Well, this isn't completed, and my lack of experience with crafting means I'll likely need advice on prices and DCs (along with amounts of required materials). Expect reworking of some parts if I decide there is a better way to accomplish something. Anyway, more designs will be forthcoming (also initially forgoing fluff in order to get down mechanics).
Necroclock
Necroclock is a combination of clockwork and necromancy to produce results beyond the capability of either alone. There are two main categories of objects to concern oneself with when producing a necroclock device. The first is materials, which are needed to make the device. The second are designs, which are like the blueprints for the completed object. Designs are further categorized into components and works. Components consist of things like specific gears that are wound, and denote how powerful the completed piece is. Works are akin to the frame that ends up deciding what the finished piece does. More details can be found below in the appropriate sections. However, before getting into those details, a section on how necroclock devices work.
Using Necroclock Devices
Necroclock devices use the Craft (Necroclock) skill, though DM's may opt to use the Craft (trapmaking) instead. The craft (Necroclock) skill provides a synergy bonus to heal checks, while the Heal skill provides a synergy bonus to craft (Necroclock) checks for attaching necroclock grafts or making necroclock devices and components.
Most necroclock devices are in the form of grafts, that are connected to an individual, though there are a other kinds. As such first, aspects common to both will be covered, then those found only in the graft variety, then those found in the non-graft variety.
Necroclocks devices are, as the name suggests, based of clockwork technology (this shouldn't be a surprise, it was one of the first things mentioned). As such, they require winding. A necroclock device may only function so long as it is wound. That said, some devices allow for backup gear components to power them. Winding a necroclock device requires the use of a winding key made for the device (or at least one that fits it). This can be obtained in one of two ways, either it is build into the device, or you have one with you. In either case, a full round action spend winding a gear component provides it with an hours worth of winding time, provided normal use. Unless a gear component is being used as a backup power, it is always slowly unwinding (This does not apply to non-graft necroclock devices, which only unwind when in use.). Even everwound gears are constantly unwinding (though as their name suggests, they never fully unwind as they function by being able to self wind at the loss of responsiveness).
Some gear components however have an ability called rapid unwind. This allows it to use an hours worth of winding in one round, granting it a undecided bonus to power and responsiveness.
Because necroclock devices make use of undead and deathless parts, they interact somewhat differently with positive and negative energy than most things. If something containing a necroclock device is affected by positive or negative energy, some of it is absorbed by the device, reducing its total effect. The amount absorbed is equal to the total number of tendons and nerves in the devices powered by that energy type (up to the total amount of energy). If there isn't enough, the one being affected decides which parts get priority. Any tendon that absorbs a point of the energy gains a +1 bonus to power for the round (note, this can only occur once per round). Any nerve that absorbs a point of energy similarly improves the responsiveness of the connected tendon by +1 for the round. On the flip side however, all tendons and nerves powered by the opposing energy gain an equivalent penalty.
Maintaining necroclock devices is a necessity, given their complex mechanical nature. Fortunately it generally only requires minor training and in most cases need not be done frequently. The average necroclock device (read all of them until I add things that modify it), require maintenance about once a month to ensure they don't become jammed. Baring outside interference, a necroclock device won't jam within 48 hours of being properly maintained. However, each day after that there is a cumulative 1% chance that the device will jam, and on top of that an extra 15% chance if it has not received maintenance within 30 days (this happens every 30 days). Note that if a device is not being used at all, for a period of time and is properly handled, days can be replaced with months and only roll when it is next used.
If a device has more than one set of gears inside it, one set jamming will not affect the other's operation.
If the device lacks a cover, there is a cumulative 25% chance it will jam every hour cloth, hair, or a similarly loose substance is in close proxcimity with it (make the first roll immediately).
Maintaining a necroclock device requires a craft (necroclock) DC 10 and requires an amount of time based on the complexity of the device. It also requries proper tools, though not a craft table or similar workspace.
{table='head']Circumstance|Modifier
No cover|+0 minutes
Hinged cover|+2 minute
Normal cover|+15 minute
Locked hinged cover[br]and unable to find key|+25 minute
Per gear component|+15 minute
Performed maintenance within[br]the past week|-1 minute per gear component
Performed maintenance within[br]48 hours (stacks with past week)|-2 minute per gear component[/table]
5 minutes to look, and 5 to swear before taking it off like a normal cover.
Unjamming a necroclock device requires a DC 15 check, and 1 minute (+ the cover modifiers noted above), or can be performed without spending any additional time as part of maintaining the device (it still requires a separate check).
It is also possible to optimize necroclock devices to an extent. When maintaining a necroclock device, you may choose to tweak it. Doing so adds an additional 5 to the DC of maintaining the device and 15 minutes to the time is takes to perform maintenance. Optimizing a device increases the power and responsiveness by 1, and lasts for 48 hours. If you regularly optimize a device (it is still optimized when you next perform maintenance and tweak it), you gain a cumulative 1 minute reduction to the added tweaking time for maintenance (cannot reduce the tweaking time below 0). For every day that you go without the device being tweaked, you lose 1 minute of the time reduction.
Controlling necroclock grafts is done much like controlling any other body part. As long as it is properly connected via nerve materials, it functions automatically as long as it is wound.
It is also the case that necroclock grafts have been used to offset the affects of ageing. A necroclock limb does not suffer from ageing penalties to strength and dexterity in tasks it is performing, including things like using a weapon (however, if a normal limb is also being used, such as two handed weapons or possibly grappling, apply half the ageing penalties rounded up). Similarly vitals may be replaced with necroclock devices to offset con penalties to ageing and increase longevity.
