Panopticon: A Game of Posthumans, Perniciousness, Paranoia, Politics, and Plasmaguns

[Cornuthaum]

[ ] It's in the back of an ambulance. There's a Vanessa watching over it, needler close to hand. There's something wrong with the construct - something mad-eyed and twitchy like it's ODing on combat stims.

Click to shrink...

Still within the aluminium and plastic hand of the Technocratic paradigm, enroute to destination unknown. Familiar, but within reach of mortal (double-mortal?) danger.

[ ] It's in a meat locker. The walls are frosted over and pig carcasses hang from hooks. There's the smell of flowers in the air, over the stale scent.

Click to shrink...

The only thing missing are the hacksaws and the pain before the interrogation begins. What friend would drag us here, and what enemy wouldn't?

[ ] The operating theatre looks empty, but anything could be lurking in the shadows away from the pool of light. Countless surgical tools gleam in the light.

Click to shrink...

It is like home, for Serafina: After all, places like this is where she spent quite a lot of her life. Unfortunately, a surgical theater is often prelude to a brain-trawl, a Progenitor Shock Kit resuscitation and other such medical miracles.

That, or someone about to practice modern art and/or surgery on us.

[ ] It's been laid out in an unpainted and windowless concrete cell. The heavy iron door is bolted. A single candle provides the only illumination.

Click to shrink...

They would not have left us a candle if they did not mean to observe us. And if they had to leave a candle, chances are they are not of the Union, because they would have had LEDs.

And that we are in a bolted, windowless cell, well.... it speaks ill of our mind.

[ ] The sky is dark above her. Dark earth surrounds her. She's at the bottom of an open grave.

Click to shrink...

As far as stories go, this is my favourite - but for the fact that this is the WoD. That the sky is dark might speak of rain or, alas, of vampires. And I hate vampires.

All in all.....


[x] It's been laid out in an unpainted and windowless concrete cell. The heavy iron door is bolted. A single candle provides the only illumination.

Character is what you are in the dark. Or, as it were, the dim illumination.

 

[notanautomaton]

Yeah about that. The Nephandi still exist. And Serafina, broken and suicidal and so fragile, is in the exact best situation for a Nephandus to seduce. This world is sick and wrong and terrible and the only good and just thing to do is to end it all so nobody will suffer like she has.

Just in case people forgot that they existed.

Click to shrink...

Well we haven't really seen many of them. Admittedly, the Ascension War side that we really haven't had much interaction with is the Mauraders. We've seen one total, and she's a relatively minor one. I'm retroactively disappointed that we didn't run into the Sidereal Division, the all-Marauder strike team run by the Void Engineers.

I kind of like our people taking advantage of the time to stock up on homemade Gadgets and Devices. Between our share of the Node we took from the werewolves, and Donald's PU 4 allowing him to create Wellsprings, we should have enough Tass.

Ideas: An additional copy of everything that I wrote in above for Jamelia, as a gift. The underclothes are instead a suit and headscarf. A suitcase with defenses against detection (Corr 2/PU 3).

Serafina and Rose refined some samples of her blood, creating an injector with 6 doses. One dose heals as Life 2, two doses will increase one physical attribute, as Life 3, and putting in all the doses will result in the nanobots and stem cells rapidly mutating the person into a monster covered with bones, tentacles, wings, and claws. Side effects of the final option include drowsiness, blurred vision, cancer, heart failure, supercancer, hypercancer, sentient cancer that hides in the air ducts and attacks interns, necrosis, and flatulence. There are three copies of this, and 30 doses.

Serafina created a pair of contact lenses based on Roses's HUD, which increases Perception as Mind 3. She also created an earpiece that releases nootropic drugs into the users brain, increasing Int as Mind 3, and a series of transparent tubes that regulate hormones to increase skill under pressure (Increases Wits as Mind 3). She made two sets, one for Henriette and one for Jamelia.

This last one is a bit of a long shot, but Donald could have begun gaining influence over EDE populations, as part of a new Sydicate initiative that he pushed through. Policy states that they are only allowed in the physical world under tightly controlled circumstances, but in other dimensions the Syndicate has a much higher amount of influence, in part due to many EDE's tendency to abide by contracts.

 

[Azunth]

Side Projects!

Donald Sykes has been working on his Easy-fill quick-requisition forms, Devices which are specially designed and prepared data slates with union code readers designed to read the codes of, and requisition, union gear both directly and via wi-fi connections. It also contains basic protocols designed to see which assets are most vulnerable to which requisition protocols (Spirit 4, Entropy 1, Correspondence 2, bind union spirits at range and in person). These were then combined with some computerized market-prediction protocols Donald had re-purposed to detect the appearance and aggression of lost union assets in the hands of EDEs, provided them with data by linking them to standard union surveillance, along with auto-filing algorithms, allowing requisitions to be performed before aggressive action could even be taken. (Time 2 through 4 to predict the appearance of Threat-Null aligned spirits and activate the device autonomously) along with an auto-update algorithm designed to alert all Enlightened construct members the detection attempted requisition of hostile assets, and it's failure or success. (Correspondence 2 meant to send messages). These are single use gadgets

A simpler version of such easy-and-quick paperwork Devices uses union protocols to forbid such union assets and personnel from approaching various areas or persons. (Spirit and Correspondence 3 ward). Variants include the auto-update, repurposed-market prediction protocols and self-activation included in the auto-requisition version (Time 2 and Time 4, Correspondence 2 for message).

