Medical
Charms
Sustenance
Replication Engine
Cost: None/5 motes
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Permanent/One minute
Type: Upgrade/Simple
Minimum
Stamina: 3
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Sustained
Augmentation of Stamina
A small reactor connects the Exalt’s Essence reservoir and stomach, while a set of
implanted recycling baffles optimizes her digestive function. The Alchemical no
longer produces any form of waste matter and divides the amount of food
required to remain healthy by his permanent Essence. Chosen of Autochthon with
Essence 5+ no longer require nourishment at all, as their advanced systems can
use this Charm to synthesize nutrients directly from Essence. Using total
nutrient replacement costs 5 motes per day in upkeep to maintain, and failure
to pay this cost or to consume the required biomass leads to eventual
starvation and diminished Essence recovery as normal. The cost to forgo
sustenance is not committed.
A secondary function of this Charm
allows the Alchemical to bleed a nutrient paste from a vein port on his inner
forearm. This unrefined gray goo is mercifully bland
apart from its faint chalky aftertaste, but the barely edible substance
actually contains a balanced set of nutrients and can sustain life in
emergencies. Creating enough paste to feed one mortal for one meal requires 5
motes and one minute spent bleeding into a receptacle. Meals created with this
Charm contain very little Essence and, thus, provide no benefit to Alchemicals.
Biofunction Inhibitor
Costs: 5 motes
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Indefinite
Type: Simple
Minimum
Stamina: 3
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Transitory or Sustained
Augmentation of Stamina
Control valves affixed to the Alchemical’s Essence reactor allow him to power down and
enter regenerative torpor to conserve energy. All biological processes and
Charms slow and cease operation over the course of a minute, until the Exalt
appears dead. Obviously, anyone who knows about Alchemical biology can tell
that the character is not actually deceased, since his flesh would rapidly
dissolve into a smoking puddle. Close examination by a trained medical
professional (Perception + Medicine roll, difficulty 4) will also detect the
faint stirring of life functions. The Exalt remains entirely unaware of his
surroundings in torpor and must specify the intended duration of slumber when
activating the Charm. Prior to the intended wakeup, the Alchemical only awakens
if an effect could have caused him damage (whether or not any actual levels of
injury are applied after the damage roll).
Time spent comatose using this Charm is
more restful than sleep by a factor of the Exalt’s
permanent Essence. Thus, an Essence 4 Alchemical can compress a full night’s
rest into two hours of torpor. Torpor also accelerates Willpower recovery, but
the Exalt only receives a single Conviction roll in a given 25-hour period. Alchemicals do not respire Essence
any faster than their usual sleeping rate while in torpor.
Toxicity
Filtration Subsystems
Cost: 2 motes
Installation Cost:
1 mote
Duration: One hour
Type: Reflexive
Minimum
Stamina: 3
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Transitory or Sustained
Augmentation of Stamina
A complex chain of pumps and chemical
filters process all sustenance the Exalt imbibes, while smaller filtering
tendrils snake through every vein and major organ. When activated with Essence,
the assemblage acts as a potent buffer against poison of every type. The Exalt
adds her Essence in automatic successes to all applicable Stamina rolls and
soak against toxins, as well as expunging all alcohol and other recreational
drugs from her body. Furthermore, if the Alchemical’s
player rolls more than twice the required number of successes to reduce the
severity of a poisoning, the chemical has no effect whatsoever. This Charm
activates itself whenever the Exalt is exposed to a dangerous toxin, although
conscious characters may deliberately suppress the effect if they so wish.
Without deliberate suppression, these
somewhat overeager defenses prevent the Alchemical from ever becoming drunk or
high.
Restorative
Fusion Transponder
Cost: 5 motes
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum
Stamina: 3
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Biofunction Inhibitor
This Charm takes the form of a glittering
metal port inset a quarter of the way down the Exalt’s
spine. If the Alchemical activates this device while standing on a natural
surface in Autochthonia, irregular cracks spread
across the ground beneath the Exalt. A forest of cables and Primordial
capillaries rises from these holes, weaving into a cocoon around the Exalt.
