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Let's Make A Psychic Setting

ScorpioSting

ScorpioSting

Pronouns
He/Him
There's been a lot of these going around. Might as well throw my own hat into the ring!

I like the idea of psychic abilities that don't devolve into X-Men superheroics or Star Wars mystic stuff (though dashes of those for flavor are fine, interesting even). More grounded real-world, harder on the sci-fi. Maybe dystopian, maybe dashes of cyberpunk. The Darkest Minds, Firestarter, stuff like that.

Usual rules: Answer a question, ask a question, build on what came before, "Yes, And". Bold your questions, quote what you're answering.

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Question One
How well-known are psychic phenomenon to the general public?
 
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ScorpioSting said:
Question One
How well-known are psychic phenomenon to the general public?
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Fairly uncommon, a friend of a friend knows someone who's seen something. Most people can go their entire lives without encountering psychic phenomenon.

What sort of drawbacks come from using psychic abilities?
 
Low: nosebleeds, headaches, anything you'd get from a cold
Medium: Visions of something, temporarily unable to use psychic powers, emotional distress or aggravation
High: oh god the visions, out of control powers, powers turning on you, death

What are the limitations of psychic abilities?
 
Kermie said:
What are the limitations of psychic abilities?
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The first big one is that nobody's been able to resurrect both a body and soul. Ghost-talkers can bring back a departed soul with but it won't stick for more than a few minutes; good for getting some answers to questions but not much more. On the other side, biokinetics can turn corpses into puppets, but they lack autonomy.

Precognition isn't foolproof. A vision can be disrupted through active effort.

Nobody has managed to combine remote viewing or astral projection with other abilities. An assassin has to be close to the target to do something with them.

The big limitation is training and practice, for the most part, however.

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How common is psychic ability?
 
ScorpioSting said:
The first big one is that nobody's been able to resurrect both a body and soul. Ghost-talkers can bring back a departed soul with but it won't stick for more than a few minutes; good for getting some answers to questions but not much more. On the other side, biokinetics can turn corpses into puppets, but they lack autonomy.

Precognition isn't foolproof. A vision can be disrupted through active effort.

Nobody has managed to combine remote viewing or astral projection with other abilities. An assassin has to be close to the target to do something with them.

The big limitation is training and practice, for the most part, however.

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How common is psychic ability?
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As of the Second Millennium Anno Domini, about one tenth of the world's population can be classified as Psychically Sensitive to some degree.

With only roughly one in a thousand of Sensitives being capable of Psychic phenomena in a controlled and conscious manner.


What Historical figures are theorised to be Psychic?
 
Joan of Arc may have just been hearing voices. Or maybe God does exist. It's debatable.

Benjamin Franklin is pretty commonly agreed to have had at least some degree of psychic durability. It would definitely explain his firefighting exploits, and how he survived that lightning bolt…

Nikola Tesla is used as a common example of why it's bad to overextend your psychic field.

At what age do psychic powers usually begin to show themselves?
 
Kermie said:
At what age do psychic powers usually begin to show themselves?
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While the range stretches from six(6) to sixteen(16), most psychic powers begin to manifest at around twelve(12) to fourteen(14).

That said, psychics rarely ever start out "strong" and in fact take many years to "mature" as a psychic. On average, most are in their early twenties by the time their abilities reach their full potential and settle.

What are the most common psychic phenomena?
 
Thozmp said:
What are the most common psychic phenomena?
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There are an estimated solid amount of people who have some weak claim to abilities they write off as coincidence-precognition as good reflexes or a strong intuition, psychometry as just having a knack for knowing where things are located, telepathy or empathy as being in-tune with other people. Most are like that.

Stronger versions of those types that can't be written off as coincidences or natural skills are rarer, as are various -kinesis types, ghost-talkers, astral projectors.

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What decides if a person has the ability to be psychic (genetics, injected with drugs, pure random chance)?
 
