As a society that can build and tinker at the atomic level, humanity has rebuilt themselves molecular by molecule, pushing the envelope while still trying to hold on to what makes them "human." The results are the augmented - humans who are functionally immortal, adaptable to extremes far beyond what nature intended, but with an eye on an experience of life that still feels human. Some in society objected to this level of tinkering, breaking away from main society to avoid the temptation of immortality. The unaugmented are often referred to as Retros, those who believe that to be human you must be born, suffer, and die as one.
Those who are Augmented have had every molecule in their body altered or augmented, getting a boost to each of their attributes (some have specialized augmentations that further enhance their roles in society). Their bodies swarm with nanites tasked with maintaining and optimizing the body. All augmented enjoy the following effects:
Regeneration - between maximized and boosted natural healing properties and repair nanites in the body, any damage or stress to cells are repaired. Practically, this means no aging (individuals chose their apparent age and adjust their cells accordingly), and the augmented can recover from most injuries that would be fatal to retros. Parts of the body can be regrown, and even brain injuries can recover (each augmented has a tiny mind seed that backs up neural patterns for retrieval if reconstruction is needed). Body nanites are susceptible to intense ionizing radiation and exposure to energy sources too intense for absorption or reflection, so augmented can be killed, if the body is vaporized or suffers a massive full body radiation dose.
Game Terms: wound recovery checks are made every hour rather than each day, unless the injury was sufficiently disrupted by radiation.
Physical Perfection - though augmented bodies function much like normal ones, in periods of stress or hazard the body becomes super-charged. Augmented can go hours without breathing (nanites cannibalizing or synthesizing oxygen within the body), weeks without water, months without food. They can sprint flat out for days without tiring, jump or swim like an Olympic athlete. As this can lead some to sense a loss of humanity, such feats are often only used in times of great need.
Game Terms: Run, Climb, or Swim Checks are treated as if the result were 20, so versus Target 10 that would be Success of 10.
Technology - as an interstellar, space-faring society, many technologies deemed standard for modern life are incorporated into each of the augmented. In addition to storing everything they see or hear or think (which can be compiled, edited and shared with others), every individual can connect virtually to any compatible technology within range (typically 10 km without boosters), and a virtual interface can be brought within their field of vision, used to display helpful data or to even give virtual controls for accessing and manipulating compatible technology. Augmented may even connect to one another and allow a virtual avatar (one that only augments can see and hear) to share their sense of their surroundings and "appear" to chat and observe. An expert can even be brought in virtually from another part of the system (limited by light delay) to interact with technology in the presence of a local, consenting partner.
Game Terms: with compatible tech and an on-site partner, any augmented can observe and interact with said partners and/or local tech. Within signal range, augmented can communicate and interact with one another telepathically, i.e. at the speed of thought are they capable of conversing/sharing select thoughts with one another.
Link - When the augmented link, they share selected thoughts instantaneously, including whatever sensory input they wish. This allows for the rapid exchange of information and views, allowing back-and-forth communication at a speed only hampered by emotional reactions (sometimes we need time to digest what we learn or discover). Linked individuals can also synergize their skills: if two or more linked individuals have the same skill, they can work in concert . For example, if two linked medics were working on a patient, both experience the other's views/diagnoses/recommendations, enhancing both their efforts.
Game Terms (Link): as conversations can be greatly compressed to fractions of a second, allow linked augmented to banter back and forth and strategize, as long as all participants share the same link.
Game Terms (Synergy): if two or more augmented synergize on a skill, for two, both get Superior +1, with an additional Superior +1 for each additional participant. So two augmented would both get Superior +1, three would each get Superior +2, and so forth.
Link Combat: when fighting as a unit against foes, a linked combatant can choose to become a sacrificial ally, gaining Inferior +1 for that round to grant Superior +1 to one linked ally for the round (and to any enemy engaging the sacrificial ally) and impose Inferior +1 to actions against that linked ally, providing the sacrificial ally can see all parties involved.