Biomods
This page is a poorly made list of bioaugmentations, with my own descriptions added. Biomods are taken from implied concepts on the Galatea page, GURPS Biotech, and Cyberpunk 2020. For the purposes of this document, a “biomod” is a biological augmentation which can be installed postnatally. This document does not cover gene editing or anything related to ‘designer babies’.
Implied biomods are those which can be represented entirely through medical records and flavor text, and require no in-game representation at all.
Appearance/Attractiveness Modifications: Any augment which consists of changing your appearance, body type, eye/hair color, ect. These can be entirely represented through medical records and flavor text.
Limb/Organ Replacement: In theory, Galatea has the technology to grow replacement limbs, organs, ect. As these would be mechanically identical to the existing limb, they are relegated entirely to medical records.
Cosmetic biomods here means anything which should show up on a medical scan, but has no significant in-game effect. An existing example would be the custom implant options in the cybernetics page.
Waxy Skin: A common side-effect of extensive bioaugmentation, this often takes the form of a waxy complexion, a lack of sweat, and a clammy, cold feeling to skin.
Perfume Glands: Designed primarily for the Cytherean export market, perfume glands modify the body’s sweat production to produce a variety of perfumes. These augmentations are not cheap, but are popular as an alternative both to perfume and other forms of sweat prevention.
Nictitating Membrane: This augmentation removes the subject’s eyelids, instead replacing them with a nictitating membrane of moisture around the eye. This is usually used by Galatean Hydrangea pilots, to prevent even blinking from costing them focus for a second. Outside of this use, this augmentation is relatively rare and considered extreme. It is impossible to cry with a nictitating membrane.
Tone Control: Used primarily by MfAS agents, the tonal control system replaces the original vocal chords and many facial muscles with a more easily controlled version. With these augments, accidental slips of the face or voice are impossible unless explicitly permitted by the subject. This results in a flat speaking tone, which can be maintained regardless of the state of the subject’s mind or nerves.
Circadian Rhythm Adjustment: Extremely common among working Galateans or those undergoing the educational system, this augment allows a Galatean to only require three hours of sleep per day, instead of the usual 8.
Mechanical biomods here mean biomods similar to our existing roster of cybernetics. These provide bonuses, and some also come with penalties, and they would need to be introduced mechanically. As a reminder, mods marked with * would likely be difficult to actually implement.
Low Light Eyes: Commonly used by Galatea’s military, this ocular modification gives the subject completely black eyes, which aids in the perception of light. Provides night vision comparable to that possessed by Vaurcae, but inflicts similar vulnerability to flashes. Outside of military applications, this augment is primarily used by workers as an alternative to ordinary flashlights.
Boosted Heart*: Intended for athletes, some workers, and soldiers, this improved heart increases blood flow and circulation, at the cost of a higher metabolic rate. It provides an improvement to blood oxygenation and stamina, at the cost of requiring more food and water. Outside of Galatea, this augment is popular among professional athletes.
Filter Lung: Invented to allow the workers of Svarog to avoid their polluted air conditions, the filter lung is a secondary organ located between the throat and the windpipe. This membrane collects pollutants while allowing clean air to pass, and moves any contaminants to an internal pocket for later disposal. Cannot provide a pressure supported seal to protect the user from vacuum, but can protect them from dangerous gasses in a pressurized environment, such as Chlorine. Cheap models of filter lungs often result in a hacking cough and a wet, mucousy voice. Filter lungs also make it impossible to absorb nicotine by smoking.
Tertiary Lung*: Intended for space workers and for use in combination with a pressure sleeve, this additional lung is primarily designed to store oxygen, acting with capacity similar to a small oxygen tank. When a pressure sleeve is active, the user will breathe from this lung.
Pressure Sleeve: Designed for use by those who might be exposed to an explosive decompression, pressure sleeves involve the addition of a retractable membrane to the throat and lungs. When active, this membrane prevents gasses from entering or leaving the lungs. While this prevents lung depressurization, the lack of an external oxygen source means that this should only be used in short bursts.
