Abnormality

Abnormalities are physical manifestations of humanity's collective unconscious. They can manifest either independently, or as a creation of the Lobotomy Corporation. Abnormalities are the main source of profit for the Lobotomy Corporation, through extraction of energy from them.

Universal Traits

While abnormalities are unique by definition, they possess many traits in common.

• Abnormalities can be "worked" inside a Lobotomy Corporation containment cell to produce enkephalin. Many interactions can be interpreted as various kinds of work, potentially being a different class by accident. It is possible that any emotional stimulus causes enkephalin release. Most inanimate abnormalities do not have this trait. The four classes of work are :
  • Instinct: Maintaining the physical form of an Abnormality, usually by addressing their biological needs. Associated with the virtue of Fortitude.
  • Insight: Improving the environment of an Abnormality's cell. Associated with the virtue of Prudence.
  • Attachment: Addressing an Abnormality's social needs. Associated with the virtue of Temperance.
  • Repression: Preventing the Abnormality from acting on its urges. Associated with the virtue of Justice.
• Abnormalities can attempt to forcefully drain enkephalin from their environment. Completing the process gives them a sufficient power boost to escape from containment.
• More powerful abnormalities have a tendency to be much more hostile.
• Abnormalities are immortal. "Killing" one only causes it to respawn inside its cell. However they can learn and change their fundamental nature on their own terms. This usually means becoming even more dangerous.

Abnormality Typology

Lobotomy Corporation assigns a classification code and a risk level to every Abnormality.

The letter at the beginning of code represents their series.

• Original Series: Represents any Abnormality that does not fit into other classes.
• Fairy Series: Abnormalities that originated from urban legends, fairy tales, or other stories.
• Trauma Series: Abnormalities based on fears.
• Donator Series: The abnormalities from Facility X-394 that are unnecessary to completing the Seed of Light scenario.

The number in the second part of their code represents their type of being.

• 01: Humanoids
• 02: Animals
• 03: Otherworldly creatures
• 04: Flora
• 05: Mechanical beings
• 06: Unclear meaning. Nothing There and 1.76 MHz are the only ones bearing this digit.
• 07: Devices whose work produces some other effect than enkephalin, but hold the agency to escape.
• 08: Unused digit.
• 09: Completely stationary devices.

The last part of the code is a unique serial number.

Risk levels are named after Hebrew letters. From least to greatest, they are:

• ZAYIN: Abnormalities that will only cause death under completely avoidable circumstances, and who will never escape.
• TETH: The weakest of the seriously hazardous Abnormalities.
• HE: Abnormalities whose actions may result in multiple deaths over continued work.
• WAW: Abnormalities with the potential to kill at least one department, and potentially cause a mass death if they escape the facility.
• ALEPH: Existential threats.

These are difficult to quantify. Even Lobotomy Corporation employees have found some to be inaccurately rated. It's more accurate to say that it's just a measurement of their power.

The Enkephalin Industry

Enkephalin is the main product of lobotomy corporation, a substance that functions as both an energy source and a narcotic, giving Lobotomy Corporation its reputation as a renewable energy company to those who don't know its true purpose. As a drug, it's extensively used to maintain the mental health of Lobotomy Corporation agents. Enkephalin is potentially hazardous to machines because of its stickiness.

E.G.O Equipment

The enkephalin of an individual abnormality can be used to extract Extermination of Geometrical Organ equipment, which are weapons or suits made in the image of that Abnormality's ego. The central benefits of E.G.O equipment are first; their capability to instantly imbue anyone with the skill to properly use them, a completely unique ability in the world . Their second, and more obvious benefit, is the ability to interact with many special vectors of harm, which is not unique, but it's the only such equipment that Lobotomy Corporation agents may have. An insufficiently virtuous user faces the threat of "E.G.O Corrosion" and a potential transformation into something like the equipment abnormality , although a properly levelled person is still subtly altered by their equipment. The independent craftswoman YuRia discovered that similar objects can manifest from the soul of a human being .

A Lobotomy Corporation agent using the EGO equipment of Laetitia (left).

Most Abnormalities also give EGO gifts to people who work on them, trinkets of lesser size that are only for the recipient. These confer small benefits to their users. However, a few EGO gifts represent binding oaths to the Abnormality that define an agent's future.

Aberrations

Aberrations are variants of a specific abnormality with their own unique traits. They can be different in any way, but are always recognizable as a different version of the original. Aberrations are weaker than the original , with the exception of Titania, an Aberration that seemingly underflowed into ALEPH by coming from a minimal risk Abnormality.

Known aberrations:

• Blue Smocked Shepard: Aberration of Little Red Riding Hooded Mercenary.
• Nobody Is: Aberration of Nothing There.
• Penitent Girl: Aberration of Red Shoes.
• Pygmalion: Aberration of Alriune.
• Reddened Buddy: Aberration of Big and Will-Be Bad Wolf
• Titania: Aberration of Fairy Festival.

Notes

Enkephalin in the real world is a chemical released by the human body to cope with physical anguish.

The virtues used to handle Abnormalities come from the cardinal virtues.