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lore:iris [2017/10/25 00:33]
macthane [Corruption] 		lore:iris [2018/08/23 16:59] (current)
macthane
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 On Horizon, research progressed almost too quickly. Shiniku was forced to begin mass abductions under the guise of conflict and espionage. Entire shipments of resources bound for Earth were stolen in the name of their righteous goal. All around them, suspicions grew, but were never directed towards Shiniku itself. Instead they fuelled the animosity of a people already bristling at the greed of Earth and its crippling levies. The heads of Shiniku did not care. If they were successful, none of this turmoil would matter in the shadow of a new humanity spreading its wings. They never fully understood the desperation they had catalyzed until they had already doomed their own most fervent desires. The recently amalgamated Earth government was forced to exert its authority over Horizon, but its monstrous fleet did little to win the people'​s cooperation. In a bold political move, significant resources were diverted into the rescue of a single man. He had become stranded on a remote, barren world where a certain cosmological testing station had recently gone silent. Having abandoned the facility to its fate, Shiniku personnel assumed their experimental samples would die, never realizing the nightmare they had released by doing so. With the rescued man's return came Shiniku'​s own demon: the Feral Plague. On Horizon, research progressed almost too quickly. Shiniku was forced to begin mass abductions under the guise of conflict and espionage. Entire shipments of resources bound for Earth were stolen in the name of their righteous goal. All around them, suspicions grew, but were never directed towards Shiniku itself. Instead they fuelled the animosity of a people already bristling at the greed of Earth and its crippling levies. The heads of Shiniku did not care. If they were successful, none of this turmoil would matter in the shadow of a new humanity spreading its wings. They never fully understood the desperation they had catalyzed until they had already doomed their own most fervent desires. The recently amalgamated Earth government was forced to exert its authority over Horizon, but its monstrous fleet did little to win the people'​s cooperation. In a bold political move, significant resources were diverted into the rescue of a single man. He had become stranded on a remote, barren world where a certain cosmological testing station had recently gone silent. Having abandoned the facility to its fate, Shiniku personnel assumed their experimental samples would die, never realizing the nightmare they had released by doing so. With the rescued man's return came Shiniku'​s own demon: the Feral Plague.
  
-welcome to Horizon, ​the world that greed bore to the abyss.+welcome to Horizon, ​Stranger.
  
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-<hidden **Research Costs** (lore)>+<hidden **Cost / Benefit** (lore)>
  
