Psychic energy takes on the form of a purple arc-like plasma that arcs along the skin, said to make a ‘crackling’ sound akin to electricity. Psychic energy flows through the nerves from the central to the peripheral nervous system. Internal transmission often results in a tingling or burning sensation. This sensation can often flare in times of emotional stress.

The brain produces psychic energy through the pineal gland, where it is processed by the other lobes of the brain and transformed into complex thought, emotion and action. In a normal human brain, its top-level function is split between the conscious and unconscious halves. Normally, the production and application of psychic energy in the brain is attributed to the unconscious half, and is beyond the control of the individual. The brain of a psyche user, however, has been restored to a complete state. The barrier between the two halves no longer exist, and the mind can once again work synchronously with itself.

The total amount of psychic energy (reserves) and the amount they can exert through their reinforcement or abilities (output) varies per individual case. However, those with higher mental acuity and stronger will tend to exhibit higher extremes in both. A Psyche User can consciously control their production of psychic energy and use it to empower their bodies and abilities.

Psychic energy must be exercised with caution, especially in the case of newly awakened practitioners. The common side effects are a drain on stamina, rapidly escalating exhaustion, and overstimulation of the brain, mental impairment and, in extreme cases, permanent damage to the mind through the brain literally frying itself—though loss of consciousness often prevents users from reaching that point.

The brain naturally produces psychic energy in the pineal gland. This energy is then processed by the rest of the brain, transforming it into complex thought, emotion, and action. For those who have excelled, psychic energy can be consciously transmitted through the central and peripheral nervous systems to reach the body’s extremities, actuated through their psychic abilities and their Specialty.

However, this transmission process is inefficient if not carefully controlled. As psychic energy crosses the synaptic cleft, some energy inevitably leaks into surrounding tissue. This stray energy then moves toward the skin’s surface, where it combines with the electrolytic sweat produced in the pores, and leaks out into the surrounding space. For ordinary individuals, this results in a mental fog or a static sensation in their headspace, disrupting the process of thought. For psyche users, this leakage manifests as visible arcs of purple energy, crackling over their skin just before they activate a technique, which can unintentionally telegraph their attacks to a savvy opponent.

To optimise psychic energy flow and prevent waste, psyche users must maintain a potential gradient at the points in the body where psychic energy is required. By maintaining this gradient, psychic energy can move smoothly through the body without sparking across the skin. This ongoing regulation of the gradient is the essence of Flow. Once achieved, one’s Specialty exhibits a marketed increase in efficiency and power.

For those Blessed by a Primordial Phenomenon, this process is intrinsic and automatic. Their flow is constant and absolute, no psychic energy wasted. They achieve their full Psyche potential immediately without need for any external training.

Since psychic energy is transmitted within the body through the nervous system, it can empower the body’s attributes when properly controlled. This fundamental effect of Psyche relies on the intrinsic physiological relationship between the mind and body—still vastly misunderstood by conventional science, but the main focus of JPRO Biologics‘ research. A more concise maxim is simply “Mind Over Matter.“

Mental Acuity: Given psychic energy originates in the brain, it can boost a Psyche User’s perception, mental processing speed and strength of reasoning to superhuman extremes, to the point where time itself seems to slow down around them. This can become especially the case in the heat of combat, where the psyche user, pushed to the brink, is more likely to achieve Flow

Reinforcement: Similar to an electromagnetic dispersion field, psychic energy can reinforce the user’s skin and body by forming an external shell-type layer that can absorb and redistribute kinetic trauma, similar to a bullet / stab-proof vest. This works for all forms of physical trauma, but will never be an absolute defence. This layer has a maximum stress tolerance and will shatter beyond a certain point, requiring time to reform and leaving the body vulnerable. This skill can be trained through a combination of repeated stress-testing (higher risk, higher reward) and meditation to improve even distribution. Psychic energy also works within the body, acting as a securing cast that can support the structural integrity of bone and body tissue against shock and shear.

Attack Force: Psychic energy can be reflexively channeled into the muscles, empowering their speed of contraction to increase striking force. It can also be channeled into the extremities at the moment of a physical impact to incorporate an additional kinetic force that leaves a lingering crackling effect on its target. The effectiveness of this imbuement depends on how closely synchronized the impulse of psychic energy is with the landing of the physical blow.

Agility: The augmentation of a Psyche User’s neurological capacity, nervous transmission speed, and musculoskeletal contraction can greatly improves their speed and reflexes to superhuman extents. This enhanced facet is a combination of various feats of empowerment, and therefore requires extensive holistic training. When properly trained and under the correct Flow conditions, a psyche user can reach speeds that, to the untrained eye, cause them to “flash” across the ground, accompanied by crackling electric arcs.

The biggest risk to Psyche Users is mental impairment, and exhaustion. Sleep deprivation runs a major risk of dysfunction, but other factors such as lack of exercise, improper hydration and nutrition can all detriment one’s reserve and output. Anything that impairs a Psyche User’s mind or nervous system will also impact their ability to produce, distribute and empower themselves with psychic energy.

Funnily enough, that means the simplest way to impair a Psyche User is to just drug them. Tranquilisers, sedatives or anaesthetics are an obvious choice, but even central nervous system depressants like alcohol or benzodiazepines, for example, lower neurotransmission levels, decrease the electrical activity of brain cells, and decrease overall stimulation, making any attempts at Psyche more energy intensive, less precise or effect, with a higher risk of exhaustion.

Obviously, this does also mean that the inverse is true: stimulants have an escalating effect on psychic energy production and output which, depending on the individual and their tolerance, can have escalating effectiveness up to the point where the substance itself becomes harmful.

A psyche user’s presence is a concentrated source of psychic energy. If not properly concealed, this psychic signature makes ripples across the cognitive world, disturbances that can be picked up on by other psyche users who listen out for it. The signature is likened to a stone breaking the surface of a still pond. Normal people also distort this field, but their psychic energy is diffuse and doesn’t create too significant of a ripple. Psyche users can conceal their presence by limiting their psychic energy output, and by preventing leakage. Psyche users can disguise their presence to others by blending into a crowd, as the residual signatures of regular people can muddy the proverbial water.

A powerful psychic bond exists between blood relatives. In the same way the Excel Ritual is able to awaken direct family members through the Bloodline clause, psyche users are able to detect the presence and location of relatives much easier, more precisely and over a longer distance. This strength of detection also increases the more connected a psyche user is with the individual they are trying to track (a close friend, or lover, etc.)