A phenomenon that has been observed by large numbers of people in the psi community is that certain individuals carry a ‘tone’ or feel in their field which is associated with specific characteristics in regards to their abilities, and the characteristics of their field. Hypotheses on the cause of birth-switches can be found in other documents, but here, we will simply outline these observations without attempting to go into their causes. Birth-switch tones have been observed to be present from birth, and while it is not proven whether a birth-switch tone can change, this has never been observed to occur (even if an individual is transmutated).
First, I feel it is fair to mention that birth-switches have been controversial in the past. Nevertheless, they exist, and most sensitives can be taught to perceive and differentiate between them. They have been observed consistently, so these observations must stand, unless some contradictory information comes to light.
Birth-Switch Characteristics
Please note: The information below is meant to illustrate a pattern of tendencies, not a strict outline of the traits and capabilities of individuals. Individual persons may deviate from these patterns.
Levels:
Abilities are arranged on a 1 to 10 scale, with 1 being minimal usage and 10 being mastery.
An Ability is an individual basic psi ability, such as “emotion sensing/projecting”. An Aspect is a category of abilities which is based on what they effect–aspects are Mental, Physical, Psi-Energy Manipulation, and Psi-Energy Constructs. An Area is a category of abilities which are associated with the same format of energy under the same Aspect–for example, Emotion sensing and projecting is in the Emotion area–it is associated with the beam format of energy, which is produced by the sternum nerve cluster, and it is under the Mental aspect.
Nons are individuals who do not have a birth-switch tone. This does not mean that they cannot learn psionics. In fact, developed Nons can excel at psionics, if they apply themselves, and practice regularly. They do start from zero, and they do not have any abilities when they begin. Their field shows an Active tone, but does not show a birth-switch tone. Their abilities are not spectral.
Birth-switch-bearing-Psi characteristics:
The following is a listing of non-psi traits commonly possessed by psions who have a birth-switch tone (in rough order of commonality). The higher the ‘level’ of the tone (or tones), the more of these traits the individual is likely to possess, generally speaking:
1) Headaches (often migraines).
2) Shorting out or interfering with the function of electronic devices.
3) Abnormal body temperature.
4) Abnormal thinking processes (lucid dreaming, odd information sorting), high neurological activity {often seen in higher IQand related skills, also seen in nerve spasms}).
5) Social problems (often outcasts, or “oddballs”).
6) Abnormally low or high temperature comfort level.
7) Abnormal metabolism, healing rate.
8) Stomach/heart problems.
9) Abnormal body structure (double joints, etc).
10) Abnormal senses (sunlight sensitivity, hearing sub or super-sonics, acute senses) Usually this is a shift in the range their senses can pick up.
11) Abnormal aging rate and/or apparent age.
12) Abnormal growth rate and related functions (three sets of teeth instead of the normal two, etc).
13) Tendency to be nocturnal, or skewed sleep cycles.
14) Abnormal blood pressure.
15) Strong-willed or stubborn personality.
16) Psychological problems.
17) Relationship problems.
18) Abnormal instincts (weaker, gone, stronger, unbalanced, atypical).
19) Abnormal adolescence (early, late, shorter or longer than normal).
20) Synaesthesia
21) Fibromyalgia, or other auto-immune-related disorders (lupus, CFS, etc).
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The following are observations of the untrained abilities of birth-switch bearing psions of various types. All psions which have a birth-switch tone thus far have been observed to display spectral abilities (refer to the psi abilities chart), unless they have some obvious injury.
Partial:
Persons with this birth-switch generally have 4 talents, one from each Aspect, usually spectral (all sternum, for example, or head sternum skin). These are generally level 1, except for the primary, which is 1 to 2. Partials have very few problems with further development. Partials are usually able to sense the level of ability in other psi-users. Partials usually exhibit 2 to 5 of the non-psi-talent related traits. Some partials have the capability of suppressing their psi abilities and becoming inactive. Partials have not only the “equipment” necessary to learn psi, but they also have a “basic operating system”, to continue a computer metaphor. They must still learn how to use their abilities and develop them, but the abilities are already there and are functional. Of course they may learn abilities which are not active, or not high in their spectrum, when they begin developing their psi, just as a Non may learn new abilities, but they may experience more problems with this than they would in developing their innate abilities.
Born-on:
Persons with this birth-switch usually have at least 4 talents, one from each Aspect, usually spectral. These are generally level 2, except for the primary, which is level 2 to 3. Born-ons have some problems with development. Born-ons are almost always able to sense the birth-switch of other people, and usually the level of ability. Born-ons generally exhibit at least some of the non psi-talent related characteristics of psions, usually at least 4 to 10. The vast majority of Born-ons are unable to suppress their psi abilities, and are always active (hence, “born-on”). Continuing the computer analogy again, born-ons not only have the equipment and the basic operating system, but they also have a few specific programs. They have abilities which are not only active, but which can be used in practical situations on an instinctive level. Just as partials may have some difficulties with abilities outside of their spectrum, so it is too with born-ons. In addition, because their abilities are used instinctively, they may have a bit of difficulty learning to control them deliberately. These are not truly major difficulties, in most cases, and development can put all of the birth-switches on an even footing. It all depends on how much drive a person has.
The Partial and Born-on birth-switches appear to scale from one into the other, rather than being completely separate and distinct, and it may be difficult to differentiate those whose are ‘high partials’, from ‘low born-ons’.
Specialties:
The Specialties are among the most obvious of the genetic psis, as they have innate abilities which are not found naturally in any other known birth switches. In the computer metaphor, specialties have all of the same capabilities as born-ons, plus a few unique programs which in some cases may interfere with the functioning of some of the other programs (or programming attempts). Specialties ARE born-ons, with a twist. Most of them have an extra “tone” in their field over top of the “active” and “born-on” tones. All of the specialties are extraordinarily rare, and so the base for the information below is of necessity extremely small. Therefore the information listed is highly subject to change as more observations are made.
