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Collegium Medicos

Page history last edited by Michael 4 years, 7 months ago

back to the Index, or to the Equipment page

 

Within the Eight Empires, there is no unrestricted market for medical products or information. The Collegium controls the production and distribution of medical devices and learning. Keep in mind that some of the information below is not commonly available outside the Collegium.

 

  • Aclarthion Dressing:   a fabric bandage, impregnated with all sorts of nifty tissue growth, anti-bacterial, blood clotting, etc. features. More or less triples the recovery rates for wounds. Various sizes, Index 3, cost 1 to 3 Σ.

  • Amaranthine Treatment:  The treatment gives the subject vastly increased lifespan, improved healing rates, resistance to just about any disease, freedom from cancers and most other cell disorders, etc. -- as long as the subject maintains their regular doses of Amaranth. The treatment is very mysterious, and is considered anathema and a heresy by the Mundus Humanitas; you and the Inquisition are both looking for the medicos who has the skill and resources to do it. Index 8, hundreds of thousands of Standards.

 

Anagathics

 

Demon-inspired scientists, at the height of the Federated Empire, sought to escape the Wheel of Fire. Medicines and machines were developed to extend human life into dangerously long terms. The human spark of these deluded fools was quickly diminished; their physical forms crept along in a hideous travesty of life long after their spark was diminished. These blasphemous deceits only exist now in dangerous old databases, not yet cleansed by the Order of the Seeking Flame, or among a few small sects of devil-worshippers soon to be destroyed. The Amaranthine Treatment, and the drug Senex, are two examples of these heretical scientific discoveries. For guidance, read Ahmilahk's First Sermon to the Scientists, Book I.

 


The Library Data entry on Anagathics, from a typical Karsan League example.

 

  • Automed:  an intensive care unit and surgical bed with built-in monitors, lights, trays, medscanner, ventilator, artificial heart and kidney, etc. High-Index automeds will have a 5 liter reservoir for nano-healing Foam, but the Foam itself must be obtained either through official (i.e., feudal) channels or illegally. In theory you don't need a doctor present to use the automed; in practice, the Guild frowns on this.

    • Index 2, 250 kg, 6,000 Σ

    • Index 3, 250 kg, 10,000 Σ; +5% to detect Vaylen implantation

    • Index 4, 500 kg, 15,000 Σ; +10% to detect Vaylen implantation

    • Index 5, 500 kg, 25,000 Σ; +20% to detect Vaylen implantation

      • Game mechanics:  if used to detect surgically-implanted Vaylen infestation, the chance is (Medicine skill/2 - 20%), + the listed bonus. The automed on any human ship includes an integrity scanner, which works as usual (see below).

    • Automed Supplies:  required after a few major injuries are treated. 15 kg, 150 Σ.

  • Bioscanner:  a combination detector and treatment device for chemical and biological agents, as well as radiation. The scanner will sound an alarm and display information on dangerous chemical or biological agents; it can also inject an appropriate antidote through the skin if the antidote is pre-loaded (holds one vial of antidote, with up to 8 doses in the vial). The scanner also measures and tracks radiation exposure, and sounds an alarm at various danger levels. Mass 0.8 kg, cost 10 Σ, Index 1. Antidotes vary, but usually a vial costs 1 Σ; specify the type of agent and Index of production.

    • Game mechanics:  detects dangerous chemicals automatically, unless they are Index 2+ military agents. Roll to detect biological threats:  75%.  

  • Cryoberth:  supports one person in cryosleep; there is a chance the subject will not survive the revival. Mass 0.5 tons, cost 1,250 Σ, Index 1.

    • Game mechanics:  revival requires a CON roll vs. a POT 4 effect; add +2 to CON if there was a medico attending when the berth was entered, +2 to CON if a medico attending upon revival, +2 CON at each end if the entry or revival takes place in a well-supplied medical facility of Index 2 or higher, + 1 to POT for every 4 points of trauma damage the subject had when entering the berth in excess of 2 points of damage (thus 3-6 damage = +1 POT, 7-10 damage = +2 POT, etc.). Foam can be used to heal injuries of a person while they are still in cryosleep. Making the revival roll exactly can indicate that recovery will be delayed over a period of days, or there might be permanent damage.

