Spark: Mad Scientists, for Science!
Sept 21, 2018 21:11:46 GMT -6
Post by username on Sept 21, 2018 21:11:46 GMT -6
The Spark
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At what point does one draw the line between science and magic? Is it right to draw a line at all when one is often interchangeable with the other? If mad wizards traded in their robes for lab coats, would we not call them mad scientists? A crazed mortal can push science to truly insane levels, but only a Spark can perform the kind of mad science that tests the limitations of natural laws against the powers of their own imaginations.
Sparks (named after the 'spark' of Inspiration they bear) blur the line between science and magic, channeling raw Mania into their works to make them more than mundane science can handle alone. Their vaguely scientific gizmos work in ways simple folk can't understand, and only seem to make sense to their creator. Whatever it is that causes Sparks to catalyze is unknown, but they seem to have a knack for communicating with the machine spirits that inhabit all technological devices. The Adeptus Mechanicus is split on whether to revere these technopathic savants or exterminate them.
With great power, though, often comes great madness. Mortals become twisted by their catalyzation into Sparks, some driven absolutely mad by the transformation. Those who keep enough of their sanity to be functional in society are often recluses and pariahs, toying around with their mad gifts in secret until a reason to expose themselves makes itself known. Regardless of what they do with their powers, Sparks are seen with the same suspicion as witches and warlocks due to their unpredictability.
Tell: When a Spark spends Mania, their infernal devices fire up and come to life. Engines hum, motors run, and fans whir, often spouting out smoke and other foul substances as they do so. The Spark will become a fantastic display of light and noise as their Tell rises, the machine spirits that power their bizarre technology dancing along to the mad Spark's tune.
POWERS:
Weird Science: You gain a free rank in any Magic School. You may purchase ranks in this school as if it were on your class track. Sparks cast magic with gizmos, which have a chance of malfunctioning; Instead of rolling for Warp Phenomena when casting, roll a d10. On a 1, the spell fails and you must roll again. On another 1, the gizmo backfires and causes an explosion with the profile of a plasma grenade centered around you. If Pushing, take -1 to your roll for every additional die. Sparks without Tested take -1 per level of the spell and -2 for each Pushing die.
Junkwright: By spending Mania, a Spark can make an Intelligence + Crafts check against an item's Wealth TN to cobble that item out of spare parts as a Full Action. These kit-bashed objects last for a scene before falling apart. You can also dismantle a technological device to harvest Mania from it, gaining 1 Mania per object destroyed.
Mad Technomancer: You gain a free specialty (Mad Science) that applies to all mental skills. As long as you can touch or verbally communicate with the object you are working on, you never require tools (specialized or otherwise) to make Crafts or Tech-Use rolls.
Science-Related Memetic Disorder: They're called mad scientists for a reason, partner! Start the game with 10 Insanity and a minor disorder. Whenever you roll for Insanity, roll twice and take the higher result.
POWER STAT: INSPIRATION
Inspiration is the raw, creative force that the Spark taps into in order to make their infernal devices work. It is the Spark's inner muse, whispering mad ideas into their head that become progressively zanier as their Inspiration rises. The nature of this force is not completely understood, but the Sparks have theories on it that normal people have trouble wrapping their heads around.
Resource Stat: Mania
You have a pool of Mania equal to four times your Inspiration. You recover 1 Mania for every hour spent performing scientific research, the nature of which varies depending on the Spark. Mania spent on the creation of items is 'bound' to that item, and cannot be recovered unless the item holding it is destroyed.
Power Gained[/td]
Axiom Assets
Epikrato
The Axiom of Control. You can spend Mania to suppress any derangements you have until the end of the scene. Your Eureka and Visionary power applies to social tests as well as mental ones.
Exelixi
The Axiom of Restoration. Instead of healing yourself, you can use a Healing Surge to heal an ally within 5 meters of you. You also gain a +1k1 bonus when casting Healing spells.
Katastrofi
The Axiom of Destruction. You can spend Mania to add Weapon Mods to your weapons. These Weapon Mods cost Mania equal to the Mods' total cost modifier, and last until the end of the scene. Weapon Mod limits and restrictions apply as normal.
Metapropi
The Axiom of Transformation. As a Half Action, you can spend Mania to modify yourself, allowing you to add traits and alter physical characteristics along the lines of the Wild Shape and Improved Wild Shape feats. You can spend two Mania to alter a willing ally this way. These changes last until the end of the scene.
Prostasia
The Axiom of Protection. When rolling to check for gizmo failure/explosion, roll twice and take the higher result. When creating armor, shields, or any other sort of protecting item, increase the final craftsmanship by one step.
At what point does one draw the line between science and magic? Is it right to draw a line at all when one is often interchangeable with the other? If mad wizards traded in their robes for lab coats, would we not call them mad scientists? A crazed mortal can push science to truly insane levels, but only a Spark can perform the kind of mad science that tests the limitations of natural laws against the powers of their own imaginations.
