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Old 01-03-2012, 11:36 AM   #11
Jasonft
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

Love the universe, keep posting as you are able. The Atlantis section of history cost me several hours of sleep and almost made me late for work when I found it!

Question 1: Is there a reason why are some postings (like this thread) prefaced with 'Orichalcum Universe' while some others (like 'First Interbellum') are not?

Question 2: Have you ever considered recruiting a couple of webcomic writer and artist types to publish works in your universe?

I ask the second on account of I am a webcomic addict and kept seeing segments of the aforementioned Atlantis thread, especially the big sequence leading up to the Lens detonating, playing out in my mind in that format....

Keep up the good work, you made a fan out of me!
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Old 01-03-2012, 11:46 AM   #12
D10
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: In Rio de Janeiro, where it was cyberpunk before it was cool.
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

I see what you mean, its exterior is lean and without protuberances
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Old 01-03-2012, 07:01 PM   #13
Johnny1A.2
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jasonft View Post
Love the universe, keep posting as you are able. The Atlantis section of history cost me several hours of sleep and almost made me late for work when I found it!
Don't do that! I'd hate to get a fan in trouble. :grin:

Quote:

Question 1: Is there a reason why are some postings (like this thread) prefaced with 'Orichalcum Universe' while some others (like 'First Interbellum') are not?
Not really, just an oversight on my part. I always try to put the 'orichalcum universe' on it to make easy for people to find other bits of it. That's why I try to start each thread with a backlink to the master list on the first thread, too.

Quote:


Question 2: Have you ever considered recruiting a couple of webcomic writer and artist types to publish works in your universe?

I ask the second on account of I am a webcomic addict and kept seeing segments of the aforementioned Atlantis thread, especially the big sequence leading up to the Lens detonating, playing out in my mind in that format....
No, I've never given that any thought, but I am tremendously flattered.

Quote:

Keep up the good work, you made a fan out of me!
I'll try!
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Old 01-03-2012, 07:04 PM   #14
Johnny1A.2
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

Quote:
Originally Posted by D10 View Post
I see what you mean, its exterior is lean and without protuberances
Exactly, it's a rocket-propelled vessel designed to be able to enter atmospheres, land and launch again, which requires streamlining and makes it necessary to keep the center of mass lined up with the line of thrust.

If that makes the operational profile resemble traditional SFnal spaceships of the early-mid 20th century...well, there was a reason the writers depicted those ships that way.
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Old 11-14-2012, 09:48 PM   #15
Johnny1A.2
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

Primacy Standard Two-Person Microsubmarine (late 21C)

This microsubmarine is a two-man vessel, designed to be able to dive to relatively
significant depths and also to operate on the surface. The vehicle can be used on
its own, or as a minisub or oceanic tender for larger vessel. It can be operated by
one man, but can sustain two for as long as the supplies hold out. It is built with
3e TL9/10 technology, for the most part.

Propelled by a hydrojet engine, it uses an advanced form of nuclear fission for power,
which can either power the vessel directly or be used to charge storage cells. The
power cells can hold enough energy to enable full operational efficiency for about
one standard Terran day, or restrained operation for longer periods (though use of
the laser weapons will drain the reserves much more quickly). The hydrojet is
relatively quiet, making it much easier for this vehicle to 'run silent' when need be.
The basic design is not particularly stealthy, as submarines go, but can be easily
modified in include sonar-absorptive coatings and similar stealthy measures.

The hull and frame are strong enough to maintain the interior at sea-level Terran
pressure while surviving to a depth of about eight hundred meters (on Earth).
This is considerably deeper than the normal operating doctrine would recommend,
however. Under normal conditions, this sub would go no deeper than about five
hundred meters.

