Sci-fi, Psychic Powers, and Setting Design

[Arith Winterfell]

So, I’m working on a sci-fi space travelling setting, but trying to hammer out the details and could use some suggestions, ideas, and feedback about the setting in general. The setting still feels like its in its infancy, but I’m hoping to build it into something interesting and unique.

The general first design principles of the setting are that the setting is a star-faring civilization set in the future. Humanity has spread out enough and enough time has passed that national identities from back on Earth have largely been replaced by billions of localities on different planets/space stations. There are numerous interplanetary polities (trade federations, democracies, petty dictators, etc.).

In this universe the laws of physics are somewhat different allowing for individuals to develop psychic powers. Originally these existed latently for much of human history (and their timeline matches ours in the past) with psychic powers only being directly developed in the past century. Figuring out how these powers work with underlying physics, and what factors (both genetically and environmentally) allow for the development is a new frontier in science.

Especially of note is that I really liked the idea that the setting’s answer to FTL is a Frankenstein mixture of mechanical engine and vat grown brain tissue from some poor teleporting individual whose tissues are enhanced by the engine technology. This means ships literally warp space and jump to distant locations. Perhaps not even needing to “take off” from a planet, but instead just teleporting into orbit and then further out, etc. This also means the engines are quasi-self-aware and can be talked with in basic terms by a telepath.

There are no known living sapient intelligent alien species (though there are mysterious ruins). Humanity, however, has diversified through genetic engineering that various human groups fill the same roles as aliens might in for example Star Trek.

The Psychic powers in the setting (using the list in Psionic Powers book) include: Anti-psi, ESP, Probability Alteration, Psychokinesis, Telepathy, and Teleportation. Reasons for the one’s I dropped are: Astral Projection (just felt too mystical in style for what I wanted), Cyberpsi (Interesting, but felt like it would shift things too much into cyberpunk rather than keep the flavor I wanted), Psychic Healing (didn’t want the whole “faith healing” angle, and besides advanced bio-medicine basically fills this niche), Psychic Vampirism (again not really sure if it fit).

Generally the central image in my mind is one where there is a certain level of darkness/horror where technology meets psychic powers. Otherwise, the general slant of the setting is like Space Opera.

[sparcipx]

For inspiration, you could check out Mailanka's Psi Wars.

[Astromancer]

Julian May had a lively Sci Fi setting with lots of Psi. I'll go look it up.

I'm back it's The Saga of the Pliocene Exile . You can skim out some tech, the Torcs, and some interesting varient terminology.

[lugaid]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Julian May had a lively Sci Fi setting with lots of Psi. I'll go look it up.

I'm back it's The Saga of the Pliocene Exile . You can skim out some tech, the Torcs, and some interesting varient terminology.

Her Galactic Milieu series is connected to the Pliocene Exile one, and consists of four books as well: Intervention (also published in two parts as Surveillance and Metaconcert), Jack the Bodiless, Diamond Mask, and Magnificat.

[Territan]

I'll just go ahead and ask what the literary agent within me is asking:

"Where's the main conflict? Is it the bright-and-hopeful space operatic vibe of millions of cultures dancing the galactic dance versus the atrocities that those cultures had to rely upon to get there? Is it the tension of living in an otherwise harmonious society while trying to hide the screaming psychic monster within you and keep the populace around you from seeing all the other screaming psychic monsters around them? (I'll admit that one has a certain Æon vibe to it; let's pin it and keep going.)"

[Balor Patch]

Originally Posted by Territan

I'll just go ahead and ask what the literary agent within me is asking:

"Where's the main conflict? Is it the bright-and-hopeful space operatic vibe of millions of cultures dancing the galactic dance versus the atrocities that those cultures had to rely upon to get there? Is it the tension of living in an otherwise harmonious society while trying to hide the screaming psychic monster within you and keep the populace around you from seeing all the other screaming psychic monsters around them? (I'll admit that one has a certain Æon vibe to it; let's pin it and keep going.)"

The Saga of the Pliocene Exile is what it says on the tin: criminals, including some very high powered psychics, get exiled to the Pliocene with a surprising twist. Julian May is a good writer.

I'm having trouble remembering the other set (it's been 30+ years): Family saga about exiling those very high powered psychics? Maybe?