Abyssal Dawn/Technomancy
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
This article covers an in-character description I worked to come up with for a few things that I've wondered about in game. The ability to summon massive weapons and guns out of thin air always was an interesting aspect of the game. After a bit of thought, the following was tossed together as a mutation for a set of characters developed for a storyline--Inertial Storm and Abyssal Dawn.
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Overview
Technomancy has recently come to light in the public eye as one of the more recent forms of mutation. Its origins has long been held in debate--smog, television, technology, or simply progress. As mankind advances in the technological field, however, some have claimed that this may be nature's way of adapting to the accepted norm among its creations.
The power is defined as an innate empathy with technological devices that can manifest in two levels. These are defined as Technological Empathy and pure Technomancy. The most commonly known is the empathic form.
Technological Empathy
The most common version of the ability is an innate rapport with devices. In many cases, the ability often can be mistaken as a simple “raw” talent with computers and machines in low-level mutations. Stronger mutations show a deeper perception of devices that they encounter. Within a short time, the meta-human is able to gain a general user's working knowledge of how to operate the device in question. If given longer periods of time, the meta-human can glean a technical idea of the workings of the item. This ability can also allow the meta-human to also learn technological systems of other races if given time.
Technomancy
The more advanced level of the mutation is closely tied to the lower-level empathy. This ability allows the meta-human to 'conjure' a device that has been fully 'learned' via empathic study. By focusing on surrounding energy fields, the user is able to assemble the device from trace elements within the local environment or air content. In this regard, the meta-human creates the device on demand allowing them to utilize it in situations where it may not have been easily transported or “smuggled” in for their purposes. These created devices hold the same limitations as their parent source—restrictions to compatibility and extent of their functions. This ability does not allow the meta-human to create something that has not been invented. Thus, by all rights, the mutant is only able to mimic items that already have a real world counterpart. The most noted limitation in this power set is that the devices that are produced have a limited “shelf life” and will disperse after the maximum time of their duration has been reached.
Known Limitations
The ability to produce electronic devices permits the creation of the item with a empowerment source to allow it to be utilized without an outside source. However, the mutant is unable to reproduce data on an item that has been read. Computers and other devices that require an operating platform must have either a jump drive data source or other portable material to allow them to function as needed by the user. If a device carrying data is lost, the data cannot be reproduced in the future by the meta-human.
