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Astral Biology?

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Astral Biology?

Postby FireEssence » Sat Sep 23, 2006 5:08 pm

I seem to remember having heard that "astral biology" was one of many things that Omni both researches and instructs it's students in.

What exactly is the Omni-definition of astral biology? Is it applied soley to incarnate spirits? Disincarnate spirits? Astral leeches?! Hah, just wondering what types of things it covers.

Are the energy-systems, grids, etc. related to astral biology or are those part of some other sort of field?

One last question not necessarily related to the bulk of this topic: Since you wouldn't actually have to explain anything in detail, would it be possible to see a list of the types of things that are taught aside from general sensing for an Omni student up to G1 or G2? (I specified because I figured with the lower levels of training, you might be more apt to dish)
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Postby LordArt » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:18 am

What exactly is the Omni-definition of astral biology? Is it applied soley to incarnate spirits? Disincarnate spirits? Astral leeches?! Hah, just wondering what types of things it covers.


Well, there are very little differences between incarnated vs disincarnated spirits, so we don't distinguish between them biologically. Now don't get me wrong, there are "disincarnated" spirits that are DRASTICALLY different in make-up then a "normal" incarnated human. However, one might even say that about a "normal" incardnated "something else." In the end, however, there are certain overall systems that most spirits seem to have. I would say all, but I know that isn't true, but it really depends on how large the sample is and where the sampling is coming from. You go far enough out, things get weirder than normal weird. ;)

As far as a definition of "Astral Biology", it's just what it sounds like. It's the grey's anatomy for a local (human and other) spirit and deritives of the like. The level of detail greatly depends on how far into the training one is. The point is to take advantage of this knowledge for healing and other reasons.

Are the energy-systems, grids, etc. related to astral biology or are those part of some other sort of field?


Well, there are energy systems in spells too, so that's non-specific, but spirits have energy systems like human bodies have pulminary systems. We only call one thing a "grid" in astral biology(which isn't it's complete name), which I won't go into here.

Since you wouldn't actually have to explain anything in detail, would it be possible to see a list of the types of things that are taught aside from general sensing for an Omni student up to G1 or G2? (I specified because I figured with the lower levels of training, you might be more apt to dish)


Well, now your fishing. ;) Hmm, types....Something vague to be annoying...lets see.....

Projection
Aura Manipulation
Symbology Translation
Different useful shield types (and I don't mean defensive)
Intro to astral dynamics (physics and otherwise)
Tracing (different types)

That's just some of it really. The really fun stuff doesn't start to G3 anyways, which is more Meta-magic related at that point, which before that is more foundational stuff. :)
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Postby miri » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:14 pm

Projection
Aura Manipulation
Symbology Translation
Different useful shield types (and I don't mean defensive)
Intro to astral dynamics (physics and otherwise)
Tracing (different types)

That's just some of it really. The really fun stuff doesn't start to G3 anyways, which is more Meta-magic related at that point, which before that is more foundational stuff. :)


:cry: It's so sad you guys aren't more liberal with your spreading of knowledge... Not to say I thgink that there's too much in there that I don't know more than enough about, but still, I wanna hear every view before I can consider any bit of my aquired knowledge complete... :roll:

Will you get along processing your students so that you get to those of us who won't perform sexsual favors to be granted access, hmm :twisted:?
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Postby StormSeeker » Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:30 pm

Will you get along processing your students so that you get to those of us who won't perform sexsual favors to be granted access, hmm ?


We don't process our food; we like it all natural. :)
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Postby miri » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:17 pm

StormSeeker wrote:
Will you get along processing your students so that you get to those of us who won't perform sexsual favors to be granted access, hmm ?


