Elliot’s Symposium on Psychic Influence: Part Two
Date: 2025-06-30 17:02
(Elliot’s Symposium on Psychic Influence: Part Two)
[Mon Jun 30 2025]
A Grand Oak–Paneled Study Hall/span>/spanThe study area occupies a generous corner of the ground floor, furnished with
heavy oak tables arranged in neat rows beneath tall windows that admit
filtered daylight through aged glass. Each table accommodates six readers
comfortably, with green-shaded banker’s lamps providing pools of warm light
across the polished wood surfaces. Built-in shelves line the walls from floor
to the vaulted ceiling, their dark wood laden with reference volumes and
leather-bound texts whose spines show centuries of handling. The air carries
the distinctive scent of old paper and binding glue, while the thick
carpeting muffles footsteps and the occasional scrape of chair legs. Near the
eastern wall, a peculiar draft rises from an ornate iron grate set into the
floor, carrying with it the faint rustle of turning pages from somewhere far
below, though no amount of peering through the decorative metalwork reveals
the source. Brass plaques beside each shelf section bear catalog numbers in a
system that seems to shift subtly when observed indirectly, and certain
volumes appear to have migrated between visits, though the librarians insist
nothing has been moved./span>/spanIt is about 65F(18C) degrees. The mist is heaviest At Maple and Woodcrest/span>/spanMichael sets his phone into his pocket as he enters, a mechanically pleasant voice announcing ‘You Have Arrived.’ He peers about the area with a slow gaze.
“As well as can be expected. There’s more Cases coming in than getting closed, so it’s rather busy, but it’s a good busy. After boning up on this lecture, I’m off to Spain to help The Endless Library here fetch an overdue book.” Buck says with a chuckle.
Michael pulls up a seat, only for the chair to protest as his large frame settles in it. An obnoxious scrape sounds until he’s settled at a table.
Mab says “Is no one else coming to this Symposium? I thought we had those guest lectures lined up from last time.“
“How interesting,” Elliot observes of Buck with notes of skepticism lining his face. “I have guests to host after this Symposium. Though, I’ll wait until the fifteen minute mark before I begin my introductory lesson and invite people to ask questions and speak. If there’s no guest speakers, I’ll show examples with volunteers.”
Michael drums his fingers along the table, gaze roaming the room without focus, clearly impatient.
“I’ll allow you to ask questions before I start too,” Elliot decides, staring at Michael as he drums on the table.
Michael chuckles softly.
“Which Lecturer broke into your house?” Elliot asks of Michael, staring at them in utter bewilderment.
“If it was from Windermere, my assumption is Mr. Kincaid.” Buck mutters with a shrug.
Michael shrugs lightly, appearing non-plussed.
“Ah, Leon, the local miscreant. Don’t suspect anyone will pay his dues for life again,” Elliot nods in understanding and realization before beginning his lecture. “Last time, I went over the influences that lineage has that bears similarities to psychic influence. Today, I will be expressing the more innate side of things that a majority of supernaturals possess. Hypnotism and psychic persuasion. There are other abilities of a far greater variety, that adjust the moods of individuals along with other strange things, but, I’ll save these for last. Everyone here is aware what hypnosis and psychic persuasion are, right?”
Michael says “Vaguely. Seem em’ used, but I’ve never manifested that way.“
Buck gives a nod as he fishes out a small notebook and a pen, giving it a click. “One is generally more powerful and can traverse to more physical pulls on the psyche and the other is more subtle in it’s weaving into casual conversation.”
Kai heads to the table and gives an east-Asianesque bow to Mab and lowers himself onto a seat at the table beside Sophie, a half-moon wave given to Michael, Buck, Elliot and Mab.
Well, Mab seems to have mostly tuned everything out for now to focus on her phone while waiting for more people to show up. When Kai and Sophie show up however, she looks up and smiles. “Hello there,” she greets them both. “Gadfly, did I still owe you a meeting at some point? …”
Sophie walks in with Kai, little bit late and ducks into a seat at the table. She gives a passing wave to the ones present.
