Grafting

'... Yes, it hurts sometimes. It burns like Aeternia when the weather changes, and I often wake up with nausea. True, I can't pick up a pen with that arm anymore and my body feels very unbalanced. But – Jorel be cursed – there is a certain satisfaction to be had when you can crush a head with the mere strength of your grasp...'
--Anonymous, boasting his Troll arm while about to be burnt at stake. Last words.

Trade Skill Name:
Grafting

Short Description:

Grafting is the highly hazardous practice of acquiring, manipulating and using body parts from a living being, often aimed at transplanting them on a different being. Grafters are an unethical lot of creative surgeons who define themselves as 'flesh sculptors' and practice their illegal trade in secret, trying to overcome the limits of nature by merging and molding bodies as they deem fit.

A Grafter employs a range of tools to separate, preserve, activate, join and command mostly any type of organic material. The transplanting of tissue is the activity they are best known for, giving them the ability to remedy traumatic limb losses and, at high levels, augment living people with powers of other races and beings. However, the single best quality needed to excel at this profession is fantasy. The tools are general-purpose in nature, and allow for the creation of a range of organic abominations the likes of which are rarely seen in the world. In fact, when a Grafter is captured and sentenced to death, it is customary to burn the body and scatter the ashes to the winds to prevent his colleagues from somehow reassembling and reactivating the fallen doctor.


Background:

'When two become one, don't we call it love?'
--Viktor Von Schmidt, A New Man for a New Age

Throughout the history of the Empire, medics and surgeons have often been viewed as the poor man's Thaumaturgists. While a Holy Mage can merely cleanse a body from trauma and disease with the power of his faith and sheer magical prowess, doctors are usually the cheap alternative for those who can't afford the services of a high-level caster. Aelyrian Surgery is a dangerous practice that often leaves permanent marks upon the body unless aided through Arcanic means, and its results are not nearly as elegant as Thaumaturgy. When a soldier takes a heavy hit to the head and the choice lies between casting a Healing spell and getting his cranium perforated by a Surgeon, the decision is surprisingly easy to make, no matter how skilled the doctor. This obvious handicap created frustration, especially in the most brilliant medical minds of Aelyria, constantly trying to achieve something through their Art that a Thaumaturgist would not be able to imitate.

It was a young Navy Surgeon by the name of Viktor Von Schmidt, born in the Northern lands of the Empire but serving under the banner of Olympia, in Eunesia, that first came up with the idea of transplanting gills in order to allow a Human to breathe underwater. In his first book, 'A New Man for a New Age', now very difficult to come across since even the tolerant Eunesian authorities ordered the manuscript to be burnt, Viktor theorized that the ultimate act of self-improvement, both physical and spiritual, consists of augmenting the body with foreign tissues and organs in an attempt to create the perfect lifeform. This, he believed, is done with the blessing and approval of Aetheria since, according to his ideas, it would lead to a New Age of harmony filled with superior, near-immortal beings. Needless to say, Viktor's revolutionary ideas won him few friends and many enemies, and the young medic soon found himself running for his life on multiple charges of heresy and worshipping the Aeternians. Far from willing to abandon his idea, though, the man fled and decided that, in order to prove his theories to the world, he should translate them into tangible reality.

Looking for test subjects, Viktor soon found that those always came in large supplies; it sufficed to travel wherever a large battle had taken place, an ever so frequent event in the troubled history of the Empire. Of those who lay on the battlefield, many were still alive even if horribly mutilated, and the scientist would carry them on a specially designed wagon to his improvised laboratories. Over the eras, he attempted many kinds of grafting, transplanting almost any body part, with disastrous results. Less than one percent of the victims would even survive, and those who did would never feel the implanted tissue as their own. The long chain of failures drove Viktor's already unstable mind beyond the subtle line of insanity, and he experimented with hundreds if not thousands of subjects, moving from one city to the next, and even beginning to kidnap people, amputating their limbs only to graft them back into their places.

