249: Wraith

ENTRY 249: Wraith

Ghost morphs were a massive leap forward in transhuman morphs built for scouting and human intelligence work, but their design is unmaximized, with several optional upgrades not incorporated due to concerns of cost, and philosophically favors passive forms of stealth instead of active anti-stealth technologies. Given these limitations, some of the designers of the original Ghost morph continued to tinker and refine one of their more ambitious prototypes—the Wraith.

Wraith morphs are closer to Remade than Ghosts, their systems tweaked and tuned for maximum speed, strength, reflexes, and durability, with pre-programmed muscle memory and specially enlarged portions of the brain devoted to sensory processing which is fully integrated with the Wraith morph’s enhanced senses. However, where the average Ghost morph relies on some form of chameleon skin implant, Wraiths have an integral stealth system—their normal skin replaced by a layered weave of nanoscopic plastic beads and piezoelectric crystals and radar-absorbent materials. When in passive Stealth Mode, the Wraith’s plastic skin acts as a textured display screen, either left blank or projecting anything from a conventional human appearance to a moving image. This can be used to quickly and easily change the Wraith’s appearance, though on close inspection the transhuman will be distinctly off-putting, since they wear a high-resolution digital video image of a face on top of their actual features. In active mode, the implant goes black as implant begins to absorb many forms of electromagnetic radiation and dampening the user’s heat signature; in this mode the Wraith becomes much more difficult to be seen, but they can only sustain this mode for a few moments before rising internal temperatures can cause serious internal damage.

Both because of their high cost and low demand, Wraith morphs remain rare.

Wraith Stats

Wraiths are biomorphs.

Enhancements: Adrenal Boost, Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Circadian Regulation Cortical Stack, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision, Grip Pads, Stealth Mode, Temperature Tolerance

Aptitude Maximum: 35

Durability: 45

Wound Threshold: 9

Advantages: +5 COO, +10 REF, +10 SOM, +5 WIL, +5 to one aptitude of the player’s choice, +10 Infiltration skill (cumulative with Stealth Mode implant)

Disadvantages: Uncanny Valley

CP Cost: 90

Credit Cost: Expensive (minimum 90,000)

Stealth Mode: This implant is an upgraded version of Chameleon Skin that combines elements of Bioweave Armor and Vacuum Sealing. In passive mode, it functions as an integrated version of Smart Vac Clothing (Eclipse Phase 325), and the display of the character’s skin can be consciously controlled and programmed, up to and including displaying segments of live video or animation. The character may also switch to active mode as a Quick Action. In active mode, the skin goes black, the vacuum seal engages, and shifts to actively counter and absorb incoming electromagnetic radiation within certain ranges; other characters take a -30 penalty to perceive the character using sight (even Enhanced Vision and Lidar), sound (including Echolocation), smell, radar, or t-rays. However, without the ability to vent stored energy the character heats up quickly, and the active stealth mode can only be safely maintained for 5 minutes; less in a hot environment. After that, the character suffers 10 points of damage every minute from the extreme heat. If the character is in an extremely cold environment, the extreme temperatures will offset each other and active mode can be used indefinitely (or as long as your air lasts), but at the expense of the suit not working properly: other characters take only a -10 penalty to perceive the character. The Stealth Mode implant is incompatible with Bioweave Armor, Carapace Armor, Chameleon Skin, or Vacuum Sealing. [Expensive]