Pneumatic Limbs

[CalicoJack1966]

Hi all!

 

New player here (although looking for a game in the Balitmore area - see post in New Players Lounge).

 

I assume that the list of pneumatic limbs in the Fated Almanac (pg 178) is not exhaustive. What I wanted to know (and I don't have a copy of the Fate Master's Almanac yet, but it's coming) is this: are there pneumatic eyes?

 

Thanks!

[zeeblee]

There are no pneumatic eye rules provided in either the Fated or Fatemaster Almanacs, but there's a possibility there will be some in the Into the Steam book (no idea if that's the case, but it's possible).  So for now you'll have to come up with your own rules for them.

[Wakshaani]

At thsi time, the list we have is the only things we have. Into teh Steam will -probably- have more options in it, but I don't have any information about it other than it's teh steam-powered book, so, I'm hoping for clockwork and pneumatics.

 

That said, a pneumatic eye would be ... tricky. Pneumatics aren't cybernetics. Pneumatics use water to drive pistons forcefully, like for a jackhammer, or to move a fist faster and harder. Connecting one to your skull would end badly for your squishy lil' sack of eyeball goop. (For that, you want Cybernetics, and  Shadowrun's a couple of steps over in the local game store rack!) Now, a pneumatic jaw, where you can bite through pipes using metal teeth like Trap Jaw out of He-Man and teh Masters of the Universe?

 

Totally valid.

 

Pretty much, anything that can be improved by replacing it with pistons, you can hack off and move on. You could even rig up pneumatic hearts and lungpumps, create a sort of "Iron Lung" harness that somebody could wear, or crack open a chest cavity and just stick it in, Mad Scientist-style.

 

Eyes'll be tricky.

 

That said?

 

There's nothing to stop you from putting a soulstone in an empty socket, setting up a telescopic monocle, and getting some brass plating on the side of your head to hold it in place. That's just being -reaosnable-.

[Ampers&nd]

there are models with mechanical eyes though, (howard langston and miss step spring to mind immediately) so there is certainly a case for them to be included somewhere?

[CalicoJack1966]

Wakshaani -

 

Yeah, I see your point, but the game only speaks in terms of Pneumatics; further it does reference that they are a fusion of steam-tech and magic - which in my book comes pretty close to cybernetics. So I guess I was looking to see if there has been any official artifical eye rules yet.

 

No.

 

Although, the Pnuematic Limb chart on page 179 states that the Pnuematic (aspect) descriptor allows the character to use the limb to increase the Noted Aspect to 5 for the duration of a Duel; so I would assume that you could have a 'pnuematic' eye which would increase, say, your cunning (and thus aid your Notice skill). Just wasn't sure how much that would cost (see my question about cost in regards to starting Pursuit below).

 

I'll look for future supplements and see (pun intended) what they come out with.

 

In reference to what Ampers&nd said, yeah, I thought I had seen figs or art with what appeared to be somekiind of occular implants, so I also see that the door is open to that sort of material in the future.

 

On a side, but related question, the Drudge Pursuit, if taken as yor starting pursuit, states:

 

"A Drudge begins the game with one pneumatic limb with steam augments up to a total value of $25."

 

OK.

 

Does this mean a limb with augments, and the total value of the augments is $25? Of that the total value of the limb plus the augments is $25 (which would pretty much limit you to a partial limb)? And if it is the former, what sort of augments could one put into an occular implant?

[Mason]

 

I'll look for future supplements and see (pun intended) what they come out with.

 

Into the Steam should give you a few options for this. 

 

 

 

On a side, but related question, the Drudge Pursuit, if taken as yor starting pursuit, states:

 

"A Drudge begins the game with one pneumatic limb with steam augments up to a total value of $25."

 

OK.

 

Does this mean a limb with augments, and the total value of the augments is $25? Of that the total value of the limb plus the augments is $25 (which would pretty much limit you to a partial limb)? And if it is the former, what sort of augments could one put into an occular implant?

 

The Limb + Augments = 25 scrip.

 

 

For an ocular implant, Integrated Toolkit seems like it could be pretty workable, depending upon the chosen skill. For instance, you could have a toolkit for a Ranged Combat skill, as the eye helps with aiming (though you probably shouldn't allow this to stack with Custom Grip, in that case), or maybe an "evil eye" that counts as a Bewitch toolkit. A eye that can magnify things like a jeweler's loupe might count as an Artefacting toolkit, or maybe it goes more magical and can read auras, allowing it to function like a Scrutiny toolkit.

 

Lots of fun ways you could fluff it out that way.

[Wakshaani]

The latter... $25 total. So, a full limb, that you could later put stuff into, or a partial limb, which would come with an upgrade of $10 or less. Steamhand PUNCH!

 

Right now, there aren't any occular improvements, but, again, Into the Steam should have 'em.

 

For now, off the top of my head?

 

BRASS EYE ($15) (May be given one upgrade)

Part of the growing school of Almagamation, teh Brass Eye is a glass eye that replaces the character's normal eye (Or, more likely, is placed into the location where a non-functioning eye once was!), held in place by a brass plate attached to the side of the character's face and powered by a tiny bit of soulstone. This magical eye functions in all way as a normal eye, but the baleful contraption can unnerve some people.

 

 

Telescopic Scope ($10)

When you Focus with any ranged weapon, the range is increased by X10. This can combine with the Rifle upgrade to give your weapon range X100.

 

(Thus, a scoped rifle can hit a target about 1800 yds away, which is about the known max of the day (2000 yds).) 

 

This may be taken as a stand-alone item or built into a Brass Eye.

 

Others could include:

 

Venatione Occulus ($10)

With a built-in crosshair and a magical indicator that flashes green when a target presents itself, the Venatione Occulus allows the user to ferret out targets who think that they're hidden. This removes one negative flip from any Ranged Attack that you make.

 

Circumspector Occulus ($10)

The eye constantly moves, darting about from person to person, keeping one on top of any movement. This ever-shifting eye takes quite a bit of getting used to, and we remind any purchasor that stomach-quelling elixers may be purchased from our sister site. The Circumspector Occulus gives the character a positive flip on all Notice checks.

 

Verax Occulus ($10)

While most of the eye upgrades are heavily mechanical, the Verax is, instead, more powerfully enchanted, using a somewhat larger soulstone shard to provide overall power. It prevents the user from seeing phantasmic energies, thus providing the user with immunity to the Illusion Magia.

 

Gaze of Death ($10)

Sometimes, you need an ace in the hole. In this case, it's an ace in the hole in your head. Hidden inside your eye is a single-shot pistol. Removing it for a reload takes about a minute, so use it wisely.

 

Protective Upgrade ($10)

Replacing the brass plating with a larger steel plate, and adding a thick glass window over teh eye itself, the protective upgrade helps make certain that the purchaser won't have to worry about losing an eye again. This upgrade counts as Light Armor for the head and provides Protection (Rams).

[CalicoJack1966]

Wakshaani -

 

Thanks! That gives me something semi-official to work with.