Gadgets

While "artifact" is a generic term for a magical item in the supernatural world, a gadget specifically refers to items imbued with Symphonic properties. Gadgets are the inanimate object counterpart to stigmatics (humans), cryptids (animals), and cryptoflora (plants) - all things that have been exposed to the Gears and come away changed. Unlike the other three, however, almost all gadgets are deliberately made, and naturally occurring gadgets are things of urban legends.

Though Demons no longer have free access to the God Machine's powers, they still retain some of their reality-sculpting abilities, as seen in their Etudes and Cadenzas. Using their newly unchained innovation and sheer force of will, demons can bind aspects of these abilities to physical objects to create gadgets.

As with all parts of Symphonic life, the Unchained have a variety of views on the matter. Some feel that gadgets are a way to undermine the God Machine, viewing them as a way to take Its secrets, bend them to their own will, and manifest them unto reality. Others believe that gadgets only make the God Machine stronger, as gadgets literally bind the subroutines of the Symphony - and thus the Machine - to reality, and thus potentially create additional footholds for It. Many Unchained fall into neither camp, but most - if not all - can agree that gadgets are a necessary part of surviving Fallen life.

Just need a quick rundown? Check out the page below!

Gadget Quickstart »

THE MAKERS

The creation of gadgets is a craft often taught from Demon to Demon, though many others reinvent the process in isolation. As with any craft, attitudes range from jealous secrecy to eager tutelage. Many are willing to share the basics, and few reveal more than that.

In concept, the process is straightforward - arrange the Symphony's metaphysical aspects into an object and lock it into reality. In practice, the process can be difficult and risky. Anything beyond the most basic of gadgets can be time-consuming, attention-drawing, or even kill the maker should something go wrong.

All Demons and Pactholders are capable of making gadgets, though it is not innate knowledge. Those who do so with frequency and skill are referred to as gadgeteers.

THE CLIENTS

With the challenges involved, the natural limitations of a single Demon's skill set, and the infinite number of possible creations at hand, gadgets are a respected form of barter in the Symphony. Most gadgets can be handed off to others - often key to the success of many Rings, as allies can temporarily access abilities they don't have.

Even humans and stigmatics are able to use gadgets, though not without risk. Mundane humans may end up becoming stigmatics through continual use, and both risk losing their souls when using gadgets made from pure demonic components.

Demons in particular are able to reverse-engineer gadgets, taking them apart in order to learn their contained spells for themselves. Unfortunately, Pactholders and stigmatics are unable to do so.

THE ANGELIC

Angels do not create gadgets. The God Machine provides all that an Angel would need to carry out its mission. As a result - or perhaps by design - Angels lack the creative spark of their Fallen kin needed to design gadgets. Very few use them, if at all.

Angelic artifacts fall into two general categories. The first are actually linchpins that an Angel can access and use, but ultimately belong to an Infrastructure. The second are instruments, partially disconnected, self-contained Infrastructure made to supplement an angel.

No one knows why the God Machine makes such items separate from an Angel's design and powers - though many suspect the modular nature of instruments are just as useful to the God Machine as that of gadgets are to demons.

CREATION OVERVIEW

The process of creating a gadget is known as Installation, where a Symphonic effect is Installed within mundane hardware. The source of the effect is known as the template. Additionally, all gadgets have a frequency, a measure of the gadgeteer's power at the time of a gadget's creation.

Effects are sourced from all parts of demonic Symphony, whether they're the spells they cast or physical pieces amputated from their true forms. If the ability is not naturally available to Unchained, it is impossible to use in a gadget. Only a demon's innate ability to utilize and impose their will on the Symphony allows them to isolate pieces of it for Installation, and demons lack this understanding and control over foreign supernatural powers.

Hardware is sourced solely from the mundane - in the sense that chosen medium cannot already contain or be affected by a supernatural effect of any kind. Materials from unnatural creatures do not necessarily contain supernatural properties, and some gadgeteers enjoy the uniqueness of exotic hardware. This does, however, make the gadget harder to replace or maintain.

Gadgets can be formally described by their composition, describing their effects, structure, describing their physical form, and style, describing special traits.