At long last, his efforts caught the attention of a local branch of the Church of Faith, and an ambiguous Master Thaumaturgist, secretly a worshipper of Aeternia seeking to infiltrate the upper ranks of the Church, was sent out to investigate a few disappearances of peasants in the countryside as well as the finding of their mutilated bodies a few brightenings later. For a Mage of his caliber, finding Viktor was an easy task. But instead of slaying the mad scientist as he should have, the Thaumaturgist saw the dark potential hidden in the art of Grafting, though he understood that it was impossible to perform through mere surgery. The Master agreed to Enchant Viktor's tools with his magic, and their combined knowledge of herbalism brought amazing results. Researching medical herbs, they found several recipes that would allow foreign tissues to be manipulated and merged together with ease, and the success rate became decent. It was then that Viktor began to accept chosen students, and the horrifying art of Grafting became more than the folly of one man.

To this brightening, Grafters practice their trade in the utmost secrecy, since they have been equated to Necromancers by the Church and their 'patients' are not much more popular. Master Grafters are very rare, not numbering more than two dozens at any given time, and they roam the lands of the Empire turning man into monster, Schmidt's 'New Age' dream into a collection of revolting abominations. Still, their services are in higher demand than one would believe possible, for the world is full of warriors desiring more strength, thieves in need of enhanced perception, or simply unfortunate people who cannot resign themselves to living without their arms.

The Grafting Process

'The operation was a total success. The subject is dead.'
--Viktor Von Schmidt, Journals

Grafting revolves around the concept of tissue. Manipulating tissue in convenient ways is what the craft is all about. To a Grafter, a patient is merely a mass of tissue waiting to be tampered around with. There is a lot of trial and error involved, mostly because these doctors usually have a hands-on approach to problems. Notions of Alchemy and Herbalism are often employed in the trade and some knowledge in these fields becomes a necessity past Basic level.

The main operations that can be performed on tissue are:

• Acquire. Acquiring usable tissue from a source, generally called Donor, whose survival is irrelevant to the process. This also includes the problem of preserving the part for future uses.
• Condition. By using appropriate substances, Grafters can educate tissue to act and react in specific ways, as if it were moved by an intelligence. Conditioned tissue can, for example, react to such stimuli as light and humidity in simple ways, like a muscle flexing as temperature rises.
• Merge. The Grafter can merge two different tissues into one, with a series of caveats if one (or both!) of those are live people. This can be the transplanting of a limb or organ, or something else entirely, such as the creation of organic machinery.

Acquiring tissue. The basics of such an operation are very simple and straightforward, as a cleaver takes care of most external amputation needs. More delicate parts will require scalpel work and more skill on the Grafter's part.

Tissue tends to quickly degenerate and rot once separated from the body, making it useless - von Schmidt called this phenomenon nostalgia. The doctor will make use of two specially made substances, Stasis Balm and the Reactivator; the former can be rubbed on the amputated part to greatly delay the effects of nostalgia. Coupled with storage in a cold environment, this allows one to stock tissue almost indefinitely. The latter liquid, when injected, tricks the tissue into believing it is still alive, causing it to feel warm and activate its functions for a period. The Reactivator serves as the base of a number of substances that induce taxis reactions.

Conditioning tissue. By modifying and adding to the basic Reactivation formula, the Grafter can condition the tissue he is working with. A simple reaction to an environmental stimulus is called taxis. For example, tissue can be conditioned to respond to such factors as light, temperature, humidity, time intervals, pressure, contact and more. These may be mixed at will and, at high levels, it is possible to devise new taxis types and reactions.

Reactivated tissue will only work for a short period before it shuts down again, unless it is merged with a living host. This period can be lengthened considerably by using a Diffusor, basically a small container with a needle sticking out of it. Once filled with the desired Reactivator and attached to the tissue, it can keep it running for a long time, and indefinitely if refilled regularly.

Merging tissue. Merging tissue implies that the two parts will become one, and in the case of transplanted tissue it will become a full-fledged part of the Host's Vis. A special substance called der Kleber (the Glue) is applied on both ends of the joint prior to contact. Then the parts are stitched together using highly resistant spidersilk thread and a magically charged needle. Imbuements can only sustain a set number of operations, whereas Enchantments can be used any number of times; different spheres may have different properties and the best Grafters have several needles that they use depending on the circumstances.