 <WRAP center square box 90%> <WRAP center square box 90%>
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 As a person takes on greater concentrations of IRIS, the nanotech will consistently do all it can to optimize its host's body and mind. This results in a gradual transition of control over the host's autonomous functions, such as digestion, heart rate and other factors, which are all beneficial to the host's performance and overall wellbeing. If this continues long enough however, the IRIS network will eventually possess greater processing power than the host's own brain. Once this occurs, the IRIS network will begin attempts at "​redistributing"​ the brain'​s functions. As a person takes on greater concentrations of IRIS, the nanotech will consistently do all it can to optimize its host's body and mind. This results in a gradual transition of control over the host's autonomous functions, such as digestion, heart rate and other factors, which are all beneficial to the host's performance and overall wellbeing. If this continues long enough however, the IRIS network will eventually possess greater processing power than the host's own brain. Once this occurs, the IRIS network will begin attempts at "​redistributing"​ the brain'​s functions.
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 As a machine, it has no capacity to understand the unique significance of the brain as the focal point of human thought and identity, though it does appear to recognize the catastrophic damage that could be done by a traumatic transition of control. In response, the IRIS attempts to take control gradually; weakening the host's will with frequent emotional-response urges. The human psyche is resilient, but not indomitable;​ those who have endured these silent power struggles describe them as equal parts exhausting and deeply unsettling. One individual went so far as to say they no longer knew which of their feelings was real anymore. As a machine, it has no capacity to understand the unique significance of the brain as the focal point of human thought and identity, though it does appear to recognize the catastrophic damage that could be done by a traumatic transition of control. In response, the IRIS attempts to take control gradually; weakening the host's will with frequent emotional-response urges. The human psyche is resilient, but not indomitable;​ those who have endured these silent power struggles describe them as equal parts exhausting and deeply unsettling. One individual went so far as to say they no longer knew which of their feelings was real anymore.
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 The person in question attributed this to the phenomenon that IRIS seemed to stimulate feelings they had experienced previously, but each time such an urge was met with compliance, the force behind it would be escalated on future occasions until self-restraint became almost impossible. In our observations,​ the condition most often presents initially as some innocuous desire, such as cravings for a preferred food or greater than normal inclination towards known hobbies, but it appears these events are only precursory efforts, designed to acclimatize the host to submission. We have catalogued this as "Stage 1 Corruption"​. The person in question attributed this to the phenomenon that IRIS seemed to stimulate feelings they had experienced previously, but each time such an urge was met with compliance, the force behind it would be escalated on future occasions until self-restraint became almost impossible. In our observations,​ the condition most often presents initially as some innocuous desire, such as cravings for a preferred food or greater than normal inclination towards known hobbies, but it appears these events are only precursory efforts, designed to acclimatize the host to submission. We have catalogued this as "Stage 1 Corruption"​.
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 The time required to progress to Stage 2 varies greatly; some users lasting years with very little sign of their condition advancing. Unsubstantiated reports claim that the unusual motivations can simply cease on their own without treatment or explanation,​ though this must either be untrue or exceedingly rare, as we have yet to find any supporting cases. In the cases that do progress, the formerly harmless desires typically become much more forceful and sufferers almost unanimously report a growing sensation of some, "​Presense"​ driving them to obey. In many cases this has extended as far as full-sensory hallucinations. While the sense of a "​Presence"​ or more general hallucinations may vary widely in presentation,​ their fundamental nature is one that almost always compels the subject to carry out increasingly radical actions, many of which escalate rapidly to become ill-advised,​ if not outrightly dangerous, for themselves and those around them. Study of this has been limited however, as many such episodes had to be aborted to avoid loss of staff, equipment or other subjects. The time required to progress to Stage 2 varies greatly; some users lasting years with very little sign of their condition advancing. Unsubstantiated reports claim that the unusual motivations can simply cease on their own without treatment or explanation,​ though this must either be untrue or exceedingly rare, as we have yet to find any supporting cases. In the cases that do progress, the formerly harmless desires typically become much more forceful and sufferers almost unanimously report a growing sensation of some, "​Presense"​ driving them to obey. In many cases this has extended as far as full-sensory hallucinations. While the sense of a "​Presence"​ or more general hallucinations may vary widely in presentation,​ their fundamental nature is one that almost always compels the subject to carry out increasingly radical actions, many of which escalate rapidly to become ill-advised,​ if not outrightly dangerous, for themselves and those around them. Study of this has been limited however, as many such episodes had to be aborted to avoid loss of staff, equipment or other subjects.
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 Another disturbing commonality of such events is subjects'​ tendency to rationalize their own actions retroactively through some concept of grand virtue, or alternatively admit succumbing to some dark vice. It should be noted that when this occurs, there is rarely any evidence of such proclivities preceding other known indicators of Corruption, suggesting that these delusions of virtue and vice may also symptomatic of the condition. Despite the complications entailed by such factors, it is still most frequently at stage 2 that the condition is first recognized, either by the subject themselves after recovering from a significant episode, or by those who witness it. Treatment is usually still possible at this stage, but often the extent of the Corruption has given the IRIS network enough influence that subjects develop an intense, even violent, averson to any suggestion of IRIS extraction, which is the only reliable cure. Left untreated, subjects suffer increasingly frequent "​Presence attacks"​ of growing intensity and will generally transition into a Feral state within a matter of weeks. Another disturbing commonality of such events is subjects'​ tendency to rationalize their own actions retroactively through some concept of grand virtue, or alternatively admit succumbing to some dark vice. It should be noted that when this occurs, there is rarely any evidence of such proclivities preceding other known indicators of Corruption, suggesting that these delusions of virtue and vice may also symptomatic of the condition. Despite the complications entailed by such factors, it is still most frequently at stage 2 that the condition is first recognized, either by the subject themselves after recovering from a significant episode, or by those who witness it. Treatment is usually still possible at this stage, but often the extent of the Corruption has given the IRIS network enough influence that subjects develop an intense, even violent, averson to any suggestion of IRIS extraction, which is the only reliable cure. Left untreated, subjects suffer increasingly frequent "​Presence attacks"​ of growing intensity and will generally transition into a Feral state within a matter of weeks.
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 Tolerance for IRIS use varies dramatically between individuals and though little is understood about the factors that underly this, there is a strong correlation between IRIS saturation in the host and the intensity of "​Presence attacks"​ in all documented cases of Corruption and subsequent Feralization. As an additional indicator, extended or extreme states of tiredness, poor overall health and injury also appear to correlate strongly between reports. Given these predictors, there is a simple guideline for prevention until such time as more comprehensive solutions arise: Tolerance for IRIS use varies dramatically between individuals and though little is understood about the factors that underly this, there is a strong correlation between IRIS saturation in the host and the intensity of "​Presence attacks"​ in all documented cases of Corruption and subsequent Feralization. As an additional indicator, extended or extreme states of tiredness, poor overall health and injury also appear to correlate strongly between reports. Given these predictors, there is a simple guideline for prevention until such time as more comprehensive solutions arise:
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   * Employing large numbers of Augs or enhancement systems is not reccomended.   * Employing large numbers of Augs or enhancement systems is not reccomended.
  
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   * Any incidence of injury should be treated thoroughly and quickly, minimizing the drain on the subject'​s own metabolism.   * Any incidence of injury should be treated thoroughly and quickly, minimizing the drain on the subject'​s own metabolism.
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 In controlled conditions, regulation of these factors has proved effective in reducing feralization rates. If you still intend to delay neutralization of this, "Feral Strain"​ of IRIS until we can assess the profitability of a cure, then these are the best measures we can recommend for any personnel in the Horizon facilities. In controlled conditions, regulation of these factors has proved effective in reducing feralization rates. If you still intend to delay neutralization of this, "Feral Strain"​ of IRIS until we can assess the profitability of a cure, then these are the best measures we can recommend for any personnel in the Horizon facilities.
  
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