Psionics

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Glimmer

Glimmer is a more colloquial term for noöspheric pressure, measured in milli-Psi (mΨ). The Noösphere can be considered analogous to a pool of still, onyx black water. The waters have an inherent desire for stillness, for law, for an order of all things. The usage of psychic powers is like throwing a rock into the pool, creating waves that can be measured. As the waves build up, primordial chaos can potentially enter through our realm through areas where the pool is at its thinnest. While exceptions exist, the psychic powers generally follow Gunderaan's First Law when increasing Glimmer. Thus, Glimmer increases are approximated by the formula:

ΔΨ = ~0.006 * kα - kδ

Verbally, this law is read as, "Change in Glimmer is equal to approximately six milli-Psi times Amplification, minus Dampening."

Strossmayer's Constant ƥ (Glimmer Equilibrium)

Named after Ljiljana Strossmayer, First Mystagogue, Original Founder of the Epistemics Cult. Strossmayer's Constant is approximated as the number 502.941.

Glimmer does not operate on a linear scale, rather it follows a logistic curve between values of 0 and 1000. Given sufficient time and minimal input, Glimmer will always attempt to equalize itself at this value. If glimmer is below this number, it will rapidly attempt to increase until it reaches it. If glimmer is raised above the constant, it will rapidly attempt to decrease until it reaches it.

As a general rule of thumb, psionic powers are weakened when glimmer is less than 500, and strengthened when glimmer is greater than 500

Glimmer Sources

There exist several entities which can interact with glimmer, usually by causing it to fluctuate above or below the Strossmayer's Constant. These include, but are not limited to:

• Glimmer Probers and Drainers
• All Anomalies
• Glimmer Mites

Epistemics can build devices to interact with glimmer. These are usually the main determiners of where glimmer is going. Glimmer probers will increase glimmer, but directly generate research points without further input. Glimmer drains simply drain glimmer at the cost of electricity. Glimmer Probers and Drainers work by agitating the Noösphere, which causes glimmer to fluctuate randomly.

Probers increase the range of random fluctuations, while Drainers decrease the range of fluctuations. This increase in range follows an exponential scale. The more sources of glimmer there are, the more chaotic glimmer becomes. For example, one Prober will cause glimmer to fluctuate between 502.941 and 550. But two probers will cause it to fluctuate between 502.941 and 620. Four sources will make it jump randomly between 502.941 and 750.

Probers in turn generate research based on observing the generated Noöspheric fluctuations. As a baseline, probers generate 20 research points per second. When glimmer is less than 500, they generate less points. When glimmer is greater than 500, probers generate more points. Unfortunately, Probers are interfered with by the presence of other glimmer sources. For each additional glimmer source (Prober, Drainer, Anomaly, etc.) research output is dramatically decreased. This pattern follows an inverse log base 4 scale. Meaning that, if one prober generates 20 research points, 2 probers will each generate 13.333 points (for a total of 26). 4 probers are required to generate 40 research points per second. 8 probers will generate 64 research points.

If your probers are not generating any points at all, it is likely that you will need to "prime" the station's local Glimmer. This can be done by using two or three psionic powers in a short span of time.

Prober research output can be visualized by a graph located here: [1]

A clever Epistemiologist would at this point realize that they can detect the presence of anomalies or glimmer mites, merely by observing the research point generation of their probers. If one prober is generating 13.333 points, there must exist an anomaly somewhere on the station.

Discharges

Glimmer will occasionally discharge if it's above 500 mΨ, causing a wide range of effects based on how high it is. The most common is giving all entities with psionic potential a small seizure, which is something most people working on stations with an Epistemics department have grown used to.

Handling Glimmer Emergencies

Probers should be turned off before glimmer exceeds 750 mΨ.

Glimmer drains are quite effective at draining glimmer, taking it out as fast as a prober can put it in. Glimmer Drains are constructed using Normality Crystals, which can be quite rare. Normality Crystals can be manufactured out of Ectoplasm, but they are much more easily obtained from mining during Planetary Expeditions. Therefore one should ask their station's Salvage Specialists to bring in any normality they find while mining, and use them to build drains as often as possible.

Ectoplasm when combined in a beaker with equal parts water, ash, blood, plasma, and heated to at least 400 celsius, will produce a normality crystal. Ectoplasm is a very rare substance that can only be obtained from noöspheric entities.

In a true emergency, Psionic individuals can be sacrificed upon an altar by the station's Chaplain or Mystagogue. Doing so causes glimmer to massively decrease. Be ready to shut off the probers immediately once this is done.

Psionics

Psionics are mental abilities that interface with the noösphere. Although human understanding and access to the noösphere is limited, there have been a number of breakthroughs in the potential applications available to individuals. The abilities originate from distorting a noöspheric imprint into a specific shape, a bit like a lock and key. Having powers is like possessing a ring of keys, with each key granting one ability.

