Editing Personal Augmentations (section)

== Mental Augmentation ==
These cybernetic augmentations enhance the brain and mental functions.
'''Access Jacks:''' Usually located in the base of the skull or neck, this implant is an external socket with a direct neural interface. It allows the character to establish a direct wired connection using a fiber optic cable to external devices or other characters, which can be useful in places where wireless links are unreliable or complete privacy is required. Two characters linked via access jack can “speak” mind-to-mind and transfer information between their mesh inserts and other implants. All synthmorphs have these by default. '''[Low]'''

'''Cybercortex:''' Similar but less sophisticated than a cyberbrain, a cybercortex is a limited artificial version of the neo-cortex for smart animals. A cybercortex is not sufficient to raise an animal to sapience, but it does boost the animal’s ability to learn, comprehend instructions/commands, and reason. Apply a +10 modifier to Animal Handling Tests with this animal. The cybercortex also overrides many instinctive behaviors that would be undesirable in a service animal. '''[Low]'''

'''Dead Switch:''' This cortical stack accessory is designed to keep the stack from falling into the wrong hands. If the morph is killed, the dead switch wipes and melts the cortical stack completely, so that the ego cannot be recovered. This option is generally only used by covert operatives with recent backups. '''[Low]'''
'''Emergency Farcaster:'''Only characters with cortical stacks can possess this augmentation. The morph has an implanted quantum farcaster linked to a highly secure storage facility. The high cost of this implant also covers the cost of this storage. Using standard radio and quantum encryption, the farcaster broadcasts full backups of the character’s ego (pulled from the cortical stack) once every 48 hours. At the gamemaster’s discretion, the backup interval may be scheduled more or less frequently, keeping in mind that ego broadcasts are generally limited for security purposes and because they hog bandwidth. These broadcasts only work when the character is in radio contact with the storage facility and is typically only used inside a habitat to broadcast backups back to a nearby space ship. If the radio broadcasts are blocked or jammed, this device cannot make backups. In the event of a farcaster failure, this augmentation also includes a single-use emergency neutrino broadcaster as well. This broadcaster contains approximately 10 nanograms of antimatter stored in an orange-sized triply-redundant magnetic containment vessel. If the character is dying or urgently wishes to depart the morph, this tiny amount of antimatter is brought into contact with a similarly tiny amount of matter in a controlled fashion that generates a single brief and carefully coded neutrino pulse of the ego’s most recent backup. However, the heat generated by this process literally cooks the entire morph, killing it and destroying all implants and electronics in or on it. This entire process takes less than 0.1 second and the broadcast can be received as long as the neutrino receiver is within 100 astronomical units of the character. Within the solar system, this implant effectively guarantees the character’s backup. It is less useful on exoplanets where the character is out of neutrino range of their backup facility. The amount of antimatter carried by this implant is sufficiently small enough that it does not produce an explosion and will not damage any surrounding objects. Most habitats carefully scan all visitors to determine if they have this implant and if the amounts of antimatter involved are sufficiently low as not to pose a danger to the habitat and its inhabitants, and some ban this implant entirely. '''[Expensive]'''

'''Ghostrider Module:''' This implant allows the character to carry another infomorph inside their head. This infomorph could be another muse, an AI, a backed-up ego, or a fork. The module is linked to the character’s mesh inserts, so the ghostrider can access the mesh. The character may limit the ghostrider’s access, or may allow them direct access to their sensory information, thoughts, communications, and other implants. '''[Low]'''

'''Life Recorder:''' Not everyone wants to broadcast their lifelog, whether for public viewing or for private storage elsewhere on the mesh. Some people want to retain a lifelog, but prefer to avoid possible interception of the contents online. Certain security, spy, political, and diplomatic professions may mandate this. Others may commonly find themselves in situations where they are cut off from regular mesh access (such as gatecrashers or remote asteroid herders). Most people also don’t want to be bothered with carrying a storage device on their person at all time. In these cases, a life recorder serves the purpose. The life recorder is a micro-sized memory diamond storage device, typically implanted in the head (though occasionally elsewhere in the body). This implant records all sensory input as experienced by the brain to which it is linked. Life recorders are designed as one-way information receivers, simply storing data until they are removed; they are not meant to be accessed, much like cortical stacks. '''[Low]'''

'''Memory Lock:''' This implant, when activated, prevents information from being stored in the subject’s long-term memory or from being recorded via lifelog, mnemonic augmentation, or other sensory link. It also temporarily blocks up-to-the second cortical stack backups. The individual will retain short-term memories, but for no more than a few minutes. This implant is usually a requirement for personal aides, consultants, and other underlings of powerful people. The implants can be remotely activated by the superior during confidential meetings or other secret affairs to ensure privacy and deniability. This implant is also a popular option among some personal couriers who intentionally retain no memories of the party that hired them in case they are intercepted. '''[Low]'''

'''Mnemonic Augmentation:'''A character with this augmentation and a cortical stack can access digital recordings of all of the sensory data they have experienced in XP format (and they may share these recordings with others). Mnemonic augmentation differs from the eidetic memory bioware because it allows characters to digitally share all of their sensory data with others. It also allows them to closely examine sensory data they did not initially look at. For example, If the character glanced at a note but did not read it, they can later use image enhancement software to enhance this image and in most cases actually read what the note said. Mnemonic augmentation allows the character to clearly hear all background noises, like a conversation at a nearby table that the character only initially heard a few words of. Using mnemonic augmentation to retrieve a specific piece of information is quite easy, but usually requires between 2 and 20 minutes of concentration. '''[Low]'''