ScorpioSting said:
What decides if a person has the ability to be psychic (genetics, injected with drugs, pure random chance)?
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Genetics. Problem is it's theorized multiple different genes contribute to if someone is psychic given the varying patterns from genetic 'dynasties' that may persist through the ages or suddenly end, to randomly cropping up on people who haven't had psychics in the family for many generations.

Is there any sort of Specifically Anti-Pyschic Technology invented or no?
 
Zaealix said:
Is there any sort of Specifically Anti-Pyschic Technology invented or no?
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Yes.

Some psychotronic devices have been developed to counter psionics.
They are all some combination of experimental, legally restricted, expensive, hard to make and rarely sold on the open market. You won't find them in use at every police station, for example, but FBI headquarters definitely has the tech in operation.
Less connected and wealthy groups and individuals find employing anti-psis to be a more practical option, ironically.
The general slang term for these devices (and psychics with anti-psi abilities, now that you mention it) is "screamers."

The tech includes;

The Electro-Psionic Neutralizer
This device is a means of temporarily (how long depends on subject strength) removing psionic powers from a subject. The machine is a laptop-sized control and power unit connected by a cable to a headphones-like set of electrodes. When attached to a subject's head and properly adjusted, a brief treatment (30 minutes) can cripple his psychic abilities.

Null-Field Generator
Also called a psychic dampener. A null field projector projects anti-psionic interference patterns that disrupt or absorb all natural uses of psychic powers within the area covered.
Size varies. Bigger devices cover bigger areas - and cost even more.
Technology for localised null-field cancellers (allowing for use of psi within the anti-zone) is very much wanted but general predictions state it will not be viable for completed development until at least a decade of R&D is done.

Psi-Impeder
While this headgear is worn and undamaged, it projects a continuous psi-damping field that completely prevents the where're from using any psychic abilities.
Comes in headband and helmet models, depending on the need for damage resistance and budget. Specialised versions of this device are configured to selectively block use of a specific ability rather than all indiscriminately.

Screamer tech coming soon-ish (if you believe the hype in niche magazine articles, conspiracy theory blogs and idiotic loud-mouthed internet forums) includes the Psycho-Optic Filter (special lenses and electronic optic nerve stimulation meant to foil psychic anomalous sensory impressions) and the Psychotronic Para-Stealth (a passive surface configuration designed to disrupt psychic perception).

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Who is the most powerful (in terms of political dominance, wealth, or literal power of abilities) Psychic right now?
 
101001101 said:
Who is the most powerful (in terms of political dominance, wealth, or literal power of abilities) Psychic right now?
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If you ask different people you'll get different answers, but the top three are Eric Zhao, Veronica Dominguez, and Lev Nikitin.

Eric Zhao's the leader in political influence, though he's a shadow as far as most governments are concerned. Owing to a web of connections, he's pulled strings in preparation of... well, something. His group of allies, known as the Web of Wrath, travel the globe, pulling operations ranging from bank robbery to assassination to entire organized crime syndicates being wiped out and anything in between. Eric Zhao's reputation as a highly talented pyrokinetic and and screamer, as well as his charisma and intelligence network, has made him untouchable.

Veronica Dominguez leads in wealth and the active research into psychic phenomena. She was the step-daughter of Hector Hunt, a toy magnate from the 60s and 70s, though Veronica has left the company in the hands of other people. However, when she found out her talents-electrokinesis and empathy-she started doing research into other areas. With seed money from her step-father, she and likeminded fellows founded The Foundry, a research institute in the United States dedicated to developing technology to support and control psychic abilities, as well as general research into the hows, whys, limits, and boundaries of psychic phenomena. The Foundry has connections to the FBI as well, and leads the search into the Web of Wrath's plans.

Lev Nikitin is the leader in raw strength. A Russian soldier of fortune who will work for anyone for the right price, Lev has been an assassin, a mercenary, a bodyguard, a spy, and a thief in 20 years of work. His strength comes from both training, innate talent, a clever yet brutal mind, and his abilities themselves: he's a telekinetic who could lift a semi-truck like it was nothing, and an extremely skilled precognitive who can craft the perfect plan before an operation even starts.