The ship is about four meters in diameter, and twenty meters long. The interior
volume is divided into a control room in the bow, with two seated control stations
(and just barely enough room for two adult humans to work), then a 'mainroom'
that serves as mess hall, meeting place, and most other purposes as well. One
side of the mainroom incorporates a compact galley with just sufficient space for
one person to work. Aft of the mainroom is a very compact cabin that can be
configured for one person or two. Opposite the cabin is a shower/toilet/washroom
about the size of a large closet, and beside it is another closet-sized chamber
containing two automed units and basic medical supplies.

Aft of the medical closet on the same side of the central axis is a third closet-sized
room within which can be stored such equipment as diving suits and related
paraphernalia. Finally, aft of that chamber is the airlock. A small cargo hold occupies
a space at the end of the habitable volume, after of the rest of the habitable volume.
This cargo hold is usually used to store supplies and consumables for the crew.

The ship is not a warship by any means, but it does carry a forward-mount blue-green
laser cannon, two launching tubes designed for use with highly compact torpedoes,
and a retractable anti-personnel machine gun for use on the surface. The ship is, as
noted, not intended as a warship and the weaponry is conceived of as being purely
defensive, with the operational doctrine being to escape rather than overcome an enemy.

The ship is highly streamlined and has no 'tower' as such. It does mount a retractable
spotlight, able to operate in infrared, visible, and ultraviolet frequencies, and two small
bowlights integrated into the forward hull. The spotlight has a beam range of about
three miles, the bowlights about four hundred meters on the surface, Most of the
various sensor and communications devices are likewise integrated into the hull.

The ship carries a small floating buoy with an integral radio antenna and lasercom
transceiver, than can be released to float to the surface, connected to the microsubmarine
by a thin data cable. This can enable the submerged microsubmarine to use radio
and laser communications, though the buoy is not equipped to tight-beam radio
messages, for that the microsubmarine must be on the surface. The data cable is
long enough to permit such operation from a depth of up to two hundred meters
(allowing for currents and other complicating factors, of course.)

Two waldo-arms, one on each side of the ship, can be used to manipulate external
objects aside and forward of the vehicle. They have sophisticated and dexterous
micromanipulators on the end of the arms, and both arms have a reach of about
fifteen meters to the side or forward. They can be folded neatly into sealable
compartments on the side of the microsubmarine for storage and to maintain the
streamlining.

The nuclear power supply is good for two years of relatively constant operation,
giving the vehicle a theoretical range that is limited mainly by the supplies needed
by the crew. The ship can obtain breathable oxygen by electrolysis if necessary,
and it can purify seawater for drinking purposes. Food is thus the usual limiting
factor on operational time.

The onboard computer is able to operate the ship, and these ships can operate
uncrewed within limits, though this is not their design purpose. Operation by
remote control is possible as well, assuming viable communication channels
are available.


Crew: 1-2

Subassemblies: Vehicle +6, Body +6, 2xWalo Arm -4.

P&P: ten 10,000,000-kWs rechargeable power cells, 1,200-kW nuclear energizer (short term access), 1,000-kW hydrojet (short term access).

Fuel: Enriched uranium

Occupancy:two roomy reconfigurable crew stations (bridge access), dual occupancy cabin, small galley, shower, cramped toilet, 3-man full life support system, 100-cf cargo hold.

Armor F RL B T U
Body 5/675 5/675 5/675 4/450 4/450
Walo Arm 4/450 4/450 4/450 4/450 4/450

Weaponry Malf Type Damage SS Acc 1/2D yds Max yds RoF TL
300mm torpedo tube - Cr 0d 20 0 0 0 1/10 10
9mm retractable rifled electric automatic Ver. (Crit.) Cr 7d-1 14 13 560 3,400 20 10
laser cannon (blue-green band) Ver. Imp. 6dx50 25 21 5,700(x10) 17,000(x10) 2 10


