Neural Threading
Some call it Riftcalling, for it comes from a realm beyond the abyss which surrounds reality.
Some call it the Ninth Wind, for it comes from a direction beyond the mortal planes.
Some call it the Inner Voice, for it comes from the body in a way all can sense, but few can define.
Some call it the Godsthread, for it manifests in arcane strings.
Some simply call it the Gift, because regardless of culture, creed, race or species, it is the single thing that prevents the world over from being overwhelmed by the Ones Before - a Gift by any definition.
Neural Threading (named for the goddess Neu, Mother of Magic and Direction) is the manner through which the vast majority of thinking creatures are able to manifest and sculpt matter, and, at higher levels, manipulate the laws of Ordered Existence themselves. It is central to all aspects of life across Hylos, and integral to combating the advance of the Ones Before. The ability to Thread, and the physical and biological traits that lend themselves to this ability, are the primary defining features that separate the Feylasi from the Old Fey. Insofar as the general Feylasi populace was aware of the continued existence of the Old Fey before the Opening of the Gateway, this separation led many Feylasi to perceive the Old Fey as "unevolved," uncivilized, barbaric, unfavored by the Gods, and so on.
Neural Threading (named for the goddess Neu, Mother of Magic and Direction) is the manner through which the vast majority of thinking creatures are able to manifest and sculpt matter, and, at higher levels, manipulate the laws of Ordered Existence themselves. It is central to all aspects of life across Hylos, and integral to combating the advance of the Ones Before. The ability to Thread, and the physical and biological traits that lend themselves to this ability, are the primary defining features that separate the Feylasi from the Old Fey. Insofar as the general Feylasi populace was aware of the continued existence of the Old Fey before the Opening of the Gateway, this separation led many Feylasi to perceive the Old Fey as "unevolved," uncivilized, barbaric, unfavored by the Gods, and so on.
Manifestation
Theory and Execution
Most thinking creatures of the Ordered Existence, alongside some animal, plant, and fungal species, are blessed with the Neurascinta, a unique symbiote-organ most commonly nestled deep within the brain, just above and anterior to the spinal cord. In everyday life, this symbiote is relatively dormant, serving as little more than brain tissue connected with the limbic system. When awakened by specific, conscious input from the prefrontal cortex, however, the Neurascinta requests a unique cocktail of neurotransmitter chemicals. There are six chemicals which potentially could be ordered, each one corresponding to a specific school of magic. Once a certain dose of the correct neurotransmitter is surpassed to catalyze the reaction, the Neurascinta uses the host's nervous system to send a complex signal to Exscinta or Endoscinta appropriately - Exscinta to manifest Thread externally, and Endoscinta internally. Internally, the Thread naturally spreads across the web-like membrane of the Endoscinta, activating automatically and manifesting the desired effect. Externally, a small noose of Thread is generated from the Exscinta's outer-facing orifice, which the Threader will then take hold of and open into a shape, typically with their fingers, as Exscinta are most commonly found on the hands. The inside of this shape then becomes the rift in reality through which the desired effect will manifest. Threaders may manipulate this shape - fold it upon itself, expand or contract it, give it a specific number of edges, and so on - to match the requirements of the school of magic from which they draw. It is not uncommon for multiple casters to combine Threads to bypass size restraints, chemical input requirements, etc. Growing up, Feylasi children often play "finger string" games alone and in groups which, while innocent, help them prepare for Threading in adolescence and adulthood.The Six Schools
Although most institutions only teach - and indeed, are only knowledgeable of - five schools of Neural Threading, a sixth school is widely rumored as existing. Each claims a patron deity from the pantheon of Order. These schools, in order of increasing complexity, rarity, and risk to the Threader, are as follows:School of Seravon
The Progenitor, Lord of Order and Creation
Consumes: Peace (seratonin) Low School governs: Manifestation/Manipulation of inorganic matter High School governs: Manipulation of the laws of physics (gravity, inertia, mass, etc), Terraforming The most widely applied school of Threading, the School of Seravon (colloq. Seronics, Seronic Threading) is so vast that many people only master a handful of applications in their lifetimes, as well as a collection of more minor uses for jobs or menial labor. Because the chemical cost of Seronics increase in proportion to the mass manifested, the most common uses revolve around specialized productions or applications: i.e., smithing tools or weaponry; construction joints and fasteners; mechanical components; artistry and inorganic medicinal formulae. Nations, however, are well aware of the economic benefits of exploiting Seronics, and many even today are eager to use slave labor to mass produce construction materials, raw and/or rare metals, and even water. Masters of the high school are few, and in equal measure are sought after and usually short-lived. The power to move mountains is, evidently, rather useful. Though a great many of the first Feylasi seem to have been adept with High Seronics in the age of the Cataclysm, the art has been steadily eroded by the sands of time.School of Akalon