We don't process our food; we like it all natural. :)


To be frank... My first reaction was to laugh, then I realized there was the tiniest hint of seriousness on the deeper undertones... I'm sad to say, stormseeker, that not even a mighty omni could consume miri without extensive processing. :wink:
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Postby StormSeeker » Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:13 am

It may interest you to know that my first reaction to your comment there was also a chuckle, and the briefest of smiles: mainly because I realize your comment could only carry as much veracity as mine did. ;)
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Postby Obsidian » Wed Sep 27, 2006 5:58 am

None could consume the mighty Obsidian! For he would cause them to choke and grow bloody in throat and stomach! The toxins and dis-ease pulsing through his system would surely spell disaster for even the most powerful of the Sub-G7 Omni's.

Of course... The G7's would be able to eat me =(

*shakes a fist*

I like the basic list you put up there. It really fills me with confidence, to be honest, since I have at least a basic ability in all those fields. I'm not so much of a loser =)

I daresay I'd do things a touch different to the 'norm' or 'correct' way of doing them, though =/

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Art: How are the latest applicants coming along? How long till there'll be new positions available (roughly), if you don't mind me asking? =)
I've been meaning to re-write mine, but haven't bothered since it hasn't been too long since the last pair.
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Postby LordArt » Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:51 am

Well, the list that was posted was purposely vague, as it was mentioned before. The stuff that couldn't be vague without some effort wasn't listed(like useful power scanning, self-emotional control/resolution, etc.), however I will admit stuff below G3 isn't all that earth shattering. Much of it is foundational stuff which exists elsewhere to some degree or another, but there is some unique stuff in there. It's assumed that by the time you get to G3 you can handle what's in there, but that is true of any "level" of the training.


Obsidian wrote:Art: How are the latest applicants coming along? How long till there'll be new positions available (roughly), if you don't mind me asking? =)
I've been meaning to re-write mine, but haven't bothered since it hasn't been too long since the last pair.


They are coming along ok. I think they stepped into something deeper than they expected considering a more recent "test" that Core put Cyber through :twisted: , but other than that. As far as new students on Cyber, there are rumblings about potientially around early November, but that's tentative. After THAT next set, I wouldn't expect another set of openings for a LONG LONG time, unless something drastically changes.



Also, I think people drastically underestimate what even a UG4 person can do let alone a G4. G7 isn't even in the same catagory I'll admit, but still.
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Postby Obsidian » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:34 am

So November is basically my last chance =/ For a long time, anyways. No pressure *laughs* But oh well *shrug* I haven't been good enough yet, I doubt this time will be any different.

I'm aware your list was vague. It has to be, else people will be able to 'home-school' their way through things. I know there's so much more not included on the menu =)

Still, it makes me feel a little warm inside to know that I at least understand the foundations =) Except for Astral Dynamics =P But then, that's one of the more 'unique' topics, I'm guessing.

The reason I used G7 is because it's an easy bench-mark to throw in. Because of how things change at that level, it's a more 'definate' 'point' than G5/G6(UG4). From what I've heard =) I'm pretty sure most G2's could eat me if they wanted, when it comes down to it.

Out of curiosity (again)... If it's not too much information, why is it G6/UG4, and not just one (or the other)? I've heard both terms bandied around pretty much interchangeably, but it obviously means something... Slap me if I'm asking too much, I don't mind =)
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Postby LordArt » Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:38 am

Obsidian wrote:Slap me if I'm asking too much, I don't mind


Asking an Omni to slap you around, and you expect US NOT to?

:smack: :whack: :pokestick: :axe: :quickdraw:


Ok, now that's out of the way....

Obsidian wrote:I'm pretty sure most G2's could eat me if they wanted


G2 is pretty cool but it isn't all that. It will definately give most a GOOD run for the money if not more. But it's the difference in Quake terms between the crimson mist of G4+ and chunky salsa of G2 . ;)


Obsidian wrote: why is it G6/UG4, and not just one (or the other)? I've heard both terms bandied around pretty much interchangeably, but it obviously means something