  • Cryoberth, Colonist:  these are not common or popular currently. A colonist cryoberth can accommodate up to 4 persons in cryosleep; they can alternately be used by one person as a sort of emergency shelter or couch, for up to six hours. Mass 1 ton, cost 2,500 Σ, Index 1.

    • Game mechanics:  as for the regular cryoberth, but the revival roll is made against a POT of 5.

  • Integrity Scanner:  a hand-held device to detect "field hulls" (the most basic form of Vaylen infestation) at very close range (just about touching the skull). There is about a 5% chance it might miss a field hull, and a 5% chance of a false positive reading; a second test can be made after a few seconds to check the results. Further tests by the same operator in that situation won't clear anything up. Index 1, 2 kg, price 10 Σ.

  • Medkit:  a (somewhat) advanced paramedic or doctor's item. It includes a medscanner, and aclarthion bandages. It might include Foam dispensers if the medic has access to that substance. Index 4, 10 kg, 25 Σ. An Index 0 version weighs only 8 kg, costs 10 Σ, but doesn't include the medscanner or aclarthion bandages.

  • Medkit, Enhanced:  more stuff! Usually vehicle-mounted, but can be carried by Iron. Might have Foam if carried by or for a Pilot. Index 4, 75 kg, 500 Σ.

  • Medscanner:  if placed on a person, it will display their vital signs. Similarly to the bioscanner, it can hold 6 vials of medicines; most vials hold 8 doses, but a vial of Foam only holds 1 dose.  0.7 kg, 10 Σ (not including medicines), Index 1. 

  • Trauma Pack:  a "gunshot wound kit" more or less, meant to stabilize a character after a major perforating injury, perforating chest wound, or bloodloss. Includes two aclarthion dressings, a dose of Bellon, a spray foam for sealing chest wounds and attaching splints, a blood substitute powder, a small chemical light, and some minor bits and pieces which vary by manufacturer. Index 2 (except for the aclarthion dressings), mass 0.5 kg, cost 15 Σ.

 

Restricted Machinery

 

In theory, all of this stuff requires the user to be a member of the Collegium to operate. They are labelled with deliberately obscure terms and odd symbols; the bigger ones (over 50 kg) will require you to enter some kind of code, or give your name, or some other "I'm a member of the Collegium" ritual.

 

  • CAT Scanner 

    • Whole-body X-ray (CAT) scanner:  this produces a 3-D image of a patient's organs, or of a body part. The scanning process requires the subject to be held still for several minutes; safety checks and positioning, and interpreting the image, make the entire process take about 10 minutes (the actual scanning pulses only last a second or so). A trained medical technician is needed to operate the machine and interpret the results. Exposure above 1 scan per day increases health risks. A properly conducted brain scan with this device will show the presence of a Vaylen infestation.

      • Index 2, 250 kg (including shielding), price 1,000 Σ.

        • Game mechanics:  to detect surgically-implanted Vaylen infestation, roll 1d100; on a result of 96+, the operator is uncertain, or calls a false positive result.

    • Cranial X-ray (CAT) scanner:  this produces a 3-D image of a patient's head. The scanning process requires the subject to be held still for several minutes; safety checks and positioning, and interpreting the image, make the entire process take about 10 minutes (the actual scanning pulses only last a second or so). A trained medical technician is needed to operate the machine and interpret the results. Exposure above 1 scan per day increases health risks. A properly conducted brain scan with this device will show the presence of a Vaylen infestation.

      • Index 2, 50 kg (including shielding), price 500 Σ.

        • Game mechanics:  to detect surgically-implanted Vaylen infestation, roll 1d100; on a result of 96+, the operator is uncertain, or calls a false positive result.