Grafting tissue is never a pleasant operation, and as the two parts fight for supremacy, they tend to shut down spontaneously for a while. A live patient will pass out after the operation (assuming he did not do so before) and spend several candlemarks in a comatose state before waking up, if they do wake up. Tissue which is transplanted on a live patient will also take time to be trained and educated; besides, it takes a high-level Grafter to integrate specific racial benefits into a transplant, meaning that a Vysstichi eye on a Human will not provide Darkvision to the host unless implanted by a Master Grafter.



Tools of the Trade

'Scalpel... Thanks. Knife... Thanks. Cleaver... Thanks.'
--Grafter, to Apprentice.

• Stasis Balm
  This balm is obtained by means of Alchemy and takes the form of a light blue, slightly viscous gel. It is obtained by collecting blood from a cold-blooded animal or person, and adding small quantities of oil and pitch plus a series of non-essential ingredients. The substance is then heated, leaving the desired gel at the bottom of the retort as the water evaporates. Will all but stop rotting of tissue when rubbed on it.
• Reactivator
  Another Alchemical substance, the Reactivator is, in its basic version, a colorless liquid which weighs less than water. It is obtained by refining large quantities of blood from as many different species as possible. The blood is to be stored in a large vat with specially crafted pieces of quartz providing the liquid with the necessary vibrations and keeping it from coagulating. Blood from this pool can be distilled and the resulting liquid is then called Reactivator and will make separated tissue work for a while: muscles will flex, glands will produce their secretions, organs will function normally. Prior to distillation different substances may be mixed with the blood to form different taxis reagents.
• Taxis Reagents
  A specialized version of the Reactivator, endowing tissue with the ability to react to environmental stimuli. Depending on the additive(s), different properties can be achieved. Taxis reagents can be inverted by freezing them and then heating them back to liquid state; for example, if a reagent would normally activate tissue when exposed to light, its inverted version will react to darkness. Standard reagents are known for the following: light, temperature, humidity, pressure, motion, electricity, time intervals (dilute to change the frequency of activations). Special reagents are made by more skilled Grafters and include: sound, emotion, and essence (proximity to a specific Essence type).
• Diffusor
  A Diffusor is a small container with a needle sticking out of it. It is generally used by filling it with Reactivator or a Taxis reagent and then attaching it to tissue which is not meant to be merged with a live being. It will slowly release its contents over time, allowing the part to function for long periods.
• Remembrance
  The most powerful form of Reactivator, its recipe is shrouded in mystery. It is permanent, meaning that after the first injection the part will keep working until destroyed. It is also the only liquid that allows the Grafter to reactivate a recently dead head to provide mind power to their most advanced creations. The reactivated brain will make use of imprinting, pledging loyalty to the first creature it sees.
• Der Kleber (The Glue)
  The Glue is one of the most important tools in a Grafter's arsenal, mainly because without it no operation can ever succeed. The basic form of the Glue is obtained through a custom mix of Herbalism and Alchemy. In fact, the process is a loosely Alchemical one, though it uses three Herbs as its Essential Ingredients; Frej, Dianaberry and Quivir. The ingredients are pulverized and mixed with spring water, then heated inside a retort for a whole darkening. The liquid is then allowed to cool down for a few candlemarks, after which it will have become a thick, dark green paste, ready for use. Master Grafters often develop their own custom recipe for Der Kleber, supposedly with better results, though this remains to be seen.
  The Glue, when applied over an open wound, will stop the flow of blood and allow different Vis configurations to merge. Once prepared, it can be stored for later use, and if stocked properly, it can keep its properties for many eras. Sunlight and humidity will spoil it very quickly, though, which is a very unpleasant thing to find out during an operation, when the patient is bleeding to death and staining the floor.
• Needle and Thread
  The Glue makes two different bodies recognize each other as the same entity, but it is not enough to completely connect the parts. The Grafter uses needle and thread to render the connection permanent, though the visual effect is rarely pleasant to behold. The ideal thread is made of highly resistant spiderweb silk, though many resort to cheaper, and less durable, alternatives. Enchanted Needles are highly prized due to their ability to perform unlimited operations, and advanced students have been known to murder their teachers only to lay their hands on one such item.
• Other Surgery Tools
  Grafters employ a wide range of tools, some more refined than others. At lower proficiency levels, large blades take care of most needs rather unceremoniously, whereas more experienced users can successfully operate with scalpels.

