Mesmer Mind Control

Mesmer is an umbrella term used to describe the technologies and practices involved in inducing a receptive mindstate within Sophont to impress data into their mind.

Mesmer has therapeutic, creative, and nefarious applications. Its fringes of have always been viewed with suspicion, but with time have become normalized as new fringes are established and old applications are normalized.

Mezzing is a Pandora's box that's long been opened, we just don't notice it because we forgot who we were before it.

— A Net-Leech

Process & Methods

Mesmerizing is done in two steps: Tuning and Pressing:

• Tuning is inducing a relaxed, receptive state within the subject
• Pressing is leveraging that receptive state to influence the subject.

There are methods which cover one or both aspects of mezzing, each with unique requirements, limitations, and benefits.

Holistic

No Clade

Likely the earliest form of mezzing, this involves hypnosis and stimulation saturation, usually for the purpose of therapy or propaganda. It is minimally invasive, employing a mixed-media of audiovisual stimuli, but requires extensive and repeated exposure for any level of effectiveness.

Few scholars include holistics into any discussion of mezzing, as these are considered a natural part of sociological process rather features of any unnatural influence. Those who do include it impress the importance of its subtlety, as these methods define politics and social doctrine.

Mezzing is the ritual and technology of manipulation, in all its forms. The first time someone lied was the first mezz. Acting, teaching, society—the social construct of civilization is a phenomena unique to us, and it's all just one big political weave of stories and perceptions difining the bounds of what normalcy looks like.

It's the great mezz, the bedrock of civilization.

— Antor Adai, Sophontist

Pharmaceutical

Orga

Tied with holistics as the earliest form of mezzing, this method involves using drugs to induce mental states. This is highly disruptive, and provides only short-term changes unless the trip is guided, repeated for effect, or utilizes heavy drugs.

This is the most common kind of method. All Banners have some form of normalized drug, such as alcohol, psilocybins, marijuana, etc, and it cannot be understated how many societies have suffered natural and artificial opium epidemics.

Fassuchei/Akjhe

Orga/Meta

The most historically maligned form of mezzing, Fassuchei was developed by the Vadakendanic Procession as a way to fabricate new, obedient Sophontic slaves. It used Auric magic to interpret their emotions through their souls, then recorded them as they did labor, then used therianthropy to tweak their minds until that form of labor made them feel happy.

The Sazashi, Nictipagua, and Manne-Kyn were all created with Fassuchei/Akjhe inbuilt, and the lessons from that form the basis of Orga Tech

Helyk Semiotics

Orga

A Helyk's core is in their creative pursuits, they are so honed with their craft that they can weave intrinsic messages and values into their work that impart on those that observe it. These messages can be both negative and positive.

Grist

Mecha/Meta/Orga

Grist is the full suite of invasive methods. It uses

A switch of a playlist; a total change of heart. I can press play on rage, stop on fear, and fast-forward on critical thinking. You're lost in the vanilla while I'm remixing entire experiences—the awe of spiritual insight merged with sex on a beach, the hitch of a kick of fear overlaid with the nostalgic feeling of campfire stories of your youth...

I could go on, but why should I?

I can't describe it to you. You have to experience it.

— From the lips of a Grister

Auric Inception

Meta

Uses Astral Injection to invade someones unconscious mind to influence them through their dreamstate. The Somnacy, exclusively, has automated this process with the Book of Sommes. This process results in Crucibles.

Highly effective and highly invasive

Not a whole lot is known on this one, despite it being one of the most effective ways of interrogation ever discovered. How can you keep secrets in your dreams? What do you do when someone has more control over your dreams than you do? When they can keep you from waking up?

Navigate

Summary

Other Names

• Brainwashing
• Mezzing

Taxonomy

For more information, read Technology in Ethnis.

Complexity

Pivotal

Clade(s)

Orga, Meta, and/or Mecha, depending on implementation.

Potential

Direct O^4I Endurable

Recurring Topics

It's impossible to discuss mezzing in-depth without revisiting certain well-trod ground.

Fassuchei—Ashiman Procession

Combining Therianthropy and Auric Conditioning, Alephus Ashiman invents Fassuchei (Akjhe) and the Nictipagua in the 9600's CS as a way to control Sazashi.

MKGlory—Liberated Solum

Founded on the research of MKUltra, MKDelta, etc, MKGlory conditioned the first IreHeart soldiers of Liberated Solum as early as 19415 CS (2072 GS).

Grist—Cascadian Union

Anthem—Aempian Empire

Manne-Kyn—NouBordeaux

Mezzbox—Andromeda Syndicate

Controversy