“You should see hypnosis used,” Elliot lightly corrects Michael with a frown. “You’ll almost never notice psychic persuasion until after someone has obeyed, and only if it is quite overt. Psychic influence tends to make the subject of such, to believe that whatever directives were given to them, were their own thoughts. However, there are different strengths to these things. Psychic Persuasion is the most useful in public settings, as it is undetectable. Nothing is needed but the voice, the command. It is all that is required. The downside is that the voice can do very little. Slightly similar to how the arcane works. The downside to hypnosis, is that it requires more, but even then, hypnosis is advantageous in certain scenarios, due to its inherent strength.”
“Maybe at some point, it’s not super urgent,” Kai nods to Mab and smiles, his gaze turning to Elliot now.
Elliot says “I can show you all, if I have a volunteer?“
Kai shoots his hand up into the air when Elliot asks for a volunteer, his hazel eyes bright.
Michael very visibly crosses his arms at the suggestion of volunteers, almost hugging himself a bit.
Elliot says “Mister Ashford, proceed to the podium.“
Kai stands up and walks with his arms outstretched in front of him like a mummy to the podium, “Yes. I will walk to the podium. Master,” he says in a monotone, straight faced.
Mab watches with amusement as Kai volunteers himself to be Elliot’s guinea-pig, pausing her texting.
Sophie watches Kai move up with curiously lifted brow, her arms cross in front of her as she waits to see what happens.
“Now for this example, I want you all to guess which command it is that I have established for Mister Ashford, which directive I have spread into his mind,” Elliot announces to the room, turning over towards Kai with his lips spreading into a small smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything harmful, this is just an example.”
Kai nods a couple of times and lowers his hands into his hoodie pocket, he glances over to Sophie with a little grin before turning his gaze back to Elliot once more.
Michael lets his gaze flit between the lecturer and the hypnotized, expression appraising.
Sophie snickers and says to Elliot, “Well a lil pain is fun. He can handle it.”
“I would guess the command was to join you on the podium.” Buck offers.
Mab shoots Buck a curious look at his guess.
Michael says “Oh, was the command given? Uh, shit, ‘put your hands in your pockets?’“
Michael looks a little surprised.
“Mister Ashford. In order to properly demonstrate this little experiment and example, I need you to do a backflip at the sound of a snap, waddle on the floor at the sound of a snap, sneeze at the sound of a snap, slap yourself at the sound of a snap, and, or, roll around at the sound of a snap.” Glancing over towards Buck, Elliot shakes his head and chuckles. “I haven’t done so yet.”
Elliot says “Your guesses, please?“
Kai listens to Elliot and nods a couple of times, “Ooo… I wanna do a backflip…” he supposes and looks off to the small crowd with a grin, a glance given to Mercedes, followed by a wave of greeting.
“I think you’re going to make him do a backflip because Mr. Ashford falling on his face would be humorous.” Buck says with a chuckle.
“All of the above,” Sophie comment.s
“All of the above,” Sophie comments – fix
Michael tilts his head, “You promised no harm, and may not know if he can even do a backflip, so… sneeze would be my guess. Gross, but harmless.”
“I’ll permit two more guesses,” Elliot tells the group, waiting patiently.
“This is going to be a disaster,” Mab says excitedly, leaning forward to watch.
Elliot says “Who would like to do the honors?“
Mercedes looks as if she just wandered out of a hospital, still barefoot and disheveled but does her best not to draw any attention from the symposium as she finds herself a seat. She keeps a pleasant smile on her face, peering at Kai she gives him a wave, “I had no idea you were so good at gymnastics Mister Ashford. Perhaps you should try out for the… team?” she taps her chin, “If we have one…?”
Kai rubs at his chin lightly and nods to Mercedes, “Actually… learning parkour and gymnastics and shit like that would be very cool,” he admits.
“Miss Montrose, if you would please?” Elliot asks of Mab, gesturing towards his own finger and thumb.
Mercedes smiles and points at Kai, “It would certainly make you a better courier!”
