Post by Igor on May 10, 2017 21:35:21 GMT -6
persona
It is said that deep within the sea of the soul, where mankind's collective unconsciousness dwells, exists the precise origin of every mythological archetype conceived by history and culture. These very attributes were once attached to beings that existed far beyond the realm of human understanding, ones we referred to as heroes and monsters, angels and demons, gods and legends.
Much like the masks that an actor would wear to "become" the character they were meant to embody, these figures of lore exist within the hearts of all human beings as part of the collective unconsciousness, and this has an indelible effect on the development of an individual's unique personality.
Thus, it can be said that even the mightiest of gods and the most wicked of devils are little more than the byproducts of an imagination trying desperately to make sense of itself in a wholly unpredictable world.
A Persona is the direct manifestation of a human being's inner self, the "true self", and can best be described as a "mask" with which they use to overcome hardship and struggle.
Because these beings are created from the sea of the soul, they will always take the form of a figure from culture, mythology, lore, or stories that have been preserved throughout the ages.
Theoretically, every human has the potential to unleash, or "awaken", a Persona intrinsic to their personality, with its most obvious benefit being the bestowal of phenomenal abilities that closely border the supernatural. In return, the Persona's existence within its summoner's heart helps to shape and form the latter's personality in numerous ways, most times for better, but sometimes for worse.
The awakening itself depends on several factors, both internal and external, but the most common method for a Persona to emerge for the first time occurs during a moment of sudden crisis or extreme emotional unrest. Some have claimed to hear their Personas speak to them from deep within their minds, yearning for release; others may have simply crumbled beneath the weight of their stress, enabling their other self to burst from them in an act of bloody self-defense.
A far less-traveled approach towards awakening one's Persona requires a character to directly confront and tame their inner Shadow, the darker facets of their personality, namely by accepting it as a part of themselves and their identity. Because the Shadows are as unpredictable as they are predatory, choosing to bring their true self to heel in this way is especially dangerous if one is not fully prepared for the encounter — realistically speaking, one never truly is.
The initial release of a Persona from the confines of its host's mind, regardless of how it is awakened, leaves the latter in a state of exhaustion and will typically require a long period of rest before they are able to learn its functions and properties.
It is not possible to induce this awakening process artificially, as this will result in the complete breakdown of the host's state of mind, followed subsequently by a kind of death referred to as "ego loss" — in summary, they are reduced to an irreversible vegetative state.
The Blind World's unique nature as the reflection of everything that humanity suppresses within themselves enables those who have faced and tamed their inner darkness to call their Persona forth simply through the power of thought; one might even choose to invoke its name, if desired. When a Persona is summoned, the immediate space where it emerges from visually appears to "shatter" into glass-like shards of iridescent blue light.
Any attack, skill, or ability known by a Persona weighs on the user's mind and spirit when employed. Continued usage of the Persona's powers will impose further taxation on their strength and stamina before a long period of rest becomes required for the user to return to full fighting capacity.
A Persona generally stays active until its host voluntarily dismisses it, by which it simply vanishes in a wisp of blue mist, or if it is delivered a blow sufficiently powerful enough to directly traumatize its summoner by way of psychic recoil; this disrupts their ability to concentrate effectively and forces the Persona to fade, and may make re-summoning it slightly more trying for a short period of time. Overuse of the Persona's power may also result in far more serious consequences.
Personas share a few things in common with Shadows. They both materialize from the subconscious mind and are beings of polymerized emotions, but unlike the mindless, bestial Shadows that feed on the suppressed darkness within human hearts, the Persona represents man's ego subdued and placed under control.
Because the human mind is inherently imperfect, there is a very real possibility that a Persona may try to resist its summoner's influence over it — and in the rarest cases, it may even become hostile and attack them.
Usually, this only occurs if a person is made to experience a crisis of identity that causes their sense of self to lapse. The Persona itself will regress into its Shadow form and attempt to kill its former master, further empowered and far more dangerous due to the experience it gained as a Persona.