Equipment

Body: 150-sf mainroom; two automeds; long range radio communicator (500,000-mile range; tight beam, scrambler, direction finder); medium range laser communicator (5,000-mile range; sensitive, scrambler, blue-green laser); sonar standard transponder; two sets of precision navigation instruments; inertial navigation system; chemical sensor array; advanced radiation detector; PESA (scan 17, 10-mile range); two active sonar systems (20-mile range; active/passive); AESA (scan 17, 10-mile range); mini-computer (complexity 6; hardened, high capacity, neural net, robot brain); three small computers (complexity 5; hardened, neural net, robot brain); meteorology instrument; multispectral searchlight (3-mile range); two bowlights (0.25-mile range); 36,000-kJ laser cannon (blue-green band) (close range; compact); two 300mm breechloader torpedo tubes (concealed); 9mm retractable rifled electric automatic (medium barrel; concealed, fine (accurate), recoilless, caseless ammo, heavy auto); 1-man airlock.

Waldo Arm: arm motor (ST:20, retractable, micromanipulator).

Statistics
Size: [LxWxH] 67 * 13 * 13 (cylindrical)
Lwt: 63,650 lbs.
Volume: ~10,000 cf

HT: 14 HP: 7,500 [Body], 6 each [2x Waldo Arm].

Water Performance: Top Speed 50 mph, wAcc 10 mph/s, wDec 10 mph/s (15 mph/s), wMR 0.5, wSR 5, Draft 5.4 ft, Drag 319, Flotation 623,024 lbs.

Underwater Performance: Top Speed 18 mph, uAcc 1 mph/s, uDec 10 mph/s (10.5 mph/s), uMR 0.5, uSR 5, Draft 28.5 ft, Drag 729, Test Depth 460 yds, Crush Depth 920 yds.

Design Notes:
TL10 robotic heavy frame advanced materials [Vehicle].
TL11 DR 450 advanced laminate [Body].
Operating Duration: 1 D 24 M 34 S.
Vehicle Features: computerized controls, computerized diving controls, self-sealed, ruggedized, waterproofed, very finely made.
Water Features: submarine lines, flotation, hydrodynamic.
Underwater Features: submersible.
Body: total compartmentalization, 30° Slope on all Faces.
Waldo Arm: retractable.
Volume: ~10,000 cf [Body]
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Old 02-14-2016, 03:31 PM   #16
Johnny1A.2
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

FLUXCOMMUNITOR

This is a very special, and very rare, cyborg mechanism designed to make use of the Flux/Matrix as a communication tool. The term 'fluxcommunitor' is not what the aliens who created them called them, of course, it is a very approximate English translation of the term, translated at the roots of the word rather than by literal transliteration.

It is a very potent and useful device, but comes with severe drawbacks for the user that limit its appeal.

A fluxcommunitor looks oddly like a model of a large invertebrate organism, made out of a synthetic-composite material, with curving 'tendrils' of the same material on either side. It is about thirty centimeters long, roughly three to four centimeters in diameter, diminishing toward one end, and the 'tendrils' vary in length between six and ten centimeters. The 'tendrils' emerge in bilateral pairs along the length of the main body. The main body is usually black or grey-white, the tendrils almost always jet-black.

The resemblance to a living creature is not entirely misleading. Within the shell of the main body of the device is a living creature. This creature is the product of extensive selective breeding and even more extensive genetic and biological engineering. The nearest living Terran relative of the creature would be a some rare sessile invertebrates, and even that relationship if very distant. The creatures are almost as closely akin to the echinoderms and the mollusks as they are to their sessile proto-chordate kin.

These creatures were produced by their alien breeders through cloning, they are no longer even capable of natural reproduction, and could not survive in the wild for more than a few minutes at most. They have been reshaped into a form suitable for use in the fluxcommunitor.

A fluxcommunitor is applied to the scalp of a Homosapient (the scalp must be shaven smooth), and the tendrils cling to the sides of the head, reaching down to the cheeks, below the ears, and along the head. The main body lies along the centerline of the head, the larger end facing forward.

With the proper chemical stimulation, the organism will emerge from its stasis and extend small probes and connecting cilia from the side-structures, which will penetrate the skin, and connect the organism directly to the blood stream and nervous system of the Homosapient user. This process is painless, the organism secretes a powerful painkilling substance as it works, producing only a numbness in the face and head for several hours.