When every limb is entangled, the thickest of these tendrils drives a gleaming
metal spike into the socket of this Charm. The Exalt’s
eyes flutter and close in ecstasy as she passes out, but her body heals and
regains Essence as if resting in a Vat Complex. Even characters suffering from
starvation may respire Essence and heal inside a
cocoon, though only at their usual rates. The woven structures are quite
durable (soak 10L/15B) and may suffer 10 levels of damage before they break and
awaken the Exalt within.
Unless damaged, cocoons remain until
dismissed. Even unconscious, Exalted can track the progress of their recovery
and may voluntarily order their cocoons to withdraw into the substance of the
Great Maker at any time. After the last tendril withdraws,
the cracks and fissures in the floor seal without a trace.
Body-Reweaving
Matrix
Cost: 12 motes, 1 Willpower
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Indefinite
Type: Reflexive
Minimum
Stamina: 4
Minimum
Essence: 3
Prerequisite
Charms: Restorative Fusion
Transponder
Hidden compartments scattered across the
Alchemical’s body hide colonies of thumbnail-sized
automatons shaped roughly like metallic spiders. When activated by an
expenditure of 12 motes and 1 Willpower point, these compartments open, and the
colonies awaken.
Hundreds or even thousands of the tiny
machines swarm out across the Exalt’s body,
clustering around any wounds they find. The automatons work quickly and
tirelessly, spinning strands of unformed Essence that congeal into new matter.
Where the spiders pass, they leave flesh and Charms restored to pristine
condition.
With this Charm active, an Alchemical
regenerates a number of bashing levels each turn equal to her permanent
Essence. Lethal damage heals at the rate of one level per turn, while
aggravated wounds mend at the rate of one level every 10 hours. Amputated or
destroyed organs heal as aggravated damage, with entire limbs counting as three
levels, partial limbs as two levels (e.g., forearm and hand or a leg from the
knee down) and hands, eyes or a mouthful of teeth as a single level. Any Charms
located in an amputated area also regrow, but only
those installed as of the time of injury. Amputated Charms disintegrate as the
Body-Reweaving Matrix replaces them.
Diagnostic
Sensor Apparatus
Cost: 1 mote
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Until analysis completed
Type: Simple
Minimums
Perception: 2
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Sustained or Transitory
Augmentation of Perception
This Charm comprises a set of delicate
sensors installed in the pads of an Exalt’s
fingertips. In order to scan someone, she spends a mote and presents her
splayed palm in the direction of a living target within yards equal to her
Essence rating. The activated sensors emit a pulsing glow in time with the
target’s heartbeat (or Essence-flow rhythms if scanning an Alchemical, machine
god or similar entity), requiring a single turn to gather information. The
results of a scan remain indelibly stored in the Alchemical’s
memory for as long as she commits Essence to remember the information.
Interpreting a memorized scan requires
an Intelligence + Medicine roll at standard difficulty, and the process takes
five minutes. Each additional consecutive five-minute period spent analyzing
allows a new roll, with the total number of successes pooling as an extended
action. The total number of successes determines the detail of the diagnosis. A
character knows everything at her player’s rolled number of successes and
below. With one success, the Exalt only knows whether the target is alive or
not, and if so, whether he is completely well or currently suffers from some
sort of disease/infection. Two successes glean the number of ailments from
which the target suffers. Three successes identify the physical location of all
ailments (lungs, blood, infected wounds). Four
successes determine the overall progression of all ailments and their names (if
a disease is known in Autochthonian records), and the
Exalt can also calculate the variables of recovery (i.e., revealing the
statistics of all diseases as well as the target’s Stamina, Endurance and
Resistance ratings). Five successes allow for specific profiling of all
diseases, including vectors, symptoms and knowing whether an ailment is magical
in nature or not.
Once an Exalt begins analyzing data and
stops for any reason, the actual scan data fades along with the commitment of
Essence. Thereafter, she only remembers the results of her diagnosis.
