View source for The Rules of a Responsive Reality

__FORCETOC__
== A RESPONSIVE REALITY ==

This wiki is a work in progress. I'll add to it as time, will, and whim permit. Maybe someday I'll even come back and edit this stuff! As soon as I finish the next Manifest Delusion novel, that YA fantasy novel I have half-finished, and that crazy non-genre novel (imagine, not writing SF/F!) out of my system. Maybe.

I hesitate to give too much away. In part because I believe a large part of the enjoyment of a fantasy novel like this is to be found in the discovery of a new world. If I spell everything out for you, the reader, there will be nothing left for you to discover. And frankly, in many cases, I'd rather you figure this stuff out for yourself. Maybe your interpretation will be different than mine. Maybe even cooler! That's fine; just 'cuz I wrote the thing doesn't mean I'm right! Also, I want to save things for later books. I'm almost finished the first draft of the next Manifest Delusion novel, [[The All Consuming]], and there is more shared in there than appears either here, or in [[Beyond Redemption]]. [[Aufschlag Hoher]] isn't the only scientist and he certainly isn't the brightest. Wait. What the hells does ''that'' mean? Well, I delve a little more into the physics of a responsive reality in the next book.

Any discussion of reality, real or imagined (the reality, not the discussion), must start with definitions. If we don't define our terms, we can never know if we are discussing the same subject. There are two definitions I feel are important here:


=== Geisteskranken ===
This is the single most important word we need to understand. In simplest terms a Geisteskranken is someone who believes something so strongly they are capable of altering reality. Simply wishing something were true is not enough to effect change, a person has to know something is true, believe it to the very core of their soul, to alter reality. Wanting to believe you are the best guitar player in the world--or thinking that you might be--will not suffice. You must live your life as if that belief defines you (and it must), knowing deep in your heart that you either are--or are destined to become--the greatest. Even then, faking it will achieve nothing. One must lose their mind, embrace insanity and believe the impossible, to make lasting changes. In short, Geisteskranken are delusional. Bat-shit crazy. They are insane enough to believe impossibilities so completely reality bends to their will.

For more information check out [[Types of Geisteskranken]].

All of this kind of makes it look like the mentally ill can all easily be classified and slotted into neat little groups. Reality, even a twisted and delusion-driven one, is never quite so simple. Most Geisteskranken suffer a host of minor delusions above and beyond the one or two (or, occasionally three for the truly deranged) that define them. These secondary and tertiary delusions generally remain undefined as their effects on reality are negligible. Or at least incapable of harming others.

[[Gehirn Schlechtes]], the powerful Hassebrand in [[Beyond Redemption]], is a perfect example. She is primarily a pyromaniac. She does, however, suffer at least one secondary delusions: Her self image is desperately warped. Gehirn believes (knows, in fact) that she is overweight and this delusion keeps her overweight. No matter how little she eats, as long as she knows that she is fat, she will remain so. Even the paleo diet won't help her! Arguably, her belief that someone is trying to poison/assassinate her is another secondary delusion.

=== The Sane ===
Odd, perhaps, that I need to define this, but there you go. The vast majority of the populace is completely sane and unable to alter reality. At least on their own. Bring a crowd together and convince them of something (through advertising, religion, politics, economics, or any other popular mass delusion) and they become--as a group--capable of defining their reality. The sane are not powerless, far from it. In fact, the sane define most of this reality. Almost anywhere you go things fall down, night follows day, politics is real and important, and there's somewhere to go after you die. Almost.
The sane are even capable of countering, or even nullifying, the beliefs of the deranged. More on this later.

== FACTORS DEFINING AND LIMITING THE ABILITIES OF GEISTESKRANKEN ==

This insane and responsive reality is nonetheless defined by rules. Geisteskranken, while capable of altering and to some degree defining local reality, are not gods. There are limits to what they can achieve. Of course, if enough people start worshipping them before their minds completely decay, they might Ascend to become gods. How lovely is that thought? Who demands worship? Sociopaths! And thus most of your favourite deities are Ascended self-centred arseholes.
The factors below are not quite as simple as they seem. They're interrelated, each touching upon the others. More on that to come...

===Attention===
Even Geisteskranken sometimes think about things other than their delusions. When the attention of the delusional is focussed, they are more able to effect changes to reality. When they are distracted, thinking about sandwiches or sex or both, their delusions fade somewhat in power. As a result, it is hardest to ignore a Gefahrgeist (sociopath) when you are the sole focus of their attention. Later, when alone, you might find yourself thinking, why did I ever think that dick was my friend?
It should be noted that as a Geisteskranken loses their grip on reality they become more able to neurotically focus and thus grow in power.

