Difference between revisions of "Persona"

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<center>''"I am thou, and thou art I..."''</center><br>
 
<center>''"I am thou, and thou art I..."''</center><br>
  
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=Overview=
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"I am thou, and thou art I..."
  
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The depths of the mind are strange and wonderful, holding within it a million gods and demons. Each of us goes through life, adopting different attitudes and actions based on what challenges we face and people we interact with. This is a 'persona', a mask we wear to conceal the real self from the hardships of the world. Few of us possess the courage and self-confidence necessary to do otherwise.
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In the world of PersonaMUSH, a select few are able to channel a supernatural strength from within themselves. The powers take the form of a figure of myth or legend that has a personal connection to the user. As the self grows in strength and purpose, the Persona truly becomes the armor and the blade by which that person overcomes the hardships of the world. This is the power known as Persona, and those who utilize it are the Persona-Users.
  
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But in the world of Persona, it becomes even more important, as these masks we wear also give us power. Supernatural forces lurk on the edge of perception, the people of the world unaware of the horrors that can prey upon them without notice or the catastrophes that wait to befall them.
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In this file, we will discuss the basics of what a Persona is, as well as some of the mechanics and considerations.
  
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Those who have realized the power of Persona are capable of summoning up these masks in more than just theoretical form, the figures of myth and legend manifesting with them, just for a moment, to lend their power to the wielder in the form of supernatural effects. Conjuring fire and ice, healing wounds instantly, or bringing to bear incomparable force are all well within the abilities of these people, and it is up to each of them to decide how they will use that power.
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==Overview==
  
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Will they use that power to protect others? To build and guide? Or will they use it for self-gain, or perhaps even to try to destroy everything?
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In Jungian psychology, a persona is a kind of mask or armor, the social face of an individual. People wear many masks in their lives, picking them up and discarding them according to the situation. In truth, these all represent facets of their personality, all of them reflecting a portion of the whole. Jung also posited the idea of the collective unconsciousness, a concept that things are shared on an unconscious level between all of humanity. Certain ideas he termed archetypes have particular weight and are repeated from culture to culture in various forms, including such constructs as the mother goddess, the trickster, or the wise old man.
  
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That is a choice only they, and you, will be able to make...
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PersonaMUSH draws from these ideas in the concept of a Persona. A Persona is a reflection of a significant part of one's self rather than any true manifestation of this deity or that historical figure. No one mask can encompass the whole of one's self, but a Persona signifies what has the greatest amount of weight for a particular person. Derived from the collective unconsciousness of humanity, the identity of that Persona is one of countless figures that may resonate with a person's self. It's from the metaphorical donning of one of these masks that a Persona is born, a part of the self given shape and form.
  
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==Nature==
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To phrase the above more simply, a character's Persona is a part of them, and it takes on the form of a particular mythological, historical, folklore or literary figure that suits the character's personality.
  
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A Persona is an archetypal construct formed in the mind. As each person has a unique mind, a Persona that comes from them is often similarly unique to them. A Persona is almost invariably based on some entity of mythological or legendary importance, as befitting their nature as cultural archetypes themselves. There is no restriction on culture, gender, age, or race on what form it might take, though as classic mythology has more 'weight' in the unconscious minds of humanity, it is far more likely that someone would manifest Hercules instead of, perhaps, Superman. The first Persona someone manifests is inevitably one that matches the essence of their personality.
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While it is not considered IC information for the most part, Personas and Shadows are one and the same: a Persona is a controlled Shadow, and a Shadow is an uncontrolled Persona. It's entirely possible for someone to lose control over their Persona and thus risk it eventually reverting into a Shadow, as well as for someone to integrate and accept their Shadow as a part of themselves and gain a Persona. Someone who gains a Persona by facing their Shadow within the Midnight Channel (see NEWS SHADOWS2 and NEWS PERSONA-GAINING4) may in fact notice that there are some general visual similarities between their Shadow and their Persona.
  
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== Gaining a Persona ==
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PERSONA SELECTION
  
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Every sentient being can possibly carry a Persona within them, but few have the strength of will required to overcome their fears and darkness to the point that they can summon one forth. However, some people are closer than others. Those who have this Potential eventually express themselves in one of many ways. Some follow occult rituals. Others seemingly play a game which is rumored to call a Persona forth. Some seek within themselves, confronting their darkness and gaining that power through enlightenment and acceptance. Some even turn to artificial means, through invasive neurosurgery or the use of specialized tools to call them forth. All methods have their own dangers, for the power of the mind and heart is not lightly unleashed. Those who cannot control their Personas can often cause untold harm on themselves and their surroundings... Possibly even resulting in death.
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A Persona can have its origin in a variety of sources. Mythology, particularly concerning gods, is a common source, but so are literature, folkore, and cultural and historical figures. Whatever source they draw upon, they always have a close tie with the character's personality.
  