'''Monitor Module:''' A variant ghostrider module, the monitor module houses an observer ego (usually a monitor AI) that keeps tabs on the character’s movements, activities, and mesh traffic. Some monitor modules are installed discreetly, without the bearer being aware of the spy in their head; others are more overt about their presence, purpose, and activity. Monitors can access the mesh without the character’s knowledge. If the morph is equipped with a puppet sock, the monitor ego can seize control of the morph. This implant is designed to be difficult to detect and identify; impose a −10 penalty on appropriate skill tests. Attempts to hack into the Monitor Module suffer a −20 modifier and can be actively countered by the monitor ego. '''[Moderate]'''

'''Multi-Tasking:''' Only characters with cortical stacks can possess this augmentation. The character has an advanced computer installed in their brain that uses the data in the cortical stack to create several simultaneous short-term forks to handle various mental tasks. By design, this computer automatically reintegrates all of these forks into the character’s core personality after a maximum of 4 hours, earlier if desired. This augmentation allows the character to both plan a speech and engage in intensive mesh-browsing while simultaneously fighting a gun battle or running from pursuit, since each of the forks operates independently. However, these forks can only perform purely mental or online interactions. This augmentation can produce a maximum of two forks at a time, giving the character an extra two Complex Actions on every Action Phase for mental or online actions. This implant cannot be used simultaneously with any other augmentation that allows for extra actions, or with the mental speed augmentation. '''[High]'''

'''Optogenetics Module:''' This implant is designed to be used in biomorphs like the freeman that are genetically modified to make their neurons sensitive to light. This module establishes a network within the brain to manipulate these neurons with selective pulses of light. Whomever controls the optogenetics module (usually a monitor module muse or remote overseer) can trigger neuronal activity as desired. In game terms, the module can activate one of the following effects:

* It can compel one specific behavior in the same manner as behavioral control, emotional control, or tasping psychosurgery.
* The module can impede or even cut off one specific source of sensory input as desired, thus the character can be made blind or deaf, for example, with a command.
* Selective activation or inhibition of certain neurons can also aid or deter the treatment of either addiction or mental stress and disorders: apply a modifier between +20 or −20 as desired by the module’s controller to psychotherapy and addiction tests.
* The module can trigger unconsciousness in the target ego (requiring a WIL x 3 Test at −30 to resist).Each module can only trigger one effect. Multiple modules can be installed within a morph. Installation of this module includes the genetic modification to make the targeted neurons sensitive to light. '''[Low]'''

'''Parallel Processor:''' A modiﬁed derivative of the neo-syngergist hypermesh link, this augmentation allows users to link their minds together together in a manner similar to parallel processing computers, allowing them to borrow processing power from other linked egos to solve intellectual problems. In addition to automatically providing the appropriate teamwork bonus for the problem (to a maximum of +30) without the others needing to take any actions, as long as three or more users are linked together, each user also gains a +5 COG bonus for the duration of the linkage. These bonuses only apply when the users are linked. Users must possess the mental speed augmentation to use this implant. While the implant is active, the character’s Trauma Threshold is reduced by 1. To avoid possible personality bleedover, users are advised to use this augmentation for no more than six hours per day. '''[High]'''

'''Possum Cache:''' This augmentation may only be applied to morphs with a cyberbrain, ghostrider module, or monitor module. It enables an ego therein to continue using its access jacks, cyberbrain/module, and mesh inserts while hibernating or dead. It includes a backup power unit that kicks in when the cyberbrain or module stops receiving sufficient power from the morph’s body. The access jacks, cyberbrain/module, and mesh inserts may continue to operate for 48 hours after the morph hibernates or dies. If the morph has the multitasking augmentation, it continues to function, but all other augmentations are inactive and cannot be used.
Egos active in a dead/hibernating morph via a possum cache retain the morph’s aptitude modifiers but do not suffer from the morph’s wound penalties.
Operating in this mode is stressful due to sensory deprivation. Every 24 hours the ego runs on a possum cache, it must make a WIL x 3 Test. Failure inﬂicts 1d10 SV.
If the morph was killed/destroyed by head trauma, or if it takes more than 5 DV of damage to its head after death, the cyberbrain is considered destroyed, or at least too damaged to function properly. Note that damage from popping a stack does not count toward this total, but damage from intentionally burning a stack out (e.g., with an agonizer) does.
Death or voluntary entry into hibernation are the only circumstances under which this augmentation functions. In case of any other game effect that would render the morph unconscious, this augmentation has no benefit. If the morph contains multiple cyberbrains or modules, the augmentation must be bought separately for each. '''[High]'''

'''Puppet Sock:''' This implanted computer allows the biomorph’s body (the “puppet”) to be controlled by another character (the “puppeteer”). While active, the puppet has no control over their body and is simply along for the ride (at the gamemaster’s discretion, puppets who are tormented by repeated or extensive loss of control may suffer mental stress). The puppeteer may directly “jam” the puppet or remote control it in the same way that robots and pods are teleoperated. The puppeteer must either be ghostriding the puppet (see the Ghostrider Module) or have a direct communications link (via mesh, radio, laser, etc.). '''[Moderate]'''