Psychonauts Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Psitanium is a very rare, psychoreactive mineral that crashed here on a meteorite hundreds of years ago. It responds to psychic waves. Focuses them, amplifies them. It can make psychics more psychic, but it can also make unstable people more unstable. Not everyone can handle that much activity in that part of their brain. It can drive them completely out of their gourd. Gives this valley an interesting history.

Ford Cruller explaining Psitanium to Raz

Psitanium is a psychoreactive quartz-like mineral, stated to be rarely-occurring and found in meteorites[1]. Prolonged exposure to it can cause emotional instability, mania, or even the development and strengthening of psychic abilities. It can be dangerous to look directly at Psitanium for long periods of time.[2] Psitanium is a valued material that is often used as currency between psychics.[3]

Properties[]

Psychological effects[]

As a psychoreactive substance, psitanium responds to psychic waves, focusing and amplifying them. These properties can allow for further development of psychic abilities in those gifted with them and can even unlock psychic abilities in those previously not known to have them whatsoever. However, prolonged exposure to Psitanium can cause mental instability in non-psychics, as many cannot "handle that much activity in that part of their brain", as Psychomaster Ford Cruller explains it.

Mutagenic effects[]

Psitanium also has mutagenic properties. The Psitanium residue in the food chain in the area of Lake Oblongata has caused psychic mutations in the local wildlife, resulting in animals growing larger than normal, gaining psychic abilities[4], or developing intelligence equal to or possibly greater than that of a human being[5].

Within the area of Motherlobe, located in a former Psitanium quarry, almost all of the Psitanium deposits have been mined resulting in there being less Psitanium residue in the food chain. The local wildlife don't seem to have physical mutations, but some have had an intelligence increase[6][7].

There are cases of artificially induced Psitanium mutations, such as the Hunking Lungfish and Mutant Fish Men, both created by Dr. Loboto.

Gravitational effects[]

20210927000617 1

A Psitanium platform hovering over water.

Uphill scrubbed

Water flowing uphill in The Questionable Area

Psitanium is observed to have anti-gravity effects. It can be used to lift heavy objects, such as platforms[8] and airplanes[9]. It can also be observed causing water to flow uphill in the The Questionable Area.

History[]

According to the Whispering Rock treelog timeline, 500 years before the events of Psychonauts, a meteorite bearing an enormous amount of psitanium crashed in Whispering Valley, creating (what is stated to be) the largest known Psitanium deposit in the world. Approximately 200 years later, the indigenous people of the area made arrowheads out of the material, naming it to what is roughly translated as "whispering rock".

100 years later, settlers drove away the indigenous residents and founded the town of Shaky Claim in the area. Many were driven to madness by the mental effects of the underground psitanium deposit, leading Houston Thorney to build an asylum to house the victims, before becoming a victim of its effects himself. The asylum reportedly closed when the government evicted the last residents of Shaky Claim, flooding the area to create what is now Lake Oblongata. Many years later, Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp was created in the vicinity of the lake by the Psychonauts, and the psitanium arrowheads left by the previous indigenous residents of the area became used as currency at the camp store and between campers. Ford's Sanctuary was also built directly above the Psitanium deposit.

It is implied that Whispering Rock is not the only place where Psitanium can be found, due to its status as the "largest known" Psitanium deposit in the world, as well as the description of the dinosaur bone suggesting the existence of "levitating velociraptors", with velociraptor fossils having been specifically found in what is now Mongolia. The existence of other Psitanium deposits is further confirmed in Psychonauts 2, as the Psychonauts HQ is built on the remains of a Psitanium quarry.

Whispering Rock Psitanium Rush[]

The Whispering Rock Psitanium Rush was a type of "gold rush" where prospectors and miners came from all over the world to hunt the mysterious "Whispering Rock" (arrowheads made from Psitanium) in Whispering Valley. Some were killed in mining accidents, some in claim disputes, but many were simply driven mad by the powerful mineral, and wandered off into the mines, never to be seen again--except for the occasional skeletal remains[10] in the Whispering Valley cave systems.

Hydraulic Psitanium Mining[]

One process of extracting large quantities of Psitanium from the ground is from the use of hydraulic Psitanium mining. The process uses enormous amounts of water to flush out underground Psitanium deposits. It has been stated by Psychonaut Cassie O'Pia to be extremely bad for the environment.

Psilirium[]

Main article: Psilirium

Psitanium has a "negative" counterpart, Psilirium, which has the ability to greatly inhibit psychic powers and cause delirium and hallucinations in psychics. However, unlike Psitanium, Psilirium only affects psychics. It does not affect former psychics who've had their powers removed through medical procedures[11].

Gameplay[]

Psychonauts[]

The dowsing rod can be purchased and used to find Psitanium hidden underground. Psitanium can be spent at Ford's shop for useful items. Psitanium can also be found in mental worlds.

Psychonauts 2[]

Psitanium can be found in mental worlds and non-mental areas. They can be spent at the Otto-Mattic for useful items.

Trivia[]

Ford's Psitanium Backpack

Ford shown wearing a Psitanium boulder tied to his back when he's not in the Sanctuary.

  • Prior to Psychonauts 2, Psitanium was the only known way for Ford Cruller to remain stable as his true personality outside of his Sanctuary, due to his shattered psyche causing him to lapse into one of his alternate personalities if not directly next to it.
    • At the end of Psychonauts, Ford tied a Psitanium boulder to his back to remain cognizant of himself outside of his sanctuary, and joined forces with Sasha and Milla against Coach Oleander. The Psitanium boulder became seemingly drained of power in the game's ending cutscene, causing him to lapse back into one of his multiple personalities.

Gallery[]

Psychonauts[]

Screenshots[]

Psychonauts 2[]

Screenshots[]

References/Notes[]

  1. Information from a tree stump carving at Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp reads: "500 years ago: An enormous, Psitanium-bearing meteorite strikes the Earth, leaving a giant crater."
  2. A sign at the entrance to the Psitanium mine near the Motherlobe bears a warning cautioning against staring directly at the psitanium.
  3. In Psychonauts and Psychonauts 2, Psitanium is used as currency to purchase valuable equipment.
  4. Pyrokinetic cougars and levitating bears are common enemies at Whispering Rock during night hours in Psychonauts.
  5. Mr. Pokeylope can speak perfect English and even use advanced PSI-Powers.
  6. Cassie's hightly intelligent bees are an example of this.
  7. Bob Zanotto's giant vine plant appears to be fully sentient and capable of understanding speech.
  8. There are many Psitanium floating platforms in the Quarry.
  9. The Pelican is powered by Psitanium.
  10. The Psitanium Rush description accompanies the Miner's Skull from the Whispering Rock Scavenger Hunt.
  11. Dr. Loboto isn't affected by Psilirium at all.
Advertisement