Possibly more later.

 

[FunkyEntropy]

Well then, since our choices are about picking the setting I guess I'll do a bit of rampant speculating.

[ ] It's in the back of an ambulance. There's a Vanessa watching over it, needler close to hand. There's something wrong with the construct - something mad-eyed and twitchy like it's ODing on combat stims.
=> En media res. We're in the middle of being carted off by Clock's forces for reprocessing. Since they though we were dead this provides us with a good opportunity to escape, followed by a harrowing hunt through the urban jungle of Los Angeles.

[ ] It's in a meat locker. The walls are frosted over and pig carcasses hang from hooks. There's the smell of flowers in the air, over the stale scent.
=> No idea what the flowers mean. But if it's a meat locker maybe we got dragged down to, like, the port in Long Beach or something for REASONS. This feels like the Nephandri option to me.

[ ] The operating theatre looks empty, but anything could be lurking in the shadows away from the pool of light. Countless surgical tools gleam in the light.
=> Surgical tools means Progenitors means dual of the Number Twos. Serafina vs Whatshisface. Battle of wits in the dimly lit facility with dark plans exposed, moral indecision, and ethically questionable medical procedures.

[ ] It's been laid out in an unpainted and windowless concrete cell. The heavy iron door is bolted. A single candle provides the only illumination.
=> In captivity of Clock or other mysterious elements. Too bad Serafina doesn't have a bottle of ketchup, nor can she see any helpful ghosts giving her the correct radio frequency.

[ ] The sky is dark above her. Dark earth surrounds her. She's at the bottom of an open grave.
=> Vampire option. Or Clock had her flunkies dump the body because they couldn't make use of it or something.

I'm going to reiterate that you had time to make pet projects and using this time is a great idea right now.

Remember, a well-supplied-with-ideas QM is a happy QM. Also this might help you not die.

Click to shrink...

Disclaimer: I have only the barest inkling of what I'm doing.

Emergency Reconstructive Hypercoagulant (Time 4, Life YES) - A small, amber capsule compatible with any standard Progenitor handheld injector or subdermal automedicator. This metabolic agent, derived from xenobiological and Reality Deviant specimens, lingers dormant inside the patient's bloodstream for [length of time TBD by people that actually know what they're doing] and activates upon the host suffering from massive tissue trauma. The host's body begins to reknit and repair itself at a rate of [something impressive]; while it will not regrow lost limbs or organs without suitable biomatter to make up for the lost mass, severed limbs will immediately reattach when pressed against the appropriate stump. In addition, the ERH allows those under its effects to push their bodies beyond their normal limits as any muscles that get torn by the strain are immediately repaired (increase your Dex, Str by [amount] for one action at the cost of [small amount of Bashing dmg]).

 

[EarthScorpion]

Wheeeeeee biohorror

(I'm not necessarily suggesting the party actually wants these. I just wrote them because goddamnit, I wanted to make some biohorror gadgets)

Article:

DAIS(EO) Mk1 Prototype (Provisional Designation): Miniaturised weaponised dimensional phenomena have never been a strength of the Technocratic Union, quite unlike the way that Reality Deviants often exploit such phenomena. The constraints of technology and the horrific possibilities which dimensional mishaps induce means very few people are foolish enough to meddle with unstable technology and prefer larger, safer technology which tends to fail in known ways. And that's even without the havoc that the modern Dimensional Anomaly inflicts on people who try to cross it.

But what if you considered such failure states to be a feature, not a bug?

The Dimensional Anomaly Imposition System (Expendable Organism) is not a product of the Void Engineers. Neither is it a product of mainstream Progenitor research. It's a bit of innovative Damage Control research - or rather engineering - based on post '99 data collected by assets genetically modified for the capacity to access proximate dimensions. There are certain questions about where some of the genetic materials of the first DAIS(EO) prototypes came from, but modern examples use hybridised EDE-human neural tissue in an engineered wormlike lifeform made which spends its entire existence inside a nutrient broth contained within a specialised ammo load. When fired, the stresses on the lifeform cause it to spontaneously attempt to shift dimensions to escape the trauma, ensnaring its target in a dimensional field in its death-throws.

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT SUCH ROUNDS ARE COMMONLY INEFFECTUAL AGAINST EDE LIFEFORMS

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT WHILE DAMAGE FROM THIS WEAPON SYSTEM IGNORES PRIMIUM AND RD DERIVATES IT DOES REDUCE THE CHANCE THAT THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY ENVELOPED BY THE DAIS(EO) ACTIVATION.