This section gives a general overview of the various types of gadgets as well as the overall process of creating a gadget from start to finish. To learn more about individual gadget types and their mechanics, check out the subpage below.

Installation Mechanics »

♭ COMPOSITION

Gadgets have a Key and Arrangement.

A gadget's Key describes the template used. Minor Keys come from Etudes, Major Keys use Cadenzas, Chromatic Keys use Demonic Abilities, and Signature Keys use Leitmotifs. They also dictate how the hardware warps during Installation - only Minor gadgets retain their mundane looks, while all others (often referred to as Major+ in shorthand) become distinctively supernatural to even undiscerning eyes.

A gadget's Arrangement describes how many templates were used to create the gadget. Almost all gadgets use a single template; leaving out the descriptor implies that the gadget has a Solo Arrangement. Non-Solo gadgets are known as higher-order Arrangements. In pure theory, there is no limit to how many templates can fit in a single gadget. In practice, Arrangements only go up to Duets (two) and Trios (three), as each added template increases the difficulty and risk of Installation exponentially higher.

Higher-order Arrangements are more resource intensive than their Solo counterparts, requiring the disassembly of existing gadgets to use as components. However, they provide more flexibility and power, and are highly coveted by all.

♮ STRUCTURE

Gadgets are categorized by their hardware design.

The archetypical gadget is Natural, using a mundane object as hardware with the intent that the gadget remains an independent object for multiple uses. From there, other gadget structures get stranger.

An Implant also uses mundane item hardware, but it is designed with the intent to be surgically implanted into a physical human body, with all the drawbacks implied. A Graft is similar, except that it's designed to be attached to a Demon's true form instead.

Tattoo gadgets, on the other hand, directly uses a living person as hardware. They manifest as faux tattoo-like markings filling a similar role to Implants with their own set of drawbacks.

A Parody gadget uses stripped down electronics as hardware in an attempt to mimic the raw technology of the Machine. While they're easier to make, they're limited to Minor gadgets.

Finally, B-Side gadgets are made in bulk as single-use creations that disappear once expended. Their consumable nature is reflected in the hardware used, from ammunition to mints. However, they are quicker and less costly to make than "A-Side" gadgets.

♯ STYLE

Gadgets may have additional traits.

A gadget only has one Composition and Structure, but may have multiple descriptors.

A Remix has an effect tangential to the scope of its template - something that the original spell is unable to do, but could logically be extended in such a way. Chromatics cannot be Remixed.

Precision-tuned gadgets are carefully created over long periods of time with controlled bursts of Aether, and are easier to use than normal gadgets.

Trick gadgets are special Minor gadgets whose hardware resonates not with its effect, but with its template. Though more difficult to create, they offer another avenue of creativity and surprise.

Inverted gadgets draw upon the catastrophic failure state of spells. Similar to Trick gadgets, they're more difficult to create and have a higher risk of Notice.

Improv gadgets are made for temporary use without anchoring, intended to be discarded almost immediately after Installation.

Finally, Interlock gadgets are designed to require one or more other gadgets to fulfill its full functionality.

DESIGNING A GADGET

Designing a gadget often requires a significant amount of lateral thinking.Not all gadget designs are valid, but gadgeteers learn to calculate the viability of a design prior to actual Installation - a key skill, given the risks. Designs have four aspects to consider: the effect, the trigger, the parameters, and the hardware.

EFFECT

Take note of the original spell's capabilities. The gadget should only take a small aspect of the original spell - it’s too broad if it replicates too much of what the spell already does.
The effect can come from any part of the spell - Success, Exceptional Success, or Dramatic Failure.
Take care when using aspects of the Exceptional Success or Dramatic Failure, as these outcomes are often relatively strong/extreme. Consider adding extra limitations when drawing from these.
The effect can also be slightly tangential to the original spell, to create a Remix. The effect should feel as though they're within the original spell's purview, but aren't explicitly part of it.

