[Vor] An idea for Psionics

[LoneWolf23k]

I was thinking about how one could add Psionics into the Vorkosigan Saga setting without stirring the canon too greatly, when a brilliant idea struck me.

What if there's actually a large number of active psions running around the Vorkosigan Galaxy... ...but nobody knew about their existence?

In this concept, Psions are active and of varied ranges of power, but they operate in secrecy and maintain a strong Masquerade to keep the Mundanes in the dark as to their presence, while using their powers to manipulate events, acquire resources and otherwise being secret masters, divided into multiple factions and such.

In fact, one could even run a campaign of Barrayar Psions running in the background of the events of the Vorkosigan Saga, manipulating events to secretly aid Miles in his adventures.

[Kuroshima]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

I was thinking about how one could add Psionics into the Vorkosigan Saga setting without stirring the canon too greatly, when a brilliant idea struck me.

What if there's actually a large number of active psions running around the Vorkosigan Galaxy... ...but nobody knew about their existence?

In this concept, Psions are active and of varied ranges of power, but they operate in secrecy and maintain a strong Masquerade to keep the Mundanes in the dark as to their presence, while using their powers to manipulate events, acquire resources and otherwise being secret masters, divided into multiple factions and such.

In fact, one could even run a campaign of Barrayar Psions running in the background of the events of the Vorkosigan Saga, manipulating events to secretly aid Miles in his adventures.

Imp sec would catch them. Simon Illian is just too competent ;)

I feel that adding psis to the Vorkosigan universe undermines what will make <spoiler>Athos</spoiler> a special world in the future...

Now, it's your Vorkosigan universe, and you can do whatever you wish with it. <spoiler>If you wish to add psis, prior to the events described in Ethan of Athos I would place them either as a very dispersed minority (1 out of every billion humans is a psi, but only one of X psis actually manifests powers) or if you must have organized psis, then place them among the quadies, or similar gengineered, isolated group.</spoiler>

[Anaraxes]

Imp sec would catch them. Simon Illian is just too competent

True. But we know that Simon didn't catch them. Therefore, he must be one of Them!

(Or maybe just controlled so as to miss the connections or forget the results.)

Suddenly it's a replay of the Foundation series, with Barrayar as the First.

[David Johnston2]

Obviously one approach is simply to set the whole business in the future. And that world will still be special because EVERYONE is telepathic.

[trekkypj]

There is a suggestion that some sort of psychic powers is dormant in the Vor universe, of course.

Terrence C from "Ethan of Athos" would be a good starting point fluff-wise.

[Kuroshima]

Dormant powers, yeah. The issue would be with a cabal of psis running everything from the shadows. Psi PCs? I might consider them. Psi organizations, as suggested above?? no luck, outside <spoiler>of the future Athos</spoiler>.

[Þorkell]

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

Imp sec would catch them. Simon Illian is just too competent ;)

And he has that pesky perfect memory chip.