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===The Game===
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In OOC terms, the only restrictions on a Persona is that first of all, historical figures must have died before 1900; mythological or fictional entities must have been published or popularized before 1900. The sole exception to this rule is the Lovecraft mythos, and these choices will be highly scrutinized since some of the entities are unsuitable as Persona due to their vastly inhuman nature which runs counter to the theme of a Persona. For example, Azathoth is never a good choice for a Persona. Secondly, certain high-powered entities from Shin Megami Tensei and related spin-offs are similarly out of bounds, such as Lucifer, Alice, Satan and Lilith.
  
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The Persona Game is something on the level of an Ouija Board in terms of pop culture occultism. It consists of a group of people walking around the outside of a bounded space (usually a room of some kind) and trying to call out to or invoke a Persona. The game is rumored to cause your future self to appear, but usually it just makes those participating look silly. Other variations might include more ritualistic or occult trappings, but the essential core is the same.
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Generally, it is suggested that players try not to pick the same Persona as someone else for the sake of their own uniqueness. It is not disallowed, though. Most figures have several names, so if that perfect Persona has already been taken, consider using it under a different name. Check +personamasterlist if you are interested in seeing what Personas have been taken. Some Personas may exist as generics here -- that is, Personas that anyone can freely summon if they meet the requirements (see NEWS SOCIAL-LINKS). If a Persona you are interested in exists as a generic, you will need to prefix 'True' to the name of your Persona or use another name if one exists. For example, if you wanted to have Phaleg as a Persona, your Persona would be named True Phaleg to distinguish it from the generic form.
  
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Sometime after the game is played, the player has a dream in which they meet a man named Philemon, who asks a question. If they answer correctly, they gain the potential to summon a Persona. The question is, most commonly, "Who are you?", but the actual question is not the important thing. Philemon is looking for an answer to a question which demonstrates a high level of self-awareness and a firm grip on one's own identity. Should one answer it correctly, Philemon grants them the Potential, the ability to awaken to having a Persona later on in their life. If they fail, the dream ends, and they never see Philemon again.
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==Usage==
  
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When someone with this potential enters a life-threatening situation, the emotions and fear wrought by the event can cause the manifestation of the Persona. From that time forward, the new Persona-User can call their Persona up with an exertion of will. However, this is not the only method to gain the use of a Persona...
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After awakening to the power, a character automatically understands perfectly what they must do to bring it forth, though they may not know what they are bringing forth. There is not necessarily part of the process that names the Persona specifically for what it is; it is possible to mistake a Persona for a guardian angel or spirit before one better understands what they are doing. The Velvet Room (See NEWS VELVET-ROOM) will provide a character with the basic information that they need and more, should they find their way to it, though other characters can certainly perform the process of explaining what a Persona is.
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The summoning itself is straightforward, and depends on what mechanism the character used to gain their power, be it brandishing a tarot card and calling for their Persona to come out or aiming an Evoker to their head and pulling the trigger. Regardless of method, the underlying principle is the same: focusing the mind and bidding their other self emerge into reality. See NEWS PERSONA-GAINING for specific details on summoning methods.
  
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===The Evoker===
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Their appearance furthermore is usually marked by light. An brief blue aura is present around the person in some cases as it emerges, or a bright blue light just beneath their feet. A Persona, when summoned, is typically insubstantial outside attacks or other abilities that require it to be otherwise; they may freely make physical contact with their summoner. A Persona is an extension of the self and does exactly as its summoner intends. Commonly, they may appear and disappear as part of attacking, or they may remain out to offer defense as well; this depends on the situation and the Persona-user. 'Support Persona'-users such as spotters are the ones most likely to have their Personas remain out through an entire battle (see NEWS SUPPORT-PERSONA for details).
  
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Another method of summoning a Persona involves the use of a special piece of equipment known as an Evoker. These devices are extremely rare and difficult to manufacture due to their components and cost. [[Special Extracurricular Extermination Squad|SEES]] and the [[New World Order|NWO]] have the resources to manufacture these devices, but Strega also has several. The Evoker most commonly looks like a handgun, which is placed to one's head. When the trigger is pulled, the object fires a bolt of energy which suppresses the personality of the Evoker's user and allows their Persona to manifest for a short time. Evokers operate by using fear, stimulating a mind-numbing response in the user that is similar that which causes a 'natural' Persona User to Awaken. Other designs for Evokers are possible, but the 'gun' design has been tested to be the most effective due to the inherent fear response in putting a gun to one's head and pulling the trigger. Those who use an Evoker to summon their Persona cannot actually summon them by pure force of will, requiring their Evoker any time they want to use their supernatural abilities.
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When a Persona fails to obey commands and acts on its own, which may entail summoning itself, refusing to be banished, or behaving contrary to its summoner's will, though, is typically an ill omen that suggests the character's control over their Persona is slipping. See NEWS CONTROL for more details on this phenomenon.
  