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED FOR WIDESPREAD USE AND IS UNSTABLE. AGENTS USE AT THEIR OWN RISK. AGENTS WHO EXPOSE THE MASSES TO DIMENSIONAL TECHNOLOGY WILL BE REPRIMANDED.

Mechanically, the DAIS(EO) is a Gadget bullet which uses a modified version of the Dimensional Science 3 effect "Dimensional Shift". Rather than transit fully into near-dimensional space, however, if its activation roll is successful the target is instead 'bounced' into the Dimensional Anomaly, suffering damage as if they had tried to cross it. Needless to say, this is far more effective in locations where the Gauntlet is thick, and it is extremely unreliable where it is weak. Damage Control makes use of these rounds against heavily enhanced targets - including rogue experimental combat constructs - where the disruptive effects of the Dimensional Anomaly against their implants is maximised. Or as Traditionalists put it, "Fucking bastards use your own Paradox against you".

Rose, thanks to her DSci implants and her Life 4 (Vissictude) can manufacture the core component of such Gadget rounds from her own flesh, as she has both the means and the genetic samples. The tass from the ex-werewolf cairn should do nicely for this.

Article:

Haemolynth TK-32: An unpleasant cocktail of EDE-arthopod-variant blood, elements extracted from purified and sterilise haemophage remains, and complex 10th-generation steroidal compounds, TK-32 (allegedly standing for 'Thriller Killer') is a potent and dangerous combat stimulant. When injected, it provides a short-lived rush which provides psychological fortification and reinforcement from observation of violent death. To put it another way, it gives the user a rush when they watch people die. Including people they kill.

As it is psychologically addictive, Damage Control keeps it under very tight control - however, it is know that variants see use among the Enforcers. It is most commonly used by the Progenitors in enlightened combat constructs or by enhanciles with fuel-hungry augumentations.

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT ABUSERS OF THIS SUBSTANCE WILL FACE MANDATORY PSYCHOLOGICAL REPROFILING

Mechanically, it is a Gadget containing the Primal Utility 3 effect 'Living Asset Exploitation', triggered by the violent deaths of enemies or allies (or civilians who happened to be in the way) in combat. That is, you get Primal Energy back when people die around you when you use this.

Donald has the capacity to buy it from the Enforcers, if he really wants to (he probably doesn't). Rose, meanwhile, not only has the capacity to self-stimulate in this way (as she has PU3, now), but her own blood can be easily refined into a closely related compound.

Article:

Species QP-11: Life always finds a way. It is inevitable that given an ecological niche, something will evolve to exploit it. Deep in the Amazon, a team of FACADE researchers found a breed of insect which - unbelievably - had evolved to prey on Reality Deviance. With suitable modification and alteration so they avoided properly pheromone-tagged Technocratic gear, colonies were being used against RT forces. Their alterations leave them dependent on no fewer than seventeen different compounds administered by their handlers (as it was well understood that there was a risk that they might evolve over the generations to bypass the limit if only one or two were used). Unfortunately, as living beings they only eat until they are full, which means they only have a short-lived effect. Nevertheless, they can be unleashed on an RT force before the main attack, as to pre-emptively counter any deviant acts they carry out before the main assault.

QP-11 colonies are a living "collection" of a number of Gadgets collectively made of a swarm of insects which once per action expend one Gadget "charge" attempt to countermagic a single vulgar spell used in the area (chosen based on what's closest to the densest concentration of QP-11 insects). They continue doing this until the "charges" of the Gadgets are exhausted, and the swarm is full. Once they have gluttoned out, they are programmed to return to their handler, where they must be suitably treated and maintained until they are ready to feed again by a trained biologist (ie, one with the spheres to 'recreate' the gadgets).

 

[Winged One]

Wheeeeeee biohorror

(I'm not necessarily suggesting the party actually wants these. I just wrote them because goddamnit, I wanted to make some biohorror gadgets)

Article:

DAIS(EO) Mk1 Prototype (Provisional Designation): Miniaturised weaponised dimensional phenomena have never been a strength of the Technocratic Union, quite unlike the way that Reality Deviants often exploit such phenomena. The constraints of technology and the horrific possibilities which dimensional mishaps induce means very few people are foolish enough to meddle with unstable technology and prefer larger, safer technology which tends to fail in known ways. And that's even without the havoc that the modern Dimensional Anomaly inflicts on people who try to cross it.

But what if you considered such failure states to be a feature, not a bug?

The Dimensional Anomaly Imposition System (Expendable Organism) is not a product of the Void Engineers. Neither is it a product of mainstream Progenitor research. It's a bit of innovative Damage Control research - or rather engineering - based on post '99 data collected by assets genetically modified for the capacity to access proximate dimensions. There are certain questions about where some of the genetic materials of the first DAIS(EO) prototypes came from, but modern examples use hybridised EDE-human neural tissue in an engineered wormlike lifeform made which spends its entire existence inside a nutrient broth contained within a specialised ammo load. When fired, the stresses on the lifeform cause it to spontaneously attempt to shift dimensions to escape the trauma, ensnaring its target in a dimensional field in its death-throws.