G6 IS an amp, but by it's very nature is REALLY limited and dangerous. It's the first "hard magic" that one actually starts to use, so the results are VERY powerful and can do things that "gasious" magic cannot. (Anything you have likely experienced is gasious magic. With gasious magic, you move it around, you collect it (the "gas") and compress it, then shape it, etc. That's normal raw will or even tech magic. Hard magic is magical energy SO dense that's it's like a cinderblock of magic that KEEPS itself that way to the point that gasious magic really can't effect it easily if at all. Your astral body is more akin to gasious magic, but if you know how to find your way to where the actual guts of your spirit is and get to the superstructure, that's "hard magic" in there. Kind of like how easy it is to damage a person's flesh but it's that much harder to hurt the bones) Well, enough of that before I go too far with that part...

Because of the inherant limitations of G6 and in the end it really doesn't give you "more power" per se, just more abilites, another amp was come up with which was an amalgimation of G4, G5 and G6. Since the guy (LordFeh) liked the word "Uber", it was called the UG4 for Uber-G4. Admittedly, it royally kicks ass! Since you can't construct it without knowing G6, it's taught along with G6 these days so that a student who has gotten that far ACTUALLY gets more powerful versus just learning a powerful but limited technique which is the G6. UG4 helps in everyday use VERY VERY significantly. So much so, it's a transitional point between what can be done g7+ and pre-g7. Meaning with effort/hacks or multiple-ug4 people together can achieve some things that g7 person can do alone, which can't really be said for below that. UG4 BLOWS you away with what it can do, and just when you thought it couldn't get any better, g7 blows you away far more than ug4 ever did.

Lets put it this way, when the power caps were first implemented with newer students, UG4 was seriously considered as the upper limit.
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Postby miri » Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:38 pm

LordArt wrote:

G6 IS an amp, but by it's very nature is REALLY limited and dangerous. It's the first "hard magic" that one actually starts to use, so the results are VERY powerful and can do things that "gasious" magic cannot. (Anything you have likely experienced is gasious magic. With gasious magic, you move it around, you collect it (the "gas") and compress it, then shape it, etc. That's normal raw will or even tech magic. Hard magic is magical energy SO dense that's it's like a cinderblock of magic that KEEPS itself that way to the point that gasious magic really can't effect it easily if at all. Your astral body is more akin to gasious magic, but if you know how to find your way to where the actual guts of your spirit is and get to the superstructure, that's "hard magic" in there. Kind of like how easy it is to damage a person's flesh but it's that much harder to hurt the bones) Well, enough of that before I go too far with that part...

Because of the inherant limitations of G6 and in the end it really doesn't give you "more power" per se, just more abilites, another amp was come up with which was an amalgimation of G4, G5 and G6. Since the guy (LordFeh) liked the word "Uber", it was called the UG4 for Uber-G4. Admittedly, it royally kicks ass! Since you can't construct it without knowing G6, it's taught along with G6 these days so that a student who has gotten that far ACTUALLY gets more powerful versus just learning a powerful but limited technique which is the G6. UG4 helps in everyday use VERY VERY significantly. So much so, it's a transitional point between what can be done g7+ and pre-g7. Meaning with effort/hacks or multiple-ug4 people together can achieve some things that g7 person can do alone, which can't really be said for below that. UG4 BLOWS you away with what it can do, and just when you thought it couldn't get any better, g7 blows you away far more than ug4 ever did.

Lets put it this way, when the power caps were first implemented with newer students, UG4 was seriously considered as the upper limit.


That's all fine and dandy... but it would seem to me that G6 is rather near pointelss then, you can argue that said calibur of density is worth the trouble, but really, it's not. In psionic "surgery" I've had to take the exact energy body elemnets you speak of and break them apart, and put 'em back together. All of this with that "gaseous" energy you so cassually dissmiss as weak. In the end (and ofte in the beginning) it always comes down to the quality of programming and knowledge which decides the usefulness of an energy. Example: one weak psi-nuke is a lot better than a super-dense psi-dart, get the picture? I imagine that UG4 is more of a total general energy system modiffiyer, doing what tech does best (making things eaiser).