Biosight Reticle
Cost: 6 motes, 1 Willpower
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: One hour
Type: Simple
Minimum
Perception: 4
Minimum
Essence: 3
Prerequisite
Charms: Diagnostic Sensor
Apparatus
This Charm takes the form of a pair of
diagnostic lenses stored in compartments beside each eye. When activated with
Essence, the translucent crystals slide over the Alchemical’s
eyes and flicker with moving geometric glyphs. The Exalt’s
vision changes, all colors dimming as if seen through a haze of smoke. In
contrast, every source of living or animating Essence glows from within. The
specific shade and brightness of each glow provides all manner of useful
information. This Charm automatically filters out the persistent glow of the
Great Maker’s Essence in Autochthonia to a dull
background flicker, in order not to overwhelm the presence of lesser beings. In
Creation, Gaia’s presence is not filtered, allowing
the Alchemical to see Demesnes, Manses and dragon tracks.
First, the Exalt receives bonus dice to
spot hidden beings with Perception rolls, adding each target’s own permanent
Essence to these checks. This magic also negates visual penalties for darkness,
fog, smoke and other such conditions with regards to spotting or attacking
animate targets and can even scan through obstructions (a cumulative yard or
more of solid matter blocks the Exalt’s vision).
Most impressively, a Biosight
Reticle can even pierce the camouflage provided by
Charms activated by a character of equal or lesser Essence, unless the magic
cloaks Essence emanations or relies upon mental misdirection. If the Biosight Reticle has a chance of
piercing the magic, make an opposed roll of (the Alchemical’s
Perception + Awareness + the target’s Essence) against (the target’s Dexterity
+ Stealth). If the Alchemical wins, she ignores the Charm and spots the target.
If the target wins, his Charm functions normally, providing its usual
concealment.
Once the Alchemical is aware of a
particular being, she may then devote a simple action to study the pattern and
color of light surrounding him. At the end of this turn, roll the Exalt’s Perception + Medicine. Each success reveals one of
the following pieces of information about the target as decided by the Chosen’s
player: current number of health levels, maximum number of health levels,
current wound penalties (if any), current fatigue penalties (if any), permanent
Essence, current Essence pool (Personal + Peripheral, if applicable), Stamina
rating, Endurance rating, Resistance rating, physical location of all injuries
(if any), any pregnancy (yes/no), presence of parasites (yes/no), presence of
disease (yes/no) or physical location of all infected wounds (if any). Multiple
turns of scanning can reveal additional information, although a botch always
yields erroneous results.
Biostasis Field
Projector
Cost: 3 motes
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: One day or indefinite
Type: Simple or Reflexive
Minimum
Intelligence: 3
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Biofunction Inhibitor, Diagnostic Sensor Apparatus
A capacitor in the Exalt’s
palm emits a pulse of life-stabilizing Essence through contact with a patient’s
skin.
This luminous energy courses through the
target’s flesh, causing him to briefly convulse as he falls unconscious. Within
seconds, all vital signs fade and slow. To casual observation, the patient is
dead, although trained medical personnel can detect his barely perceptible
pulse with a Perception + Medicine roll (difficulty 4). Diagnostic Charms or
Essence sight automatically sense the patient’s muted life force. Because this
Charm require several seconds of touch to activate, it
cannot be used in conjunction with an unarmed strike to incapacitate unwilling
targets. However, this Charm may be activated in place of inflicting damage if
the Alchemical wins control of a clinch. Patients may fight the coma-inducing
pulse with a Stamina + Resistance roll (difficulty of the Exalt’s
Essence). Success allows him to shrug off the momentary numbing that seeps
through his muscles. No roll is necessary if the patient does not resist. For most
use, this Charm is simple and costs 3 motes.
While under the effects of this Charm,
patients remain completely stabilized. Infections and poisons temporarily halt
their spread, and all wounds cease bleeding. Mortally wounded characters do not
deteriorate, but remain at Incapacitated. Stasis lasts a day or until the
Alchemical withdraws the commitment of Essence, but the effect may be extended
through reapplication of the Charm. “Unfreezing” a patient returns him to his
exact condition at the time the Alchemical administered the Charm, though any
new injuries sustained in the interim remain. Most often, this Charm is used as
first aid for critically wounded patients, preserving them until medical
specialists can arrive. Biostasis Field Projectors
also see utility as anesthesia for surgery and for transporting criminals.