The bonding process requires some hours to complete, and when it is finished the organism draws all its sustenance from the host, and eliminates its wastes through the blood stream of the host in the same way. The connecting process is highly reliable, only very small percentage of willing hosts prove incompatible with the fluxcommunitor symbiotes.

The host must consume a number of preparatory drugs before attempting to bond with the symbiote, as well as taking several other preparatory steps, bonding a symbiote to an unwilling host would be a difficult matter.

Once the bonding is complete, the creature is a firmly attached part of the user. A chemical secreted by the device will prevent hair growth on the head, and the shell of the device is made of a substance designed for compatibility with long-term skin contact. The biological needs of the symbiote will require the host to consume slightly more food and water than would otherwise be the case, but the differences are modest.

The advantage of the symbiote is straightforward. It is genetically designed and imprinted to be able to communicate with the Matrix/Flux in a very specific way, in a sense it has a built-in Controlled Manifestation for a single effect, which it can invoke very reliably.

Any two or more fluxcommunitor hosts can communicate with each other mentally, not through true telepathy but rather by using the Flux/Matrix as an intermediary. A transmitting host has his symbiote encode the mental message into the Matrix, from which it can be 'read' by the intended recipient elsewhere. This message can consist of mental words, images, sensations, most of what could be done telepathically can be done this way, at least in terms of simple communication.

(Minds can not be read or attacked, though, it is communication-only.)

This process is, as noted, entirely independent of psionic telepathy. A telepath can make use of a fluxcommunitor and it work exactly at well for the telepath as it would for anyone else, no better and no worse (with one partial and limited exception, see below). Likewise, the fluxcommunitor with neither interfere with nor assist the use of telepathy, if the host possesses that ability.

The advantage of a fluxcommunitor is two-fold. The first is that it can enable non-telepaths to communicate mentally, as long as both are fluxcommunitor hosts. The second and more important advantage is that, at least in theory, the range of fluxcommunitor communication is potentially infinite.

The reason for this is that the Flux/Matrix does all the work. Potentially, the message encoded into the Flux/Matrix by the fluxcommunitor symbiote could be read out again wherever the Flux reaches, which is most of the Universe (including various planes and dimensional levels).

In practice, of course, there are some limits, imposed not by the power or nature of the device but by the limits of the user. These limits are not all that harsh, however. The fluxcommunitor is certainly one of the most powerful communications technologies available to Homosapients, possibly the most powerful such period.

Generally speaking, the most intelligent and strong-willed the host, the greater the distance in space (and time) that the message can bridge. It also increases with practice, long-time fluxcommunitor hosts generally have greater effective range and clarity than new users.

Even the newest users, however, can usually bridge distances of thousands of light-years with ease. Most experienced users have galactic range.

The advantage of being a fluxcommunitor host are obvious, but there are some very significant drawbacks. To begin with, the user has a large and obvious artificial device literally grafted to his or her head. This makes the user noticeable both in the ordinary sense, and psionically. Espers and their ilk can detect fluxcommunitor hosts with relative ease and at considerable distances, because of their biological and mental 'oddity'. Skilled fluxons can 'scan' for such users as well.

The creature being grafted to the user means that if something does damage it, the host can lose blood through the wound, or be infected through it. Removal of a fluxcommunitor requires somewhat delicate head surgery, and carries the risk of the surgery itself as well as dangers from removal. If a fluxcommunitor is violently removed, the result can be very dangerous. They can also make a host somewhat more vulnerable to various subtle Flux-based dangers and more exotic problems under some circumstances.

A fluxcommunitor can send a message specifically, to one other such host, or to a group, or as a 'general address' message accessible to anyone who is a fluxcommunitor host. It is also possible, though somewhat difficult, to 'program' the Matrix/Flux to store a message and make it available at a later date to an individual or group of fluxcommunitor hosts.