  • MRI Scanner

    • Whole-body MRI scanners don't have the health risks involved with the X-ray scanner. They still take 10 minutes to conduct a scan, and require a trained operator. Any contamination of the subject by metallic or magnetic objects is very unsafe; and anyone with implants or cyborg parts cannot safely be scanned by this method. They mostly differ in weight (much of which is shielding): 

      • Zero Index, mass 35 tons, price 7,500 Σ

      • Index 1, mass 15 tons, price 7,500 Σ

      • Index 3, 5 tons, price 10,000 Σ

      • Index 5, 3 tons, price 16,000 Σ

      • Index 7, 1 ton, normally unavailable. Interpretation by AI or expert system cuts scan time to 5 minutes.

        • Game mechanics:  to detect surgically-implanted Vaylen infestation, roll 1d100; on a result of 96+, the operator is uncertain, or calls a false positive result.

    • Cranial MRI scanners are much smaller, and don't need separate shielding (though the immediate area should still be cleared of magnetic objects). They still take 10 minutes to conduct a scan, and require a trained operator. Some examples:

      • Zero Index, mass 100 kg, price 500 Σ

      • Index 1, mass 50 kg, price 500 Σ

      • Index 3, mass 10 kg, price 1,000 Σ

      • Index 5, mass 5 kg, price 1,500 Σ

      • Index 7, mass 1 kg, normally unavailable. Interpretation by AI or expert system cuts scan time to 1 minute.

        • Game mechanics:  to detect surgically-implanted Vaylen infestation, roll 1d100; on a result of 96+, the operator is uncertain, or calls a false positive result.

  • Sonar/acoustic/gravimetric Scanner

    • Whole-body sonar/acoustic, or gravimetric, scanners require more operator skill, and take more time to employ (about half-an-hour, typically), but have no health risks for the subject. As they employ less-precise (and less-energetic) scan waves, they don't provide as clear of an image as either X-ray scanners or MRI scanners.

      • Index 1, 100 kg, price 200 Σ.

      • Index 3, 25 kg, price 300 Σ

      • Index 5, 10 kg, price 1000 Σ

      • Index 7, less than 1 kg, unavailable. Interpretation by AI or expert system cuts scan time to 10 minutes. 

        • Game mechanics:  to detect surgically-implanted Vaylen infestation, use the best of two Medicine skill rolls. 

    • Cranial sonar/acoustic, or gravimetric, scanners require more operator skill, and take more time to employ (about half-an-hour, typically), but have no health risks for the subject. As they employ less-precise (and less-energetic) scan waves, they don't provide as clear of an image as either X-ray scanners or MRI scanners.

      • Index 1, 25 kg, price 100 Σ.

      • Index 3, 5 kg, price 150 Σ

      • Index 5, 2 kg, price 500 Σ

      • Index 7, less than 1 kg, unavailable. Interpretation by AI or expert system cuts scan time to 10 minutes. 

        • Game mechanics:  to detect surgically-implanted Vaylen infestation, use the best of two Medicine skill rolls. 

  • Med Station, Company:  several cots or berths sharing a simple set of life-support equipment, a scanning/diagnostic machine (including an X-ray machine), surgical equipment, medical supplies, and supplies of artificial tissue (blood, bone and skin); intended pretty much for trauma triage and treatment only. This item is similar to the Automed, but intended for more patients and definitely needs medical staff present. Index 2, 1.5 tons, 2,000 Σ.

    • On a ship, this would be called a Small Sick Bay, and would weigh 2 tons; it would include life support for 2 person.

  • Med Station, Battalion (aka Field Hospital):  either installed in three or four vehicles, or in a set of three or four self-erecting shelters, or as a sick bay on non-capital Hammer vessels. A physician, three surgical medics and three other medics can treat most wounds with the equipment provided; there are two operating tables in the surgical theater, and four berths with life-support equipment. Includes an oxygen generator, environmental positive pressure system and particulate filtering, diagnostic equipment (including an X-ray machine), decontamination showers, chemical toilets, outpatient areas, a patient ward, pharmaceutical prep space, six stretchers and litter stands, etc. Index 2, 3 tons, cost 5,000 Σ. The self-erecting shelter version packs up to a 5 cubic meter set of packages, and takes about 20 man-hours of work to set up; it can be used in low pressure or unbreathable atmospheres, but does not have the strength to be deployed in vacuum conditions, nor will it tolerate insidious or corrosive atmospheres. Supplies and medication included are sufficient for 200 patient-days.

