrete, Faraday cages, and strong magnets).
Gills
Allow fish to breathe in water. They are useless on land as they cannot support their own weight, but the system is far more efficient than ours. The gills use countercurrent exchange, allowing for the maximum uptake of oxygen while the alveoli of, well let's say humans, use concurrent exchange, a highly inefficient system of oxygen uptake and exchange.Much more than simply allowing the user to breathe underwater, this stigma would, given enough ranks, change their entire system of oxygen exchange from concurrent to countercurrent. Along with an increase in hemoglobin, the user would have a much higher oxygen capacity. This could possibly allow for longer sustained actions and an increased ability to hold one's breath. Getting choked? No problem! Just pretend to pass out or die when a normal person would, then kick your attacker's butt when they let go!
Flight Wings
Allow flight. However, wings on their own are useless. Humans are too heavy for the wings to generate the required lift necessary for sustained flight, so on their own they would only be able to let the person glide. Lightened bones would be necessary.Those who take this stigma would be able to fly. The wings could be any design and come from the shoulders or the arms could be modified. At the lowest rank, the wings would only be used for gliding, but at higher ranks the bones would become hollow and the muscles stronger, allowing for self-generated flight. A higher rank would strengthen the hollowed bones to protect against breaks and allow for longer flights and more maneuverability. The wingspan would have to be large, however, to generate the necessary lift. No itty-bitty wings.
So, that's what I've got at the moment.
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