Alchemicals may use this Charm on themselves and
may specify any duration, but they remain unconscious and unable to voluntary
end the Charm until the effect runs its designated course. Exalted may also use this Charm reflexively when they suffer lethal
damage that would bring them below Incapacitated (and, thus, kill them). Activating this emergency function costs 3 motes and a dot of
Stamina that may be recovered with experience points and surgical refitting as
normal. Through the miracle of this Charm, an Exalt remains alive at
Incapacitated but falls into the usual deathlike coma for the specified
duration of the Charm, which cannot be less than one hour. Further lethal
damage may be ignored through reapplication of the Charm even while
unconscious, until the Exalt drops to Stamina 1 or lacks sufficient Essence to
power the device.
Multifunction
Hypodermic Apparatus
Cost: 4 motes
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum
Intelligence: 4
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Transitory or Sustained
Augmentation of Intelligence, Diagnostic Sensor Apparatus
A slender tentacle slides out of a
compartment in the Alchemical’s torso, tipped with a
long hollow needle. The transparent tendril extends as far as two yards, nimbly
targeting a patient’s veins or vital clusters. After the needle slides in,
quivers of peristaltic motion pump drugs into the patient’s body from storage
nodes inside the Alchemical. These nodes convert raw Essence into known drug
templates, as explained below.
If the character tries to inject a drug
into an unwilling patient, roll Dexterity + Medicine as an attack. No roll is
necessary to inject a willing patient. Against soft targets (i.e., patients without
a lethal soak), a successful attack automatically delivers the drug without
inflicting damage. Against hard targets, the “damage” is 1L + attack successes
and is considered piercing. If the needle successfully inflicts any levels of
damage, no damage is recorded, but the drug is injected. Exalted may inject
themselves internally if they so desired.
Players of patients injected with
harmful drugs receive a reflexive Stamina + Resistance roll to lessen the
effect (difficulty of the Exalt’s Essence). Normally,
beneficial drugs do not elicit this automatic immunity check, although certain
characters with hyperactive immune systems (whether from Charms or mutations or
some other effect) may automatically resist.
When an Alchemical first obtains this
Charm, it comes equipped with any two of the following submodule
formulas. Upgrading the device with additional submodules
costs 4 experience points or 2 bonus points per formula, any of which may be
downloaded in several minutes at a Vat Complex. Designing a new formula
requires a roll of Intelligence + (Medicine or Lore) at difficulty 3, and new
formulas should be of comparable power to those listed here. Adding this
formula to the Charm also costs 4 experience points but requires no Vat access.
Players must obtain Storyteller permission before their characters can design
new drugs. Effects are listed in terms of failure and success, based on the
results of the patient’s Resistance roll.
Paralytic Toxin: This compound numbs muscles and
nerves. On a failure, the victim suffers levels of bashing damage equal to the Exalt’s Intelligence + Medicine (soakable
with natural soak only) and suffers a dice penalty to all actions equal to the Exalt’s Essence for a number of hours equal to the Exalt’s Intelligence. With success, this damage is reduced
to the Exalt’s Intelligence and the penalty is only
-1 for hours equal to the Exalt’s Essence. Victims
whose Stamina exceeds the Exalt’s Intelligence suffer
no penalty.
Lethal Toxin: This neurotoxic
or hemotoxic poison has the same rules and effects as
for paralytic toxin, but the damage is lethal. Mortals (and other living beings
of the same overall toughness and size or smaller) painfully die after
convulsing for a number of turns equal to their Stamina.
Acid: A spurt of powerful acid sears through the victim’s
flesh from the inside out. The victim receives no Stamina + Resistance roll to
lessen the effect, but instead, suffers 6L damage. Only natural soak applies to
this damage. Victims who suffer three or more levels of damage from a single
dose of injected acid are horribly scarred, permanently reducing Appearance by
1 dot (which may be fixed with cosmetic surgery and the appropriate number of
experience points).
