Aetherite Inventor (human only)

They are the dreamers in oil-stained coats — the men and women who stare too long into the blue flame of possibility. To the world, they are inventors, engineers, and tinkerers of the modern age, forging wonders of brass and steam. Yet behind the hiss of the valve and the rhythmic tick of clockwork lies a quieter pulse — the restless whisper of the Aether.

An Aetherite does not merely build. They bind. They trap what should not be touched: spirits of the invisible medium that flows between life and death, mind and machine. Aetherites call it progress; priests would call it blasphemy if they knew. Few truly understand how their devices function — even the Inventors themselves. Their brilliance is undeniable, yet somehow... borrowed. Their machines hum with a life that is not entirely mechanical.

Able to capture and hold the Aether spirits, this could be to use them as a power source or a interface between man and machine. Typically used to contain a spirit in clockwork or piston driven technology with the pinnacle being clockwork limbs. Some go further and affix Aether spirits into stone then inserted into people with some notably positive effects.

Many Aetherites believe they are incredible inventors and they might be, but unbeknown rely on this ability to complete their inventions. Most people consider their inventions as part of the modern age much like the steam engine. Only experts, some scientists and engineers realise these wonders do not quite fit with the laws of physics.

The rarer option is to have one spirit implanted directly in you enhancing biological systems tends to leave people with blackened veins.
Seems doing this has the reputation of driving people mad.

It is a form of magic that seems to come later in someone's life, normally once they have mastered a trade and in research or experimentation push the boundaries of their expertise.

Acceptance

A controversial subject best not spoken of. No inventor wants to be known as having supernatural assistance. In some cases it is just hard to ignore and such people often end up ostracised.

Stages of invention

Design

Much like any machine a product needs to be designed. Aetherites tend to manage this quicker than others often taking less than 10% of the time of a engineer to design a similar product. As such Aetherites designs are often semi complete, to be partially assembled from memory and as seems fitting at the time. Thus every Aetherite device is a one off, even if working from the same plans slightly different products will be produced. This makes it so Aetherites cannot share designs, looking at another's designs might inspire your own designs but that is it. It also means in this industrial era of mass production Aetherite products are all singular.

Designs are produced with a Engineering roll
Concept, Anatomical Design, Mechanical Prototyping & Drafting all take time. Time is halved if you have a design of your own to hand of a similar device (ie: another variant of a clockwork leg)
Pure Aether device = 3 days
Clockwork Device = 7 days
Steam Device = 7 days
Reanimated = 3 days
Reanimated enhanced by clockwork = 10 days.

Build

Material Sourcing, Assembly, Calibration and Testing with Subject

Building Aetherite devices takes time and materials. The cost of materials are typically one half of the cost of the final product if mechanical in nature. This can be reduced if you have all the appropriate craft skills and equipment up to one quarter.

The time taken to build is typically double the design time on the assumption that the Aetherite does noting else other than eat and sleep 4-6 hours a day.

Imbue

This is where the device gains its true power. It allows for clockwork items to do so much more than could be managed with a spring, it allows far more energy to be expended by a device than science thinks should be allowed, it permits devices to interlink into a persons mind. The Aetherite does this unknowingly during the final stages of the assembly.

Harmonise

Any person that has a device attached to them that they wish to control with their mind or intention must harmonise themself to the device. This has a cost to them but allows the device its mystic connection.

Aetherites Boon

For those few Aetherites accepting that they are more than an inventor comes some advantages should they be happy to use them

• Any Item of your creations in need of ammunition or fuel needs it less so while in your hands. For one Quintessence the item is fully reloaded and its fuel tank topped up to full.
• Any item of your own creation in your own hands is granted a plus one dice bonus applied to associated dice pool of your choosing. ie/ Your gun could be +1 damage or +1 dice to hit, a vehicle could have a handling bonus, a clockwork limb could be more hardy or destructive.
• Any item of your creation that requires a Harmonization roll automatically passes said check for yourself.

Imbuing

Requirements
Merit: Aetherite
Skill roll is based on the appropriate skill used to create the device. Devices examples are listed in the Aetherite Devices section. Aetherite Devices
Each imbue must be purchased for cost times two

Cost: In Quintessence to the Aetherite

Imbue Something spectacular

Cost: 5
Difficulty: 6
Ritual Length: see description
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
Preparation: see below
You can permanently endows a device with an impossible capability; it requires several days of engineering and hours of surgical operation. The contraption must still be built and then Harmonised by the recipient.
Examples include functional wings, fiery breath, or a hypnotic gaze. Once made treat this function as a Skill that can rise with experience, but never above 4. For example functional wings would give a user access to use the flight skill up to a skill cap of 4.

Imbue Automation

Cost: 4
Difficulty: 5
Range: touch
Duration: Hours
Preparation: 5 minutes of tinkering
Allows you to bring simple apparent automation to a device already constructed. Such automations are not thinking but will follow simple commands in a method of the designers choosing during manufacture ie/ code card, button selection etc.

Imbue body parts

Cost: 3
Difficulty: 3
Range: touch
Duration: Instant
Preparation: Hours of surgery, days to create a functional body part to add to a person missing a part of themself.

Imbue Aether into person

Cost: 4
Difficulty: 4
Range: touch
Duration: instant
Preparation: 1 hour of study of the individual

Imbue Trinket

Cost: 2
Difficulty: 3
Range: touch
Duration: Instant
Preparation: 5 minutes of calibration

Temporary Repair

Cost: 4
Difficulty: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: Minutes
This operation instantly restores a broken machine to working order, but only temporarily. The device operates as normal for a number of minutes equal to the Aetherite's Resolve +1 before returning to its broken condition.