Sparks (named after the 'spark' of Inspiration they bear) blur the line between science and magic, channeling raw Mania into their works to make them more than mundane science can handle alone. Their vaguely scientific gizmos work in ways simple folk can't understand, and only seem to make sense to their creator. Whatever it is that causes Sparks to catalyze is unknown, but they seem to have a knack for communicating with the machine spirits that inhabit all technological devices. The Adeptus Mechanicus is split on whether to revere these technopathic savants or exterminate them.
With great power, though, often comes great madness. Mortals become twisted by their catalyzation into Sparks, some driven absolutely mad by the transformation. Those who keep enough of their sanity to be functional in society are often recluses and pariahs, toying around with their mad gifts in secret until a reason to expose themselves makes itself known. Regardless of what they do with their powers, Sparks are seen with the same suspicion as witches and warlocks due to their unpredictability.
Tell: When a Spark spends Mania, their infernal devices fire up and come to life. Engines hum, motors run, and fans whir, often spouting out smoke and other foul substances as they do so. The Spark will become a fantastic display of light and noise as their Tell rises, the machine spirits that power their bizarre technology dancing along to the mad Spark's tune.
POWERS:
Weird Science: You gain a free rank in any Magic School. You may purchase ranks in this school as if it were on your class track. Sparks cast magic with gizmos, which have a chance of malfunctioning; Instead of rolling for Warp Phenomena when casting, roll a d10. On a 1, the spell fails and you must roll again. On another 1, the gizmo backfires and causes an explosion with the profile of a plasma grenade centered around you. If Pushing, take -1 to your roll for every additional die. Sparks without Tested take -1 per level of the spell and -2 for each Pushing die.
Junkwright: By spending Mania, a Spark can make an Intelligence + Crafts check against an item's Wealth TN to cobble that item out of spare parts as a Full Action. These kit-bashed objects last for a scene before falling apart. You can also dismantle a technological device to harvest Mania from it, gaining 1 Mania per object destroyed.
Mad Technomancer: You gain a free specialty (Mad Science) that applies to all mental skills. As long as you can touch or verbally communicate with the object you are working on, you never require tools (specialized or otherwise) to make Crafts or Tech-Use rolls.
Science-Related Memetic Disorder: They're called mad scientists for a reason, partner! Start the game with 10 Insanity and a minor disorder. Whenever you roll for Insanity, roll twice and take the higher result.
POWER STAT: INSPIRATION
Inspiration is the raw, creative force that the Spark taps into in order to make their infernal devices work. It is the Spark's inner muse, whispering mad ideas into their head that become progressively zanier as their Inspiration rises. The nature of this force is not completely understood, but the Sparks have theories on it that normal people have trouble wrapping their heads around.
Resource Stat: Mania
You have a pool of Mania equal to four times your Inspiration. You recover 1 Mania for every hour spent performing scientific research, the nature of which varies depending on the Spark. Mania spent on the creation of items is 'bound' to that item, and cannot be recovered unless the item holding it is destroyed.
Power Gained[/td]
| Inspiration | |
|---|---|
| * | Mad Artificer: You can spend Mania equal to an Artifact's dot rating to create it using the Crafts skill as a Full Action. The Crafts TN is equal to 10 + (dot rating * 5). These Artifacts last until you discard them. |
| ** | Eureka!!: A Spark can spend Mania to add a +1k0 bonus to any test that uses a mental characteristic, as if they were boosting a skill test. |
| *** | Crazy Enough to Work: You gain a static bonus to all Crafts and Tech-Use tests equal to a tenth of your Insanity (rounded down). You are no longer removed from the game at 100 Insanity, though you still get new disorders as usual. |
| **** | Visionary: When spending Mania to boost a mental test, you gain a static bonus equal to the number of Mania spent and an additional +1k0 for every two Mania spent. |
| ***** | Magnum Opus: You can spend 100 XP multiplied by the dot rating of an Artifact you created to make it permanent. Permanent Artifacts do not require Mania to maintain them. |
Axiom Assets
Epikrato
The Axiom of Control. You can spend Mania to suppress any derangements you have until the end of the scene. Your Eureka and Visionary power applies to social tests as well as mental ones.
Exelixi
The Axiom of Restoration. Instead of healing yourself, you can use a Healing Surge to heal an ally within 5 meters of you. You also gain a +1k1 bonus when casting Healing spells.
Katastrofi
The Axiom of Destruction. You can spend Mania to add Weapon Mods to your weapons. These Weapon Mods cost Mania equal to the Mods' total cost modifier, and last until the end of the scene. Weapon Mod limits and restrictions apply as normal.
Metapropi
The Axiom of Transformation. As a Half Action, you can spend Mania to modify yourself, allowing you to add traits and alter physical characteristics along the lines of the Wild Shape and Improved Wild Shape feats. You can spend two Mania to alter a willing ally this way. These changes last until the end of the scene.
Prostasia
The Axiom of Protection. When rolling to check for gizmo failure/explosion, roll twice and take the higher result. When creating armor, shields, or any other sort of protecting item, increase the final craftsmanship by one step.