Power Scaling

The relative strength of a psychic entity is given as two measurements,
Amplification (kα), and Dampening (kδ).

Amplification

is a measure of how significantly an entity can distort the energy fields of the noösphere to achieve a given effect. A Pyromancer with a higher degree of amplification can concentrate greater energy into a firebolt; but the impact on the noösphere in their proximity will be proportionally great in regards to Glimmer generation. 

Dampening

by contrast is a measure of how controlled an entity is with their powers. With some exceptions, Dampening directly decreases the amount of Glimmer generated by casting powers.

Finally, Potentia represents the growth of psionic potential in an individual. Potentia is gained by consuming large quantities of powerful hallucinogenic drugs, and it is spent upon reaching certain thresholds in order to gain new powers. Worship of The Oracle is the fastest known method for gaining Potentia.

Many other creatures can have power scaling different from that of a human, and thus may interact with their powers in ways different from an equivalent humanoid psion. To give an example, an Ifrit will usually have five times as much Amplification as the baseline, causing their Pyromancy to be substantially more dangerous than that of a human Pyromancer.

Psionic Potential

Individuals who have the potential to become psionic are known as Latents; however, not all individuals show the required sensitivity to psionic phenomena. ((This is determined by the Latent Psionic trait that can be taken at character selection.)) Non-Latent individuals have never shown the ability to manifest psionic abilities.

While most active psions are at least moderately telepathic; it requires dedication and training to be able to truly create a telepathic 'voice' with which to communicate.

Telepathy

Rare individuals, known across many different species, are known as Naturals, and innately possess a telepathic 'voice,' allowing them to communicate with others that have psionic potential. ((Telepathy is accessed by starting a message with the = sign)). Telepathy requires that the user be alive and conscious, but is not inhibited by most sources of muteness. It is notable that all Telepathic messages are fully anonymous, and are not guaranteed to come from a human being. Woe befalls the fool who blindly trusts what he hears telepathically.

Not all Psionic entities have Telepathy, but most do.

Sophia

Sophia (sometimes known as Sophic Grammateus) is a semi-divine manifestation of one of the patron deities of Epistemics. In truth, She is not actually a god, merely a being that exists in greater than the four dimensions known to mortal Man. She exists to study our Noösphere, as well as offer guidance to those seeking higher power. Sophia will periodically report on the current glimmer levels. She may also be asked directly about the current glimmer.

Oracle

Oracle is like Sophic Grammateus, a semi-divine manifestation who offers patronage over Epistemics. Oracle cares not about studying Glimmer, rather she wishes to study our technology for reasons known only to herself. She will periodically make demands of her cult, which if met, will be exchanged with rewards. The most important of which is the divine hallucinogen known as Lotophagoi Oil. Worshippers of Oracle are granted great power in exchange for her service, and much of the modern Epistemiological Cult centers around serving Her for the promise of enlightenment.

Acquiring Psionics

First, an individual must be a Latent Psychic. Without the Potential for powers, an individual can never in their life obtain psionic abilities. Each individual has an initial "D100 Roll" to generate a random amount of Potentia, which is added to their baseline. When the individual's Potentia exceeds a threshold given by Gunderaan's Second Law:

Potentia Threshold Y = 100 * 2^(total powers).

Once this threshold is met by an individual, they will awaken a new psionic power and the Potentia used to generate such power is "spent". Notably, the scale for Potentia thresholds is an exponential one. Your first psionic power costs 100 Potentia. The second will cost 200. The third will cost 400, the fourth will cost 800, the fifth will cost 1600. There is no upper limit to how many powers an individual may have, only an exponentially increasing time and drugs requirement.

All Latent Psychics start with a baseline 4 points of Potentia, plus some random amount between 0 and 100. Some particular individuals may have a higher baseline chance. After this initial chance, individuals may increase their psionic potential by consuming large quantities of hallucinogenic drugs. When this happens, the local Glimmer also acts as a way of increasing the chances of obtaining powers. Each individual has "One Free Reroll" of their powers, so use it wisely. There is also a small chance that psionic individuals may be given a seizure from noospheric activity, which will unlock a new opportunity to gain Potentia.

The amount of Potentia gained via drug consumption is given by Gunderaan's Third Law:

χ = (4 + 0.001Ψ + random amount between 0 and 100 + φ) * ψ

Where χ is the percentage chance of obtaining powers, Ψ is the glimmer present during the roll, φ is the potential bonus chance some individuals may possess, and ψ is the potential multiplier that a given hallucinogen may have. Not all hallucinogens have the same chance of granting powers. Most famously, Lotophagic Oil multiplies a user's chances of obtaining powers by 4. Some individuals may also have an innate potential multiplier, such as the station's Chaplain.