Malediction
Malediction is a marriage of medicine and Metaphor; wielding them together, Maltricians may heal the injured, treat the sick, and sculpt the body. Malediction requires at least 100 XP in Medicine to pursue.
Malediction
HistoryMalediction is an old thing, born from the minds of curious Fae who wished to warp their bodies to suit their whimsy. Even though many of their number possessed Draoidh or Nymhea, even Seeming or Crest, to heal their wounds, to invigorate and stylize their bodies, such things were not universal– and further, none of them alone could provide the flexibility or accessibility many of their hearts desired. And thus, it was that desire which fueled their experimentations with Saol incantations and eventually lead to the creation of Vitalis. Vitalis being the key discovery, existing tools and medical techniques were adapted to working with this wondrous substance. Over time, entirely new tools and techniques were formed, together shaping what Malediction has become in the modern era. For the majority of current day Antarokian societies, it is generally considered to be integral. Still, there are a few who shun it, seeing its ability to modify the body as sacrilegious. It wasn’t until after the practice spilled over into Antarok that Mortis, Vitalis’ Miasmatic mirror, was created and more widely utilized, initially– and still primarily– by the undead denizens of Slahane, as well as being popular with Nekron. However, when compared to Vitalis, Mortis and working with the undead is often shunned in other parts of the world. |
Concepts
ToolsIn addition to the litany of tools utilized by a mundane chirurgeon, there are several implements specific to Malediction. These lists are for the standard tools provided in the toolkit, with both the mundane and Malediction-specific tools included. Because of how cumbersome carrying all of these things around often is, most Maltricians operate out of static offices.
Questions about technology level? Ask the setting’s Storyteller what tools your PC may have access to. Malediction’s ToolsThese tools are manufactured from one of two methods.
Please specify on your CS if your tools are Ensorcelled; the default tools in the toolkit will be Aligned.
Mundane Surgical, Triage, & Treatment Tools
Mundane Examination Tools
Furnishings & Other ToolsListed below are tools and other furnishings that a Maltrician might invest in that don’t come with the standard toolkit. Custom, player created tools will also be featured here. Please submit custom designs to the Support Forum and they will be added once approved. Other Tools
Furnishings
EmotivesA patient’s Emotives are affected during any procedure involving brionics. Generally, it follows that the higher volume of brionics used in completing the procedure, the greater the impact– however, it does vary based on each patient’s anatomy and mental fortitude. These symptoms are temporary, though they may impact a patient’s life significantly for days, weeks, or even months afterwards. For operations conducted on the living, Vitalis may result in depression, melancholy, apathy, anhedonia and in extreme cases, a loss of one’s will to live or survival instinct. For operations conducted on the dead, Mortis may result in fraying sanity, hallucinations, delusions, and in extreme cases, severe psychosis. Post-Operative LivingThe impact of a procedure scales directly with its complexity. Simple things like the suturing of a knife wound would likely have little to no discernible impact, whereas an organ transplant might leave a living person in a malaise of melancholy for up to a week afterwards. The patients impacted the most after operations are individuals who have large grafts, implants, or new bodily structures installed, whether brionic or not. No matter what, learning to live with a new body part takes time. The brain must adapt to controlling the new structure in the case of appendages, and this can be difficult as well as confusing, often requiring the assistance of physical therapy. Simultaneously, the patient must also recover from the impacts of brionics on their mental state– both of these things combined can prove to be especially taxing on those with weaker minds. Because of this, many patients receiving such procedures are not released from the hospital until both their minds and their bodies are deemed stable.
Flesh RitesRite of GrowthA rite done to tissue samples within a brionic vessel in order to multiply, or grow more of, the sample or structure housed within.
Rite of VivificationThe way in which a Maltrician makes flesh more lively and durable. It may also be used to preserve limbs and organs for later use, or drawn onto the bodies of decaying Draugr to revitalize them.
Rite of ReposeRepose has two purposes, the first being to impose a comatose state onto a patient.
The second purpose of Repose is to create Draugr.
HemostaticsHemostasis is the process of stabilizing wounds or incisions, and blocking or encouraging the flow of blood.
