I am the consequences!
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The Minds refers to groups of Selphids that form a psychic hive mind. They act as one of the governing bodies for the Selphid race. They are located in Baleros, where the majority of Selphids reside, though they have agents across the world.
Appearance[edit | edit source]
A Mind appears as a rotund mass comprised of Selphids in their natural form.
Overview[edit | edit source]
As one of the few psychic-capable races, Selphids can psychically join together to pool their intelligence, memories, and abilities into a gestalt collective intelligence. The Minds are one of the governing bodies of Selphids. Any proper Selphid are obligated to obey them whenever they give an order. While they occupy a leadership role, they have historically acted as advisors or guides and even had individual Selphids command them.
It is considered both an honor and a sacrifice to be invited as part of a Mind. While the criteria for joining differs from Mind to Mind, high-level Selphids are not usually invited, as they are considered too valuable.
They command the Bodies of Fellden.[1]
Headquarters[edit | edit source]
The Minds are situated in Gathering Citadels, which are hidden fortresses typically located in Baleros's least inhabitable jungle areas.[2] They were created by the Minds of old with their telekinetic might, and are decorated in the likeness of internal organs and veins.[3] One Gathering Citadel is inconspicuously hidden inside a hill, where people have even unknowingly camped on before. Each Gathering Citadel is heavily protected by Selphid [Guardians] and [Honor Guards]. There is also caretaking staff.
Gathering Citadels can have multiple entrances and several floors, and have rooms dedicated to certain purposes such as training. It also contains bedrooms and amenities for Selphids not part of the Mind and guests. Each Mind has its own area, which are surrounded by several guard-checkpoints.[2] There are statues of the faces of living Selphid host-bodies, which was seen as a great honor though some were unwilling. There is also a statue of the Selphids' ancestor which overlook the meeting place of the Minds. It has four fingers like a Gazer, and a bulbous growth for a head, with a huge hole where a mouth should be and twining, upward-reaching fungoid growths as seeming "hair".[3]
Structure[edit | edit source]
The Minds in a gathering Citadel are ranked in importance by number. The one designated as First Mind will lead the group.[3] Each Mind is created for a specific purpose. Meetings start with the First Mind presenting factual data, and then the Minds presented their opinions. Decisions of the Minds as a collective are determined by voting via majority. The Minds in the Gathering Citadel Geneva was taken to, which was formed to stop the Wasting, are tasked thusly:
First Mind[edit | edit source]
Described to be the authority. Currently investigating the transport of Earthers to Innworld, and the gateway that occurred during the Summer Solstice.
Second Mind[edit | edit source]
Geared towards creativity and innovation, and improving relations with other species. Projects include making Selphid music, song crystals, and color theory.
Third Mind[edit | edit source]
Investigating the Wasting of Selphids.
Fourth Mind[edit | edit source]
Ponders warfare and protects Selphid interests.
Fifth Mind[edit | edit source]
Studies the natural world, and tasked with recovering alchemical recipes.
Sixth Mind[edit | edit source]
Creates armour and weapons for the Bodies of Fellden.
Abilities and Powers[edit | edit source]
Each Mind is a gathering of Selphids without bodies, and can grow larger or smaller based on the number of Selphids within them.[3] Joined together in a hive mind, a Mind has immense mental capabilities, and are able to create a mindspace where they visualize and organize information. They can also pool the experiences and memories of each individual Selphid. Each Mind has its own personality of sorts, which is a gestalt of the personalities of the individual Selphids.[2] The constituent Selphids can live for centuries within a Mind, kept in a controlled environment free of parasites, disease, pain, and distress.[3]
The Minds possess psionic abilities, including telepathy and telekinesis. Additionally, through an unmentioned method, they can grant the class of [Telepath]. A Mind is able to directly connect to a non-Selphid , and at the very least manipulate their thoughts.[2] They can also clone consciousness into another body.
Individual consciousnesses can be separated from a Mind, but this requires the original Selphid to be preserved as it was and restored into a new form. Furthermore, they will not be the same as they were before merging into a collective, so it is rarely done.
Weaknesses[edit | edit source]
Selrite is a material that's difficult for them to affect. People wearing Selrite amulets are protected from their telepathy and direct use of telekinesis on their body.
Despite their telepathic advantage, they have trouble accounting for invisible threats, like gases and sonic attacks.[4]
Members[edit | edit source]
There are sixteen Minds in the current era.[4] Following the events at the Gathering Citadel researching the Wasting, and one Mind choosing to dissolve in the aftermath, there are nine Minds left.[5]
- First Mind / Continuum (Deceased)
- Second Mind / Contradiction (Deceased)
- Third Mind / Dictum (Deceased)
- Fourth Mind / Inconsolable (Deceased)
- Fifth Mind / Sympathy (Deceased)
- Sixth Mind / Egress (Deceased)
- Dissonance
- The Duck