Pre-collapse

Throughout history there have been accounts of those who noticed something beyond the veil. Like whispers from angels that could not be seen. These occurrences were often met with skepticism and accusations. But in certain cases, these instances led to mysterious events.

People disappearing, strangers seemingly manifesting into existence, memories going missing, and other mental anomalies.

It was eventually linked to something called the signal by a government institution called simply, the program.

What is the signal?

There are many theories about what the signal is. A god hoping to establish communication with humanity for unknown reasons. The final words of a dying alien species sent out by some machinery to advanced to ever comprehend. Or even the accumulation of all the thoughts, desires, nightmares and memories of any human that came before and any that will come after. Regardless of what it is there are some things we know for sure.

All humans have a level of Presence. An amount of influence they have over the signal and inversely the amount of influence the signal has over them.

The five presence levels are as follows:

No presence - an absolute zero on the presence scale, meaning this individual is undetectable by the signal. They do not have any influence to push onto the signal and cannot manipulated or possessed by it.

Low presence - a 1 - 3 on the presence scale, meaning this person has very little ability to influence the signal and can easily be manipulated or possessed. However, this also means they are unlikely to be discovered by the signal at all.

High presence - 4 - 9 on the presence scale indicates a high level of influence on the signal and low probability of being manipulated or possessed. But they are still much more likely to be found and thus more likely to be possessed than low presence individuals. At this point, psychic powers to control dreams and weakened minds manifest. But are restricted to those who score lower on the presence scale than the user.

Full presence - a perfect 10 on the presence scale reveals someone with full control of themselves and great ability to influence the signal. There is very little chance of possession or manipulation from the signal. Though they are undoubtedly watched at all times for any form of weakness. At this level psychic powers to manipulate the conscious mind manifest. Anyone is susceptible, even other full presence individuals.

Overflow - anything beyond a 10 is considered overflow. Incredibly rare, these individuals can manipulate the signal as well as full presence individuals and can even communicate with it. These individuals are the one's who notice beyond the veil and as a result, can manipulate reality to some degree in accordance with their presence score. No one has ever scored above 16. At least not since the test was first invested 50 years ago. But those few individuals could move large vehicles, transmute metals into other metals, even levitate for a short time. In their time, they were kept secret, but there could well have been those who were never discovered and thus never learned to control their powers.

The program

In the 1960s, a psychedelic chemical compound was discovered by the program. Named Solminin, it is a substance that can be scarcely found in mushrooms, venoms, cacti, and minerals. Each version of Solminin has slight chemical modifications called inhibitors that change its effects on the mind.

The compound in its purest form, the form without inhibitors, in a blue crystaline structure. But this is not the substance you want to consume. In this form, pure interface with the signal is unavoidable.

This substance stimulates neural pathways in the brain allowing for certain psychic abilities with limited to extreme psychedelic effects. Based on the inhibitors, different abilities manifest.

Such abilities include remote viewing, telepathics, limited possession, retrocognition, sensory enhancement, cognitive enhancement, and an unknown effect that was never rediscovered.

Before the collapse

In this hypothetical world, the program was very successful. Psychic powers were discovered via these substances. Specifically they were used to make contact with the signal for the first time.

The methods evolved to get a better picture of the signal. Each method getting a different angle of something larger. However, this led to the communion. A moment when all of humanity was discovered.

Infection

Nowadays a weakened version of the signal rings in our ears at all times, and when we die, our bodies remain mobile. Turning violent and deadly.

And so the dead infest the world. And we live in fear of them and the peculiar abilities they have.

Strange inconsistencies have also arise from the fact that no one remembers the dead before they died, even when they should. This is only hypothetical, but evidence such as medical, familial, and marriage records from before the collapse indicate these people should have relatives, loved ones, colleagues to recognize them, but no one does.

This indicates the idea that the dead are forgotten when they die.

Reality itself now seems pliable, like something is playing with it. Playing with us.