From: | shadowrn@*********.com (Allen Smith) |
---|---|
Subject: | Willpower and cyberwear/bioware |
Date: | Fri May 25 01:20:00 2001 |
increase Willpower. Comments appreciated... and yes, I know, the
writing style needs simplification.
Thanks,
-Allen
P.S. I would be interested if anyone else has had interesting ideas
for Moodchip and/or Personafix BTLs as something other than addictive
ware...
Willpower Boost:
This is a set of cyberware and/or bioware that is capable of enhancing
Willpower. In the research into this, it was discovered that using
only one technique to enhance Willpower lead to mental
problems/imbalances. Therefore, a combination of techniques must be
used. For each level of enhanced Willpower, two of the below three
must be used:
A. Bioware: This is neural bioware involving tissue implanted
primarily into the limbic system (especially the amygdala,
nucleus accumbens, and cingulate gyrus) and basal ganglia,
and into the juncture between the caudate nucleus
(generally considered part of the basal ganglia) and the
dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral orbitofrontal
(orbitolateral) portions of the frontal lobes. Of the
tissue implanted into the limbic system and basal ganglia,
most is serotinergic in its normal production; other
portions respond to corticosteroids by releasing
cannabinoids and GABA-A-receptor agonists. The second
amplifies stimulatory (mostly glutamate and dopamine) and
inhibitory (mostly serotonin and GABA)
signals. Preventative and/or repair work on
emotion/reason-critical areas damaged (or potentially
damageable) by stress hormones and oxygen deprivation
(including that damage related to glutamate overload), via
implanting neural precursors modified to resist such
damage, is also part of this bioware. [This surgery can
result in not only a Rugged Implant but Rugged Attribute:
Willpower.] Any other underlying neuropsychological
problems are also treated as necessary, including via
further cell implants and/or gene therapy. This implant is
most successful when combined with either psychotherapy or
meditative practices to assist in the adaptation to and
structuring of the new neurons; mages and adepts can be
assumed to be meditating as necessary, but others will need
a trained psychotherapist [Psychology skill at least equal
to the new Willpower]. This won't cost anything extra for
the non-Awakened - the increased difficulties of surgery
for them more than compensate - but is an opportunity for
potential vulnerability should the therapist be "persuaded"
to talk. [It's also a roleplaying opportunity.]
B. Tailored Implanted Memory Stimulator (T-IMS): This is a
modified version of the IMS used in cybermancy
subjects. Instead of stimulating all memories at
approximately random intervals, it responds to negative
emotions such as fear and doubt by stimulating memories of
good times, past victories, and other measures to increase
confidence. This does have some of the same disadvantages
as a normal IMS, namely occasional flashbacks. However, the
flashbacks are not to traumatic events (and thus won't
cause negative reactions), tend to be easier to distinguish
from reality due to their more-specific timing, and do not
generally cause social problems given the charismatic
effects of increased confidence. [Whenever a Willpower
Boost implant that includes this implant makes the
difference between success and failure in something, the GM
can rule that the T-IMS has activated, and the resulting
memories should be roleplayed.] This implant cannot be
given along with a normal IMS, and must be removed and
replaced with one for cybermancy; a cybermantic subject
experiencing such a reduced range of memory stimuli has
been found to experience Chronic Dissociation Syndrome
even faster than normal.
C. Implanted Moodchip/Personafix Chip: This piece of cyberwear
is, as the name implies, a derivative of BTL
technology. (Using this along with normal
Moodchip/Personafix BTLs will cause a serious emotional
conflict [Stress to the Willpower attribute plus other
(roleplayed) problems], and is likely to burn out the
implant at the very minimum.) Instead of working through a
normal chipjack (or even an implanted one), however, its
electrodes more directly tap into the necessary areas of
the brain, and do not cause pleasure center activation or
neurological overload like a normal BTL. Still, the
artificial personality state thus induced is not helpful to
doing magic, although it _will_ help with resisting hostile
magic. (The latter effect seems to be due not so much to
the normal Willpower-enhancing effects of the implant as it
does making the person's mind not work in quite the same
way anymore (similar to Object Resistance).) Mages thus
almost always use the other two implants for increasing
Willpower.
The degree to which Willpower can be safely increased at the current
level of technology is largely dependent on the care with which the
cyberwear is constructed and the implantation is done. [The maximum is
+1 for standard implants, +2 for alpha-grade implants, +3 for
beta-grade implants, and +4 or above (GM's decision - requiring use of
all three implants for bonuses above 4 is suggested) for delta-grade
implants. If using the above change regarding Cultured vs normal
neuralware, using normal neuralware will limit the maximum level to a
+2. It's possible that higher levels may be reachable by implanting
all three implants instead of just two of them (such will not increase
Willpower for most magical purposes, of course), since this will
increase the amount of control & precision possible.] The component
cost and stats are as follows:
Bioware:
Bio Index: .2/level
Availability: 6/14 days
Cost: 25,000/level
Street Index: 2
Legality: Legal
[If using the above change regarding Cultured vs
normal neuralware, this is for Cultured neuralware.]
T-IMS:
Essence: .3/level
Availability: 8/1 month
Cost: 70,000/level
Street Index: 3
Legality: Legal
Implanted Moodchip/Personafix Chip:
Essence: .3/level
Availability: 8/14 days
Cost: 20,000/level
Street Index: 2
Legality: Legal
Again, for each level 2 of the above must be combined. [One must note
that the cybermantic Willpower increase spells are probably _not_
normally of a variety capable of increasing _cybered_
Willpower. Cybermatic subjects would thus not be able to receive this
implant after the cybermancy procedure; doing it beforehand - even if
the T-IMS was not used - would probably make the magic involved
significantly more difficult, if the implant's function was to be
retained.]
--
Allen Smith easmith@********.rutgers.edu