Okay here are the last three topics to lay out a sentient on the street view on before I start. People weren't freaked out by a small number of people having Psionics because their leaders (in almost all cases) were people who could touch a rock and get a magic picture show. When the organized study and training meant most people had some ability it was still a meh kind of thing. I view it as having the same kind of following as the metaphysical or spiritual aspects of yoga today. Everyone has heard of yoga and thinks anyone could do it fewer people are aware there is a belief (I am not sure that is the right description) system that goes along with it. No government support so it remained a kind of fringe element. Why do I say most people have some ability? Because you get a roll at 18 for strength which declines every 4 years afterwards so everyone starts with some power. The minimum strength required for most talents means only a few people will have a game effect even if they got training right at 18. Sorry my hard copy is at least 6 feet away from me and I don't have TK to get it so I can't give hard numbers but I recall you need around a PSI of 5 to get any of the cooler base powers and the average PSI is 7 at age 18. As it is a fringe thing most people have to do the adulting thing for awhile before they can afford training to stop the decay of PSI so I would guess without prejudice 5 would be the average score. So until meeting up with the Enlightened Order TBR/KoK viewed psionics like we view the magicians on [your country goes here]'s Got Talent! EO is a very different place with testing and training provided by the state and being lead by people who have higher PSI scores the common view changed from amusing party trick to Orwellian police state. Add a couple marketing savvy ambitious politicians who learn the EO sends telepaths to prospective worlds first to figure out how best to change public opinion for the purpose of easing integration and mental McCarthyism is born.
Nobles as I have said get their initial boost from activating the obelisks. This leads to two problems a lack of dynastic succession and it is a terrible way to get competent leadership. So I see it as likely that people from commoner parents who can activate obelisks would get adopted into noble families (or seized in creepier states) at first. Eventually non-noble individuals get ennobled for merit leading to the current situation of nobility not necessarily running things regardless of their obelisk affinity. It has lead to two kinds of nobles, the O.B.E are those who can activate obelisks which in game are characters who start with a SOC of B or C. Knights can activate an obelisks but the information shown is not comprehensible; Counts activate a known or comprehensible idea. Merit nobles gain SOC due to their own actions regardless of their initial SOC score.
And finally everyone's least favorite but undeniably necessary thing taxes. I am not an economist. I don't want to be an economist. So there various taxes; fees and surcharges the government imposes don't need to be laid out. However I don't want to pretend (while pretending) they don't exists. The explanation for no interest on savings; lack of investment opportunities and random value of trade goods is that all the unseen taxes gobble up these things. It also makes it easier to use this as an adventure hook if I want. The TBR/KoK needs more money then a tax increase shows up as a +1 on the landing fee roll and a -1 on the resale value table. No one at the table needs to fool around figuring out an exact amount and in reality just telling the PC's their taxes went up without it having any effect will cause teeth gnashing and many shaken tiny fists.
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