Risks of Grafting on Living Bodies

'Doctor, my eye is melting! Is that norm...'
--Anonymous, last words

Grafting tissue onto a living creature is not something that should be taken lightly. Most notably, given the unique structural changes to the Host's Vis, undoing a Grafting is a task of epic proportions. Master Grafters are able to undo small operations, which is not even guaranteed to remove the side effects, but for more complicated transplants nothing short of divine intervention will help. Given the vast range of hazards that the potential Host will face, this fact alone should provide food for thought.

The following is a list of consequences that might be experienced by a Host, with relative frequencies and special conditions that may trigger the undesired effect.

• Loss of Arcane potential (Always)
  Unfortunately, the insertion of an external element into one's Vis pattern is highly disruptive and reduces the maximum quantity of Vis which can be used for the purpose of spellcasting. Each Grafting reduces the total usable quantity of Vis by one third, meaning that if the subject would normally be able to cast three spells at his or her proficiency level before feeling tired, the exhaustion will now come after only two spells. After the third Grafting, should the Host survive this far, the Vis will have become utterly unusable, and while the magic user can still Meditate, Channeling Mana will prove impossible.
• Loss of Shapeshifting abilities (Always)
  The presence of a Grafting makes it impossible for the Host to ever shapeshift again because of the important changes to the physique. Races with partial shapeshifting abilities, such as the Merfolk, can retain them if the Grafted area does not affect the sections of their body that they can shapeshift.
• Loss of Skills (Common, depends on area and Grafted part)
  It is quite obvious that implanting a new piece into an existing machine will cause it to behave differently. As such, if the Grafted part is heavily involved in the performing of a Combat or Trade Skill, the Host might lose one or more proficiency levels and have to retrain in order to update his knowledge to reflect his new body. The wider the difference between the old body and the new one, the more levels will be lost. There may also be caps on maximum skill levels if the new Grafted part is unfit for the intended use; for example, Ogre arms are almost certainly guaranteed to spell the end to a violinist's career.
• Pain and Discomfort (Uncommon to Common, depending on Grafter's proficiency)
  A person who underwent a Grafting will commonly feel random pains and general discomfort, though this varies wildly from subject to subject. Indeed, one should consider oneself lucky if this is the worst side effect resulting from the operation. This also includes the discomfort from using a body that is no longer balanced.
• Loss of Functionality (Uncommon, follows heavy usage of Grafted part)
  It has been reported that sometimes, if the Host abuses the Grafting for prolonged periods, usually spanning candlemarks, the part will simply shut down temporarily, causing pain and possibly bloodloss.
• Rejection (Rare)
  In a few cases, especially those where the Grafting is particularly impressive or confers incredible abilities, even if the Host's body seems to accept the foreign part, it keeps attacking it to eventually expel it, with dire consequences. In order to keep the process under control, the subject must ingest a small quantity of The Glue on a monthly basis. Failure to do this might cause the Grafting to blacken, rot, and if left unchecked, lead to deadly infections.
• Fast Aging (Rare)
  A few cases have been documented where the Host started growing older at alarming rates, up to one hundred times faster than normal. Needless to say, this is a particularly terrifying side effect, and most Grafters will not even mention it due to its rarity, or the fact that they do not care.
• Insanity (Rare, mild variants are Uncommon)
  In a few occasions, a Grafting is just too much for a mind to handle. Having to adjust to such a drastic change can drive someone insane, cause hallucinations, paranoia, excessive salivation, multiple personality disorders, bursts of violence, masochism against the Grafted tissue, or simply moodswinging, mild anxiety or depression.
• Other (Very Rare)
  Every once in a while, patients are said to experience different symptoms from those described above. Such effects are completely unpredictable, but the lack of research on the topic makes it impossible to verify the rumors.

