Ability Changes: Supernatural abilities all take the form of "Persona", an aspect of the character's personality that takes the form of a mythological character or creature, typically unique or close to unique for every person. Magical and physical feats can be performed through Personas by invoking them, much like casting a magic spell - it involves a symbolic action and a focusing of willpower. Ability Limitations: Moderate to absolute. Active powers do not exist at all in the mundane world, and within the world of Shadows (The Dark Hour, the TV World, or the wilderness of the Collective Unconscious depending on time and place) abilities are limited to ones that are useful in personal combat or on similar small scales. Only the most godly-powerful of natives can break these rules, usually by trying to blend the world of Shadows and the mundane world. Form Restrictions: Humans only, for the most part. Certain subtle creatures, like intelligent but mute animals or robots who can pass for human, can exist normally in the mundane world. The world of Shadows is generally not as restricted due to its nature. Social Restrictions: Standard 21st-century Earth. Keep in mind that the supernatural is unknown in the mundane world except to conspiracies of questionable ethics. Notes: Warning: Jung was right. Warning: I am thou and thou art I. Warning: Mystery Food X. Additional Information: http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei:_Persona_3 http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei:_Persona_4
A few general notes about the nature of the world:
As implied above, the world is a 'normal', natural 21st-century Earth for the most part. However, there exists alongside it a kind of dimension of the mind, generally accepted by the few people who know about it to be the Collective Unconscious of humanity given physical form. It takes different forms and characteristics due to the subconscious wishes and active meddling of humans and self-proclaimed gods, but at the time-spaces of the active portals, it takes one of three forms:
1) An extra hour between 12:00 and 12:01 am every day, called the Dark Hour, from about 1999 to 2010 CE, limited to the Tatsumi Port Island area of Japan. 2) An alternate space accessible through television screens from at least 2011 to 2012 CE, probably limited to the Yasoinaba area of Japan. 3) An idyllic pastoral setting also accessible through TV sets. Time and space extent is unknown, though this state only appears after March 20, 2012 CE.
These three areas have a few things in common. They are normally only physically accessible by humans with supernatural powers (Persona users) or people who end up crossing over by accident. They are the only place that supernatural powers or physics-ignoring science normally work. The first two are also home to Shadows, dangerous but usually mindless expressions of humanity's dark side that will attack and kill Persona-users on sight, and frequently anyone else who stumbles in as well. A character with unresolved psychological issues or regrets who doesn't already have a Persona may also manifest a personal Shadow, at least in the TV World, which is usually hostile if denied or ignored for long enough. Even the environment of the first two is hazardous to health and well-being, although Persona-users can ignore or delay many of the effects.
Further information on the relationship between Personas, Shadows, Gods, Intrauniversal World Blending, and the Collective Unconscious has been sealed by [redacted].
Earth P3/P4
Persona 3 and Persona 4
Ability Changes: Supernatural abilities all take the form of "Persona", an aspect of the character's personality that takes the form of a mythological character or creature, typically unique or close to unique for every person. Magical and physical feats can be performed through Personas by invoking them, much like casting a magic spell - it involves a symbolic action and a focusing of willpower.
Ability Limitations: Moderate to absolute. Active powers do not exist at all in the mundane world, and within the world of Shadows (The Dark Hour, the TV World, or the wilderness of the Collective Unconscious depending on time and place) abilities are limited to ones that are useful in personal combat or on similar small scales. Only the most godly-powerful of natives can break these rules, usually by trying to blend the world of Shadows and the mundane world.
Form Restrictions: Humans only, for the most part. Certain subtle creatures, like intelligent but mute animals or robots who can pass for human, can exist normally in the mundane world. The world of Shadows is generally not as restricted due to its nature.
Social Restrictions: Standard 21st-century Earth. Keep in mind that the supernatural is unknown in the mundane world except to conspiracies of questionable ethics.
Notes: Warning: Jung was right. Warning: I am thou and thou art I. Warning: Mystery Food X.
Additional Information: http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei:_Persona_3
http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei:_Persona_4
A few general notes about the nature of the world:
As implied above, the world is a 'normal', natural 21st-century Earth for the most part. However, there exists alongside it a kind of dimension of the mind, generally accepted by the few people who know about it to be the Collective Unconscious of humanity given physical form. It takes different forms and characteristics due to the subconscious wishes and active meddling of humans and self-proclaimed gods, but at the time-spaces of the active portals, it takes one of three forms:
1) An extra hour between 12:00 and 12:01 am every day, called the Dark Hour, from about 1999 to 2010 CE, limited to the Tatsumi Port Island area of Japan.
2) An alternate space accessible through television screens from at least 2011 to 2012 CE, probably limited to the Yasoinaba area of Japan.
3) An idyllic pastoral setting also accessible through TV sets. Time and space extent is unknown, though this state only appears after March 20, 2012 CE.
These three areas have a few things in common. They are normally only physically accessible by humans with supernatural powers (Persona users) or people who end up crossing over by accident. They are the only place that supernatural powers or physics-ignoring science normally work. The first two are also home to Shadows, dangerous but usually mindless expressions of humanity's dark side that will attack and kill Persona-users on sight, and frequently anyone else who stumbles in as well. A character with unresolved psychological issues or regrets who doesn't already have a Persona may also manifest a personal Shadow, at least in the TV World, which is usually hostile if denied or ignored for long enough. Even the environment of the first two is hazardous to health and well-being, although Persona-users can ignore or delay many of the effects.
Further information on the relationship between Personas, Shadows, Gods, Intrauniversal World Blending, and the Collective Unconscious has been sealed by [redacted].