Looking up at Elliot with a tilt of her head, Mab smiles and inquires, “Please what, Mr Harrington?”
“Do the honors. Initiate the command,” Elliot asks of Mab before inevitably pausing, face-palming as Michael says the word.
Lifting up her talon-manicured fingers, Mab issues a snap studying Kai intently.
Michael seems completely oblivious to his own mistake.
Upon hearing Mab’s questions he grins a little but he nods in agreement to Mercedes, “For sure, I could jump over dumpsters and climb fire escapes and shit,” Kai is about to go on when Mab snaps her fingers and he turns his face and violently sneezes out in a spray at Elliot’s face, his face contorted from the effort.
Sophie covers her mouth as she laughs
Michael pumps a fist, “Got it in one.”
“I have never seen such poetic justice, at least this week.” Buck says with a smirk.
Leaning back from the scene, Mab expresses a rather loud and pointed, “Ew.” Seems this isn’t quite the disaster she was hoping for.
Mercedes snorts a laugh and then gives a little golf clap, “I expected nothing less Mister Ashford. You are always full of surprises.”
Just as Mab snaps, Elliot awaits and studies Kai, before delivering not one more snap. But five, back to back. “Now. The command engraved in a mind is called an imprint, and depending on the strength, and other factors, it may hold, it may not, over time-” And then Kai sneezes on him, and the man nearly, very nearly reaches behind him to grab the revolver clearly positioned in his holster. Fetching a handkerchief in his suit pocket, he wipes his face, before shooing the sardonic man away, slanting his eyes. “One of the issues that befalls such manipulations of the mind, is that, if one does not carefully craft their command, the imprint, unforeseen consequences may arise. Now, the purpose of this example is to show, you can never be sure about psychic persuasion, as it is completely obfuscated and unknown to the victim and the spectator. You may think you’re aware of it being present, but there is never proof.”
Michael jabs a single large finger into the air in lieu of raising his hand, “But you do have to speak it aloud, yes?
Kai sniffs wetly and wipes his nose, “Sorry about that,” he tells Elliot and then throws himself backward. Apparently, he was trying to do a backflip on his own, without knowing what he’s doing. He slams his upper back on the ground and his head bonks against the ground, causing him to hiss out in pain, “Ooo… ow,” he groans and rolls onto his stomach, pushes himself up and heads back to the tables, rubbing the back of his head with a grimace.
Sophie winces at the attempt and leaves her chair to kneel by Kai, checking him over with a bit of concern, “You just gotta make bruises for me to kiss…”
Kai turns his head to let Sophie kiss the back of his head, “I’ll get it eventually. Maybe I should start with front flips. I’ll check Youtube,” he tells her as he sttles into his seat.
When Kai actually attempts a backflip and mildly injures herself, Mab starts laughing giddily, watching the scene with mirth in her icy eyes. Lifting up her manicured hands, she claps. “Bravo! A for effort!”
“Yes,” Elliot nods over towards Michael, before informing them, “Do please use my last name, prefaced by Mister, Mister Barlow. Formalities would dictate that when you speak to someone, to do use their last name, prefaced respectively by Mister, or Miss, or Missus.” Pausing with a small sigh, after this light correction, he mentions to the man, “However, when utilized, to the casual observer, one would hardly recognize it. The last example was entirely overt. The next example is not.”
Mercedes looks down at Kai as he sprawls from his botched backflip, “Hmm, I certainly think some practice is in order,” she giggles and nods with Mab, her smile suddenly beams even brighter, her poise straightens, “Yes, much more practice. A good attempt nonetheless.”
Sophie sits back down, a hand resting on Kai’s back, as she asks Elliot, “Can one protect themselves against hypnosis?”
“Yes,” Elliot nods over towards Michael, before informing them, “Do please use my last name, prefaced by Mister, Mister Barlow. Formalities would dictate that when you speak to someone, to do use their last name, prefaced respectively by Mister or Miss, or Missus.” Pausing with a small sigh, after this light correction, he mentions to the man, “However, when utilized, to the casual observer, one would hardly recognize it. The last example was entirely overt. The next example is not.”