Boosted Liver: Designed primarily for diplomats or Galateans abroad, the boosted liver improves toxin filtering, giving a resistance to toxin damage. As a consequence, it makes it impossible for the user to get drunk.
Auxiliary Heart*: Primarily intended for soldiers and the elderly, the auxiliary heart is a small secondary heart implanted below the original. Should the original heart shut down, the secondary heart will activate, keeping the user alive until the original can be restarted or replaced.
Thin Atmosphere Lungs*: Lungs designed for use on lower pressure worlds, or by naval personnel. These are a radical augmentation, providing reduced oxygen needs in low pressure but making it uncomfortable to breathe in a normal atmosphere. Galateans with this augmentation who must work in normal pressure often wear masks which reduce the pressure before they breathe it.
Polykeratin Disguise*: Designed for and available to Galatean MfAS agents, this extensive modification allows the user to, at will, change their physical appearance slightly for short periods. These changes will hold for a few minutes only. Examples include changes to fat density, musculature, and perceived hair length.
Gravity Adaptation: Originally designed for Galatean Naval personnel, to allow them to resist the high G forces placed on them, Gravity Adaptations have since found success in the offworlder market, as they can act as an alternative to RMT and leg braces. Use by offworlders has been limited, due to the high cost, intrusiveness, and irreversibility of the procedure, which often results in a strange pattern developing on the skin.
Temperature Adaptations: The Galatea system has worlds of both extreme heat and extreme cold. Augmentation on both of these worlds is common, to change the underlying temperature preferences of the population. This augment can either be used to grant a temperature preference favoring colder or warmer environments. Cheaper versions of this augment give the skin a strange, rubbery appearance.
Mind Blanker*: A small, discrete organ attached near the base of the brainstem. This augment is nearly exclusive to Galatea, and most commonly used by government officials, diplomats, military officers, and members of the MfAS. Any attempt to read the mind of an individual with this augment installed will fail, as will attempts at psychic brainwashing.
Nutrient Port: A small port, typically placed near the neck or wrist, which connects directly to the stomach. This port is used to absorb nutrient paste passively, a common practice for productivity minded Galateans who cannot afford to waste time eating. This augment is very rare, but not unheard of, outside of Galatea. The port is usually non biological, but the tube connecting it to the stomach is.
These are biomods which, due to their design and nature, should only be available to Galatean consulars, active military, or antagonists.
Lethal Mind Blanker*: Available only to higher up MfAS agents and members of the Galatean government and academic elite. This augmentation goes beyond the normal mind blanker by introducing a psionic trap, which will draw in anyone attempting to read the user’s mind and trap them in a mental loop. Anyone attempting to psionically read the mind of a user of this augment will experience stun, severe neural damage, and often a coma.
Quick-Clot Blood: Designed for the military primarily, this modifies the blood to clot rapidly in response to oxygenation. Provides immunity to arterial bleeds and rapidly closes bleeding wounds. This augmentation has a reputation for causing heart attacks and strokes at a significantly higher rate, and is usually combined with an auxiliary heart for safety.
Infrared Eye*: An ocular replacement which allows the eye to see in infrared. Typically, only one eye is replaced, to allow the user to continue to see in color with the other eye.
Pain Shunt: A toggleable augmentation available primarily to soldiers. The pain shunt shuts down the body's pain response entirely, and is not left on for fear of accidental self injury. The numb sensation caused often leads to accidents and impairs finer motor control, but is acceptable for combat situations.
Subdermal Carapace*: Used by the Galatean military to provide additional ballistic protection, this augment causes accelerated bone growth in the rib cage, transforming it from a cage to a solid, hardened plate of bone, while also thickening the spine. This provides a small amount of ballistic protection to these vital areas, which in combination with armor can turn lethal injuries into merely serious wounds.
Improved Adrenal Glands*: This augment introduces an additional set of adrenal glands, which can be activated on demand by the end user, providing a rapid burst of speed. Frequent activation leads to exhaustion, and often leads to paranoia and anxiety for the user.
Erased Fingerprints: This augment, common for MfAS agents, entirely removes the subject’s fingerprints, leaving only a smooth finger.