TRIGGER

Triggers are roughly categorized as mechanical (e.g. a button), spoken (e.g. a passphrase), or gestural (e.g. a certain hand motion). Performing the trigger is necessary to use the gadget's Installed effect, and often requires a roll.
Gadgets have no way of distinguishing its user, unless the hardware explicitly has a way to do so. For example, gadgets cannot scan the user’s DNA, analyze voice patterns, or check whose heart it is being held over. If the gadgeteer wants to limit a gadget in this faction, they would have to add something like a fingerprint scanner as part of its hardware.
Spoken triggers must be repeated in the correct language, and spoken loud enough for the gadget to “hear” it/ The user must be fluent in the language of the spoken trigger for it to work. This is not an issue for demons, but can be a useful limitation when preventing pactholders, stigmatics, and normal humans from easily using gadgets.
The trigger, along with the hardware, often affects the action type required to activate the gadget. For example, a piano gadget is inclined to have an extended action (playing) for its activation trigger.
In general, the more time the gadget takes to activate, the more powerful or useful it can be. A reflexive gadget has a small effect, but can be activated at any time and doesn’t cost the character their chance to do something else. An instant gadget requires the character to spend time fiddling with the gadget - meaning that the effect should be roughly equivalent to something else they could spend a turn doing.
The trigger does not necessarily have to match the intended effect, but they're often correlated.
For Minor gadgets, it's ill-advised to make the trigger the same as the mundane use case of the hardware. For example, if pressing the button of a camera causes it to blind someone, it makes it impossible to use the gadget mundanely.

PARAMETERS

General parameters concern the state of the world when the gadget is used. These are defined when a demon designs the gadget’s effect, making them distinct from limitations introduced through the gadget’s hardware or source spell. Parameters can be things such as limiting target types, or requiring external conditions such as:
- - Only people who are under a weight threshold
  - Only at night
  - Only inside condemned buildings
  - Only for 1 minute after use
General parameters cannot be set solely based on human information - the Symphony doesn't interact with space/time the same way as humans do
- - A gadget can have the parameter of “between 4-10pm”, but not “at mealtimes”. Different people have different interpretations of mealtimes.
  - A gadget can have the parameter “in the city of Boston, Massachusetts” as an established settlement will often have the same name for hundreds of years. However, “in the house of Mrs. Hathaway” would not work, as Mrs. Hathaway will live in more than one house during her life, and the nonlinear time interpretation of the Maestro’s powers cannot differentiate.
Adding a general parameter can have one of two effects: making it easier to create the gadget, or loosening some other limitations as a tradeoff

HARDWARE

Hardware offers a lot of variation in the creation process and the final result
Different gadget types have different hardware requirements. Hardware for Minor and Chromatic gadgets must either match the intended effect or the original Etude, while Major and Signature gadgets can use any hardware. Certain special gadgets, like B-sides and Parody gadgets, have additional restrictions.
How well hardware matches the gadget's effect is defined by a property known as sympathetic resonance. Gadgeteers often find that high sympathetic resonance simply makes for a more satisfying - and easier - Installation.

INSTALLATION

The act of Installation feels different from individual to individual, as drawing so close to the raw powers of the Symphony is naturally colored by one's own ability to comprehend it. Where one person tinkers with metaphysical wiring, another charts a nautical map through impossible currents. Yet no matter how varied experiences are and no matter how many times the process is reinvented, the quintessential steps of Installation remains the same across the board. The details vary depending on the type of gadget created, but even then the path from point A to point B is a predictable one.

The gadgeteer begins by priming the hardware, infusing the item with Aether. This serves two purposes. First, it lays the groundwork for the incoming Symphonic schematic, like stretching a canvas across a frame. Second, it frays the veil between reality and Symphony just enough to allow the gadgeteer to manipulate the underpinnings of reality. This is not dissimilar to how Cadenzas are cast - the user forces Aether into reality's servos in order to break down existing processes to be reshaped at will.

Once the hardware is ready, the gadgeteer must sift through the exposed elements of the Symphony to find the exact properties they want to obtain. Most gadgeteers go into Installation with a plan in mind, taking the time beforehand to calculate viable designs. Even then, what should work on paper doesn't always work in practice. The interpretation and iteration phase describes a repeated "pulling" on the Symphony, as the gadgeteer interprets their template and isolates aspects of it, draws it into reality, and tests to see if it fits into the space in reality they've made during priming. Rarely does a gadgeteer find what they want on the first try - hence the emphasis on iteration.

