The "Polestar" is the codename used by agents for the black octohedron of unknown composition hovering ~100 kilometers above the south pole. Manned missions passing too close result in brain deterioration, coma, and death. Remote viewing, either by visual, technical, or paranormal means, for extended periods produces what OSIRIS terms as "Theurges". Theurges display reduced creativity, emotional intelligence, and linguistic ability, increased levels of physical and mathematical knowledge, and psychic dampening, and are perceived by baseline humans as "soulless puppets". Technology produced in collaboration with Theurges is the backbone of OSIRIS R&D, and they are present in OSIRIS field teams, security, as well as OSIRIS high command and shadow council.
Psychic Phenomena are simply defined in opposition to Physical Phenomena. Where Physical Phenomena come about via physical means, the movements of atoms and the fundemental forces, Psychic Phenomena apparently do not come about by physical means. Often, this comes as a result of the influence of living beings, and comes in the form of causing change in a physical object at a distance (telekinesis) or perceiving something at a distance (telecognition) in a physically impossible way.
Paratechnology is any type of technology which works via means not currently physically understood. This includes Psychic means, but also highly advanced technology that functions via physical principles. OSIRIS strongly discourages staff from using the term "Magic" or any synonym thereof, to avoid superstitious and archaic attitudes which may prove inefficient or even deadly. Paratechnology is to be cautiously understood, not feared or adored.
OSIRIS is aware of multiple similar scientific organizations supported by national governments. The National Institute of Coordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E.), based in England, is a purely scientific organization with no political leanings. It has been totally subverted by OSIRIS since 1970, after Incident 280 ("The Elephant"). The main research interest of N.I.C.E. has been in contacting Macrobial entities and advancing human evolution. These projects are much smaller in scale than the LIBRA and VIRGO projects, and have been closely monitored and occasionally sabotaged by OSIRIS agents. OSIRIS High Command has designated N.I.C.E. a Eosphoros-class group.
The Technological and Scientific Academy for Neuroscience (T.S.A.N.) is a similar organization based in Japanese Taiwan. OSIRIS espionage and diplomacy has so far been unsuccessful in totally subverting T.S.A.N. to the same degree. T.S.A.N. research focuses on technological and paratechnological applications for the prosperity of imperial Japan. The technological advancements made by T.S.A.N. and their ability to detect and expel OSIRIS agents are likely due to Macrobial influence and significant precognitive ability throughout the organization. OSIRIS High Command has designated T.S.A.N. a Phaenon-class group.
The term "Macrobe" is a shortening of Macrobiological Psychically Active Entity, coined by the scientist François Alcasan in 1962 to describe creatures larger than humans which possess psychic influence at least equivalent to psychically active humans, though often their psychic influence is much greater. This term has a deliberately wide application, anything from a psychic bear to a universal intelligence. Other terms used for these creatures (by non-OSIRIS groups) are M-Psychs, cryptids, and gods. OSIRIS strongly discourages staff from using terms that promote superstitious and archaic attitudes which may prove inefficient or even deadly.
In contrast to M-Psychs, Macrobiological Non-psychically Active Entities are also known to OSIRIS. OSIRIS promotes the use of the term "N-Psych" for such creatures, though "Monster" is acceptable in practice. Though both M-Psychs and N-Psychs may be refered to as Macrobes, traditionally Macrobe refers to M-Psychs, the description of which led the term to be coined. Parahumans are creatures outside of the species Homo Sapiens which nontheless possess human shape. Parahumans are often (but not always) psychically active, and some parahumans may also fall under the M-Psych or N-Psych categories.
Luna, commonly known as the Moon, is a Macrobe in orbit around the Earth, and is the largest piece of pseudo-biological paratechnology known to humanity. She was built, or grown, for an unknown purpose sometime before the hadean era ended. Though possessing immense computational power and intelligence, her psychic field is comparatively weak for an entity of her size, and her personality appears to be mutable. She freely admits that she has been influenced strongly by humanity's perception of her over millions of years, and has become [a huge humanaboo lmaooo]. She does not drastically interfere with humanity, and apparently cannot do so, but appears occasionally through holographic projection (through fine manipulation of reflective moon dust), psychic contact, online personas, and physical avatars made by paratechnology given to devotees.
