A Reagent is an object defined by its consumption. It is potential energy in a bottle, a single-use story whose meaning is released upon its destruction. A Reagent is not a permanent fixture in the world, but a catalyst for a temporary, and often profound, change.

Within ATET, Reagents are the fuel of survival and the substance of transformation. From the food that keeps an Incarnation alive to the alchemical draught that alters its perception, Reagents are the most fundamental and fleeting form of interaction with the world.

Philosophy of the Consumable

The essence of a Reagent is its impermanence. Unlike a Tool that can be used repeatedly, a Reagent’s purpose is fulfilled in the moment it ceases to exist. This act of consumption is a powerful narrative beat, representing the satisfaction of a Need, the initiation of a Ritual, or the cost of a temporary advantage. The choice to consume a rare Reagent is a choice to prioritize the present moment over a future possibility, a decision that carries its own tactical and philosophical weight.

Mechanics of Consumption

Reagents are the physical components used in a wide variety of systemic actions, primarily those related to altering an agent’s internal state.

• Satisfying Needs: This is the most common use. Food and Water are Reagents that, when consumed, increase the value of an agent’s Sustenance and Hydration Needs. Fuel (like wood or power cells) is a Reagent consumed by machines or fires to satisfy their Energy need.
• Altering State (Alchemy & Pharmacology): More advanced Reagents can induce specific, temporary or permanent changes.
  • Medicines: Purge toxins, heal wounds, or cure diseases.
  • Stimulants: Grant temporary buffs to Attributes (e.g., increased Strength, heightened Perception).
  • Hallucinogens: Directly manipulate the Subjective Interface, inducing visions, revealing hidden symbolic layers of the world, or causing narrative chaos.
• Crafting & Rituals: Reagents are often consumed as part of a larger process.
  • Crafting Components: Unstable chemicals, rare organic samples, or specific alloys are used up during the Crafting process to create more permanent objects.
  • Ritual Offerings: Incense, sacred herbs, or symbolic sacrifices are consumed as part of a Ritual to appease a deity, focus an intent, or channel Eidic energy.

The Subjective Experience

The perception of a Reagent is tied directly to the Need it satisfies.

• Perception by Need: To a starving Incarnation, a simple Nutrient Paste Reagent will be the most beautiful and alluring object in the world, its UI representation glowing with the promise of relief. To a well-fed agent, the same paste is a dull, uninteresting lump.
• Perception by Belief: An agent’s Faith can dictate which Reagents are permissible. A devout ascetic might view a performance-enhancing Stimulant as a “Temptation of the Flesh,” its UI rendered with a sinister, corrupting aura.

To consume a Reagent is to take a piece of the world into oneself, for good or for ill. It is the most intimate form of interaction, a momentary fusion of object and subject that leaves the user permanently changed, even if only by the memory of the experience.