Monday, February 9, 2009

Theophoric Castle




The new Theophoric Institute of Surakosai was built on the site of a ruined Keilian castle from the early days of Noantri settlement. The architect, theophore Mereth Kahn, echoed the old structure with a whimsical touch of crenellations on a cylindrical part of the main building. It was immediately named the "Castle." The Castle contains offices, administration, classrooms and an assembly/concert hall, reception rooms, a private refectory as well as a gourmet restaurant, and other useful spaces. There are no residences or laboratories there, those places are elsewhere on the campus. The Director's office is on the top floor, just right of center. 

Most people who visit Noantri World are confused by the various words referring to psychic adepts or talents. There's no way to make this clear for our own world which has no (provable) psychic powers. "Psychic" or "techno-mage" are approximations, borrowed from popular texts. Given that it will continue to be confusing, nevertheless here's an attempt at clarification.

A Theophore is a person with a rare psychic gift, much more varied and powerful than others. They have what we would consider "super-powers," such as telekinesis or levitation or firestarting. They have to be trained to use these powers, otherwise they cause trouble and probably don't live long lives. Sometimes they are able to train themselves, but they won't be powerful. About one or two in every million births is a Theophore.

A Nouergist is a Theophore who has been highly trained and uses his/her powers in a scientific and systematic way. The best approximation would be "techno-mage."

A Nouetic is a person with non-theophoric psychic powers, not involving manipulation of gravitic or electromagnetic energies. They do countless useful things among the Noantri, for instance with telepathy, remote viewing, healing, and animal care. 

As far as anyone knows, there is no way to make someone into a Theophore who isn't born one. Society is better off for this, as a larger number of theophores will inevitably attempt to take power and seriously disrupt or even destroy a civilization.

All Noantri have some amount of psychic (nouetic) power, no matter how small. Those who are more gifted, as well as theophores, come to institutions such as this one to receive training. The director and the upper level staff and faculty are theophores or highly gifted people. 

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