NeurostaticsNeurostasis is the artform of manipulating the mind of a victim through Brionic brain tattoos, encouraging or suppressing desires, specific emotions, and creating servants– living or dead– of ceaseless drive.
Mending & Shaping The BodyShapingShaping is the art of using the shaper’s torch in combination with Malediction’s other tools to mold existing flesh into whatever the chirurgeon– or patient– desires. More often than not, shaping is used in conjunction with other techniques rather than by itself. It is typically the first Malediction technique a novice practitioner will learn. The process of shaping is as follows: the Maltrician must first ‘burn’ the tissue they intend to work on with the shaper’s torch. They may then sculpt the affected tissues as they see fit, though it should be noted that bone requires twice as much exposure to the torch’s flame for the same effect as on other tissues. It is incredibly important that the patient not be permitted to move and/or touch the affected tissues until the effects of the torch have worn all the way off. If the patient must be unconscious for a procedure, it is safest to not rouse them at all until this happens. If a Maltrician needs to treat a wound and does not have access to tissues compatible with their patients, they may utilize a Maltrician’s Dirk and extrude brionic foam over the affected area in order to ‘fill in the gaps’, so to speak. The foam will adapt to the tissues around it, though somewhat haphazardly– the result is often misshapen and lumpy in texture, requiring the Maltrician to either use a latherer or essence shapers in order to sculpt their desired result.
StitchingStitching refers to the process by which a Maltrician integrates or reintegrates briomantic matter, living or dead, into their patients. If a Maltrician has access to tissue samples, organs or body structures compatible with their patient, they may stitch the relevant structures into place using organic sutures soaked in brionics or foamed brionics extruded via a Maltricia’s dirk. If using sutures, they will melt into the flesh over the span of a few days for a seamless result. Foamed brionics must be shaped to look natural, but they are more customizable than sutures.
FleshcraftFleshcraft is the art of weaving together substances treated by brionics in order to create functional biological entities, ranging from grafts to entire appendages. Even at higher levels of mastery, this process is always time consuming. Complexity of the structure may lead to longer or shorter craft time. A Maltrician typically utilizes a variety of tools and materials in order to create complex structures such as organs or limbs. The first step of the process, then, is to acquire their materials. For example, a Maltrician who wishes to create a functioning arm would be required to source all applicable tissue samples: connective tissue, epithelial tissue, nervous tissue and muscle tissue. They may gather their initial samples from live hosts or cadavers (which must be enervated when working with the living), though they only need to source a small amount of each type– the Rite of Growth can then be used to grow more of their samples until they acquire the desired amount. With their materials acquired, the Maltrician may then start the arduous process of composing their fleshcraft. They must also pay particular attention to the anatomy of whatever they are crafting, especially if they wish to create something true-to-life. For example, paying proper attention to where nerves or sensitive tissues (like sweat glands) are placed– if they do not, their carelessness will be reflected in the function of their creations. For this reason, fleshcrafts are most often created using one or more models and/or following anatomical guides. Fleshcrafting in combination with stitching and shaping can be utilized to create a massive variety of results, and may even be used to integrate aspects of other species into a patient– the only limitations in scope, really, are skill and creativity.
Artificial IntegrationThe process of integrating artifacts with a body to grant spell-like abilities or a union of flesh and non-briomantic materials. The mechanics of artificial integration are not that different from stitching, however, integrating non-briomantic materials successfully requires additional training and knowledge to do successfully. Additionally, the artificial materials must be crafted with such an integration in mind. This means that they need to have ports, catheters, etc. which can be utilized by the Maltrician to connect blood vessels, nerves, etc. to the artifact (or other structure). Further, the implant structure must have spent at least 24 hours soaking in brionics before the procedure.
Allaying AilmentsWhen it comes to treating the sick, there are three primary methods utilized by Maltricians if surgery cannot assuage the issue. Basic MedicinesBasic medicines can be made into myriad ingestible forms (liquids, pills, powders, repositories, etc.) or into topical forms (poultices, creams, etc). Most of these medications are made from local or imported flora and fungi as well as animal parts with medicinal properties. A Maltrician will learn when to use common medications of these type on their own or in tandem with the Embalmer's Maw, as is appropriate to the patient.