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT SUCH ROUNDS ARE COMMONLY INEFFECTUAL AGAINST EDE LIFEFORMS

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT WHILE DAMAGE FROM THIS WEAPON SYSTEM IGNORES PRIMIUM AND RD DERIVATES IT DOES REDUCE THE CHANCE THAT THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY ENVELOPED BY THE DAIS(EO) ACTIVATION.

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED FOR WIDESPREAD USE AND IS UNSTABLE. AGENTS USE AT THEIR OWN RISK. AGENTS WHO EXPOSE THE MASSES TO DIMENSIONAL TECHNOLOGY WILL BE REPRIMANDED.

Mechanically, the DAIS(EO) is a Gadget bullet which uses a modified version of the Dimensional Science 3 effect "Dimensional Shift". Rather than transit fully into near-dimensional space, however, if its activation roll is successful the target is instead 'bounced' into the Dimensional Anomaly, suffering damage as if they had tried to cross it. Needless to say, this is far more effective in locations where the Gauntlet is thick, and it is extremely unreliable where it is weak. Damage Control makes use of these rounds against heavily enhanced targets - including rogue experimental combat constructs - where the disruptive effects of the Dimensional Anomaly against their implants is maximised. Or as Traditionalists put it, "Fucking bastards use your own Paradox against you".

Rose, thanks to her DSci implants and her Life 4 (Vissictude) can manufacture the core component of such Gadget rounds from her own flesh, as she has both the means and the genetic samples. The tass from the ex-werewolf cairn should do nicely for this.

Article:

Haemolynth TK-32: An unpleasant cocktail of EDE-arthopod-variant blood, elements extracted from purified and sterilise haemophage remains, and complex 10th-generation steroidal compounds, TK-32 (allegedly standing for 'Thriller Killer') is a potent and dangerous combat stimulant. When injected, it provides a short-lived rush which provides psychological fortification and reinforcement from observation of violent death. To put it another way, it gives the user a rush when they watch people die. Including people they kill.

As it is psychologically addictive, Damage Control keeps it under very tight control - however, it is know that variants see use among the Enforcers. It is most commonly used by the Progenitors in enlightened combat constructs or by enhanciles with fuel-hungry augumentations.

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT ABUSERS OF THIS SUBSTANCE WILL FACE MANDATORY PSYCHOLOGICAL REPROFILING

Mechanically, it is a Gadget containing the Primal Utility 3 effect 'Living Asset Exploitation', triggered by the violent deaths of enemies or allies (or civilians who happened to be in the way) in combat. That is, you get Primal Energy back when people die around you when you use this.

Donald has the capacity to buy it from the Enforcers, if he really wants to (he probably doesn't). Rose, meanwhile, not only has the capacity to self-stimulate in this way (as she has PU3, now), but her own blood can be easily refined into a closely related compound.

Article:

Species QP-11: Life always finds a way. It is inevitable that given an ecological niche, something will evolve to exploit it. Deep in the Amazon, a team of FACADE researchers found a breed of insect which - unbelievably - had evolved to prey on Reality Deviance. With suitable modification and alteration so they avoided properly pheromone-tagged Technocratic gear, colonies were being used against RT forces. Their alterations leave them dependent on no fewer than seventeen different compounds administered by their handlers (as it was well understood that there was a risk that they might evolve over the generations to bypass the limit if only one or two were used). Unfortunately, as living beings they only eat until they are full, which means they only have a short-lived effect. Nevertheless, they can be unleashed on an RT force before the main attack, as to pre-emptively counter any deviant acts they carry out before the main assault.

QP-11 colonies are a living "collection" of a number of Gadgets collectively made of a swarm of insects which once per action expend one Gadget "charge" attempt to countermagic a single vulgar spell used in the area (chosen based on what's closest to the densest concentration of QP-11 insects). They continue doing this until the "charges" of the Gadgets are exhausted, and the swarm is full. Once they have gluttoned out, they are programmed to return to their handler, where they must be suitably treated and maintained until they are ready to feed again by a trained biologist (ie, one with the spheres to 'recreate' the gadgets).

Click to shrink...

Gross. How many can we afford?

 

[notanautomaton]

What's the market value of Tass?

 

[EarthScorpion]

Q103 Sonic Threat Reduction Device (aka the "Mostly Harmless"): Okay, so, say that you're the Man. You are a scary motherfucker busy crushing free will etc etc under your very nicely polished shoe. But sometimes you don't want to seem like the biggest, baddest dude or dudette this side of John Courage. Sometimes you want people to trust you. And also maybe not shoot you right away and let you talk or run away.

