PERFORMANCE MATTERS Characters with this condition are jumpy and anger
quickly, allowing them to invoke their character aspect to gain a +2 bonus to Notice when determining who goes first during a conflict. However, their concentration breaks easily and their cyborg aspect can be invoked against them whenever concentration or patience is called for.
Characters should become aware of this condition
soon after encountering the character as it’s a difficult one to conceal. It may be necessary to occasionally remind the character’s player to role-play the effects.
-5 points Reversible
The software intended to regulate neurological feedback from the character’s cybernetic device overcompensates and disrupts their sense of equilibrium. As a result the character suffers from
crippling bouts of dizziness wherein everything seems to be spinning.
Whenever the character experiences any of the following, the temporary aspect of Vertigo is
created on them with an automatic invocation each round:
Moderate or greater consequences, sedation, intoxication, drug use, poisoning, electrical shock, or checking their 3 or 4-point stress box (if they have them, the 2-point stress box if they don’t).
Attacks of vertigo last for a number of rounds equal to 3 + 2 Fate dice (i.e. 1-5 rounds). The penalties from Vertigo are in addition to any effects from drugs, poisoning, shocks,
or consequences.
-5 points Reversible
The character’s brain has difficulty processing the artificial stimulation it gets from cybernetic implants, so it periodically shuts down and plunges the body into a temporary comatose state until it can get caught up.
Once per gaming session, the GM may attach the Dazed aspect (with a free invocation) to
the character without having a character make any skill rolls or spending a Fate point.
-4 points Reversible
Tinkering with the character’s cybernetics has caused them to function erratically.
Roll 4 FATE dice whenever the character attempts to use one of their cybernetic devices in a
Vertigo
Vertigo
Catalepsy
Catalepsy
Loose Wires
Loose Wires
Patient #6, Male age 24 with replaced leg, exhibited signs of intermittent catatonia due to overload of neural-interface. At this time it is unclear if the issue is hardware or biological. No other patients have exhibited symptoms. Of note is Patient #6 preprosthetic bio impedance, which is significantly lower than standard. This case has been fowarded to ISEBI for review and comment. -Dr. Hans Schinlinger
research notes.
The International Society for Electrical Bioimpedance
-4 to -3 Epic Fail! The cybernetics stop functioning at all. In the case of a cybernetic limb, the limb(s) are effectively Paralyzed. If the character has an artificial heart, they automatically suffer Cardiac Arrest as a severe consequence.
-2 to -1 Silent Fail. The cybernetics fail, but only partially. The character can act normally but gains no bonuses from their implanted devices for the duration of the conflict. 0 to +2 Functions normally.
+3 to +4 Overclocked! The cybernetic devices briefly function with exceptional efficiency. Increase any bonuses by +1 shift.
All effects persist for the duration of the conflict, after which the player can roll to see if they start working again.
-6 points Irreversible
The character’s mind is particularly unsuited to directly interfacing with electronic devices and gradually implodes under the pressure.
This defect is a one-way ticket to crazy town. As soon as they receive this side-effect and at every significant and major milestone thereafter the character must alter one of their aspects to reflect their growing madness.
Eventually all aspects except the character’s high concept aspect will be things like: Aliens Are Behind Everything, NEVER get off the boat, Dogs Eavesdrop On My Thoughts, My Other Personality Works For The C.I.A, or Must. Start. Fires! Playing such a character will
become impractical, if not impossible long before they reach that point. For this reason, this side-effect is not recommended for player characters.
-3 points Reversible*
From time to time the character experiences minor hallucinatory effects like seeing motion in their peripheral vision, unexplained halos around certain people and objects or “tracers”. Alternately, they could experience auditory hallucinations as buzzing noises, high- pitched tones, or ringing noises.
The character’s cyborg aspect may be invoked against them to give them a -2
penalty to Notice checks. Each time after the first time this side-effect is taken gives the aspect an extra free invocation per day. Players should be made aware of this option upon encountering the character (so they can invoke any free aspects), even if their characters wouldn’t necessarily know about it.
-4 points Irreversible
Rapid shifts between light and dark and flashing lights trigger seizures in the character. Flickering light bulbs, sputtering neon signs, and the lights on fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars are all potential triggers. (Characters are welcome to choose a different set of triggers with the GM’s approval).
Psychosis
Psychosis
Hallucinations
Hallucinations
Seizures
Seizures
This defect may be taken multiple times but only one instance is reversible (i.e. the second one causes irreparable brain damage)
At the start of a seizure, the character must make a Good (+3) Will roll. Success means they acquire the Dazed situational aspect with a free invocation. Failure means they fall Helpless
to the ground for a minute, during which their muscles contract randomly. After the seizure is over, the character must take Exhausted as a moderate consequence.
Since the seizures are caused by malfunctioning cybernetics, anti-seizure medications and treatments are ineffective until the device is removed. Even if the character’s defective cybernetic implants are replaced, they will still suffer seizures, but medication and treatment will be able to help them manage their condition.
The character’s brain has mutated to be capable of manipulating extra-dimensional energies in various ways.