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===The Shadow and the Truth===
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A Persona, as stated is an aspect of one's self. This still doesn't mean that it can't be directly addressed; after all people can and do talk to themselves. The difference with a Persona is that there can be words--or the impression of words--in reply. This provides no great insight or unveiling of hidden universal truths: a Persona only knows what their summoner knows. Furthermore, no one else can hear a Persona but the summoner themself. Additionally, a Persona possesses a vague personality, present only as the way the Persona-user 'feels' their other self. Someone with the Persona True Ares may have the impression of a wild and bloodthirsty force resting within them.
  
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Within the fog of the [[Midnight Channel]], if they are not killed by the roaming Shadows they will eventually come to face their own Shadow. The Shadow gleefully exposes that which they deny and attempt to hide from other people. The Shadow knows everything the person does, and has no restraint in using that knowledge to cause emotional distress and embarrassment. Several things can happen during the confrontation, however. If the person accepts the Shadow, yielding to it immediately, they will survive, but the Shadow will gain control, causing the person to become a Shadow-Possessed (see [[Shadow]]). More commonly, however, the person denies that the Shadow is them. This enrages the Shadow, causing it to grow into an extremely powerful form and attempt to kill the original in a rage. Should the original die, the Shadow is left to roam the Midnight Channel forever, joining the others before them. But should the Shadow be defeated, and the person then acknowledges the shadow as a part of them, then the Shadow begins a symbiotic relationship with the person, becoming a Persona itself. The new Persona-User can then summon up the Persona just as a natural Persona-User would.
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What a Persona can do includes the following. A Persona can attack whomever it is directed to attack by their summoner, using any of the abilities it has access to. Typically they are directed to attack other people, demons or Shadows, but it is possible to direct a Persona to attack another Persona. A Persona may also briefly be used for certain difficult and heroic shortlived feats as an extension of oneself, such as gaining enough strength to pry open a door for a few seconds, or pulling up a falling person into arm's reach momentarily.
  
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===The Experiment===
+
A character, as they develop ties and connections with other characters, develops the ability to summon additional Personas. These are termed generic Personas, and aside from a few that exist for free use as well as the first of the character's own arcana, they develop through social link points (see NEWS SOCIAL-LINKS for details). Accessed and 'equipped' in the Velvet Room by Persona-users, the generic Personas may take the form of physical tarot cards with their images or be directly drawn into the extra space within the character's being, they can later be summoned for use in combat or other situations where their use may be needed. This is the reason why new Personas cannot be equipped while in the middle of combat, the characters must go to the Velvet Room. See NEWS VELVET-ROOM for more information. Shadow-Possessed characters naturally use a slightly different method of accessing their generic Personas, as detailed in NEWS SHADOW-POSSESSED.
  
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Some advanced scientific methodologies can allow someone to temporarily or permanently gain the potential to summon a Persona. However, such methods are inevitably dangerous, and frequently result in the new Persona-User having problems controlling themselves... When they survive the operation at all. They often are forced to take suppressant drugs to keep the Persona from running wild, and those drugs have terrible side effects, including a shortened lifespan. Other, less dangerous methods developed by the NWO allow for repeated injections and other treatments that allows one to gain the Potential to a point where they can then be summoned up by Evoker. This method is much less dangerous, but side effects have not yet been fully examined at this time.
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No one can be forced to use their Persona abilities. Ultimately, what one does with this power is their own responsibility, and no one else's. Therefore, a Persona-user cannot be forcibly coerced into using their Persona against their will, not even by powerful supernatural entities, though trickery is always fair game. Use of one's Persona is always a personal and free-willed choice; though of course, you can be fooled into choosing wrongly. Neither can a Persona be lost by any method but choice, though again they may be mislead, no matter the power of the entity attempting it. The sole exception to this would be the situation of those who have received an experimental Persona (see NEWS PERSONA-GAINING5) and have had their implant removed against their will.
  
