| Navigator | |
|---|---|
| |
| Ability Info | |
| Description | Alpha can trace a target and follow. |
| Individuals | |
Navigator Alphas can track people and objects with one's basic senses.
Traits[]
Not much is known about Navigators
Analysis[]
The human sense of direction is combination of many neural functions, including: magnetic sensitivity, strategies for human movement, locational memory, schematic representation, sensory data, and frame of reference. A navigator alpha can combine all these methods with GPS-like accuracy and efficiency.
Every human body has a magnetic field, keyed to other fields around them, including other people, electrical devices, and the earth's magnetic field. That last item is how animals like messenger pigeons are able to navigate enormous distances. A navigator's magnetic field gives them a sense of magnetic north, and since most places are based on the N-S-E-W orientation, they can determine a path's orientation without checking.
Strategy is a plan of action for a specific goal; in this case, the best plan to get to a certain place. The navigator brain can prioritize the possible outcome that gets them to their destination more easily/quickly.
Locational memory is a measure of how well the brain can remember the details of a place. More memory neurons are allocated to this task in the navigator brain. By retaining things like street names, city design, and local abnormalities, the navigator spends less time trying to remember details, and more time using them to plan their journey.
The brain is constantly creating three-dimensional images of the world. Two-dimensional maps ignore details like elevation and feature overlap (like a highway ramp above a city street). A navigator alpha gives more priority to the 3D element of the visual cortex, giving them a total view of their terrain, and with more data, they can make better and faster decisions.
Minor sensory inputs can help a person find their way. Smells can tell you about nearby people or activities, sounds can lead to more densely-populated areas, and specific visual cues can determine distance and density of objects. The navigator's sensory organs are keyed to these inputs, letting them block out distractions not pertinent to navigation.
Last, a frame of reference is how we sort all this information. When we see a hospital, we know we are in an area with at least a large population, and that there are main roads connected to the building. All of this is contextual, assumptions based on the idea that a hospital has to exist in a frame of reference. When the navigator builds his/her frame of reference, their brain builds assumptions with strong data, making them more likely to be correct.
Alphas can track others down easily via licking their fingertips and pointing in the right direction. With enough experience, the user can follow tracks that are days or even weeks old.