The Aurora Aura

Excerpt from

Aurorae Effect Overview” [the Journal of Augmentation Research]

… Human Augments receive their abilities by interacting with an Aurorae Effect. More commonly referred to as Aurora Portals, these shimmering curtains of energy appear at seemingly random intervals and random locations. The portals are not transparent and can be avoided or walked around like any obstacle. Nothing prevents passage from either direction. Objects propelled through the interface are not affected. Animals do not seem to be aware of the portal interface, ignoring them or passing through them with no discernible effect. Only human beings have received Augmentation.

In over 90% of cases a measurable amount of time in excess of that expected for the transition will occur. No pattern to the time interval effect has been determined at this point, but there is always some variation. There is no compulsion to enter a portal and in over 95% of cases an individual passing the threshold experiences no change. Very rare cases have been documented where an individual crossing the threshold does not emerge from the portal at all.

Aurora Portals

All Aurora Portals manifest as translucent, shimmering curtains of multiple colors and/or shades of one color. Some also exhibit additional physical characteristics such as specific sounds or scents. Several consistent variations have been identified and categorized based on these characteristics. Examples of the more popular North American names associated with the Aurora Portals and their characteristics are listed below. A complete list of the currently catalogued Aurorae Effects may be found in Appendix 2. Other culture-appropriate names are common and known correspondences may be found in Appendix 3.

Popular NameVisual ElementsOther Elements
AphroditeRed, gold, light blue, pinkCulture-appropriate instrumental music
KitsuneOrange, white, black, greyLight wind circling the aurora
DiamondWhite, blueSparkling motes flash in random patterns
MaasaiGreen, blue, brown, yellowIntermittent chanting, increased humidity
TricksterGreen, brown, red, purpleColors appear as irregular splotches

 

Written by D. D. Wolf

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I'm on my 5th or 6th career depending on how you count them, but ideally this one will be my last with the kind help of our readers. I've traveled to several states across the U.S., but the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina will always be where I'm most comfortable. I've been an avid reader of comics for more years than I'm going to mention, but I return time after time to the old pulps. Obviously the Doc Savage books have been a tremendous influence. There's just something about seeing and hearing those characters in your mind's eye, just the way YOU, as the reader, think they should be.. I've been writing poems, lyrics and stories of varying quality since I was in my teens, which means most of my archives are on paper in three-ring binders! I've been creating characters in various RPG systems for at least that long. I've always thought characters made the story: good characters can live on through story after story. It wasn't until the last 6 or 7 years that I felt I could write characters well enough to be engaging. You'll have to let me know how I'm doing.

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