Vitenn Irok (Veye-ten Ah-rock)

This? It's a translator but... more. Not quite as simple as a basic comm unit people use today. A vitenn irok is a relic of another time when biology, technology, and art blended without crude, deadly surgery. It was a device that could augment the owner to communicate in almost any language, written or spoken. Provided the vitenn irok has time to work out the details.

— Sabine Tri'elle

A vitenn irok, also called a "mind seed" in some remote parts of the galaxy, is an ancient translation technology from thousands of years ago. These devices provided the user a means to interpret languages, either written or spoken, that they would not normally understand.

A vitenn irok, if fully charged, also possesses the ability to store copies of a user's memories, similar in the way that a holocron may record information. But unlike a holocron, the storage on a vitenn irok is limited. A single vitenn irok can only store up to 24 standard cycles of memories before running out of storage space. After that, the user would have to purge stored copies to make space for fresh memories.

The last of its abilities is that it can allow a user to communicate with another person or being using memories. This controversial ability has caused much debate as to the safety of use. But it also is considered a reliable means of communication with a member of a sapient species that cannot physically communicate in the same method as a vitenn irok owner.

A Strange Artifact With Unknown Origins

There has been intense study of the surviving vitenn irok for generations. But despite the research, techs and scientists are unable to determine just how to duplicate a vitenn irok’s abilities. Before the advent of the Clone Wars, the Jedi Order was enlisted to assist in the research.

But not even the Jedi could shed much more light on how the devices could be remade. At best the Order was able to determine that the crystals were possibly grown around the circuits and data chips deep inside the device. The Jedi were also able to confirm that the vitenn irok is not attuned to the Force, like a Force-attuned device would. The vitenn irok devices are simply an ancient, and highly advanced, piece of lost technology.

Republic Archeological Survey Record

AL-2DZ-12

Item

Vitenn Irok

Researcher

Dr. Kylin Nordraysen

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It’s the twenty-seventh day of the exploration of the ruins discovered on Dantooine. The complex is large with ample glyphs of trees, and while underground, I can’t shake the feeling like the building had been on the surface at some point. I’ve mentioned this in passing, but no one other than Jedi Knight Jenor Kesit is willing to consider my theory. My only evidence is a series of peculiar scrape lines that do not match the local rock formation patterns.

My study into how the ancient, multi-story building came to be under crater did bear some good news. In one chamber that could have been a storage chamber or records room, I found a sealed container that housed a number of ancient texts. Delicate books, crystal sheets and more. At the bottom was a single yellow-green crystal with unusual plugs on one side.

I took a guess the plugs may have been for power. Naturally, it didn’t match our current power ports, but I was able to jury rig recharging station. The device is amazing! It is a small storehouse of knowledge. Memories. Jedi Kesit calls it a “little holocron” but assures me the device isn’t powered by the Force. I do think if it was, he might have confiscated the thing.

While there were memories stored on it, most had fragmented over the long centuries. There was enough for me to learn the device is called a ‘vitenn irok’ and it was used to translate languages for an ancient people called the ‘Kwa’. Needless to say, I’m fascinated!

Jedi Kesit has warned me against using the device so much. The idea of “mindsharing memories” bothers him. He’s concerned such a mind meld, even with someone long dead for thousands of years, might have an adverse effect. I believe he’s being overly cautious.

I just need to use the device a little longer, tease out the fragmented memories. They mention something about a location in the Chalcedon system. If I could piece that together, I feel I might unlock something groundbreaking!

Mechanics & Inner Workings

Game Mechanics

A vitenn irok is not a Force attuned device, it is a normal ( but ancient ) piece of advanced technology. This was used as a communication and translation device, often by diplomats or explorers, who have a need to interact with a variety of cultures.

Using a vitenn irok depends on the ability being used. Above all, the device must be charged before use. A vitenn irok's power port does not match any known power connector. A character must make a Moderate Technical roll to fashion an adapter if one doesn't already exist.

To use an ability, the owner must either hold or place the vitenn irok against the owner’s skin. This allows the owner to access a menu of abilities and concentrate on the one they wish to activate.

Special Abilities

Interpreter

When active, the vitenn irok will translate one spoken phrase or one written passage of text from one language to the owner’s native language. It is the most common feature of a vitenn irok.

To use: The owner must be holding the vitenn irok and roll a Knowledge vs Moderate. A success means the device translated the information accurately. Failure means the vitenn irok needs more samples of the language before a successful translation can be made.

Mind store

This unusual ability allows an owner to store copies of their memories into the device. Storage in the device is minimal, allowing for up to 10 memories to be stored in perfect clarity. Once all 10 slots have been used, the owner must delete stored memory copies before placing new memories there.

To use: The owner must be holding the vitenn irok and roll a Perception vs Moderate. Success means that the chosen memory has been copied into the crystal.

If an owner wishes to access stored memories, they must roll a Perception vs Moderate as if they were storing a memory.

Mindshare

This is the most controversial, and complicated, ability offered by the device. This allows the owner to ‘share’ and ‘communicate’ with another creature via a telepathic share of memories. The owner can read the memories of a subject, but the subject may also read the memories of the owner.

The depth of memories that can be read or shared depends on the skill of the user. Also, the subject must be willing to cooperate. Mindshare will not work against an unwilling subject.

To use: The owner must be holding the vitenn irok and roll a Knowledge vs Moderate and a Perception vs Difficult. A success in both rolls means the owner and the subject are in telepathic communication and may share memories and communicate through memories. Relationship and distance modifies this roll. If not touching a subject, the difficulty is +25 for attempting it at a range.

Those who have tried the mindshare ability compare it to communicating with someone in a dream. But there is a danger to this ability.

On a critical failure, the owner rolls a 1d6. On a roll of 1-3, the owner and subject exchange copies of memories. These copies are so complete that the owner may believe the copied memory was something they lived through, such as a traumatic accident that resulted in a phobia. Here, the owner would gain this phobia even though they never experienced the accident in their past.

On Critical Failures

On a critical failure, the vitenn irok has lost power and must be recharged before being used again

Vitenn Irok by CB Ash from Stock Images

Alternate Name

"Mind Seed"

Item type

Communication

Rarity

Quite rare. The techniques used to create a vitenn irok have been lost to time. Surviving vitenn irok are occasionally found in ruins along the Outer Rim or the edge of the Mid-Rim.

Weight

15 g ( .5 oz )

Dimensions

7 cm long by 2.5 cm diameter ( 3 in long by 1 inch in diameter )

Base Price

Not For Sale

Raw materials & Components

Vitenn irok are comprised of a durasteel alloy that cannot be reproduced with current technology. These contain circuit leads into a nova crystal, quartz, stygium, azurite, or in extreme rare cases, a nihil smokestone.
The housing also contains the plugs to connect the stone to a power port for recharging. Something that must be done regularly depending on the use of the device.