“Ooooooh!” Kai half-moans and half-yells as Sophie gives him an idea, he pulls his phone out and starts to flip through his notes on it, his hazel eyes bright.
“Yes,” Elliot expresses to Sophie with a faint smile, “However not in its totality. You sadly can’t avoid every scenario where your mind may be manipulated, so, it’s best to learn from your fellows how best to defend yourself.”
Michael nods simply at the dressing down, waving a hand dismissively, “Right, right, Mister… what was your last name again?” He perks a brow, seeming to realize he doesn’t know.
“Deez,” Kai informs Michael without looking up from his phone.
“Elliot Harrington, my last name is Harrington,” Elliot expresses to Michael, before glancing around the room. “Any further questions?”
Michael shakes his head, “Mister Harrington, noted.”
Looking between Elliot and her phone, Mab just smiles, but doesn’t raise her hand for questions.
“Now,” Elliot informs the room, “As I said, hypnosis is more powerful, however, quite varied. Psychic Persuasion gives people a need to do this or that, however, hypnosis can be used to inflict amnesia, put someone in a trance, among other factors. It is more complete and more varied in uses. And best of all, these sorts of things can be locked in, forcing someone to continuously obey their imprint for a long while, until it is released from them.”
Elliot says “I believe Miss Montrose wishes to speak, so, I shall cede the floor to here.“
Kai begins a round of applause for Mab when Elliot announces her, though he gives a little grin to Elliot.
Elliot says “Now, at the end, I want you all to guess what other piece of psychic persuasion I did.“
Mercedes snorts a little laugh and smirk as she peers around. After a moment she then raises her hand, “Actually, I do wish to clear something up. Many seem to believe that sunglasses are decent protection against those who utilize a hypnotic gaze, is this true Mister Harrington?” she asks with an inquisitive chirp of his name.
Finally putting away her phone, Mab indulges Elliot with another smile, rising smoothly to her feet and straightening out her skirt. She steps on over to the podium, leaning in to the microphone to first say, “Thank you, Mr Harrington.” She claps for him even as he departs, turning to face the tables until he’s seated. But when Mercedes raises her question, she elects to wait just a moment before launching into anything.
“Only if it obscures your eyes,” Elliot answers Mercedes easily enough, “However, it’s quite useless, because I could, alternatively, just psychically persuade you to take your glasses off.”
Michael says “You’d have to say it aloud, though. Would raise suspicions, if one knew what you could do.“
Mercedes lowers her hand and nods to Elliot, “Naturally, thank you for the clarification Mister Harrington,” she smiles and then turns her body and attention to Mabs.
Michael tilts his head, “Also, you’d have to be capable of both, yeah? So, if you can only do hypnosis, its a valid protection.
Kai lifts his hand, “If I was deaf could I avoid being psychically persuaded?” he asks.
Sophie glances at Michael, nodding her head as the question seems to be a neat one.
“Yes, you technically could,” Elliot shares with Kai with a snort. “I suppose it’s also technically true if the target couldn’t understand the language you’re speaking either. However, if they fail at that, be warned. There’s some rituals and rites that could be used as an alternative, that you can’t protect yourself from. Which is why I say you’ll never find a way to perfectly protect yourself from any situation.”
“Any more questions, before I cede the floor to Miss Montrose? I would prefer not to be rude and leave our dashing friend here waiting,” Elliot calls out, glancing over the group.
“No further questions your honor,” Kai replies to Elliot and turns his bright, interested gaze to Mab.
Michael stretches out, no seeming to have anything else to say.
Sophie squeezes Kai’s hand, “You need to get your mind off that pain.”
Kai nods in agreement with Sophie and squeezes her hand back, smiling a little as he leans up against her.
Mercedes leans forward with her hand in her hands, she gives a shake of her head, “None from me either,” she says smiling warmly at Kai before her eyes drift back over to Mab, “Please Miss Montrose.”
Once the questions have been answered, Mab leans forward again to the microphone, straightening it towards her painted lips. “Ehe-hem,” she starts by clearing her throat, simpering over at the audience, and jutting her hip. There’s a high-pitched keen from the adjusted mic before she finally speaks.