Antivenin: Administered to a poisoned individual,
each dose of this drug cancels the effects of one poison currently in his
system (starting with the most potent, as decided by the Storyteller). This
automatically removes all penalties and other detrimental effects, even healing
all damage if the poison was introduced to the patient’s system earlier in the
scene. One dose of antivenin may also cleanse all traces or alcohol or another
drug from the patient’s body. If administered to a patient injected with memory
eraser serum within the past minute, the deleterious effects of the drug are
prevented. Antivenin may be given to patients preemptively, in which case each
dose lingers for an hour waiting to cancel a single poison the victim may be
exposed to. Each such inoculation fades as it is used. Inoculations cannot prevent
memory eraser serum from taking effect as it is injected.
Anesthetic: The patient feels soothing warmth
spread through his body. He subtracts the Exalt’s
Essence from all wound penalties, but suppressed penalty dice return at the
rate of one per hour. Repeated injections reset the penalty suppression rather
than stacking cumulatively.
Immune Booster: This drug fortifies a patient’s immune
system, adding one die to all Stamina rolls made to avoid or overcome any form
of disease. This bonus lasts for a number of days equal to the Exalt’s Intelligence.
Antiseptic: By injecting this directly into the
site of a wound, that wound is prevented from becoming infected, and any
existing infection is nullified.
Healing Agent: This drug accelerates a patient’s
natural healing. Provided that he rests and takes no strenuous physical action
for an hour following injection, he heals two levels of bashing damage.
Coagulant: The patient’s blood thickens, and she
immediately stops bleeding from all wounds.
Hallucinogen: The patient experiences synesthesia and other forms of sensory distortion, as well
as an overwhelming feeling of pleasure. On a failure, the distortions are so
intense that the patient suffers a dice penalty of (the Exalt’s
Intelligence + Essence) to all non-reflexive actions. Each full hour that
passes diminishes this penalty by one die. The experience is also highly
addictive, and the character’s player must make a successful Temperance roll
(difficulty 2) for the next month to pass up any chance to receive the drug. On
a success, the penalty starts at the Exalt’s
Intelligence and decreases by one die per hour. The lesser experience is not
addictive.
Stimulant: The patient is invigorated, reducing
his current dice penalty from fatigue by the Exalt’s
Essence. The drug wears off after a number of hours equal to the Exalt’s Intelligence. Regular doses of stimulants can keep
a patient going indefinitely without sleep or rest, but not safely. For each
dose taken after the first without a full night’s rest, the patient suffers two
levels of unsoakable bashing damage.
Time Release Drug: Once an Exalt adds this formula to her
Charm, she may designate a specific time lapse when she injects any other drug.
The augmented chemical remains inert in the patient’s bloodstream until the
specified time passes, at which time the patient’s player makes the usual roll
to resist (if appropriate), and the drug takes effect. The antivenin formula
can cleanse any inert formula from a patient’s system by specifying the formula
to negate (which the Alchemical need not know or be certain is present in the
patient’s system), so inoculations do not preemptively negate an inert
compound. This rule also applies to drugs rendered inert through triggered
activation.
Memory Eraser: A specialized neurotoxin quickly
spreads to the patient’s brain, disrupting her ability to recall recent events.
On a failure, the target passes out for a minute (awakening prematurely if he
suffers any levels of damage, regardless of type). When he awakens, he does not
remember any of the events of the past hour or scene (whichever is longer). On
a success, the patient remains conscious, and his memories are simply
scrambled. His player must make a reflexive Wits roll at standard difficulty
for the character to remember each distinct event from the past half hour. This
formula is so complicated that its template costs 6 experience points or 3
bonus points and requires the Exalt to have Essence 3+. Players may not select
memory eraser as one of the starting formulas obtained through installation of
this Charm.
Triggered Activation Drug: Once an Exalt adds this formula to her
Charm, she may add a sophisticated delay process when she injects any other
drug by spending and committing 1 additional mote. The augmented chemical remains
inert in the patient’s bloodstream for one month, at which time the commitment
fades and the drug takes effect. Any time prior, the Exalt may “disarm” or
trigger the activation of a drug as a diceless action
by withdrawing commitment. Once a delayed drug activates, the patient’s player
makes the usual roll to resist (if appropriate), and the results determine the
effect as normal. This formula is so complicated that its template costs 6
experience points or 3 bonus points and requires the Exalt to have Essence 3+.