The tuning phase is sometimes folded into the iteration phase, though some gadgeteers find the process easier when separating it into its own step. Once an effect is decided on, the gadgeteer adjusts the triggers, parameters, and other limitations of the resulting gadget. Some effects are too "large" for reality to accept outright, and the nature of reality is to resist great changes. In other cases, the gadgeteer might want to ensure that a gadget can only be used in very specific cases in order to prevent accidents, or to mitigate the damage done should the object fall into the wrong hands. During this phase, the gadgeteer fine-tunes their work.

When the gadgeteer has found the exact arrangement desired, they need to cement it in reality. This step is known as anchoring the gadget. The gadgeteer takes a sliver of their Primum or Resonance to act as the supporting "infrastructure" of the gadget, much like hammering in nails for a carpentry project. Failing to do so causes the gadget to unravel shortly after its making, as reality inevitably rejects the Symphonic oddity and reverts to its natural state. Anchoring the gadget is often the most costly part of the process, as the energy required leaves the gadgeteer drained for weeks. The effort is well worth it, however - once completed, the gadget becomes "real" and can exist indefinitely until its destruction.

Some gadgeteers choose to forgo anchoring, instead creating Improv gadgets - a specialty of field gadgeteers, though this tends to require more foresight, time, and safety than most Unchained and Unscored are afforded in the field. Not only that, but failing to anchor a gadget has more consequences than simply having the gadget become unviable after a few minutes. The uncontained Aetheric radiation draws more attention than normal, and the failed gadget - known as scrap - becomes a lingering piece of junk that must be disposed of.

THE THEORY OF SYNCHRONICITY

The art of Installation is a well-ventured one, following the same processes and limitations regardless of maker or reinvention. Thus, several principals of gadgets and Installation have been codified in a set of principles known by academics as the Theory of Synchronicity. These principles are widely accepted in the study of Symphonic metaphysics as much as gravity is in the mundane.

This theory is built on the larger concept of Symphonic symbiosis, the idea that reality and the Symphony are two separate but intertwined forces. Synchronicity describes a necessary balance between natural reality and unnatural Symphony when working with gadgets, in order for the former to accept the latter for sustained existence. When this balance is disrupted, a gadget falls out of sync, leading to the subsequent destruction of the item. This leads to the following concepts:

Supernatural hardware is impossible to use in Installation. Hardware that has already been touched by the Symphony becomes impossible to realign with reality, due to always having "too much" of the Symphony in its form. Additionally, hardware imbued by non-Symphonic forces introduces a third, foreign aspect into a system of balanced halves that the gadgeteer cannot manipulate, and crowds out the space necessary for the Symphonic component.
Not all gadget designs are inherently valid. The field demands an intense amount of lateral thinking, not only due to the nature of Unchained, but also because many gadgets are unable to be properly anchored. The inclusion of parameters, triggers, and drawbacks reflects the need to shape and restrain the Symphony in such a way that it doesn't overwhelm reality.
Creating an infallible synchronistic system is impossible. In the same way that Cover and Infrastructure tricks reality into accepting the presence of Unchained and Chained alike, a gadget sealed into reality with a sliver of Symphonic scaffolding becomes "real" so long as it remains whole. Similarly, this reality is only skin-deep. Powers that attempt to warp gadgets as they would a mundane item find themselves failing at best and disrupting the synchronistic system within at worst. Damage breaks open the façade and cause the Symphonic component to unravel violently as reality rejects the virus.
Gadgets cannot be created outside of the Mundane Realm. The absence of both reality and the Symphony naturally makes Installation impossible - reality cannot be changed if it is not present, and the Symphony cannot be utilized if it is distant.

It is not uncommon for a gadgeteer to also take an interest in Infrastructure and occult matrices. Clearly, the God Machine has ways of building the Symphony into reality in ways different from the Unchained, following its own esoteric fundamentals. Despite being unusable by Unchained, Instruments in particular are highly coveted as they seem to fill a similar role to gadgets, yet have designs beyond anything a demon is capable of. Many Demons hope that in studying Infrastructure, they'll learn to defy the Theory of Synchronicity.