Enter the Q103, or as basically everyone calls it, the Mostly Harmless. Because that's what it does. Through a mix of tailored infrasound and bifocal shifted submodulated white noise, it reduces the wearer's threat profile and makes them seem harmless and non-threatening. These devices can be made very compact thanks to their integrated power sources - common designs are cufflinks, earrings, or hair ties. When activated, they have two operational modes.

In Mode 1, it's a passive threat reducer. It makes people see you as not threatening, and inclines them (but only inclines them) to make excuses for your actions. For example, should you get caught carrying a gun in a room full of people who have been mysteriously shot to death, if SWAT burst through the door they'll tend to assume you're a civilian who's picked up the gun rather than the killer and shout at you to drop it. However, failure to comply will break the benefit of the doubt. It's an edge, nothing more. The Mostly Harmless can run in this mode basically indefinitely.

In Mode 2, the power is cranked up, making people in the area feel actively uncomfortable - and slightly nauseous - when they think about trying to hurt you or mistrusting you. They'll find it very hard to target you, and shots will tend to go wide or they'll go after another valid target in the area. This mode stresses the compact power source, depleting it rapidly. More catastrophic failures have been noticed - the in-ear plugs provided with such designs sometimes stop protecting the user against its effects, and some models have been known to overheat, causing dermal burns.

This is a Device which provides a Mind 2 Emotional Urging effect. Look, Donald can just buy the parts for these things. But he's going to tell Rose to build up a custom noise profile, because a) she's the one who actually has the hyperpsych and can test them for effectiveness and also usefully hear in the infrasonic and make sure they do what they're meant to, and b) it's part of his and Serafina's grand collaborative attempt to teach her fiscal responsibility. Examining the range on the market, and selecting the optimal one - and then making her own corrections to make sure it's working at peak efficiency - will do her good.

---

Pernel-model Low Visibility Biosuit: The Pernel is an example of covert biosuit design intended to be worn by non-combat Progenitors in public view when their lives might be under threat, which has taken up wider use among the rest of the Union as a non-surgical alternative to skinweave implants. That is what effectively it is: a wearable skinweave layer. It is composed of an engineered organism derived from the cells of the intended wearer, grown over a carbon nanotube weave scaffold. The organism maintains and conceals the weave, feeding off the sweat and dead skin cells (supplemented by feedings with protein and glucose solution). To the naked eye, it is totally indistinguishable from the skin of the wearer and even genetic testing of the skin cells will not find it. The Pernel can be removed, but should be stored in a nutrient tank when not in use.

The Pernel is a Device which uses Life + Forces to a) allow its wearer to soak Lethal with Stamina and b) provides a low level of protection designed to defect attacks away from vital organs and make lethal shots survivable (ie, more Bulletproof Vest than Power Armour levels of soak). It conceals itself from detection attempts with Primal Utility 2 + Life 2. The countermeasures built into it provide 1 dice of countermagic.

Rose can just make these with the equipment in the Construct's lab. And Donald is very squishy! So she'll feel better if he's walking around in something which at the very least should stop a mugger with a handgun being an immediately lethal threat to his life.

Biosuit Upgrade Kit Options:

• Stem Cell Injection Package (Life 2 self heal)
• Anyman Chromatophores (Life 3 alter self, allows changes to facial features and skin colour. Cannot change build or hair colour. Obviously can only change areas covered by the suit)
  DS: I'm not sure how... um, useful that is relative to how much it costs. And won't it risk tearing the suit?
• Enhanced Adaptive Countermeasures (+ Countermagic)
• Built In Clock (Time 1)
  DS: Rose, I have a watch. I don't need this feature.
• MP3 Player (Forces 2)
  DS: Likewise, while I am very impressed that the Progenitors have managed to get a collection of cells to store music, I don't think this is really necessary.
• Dimensional Discharge Self Defence Implants (DSci 3, fires short ranged phaser beams from the finger tips)
  DS: Rose. That doesn't sound very safe. Is it safe?
  RA: Of course!
  DS: Okay, next question. Is it safe for someone who doesn't heal horrific maiming injuries really quickly? Because I'm pretty sure that having fingertip phasers, incredibly cool though it is, has a risk of going wrong in a pretty messy way.
  RA: It's only meant for emergencies!
  DS: I'd... uh, feel more comfortable without it.

 

[Winged One]

Donald, if you're so attached to your fingers that you won't shoot phasers out of them when you need to, you probably shouldn't have joined the Amalgam which pisses off EDEs all the time.

 

[notanautomaton]

Pernel-model Low Visibility Biosuit: The Pernel is an example of covert biosuit design intended to be worn by non-combat Progenitors in public view when their lives might be under threat, which has taken up wider use among the rest of the Union as a non-surgical alternative to skinweave implants. That is what effectively it is: a wearable skinweave layer. It is composed of an engineered organism derived from the cells of the intended wearer, grown over a carbon nanotube weave scaffold. The organism maintains and conceals the weave, feeding off the sweat and dead skin cells (supplemented by feedings with protein and glucose solution). To the naked eye, it is totally indistinguishable from the skin of the wearer and even genetic testing of the skin cells will not find it. The Pernel can be removed, but should be stored in a nutrient tank when not in use.