    • On a ship, this would be called a Large Sick Bay, and would weigh 4 tons; it would include life support for 4 persons.

  • Womb, External or Artificial:  a biomechanical mechanism which can process genetic material from Terran vertebrates to create a fetus and bring it to term. The fetus will require the usual amount of time to come to term. Offspring from a male and female of the same species, or from a single female, or as a clone of either a male or female individual, are all possible with the Womb; the device cannot be used to perform genetic modifications (although it may be used to bring such beings to term, after the appropriate genetic material is created). Index 2, 0.5 tons, 2,000 Σ or more -- artificial wombs are illegal in areas where the Mundus Humanitas holds sway. Within the Darikahn Empire, they are illegal on most (but not all) worlds, and regarded with disfavor by the government.

  • X-Ray Machine: a non-imaging device, lighter than the CAT scanner, causes less exposure, but produces less informative images. From setup to final interpretation, takes about 10 minutes, maybe a little less if you're mass-scanning people, or have a multi-person team at work.

    • sub-Index, 500 kg, 50 Σ. Very slow to produce results (you have to get the film developed). 

    • Index 0, 50 kg, 100 Σ.

    • Index 3, 20 kg, 150 Σ.

    • Index 5, 10 kg, 250 Σ.

      • Game mechanics:  to detect surgically-implanted Vaylen infestation, make a Medicine skill roll.

 

Prosthetics/Cybernetics

 

Medicines

 

Regeneration

 

An Index 1 process for regrowing body parts. Being pretty similar to cloning, it's frowned on by the Church -- but not forbidden, probably because it's the preferred method of fixing ugly wounds by the Pilotry. Regeneration requires the patient to carry or be attached to special medical devices; except for the smallest regenerative projects, the patient will be bedridden the entire time. The equipment needed is available at any well-equipped Index 2+ hospital (it's beyond the capabilities of a medical field hospital or a ship's sick bay, though), or some Index 1 hospitals. The time to regenerate tissue is about 1 week + 1 week per 0.5 kg of tissue mass. It costs 1,000 Σ plus 1,000 Σ per week.    

 

An Index 7 regeneration process exists, using nanotechnology, very fast and useful; it uses something more or less like Foam. It's vastly expensive, however, and really only available to royalty (or in a few places where remnants of ancient technology remain active, like the Shining Slate).

 

Cloning

 

Using a geneering lab and an artificial womb to create a simple clone of a human being (or other Terran mammal) is an Index 1 technology. After 9 months of gestation, the result is a physical twin of the donor -- but only an infant, of course. At Index 4, geneering vats can be used to force development and aging of the clone to occur at a 50:1 ratio. At Index 6, a basic personality can be implanted into a developing clone -- not that of any fully-socialized adult, and certainly not that of any specific person, but the clone can gain speech, basic skills, and a simple set of emotions when it emerges from the vat. At Index 7, impression of the donor's memories, personality, skills, and thought patterns on the clone can be accomplished.

 

On a purely technical level, simple clones would cost 260 Σ to procure, and forced-aging can create an adult clone for about 1,000 Σ. A clone with a complete personality imprint from a donor might cost several thousand Standards ... there is no fixed price, since the market is so rarefied. And of course all cloning is banned by the Church; the doctors performing such sinful deeds are declared anathema, and the clones destroyed without remorse.  Really, seeking out the Vaylen for this sort of thing would be easier.

 

Genetic Engineering and Androids

 

Verboten, very naughty, etc. ... and of course the fact that the Vaylen use genetic engineering quite freely doesn't make the process any more beloved by the human public. Various geneering processes exist, from Index 1 to Index 8. Creation of a new type of organism on about the human level of complexity would require Index 5 technology, and cost you about 50,000 Σ, if you went to the Vaylen. In addition, the process is something of an art form, not an exact science -- the Vaylen have been tweaking and refining their geneering life-forms for centuries. Further copies would be much cheaper, since they could probably be created with standard geneering vats and artificial wombs. Even the Vaylen have been unable to create creatures capable of using Psychological powers -- so obviously medical science is below the Index 7 level within Vaylen space.

 

 

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