Specialty born-ons generally exhibit 5 to 15 of the non-psi-talent related characteristics of psions.
The following is a list of currently identified Specialities:
Switcher:
Persons with this specialty usually have at least 4 talents, one from each Aspect, usually spectral. These are generally level 2, except for the primary, which is level 4. Switchers have some problems with development. In addition to this, Switchers are able to mimic other birth-switches, and to become “invisible” to psi sensing. Switchers do not have a recognizable tone that sets them apart from other born-ons. Common abilities active in their spectrum include Time input ability (precognition) and emotion input ability. They can also read the ‘hardwiring’ of innate psis, and tamper with some of the functions of abilities, and overall psi functioning, in other birth-switch-bearing psis.
Other known names for Switchers: “Imago”.
Phase-Shifter:
A phase-shifterr appears to be a variant of the Switcher, or even some combination of the traits of Switchers and Generators. Rather than the ability to mimic other birth-switches well, instead phase-switchers are relatively poor mimics, but have the instinctive ability to shift their field’s frequencies into or out of phase with surrounding energy frequencies, and do so extremely well. Phase shifting is an ability which is not well-developed in ordinary Switchers, so this appears to be an example of a variant that takes the “opposite” end of the specialty ability to its extreme. Phase-Shifters have the highest energy-generation level outside of the Generator line, and may possibly have hypercapacity ability. Phase-shifters tend to have high level innate construct ability (both input and output).
(No other known names for this birth-switch).
Psi-Vamp:
Persons with this specialty usually have at least 4 talents, one from each Aspect, usually spectral. These are generally level 2, except for the primary, which is level 4. Like Generators, all Psi-Vamps have a Psi-Energy Aspect primary. Psi-vamps have some problems with development. In addition to this, Psi-vamps are unable to use the energy generation psi ability, and must therefore acquire psi energy from other sources, which they have an innate ability to do. Without acquiring psi energy regularly, they generally become listless, fatigued, and susceptible to illness. This is a recently noticed birth-switch, so there have not been many individuals found from which to collect information yet. Psi-Vamps have some distinctive auric characteristics, if you know what to “look” for, and their energy fields are plasma-like in a way similar to the fields of Generators (but of course much much smaller). Originally thought to be a Generator variant, upon closer inspection, psi-vamps are Switcher variants, with a drifting birth-switch tone, and an indistinct, intermittent or missing third-tone. They have high capacity, in between switchers and phase-switchers in approximate level, and an ability to externally manipulate massive quantities of energy.
(No other known names for this birth-switch).
Hautè’s:
Persons with this specialty generally have at least one talent from each Aspect and area, and at least half of all talents, possibly all. These are generally level 1, except for the primary which is level 3, and the secondary, which is level 2. Hautè’s have some problems with development. Hautè’s have a very distinctive birth-switch tone, making them easily recognizable.
Other known names for Hautè’s: “Chosen Ones”.
Generators:
Persons with this specialty usually have at least 4 talents, one from each Aspect, usually spectral. These are generally level 2, except for the primary, which is level 4. Generators always have a Psi-Energy Aspect primary, and their primary ability is always related to psi-energy manipulation. In addition, aside from their level 4 primary, all generators can be considered to have a level 10 energy generation ability. Generators have some problems with development. In addition to this, Generators are able, in some fashion, to convert their emotions and sensations into psi energy, resulting in a large plasma-like aura. Generators are easily recognized if their energy generation ability is activated, as their field contains anywhere from 100 to several thousand times the energy quantity of the average psi-active. Generators have Psi-Energy abilities primary in their spectrum, usually with construct secondary.
Other known names for Generators: “Phoenixes”, “Phoenix Psychics”, “Energizers”, “Trex’ata”.
Immunes:
There are three types of immunes which have been identified so far…Repulsors, which have hyper-resistance ability, Conductors, which have hyper-conductivity ability, and Sinks, which appear to auto-ground energy (whatever they do, the energy sent at them simply is gone entirely). Immunes are extraordinarily difficult to affect with psi at all, and generally cannot learn psi, though they may have the innate capability for it somewhere…because the ability they have which is on at maximum does not allow them to manipulate energy. Sinks are represented thus far by only a single individual, so it is unknown if this individual is one of a kind, or if other exist.
Banshee:
We’ve encountered only one of these so far, so we know very little about them. A banshee emits a rising and falling psionic “scream”, a disruptive psychic feedback screech. This ability, unlike the similar ability which generators have, is continuous and is generally not under their control; they are usually unaware of it.
Detonator:
Another single encounter….as with other singular specialties, there’s the possibility that the individual is one of a kind. It may also be that we simply haven’t run into any others yet. A detonator’s field is deceptively ordinary. They take stress, and convert it into psi, then condense it down into a single area in their core. This extraordinarily compact bundle then sits there until it reaches something like critical mass, at which point it releases in an explosive psi-blast. The detonator’s system appears to have a protective mechanism that engages at this point, and they do not seem to be aware of the detonation. More information is needed to determine if the reaction can be brought under control.
Synchronizer:
Synchronizers link to the people around them instinctively (synchronizing patterns and frequencies), and emulate all of their psi abilities. They are able to use these abilities just as the originator can, until the target being emulated moves out of range. Synchronizing causes an interlocking of their field with the target’s, and the synchronizer may retain some of the target’s energy as a result when the target moves away, but this should not be confused with deliberate or unconscious vamping. However, Synchronizers have the ability (though not the need) to vamp at will, and a hyper-capacity allowing them to store and utilize tremendous quantities of energy.
Copyright 2010, Winged Wolf Psion