Pharmakia
"Pharmakia is an ancient word, most often translated as witchcraft. In reality, it was always what it is since they revived the word; drugs and Medicine. Better living through chemistry. Biological programming for fun and profit."
In the Age of Convergence, drugs, chems, stims, and medicines are all subdivided into four categories:
Assault Drugs: "Assault Drugs" refer to a spread of chemical weapons used in various contexts, from classic chemical warfare to truth serum. These are NEVER used recreationally, and always used with ill intent against targets, damaging their health in addition to any other effects. Due to the potential for pollution and collateral, Assault Drugs are highly regulated under Harmony and Detente, and outright banned in much of Human Space.
Social Chems: "Social Chems" are chemicals used in social settings, as opposed to "Combat Stims" which are designed to aid a combatant in a fight. Some Social Chems are recreational (IE: drugs) and some of them are designed to assist people in social situations.
Medicine: "Medicine" differs from Combat Stims and Social Chems in that it has a medical use. This is not to say that none of these items or materials are ever abused recreationally (or in the case of medical equipment, maliciously) but it is to say that the actual purpose of them is to fight injury, pain and illness rather than emotional damage.
Combat Stims: Combat Stims aren't just drugs. They're meant to turn the tide of a battle. They aren't healthy, they aren't good for you in the long run, but if your choice is rehab at the end of your contract or losing a battle to a ruthless enemy, then the choice is clear. There are designer drugs for nearly everything you need; there are drugs that wake you up, drugs that give you eight hours of sleep in four, drugs that make time slow down, drugs that make you unable to feel compassion, drugs that let you ignore pain and shock, drugs that make you stronger, faster, smarter, tougher, drugs that temporarily turn your skin into hardened leather, drugs that make your vision a 600/20... anything you want, your local stim vendor has it.
Nanorobotics: Microscopic robots, essentially artificial viruses made for medical (or toxic) purposes.
Cloning: In the Age of Convergence, Cloning technology has been nearly perfected. DNA can be bonded onto 'blanks' grown in vats. These blanks are chemically and structurally identical to humans, but lack the 'spark of life.' By flooding them with a human DNA and imprinting them with neurological data, they can be 'vived' and the body arranges itself according to the DNA. Often accompanying microsurgery, the result is a perfect copy. If the neurological data is from a GME, the mental imprint can be identical to the original.
Bioronics: Artificial organoiods grown in labs and assembled like living robots or installed on hosts like cybernetics.
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