NOTICE

Installation is not a quiet affair, causing disruptions on both a mundane and Symphonic level. The arcs of lightning, the flares of Aether, and the crackle of electric discharge accompanies the manufacture of even the smallest gadget.

From a mundane standpoint, Installation interferes with nearby electricity. While a Minor gadget may have little to no effect on the surroundings, more powerful gadgets can cause blackouts across city blocks. Not only that, but Aetheric sparks and lightning arc off the gadgeteer, some large enough to even reach into the sky. This can easily draw supernatural and mundane attention alike, and many gadgeteers understand that speed is the key to a longer, unimpeded life.

Even if the electrical effects go unseen, Installation itself registers on Aetheric resonance, showing up to Unchained and cryptids. Angels and other enforcers of the God Machine are sensitive to the quantum ripples caused by Installation. While a single gadget's creation may slip by unnoticed, the buildup of Aetheric radiation combined with the repeated bending of the Symphony in the same place it’s a matter of when someone's attention will be drawn, rather than if.

Gadgeteers can take steps to mitigate exposure. By never using the same place twice, they can limit the buildup of Aether in the world's substrate - though it has to be a totally different place. Using a mobile workspace like a shipping container or large van still contaminates the structure itself with Aetheric radiation, and Symphonic distortions follow suit. Alternatively, if a gadgeteer risks multiple Installations in the same location, they can eventually create a workshop that can then be shielded against prying eyes.

Where a gadgeteer performs an Installation has little effect on the actual risk of notice. Ultimately, it comes down to preference and the type of risk a gadgeteer is willing to contend with. Though urban areas risk more mundane attention and are naturally rife with Infrastructure, any pursuers will have a harder time rooting out the exact suspect in a crowded city. In the wilderness, there may be fewer prying eyes, but there's no room for doubt as to who is responsible if a gadgeteer is caught out - and though there is theoretically less Infrastructure, some say the God Machine has planted its own ways of monitoring places far from civilization.

A gadgeteer checks for Notice immediately after Installation, success or fail. The dice pool is calculated based on a number of factors: how many gadgets have been made in the same location, whether the Installation succeeded, the type of gadget made, and the presence of a workshop shield. Most gadget types have a +1 bonus to the Notice roll, though Minor gadgets have no modifier, and B-Sides even incur a -1 penalty instead. Higher-order arrangements cause significant bonuses to the Notice. The strange hardware of Parody gadgets, limited sympathetic connection of Trick gadgets, and chaotic glitches of Inverted gadgets also incur penalties, causing more significant ripples in reality. If a gadget is completed without anchoring, Notice is rolled twice as reality rapidly rejects the supernatural intrusion.

WORKSHOPS

Some gadgeteers maintain a permanent space for creating gadgets, known as a workshop. Only a few do so, as such places have an increased risk of angelic interference, and gadgeteers have more to lose if they're discovered. Still, workshops give gadgeteers a place to store materials, tools and devices, and their creations, as well as making Installation easier.

Workshops are created as a side-effect of Installation - and therefore, they must be in the Mundane Realm. When three gadgets are created by the same individual in an enclosed location, the place becomes infused with energy, becoming an Aether conductor. This property causes certain Symphonic processes to run more efficiently - in a workshop, Installations require half the time, and certain specialty gadgets can be created.

A workspace’s bonuses only apply to the person who created it; other individuals receive no benefit, and are even hindered by the unfamiliar Aetheric residue. However, it also innately triggers aetheric resonance; when the owner is Installing, it shows up on aetheric resonance as though the owner had two dots higher Primum/Resonance.

Getting to the point of creating a workshop is not without risk, as each gadget Installed in the same location increases the chance of drawing attention. However, the owner can rig up some protections once the workshop is created. Using memories of metaphysical circuitry and electronics, the owner can ground out the Aetheric buildup and convert it into a Symphonic version of a Faraday cage. This insulates the workshop from notice, though it doesn't affect regular sources of Compromise. This process, known as shielding, is an extended roll of Intelligence + Science + Resonance requiring 15 successes; each roll takes 30 minutes. On success, any future rolls for notice suffer a [Resonance] penalty. An exceptional success negates the need to spend Aether for the owner's next gadget. If the attempt at shielding the workspace is a dramatic failure, all rolls for notice gain a [Resonance] bonus instead.