A fluxcommunitor has a few limitations from its nature. In those few places where the Flux does not reach, they simply can not work. Antipsi power and devices that interfere with psionic phenomena can interfere with fluxcommunitors, too. The presence of, or physical contact with, a psychonull can disrupt their function entirely. Some cosmic phenomena can do so as well, such as supernovae.

Though these devices were created for a near-human species (specifically Homo siccaris), they work equally well for most Homosapient species, including Homo sapiens. The few exceptions are sometimes because of physical differences (a few near-human races are too large, or too small, for the devices to fit), or other special-case situations.

Regarding size, while it would certainly be possible to make fluxcommunitors in larger or smaller sizes to fit the larger or smaller races, the people who created these devices are long gone, and with them many of the secrets of their creation. The devices that actually exist were created to fit a race of Homosapients of approximately human size.

To be continued...

Last edited by Johnny1A.2; 02-15-2016 at 07:00 PM.
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Old 02-14-2016, 04:18 PM   #17
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

FLUXCOMMUNITOR continued...

In game terms, a fluxcommunitor host who wishes to make use of the symbiote must take a turn of concentration, and roll vs. IQ with an appropriate bonus/penalty. On a success, he will be able to transmit a message to the Flux/Matrix, which may as directed pass it on to another host or store it for future passage. The message will go to those hosts the user mentally designates, or for a 'general' reception.

Once contact has been made with another host, both can roll again vs. IQ to send each other sensory impressions such as sight and hearing. This can be used to 'look through another set of eyes'.

In any case, to maintain contact the host must roll vs. IQ every five minutes, or if startled or otherwise interrupted.

The bonus/penalty on the IQ roll depends on circumstances, of course, but the GM should assign a -6 to a new host (less than six months of experience), -3 to a host with 6 months to 12 months of experience, and -1 for 12 to 18 months of experience as a host. The host rolls vs. IQ from 18 to 36 months, and then gains a +1 for every year of experience, up to a +4, at which point it levels off.

Note that if a roll to add something to the connections fails, the connection itself remains. If two hosts are in contact, and one tries and fails to add a visual sensory component, they remain in contact, it is simply that the recipient still can not perceive what the sender is seeing.

Also, IF the host is ALSO a telepath, and has the Telereceiver or Telesend skills, that familiarity with mental communication makes it easier to communicate through the fluxcommunitors. This is because the host is already somewhat familiar with mental communication as a concept, even though the process is different.

For every five levels of Telereceive or Telesend skill (whichever skill is higher), at a +1 to the IQ rolls to use the fluxcommunitor.

Though the theoretical range of contact is infinite (but see a caveat below), in practice there are limits imposed by various factors, including the will and intelligence of the host. Generally, a new user/host (up to six months experience) has a practical range of IQ/6, IQ/4 from 6 months to 12, and IQ/2 from 12 to 18 months, in light-centuries. Round up.

Thus a user with IQ 10 would have a transmission range of about 200 light-years (IQ/6 =10/6=1.66, round up to 2 light centuries). That same user would be at 300 light-years after 6 months, and 500 light-years after 12 months.

After 18 months, range will equal IQ in light-centuries. After another five years of experience, increase that to IQ*1d6, and after another five years, 2d6or so. Generally, every five years, add one die to the IQ multiplier.

So a really experienced user can have enormous ranges. For ex, an IQ 10 user with 25 years of practice would have a transmission range of about IQ*4d6 light-centuries. If he has IQ 10 and rolls a best-case roll (24), then he has a transmission range of 240,000 light-years!

Along with experience, a few other factors can penalize the IQ roll. One is relativity. If there is a large difference in relative velocity between the hosts, this will penalize the IQ roll because relative to each other, they are experiencing different time rates. This will also become an issue if ranges grow so large that Hubble redshifts become very large.

