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- - - - - Theme Office : Psionics - - - - -
Furscape's psionics has little or nothing to do with mysterious or supernatural ability. Rather, it is accepted that some species have an organ for perceiving electromagnetic emissions in the order of magnitude of the natural EM field generated by living things. This extra sensory organ operates as a seventh sense just the same as each of the six senses we are all familiar with.
This “organ” is actually a non-localized series of tissue spread throughout the body, so there is no one single “gland” or organ that can be removed with an invasive surgical technique. The major reason for this is evolutionary - it occurred as a natural way for the body to prevent EM “radiation” from damaging surrounding tissue.
An optional step beyond the ability to perceive EM is the ability to consciously modulate your own field, or a part thereof, thus making it possible to send signals using biologically induced EM.
With these biological receptors and emitters, characters may use low energy EM as a means to communicate as if it were telepathic, much like a low energy radio broadcast.Note that characters lacking the biological “hardware” for psionics cannot receive messages from a psionic individual.
An interesting aspect of psionics on furscape being a simple EM phenomenon, is that it ties in well with radio and electronics. A useful side of this is that a psionic interface on a device is possible, a less useful aspect is that trying to send a psionic signal to someone on the other side of an electrical power cable is like trying to yell a message across a roaring rives.
Anything for which low-energy EM fields are used, may possibly be emulated by psionics. A popular example is the application where this is used for medical purposes, working on the body in much the same way as acupuncture. Additionally, anything that blocks conventional EM energy also blocks psionically-manipulated EM energy.
As an example, this EM field can be manipulated and serve as a form of psionic “sight”. Using this talent, a physician can perform simple medical imaging of a patient. Electrical engineers can examine circuit boards and trace malfunctioning systems. Note that training in the appropriate field is required in order to be able to interpret data gathered using this talent (An ordinary psionic could use this talent to see obvious bone fractures or obvious organ damage, but remember that even doctors today usually call in specialists to interpret X-ray images or magnetic resonance imaging results). Characters who are visually blind can still use this ability to “see” shapes and navigate through a room.
Psionics on Furscape do not support psychokinetic or other fantastic effects - if you want to be lifting weights using the power of your mind, try somewhere else. Additionally, the EM field generated is too low to allow players to act like living “masers” and generate damaging amounts of EM energy against living targets.
StaffChat: Hagalaz hmmmmms.
Gerome pages: hi <to you>
You page, “heya.” to Gerome.
Gerome pages: wanna talk? <to you>
Gerome pages: or are you too busy? <to you>
MEETME: Request sent.
Gerome has arrived.
Gerome says, “Hello”
Hagalaz waves
Gerome says, “I was actually hoping I could talk to you about that page on psyonics. On the EZ board…if that is ok with you…”
Hagalaz nods.
Gerome says, “I'm still a bit confused with it”
Hagalaz rumbles, “it's not negotiable, though. Karinne decided what could and could not work.”
Hagalaz nods
Gerome says, “Oh I understand that completely.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “The thing about the 'acupuncture', that involves manipulating EM fields to interrupt pain impulses.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “We can do that now in this century by using an implanted device in the spinal column.”
Gerome says, “Yeah, I thought however, that it was talking about the EM spectrum. So it is really basically magnetism. Right?”
Hagalaz rumbles, “i guess the way it works is there are two componenents a psionic character can manipulate: the EM spectrum and… gaah, I can't remember the term… Lorentz forces (?) - magnetic fields.”
Gerome says, “Ah. So it is both basically. Light and Magnets”
Hagalaz rumbles, “So they can do things like generate weak illumination, or manipulate ferromagnetic objects in a non-lethal manner.”
Hagalaz nods.
Gerome chuckles. “That works. Btw though, you would have to admit, depending on how strong, I would figure being able to manipulate a magnetic field in some way would allow you to have some degree of psychokenises…even if it is just picking up a dropped needle or paper clip :P
Hagalaz chuckles. “It's not psychokinesis, though. ;)
Hagalaz rumbles, “psychokinesis entails that you're using something /other/ than the forces available under whatever unified field theory or whatever you believe in,”
Hagalaz rumbles, “psychokinesis doesn't involve manipulating electrical charge, 'gravitons' or the stong/weak nuclear force.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “What you could say is that you're an “electrokinetic”, and that you're using that talent to move the object (through the planet's magnetic field, incidentally)”
Gerome says, “Ah. So basically yes you can move objects with your psionic power, but they have to be A: small, and B: have a magnetic charge/property (IE most likely containing Iron, cobalt, or nickel)”
Hagalaz nods
Hagalaz rumbles, “either that or enough of a static charge that you could manipulate it that way”
Hagalaz rumbles, “so, yes, you could pull your socks out of your clothes dryer if you forgot to use antistatic dryer sheets”
Hagalaz grins
Gerome says, “Or you can glow in the dark! XP”
Hagalaz nods.,
Hagalaz rumbles, “that would be the other part of your talent, photokinesis”
Hagalaz rumbles, “It's tricky. Basically, for the most part, it isn't something an assassin could use to, say, drive a steel needle into someone's body”
Hagalaz rumbles, “because the range falls right off”
Gerome says, “You should probably have a limit on that… I would figure that the brightness would depend on the energy band associated with it. Like Red would be brighter than orange wich is brighter than yellow and so on and so forth down the line.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “Now… ICly, Tensor Biosciences /is/ working on an enhancer device that would allow you to do things like generate taser-like effects.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “But you won't be able to generate coherent light in a sufficient intensity to call it a “laser” or whatever.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “The idea is, if it's going to be capable of causing damage, it has to be an externalized, removable device that does it, just like any other weapon.”
Gerome says, “Right, so generating something above UV in a high level is not possible, and gama rays would not at all be possible.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “so, maybe Tensor BS will come up with something that will allow you to levitate a knife and fling it at someone, but you'd never be able to do that with your bare talent.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “and the whole field is touchy enough that players won't be able to create devices or objects that enhance psionic ability.”
Gerome nods.
Gerome says, “But can we move to the topic of the photokenisis?”
Hagalaz rumbles, “sure”
Gerome says, “I would actually figure, that someone could produce with that, some pretty strong radio waves, but not very 'bright' visible light.”
Gerome says, “Just gimme a second to look up how much energy is transfered at different wavelengths…”
Hagalaz rumbles, “Strong enough that they can use it to “talk” to anyone else with the appropriate biological or hardtech “hardware”.”
Gerome nods, “Well, I wouldn't doubt there is a substantial difference in the actual amplitude of the radio waves/vs the light waves.
Gerome says, “I would imagine even in the visible spectrum, generating red light, you could maybe use that as a flashlight kind of effect, but doing a blue or yellow light, you would only have a dim glow.”
Hagalaz rumbles, “Karinne and I decided that, to keep it simple, psionic characters' brains can automatically “tune” to a given psionic “carrier wave”. They may not be able to understand language, but they can still “hear” something and recognize it as something other than random static. And it also transcends species, too. A skiltaire could broadcast a “mental image” of something and an irbis could receive that broadcast and at least “see” what the skiltaire is showing him.”
Hagalaz nods
Gerome says, “Because red light carries much less energy to it than blue does.”