The Pernel is a Device which uses Life + Forces to a) allow its wearer to soak Lethal with Stamina and b) provides a low level of protection designed to defect attacks away from vital organs and make lethal shots survivable (ie, more Bulletproof Vest than Power Armour levels of soak). It conceals itself from detection attempts with Primal Utility 2 + Life 2. The countermeasures built into it provide 1 dice of countermagic.

Rose can just make these with the equipment in the Construct's lab. And Donald is very squishy! So she'll feel better if he's walking around in something which at the very least should stop a mugger with a handgun being an immediately lethal threat to his life.

Click to shrink...

I really, really wish that we had started doing Device creation earlier so that our interns could have these. And some Device guns. And some ray guns. And some medkits that aren't being placed by our resident FPS protagonist.

 

[Cornuthaum]

Donald, if you're so attached to your fingers that you won't shoot phasers out of them when you need to, you probably shouldn't have joined the Amalgam which pisses off EDEs all the time.

Click to shrink...

"I WAS REASSIGNED" and "When I joined we hadn't pissed off at least five different blends of HORRIFIC GOD MONSTERS TRYING TO DEVOUR US ALL" are probably DS's answers

 

[veekie]

DS: Likewise, while I am very impressed that the Progenitors have managed to get a collection of cells to store music, I don't think this is really necessary.

Click to shrink...

I'm sure he'd appreciate the recreational drug synthesizer more.

 

[Strypgia]

I'm sure he'd appreciate the recreational drug synthesizer more.

Click to shrink...

He's already got one! The RAVANA system in the Doshcar, that Rose helpfully decrypted the lockouts on!

 

[MJ12 Commando]

I'm going to say that people should focus their gadget ideas and not try to reinvent the wheel again and again because you do have a limited amount of Prime Energy.

Also, in terms of stuff COST it's often cheaper to have one multirole device than it is to have two devices which do one thing each. It's why standardized augmentation packages are cheaper than custom ones built from modular enhancements for example. in terms of time cost they're more even.

The trick is that if you have two devices you can... give them to other people.

 

[Arcus]

you probably shouldn't have joined the Amalgam which pisses off EDEs all the time.

Click to shrink...

Elsa: But that's exactly the reason why I joined! Well, not the losing your fingertips bit, even though I can replace those easy, but you guys always get into the most interesting situations! :3

 

[tryingtobewitty]

While I don't have the WoD experience to come up with any devices, I think I've decided on a vote for Serafina:

[X] The sky is dark above her. Dark earth surrounds her. She's at the bottom of an open grave.

Simply because I want to find out why it happened. Who the heck digs a grave, buries someone, and then doesn't bother to fill it in? The others are all different variants on "she's been captured," making this the odd one out.

 

[Arcus]

While I don't have the WoD experience to come up with any devices, I think I've decided on a vote for Serafina:

[X] The sky is dark above her. Dark earth surrounds her. She's at the bottom of an open grave.

Simply because I want to find out why it happened. Who the heck digs a grave, buries someone, and then doesn't bother to fill it in? The others are all different variants on "she's been captured," making this the odd one out.

Click to shrink...

They're about to start filling it in.

 

[Winged One]

Who the heck digs a grave, buries someone, and then doesn't bother to fill it in?

Click to shrink...

Vampires in a hurry.

 

[EarthScorpion]

"That's a nice necklace," Donald says admiringly.

Rose nods. "I made it myself," she says, hand touching the silvery cross which hangs on its chain, plunging towards her cleavage.

He raises his eyebrow at it. Firstly, he wasn't actually aware that Rose knew anything about jewelry production. Second and more relevantly, it doesn't seem exactly in-character for her. It isn't exactly the standard crucifix - the limbs of the cross are the same length - but it's a little... austere for her. Rose usually has (in the best possible sense of the words) all the taste of a magpie in jewelry. The small silver cross is very plain - even if it goes nicely with her little black dress. "What drew you to it?" he asks idly.

***​

Rising from her kneeling position, Rose dusts off her knees and rubs her temples. She doesn't understand it. It doesn't work. She's been seeing the sights in Los Angeles, and after some suggestions - and yes, quite a bit of nagging - from Reina's voice, she went to a church. Reina wanted to see the state of such things in the modern world. But it was Rose who decided to try praying. Maybe it might bring her closer to Reina, to understanding how she managed to do what she did.

But there's no divine voice. No presence. She's just kneeling in a building, saying things to something which isn't real.

And yet. She knows people worldwide take solace in religion. She knows Reina did through most of her life. And Reina was so much stronger than her. She knows from memory-flashes that Reina's belief had carried her through struggles that she shouldn't have been able to otherwise bear. It seems... unfair that something which isn't real can bring some people so much certainty and surety and... and... and other things Rose wants!