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===The Long-Nosed Fortune-Teller And His Masks===
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==Gaining a Persona==
  
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Fortune-Telling is used for many people, often as a method of entertainment, but for many others it used as a method to make important decisions. Sometimes, an life-altering choice is asked of the person seeking the fortune. This is the nature of the Long-Nosed Fortune-Teller.
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The methods and paths towards gaining this power are varied, and are covered in the file NEWS PERSONA-GAINING.
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Those who find this fortune-teller speak of persistent dreams of drawing something out, personal transformation, or becoming something more. Many, though not all, speak of great life crisis.
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Some rumors speak of him at a booth at high school culture festivals, but most meet him in some lonely part of Okina City's endless shopping district where he has a table set up like a street vendor. Upon his table are spread three masks one of a smiling face, another of an angry face, and finally one of a crying face. In a patient, formal voice, he speaks to the customer. Those who ignore him never see him again.
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To those who speak to him, he speaks of knowing their dreams, explaining that a great power could awaken within in them, if they allow it. Donning the masks, he warns that this power will not necessarily bring them fame, fortune, or love and like his masks, it more likely it will make them unhappy than happy, but no matter what, they must always remember that the choice to accept the power was theirs and how they use their power is their responsibility as well.
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Regardless of their decision to accept or deny such a power, the customer usually wakes up somewhere else later, often in their bed, but sometimes on a train or even in class, unsure if what they experienced was a dream or not.
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For those who rejected the power, they continue their lives and the strange dream soon fades from their memory.
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For those who accept the power, they have undeniable proof of their meeting: a Tarot card with of their Arcana and the image of their Persona. When held in their hand and named, their Persona comes forth. This is their power, and their responsibility.
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[[Category: Newsfiles]]
 
[[Category: Newsfiles]]
 
[[Category: IC]]
 
[[Category: IC]]

Revision as of 19:12, 26 June 2012

"I am thou, and thou art I..."

"I am thou, and thou art I..."

In the world of PersonaMUSH, a select few are able to channel a supernatural strength from within themselves. The powers take the form of a figure of myth or legend that has a personal connection to the user. As the self grows in strength and purpose, the Persona truly becomes the armor and the blade by which that person overcomes the hardships of the world. This is the power known as Persona, and those who utilize it are the Persona-Users.

In this file, we will discuss the basics of what a Persona is, as well as some of the mechanics and considerations.

Overview

In Jungian psychology, a persona is a kind of mask or armor, the social face of an individual. People wear many masks in their lives, picking them up and discarding them according to the situation. In truth, these all represent facets of their personality, all of them reflecting a portion of the whole. Jung also posited the idea of the collective unconsciousness, a concept that things are shared on an unconscious level between all of humanity. Certain ideas he termed archetypes have particular weight and are repeated from culture to culture in various forms, including such constructs as the mother goddess, the trickster, or the wise old man.

PersonaMUSH draws from these ideas in the concept of a Persona. A Persona is a reflection of a significant part of one's self rather than any true manifestation of this deity or that historical figure. No one mask can encompass the whole of one's self, but a Persona signifies what has the greatest amount of weight for a particular person. Derived from the collective unconsciousness of humanity, the identity of that Persona is one of countless figures that may resonate with a person's self. It's from the metaphorical donning of one of these masks that a Persona is born, a part of the self given shape and form.

To phrase the above more simply, a character's Persona is a part of them, and it takes on the form of a particular mythological, historical, folklore or literary figure that suits the character's personality.

While it is not considered IC information for the most part, Personas and Shadows are one and the same: a Persona is a controlled Shadow, and a Shadow is an uncontrolled Persona. It's entirely possible for someone to lose control over their Persona and thus risk it eventually reverting into a Shadow, as well as for someone to integrate and accept their Shadow as a part of themselves and gain a Persona. Someone who gains a Persona by facing their Shadow within the Midnight Channel (see NEWS SHADOWS2 and NEWS PERSONA-GAINING4) may in fact notice that there are some general visual similarities between their Shadow and their Persona.

PERSONA SELECTION

A Persona can have its origin in a variety of sources. Mythology, particularly concerning gods, is a common source, but so are literature, folkore, and cultural and historical figures. Whatever source they draw upon, they always have a close tie with the character's personality.

In OOC terms, the only restrictions on a Persona is that first of all, historical figures must have died before 1900; mythological or fictional entities must have been published or popularized before 1900. The sole exception to this rule is the Lovecraft mythos, and these choices will be highly scrutinized since some of the entities are unsuitable as Persona due to their vastly inhuman nature which runs counter to the theme of a Persona. For example, Azathoth is never a good choice for a Persona. Secondly, certain high-powered entities from Shin Megami Tensei and related spin-offs are similarly out of bounds, such as Lucifer, Alice, Satan and Lilith.