There are three main types of vital grafts when dealing with necroclock. They are heart, respiratory, and digestive. If one is used, ignore 1 point of any con penalties caused by age. If two are used, ignore 3 points. If all three are used, ignore all con penalties caused by ageing. Further, for each used, increase ones maximum age by the difference between middle aged and old age for a member of one's race. If all three types of vital grafts are being used, there is no maximum age, and one is functionally immortal so long as the devices are properly maintained and don't give out.
Note: For the purposes of overcoming ageing effects, creatures that don't eat or drink may be treated as having a necroclock digestive device provided they have the other necroclock vitals. Creatures that don't breathe may be treated as having a necroclock respiratory device provided they have the other necroclock vitals. Creatures that are in both categories only need a necroclock heart to gain the full effects.
Controlling a non-graft necroclock device is done in one of three ways.
- There are standard controls, making it usable by anyone with the proper limbs (generally everyone with the know how).
- There is a gear based interface. This requires a special type of necroclock graft or a non-graft necroclock device that converts it to standard controls, which hooks into an area of exposed gears allowing control almost as if the device is a part of the person.
- There is a nerve based interface. This requires a special type of necroclock graft that has an exposed nerve section, allowing it to hook up to the device making the non-graft device like an extension of the necroclock graft used to connect to it.
Scavenging and Modifying Necroclock Devices.
As with much technology, it is not odd to find people who have similar devices that contain better parts than yours. In such cases it is not uncommon to wish yours had parts of that quality. Fortunately, in a dangerous world, there is also a reasonable chance you may need to kill the person, so in that case why not try taking the parts and putting them in yours?
It is possible to modify necroclock devices after they have been made. In such cases, the two key things are components and works. One can, if they are skilled, remove a component from a work without damaging either, and then if similarly skilled, place it into another work. To attempt doing so, first make a maintenance check to open the necroclock device. Then make a craft (necroclock) check with a DC equal to ((DC of component / 2) + (DC of work / 2)) / 2, requiring 30 minutes of time. If the check is passed, the component and work are separated without harm. If the a check is failed, the one you were not attempting to salvage is damaged beyond repair (note that if this is the work, other components in it are not damaged), though you may still attempt again. If you fail by 5 or more, both the work and component are damaged beyond repair (note other components in the work are not damaged). If you choose to not worry about damaging one of the two, then the DC is reduced by 5 (minimum 10), however, doing so always results in the one you aren't trying to preserve being damaged beyond repair.
Once you have a new component and a work that has had a component removed, you may now desire to learn how you might combine the two. Doing so is much like salvaging a component or work, and requires a craft (necroclock) check of DC ((DC of component / 2) + (DC of work if made with the component / 2)) / 2 and 1 hour. If the component was not designed to fit into the work (or vise versa), then the DC is increased by 5. If the check is failed by 5 or more, one of the two is damaged beyond repair at random. If failed by 10 or more, they both are.
Attaching Necroclock Grafts
Attaching necroclock grafts can be a tricky thing. That said, doing so requires two main things. Having a necroclock graft t attach, and having an open location to attach it to on the person. This may require removing body parts already in the way.
If a limb or other body part is in the way, attaching the graft may require some prep work. First, you need to get the offending body part out of the way. This usually requires a sharp implement (such as a dagger or surgical equipment) and a heal check (consult below table for DC) taking half an hour. Removing a body part always deals damage to the patient, however, the patient may make a fortitude save (DC equal to the heal check -5), for half damage.
{table=head]Body Part[br]or Modifier|DC|Damage|Time Modifier
Hand|15|1d6|0
Arm|20|2d6|0
Leg|20|2d6|0
Eye|15|1d4|-5 minutes
Ear|20|1d4|+5 minutes
Nose|20|1d4|+5 minutes
Throat|25|1d6|+5 minutes
Head|35|3d6|+20 minutes
Torso|30|4d6|+30 minutes
Vital|30|3d6†|+5 minutes
Spine|35|4d6†|+10 minutes
|
Patient Concious|+5|+2|0
Self Operation |+5|+2|0[/table]
† When removing the vitals and spine this damage is dealt every 10 minutes. Further, a either an External Vital must be attached (device not yet made) or healing energy must be channelled into the patient every until the vital is replaced, or they shall die. Healing energy may be channelled into the patient by having an external source cast a healing spell on the patient and make a DC 5 heal check, though each time this must be repeated every 15 minutes and does not allow other actions on the part of the healer. This only applies to creatures that need the vital organ being removed to live. Otherwise they just take the damage as if it were another body part.
Once the location to attach the necroclock graft is free, the area must be prepared. This requires a DC 15 craft (Necroclock) check and takes 30 minutes, though may be done as part of removing a body part, in which case it only takes 5 minutes while still requiring the check. This step may be skipped if you are replacing a previous necroclock graft, or are attaching the graft to another necroclock graft (such as a hand onto a necroclock arm).
At last it is time to attach the necroclock graft. This requires a combine healing and craft (Necroclock) check, for which you add both your heal skill and craft (Necroclock) skills. The DC of attaching any necroclock graft is the
DC of removing the pertinent body part + 2 per nerve that the graft uses (in the case of spines, it is instead +1 per 2 nerves, while torsos are +1 per nerve). However, the necroclock graft is will not become active until it receives a pulse of positive energy, negative energy, or both depending on the types used to make it. This may be provided by any sources that heals or damages using the pertinent energy type, as well as energy activation stones (see below).
Owrtho