It doesn't make sense. She believes in the Union, with all her hearts, but... she doesn't feel sure like Reina did. The Union will triumph and everything will be better. She knows this as a fact. But she's not strong like Reina. She wants to be strong like her.

It's just a hobby, she tells herself as she reads whatever she can find in the public archives for anything on Reina Lior - and tolerates her own reflection sniffly pointing out errors. It must be something defective in her, that she doesn't feel strong despite all her belief. It's easy enough to coax Donald into finding some things which aren't in the level of clearance she has access too, but there's still not enough to know. It's the paintings she comes back to, time and time again. They're from several periods in her life. Rose likes the ones where she's young-looking and confident the most. She gets... colder and more distant once she gets the HITMark-like eye and the scars down that side of her face.

Rose isn't sure why she makes the necklace from bullet-grade scrap primium. It's not like Reina told her to. In fact, she refused to comment, merely providing technical advice on the jeweler's craft. She says that she did such things as a hobby herself, and she approves of Rose picking up some minor talent at it. Rose does know why she makes the design hollow, though. It's so she can take a sample of her own blood, and reverse-engineer out her own modifications. By the time she's finished processing it and has stripped out the extensive changes and augmentations, she has something that's basically the blood of Reina Lior. It just... it just feels right. To have a bit of her close to Rose, unaffected by the haemophage genetics and the Progenitor tweaks. Something which in the necklace sits roughly over her primary heart. Having some of Reina's blood doesn't mean anything, but Reina put a lot of value in things which didn't mean anything and Rose might not believe in God, but she certainly believes in Reina and how she's someone to look up to.

Maybe she'd have actually been properly Reina if they hadn't changed her quite so much. The thought is uncomfortable for her as a Progenitor. Maybe they'd been a little too ambitious with the upgrade programmes. Of course then she'd have died like the other EXEMPLAR IIIs so it's probably for the best!​

***
​

"I saw the design and thought it looked pretty," Rose says brightly, resting her hand on the cross unconsciously. It makes her feel stronger.

---

Templar Cross

Comprising of a cross-shaped necklace, the Templar Cross was manufactured by construct Rose Ashford apparently in an attempt to emphasise with and understand her genestock. This has been logged in her psychological records and is currently viewed as acceptable - and indeed admirable - behaviour. It is based on a necklace seen in a painting dating from 1631, painted by the Dutch artist (and member of the Cabal of Pure Thought) Johannes van der Braxton.

The Templar Cross is a surprisingly subtle Device - as befits something its creator was not actively intending to make as one. It only provides its benefits for users whose paradigm includes reverence, idolisation or considerable respect for Reina Lior. Firstly, as an icon made in the shape of a possession of Reina Lior, it serves to provide a Mind mental shield against mental influence - whether overtly RD or merely conventional hyperpsych - which would have the wearer act against the principles of the Order of Reason. These principles, while similar in some ways to those of the Technocratic Union, differ in several aspects. A Primal Utility countermagic effect attempts to unravel any magical mental effect which afflicts the wearer which would have them act against those principles, rolling once per order which goes against them. Those who respect this champion of the Order also benefit from a Mind and Primal Utility effect which strengthens the wearer's surety when they slay monsters such as spirits, vampires, werewolves, blasphemous horrors from beyond the stars, Infernalists, faeries, demons, the risen dead, demonologists, ghouls, ghosts, spectres, wraiths, haunts, witches, changelings, and other obvious enemies of mankind - as well as the fools who would welcome those things into the world from beyond the Gauntlet - restoring Primal Energy and placating doubts they might have about their course of action.

If worn by someone who doesn't idolise Reina Lior, the wearer will have strange dreams where they fantasise about the Order of Reason and experience things which show remarkable coherence with events in her life - though without enough detail to discern much. Strangely enough, such experiences will lead them prone to looking into the Order of Reason and curious about the knights of the Order and the respected figures among them.

Any allegations that this is mechanically more akin to a Talisman rather than a Device are, of course, lies, calumny and slander.

 

[Garlak]

Article:

Haemolynth TK-32: An unpleasant cocktail of EDE-arthopod-variant blood, elements extracted from purified and sterilise haemophage remains, and complex 10th-generation steroidal compounds, TK-32 (allegedly standing for 'Thriller Killer') is a potent and dangerous combat stimulant. When injected, it provides a short-lived rush which provides psychological fortification and reinforcement from observation of violent death. To put it another way, it gives the user a rush when they watch people die. Including people they kill.

As it is psychologically addictive, Damage Control keeps it under very tight control - however, it is know that variants see use among the Enforcers. It is most commonly used by the Progenitors in enlightened combat constructs or by enhanciles with fuel-hungry augumentations.

