Category Archives: Augments

Augments and Upgrades

Augments are common in the world of The City. Most people have some form of augmentation to upgrade their bodies, to make them better. The most common form of this is cybernetics, replacing flesh with tech, though it can also include bioengineering and even arcane.

Not every one agrees with the concept of augments. There are those who can’t have them for medial reasons, those who oppose them for philosophical or religious reasons and those that are violently opposed to them, the Humanists. Humanists gangs think nothing of tearing the metal from your body given half a chance; they consider it saving your mortal soul from the demons of technology. When technophiles meet up with Humanists things get very messy.

Bioengineered Augments

Including such areas as genetic engineering, gene therapy and other technologies that are biologic rather than cybernetic augmentations. The most common type are muscle augments – vat grown muscles grated onto the body. It can also include antibodies and antitoxins and the ever popular bodysculpting.

Humanists are in dispute over such augments. Some claim it is permissible as it reflects the potentiality of the human body while others claim it is the child of demon tech and blasphemous to use.

Cybernetic Augments

There are a wide variety of augments that can come from cybernetics, the most basic and most important being the neuralware interface. It is a cybernetic device fused to the central nervous system that provides a link between flesh and tech and allows for the control by though of most other cybernetic devices.

These include; interface studs allowing for control of technological devices – like vehicles – via cable or wireless link; reflex boosts that amplify the speed of reactions and reflexes; cyberoptics or ‘tin eyes’ that can contain a number of modes such as low light, infrared, telescopic, vid-recorders, HUDs and so on; cyberaudio or ‘tin ears’ that can include radio/phone links, amplified hearing, sound dampeners and sound recorders.

Independent of the neuralware interface is synthweave, a synthetic nanite weave of metals and plastics that reinforces the bones and toughens the skin, making one less susceptible to injuries and broken bones.

Arcane Augments

Arcane augments mirror much of what is possible with cybernetics but are much less used for a few reasons.

Firstly they are self use only so only those who can master incantations can make use of them – and the most useful augments require powerful incantations. Secondly they are short lived and as such need renewing regularly. However they can work in conjunction with cybernetic augments, channeled through the cybernetics to in effect overclock them. Those both cybernetically enhanced and masters of incantations are very dangerous opponents.

Humanists have no problems with arcane augments and actively seek them out.