Superserum
Initially developed on Earth, the superserum is a medical treatment that greatly enhances the body and mind of the recipients, to the level that the benefits are labeled superpowers. However, only a select amount of people is capable of handling the physical changes. Furthermore, strict psychological criteria are applied to the selection procedure.
In all Starseed missions, the superserum is solely employed by the Science Department, to augment the capabilities of the Battle Spears. Its formula is classified and not shared, neither are the physical and psychological selection criteria. The only thing known for sure, is that some parts of its ingredients and production process are not easily mass-produced. As a result, the number of Battle Spears is low and they only serve the Science Department.
Ymir Impact
Through unknown causes, the superserum has had a greater impact than expected on Ymir. Its effects are far beyond the level reached back on Earth, to the point where a Tier 2 Battle Spear is past the level that a Tier 5 Battle Spear was on Earth. Despite the greater impact, rejection is only slightly above that documented on Earth. It is not yet known whether the superserum will have a different effect on Ymirborn, as no Ymirborn have joined the Battle Spear ranks so far. With Battle Spears mostly being in their 30s when joining the program, it is expected to only be a matter of time before Ymirborn start being selected to join their ranks.Tiers & Abilities
The Battle Spears are ranked in tiers ranging from 1 to 5. These tiers correlate to rough levels of strength, as boosted by the superserum. Not all people can handle the same level of augmentation, and pushing someone too far can have negative effect. As such, the scientists involved only try to raise someone's tier after detailed testing. Due to the increased effect on Ymir, scientists have only dared bring a handful of Battle Spears to Tier 5. While the granted abilities come with permanent boosts, repeated superserum doses are necessary for Battle Spears to stay at the desired level. Higher tiers simply require larger doses, with tiers ranked by how many doses are needed. Nearly all Battle Spears get the same forms of additional abilities, including enhances physique, toxic resistance that has made them immune to Black Lung, and enhanced senses. These make them extremely skilled fighters, and allow them to wield heavy weaponry at the level of small cannons. As a result, a Tier 3 Battle Spear can defeat an Ursa Major in melee combat without risking significant injuries. Additionally, some Battle Spears develop special abilities, a phenomenon which the Science Department has not yet managed to explain. However, each recorded ability has had multiple individuals develop them, meaning they are researchable. These abilities are hardened skin, echolocation, eidetic memory, and temperature manipulation.Known superpowers
Most/All users
- Augmented bone density
- Enhanced physique
- Enhanced senses
- Toxic resistance
- Enhanced breathing
- Increased healing
- Mental resistance
Some users
- Hardened skin
- Echolocation
- Eidetic Memory
- Temperature manipulation
I'm glad to finally learn about this :D It's interesting that they need to keep getting the serum to stay at that level. Do they get any withdrawal problem if they abruptly stop or do they just go back to normal? And then can they just start retaking the serum at the same dose as before to jump back to whatever level they were before? Is the serum difficult o make or require rare/precious ingredients?
If they stop getting doses, they will slowly slide back until eventually hitting like tier 0.5 powerlevel-wise (there's some parts that are permanent buffs, basically). Retaking it will allow them to build back up, but this takes time to safely do. It's definitely difficult to make, and requires rare ingredients. Of course it's not as limited as the Science Department claims, they lie because they want strict control over who gets stronger. In their mind, they can't trust others not to abuse it, they already are very careful themselves. Which is why there's plots to try to get them to part with the serum, or its production process. (And of course this article is written from the limited knowledge from the military and civic government, there's parts to the superserum's effects that they don't know. The biggest part is that you don't actually need a full dose to keep at your level, in truth the full dosage lets you slowly keep progressing.)
Too low they build who build beneath the stars - Edward Young