I dunno, but that G6 seems simply silly. I'd sooner just use astral fabric directly, it's about the same density, and is (with rare exception) much safer. And what's this? You aren't accepting new students for a "long time" after november?! :nervous: Just make sure I'm on that little list, eh?
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Postby StormSeeker » Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:56 pm

one weak psi-nuke is a lot better than a super-dense psi-dart,


Not if the defender's shields/defenses are equipped to handle blasts and area effects etc, but not fast-moving, pinpoint-sharp objects. Which is something I've encountered a lot of in the psionic communities as well as other energy work communities.

Or, if you fire off a bunch of those suckers, at once, on rapid fire, or at the same spot on the shield even (self-repairing shields is another vastly lacking capability, it seems.) (The list goes on...)

In my experience, every good weapon has it's pros and cons. I would be wary of knocking the small stuff in favor of glorifying something because it's a big boomy and "nuke" sounds more impressive than "dart". :) Big boomies are nice. They aren't everything, and not always appropriate. Sometimes stealth and precision, needle-point targetting matters or should matter more. (hell, stealth can always matter, depending on your point of view.) :)

And, "gaseous energy" is not weak in my experience. That "gaseous energy" is what the astral body is made out of, and that the astral body is very malleable amongst other points and anything but weak (if it were, we'd be in a lot of trouble), should denote that.

Plus most people use "gaseous energy" and as you yourself have found, you can do lots of interesting and powerful things with it. "Gaseous energy" can be viewed as weaker than other parts found within astral/spiritual biology, though, from our experience, and it's certainly not the only thing out there from our point of view either. I don't think Arthur was dismissing it so much as saying: there is "gaseous energy" and then there is something else, and one has definite properties that the other does not.
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Postby miri » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:15 pm

StormSeeker wrote:
one weak psi-nuke is a lot better than a super-dense psi-dart,


Not if the defender's shields/defenses are equipped to handle blasts and area effects etc, but not fast-moving, pinpoint-sharp objects. Which is something I've encountered a lot of in the psionic communities as well as other energy work communities.

Or, if you fire off a bunch of those suckers, at once, on rapid fire, or at the same spot on the shield even (self-repairing shields is another vastly lacking capability, it seems.) (The list goes on...)


AHAA! I knew someone would bring that up! NO no and NO! a psi-nuke, by its nature undoes programming, the blast radius becomes too dynamic for programming to stick, an dmost add more programming to boot specifically to destroy all other programming, but I agree that stealth is always the best option, the dart vs. nuke was just an example. And indeed, by using stealth bypassing shields and dropping a that nuke in side the targetr's astral body... you don't want to start your morniung that way, I'll say that much. Anyway, darts can be good, but a seldomly encountered one both realizes that and puts it into practice when the big and boomy things are available. :D
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Postby FireEssence » Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:11 am

miri wrote:AHAA! I knew someone would bring that up! NO no and NO! a psi-nuke, by its nature undoes programming, the blast radius becomes too dynamic for programming to stick, an dmost add more programming to boot specifically to destroy all other programming, but I agree that stealth is always the best option, the dart vs. nuke was just an example. And indeed, by using stealth bypassing shields and dropping a that nuke in side the targetr's astral body... you don't want to start your morniung that way, I'll say that much. Anyway, darts can be good, but a seldomly encountered one both realizes that and puts it into practice when the big and boomy things are available. :D


Silly elk, don't you know tricks are for kids?

I'm not gonna explain here but I will say there are simpler ways to go about deprogramming things. ;)
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Postby miri » Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:11 pm

Everything should be as simple as possible, but not simpler. - Einstien

Nukes aren't easy, but they are simple devices. And yes, there are simpler ways, but mostly they're easier ways, not simpler ones. I believe there was even an article written on UPConline.net by Lesenthe about one of those easier ways (under the construct, he called it). That's besides the point though. Nukes are big and boomy, thus they are much more attractive to use.
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