Even with a shield, a workshop will gradually accumulate so much Aether that being discovered is inevitable. With proper maintenance, this can be delayed. Gadgeteers use a variety of techniques to keep the Aetheric buildup at the minimum levels required to retain the conductive properties of a workshop, such as manually siphoning Aether from the environment, employing cryptids or cryptoflora, or simply "airing" out the room. Maintenance brings its own conundrums to tackle, as the gadgeteer must be careful to keep any pets fed and ensure that the leaking Aether does not create or attract unwanted entities.

Due to how much effort a workshop takes to create and upkeep, gadgeteers are often highly secretive about their locations. Some gadgeteers go as far as to make throwaway workshops in case they absolutely need to bring a visitor, and safeguard their true strongholds as jealously as they can.

OVERCLOCKING

Sometimes, a gadget just isn't enough. A cigarette lighter that can set inanimate objects alight at a distance is good, but when the angels come calling it helps to set the whole room on fire. In a pinch, the user can expend some of their own power to temporarily increase the gadget's effects - at the cost of fracturing the metaphysical technology that underpins a gadget. Some remain functional but prone to strange bugs, while others become dangerous or more difficult to use.

To overclock a gadget, the user spends 1 Aether and 1 point of Willpower, forcing energy through the hardware. If they fail the activation roll, no drawback occurs - though they suffer consequences as though it was a Dramatic Failure. On success, the gadget gains an upgrade for this activation alone and a permanent drawback. Naturally, only demons, pactholders, and stigmatics are capable of overclocking a gadget, as the process requires Aether.

Examples of upgrades include increasing the area of effect or number of targets, making the activation easier, or overpowering human resistances.

Examples of drawbacks include flagging the user to the God Machine, making future activations more difficult, removing any mundane functionality without a trigger, requiring Aether for future uses, or damaging its user.

Attempting to overclock a gadget that has a drawback is possible - but the gadget is immediately destroyed in the aftermath as the Symphonic system within is overloaded, bringing forth all the consequences that entails.

MAINTENANCE

It's not unlikely for a gadget to be damaged in use, whether from the hazards of field work or an overclock. Maintaining a gadget is more difficult than fixing a mundane object, however, as the physical shell and the Symphonic routine must be kept in delicate balance, or else risk destroying the gadget for good.

A person can either move a gadget's effect to a new piece of hardware or repair it in situ. This process doesn't require nor radiate Aether, allowing the gadgeteer to do so without drawing attention. Additionally, the gadgeteer doesn't need to spend Willpower to re-anchor the gadget.

Moving the effect requires similar hardware to the original - for example, one compact camera to another, but not from a digital camera to a film camera. If the Structure of the new hardware differs from the original, then the two items are too dissimilar. Doing so is an extended action using Dexterity + Crafts + Resonance, with each roll taking 30 minutes and requiring [Structure] Successes. The old hardware is destroyed in the process,.

Repairing the gadget is a more difficult process, but often the only choice if new hardware is difficult or impossible to acquire. It uses an extended action using the lower of Dexterity and Intelligence + Crafts + Resonance. Each roll takes 1 hour, requiring [Structure x 2] Successes.

Failing either course of action leaves the gadget in its original broken state, though a dramatic failure destroys it and any new hardware used.

TEMPLATE DONATION

A gadgeteer can only Install what they know or have access to. Some hunt down existing gadgets to reverse-engineer, while others spend countless hours practicing a spell until it becomes second-nature. Many others, however, simply do not have the time to do either - but what they do have are favors, even allies, to draw upon.

As part of the hardware priming process, the chassis of reality is cracked open ever so slightly. This provides a brief window of opportunity, where a nearby individual can "donate" a spell to an Installation process. The donator casts the spell as they would any other time, but stops at the very last moment. They don't need a valid target to cast on, as the spell is intended to fizzle out. With focus, the donator can "redirect" the spell into the primed hardware for the gadgeteer.