The 'shell' of the organism has DR 10, and 20 hit points. It is tough, but not by any means indestructible. If something damages the creature within short of death, it will gradually heal, drawing on the resources of the host. The creature can be assumed to have a HT equal to that of its host for that purpose, and heals at normal human rates.

If something kills the creature within, surgery will be necessary to remove the fluxcommunitor, because it is grafted to the host and the same sort of problems can arise from this as from any dead tissue still connected to a living creature. Infection, inflammation, the full range of problems can arise.
Assume the creature has 10 hits and no DR on its own, and a HT equal to that of the host for resistance rolls against such things as poisons.

If something violently removes the symbiote from the host, substantial damage direct to hit points will occur. This can include substantial bleeding, torn nerves, large gashes in the scalp and cheeks, and considerable pain. Prompt first aid (at least!) will be necessary.

Any attempt by an ESPer to scan for or track a host is at +3 due to the odd nature of the symbiotic combination. If the ESPer personally knows the host, the scan or trace is at +5. The range at which such detection can occur is also doubled over the normal range of the ESPer.

In any place where the Flux Rating is negative (that is, lower than the general background level), the IQ roll for us the symbiote should be penalized that the equivalent of the negative Flux Rating. That is, if the local Flux Rating is -3, the IQ roll should suffer a -3 penalty. Conversely, an above-background level Flux Rating is a roll bonus.

(This means that fluxcommunitors work better near ley-lines and ley-nexuses, among other things.)

Physical contact by a psychonull with the host will 'jam' the device, it simply will not work under those conditions.

GMs should not hesitate to apply the logical reaction rolls if such a host is in an environment where this would apply. For example, having large, apparently plastic/metal object grafted to the head would draw commentary and reactions in some modern-day Terran situations.

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Old 02-19-2016, 10:13 PM   #18
Johnny1A.2
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

IMMUNITOR

The same technology that is embodied in the fluxcommunitor is also the basis of another piece of personal augmentation technology, a device that Terrans would called the 'immunitor'. This is a very imprecise term, because the device does more than simply protect from disease, although it certainly does do that as well.

In appearance, an immunitor is unprepossessing. It is a hard-shelled device about one and eight-tenths of a centimeter in length and half that in width, a half-ovoid shape with on flat side. The shell is smooth and shiny, made of a composite synthetic material akin to both plastic and metal. The devices sometimes remind Terran observers of certain types of gemstone, and sometimes of largish hard-shelled insects. Most immunitors are jet-black or dull red in color, sometimes both in complex patterns.

An immunitor, if the flat side is applied to the bare skin of a Homosapient in the appropriate bodily locations (any of several will work), and given the necessary chemical stimulus, will extrude hundreds of fine cilia-like tendrils, which will deaden the skin near the site and penetrate into the body. Over the course of about thirty minutes, give or take slightly, the device will graft itself to the body of the host.

The grafting process is painless, though it will leave the area numb for several hours afterward. The device attaches itself quite firmly to the body, and over time will embed itself partly into the skin, making itself less obvious. Once the grafting is complete, surgery is required to remove an immunitor safely.

Once the immunitor grafts itself to the flesh of the host, it gradually extends its tendrils through the body of the host, running to and through the circulatory system, connecting to the lymph nodes and endocrine system in key points, and linking directly to the bloodstream. This process requires several days to reach completion.

Once this is done, the immunitor will require several days to analyze the body of the new host and adjust itself to work with that body. When it completes this process, however, the immunitor provides several benefits.

Within the compact shell of the device is a semi-solid-state structure that is distantly akin to the 'chemical synthesis chips' of the early 21C on Terra. It can absorb various chemicals from the body of the host, analyze them, and synthesize responsive chemicals. It can also stimulate the glands and chemical capacity of the host body to generate various substances as well.

The immunitor operates as an integral part of the host body, the capacities it provides are a result not of the abilities of the immunitor alone but of a synergy between it and the host. The immunitor can stimulate the immune response of the host (thus the common Terran term 'immunitor'), making the host more resistant to a variety of invasive pathogens and organisms.

