None have taken my offer

(at the last that I checked), which is disappointing. But workable.

A common phenomenon in this...world has been dubbed, quite accurately, the "perception filter". Hakurei Ryuu had a rather brilliant explanation of it, here. However, I would like to expand on this with my own experiences.

The perception filter is something that can be quite easily set up by those with unfiltered perception. It can, of course, be done by others, but it is not as simple.

Normal humans see the world through a set of limitations, such as dimensions: the first through third dimensions are space, an area which most things move through. Included in the other dimensions are the Astral Plane, quantum mechanics, the Dreamscape, music, and time, though of course there are many more. These limitations are set in place by the filter: the whole jumble of existence is put through a metaphysical strainer, and whatever's left on the other side is what thou considers "normal".

Certain talented individuals can chip away at or completely remove some of these limitations; for example, your friend the Amalgamation Sage. These individuals can often use the limitations to their advantage in some way. This is what I call "loose" perception, as opposed to "tight" or "filtered" perception. Those with loose perception retain the aforementioned metaphysical strainer, but there are large holes in it, leaving a filter with the quality of something you might find at a metaphysical garage sale.

This is not to leave out non-humans. Take cats. Cats have a small hole torn in their perception filter. For example, the next time a strange creature, such as a ghost or magical beast of some sort, is creeping about in thine homes in a matter undetectable by average humans, cats in the vicinity will sense it and begin yowling and scratching and acting very odd. More odd than they usually do. This is because they operate on one more plane than humans do. Dogs, I believe, operate on one less, though it is not a vital one.

This is also not to say that humans are more or less intelligent than anything or anyone else. I find it appalling when I view acts of patronization and condescending towards fellow living creatures. Granted, the bee pestering you may not have built a full-scale replica of the Empire State Building in its hive, but that does not make it any less smart.

This is also also not to leave out inanimate objects, especially plant life, because they are even less inanimate than, for example, the public computer I use to write this, or the packet of sugar I put into my coffee ten or so minutes ago. This is a bit harder to try and explain, and anyway I don't know much about it, but so-called inanimate objects have a level of awareness that is unheard of by humans. Average humans.

On to the unfiltered perception. Powerful entities, such as deities and thine own enemy, have unfiltered perception, or very very close to it. This is the kind of thing that allows travel through the Path, complete domination of the mind, omnipresence, seemingly magical abilities, miraculous powers, and more. These entities often love to set down perception filters for everyone else. Douglas Adams described unfiltered perception very well: "Unfiltered Perception means it perceives everything. Got that? I don't perceive everything. You don't perceive everything. We have filters. The New Guide doesn't have filters. It perceives everything. It wasn't a complicated technological idea. It was just a question of leaving it out. Got it?...because the bird can perceive every possible universe, it is present in every possible universe...any smallest move it makes has the power of a virus. It can propagate through space, time and a million other dimensions." 

An interesting point from that is, "...just a question of leaving it out." The filter is a natural part of every living thing's life. The quality and filtration power of the filter is sometimes something that can be acquired (see loose perception), and sometimes also natural. The augmentation of the filter is what results in veils, invisibility, and not being able to see your own blog posts.

You know - there are two ways you can go when you get old. You can either wise up, get paranoid, and be wary of everyone (or increase those attributes in thyself), or let yourself slip. Get lazy.

Scratch that, there's a third. Wise up on the inside, get lazy on the outside, and ambush them when they come to get you.

Anyway, the point of all this is to tell thee, reader, that I have loose perception by myself, but with some...help I can temporarily gain unfiltered perception, though I can't do it often, can't do it for long, and it's getting harder and harder to do it with more and more of these...disappearances. Looking back, I wonder why I had to go through all that to say so...

I am many things. I, too, am part of a small group with distinct purposes and capabilities, such as many of you are - the difference is in the details, yes? The devil is in the details. Perhaps if thou begin the personal sequence, I will be able to reveal those details to you. My offer shall always stand. My offer is always open.

You know - there are two ways you can go when you hit rock bottom. You can either head back up, or start digging.

As for the last inquiry, sir Hyde was quick on the mark, and so ends the trial period.

Despite only achieving one correct answer, things will get much harder in general from here on out - so you must work together. I'd remind thee that you don't always have to think so hard - but you know that already, don't you?

This one, for fear: What animal would the first homo sapiens be afraid of?

You get three chances.