The Reveler, Sanctor of Light and Hierarchy
Consumes: Spark (acetylcholine) Governs: Light, Energy, Heat, Fire and Combustion, Chemical Conversions and Alchemical Processes Perhaps the most broadly applicable school, the School of Akalon (colloq. Akalics, Akalic Threading) reigns over energy, and all its potentials. While starting cookfires, briefly illuminating paths, and stoking furnaces are some of the most common Akalic activities across Hylos, warfare is, unfortunately, where its versatility shines through the most. Any capable soldier in the 4th Era is intimately familiar with their nation's Akalic armaments, which can range from personal ballistic cannonspears all the way up to directed-plasma artillery emplacements manned by teams of dozens of Threaders, engineers, and technicians. Akalics can also be applied for transmutation, as in the classic, if rather useless case of iron to gold, as Akalon himself is said to have done. However, the chemical cost of conversion rises exponentially as the base and goal materials increase in difference, and so this skill remains rather under-utilized for the safety of Threaders.School of Daipoma
The Matriarch, Queen of Life and Beginnings
Consumes: Shine (dopamine) Low School governs: Manifestation/manipulation of organic matter, Healing and Regeneration, Basic Animation High School governs: True Animation (Necromancy), Soulbinding The favored school of every worried parent whose child returns home from play covered in scrapes, cuts, and bruises, Daipomatics allow one to Thread flesh and bone back together with grace and ease. It is the school of the manipulation and manifestation of living matter, and also of breathing life into matter, granting it artificial animation. Daipomatics shine, of course, in the medical field, where doctors can repair most trauma with ease or, with the aid of Fleshweavers, swap out destroyed limbs or damaged organs for brand new ones crafted minutes earlier. They are, however, hindered by a wide lack of understanding of pathogens, and an inability to remove infection, meaning most illnesses still require more mundane treatments. The High School of Daipomatics deals not in manifestation of the body, but of the soul. While the low school can be used to temporarily give life to matter, the high school can bind souls to bodies or objects, making it the first of the schools to make use of the Epiphical Sea.The Forbidden School of Gamma
The Irrepressible, Seamstress of Paths and Destinies
Consumes: Halt (gamma-aminobutyric acid [GABA]) Governs: Telekinesis, Telepathy, Skills of the Mind and Mental Manipulation: Persuasion and Suggestion, Illusion, Hypnosis, Skills of Mental Fortitude and Defense Almost universally despised and feared, Gammatics are outlawed in every major nation on the planet, with the exception of Viae Sovatos, which embraces its manipulative nature as an art form. Telepathy, the only form of communication for most Ala'Tova, is considered a minor Gammatic skill, which creates a considerable amount of distrust and discrimination against Ala'Tova in the Feylasi-majority areas of the world. Between the Sonovic Empire and Sinvultian Federation, an arms race in illusory and hypnotic warfare has broken out, as each nation searches for the most effective way to break morale in battle or turn enemy soldiers traitor, while simultaneously investing in defenses of mental fortitude. The price for this research is most often paid in blood.School of Gu'ul Tamat
The Unwavering, Daughter of Time and Direction
Consumes: Drive (glutamate) Governs: Prophecy, Clairvoyance, Communication with Spirits, Traversal of the Epiphical Sea The highest of the common schools, the School of Gu'ul Tamat (there is no common colloquial shortening; practitioners of this school are referred to as "Disciples of Gu'ul Tamat") is also the most dangerous. Dealing in prophecy, futuresight, and spirit communication involves casting one's Threads upon oneself, projecting one's consciousness through the Rift and into the Epiphical Sea, where it is all too easy to lose oneself to basic insanity, or, worse, to enter the periphery of the Ones Before, whose slumbering minds float adrift in the sea akin to incomprehensible continents, crushing those who dare to approach. The rewards, however, continue to draw in eager initiates to the isolated mountain monasteries and state-run institutions where Gu'ul Tamat is studied, and her blessings meditated upon.The Hidden School of Neu
The Lamb, Mother of Magic and Dimension
Consumes: Prime (base brain electrical output and epinephrine) Governs: Manipulation of Magical Law, Dimensional Perception and Travel, Unbound Vision Sought after throughout history with little success, the School of Neu has been used most often to supplement other Threads, increasing the efficacy of a manifestation or reducing the chemical cost exponentially. These Neu-Touched manifestations often possess unnatural latent effects; the Jade Citadel's propensity for spacial manipulation and extending the lives of its inhabitants, for example, or the ancient Sol Feylaasian greatspear Tidebreaker's innate Seravonic capabilities. In the 4th Era, shortly before the formation of the Hunt, a desperate young Taevas Sorthamal discovered that a Weave of Gammatic and Tamatic Thread, infused with the pattern of Neu, enables one to slip between dimensions, and became the first Feylasi in living memory to teleport. This same method would be used decades later to discover Siv'ra and the truth of the Rift. Dabbling in Neumatics is especially dangerous because it consumes epinephrine, dulling the reflexes, and feeds on the base electrical output of the brain itself. Those that push themselves too hard can easily end up permanently disabled, comatose, or simply braindead. The draw of power is deadly indeed.Limitations