Generally, it is suggested that players try not to pick the same Persona as someone else for the sake of their own uniqueness. It is not disallowed, though. Most figures have several names, so if that perfect Persona has already been taken, consider using it under a different name. Check +personamasterlist if you are interested in seeing what Personas have been taken. Some Personas may exist as generics here -- that is, Personas that anyone can freely summon if they meet the requirements (see NEWS SOCIAL-LINKS). If a Persona you are interested in exists as a generic, you will need to prefix 'True' to the name of your Persona or use another name if one exists. For example, if you wanted to have Phaleg as a Persona, your Persona would be named True Phaleg to distinguish it from the generic form.

Usage

After awakening to the power, a character automatically understands perfectly what they must do to bring it forth, though they may not know what they are bringing forth. There is not necessarily part of the process that names the Persona specifically for what it is; it is possible to mistake a Persona for a guardian angel or spirit before one better understands what they are doing. The Velvet Room (See NEWS VELVET-ROOM) will provide a character with the basic information that they need and more, should they find their way to it, though other characters can certainly perform the process of explaining what a Persona is. The summoning itself is straightforward, and depends on what mechanism the character used to gain their power, be it brandishing a tarot card and calling for their Persona to come out or aiming an Evoker to their head and pulling the trigger. Regardless of method, the underlying principle is the same: focusing the mind and bidding their other self emerge into reality. See NEWS PERSONA-GAINING for specific details on summoning methods.

Their appearance furthermore is usually marked by light. An brief blue aura is present around the person in some cases as it emerges, or a bright blue light just beneath their feet. A Persona, when summoned, is typically insubstantial outside attacks or other abilities that require it to be otherwise; they may freely make physical contact with their summoner. A Persona is an extension of the self and does exactly as its summoner intends. Commonly, they may appear and disappear as part of attacking, or they may remain out to offer defense as well; this depends on the situation and the Persona-user. 'Support Persona'-users such as spotters are the ones most likely to have their Personas remain out through an entire battle (see NEWS SUPPORT-PERSONA for details).

When a Persona fails to obey commands and acts on its own, which may entail summoning itself, refusing to be banished, or behaving contrary to its summoner's will, though, is typically an ill omen that suggests the character's control over their Persona is slipping. See NEWS CONTROL for more details on this phenomenon.

A Persona, as stated is an aspect of one's self. This still doesn't mean that it can't be directly addressed; after all people can and do talk to themselves. The difference with a Persona is that there can be words--or the impression of words--in reply. This provides no great insight or unveiling of hidden universal truths: a Persona only knows what their summoner knows. Furthermore, no one else can hear a Persona but the summoner themself. Additionally, a Persona possesses a vague personality, present only as the way the Persona-user 'feels' their other self. Someone with the Persona True Ares may have the impression of a wild and bloodthirsty force resting within them.

What a Persona can do includes the following. A Persona can attack whomever it is directed to attack by their summoner, using any of the abilities it has access to. Typically they are directed to attack other people, demons or Shadows, but it is possible to direct a Persona to attack another Persona. A Persona may also briefly be used for certain difficult and heroic shortlived feats as an extension of oneself, such as gaining enough strength to pry open a door for a few seconds, or pulling up a falling person into arm's reach momentarily.

A character, as they develop ties and connections with other characters, develops the ability to summon additional Personas. These are termed generic Personas, and aside from a few that exist for free use as well as the first of the character's own arcana, they develop through social link points (see NEWS SOCIAL-LINKS for details). Accessed and 'equipped' in the Velvet Room by Persona-users, the generic Personas may take the form of physical tarot cards with their images or be directly drawn into the extra space within the character's being, they can later be summoned for use in combat or other situations where their use may be needed. This is the reason why new Personas cannot be equipped while in the middle of combat, the characters must go to the Velvet Room. See NEWS VELVET-ROOM for more information. Shadow-Possessed characters naturally use a slightly different method of accessing their generic Personas, as detailed in NEWS SHADOW-POSSESSED.

No one can be forced to use their Persona abilities. Ultimately, what one does with this power is their own responsibility, and no one else's. Therefore, a Persona-user cannot be forcibly coerced into using their Persona against their will, not even by powerful supernatural entities, though trickery is always fair game. Use of one's Persona is always a personal and free-willed choice; though of course, you can be fooled into choosing wrongly. Neither can a Persona be lost by any method but choice, though again they may be mislead, no matter the power of the entity attempting it. The sole exception to this would be the situation of those who have received an experimental Persona (see NEWS PERSONA-GAINING5) and have had their implant removed against their will.

Gaining a Persona

The methods and paths towards gaining this power are varied, and are covered in the file NEWS PERSONA-GAINING.

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