He's also, critically, not all right in the head, owing to him seeing... something during a deep precognitive dive he took at the age of 29. Lev's still sane enough to take jobs, but his personal projects seem dark and twisted, diving into ancient historical rabbit holes involving mystery cults and mysterious beings. The Web of Wrath avoids him like the plague, and The Foundry only hires him if they deem it absolutely necessary.

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What odd combinations of psychic abilities in a single individual result in something special arising?
 
ScorpioSting said:
What odd combinations of psychic abilities in a single individual result in something special arising?
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Telekinesis + Ghost-Talking
If you've got these 2 abilities you may accidentally (Or purposefully if you practice) collect the "Data" in the souls of individuals you speak to, and if the you get extremely emotional in some way shape or form that resonates with the contents of the "Soul Data" you could accidentally make a Poltergeist
A artificial psychic-being that is pure telekinetic force acting according to the emotions that made it and the data comprising it, most of the time just tearing stuff apart in confusion, mainly planning to tear a specific target apart according to it's data, it is a war crime to make Poltergeists, we never speak of the Malkova Incident

Telepathy + Precognition
With this combo one could trick a person into thinking one set of events happened when another did by simply sharing the vision, or just mentally flashbang them with potential futures until they fall unconscious if you're fast enough
One psychic with this combo regularly made people see visions of potential futures where the recipient acted out a intrusive thought, merely to see their reactions, this guy is now in jail, not for anything violent just tax fraud

Pyrokinesis + Psi-Dampening
This combo can make fire that instead of burning stuff normally, treats anything with sufficient enough psychic energy as flammable, throw a spark on the scalp of a trained and mature psychic and their skull will burn from the inside out like a firecracker
Eric Zhao makes great use of this technique on psychic enemies

What kinda changes in various media (Yknow shows, books, movies, stuff like thst) occurred thanks to psychics existing?
 
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Donald Darf said:
What kinda changes in various media (Yknow shows, books, movies, stuff like thst) occurred thanks to psychics existing?
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Most stuff in the fantasy or Syfy genre has psychics in it. Their are precogs who make videos or stories about possible futures they have seen. These are usually a hit or a miss. Biokinetics are in high demands when it come to stunt work since its harder for a stunt to kill or cripple them.

How do you train your psychic abilities?
 
ScorpioSting said:
Practice and honing, mentorship and teaching from a more experienced elder. A creative head also certainly helps. But for the most part, it's practice, developing better stamina, new tactics, and generally improving your mental strength.

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How are psychic abilities broadly categorized?
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Psychic Abilities are generally categorised using the "Psychic Measure Record" or the PMR for short which is a way to categorise the strength of Psychic ability, created in 1949.

Due to the wide variety of Psychic abilities as well as their methods of use, the PMR is a scale based system that is updated based around the risk of the individual to the "common public" and "governmental official" as to ensure the stability of the current state. Due to this some Psychic abilities are considered more dangerous inherently and so due to these risks.

Psychic Measure Record - 1953 Document*
[IGNORE]
0 (Non-Psychic)

[SAFE]
1 (Barest Psychic Sensitivity)
2 (Moderate Psychic Sensitivity) - Occasional Sixth Sense/Precognition
3 (High Psychic Sensitivity) - Dowsing, Automatic Writing

[SUPERVISION]
4 (Limited Psychic Ability) - Precognition, Memory Crafting, Sense Hacking
5 (Minor Psychic Abilities) - Inedia, Limited Telepathy
6 (Moderate Psychic Abilities) - Kinetism, Biokinetic

[CAPTURE]
7 (Major Psychic Abilities) - Remote Viewing, Ghost-Talk
8 (Master Psychic Abilities) - Bilocation

[EXECUTION]
9 (Maximum Psychic Ability) - Mind Control, Shapeshifting, Psychometry, Materialisation
10 (Theoretical Possible Psychic Ability)

*-PMR 1953 Version (Outdated)


What is the oddest creation of a Psychic still active today?
 