“Forty point three percent of US adults are obese,” Mab finally says, and then continues with her stats. “Seventy-three point six percent of adults are overweight.” A look of pain crosses her features, seeming to way these facts with the sorrow they deserve. “Eight point three percent of US adults are depressed. And in total, twenty-three point one percent of US adults have some form of mental illness.”
Mab’s smile, while still seeming so very fake, is now tinged with sadness. “But it doesn’t have to be that way, New Haven. Imagine if, with a snap of my fingers …” She lifts up her manicured hand again and gives another snap Kai’s way. “I could help you manifest the willpower you need to change yourself. To heal yourself.” She beams, pausing briefly.
“What I want you all to take away from this Symposium today is that psychic influence is not scare-words you should fear: they are the cure. Hypnotism is a tool, like any other, and it can be used for profound good. You do not need to struggle with thoughts you would rather not have, memories that pain you, mental weaknesses that all of us, imperfect beings, have. Coretech Consulting can help you like it has so many others. We can help you become your best self.”
Mab pauses, beams once again, and then simply says, “Thank you.”
Kai begins to applaud once Mab finishes her speech, “I never thought of it that way. I usually use it to get me things I want, and or to amuse myself… but I could make people be better,” he grins a bit at Mab and nods to her, “Nice one, Miss Vice President.”
Michael perks a brow at Mab’s words, staring a bit in surprise as he listens. When she finishes speaking, he chuckles softly.
Gazing upon Mab, Elliot listens, and nods politely, admitting, “That’s particularly true. The last time I was using my abilities, I was eliminating trauma from someone’s memories, so that they wouldn’t be stymied by them.”
Departing the podium, Mab winks at Elliot and then retakes her seat at the tables.
Mercedes steeples her fingers as she watches Mab intently, nodding along eagerly as she listens. A thought seems poised behind her eyes, “As a leader of faith I employ such methods to help nudge those in need of guidance. It’s rather effective…” she clears her throat and blushes, “It also once helped me cure my nicotine addiction… Which is slowly tempting me again,” she sighs into a pleasant smile, “I have never once feared such methods.”
“Doesn’t it sadden you to know that there are beasts in the Temple, and even the Order, who seek to demonise, ban, or restrict such wonderful tools?” Mab tells Mercedes with a slight frown as she retakes her seat, before looking around at the rest of the table.
“I can see where it can be useful, but I can also see where people would suggest that it takes away a person’s agency. It’s a tool, and sometimes tools can be used for bad purposes.” Buck says with a slight shrug.
Michael peers about, “That the end of the lecture, then?”
“Before we wrap this up, I want to ask if anyone else can give another example of recent psychic influence you have witnessed or committed.” Elliot announces, before rising and taking to the podium. Glancing around, he also tacks on, “And perhaps, one more task. I have used psychic persuasion, subtly, twice. Can anyone identify who the targets were, and what I asked them to do?”
Mercedes shakes her head in dismay at Mab, “I find it so hypocritical from them when others use flowery words and clever language to achieve their political aims,” she then smirks, “If we permit one, why shouldn’t we allow those with a extended talent for such things before. Subtle hypnotic suggestion is as inescapable as making someone think of… Oh I don’t know, pink elephants!” she replies, agreeing with Mabs almost effortlessly like a proper Coretech employee.
Michael tilts his head, thinking a long moment, “Hrm. Did you… make someone else come up and talk about the potential good of hypnotizing yourself?”
Elliot shakes his head at Michael, “Nope. I haven’t commanded anyone to take the podium.”
Michael shrugs lightly, “I got nothin’, then.”
“Exactly, if you want to ban psychic influence you may as well just ban being a sexy goddess who can make people do whatever she wants too,” Mab concurs Mercedes’s way, with a smirk and a hair flip.
Raising his eyebrow, Buck murmurs to Mab, “There is still a level of agency in simpery. While many fall sway to a beautiful goddesses charms, they do still have a choice.”