(With apologies to Tim Powers)
Sometimes, Vaputech works.
This is one of those times. A Spectral Chromatograph is a perfectly
normal piece of equipment, although no reputable - and strictly corporeal -
engineer would agree. It appears
vaguely shotgun-like; notable differences are what appear to be a dozen
detachable glass tubes in the stock of the device and the lack of any place to
put a bullet. When 'fired', two
heavy-duty metal cylinders attached to light but strong wires spring out from
the 'muzzles', to about ten feet or so.
After being shot, the cylinders are quickly 'rewound' back into the
Chromatograph. The overall effect
appears to be similar to that of a ranged taser, except that apparently no
electrical shock is delivered; in fact, the cylinders move too slowly to cause
real injury (even light clothing will prevent damage).
At least, this is what happens when the device hits
a corporeal and/or celestial entity.
Should it instead strike a ghost, well, then the Spectral Chromatograph
does what it's designed to do: which is to say, forcibly sift through and drain
the ghost's eldritch energies for the esoteric drug trade.
Once a target ghost has been detected (a process
easily accomplished through the use of a doubletalk device that detects ghosts
on an Electronics roll), the user 'fires' the S.C. (using Ranged Weapons). If it hits, it removes CD points from the
victim's Characteristics per combat round (Ethereal first, then Corporeal). The ghost may attempt to break free by
making the higher of a Strength or Intelligence roll, using their current stat;
if it does, it will regenerate lost Characteristic points at the rate of one
per day (Corporeal first, then Ethereal).
Should all of the ghost's Corporeal and Ethereal Characteristics be
lowered to 0, however, the ghost is effectively knocked out... and begins to
drift to its focus. This is likely to
be of interest to its attackers, as ghosts are tied to their foci, so if you
want to move an 'unconscious' ghost you had better also move the thing
anchoring it to the corporeal plane.
And ghosts are valuable. You see, the drained Characteristics are filtered through the
S.C.'s purification system, separated by type, mixed with inert ectoplasm
(typically built up during the draining process - this is an extremely
efficient design) and decanted into the stock.
Each four Characteristic points translates into one dose of either
Gravitas (Corporeal Characteristics) or Nostalgia (Ethereal Characteristics),
two of the latest drugs to hit the scene.
Both drugs, when ingested, will give a +2 to either Strength/Agility
(Gravitas) or Intelligence/Precision (Nostalgia) rolls for the next half hour
(not to mention a rush of near-orgasmic proportions). They are both Very Addictive, Easy withdrawal (one week)
drugs. Regular users will acquire just
the faintest touch of gray to their complexions; this does not dissuade many
potential users - particularly because the DEA has not yet come up with a reliable
test for either, let alone get them banned (although, as always, a 'possession
of drug paraphernalia' charge is such a useful way to get the more esoteric
stuff off of the streets).
Hence, the need to acquire foci; it's all very well
to hunt down individual ghosts and drain them, but frankly it's too time
consuming. Drain them, bring them back
to the ghost lab, hook them up to be permanently drained... the ghosts never
"wake up" and each one will produce a dose every four days. It's a small market, but one where the users
are prepared to pay huge piles of money for an undetectable and instant edge,
so finding customers isn't the problem.
Dealing with celestials working for Destiny and Fate (these souls have destinations,
after all), shocked angels in general, Gamesters and Misers looking to shake
down such a cash cow and those half-illuminated, way-in-over-their-heads
conspiracy nuts over at the Drug Enforcement Agency? Those are problems - although the worst ones come from rival
ghost-milking operations, not outsiders.
Still, this was the absolutely best Apotheosis Day
gift Fleurity's ever gotten, and he's been racking his brain trying to
think of what to get Vapula in return.
Cost: 5 points.