How the gadgeteer interprets the donated template varies from individual to individual. Some claim to have a fleeting understanding of the subroutines offered and act upon that knowledge as they would with their own templates. Others experience the process as though scrapping a machine for parts and using them for their own project, and others still "see" instructions, shapes, patterns, or something else entirely and follow along, making adjustments on the fly.

Chromatic and Signature gadgets rarely have their templates donated, for good reason. These highly personal gadgets cost the donator literal pieces of their body or Primum/Resonance, while an Etude or Cadenza costs nothing but time, Aether, and a little risk of being noticed.

Working with unfamiliar templates causes difficulties for the gadgeteer. Minor gadgets suffer the smallest penalties, but Major, Chromatic, and Signature gadgets can incur serious setbacks - which can easily become deadly during Installation. Still, many gadgeteers find it well worth the risk.

HARVESTING

A gadgeteer can be highly limited in two regards. One, anchoring a gadget takes a significant amount of energy that can hinder a gadgeteer's survivability. Two, effects are restricted by what templates a gadgeteer has available between themself and their allies.

The morbid and often bloody solution lays in harvesting from other Unchained. A demon's Core contains a cache of both energy and knowledge that can be tapped into. Though preserving a Core requires its own Aether budget, it's not uncommon for gadgeteers to endure the costs in order to fuel their projects with rare spells, unique Leitmotifs, and disposable batteries.

In addition, living demons - and pactholders - can have their demonic forms harvested for components. Parts must be removed while the victim is alive for them to be viable for Installation, making this a disturbing and cruel process. Still, desperate and depraved gadgeteers consider the option a necessary sacrifice to further their own goals.

Not all salvagers - a colloquialism for gadgeteers who work with Cores or 'borrowed' demonic components - are hunters themselves. Some scour black markets, while others belong to Rings that are more than happy to provide materials in exchange for a prosperous gadgeteer in their ranks. However, for every person willing to turn a blind eye or even look to benefit from a salvager, there's another who is disgusted or even outraged - especially those who personally knew the harvested demon.

Salvagers working with unfamliar templates suffer from the same difficulties during Installation as those working with more ethically sourced templates. Despite this and all the practical and social complications involved, salvaging remains an insidious part of gadgeteering.

DESTRUCTION

From a metaphysical standpoint, gadgets are fragile contraptions. Hardware acts as a container for the Symphonic system within, allowing the unnatural to exist in reality. When that container breaks, the backlash is not unlike that of a taut string suddenly snapping.

When destroyed, all gadgets release a shower of Aetheric sparks, but a gadget's composition and frequency dictate the level of fallout. Minor gadgets sting, but only ever deal 1 Lethal to whoever is currently holding the gadget, if any. Major gadgets deal [Frequency] Lethal to the current user, while Chromatics and Signatures deal [Frequency] Lethal in a [Frequency] yard radius.

Higher-order gadgets deal damage depending on distance to the gadget - ground zero is considered the [Frequency] yard radius around the gadget, dealing [Frequency] Lethal multiplied by the arrangement's Order. Every [Frequency] yards outwards, the damage taken is multiplied by one less. For example, a Trio of Frequency 5 would deal 15L to everyone within 5 yards, 10L to everyone between 6-10 yards, and 5L to everyone between 11-15 yards.

In addition, nearby demons and pactholders immediately check for a transient brand. This fallout reaches as far as the aetheric resonance ranges for the gadget's frequency - meaning that the destruction of a high frequency gadget might put a target on every demon within a half mile radius. For higher-order arrangements, individuals check for one brand per template in the gadget.

Naturally, this outpouring of aetheric radiation may attract the attention of demons and angels alike. Humans close enough to witness the gadget destruction itself risk becoming stigmatics.

SCRAP

Inevitably, some instances of Installation are abandoned. Others are left incomplete, with the final product left unanchored. Sometimes a gadget is drained of Aether and left to fall apart, and other times gadgets meet a violent end. Regardless of cause, all of these lead to the same outcome: scrap.

