Non-Sentients     The distinction between sentient and non-sentient life is an important concept in Lur-Asko philosophy and religion. Sentient creatures exhibit consciousness, self-awareness, reason, abstract thought, and (according to some philosophies) free will. Some sages refer to these traits collectively as a soul, spirit, or psyche. Even the more materialistic philosophies such as Rationalism still hold that the sentient mind is qualitatively unique.

    Life which lacks most or all of these aspects, on the other hand, is termed non-sentient. Most organic non-sentients are colloquially referred to as animals (both in-character and in Legends rules), although the scientific term technically applies to sentient species as well. Non-sentient life also includes plants and Alacrian technologicals. Many non-sentient creatures come close to some sentient behaviors, and some are highly intelligent. Some Sylvans consider their tamed animals "friends," nearly all techs can speak, and certain Alacrian artificial intelligences can be indistinguishable from a conscious person to anyone not exhaustively familiar with their programming. Still, all varieties of non-sentient life act on instincts or programmed directives rather than the higher concepts and willful choices associated with sentients. Lur-Asko researchers both ancient and modern have recorded creatures as sentient or non-sentient based on thorough study, and only a few bizarre specimens have evaded their classification.

    Outside of certain minorities of Methodian or Prismatic thought, Lur-Asko has no concept of "animal rights" or any other ethical entitlement for non-sentient life. Animals and techs can be held as property in every realm of the continent, and are legally indistinguishable from tools or machines. Still, in practice, anyone who displays pointless cruelty towards non-sentients will be viewed as morally deficient and likely ostracized. Hostile creatures, of course, garner little pity; as useful as animals are to the civilizations of Lur-Asko, they are equally known as dangerous menaces, particularly on the frontiers.

    Non-sentient creatures do not have a Willpower stat. They automatically fail any roll on WILL (though most events that call for WILL rolls are not applicable to non-sentients in the first place). They have an Intelligence stat, but do not have insight, and cannot act against their instincts or programming. They are not subject to trauma and terror. Although techs can speak Alacrian and archaic Concordic, no non-sentient may use social actions, nor verbal actions from Abilities, unless otherwise stated. Many Abilities from the Studies of Nature and Technology are related to taming/binding non-sentient life and manipulating its behavior to one's liking.

    In all Legends rules, character and creature are equivalent terms. Typically, 'creature' is used to more naturally refer to non-sentients, but this is not a distinct term regarding what rules affect them. Sentient and non-sentient will always be explicitly used when a rule is meant to apply to only one or the other. Valid Non-Sentient Abilities    Some non-sentients have special Abilities unique to themselves, the rules for which are given in their own listing. Nearly all non-sentients also have Study-equivalent Abilities arising from their instincts or programming, which will be listed as Instinctual Abilities or Programmed Abilities. These Abilities follow the same rules as the equivalent Ability from the listed Study. Non-sentients cannot gain Study tiers, but they will have a listed progression tier; use this number instead of Study tier when determining the progression effects of all their Abilities. Remember that non-sentients have no insight, and will therefore be unaffected by insight-related progression effects. An Ability that is marked with an "(e)" in the creature's listing follows Emphasized progression effects rather than Normal. Non-sentients never follow Maximized progression for any Ability, nor do they receive expertise re-rolls.

    Certain Nature or Technology Abilities allow non-sentient creatures to gain additional Study-equivalent Abilities. The GM may also determine that a creature has additional Abilities based on unusual circumstances or origins. In any case, only certain Study Abilities can be assigned to a non-sentient beyond its listed Abilities. In other words, a non-sentient cannot be trained in any Study Ability that is neither listed in its own entry, nor in the list below. Additionally, a creature cannot be given Emphasized progression unless the Ability is listed with an "(e)" after its name below. Use common sense regarding the type of creature as well; there would be no point in training a wolf in Melee Competency or Shooting Stances, since it cannot hold a weapon.