WARNING: DAMAGE CONTROL AGENTS MUST NOTE THAT ABUSERS OF THIS SUBSTANCE WILL FACE MANDATORY PSYCHOLOGICAL REPROFILING

Mechanically, it is a Gadget containing the Primal Utility 3 effect 'Living Asset Exploitation', triggered by the violent deaths of enemies or allies (or civilians who happened to be in the way) in combat. That is, you get Primal Energy back when people die around you when you use this.

Donald has the capacity to buy it from the Enforcers, if he really wants to (he probably doesn't). Rose, meanwhile, not only has the capacity to self-stimulate in this way (as she has PU3, now), but her own blood can be easily refined into a closely related compound.

Click to shrink...

Interesting contrast and call-back to the type of drug-use we saw the NWO use in one of its operations, back in JB LXXVII: Counter-Terrorists Win.

"Everyone has a family and there aren't really any 'good' or 'bad' people, just allies and enemies and threats." Juliet says, seemingly reading his mind. "It's why your direct superior tries not to kill anyone unless it's necessary to finish the mission, friend or foe. Simplistic black and white morality tends to make you into the worst monster in the end, because everyone who isn't on your side suddenly becomes a subhuman monster who can be exterminated without pity or remorse. It happened-still happens a lot in Iteration X and Damage Control."

Click to shrink...

He doesn't feel, and he finds it ironic that despite how the NWO uses these chemicals and advanced therapy to keep its operatives blissfully PTSD-free Iteration X has the reputation of being emotionless clockwork robots.

Click to shrink...

 

[MJ12 Commando]

I suppose Rose can get herself a new necklace and Donald a biosuit.

There's a couple of devices that are questionable such as the spirit binding ones, especially because of the sheer power involved, and things like the revival injector because it requires spheres no single mage in the party has.

Some of the other ideas are close enough to Union standard gear that you might as well outright buy them with your income, like the autoinjectors (heal 1 HL no questions asked) and the pistol idea @notanautomaton had (it's basically a Mjolnir with aim assist that lacks the intimidation factor). So those I can get the party a few of.

Leaving one slot of homemade goodies for someone who isn't @EarthScorpion to suggest! Go make something creative. It's not like you've used that 75 PE you had for anything else and you still have a good chunk left.

 

[FunkyEntropy]

Had an utterly bizarre idea for Donald - I know this is a valid use of Time 4 (hanging effects), but not so sure about Primal Utility or Entropy.

It's a smartphone app that lets you know how your investments just made a bunch of money or whatever. What makes it interesting is that more often than not it happens when you could really use the mental boost, that elation, that rush from success.

So mechanically it gives you more quint when you start running low.

 

[Sirrocco]

Hmmm...

For Donald - some sort of Emergency Backup Body. Actually done with Time, Correspondence, and Primal Utility. When the value of "Donald futures" starts dropping to critical levels, it does an emergency full mental dump out of the body you were in to a fresh clone in a secure facility elsewhere. The original body turns into, essentially, a pile of slowly cooling meat shortly before whatever dreadful thing it was happens to it - essentially a form of triggered teleport that happens to leave a body behind as a side effect.

I'm sure there's a better way to write that out, more in-paradigm for the man, but "teleport somewhere safe if you were about to die" is totally available with Donald's spheres, and seems like it might come in handy sometimes.

 

[MJ12 Commando]

Had an utterly bizarre idea for Donald - I know this is a valid use of Time 4 (hanging effects), but not so sure about Primal Utility or Entropy.

It's a smartphone app that lets you know how your investments just made a bunch of money or whatever. What makes it interesting is that more often than not it happens when you could really use the mental boost, that elation, that rush from success.

So mechanically it gives you more quint when you start running low.

Click to shrink...

It can't generate Prime Energy out of nowhere, though, so it'd have to come from somewhere-it'd mechanically be Primal Utility 3, Entropy 1, Time 4. One Primal Energy effect to store Prime Energy, another Primal Utility effect to get it from somewhere, and an Entropy 1/Time 4 effect to do so when it's most necessary.

 

[notanautomaton]

Hmmm...

For Donald - some sort of Emergency Backup Body. Actually done with Time, Correspondence, and Primal Utility. When the value of "Donald futures" starts dropping to critical levels, it does an emergency full mental dump out of the body you were in to a fresh clone in a secure facility elsewhere. The original body turns into, essentially, a pile of slowly cooling meat shortly before whatever dreadful thing it was happens to it - essentially a form of triggered teleport that happens to leave a body behind as a side effect.

I'm sure there's a better way to write that out, more in-paradigm for the man, but "teleport somewhere safe if you were about to die" is totally available with Donald's spheres, and seems like it might come in handy sometimes.

Click to shrink...

I don't think that Primal Utility has any use in that. That would be a pretty straightforward Time 2/Corr 3 effect hung with Time 4. So Time 4/Corr 3. Maybe throw in Entropy 1 to improve the accuracy, or Primal Utility 3 to stop the Procedure from being detected. As for a better way to put it, one word: bodyguards. When they see that he's about to be attacked, they, the bundle him into a car and get him to safety.