Players may not select triggered activation drug as one of the starting
formulas obtained through installation of the Charm.
Regenerative
Essence Transfusion
Cost: 10 motes or Varies
Installation
Cost: None
Duration: Indefinite or instant
Type: Simple
Minimum
Intelligence: 4
Minimum
Essence: 3
Prerequisite
Charms: Biostasis Field Projector, Multifunction
Hypodermic Apparatus
The Alchemical may inject mortal
patients with a powerful healing drug using her Multifunction Hypodermic
Apparatus. This process follows all the same rules for injection described in
that Charm. The synthesized fluid that emerges from the needle glows the color
of the Exalt’s anima and glitters with microscopic
flecks of her caste’s Magical Material. Mortal patients infused with this
miraculous drug heal and resist poison/disease as if they were Exalted. The transfusion retains its power for as long as
the Exalt commits 10 motes to sustain its existence. This injection cannot
increase the healing rate of beings who already
regenerate at the speed of Exalted or better.
A secondary function of this Charm
allows for a direct transfer of motes between the Exalt and a being with an
Essence pool. After making a successful injection with her Multifunction
Hypodermic Apparatus, the Alchemical may spend 3 motes to activate a transfer.
She may then donate up to (her Stamina + Essence) motes of Essence broth from
her own reservoir to the patient. This donation visibly travels as a glowing
liquid through the semitransparent tendril of the injector. Alternately, the
Alchemical may siphon Essence as an attack, in which case, she spends 2 motes,
and her player rolls Intelligence + Medicine (difficulty 1, if the target is
willing, or the target’s Essence, if he is unwilling). Each success drains 2
motes through the injection mechanism and pumps them into the Exalt’s own pool. Against Exalted victims, this Charm
drains Peripheral Essence before reaching Personal.
Metabolic
Augmentation Injection
Cost: Varies
Installation
Cost: None
Duration: Indefinite
Type: Simple
Minimum
Intelligence: 4
Minimum
Essence: 3
Prerequisite
Charms: Biostasis Field Projector, Multifunction
Hypodermic Apparatus
Using her Multifunction Hypodermic
Apparatus, the Alchemical may inject living patients with a drug that
dramatically enhances physical prowess. This process follows all the same rules
for injection described in that Charm. The drug itself glows a pulsing, sickly
green and burns as it sears through the blood. Resistance is not possible.
The exact effects of this Charm depend
on the precise formula selected at the time of injection. For every 3 motes
spent, the Alchemical may raise one of the patient’s Physical Attributes,
Appearance, Perception or Wits by one dot. Every dot of augmented Stamina also
reduces a patient’s wound penalties by one die, and awarding any extra Stamina
also allows a target to soak damage as one of the Exalted, using half Stamina
against lethal damage and healing at the speed of an Exalt. Furthermore, the
Exalt can boost a patient’s rating in the following Abilities at the cost of 1
mote per dot: Athletics, Awareness, Endurance or Resistance. No Attribute or
Ability may be raised by more dots than (the Exalt’s
Essence rating - the patient’s permanent Essence). Additionally, no Attribute may
exceed its original rating by more than double, and no Ability may have a
rating over 5 dots after augmentation. All bonuses last for as long as the
Alchemical commits Essence to sustaining the drug. Patients carrying the drug
for a week or more may mutate and retain changes even after the drug wears off.
In other words, their players may pay experience points to raise an augmented
Trait’s natural rating up to its normal permitted maximum or the augmented
rating, whichever is less. Raising a Trait through mutation bypasses the need
for training time. Storytellers may optionally allow players to raise Traits
using credited future experience, denying all experience awards until the
deficit is paid. Alchemicals never mutate as a result
of carrying this drug in their systems, although other Exalted may.
The drug created with this Charm is
highly addictive to normal humans. Whenever a mortal character has an
opportunity to receive reinjection within a month of
bearing the serum, his player must roll Temperance (difficulty 2). On a
failure, he will do anything that does not place himself or loved ones in
immediate physical danger to obtain the drug. On a botch, he will do anything
for another fix of power.