Conversely, an immunitor can suppress an overactive immune response when need be, limiting some of the damaging effects of things like excessive inflammation or allergic reactions. The presence of a successful immunitor implant also makes the host far less susceptible to autoimmune reactions.

The chemical analysis and synthesis ability of the immunitor also provides a limited resistance to the effect of toxins, especially blood-circulated poisons. The immunitor will detect the toxin, analyze it, and synthesize either an antidote or an ameliorating agent, and then stimulate the body to produce the counter-agent as rapidly as possible.

This will not undo the damage the toxin has already done, but will rapidly reduce the effect of its continued presence, often to the point of nullification. The process is not instantaneous, however, so very fast-acting toxins can overwhelm it, and some very powerful, complex, and/or subtle toxins may be difficult for the immunitor to counteract in sufficient time to matter.

A host can be given more than one immunitor. This will increase the overall effect, and add additional benefits, up to three implants. If a Homosapient host already has three immunitor implants, further implants will not be successful, they grafting process will rapidly reverse itself before the device can implant. There is no additional benefit beyond three immunitors.

The addition of a second immunitor increases the effectiveness of the overall benefits, and enables a certain amount of 'specialization' in each immunitor. The addition of a third immunitor does basically the same thing, but the synergistic effects are much more pronounced.

An immunitor that has been implanted for a long period will be partly covered by the skin of the host around its edges, leaving an appearance as if a gemstone or shellac-covered shell is implanted into the body. It is noticeable if not covered by clothing, but can easily be mistaken for a decorative item.

An immunitor can readily work if implanted almost anywhere on the torso or neck. The beings who originally created the immunitors tended to implant them around the waist, or around the neck, but they can work on an arm or leg above the knee or elbow joints. This is less than ideal, however, and the grafting process will take longer from such locations.

Almost any Homosapient species can make use of immunitors. A very few exceptions do exist, as well as certain individuals who can not do so for specific reasons. These are rare exceptions, however.

Should it be necessary to remove an immunitor, surgery is required. The network of micro-tubules within the body will break down and be absorbed on their own, once the immunitors have been removed, however.

To Be Continued...

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Old 02-19-2016, 10:59 PM   #19
Johnny1A.2
 
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Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

IMMUNITOR continued...

In GURPS (modified 3e) terms, the presence of one successfully grafted immunitor implant will begin to provide the following benefits after the passage of 1d6+1d6 Terran days (1d6 days to implant itself, 1d6 days after that to analyze the body and adjust itself accordingly):

The host gains the Disease Resistance Advantage. If the host already has this, add +2 to HT rolls under it.

The effects of any ingested or injected poison are reduced by 1/3, after the first fifteen minutes. Reduce again by 1/3 after another fifteen minutes, and to zero after fifteen more minutes for a given dose for most common poisons. Stronger, rarer, or toxins of unusual nature may need more time, or be impossible to entirely neutralize. Some basic poisons may by their very nature be difficult to deal with as well (such as arsenic).

If the host suffers from autoimmune conditions, he or she gains a +4 on rolls to resist symptoms or otherwise resist effects.

Host gains 1 extra Fatigue point.

Two successful implants provide the host:

General +1 to HT.

Host gains the Rapid Healing Advantage (or Very Rapid Healing is he or she already has the Rapid Healing Advantage).

Host gains the Alcohol Tolerance Advantage, if not already present.

Full Immunity to Disease (with special case exceptions).

The effect of most toxins is reduced by 1/2 per fifteen minutes increment per dose. Poisons previously encountered are often without effect on one dose.

Host is effectively immune to most autoimmune conditions, those already present will generally go into indefinite remission. Allergies and similar conditions are problematic only on a critical failure of a HT roll.

Host gains 2 extra Fatigue points.

Three successful immunitor implants give the host a general +2 to HT.

Host gains the Very Rapid Healing Advantage, if not already present.