Scrap is the colloquial term for a Symphonically tainted item resulting from a broken gadget. Obviously, scrap cannot be used as hardware for future Installations. Even when "intact", these items are husks of their former selves, unable to perform their mundane functions. In addition, scrap also radiate Aether, due to the contamination of the Installation process. They register on aetheric resonance for [Size] weeks as though they have [Size] Aether - breaking scrap down speeds up this half-life.

Most scrap are visually warped in some way, ranging from merely strange to obviously supernatural. The level of distortion depends on the composition of the gadget, scaling based on power. How they're warped often reflects their maker as well, to some degree. While scrap no longer has a direct tie to their creator, it's still evidence that a gadgeteer may not want to have around. For successfully created gadgets, this effect can be mitigated if the gadgeteer severs their connection to the object. Scrap produced from failed Installations, however, do not have this option.

The only way to dispose of scrap is through the absolute destruction of their forms - a Disintegrate or similar will do the trick. Some individuals try to reuse scrap, whether out of ignorance or something more sinister. When recycled, such as being melted down or disassembled for components, scrap naturally taint whatever materials they end up mixed with, weakening the Structure of any object they're added to. Luckily, the Symphonically-inclined can easily identify scrap even after attempts to process it with a simple investigation.

SAFELY DISPOSING OF GADGETS

How does one safely dispose of a gadget, then? Sometimes a gadget is too dangerous to keep around - perhaps a demon is concerned it'll fall into the wrong hands, or it gives away their identity, or they simply no longer want to deal with it.

Some gadgets can simply have their "batteries" removed. Major+ gadgets require at least 1 point of Aether stored with them to function. When these gadgets are left without Aether for too long, they quietly wind down on their own and become scrap - which can be disposed of following the usual procedures. Tattoo gadgets only require that the creator breaks their connection, and the gadget will vanish without a trace.

On the other hand, person might need to take a more active approach. Minor gadgets don't require Aether batteries. Sometimes the original Tattoo gadgeteer is unreachable. In many cases, having to process and dispose of scrap is just as annoying as having a gadget explode. Instead, a gadget can be defused like a bomb, carefully being opened and having its mystical underpinnings removed in the right order with an incredible amount of caution. This requires an extended action using the lower of Intelligence or Dexterity + Crafts + Resonance, with each roll 1 hour and requiring [Structure + Frequency] Successes. Higher-order arrangements have their Success requirements multiplied by their Order.

Defusing Tattoo gadgets additionally deal 1 Lethal per roll to the user during the process. Diffusing an Implant or Graft also deals damage in this way, unless they are first removed from their bearer.

RESEARCHING UNKNOWN GADGETS

With gadgets being such a valued part of Symphonic life and survival, it is not uncommon to come across gadgets made by others, whether by trade, gift, or scavenge. Using an unknown gadget ranges from risky to impossible. Non-physical triggers and parameters are impossible to determine from mundane examination, and most allies would object to being injected with a fluid that could just as easily kill them as it could heal them.

Some details about gadgets can be learned through superficial observation. For example, a Minor and Major gadget have very obvious visual differences, and it's easy enough to find physical triggers like buttons or switches. Discovering deeper knowledge is a time-consuming process that requires a moderate investment of Aether, as the investigator hacks the metaphysical software of the gadget in order to study the elements of the object and read its underlying processes. Doing so is easier for Minor gadgets than more complex variants.

Gadgets can be researched through an extended action using a Wits + Investigation + Resonance roll, where each roll takes 1 hour and costs 1 Aether. Non-Minor gadgets incur a -2 penalty.

This extended action requires a number of successful consecutive rolls, rather than requiring a total number of successes. Each successful roll reveals information:

Template and effect
Activation roll
Triggers
Parameters/limitations
Any overclocking drawbacks
Creator's identity - only if still connected

Note: a Remixed gadget requires one additional roll to uncover information - the first roll instead simply reveals that it's a Remix.

A gadget can only be investigated in this way once by the same person, meaning that if an individual has to stop partway through for any reason, they cannot pick it back up later. The gadget becomes inured to a person's particular Aetheric signature, and attempting to hack the gadget a second time simply doesn't take.

Gadgets can be used even without knowing their trigger, as long as the effect is known. The user simply forces the gadget by expending 1 Aether. Doing so, however, immediately destroys the gadget in the aftermath.

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