===Strength of Belief===
Not every one believes things to the same degree; this is true too for the delusional. Any doubt in one's delusions weakens them; cause a Geisteskranken to doubt themselves and/or their power reduces that power. Self-doubt (that not caused by outside forces, but by one's own delusions/self-hatred/insecurities) also weakens Geisteskranken. One person might be quite sure there is a god while another knows there is. Even among the delusional (Geisteskranken) how delusions manifest differs from person to person. No two are quite the same. Some Gefahrgeist (sociopaths) simply want to be popular and at the centre of every social circle, while others crave worship or power and either join the city-watch or enter politics or join a priesthood. It's important to note that the crazier someone is (the more strongly they believe the impossible) the stronger they become.

===Distance===
The further one gets from a Geisteskranken, the less their delusions will effect you. Most delusional are only capable of altering a relatively small slice of local reality. If you are hundreds of miles from a Hassebrand they will be unable to incinerate you...unless they have a very specific delusion about you bursting into flames. Even then, they are limited to a fairly localized reality. There are rare exceptions when a Geisteskranken's delusions are related to something distant. For example, some Mirrorists believe mirrors are simply gateways to either other mirrors or even worlds. In this case it is entirely possible the Mirrorist will step into one mirror and out of another, several hundred miles distant. As a Geisteskranken mind falls apart and they grow in power, their range also increases. 

===Proximity===
Proximity to the majority sane is a major limiting factors to the abilities of Geisteskranken. A Gefahrgeist surrounded by a large population of people who think he's just another self-centred arsehole might well be rendered near powerless to conscript followers on any scale beyond one-on-one. Conversely, a Geisteskranken surrounded by a large crowd (sane or otherwise) who believe in this person's ability to alter reality is more powerful than when alone. A Hassebrand will be more powerful in an environment where everyone knows she is a powerful Hassebrand and less powerful where the population has no knowledge of them.

===Countering Beliefs===
Proximity to competing/countering beliefs can also limit a Geisteskranken's power. Two Intermetics suffering delusions regarding the same person might well cancel each other out. This also has large scale effects on religion. Wipe out all of a god's followers, and that god will die off, forgotten and unworshipped.

===The Pinnacle===
The ultimate leveller of the playing field. Embracing one's delusions comes with a price. Sure, holding your emotional scars tight to your heart, constantly picking at your mental wounds, might cause the Geisteskranken to grow in power, but embracing insanity is not healthy. As a Geisteskranken loses their grip on reality they become stronger, more able to utterly believe all manner of insane shite. As their sanity crumbles apart the range and strength of their delusions increases. Eventually, however, those delusions come to completely define that Geisteskranken's reality. They take over. That moment, that teetering instant when delusion crushes sanity, is [[The Pinnacle]] and, for a brief instant, the Geisteskranken might become so powerful as to challenge the gods. Unfortunately, for them, they are no longer sane enough to do anything with that power. What happens after depends on the delusions in question. A Mirrorist might be dragged into the mirror by his reflections. The Doppelgangist might be replaced by a Doppel. The Hassebrand might incinerate themselves in an orgy of flame.

== HOW GEISTESKRANKEN COME TO BE ==

There are four means by which one can become a Geisteskranken (delusional):

===Genetics===
Some people are just born broken. Their minds work differently. They see colours we don't see, hear things we don't here, and believe things we don't believe. This may be the result of a malformed brain, genetics, or a haywire endocrine/hormonal system.

===Mental/Emotional Trauma===
For most people, witnessing something truly horrific results in one of two things happening: Either they just shut down and refuse to deal with reality, or they find some way to forget, to shield themselves from what they have seen and move on. Sometimes, however, witnessing a horrific or traumatic event will break a person's mind. In most cases the trauma suffered defines what kind of Geisteskranken the person will become, but not always. People's reactions to mind-shattering stimuli is remarkably difficult to predict.

===Physical Trauma===
Sometimes a serious blow to the skull (and the resulting brain damage) is all that is required to create a new Geisteskranken. How their delusions will manifest can be difficult to predict as they were previously sane people. That said, memory loss and personality changes are common. Even the stranger delusions, however, can manifest out of physical trauma. Cotardism has resulted from blows to the head.

===Narcotics and Alcohol Abuse===
Obviously this is the most fun way to lose one's mind. Years of narcotics or alcohol abuse can have effects beyond those typically seen. Eat enough of the right mushrooms and you may never be the same again.