Host gains a +3 to HT on all toxin resistance rolls, in addition to the previously listed benefits.

Host now has 4 extra Fatigue points.

Host gains a 15% (rounding down) delay in the onset of aging rolls, in proportion to the natural life span of the species. (Thus, a species that normally begins making Aging rolls at 70 would begin making them at 80, continuing in proportion.)

An immunitor is a sturdy device, the shell has an effective DR of 5. Further, within limits they can self-repair some damage, drawing on the resources of the host body to do so. Such minor damage will heal itself (as long as the shell is intact) in 3d6 days.

Note that immunitors are enormously advantageous to most characters, GMs would be well within their rights to charge a point cost for having them, as well as a large Unusual Background in most settings.

There are a very few downsides to the presence of an immunitor implant. One is that espers can often sense something 'odd' about their hosts, making them somewhat more mentally 'detectable'.

Last edited by Johnny1A.2; 08-19-2017 at 11:13 PM.
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Old 03-05-2016, 10:41 PM   #20
Johnny1A.2
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Default Re: Orichalcum Universe: Machines, Vehicles, Robots, etc...

PHYSICAMPLIFIER EXPLANT

The same technology from which the fluxcommunitor and the immunitor implants (or rather 'explants', since they connect to the body externally) gave rise to another device, the 'physicamplifier explant'.

In appearance, this device looks rather like a circular disk, very close to six centimeters in diameter and roughly five millimeters in thickness. The outer casement is made of the same synthetic/composite material that shrouds the immunitor explants, and is usually but not always black in color.

Like the previously described explants, the physicamplifier, when place with the ventral side against the base skin of a Homosapient and given the proper activating stimulus, with extrude filaments and tendrils that penetrate the skin, work their way through the body, and permanently connect the explant to the flesh and skeleton of the host. As with the previously described devices, surgery is necessary to remove a successfully bonded physicamplifier.

The connection process takes somewhat longer with a physicamplifier, and is also slightly more delicate until complete. Also, in order for a physicamplifier to bond with the host, at least two immunitor explants must already be present and successfully bonded to the host. Three immunitors are preferable. If there not at least two immunitor explants already successfully integrated with the host, however, the physicamplifier will refuse to bond to the host.

The reason for this is that a physicamplifier, even when working properly, puts a tremendous strain on the health and vitality of the host, as a natural side-effect of the benefits it confers. The immunitor explants reduce this strain to a manageable level. Without them immunitors, the strain on the host can produce substantial reductions is lifespan and general health. In extreme cases, such effects can be lethal absent the immunitor explants.

Because of this problem, if some factor cases the immunitors to cease functioning, or their functioning to drop below a critical level, the physicamplifier will deactivate until the immunitors are again operating properly. The controlling factor for this is a chemical tag in the bloodstream produced by the immunitors, without which the physicamplifier will not function. If the level of the ‘tag’ chemical drops into a near-danger range, the physicamplifier may continue to function at a limited level of efficiency, however. The ‘gray zone’ is modest, but it does exist and can be valuable under certain conditions.

A physicamplifier implant must be applied to the torso to work. The usual places are the lower back, abdomen, or chest, to give good connectivity to the relevant vital organs and blood vessels.

The function of a physicamplifier to amplify the physical abilities of the host. It does this through a combination of manipulation of the production of various bodily hormones and chemicals, and the manufacture of additional such substances within the explant proper. These amplifying effects are partially consciously controlled, and partially autonomic.

A physicamplifier can increase effective strength, effective physical endurance, effective speed, pain tolerance, and it can reduce the need for sleep. All these effects are temporary, and because they draw upon the natural reserves of the body, they all must be 'paid for', so to speak, at a later time. If these abilities are called upon too often, even with the presence of immunitor explants, the health of the physicamplifier host can be negatively affected.

Overuse of the abilities of the explant can also have longer-term negative health effects.

To be continued...

Last edited by Johnny1A.2; 03-05-2016 at 11:41 PM.
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