Currently, methods to return a reverted Shadow back to its Persona form remain unknown.
Much like the masks that an actor would wear to "become" the character they were meant to embody, these figures of lore exist within the hearts of all human beings as part of the collective unconsciousness, and this has an indelible effect on the development of an individual's unique personality.
Thus, it can be said that even the mightiest of gods and the most wicked of devils are little more than the byproducts of an imagination trying desperately to make sense of itself in a wholly unpredictable world.
A Persona is the direct manifestation of a human being's inner self, the "true self", and can best be described as a "mask" with which they use to overcome hardship and struggle.
Because these beings are created from the sea of the soul, they will always take the form of a figure from culture, mythology, lore, or stories that have been preserved throughout the ages.
awakening your persona
Theoretically, every human has the potential to unleash, or "awaken", a Persona intrinsic to their personality, with its most obvious benefit being the bestowal of phenomenal abilities that closely border the supernatural. In return, the Persona's existence within its summoner's heart helps to shape and form the latter's personality in numerous ways, most times for better, but sometimes for worse.
The awakening itself depends on several factors, both internal and external, but the most common method for a Persona to emerge for the first time occurs during a moment of sudden crisis or extreme emotional unrest. Some have claimed to hear their Personas speak to them from deep within their minds, yearning for release; others may have simply crumbled beneath the weight of their stress, enabling their other self to burst from them in an act of bloody self-defense.
A far less-traveled approach towards awakening one's Persona requires a character to directly confront and tame their inner Shadow, the darker facets of their personality, namely by accepting it as a part of themselves and their identity. Because the Shadows are as unpredictable as they are predatory, choosing to bring their true self to heel in this way is especially dangerous if one is not fully prepared for the encounter — realistically speaking, one never truly is.
The initial release of a Persona from the confines of its host's mind, regardless of how it is awakened, leaves the latter in a state of exhaustion and will typically require a long period of rest before they are able to learn its functions and properties.
It is not possible to induce this awakening process artificially, as this will result in the complete breakdown of the host's state of mind, followed subsequently by a kind of death referred to as "ego loss" — in summary, they are reduced to an irreversible vegetative state.
summoning your persona
The Blind World's unique nature as the reflection of everything that humanity suppresses within themselves enables those who have faced and tamed their inner darkness to call their Persona forth simply through the power of thought; one might even choose to invoke its name, if desired. When a Persona is summoned, the immediate space where it emerges from visually appears to "shatter" into glass-like shards of iridescent blue light.
Any attack, skill, or ability known by a Persona weighs on the user's mind and spirit when employed. Continued usage of the Persona's powers will impose further taxation on their strength and stamina before a long period of rest becomes required for the user to return to full fighting capacity.
A Persona generally stays active until its host voluntarily dismisses it, by which it simply vanishes in a wisp of blue mist, or if it is delivered a blow sufficiently powerful enough to directly traumatize its summoner by way of psychic recoil; this disrupts their ability to concentrate effectively and forces the Persona to fade, and may make re-summoning it slightly more trying for a short period of time. Overuse of the Persona's power may also result in far more serious consequences.
losing control
Personas share a few things in common with Shadows. They both materialize from the subconscious mind and are beings of polymerized emotions, but unlike the mindless, bestial Shadows that feed on the suppressed darkness within human hearts, the Persona represents man's ego subdued and placed under control.
Because the human mind is inherently imperfect, there is a very real possibility that a Persona may try to resist its summoner's influence over it — and in the rarest cases, it may even become hostile and attack them.
Usually, this only occurs if a person is made to experience a crisis of identity that causes their sense of self to lapse. The Persona itself will regress into its Shadow form and attempt to kill its former master, further empowered and far more dangerous due to the experience it gained as a Persona.
Currently, methods to return a reverted Shadow back to its Persona form remain unknown.
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