Touched: Although not an active student of either magic or psionic power, this character is "touched" by some supernatural power. Some blame spirits, while others blame magic or psionic energy. The character can only guess at the source of their power, even if they understand how to use it.
They are as often shunned as mages and psionics, but less likely to find themselves in the service of the state. Such characters don't get along with either mages or psis, but exist on their own -- usually hiding their powers and unable to explain them to others or themselves.
A character can be Touched while also being a Mage or a Psi practitioner; this means understanding some of their powers while not understanding the ones which require the Touched background and aren't covered by their other backgrounds. While this doesn't automatically come with a trait representing stigma, these characters can expect to be put on the spot and unable to explain themselves if they use their powers without care around the wrong people. Because of this, and because it offers less control to the player, it costs much less than the other Unusual Backgrounds here (although some traits are only available to Touched characters). Most characters who aren't Mages or Psis yet still want supernatural or exotic abilities will have to invest in this Unusual Background first.
Mage: This is in addition to Magery level 0. It is highly unusual for someone to have the means and ability to pursue the study of magic. This person is either very discreet and/or has good connections.
Between mages, touched, and psionics, mages are the most likely to be working for the state. Magic is the most "understood" supernatural force by the learned classes. Nevertheless, all mages (even those with comfortable positions) must live very careful lives and are generally feared.
Anyone with a skill that involves working with magic (such as, for example, Alchemy) must have this background whether they have levels in Magery 0+ or not, as the opportunity to learn such things is so rare.
Psi: Psionic power is much rarer than magic, and very little understood. Most people have never heard of it, and would mistake it for something magic (most people make no distinction between magic and the supernatural in general).
Unlike with mages, there are barely any underground communities or societies of the learned. Many Psi-users will often present themselves as mages; most who work for the various states and institutions of the land do so, as the fine distinction involves mechanisms beyond laypeople and learned people alike in the land of Nool. That said, Psi and Magic are distinct things, and such a ruse is unlikely to work under close scrutiny from a skilled Mage (who will realize quickly that something is "different" about the Psi's "magic").
Most often, Psis are loners and live even more carefully than most rogue mages. Unlike Touched, Psis are active practitioners of their art and have some understanding of it; and sometimes even the ability to explain it. This is not even close to the level of societal tolerance given to Magic, which is much more prevalent and understood in Nool (despite still being so rare that most people will never encounter anything but rumors of mages). This is balanced out by the fact that even the most powerful mages in Nool are unlikely to have any idea what Psionics even are, or that practitioners exist.
The worst-case-scenario for a Psi is that he/she becomes a subject of scrutiny, study, and detainment. A person who uses what appears to be magic (especially offensively) yet whose power is in many ways unaffected by traditional counter-spells is a person who would be intensely sought-after by people with both good and bad intentions. Although Psi power comes "from within" and is innate (unlike Magic which is is a combination of a user's innate power -- gained through both talent and study -- and the magical energies of the universe which they tap in order to use it), that's not an explanation likely to satisfy inquisitive parties who get their hands on a Psi in this potential predicament.
Outlander: You come from beyond the borders of Nool, and perhaps even from beyond a portal. While not all foreigners to Nool require this background, anyone who wants to start at a higher tech level than TL3 (or have access to higher tech skills, equipment, and/or knowledge) should take it.
Anyone from one of the TL3 or less societies that are more or less like Nool (most of the known universe) does not require this background unless they have some gadgets, skills, equipment, or knowledge which is from a higher tech level (even if they wish to come from beyond a portal). Naturally, a character using high-tech equipment or knowledge in a medieval society might find themselves in a pickle if they aren't careful.
Many exotic and supernatural traits are available to Outlanders even if they are not Mages, Psis, or Touched. For example: an Outlander may be from very far away indeed, coming from a society with cybernetics, and be occasionally forced to do maintenance on themselves (justifying the Maintenance trait). Possibilities are endless!
This background is required for all Skills which don't make sense in a TL3 environment. If a player wants to start with an Outlander that has a lot of high-TL skills then they should be prepared for them to be relatively useless until the adventure lands somewhere far from the starting region. Nevertheless, they aren't discouraged from doing so. You never know!
A character who chooses this background will collaborate with the GM on some pre-emptive world building. The high cost of Outlander is for two reasons: to make them rare, and because the traits/gear available could be very powerful depending on how the setting evolves. For the first sessions, however, such a character should be carefully crafted and may be at a temporary disadvantage.
This version of the Outlander background is based on the fact that the first campaign will center around the Kingdom of Nool, which is representative of most of the game universe. If/when the campaign visits other societies radically different from Nool then additional sub-types of this background will appear. In general, it should be assumed that this background covers any character from any locale in the game universe that is higher than TL3. A TL4 character may not need it in some cases (GM's discretion) but a TL5+ character will definitely need it. Even if the campaign settles for awhile in a high TL hub region, new characters of the same TL as that hub region will require this background (because it will provide them with huge opportunities in the game, perhaps even making them leaders until the party returns to TL3 civilization). Most of the game universe (countless planets across countless galaxies) is in fact TL3, and is so culturally heterogeneous in most places that nobody bats an eye at a foreign wanderer of the same TL.