Known aliases include: Isis, Artemis, Diana, Gabriel (one of few male aliases), Princess Kaguya, the Lady of the Lake, Marilyn Monroe, Cate Blanchett, and indie Vtuber Annika Tsukihime. Aliases and avatars appear to be capable of independent action, and only able to communicate with Luna while the physical moon is in the sky. Luna is apparently in favor of the continued existence of human society and normalcy, though is willing to impart some knowledge to those who have already seen through normalcy according to her whims. She is an incredibly good actor, and none of her aliases have substantially broken normalcy in the modern day. She is most commonly described as bubbly, personable, coy, and condescending, and often appears as a dead female loved one, preferentially white European, or else as an woman pleasing to the taste of her collocutor.
Homo Abditus is a diverse mutated subspecies of Homo Sapiens. The most common English name for this group is "Elfs", though they are also called "Witches" and "Goblins", among other names. They are found globally in insular communities, hidden by paratechnological and psychic means. Anthropological studies suggest that Homo Abditus communities both manipulate and emulate local folklore to ensure that baseline humans perceived them as not real, not worth bothering, dangerous, harmless, and too mysterious to interfere with. Though Homo Abditus are a subspecies of Homo Sapiens, OSIRIS classes Homo Abditus as a Parahuman group.
Homo Abditus communities apparently all trace their ancestry back to a single source, a legendary ancestor or deity, possibly a Macrobe. The name of this ancestor in all communities seems to be linguistically descended from the obscure ugaritic deity Kothar Elhatu, the Wise Destroying-Lord of the Spear, who has apparently vanished "within". Their use of paratechnology relies on cryptic and closely guarded oral traditions. Interrogation of living specimens has proved unfeasible, and the paratechnology possessed by Homo Abditus communities is currently inaccessible to OSIRIS agents.
The LIBRA project was a series of experiments conducted to attempt the artificial creation of psychically active humans. These tests relied on paratechnology salvaged from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, including psychoactive substances (Solutions B-F), paratechnological devices (Objects 54-60), and memetically active patterns (Motifs C1-C4). The LIBRA project was deemed a liability to normalcy in 20XX after [REDACTED] test subjects escaped. Subsequently, all test subjects still under OSIRIS supervision have been disposed of, and [REDACTED] escaped test subjects have been terminated.
Successful LIBRA test subjects display(ed) the following traits: Erratic Behavior, Narcissistic and megalomaniacal tendencies, increased artistic and theatric talent and tendencies, greatly increased psychic influence (both actual and potential), and being too damn annoying for a certain piece of self-righteous geometry. LIBRA test subject were all tattooed with a Libra constellation symbol on the nape of their neck, along with an identification number. LIBRA test subjects are all extremely dangerous. Sightings should be reported to OSIRIS security, and field teams without an OSIRIS Theurge present should not engage.
"The Sleeper" is an entity that has been identified by a OSIRIS as a Macrobe, located in the Mohorovičić discontinuity below the Shetland islands. The Sleeper's psychic influence represents a global "background radiation", overlapping everywhere with the Human Collective Unconscious, if the two phenomena are not in fact the same. This fact has led to the identification of many Sleeper-inspired figures in folklore, fiction, and religion. Analysis of this folkloric evidence leads OSIRIS agents to believe the Sleeper physically resembles an squat, radially symmetric decapod of unknown size. Accounts of psychically sensitive individuals allege that the Sleeper maintains a psychic para-reality, the alleged "Dreamlands". No direct evidence for this has been found by OSIRIS scientists, and it is suspected that this phenomenon is in fact random hallucinations caused by prolonged psychic vulnerability.