A PC may acquire mundane medicines without spending SP provided they have self-sufficient or middle class or higher Living Standards. Mundane medications on Antarok run parallel to many forms of natural, herbal medicine found IRL and one may reference these if choosing not to utilize additional flora, fungi and fauna with medicinal properties developed uniquely for the site. Please consult a local Storyteller if you are unsure what your PC may have access to. It can be assumed that herbal remedies and the like are available anywhere, but more advanced play settings may have access to a greater array of crafted medications– in particular as a result of Alchemistry or synthesized by Artificed machines. Embalmer’s MawAn Embalmer’s Maw operates by injecting medicines into the vascular system of the body through a tube connected to a major artery, usually the carotid or femoral artery. It works under pressure and is designed to distribute the medication as per its dosage instructions or, in the case of distributing embalming fluid, to do so evenly throughout the body to delay decomposition, disinfect, and maintain the appearance of the deceased for viewing or burial. The Embalmer’s Maw is often considered to be invasive, as it invites greater alterations to a patient’s Emotives than more basic medicinal options, however, it is vastly more effective. Some patients also describe the process as painful and/or stressful to undergo when conscious. Medicinal UseAll medications made for the Embalmer’s Maw are primarily composed of Vitalis. Many natural remedies are mixed with Vitalis for use with the Maw in order to target specific ailments and the severity of symptoms determines the overall volume of Vitalis required for treatment. The Maltrician must pay close attention to the device’s settings as well as correct selection of and the dosage of the medicine to be infused into the patient’s bloodstream. Improper settings may result in the machine exsanguinating the patient by pumping their blood out of their body and into the Maw’s reservoir, while improper dosing may result in overdosing or failure to cure the ailment in question. Maw infusions then require the Maltrician to ‘clean’ the medicine in the blood out after the completion of treatment by cycling the machine with fresh, compatible blood until all of it has been removed. This is because Maw medications are inherently toxic; they excel in purging the body of its ill Anima, but prolonged exposure will poison a patient, sending them into shock followed by death. Conserving CorpsesWhen used on corpses, the Maw may be used to instead preserve a body. Unlike therapeutic uses, all of the body’s blood will be drained and replaced with embalming fluid. The rest of the body is then coated in a similar product (usually thickened with a neutral emulsifier) to preserve all of the tissues uniformly if desired. If a PC wishes to craft embalming fluid themselves, it is composed of vanillin, guaiacol, clove oil and 1 gram of Ardorite per five litres. Alternatively, embalming fluid may be purchased using an SP equivalent to the Ardorite required for the volume desired. Embalming fluid typically preserves a body flawlessly for 10 years per 1 gram of Ardorite, though this duration can be increased with greater Ardorite concentrations. If a Maltrician only needs to preserve a body for a few days, they may follow the above recipe simply forgoing the Ardorite. Ritual HealingSome specific magical ailments– or, in particular, ailments of the soul– require specialized rituals to relieve, and these may be found in a list below entitled after their relevant ailments.
Have any ideas for magical ailments? Feel free to submit them to the Support Forum! |
Skill Tiers
NoviceA Novice may Maltrician generally spends most of their time familiarizing themselves with Malediction’s specialized tools.
ApprenticeAn Apprentice will continue to weave their new knowledge on Malediction in with their existing medical knowledge. The importance of taking care of a patient’s Emotives is often stressed at this stage.
JourneymanHaving been taught Malediction’s foundations, the Journeyman stage is when a Maltrician becomes a proper chirurgeon– many now feel themselves capable of practicing on their own, oftentimes seeking out or opening up their own practices.
ExpertExperts are distinguished professionals, whether their goal is to heal, harm or create.
MasterA Master may be a renowned chirurgeon sought after for their impeccable skills, or they may be a hermit working to experiment with the living, the dead, or both. At this stage, the worlds of medicine and anatomy are their oyster to do with as they please.
Grandmaster
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