Neural Threading is primarily limited by three factors: the availability of the required chemical components; the knowledge of a school and understanding of the physical/metaphysical world one holds; the stability of the Threader's central nervous system.Chemical Input
The required neurotransmitter input for a Thread increases in direct relation to the mass manifested, the complexity desired, and the duration of Threading. During extensive Threading, the brain may mostly or entirely be temporarily drained of a specific chemical by the Neurascinta, leaving it unable to fire its own synapses correctly. These deficiencies can lead to minor short-term effects, like exhaustion, irritability, or 'jitters,' or may contribute to severe long term disorders, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, or physical disability. Worse still, if a Threader can no longer provide the required chemical yet refuses to stop Threading, the Neurascinta will fall back to consuming Prime, which can lead to even deadlier results.Physical, Metaphysical, and School-Specific Knowledge
As 1st Era scholar Ennia Shimasas famously stated, "To know Neu is to know the world." Anyone seeking to become adept at Threading must first seek to become familiar with the material and spiritual realities in which they exist. To this end, most successful Threaders dedicate months or years of their life to relevant fields of study: geology, metallurgy, biology, ecology, psychology, and chemistry are all common disciplines to pursue. Most people, therefore, end up either masters of a very select subset of a few Threads, or a sort of jack-of-all-trades, capable of simply applying a wide range of schools.Central Nervous System Limitations
Because the entire Neurascinta system piggybacks off the host's conscious will and runs along their brain and central nervous system, maintaining the health and capabilities of these is of utmost importance. It is relatively easy to damage one's nervous system through Threading; extensive use can overload the nerves, beginning with a localized burning sensation surrounding the corresponding Ex-/Endoscinta, which may develop into severe lasting pain. Further failure to cease Threading can lead to a temporary or semi-permanent inability to Thread, seizure, paralysis, cell death, and even necrosis of surrounding tissue. Untrained and over-ambitious acolytes can be found the world over with shriveled, rotting, or amputated limbs, patiently awaiting their turn on a fleshweaver's table.Disorders and Malfunctions
Because Threading relies on a delicate dance between cognition, brain chemistry, and electrical impulses, disorders and misbalances are not uncommon. These may express themselves in a variety of ways, and may range from easily manageable with simple treatment plans, to fatal under the wrong conditions. These include:Crossed Spark
Severity: Moderate to High Treatment: Extensive therapy (0.5 - 5 years) Description: Crossed Spark is a disorder of the Neurascinta in which Threads intended for the Exscinta manifest through the Endoscinta, and vice versa. This can lead to a variety of unintended and extremely painful effects, such as physical protrusions that may puncture skin or organs, hemorrhage, unintended solidification or transmutation of surroundings, suffocation, and up to death. Therapy involves slow retraining of the Neurascinta through small, consistent Threading. Therapy is successful in roughly 40% of cases.Zeal's Hunger
Severity: Low to Moderate Treatment: None common Description: Zeal's Hunger is a condition in which the Neurascinta consumes an excessive amount of a requested neurotransmitter when Threading or even when do, leading to chemical deficiencies and a wide range of mental and physical conditions. Because Zeal's Hunger appears to be a congenital disease, treatment options are limited, and those afflicted are often simply encouraged to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle with minimal Thread usage.Beggar's Thread
Severity: Low Treatment: None common Description: A condition opposite Zeal's Hunger, Beggar's Thread is a relatively harmless disorder in which the Neurascinta consumes less of a requested chemical than adequate for the intended Thread. The results are markedly less than spectacular, if existent at all. This condition often either appears or disappears with age.Misproductus
Severity: Low-Moderate Treatment: None common Description: Misproductus is a relatively simple disorder in which the Neurascinta requests and consumes a chemical which does not correspond with the Thread the subject is attempting to manifest - i.e., consuming Spark when the subject attempts to access the School of Seronis. Results range from zero success Threading to rather more explosive outcomes. There is no known treatment. In the late 3rd Era, Neurabiologists of the Sonovic Empire rediscovered Prime and the Hidden School of Neu through examination (and vivisection) of patients diagnosed with severe Misproductus. Their research remained a closely guarded secret until the mid 4th Era, some 130 years later.Inner Hands
Severity: Moderate Treatment: Surgery before Awakening, otherwise none Description: Inner Hands is a physical congenital disorder in which the subject's Exscinta are facing inwards in the palms at birth, rather than the outwards direction necessary to Thread. If caught early by medical professionals, the surgery is a simple, hardly invasive matter. If, however, left untreated into puberty and the subject's Awakening to Threading, surgery will stimulate a violent reaction of the Neurascinta, potentially ending in paralysis, dismemberment, and/or death of all involved.
Type
Metaphysical, Arcane
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