Regaining Essence Todd Montgomery (Quiktek) (tmont@cerc.wvu.edu) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a touchy matter. Essence is a very delicate thing. It should be rare for a character to replace lost essence, but it should be available. GMs can use this to reward good players. Feel free to comment and modify it if you like. Rules: Magic and Essence are different. Magic CAN NOT be regained once lost. Any essence recovery does not recover magic. And further losses to regained essence will reduce Magic as if the essence was never regained in the first place. Example: Sting gets back 1.0 points of essence after receiving homeopathic medical treatments from Joseph-Black-Bear at the Seattle Rehabilitation clinic. Sting's Magic rating is a 4 and total essence of 5.5 (was 4.5 but 1 point is gained back). Sting decides to get some cyberware installed. The total essence cost is 1.0. This drops Stings essence back to 4.5 but drops his Magic to 3. Cyberware actively keeps essence from regenerating. While cyberware is installed the essence it is taking up can not be regenerated. Essence not being actively taking up by cyberware can occur as the result of upgrading of cyberware. This "free" essence may be regained. The regaining of essence happens very VERY slowly. Without any treatment essence returns at a rate of 0.01 per month. The fastest rate at which essence can return is 0.1 per month. The maximum essence that can be regained is 90% of what was lost. This is regardless of natural rate or combination of treatments. How to regain essence: People who have lost essence through paranormal Essence Drain, Drug Abuse, and severe trauma may regain essence. Also persons who have had cyberware REMOVED and NOT replaced may regain essence, BUT they do so at a slower rate (natural rate is 0.01 per 6 months). The natural rate of essence return, 0.01 per month or 6 months for cyberware removed, is the base rate. Factors such as Rehabilitation, Natural and Homeopathic treatments, Meditation, etc. can increase this rate. If no treatment is used the base rate is regained in essence each month. Each treatment has a maximum regain. This is the amount that the treatment ALONE can regain. Once a treatment has been used for enough time to have contributed its maximum regain it is ineffective. At the end of a month of treatment a willpower roll is made. This is done for each different treatment if more than one is being used. The target number is given with the treatments. One success is required to regain the essence for that month. Zero successes regain no essence. Each treatment has an availability. This availability assumes the character is going to great lengths to remain unnoticed. If the character can legally attain the necessary chemicals or substances and convince a professional to lend them help, then ignore the availability. Characters with skills that seem appropriate to the treatment may try using their skill to determine the correct administration of compounds, etc. Treatments and Practices: Rehabilitation: Drug, Clinical Cost: 5,000Y/month Availability: 4/48 hrs. Effects loss through: Drug Abuse, Severe Trauma, Paranormal Essence Drain Increase of Base Rate: +0.03 per month Maximum Regain: 90% of essence lost Target: 5+(Essence Lost (round up))-1 per month of treatment (limit is Target Number of 4). Cyberpsychotic Rehabilitation: Psychiatric readjustment to physical (and mental) addictions encountered with cyberware usage. Cost: 3,000Y/month Availability: 6/72 hrs. Effects loss through: Cyberware Increase of Base Rate: +0.06 per 6 months Maximum Regain: 50 % essence lost Target: 6+(Essence Lost (round up)) -1 per month of treatment (limit is Target Number of 4). Homeopathic Treatment: Dietary control and use of natural chemical agents to stimulate tissue and nerve regrowth Cost: 1,000Y/month Availability: 6/72 hrs. Effects loss through: Severe Trauma, Paranormal Essence Drain, Cyberware Increase of Base Rate: +0.02 per month (or +0.1 per 6 months for Cyberware) Maximum Regain: 50% of essence lost Target: 4+(Essence Lost (round up)) -1 per month of treatment (limit is Target Number of 2). Note: Incompatible with Naturpathic Treatment Naturpathic Treatment: Dietary control with Natural Substitutes to stimulate natural regrowth. Only natural ol' time home remedial substances used Back to nature. Cost: 2,000Y/month Availability: 6/72 hrs. Effects loss through: Severe Trauma, Paranormal Essence Drain, Cyberware Increase of Base Rate: +0.03 per month (or +0.12 per 6 months for Cyberware) Maximum Regain: 60% of essence lost Target: 4+(Essence Lost (round up)) - 1 per month of treatment (limit is Target Number of 2). Note: Incompatible with Homeopathic Treatment Chemical Nerve Regeneration: Chemical stimulus used to reconstruct and treat damaged nerves when cyberware is used. Cost: 8,000Y/month for first 6 months, 1,000Y/month for remainder. Availability: 8/4 days Effects loss through: Cyberware, Paranormal Essence Drain, Severe Trauma Increase of Base Rate: +0.05 per month (+0.03 per month for Cyberware) Maximum Regain: 70% (Cyberware), 50% otherwise Target: 7+(Essence Lost (round up)) -1 per month of treatment (first 6 months only) (limit is Target Number of 2). Meditation: Includes Yoga, Tai Chi, etc. Mind over body. Cost: 0 (Requires skill) Availability: -/- (Instructor: 4/48 hrs.) Effects loss through: Cyberware, Paranormal Essence Drain, Severe Trauma, Drug Abuse Increase of Base Rate: +0.01 per month Maximum Regain: 60% of essence lost Target: 4+(Essence Lost (round up)). Note: Test uses Meditation skill (Tai Chi, Yoga, etc.) instead of willpower.