Background
Despite the relative rarity of psi powers and the gaps in the scientific understanding of psionics, an impressive array of psi-enhancing drugs and technology have been developed. Many of these grew out of the military and espionage communities (both governmental and industrial), both of whom value psis for their (nearly) undetectable abilities and their immunity to magical defensive wards. Other bits of psi-tech were the result of research into technomagic that later branched out into other directions, and the first psi-drugs were either discovered accidentally or developed to help mages with their spellcasting. Most of these innovations eventually found their way to the Street, where tech-savvy psis reverse-engineered them and co-opted the technology for themselves and their community.
For information on drug classification and regulation, go to the Drugs page.
A few of the more common psi-drugs:
MD-109 (aka Mad, Mad John) & Peace
Class: A1
Base: Chemical
Psi-Affecting
This drug, called Mad or Mad John on the Street, was first developed by the Empire's Military Intelligence Directorate (MID) in the 1970s as a means of improving the effectiveness of their psi operatives, most of whom had high skill but relatively little power with their abilities. Mad is a synthetic neurotransmitter that boosts synaptic activity in the parts of the brain associated with psionic talents, leading to an impressive increase in effective power. The drawback is that MD-109 is also a slow-acting neurotoxin, and will kill the user within an hour or so after being injected. An antidote exists, called Peace, which will quickly and safely neutralize any remaining MD-109 in the body; when the MID uses psis for an operation, each dose of Mad is distributed with a corresponding dose of Peace in the same sealed packet.
Unfortunately, Mad causes a rush of euphoria and a feeling of invincibility whenever the psi uses his or her abilities, and several agents have been lost on missions when they delayed use of the antidote until it was too late.
Mad is still being produced legally by a couple of drug companies, both for military applications and for use in clinical research into psionics. It is illegal to produce or distribute the drug without an Imperial license, and it may only be legally used under the supervision of a doctor. It is quite popular as a black-market psi-drug, since its effects are more predictable than those of Vortex (see below). Thousands of units of the drug are produced every year in illicit underground laboratories, which the Psi Collective maintains for its own purposes. It costs about 30 marks for a matched dose of Mad and Peace on the black market.
Mentat
Class: C
Base: Alchemical
Mind-Affecting; increases mental processing for both magic users and psis
Developed in the early 1990s to assist wizards in mastering difficult spells, Mentat is a semi-alchemical drug that improves abstract thought processes of all types. It is usually distributed in pill form, but more recently a fast-acting inhaler has been developed. Psis value Mentat because, while it does not increase the power of their abilities, it does greatly amplify their effective skill in the use of the power they do have. Thus, a teep using Mentat would not be able to contact another person's mind at any greater range than usual — but once contact was made, the teep would be able to use her talents in much more subtle and difficult ways, such as planting a subliminal suggestion or accessing the subject's long-term memories.
Mentat is relatively safe; the main drawback is a loss of dexterity and a general absent-mindedness in people who use too large a dose. The drug is legal but expensive — around 100 marks per dose (and it fetches an even higher price on the Street). It may only be legally acquired with a doctor's prescription, and schools and other testing agencies forbid its use prior to a test, since it improves mundane thought processes as well as psionic skills. The Psi Collective does not have the means yet to manufacture the drug itself, but it is so widely available that acquiring it is usually not a problem.problem.
Shimmer
Class: B
Base: Chemical
Psi-Affecting
Mild psionic enhancer. Makes it easier for psis to enter gestalts. Most people also experience side effects similar to Essence (see above). Negative effects: trouble sleeping when user is coming down from the drug, unless combined with alcohol (which will case the user to crash hard and fast). Not to be used when driving, or on anti-depressants, or by people with high blood pressure. A 150 ml, high purity pill (one pill per dose), will go for about 25 marks.1
Vortex
Class: A2
Base: Alchemical/Chemical
Psi-Affecting
A product of the same MID operation that created MD-109, Vortex was developed in response to complaints from the Directorate's psychokinetic operatives that MD-109 did not provide a big enough boost to their abilities to be useful. Through a combination of alchemy and cutting-edge biochemical techniques, the MID researchers succeeded in producing a drug that could amplify psi powers up to a hundred-fold.
Unfortunately, Vortex is rife with problems and drawbacks. First, it is extremely addictive — users can develop a dependency after only two or three doses. Second, while MD-109's toxicity is generally predictable in its effects, Vortex is far more variable: some psis can use it repeatedly without an adverse reaction, but about 5% of users will experience severe seizures, coma or even death within minutes of taking their first dose. Overdoses of Vortex are almost always fatal, as well. Third, while Vortex greatly increases a psi's power, it makes his abilities much harder to control; several psychokinetic operatives have been killed when their telekinesis buried them under tons of concrete, or a rush of pyrokinetic flame burned them alive.
Vortex was only produced for the military for a brief time before the project was shut down as too risky; other labs have since succeeded in synthesizing it, but it is still very expensive and hard to come by. Anyone dealing in Vortex probably has some very powerful backers. The Psi Collective does not produce Vortex or sanction its use, but some members keep one or two doses on hand in case of emergencies. The Street price of Vortex varies depending on availability, usually between 100 and 200 marks per dose.
Author's Notes
Original Sources: http://transform.to/~ravenb/stories/mk2k/bible/psionics.html Making the Cut