gracnieumierac said:
What is the oddest creation of a Psychic still active today?
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A phsyical manifestation of Tony The Tiger, the cereal mascot, made from solid psychic energy
One of the greatest achievements of psychic prowess ever performed, pulling from the collective unconscious of the western hemisphere, and it'll probably outlast us since it is immortal and does not need anything a living being needs to survive

It is currently hiding out somewhere in the woods of North America, acting sort of like a goofy big foot, and occaisonally breaking into convenience stores in nearby towns to steal cereal, multiple cereal box stashes have been found on searches, but Tony has still not been caught

Can you name and describe some of the federal organizations from different countries, ones specifically made to deal with psychics?
 
The Maelstrom, a construct made by an unidentified PMR 9 back in 1934. The Maelstrom was intended to be an "automatic justice system"— a being that could appear when acts of great injustice were done and stop them.

In practice, the Maelstrom is a terrifying psychic storm, which manifests itself as an abstract giant made out of lightning every ten years. Nobody knows why it attacks, only that it seems to consistently target psychics with PMRs of 7.5 or above.

What is a psychic ability most psychics that have it choose to keep secret?
 
Eh, we can just have whoever's next answer both questions we put up. Besides, I like Tony.
 
Kermie said:
What is a psychic ability most psychics that have it choose to keep secret?
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Mind-switching has a bad reputation owing to one Ethan Johannsen, a serial killer from the 70s who had it. The ability to swap bodies with someone, either temporarily or permanently, is already rife for abuse. Ethan used it as a habitual get out of jail free card. If he was building up enough heat, he'd swap with a victim, kill the victim in his former body, and then spin a sob story about being held captive and forced to watch as they committed suicide. It was only thanks to a crack team of psychic investigators (including leader Jose Cruz, a screamer and postcognitive who stopped Johannsen cold when he was caught and was brought into The Foundry by Veronica herself on reputation along with most of his subordinates on the team) that he was stopped. Mind-switchers with scruples uniformly either keep it secret or downplay it (only using it on the asleep, or animals), and even the unscrupulous know of Johannsen's end and aren't fond to repeat it.

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Donald Darf said:
Can you name and describe some of the federal organizations from different countries, ones specifically made to deal with psychics?
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Japan has the PDF, or Psychic Defense Force. Like the JDF, it's mostly for self-defense against large-scale national psychic threats.

The Mentalist's Guild has it's origins in late 1800s UK, before eventually evolving into a broad European psychic organization aimed at defending civilians from danger that was co-opted by multiple governments, which has caused it to devolve into fragmentary politicking, sadly.

The Library was the KGB's old psychic operative program, but it got shattered when the Berlin Wall fell, with the ashes of it eventually splintering into a bunch of mercenary groups and independent cells.

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What's the maximum amount of psychic abilities a single person can demonstrate/have?
 
ScorpioSting said:
What's the maximum amount of psychic abilities a single person can demonstrate/have?
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Scientists have been unable to confirm a upper limit to how many psychic abilities one can have, they just lack the tools to truly confirm something like that with something as miraculous as psychic power, but they have determined something else
Psychics are uncommon of course, but even less have 3 abilities, and less with 4, and less with 5, those with 6 are nearly unheard of, and those with 7 are considered incredibly valuable research subjects by default, 8 is just ridiculous

The person with the most known psychic abilities was in fact a Neanderthal that had apparently used biokinesis to extend it's lifespan past the exinction of it's race all the way to the Bronze Age, powerful postcoginitives were used to analyze the area it used to be active
Apparently it caused a great amount of devastation in it's grief and loneliness, and there was a battle with other powerful psychics of the time, resulting in it's death

From analysis of the old battlefield which had been buried deep under the sands of a desert in Africa, and of the remaining psychic energy in the corpses, the Neanderthal, now referred to as The Last, had a estimated 42 psychic abilities based off the effects of it's remaining energy on the ground beneath the sand
Possibly more

This has started discussions among the scientific community, with some theorizing that Neanderthals in fact had far greater potential as psychics
No more evidence on psychic Neanderthals has been found, The Last could've possibly been a freak exception of some kind, but nobody knows

Can you name 3 average psychics, normal folks going about their everyday lives and they just happen to have psychic abilities?
 