Skill Tree

'What do you mean, "I'm not good enough to graft Dracon wings on you"?'
--Prospective Host

NOVICE
When a high-level Grafter accepts a student, which happens rarely because they tend to only trust corpses, the Beginner starts as a mere assistant, learning by both teaching and example. The student is shown the theory behind the transplanting of tissue, and how to perform it, though at his level, he is not trusted to do this. He does, however, pick up several notions of surgery and anatomy and can freely amputate the required parts.
Skills:
-External amputations
-Preparing Stasis Balm
-Theory of Grafting

APPRENTICE
At this level, the student is allowed much more freedom and can start to actually operate a subject, even if this usually happens under the Master's supervision. After learning the mechanics of the standard operation, the Grafter can perform minor operations on the easier areas of the body with a decent success rate. Meanwhile, the student's grasp of Anatomy increases significantly, mostly through trial and error, as he is shown the structure of hands and feet in great detail. The Intermediate Grafter has the mind of a doctor and the hand of a butcher.
Skills:
-Acquiring internal tissue (organs and glands)
-Making Reactivator
-Making the Glue
-Merging small amounts of tissue; hands, fingers, feet, small patches of skin
-Anesthetics and primitive surgery techniques

JOURNEYMAN
After displaying a good grasp of the technique and a good deal of disturbing creativity, the student is now entrusted with minor operations without supervision and has enough experience to easily deal with simple cases. The Advanced Grafter learns techniques to reduce the risks of serious side effects and can do fairly complicated surgery on most humanoid races, which broadens the area he is allowed to work on, as well as the magnitude of the operation. Also, he learns the process behind the brewing of several reagents, while expanding his knowledge of Anatomy to the more delicate zones of the mouth and face.
Skills:
-Making and using standard Taxis reagents
-Using a Diffusor
-Merging medium amounts of tissue; ankles, face, mouth, teeth, nose, ears
-Safety measures

MASTER
Once the Advanced student has successfully carried out a difficult operation, the teacher might declare him an Expert Grafter. No longer a student in the strict sense of the term, the Expert has the dubious pleasure of teaching the craft and leave the Master's laboratory to found his own, once in possession of the required Arcanic tools. This does not mean, however, that the Expert stops learning, for the Grafter learns from every victory and especially from every defeat. The Expert can operate all the races of Telath with relative ease, replacing whole limbs or body sections with functionally equivalent parts. At this level, an Expert becomes a good surgeon and medic even by orthodox standards, and would be able to serve as a healer if required to.
Skills:
-Can teach the craft
-Making special Taxis reagents
-Merging large amounts of tissue and very delicate parts; whole arms, whole legs, large patches of skin, eyes, muscles, nerves, glands
-Comparative racial anatomy and general medicine

GRAND MASTER
A Master Grafter uses a body as a painter would a canvas, or a sculptor a stele of marble. He can fulfill the dream of integrating new "features" into an existing body, and can give birth to a new generation of creatures. Most would argue that this comes at a horrible price, which even surpasses the physical and psychical consequences and side effects; the loss of one's very identity as a living being. The most hated among all those who undertake Grafting, these Hosts must hide their diversity at any cost, or risk swift Justice being brought upon them, an action that can hardly be blamed, given the range of abominations Master Grafters can create; from multiple backup hearts to thick carapaces, from additional limbs protruding from the chest to eyes on the back of one's head, there is truly no limit to the insanity of a mortal who wishes to emulate a god.
Skills:
-Making Remembrance
-Integrating the grafted part's special abilities into the Host
-Merging any type or amount of tissue; bones, brain, internal organs
-Nonstandard grafting; additional limbs, inorganic parts
-Undoing previous small grafting
-Making new Taxis reagents and techniques

Other
Due to the unorthodox, but undeniable, amount of medical and surgery notions he learns, the Grafter counts as being proficient at Anatomy (one level lower than his Grafting level) and Healing (two levels lower).