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Donald Darf said:
Scientists have been unable to confirm a upper limit to how many psychic abilities one can have, they just lack the tools to truly confirm something like that with something as miraculous as psychic power, but they have determined something else
Psychics are uncommon of course, but even less have 3 abilities, and less with 4, and less with 5, those with 6 are nearly unheard of, and those with 7 are considered incredibly valuable research subjects by default, 8 is just ridiculous

The person with the most known psychic abilities was in fact a Neanderthal that had apparently used biokinesis to extend it's lifespan past the exinction of it's race all the way to the Bronze Age, powerful postcoginitives were used to analyze the area it used to be active
Apparently it caused a great amount of devastation in it's grief and loneliness, and there was a battle with other powerful psychics of the time, resulting in it's death

From analysis of the old battlefield which had been buried deep under the sands of a desert in Africa, and of the remaining psychic energy in the corpses, the Neanderthal, now referred to as The Last, had a estimated 42 psychic abilities based off the effects of it's remaining energy on the ground beneath the sand
Possibly more

This has started discussions among the scientific community, with some theorizing that Neanderthals in fact had far greater potential as psychics
No more evidence on psychic Neanderthals has been found, The Last could've possibly been a freak exception of some kind, but nobody knows

Can you name 3 average psychics, normal folks going about their everyday lives and they just happen to have psychic abilities?
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Chase Gather
Chase Gather was born to a Californian "activist" family and would quite soon upon reaching his teenage years, abandon much of the lifestyle fleeing east to some other state for some much needed separation. It seemed after years of being unable to find his footing he would manage to settle in Wyoming where his minor psychic ability would lead to him garnering a new passion in life. Big game hunting much to the horror of his family, he possessed what was in essence X-Ray Vision. While focusing through one of his eyes he was able to see through most forms of materials and even differentiate between them, making him a surprisingly talented hunter. He'd once considered joining the army but even he thought that was a little much to stick it to his parents.

Thomas Sasounyan
An Armeinian shepard now getting on in his years, with a stout and rather short form, but a far too long and very impressive greying beard. He has lived most of his life alone not counting a brief marriage period and through this he has not realised he posses a form of Psychic ability. Sometimes nicknamed the "Old Man of the Mountains" due to the strange familiarity he has with the Caucuses. A form of Retrocognition which in conjunction with his years of experience has left him as a rather impressive knowledge and more so... he knows a little bit more about the strangeness of the Caucuses than most.

Julia "Lalka" Andrysiak
A polish women living in Krakow and would live through the fall of the USSR, leading to the chaotic economic downfall that consumed the former eastern block. It would turn out that Julia held a surprising talent as her nickname suggests she was really good with dolls, a medicate care of telekinesis which allowed her to move the dolls in surprising ways. While the puppeteering theatre in Poland had a long tradition of over 5 centuries they were forced into submission under the state model. She would eventually become a member of the Wroclaw Puppet Theatre.

Edit: Forgot the Question.


What catastrophe that has occurred in the world, considered to be a Psychic phenomenon but wasn't?
 
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gracnieumierac said:
What catastrophe that has occurred in the world, considered to be a Psychic phenomenon but wasn't?
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The Fulbright murder-suicide case of 2004. It was That One Case for the whole of New York City. One of the city's well-regarded and prestigious families, all wiped out in a single night in a shocking tragic massacre by the beloved philanthropist patriarch Wade.

The prime suspect was the psychic Lenny Carcer, a disgruntled former friend of the family who had a huge falling out over a real estate deal.

The morning after they found the Fulbrights dead, Carcer got picked up on suspicion that he used mind control to have Wade kill his wife, his brother, his sister, his lawyer, and his children before turning the gun on himself.

They eventually cleared him. Eventually.

A lot of people never recovered from what happened.
 
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