Suspend Staging

Suspending a Branch requires an Adjunct to threaten the Vice’s core during staging without making physical contact. What constitutes as “threatening” varies greatly between Vices, though it usually involves overwhelming the core with a burst of AV while the Branch is being staged. While Hosts, in theory, can suspend their own Branch using an AV Shot, as discussed below, staging typically sedates and compromises the Host, making it difficult to perform self-suspension.

Suspension is most commonly achieved in one of two ways, either by using a patch or an AVShot to facilitate this “burst” of AV. A bludgeoning patch is less “damaging” to the Host’s physical body and tends to threaten the Vice core in a less invasive manner due to the burst of AV released from contact. Piercing and slashing patches are more concentrated and need to cut quite deep in order to threaten the core, which also runs the risk of triggering fusion if the patch comes too close. While AV Shots are not widely available, CVRS agents can administer them en lieu of using a patch, which is the recommended method of suspension as it avoids inflicting harm on the Host. The rush of AV works to threaten the Vice much in the same way a burst of AV from a patch would.

A Vice will also terminate the Branch if the Host loses consciousness during staging, either from natural causes or as the direct result of the damage incurred from a patch. It is not uncommon for bludgeoning patches to result in a loss of consciousness before the Vice is officially threatened, as the bursts of AV combined with repeated blunt trauma are typically enough to render the Host unconscious. For this reason, we recommend using an AV Shot rather than attempting suspension with a patch.

Suspending, compared to committing, is often regarded as a reckless approach with many downsides; this is because suspension:

  • exposes the Host to unnecessary bodily harm
    Regardless of the suspension approach, some degree of harm must be imparted on the Host’s body in order to be successful. Even if an AV Shot is used en lieu of a patch, the Host’s body still has to undergo the side effects of flooding the body with AV, as explored in AV Enhancement.
  • reduces the time until the next potential Branch
    For example, if the typical down time between committed Branches is 6 weeks, but a Host suspends the Branch instead, another Branch could be initiated in less than two weeks.
  • can lead to rogue Branches or deviations in Branch Policy
    Vices tend to react poorly to surprises and interference, also seen in their negative reactions to instigated Branches. In an effort to regain control, a Vice is likely to initiate rogue Branches to catch the Host off guard and pursue to the progress that was previously impeded.
  • aids in the reproduction of Vices
    During staging, the VG coursing throughout the Host’s body tend to seep out of the pores in the skin and spread across the epidermis in a thin layer. In the event of an amateur suspension, using a patch to perform suspension often works to actually spread VG, compared to attacking the core in the confines of the Branch Domain. This is particularly due to the fact that bludgeoning patches are the most common patch type when performing suspension outside of CVRS.
  • misses out on the opportunity to reduce overall core progress
    Committing a Branch reliably nullifies not only the progress made in germination or augmentation during the Branch, but also reduces the overall size of the core due to the damage inflicted. For example, during a Branch, a 30mm core may expand 5mm and create 3 new tracks in their network. Committing the Branch nullifies the newly-created tracks and can reduce the size of the core to 28mm. Conversely, suspending a Branch does no more than pause the germination or augmentation progress.
  • degrades patches quickly
    Using a patch outside of the Branch Domain can result in an unstable form, reducing its efficacy. Patches are intended to be wielded in the Branch Domain, where they receive much less wear and tear from use, making it easier to maintain the patch’s form between Branches. The damage received during staging is typically so severe that it can be difficult to repair in full before the next Branch without AV enhancement therapy.

Due to these downsides, suspension should only be performed as a last resort after it is determined that more help or time to prepare is needed.

Commit Production

The circumstances around commits are fairly lenient, so long as the core is damaged during the production phase of an active Branch. Commits can be performed by an Adjunct or the Host themself in the metaphysical realm using any means necessary, including patches, their bare hands, or even objects found in the Branch Domain.

The degree of damage required to prompt Branch termination varies between classifications and even between individual Vices. Some are more quick to concede after minimal damage, while others require more substantial damage. Vices with a low threat level tend to be more reactive, while Vices with a higher threat level tend to be more intentional. Learn about this characteristic of the individual classifications in Classifying Vices.

In the metaphysical realm, Vices house their core in their exhibition, which acts as a dense barrier between its core and the Host, Adjuncts and patches. Exhibitions react to and can be damaged by patches, where contact between the two typically results in a burst of energy that depletes the level of VG in the exhibition and the AV in the patch. Repeated manual combat can also damage an exhibition without losing AV, though it is less efficient.

Because both the exhibition and patches lose density and become less effective over time, technique and discernment are encouraged so as to not render patches useless during a Branch. Patches can be restored, though this is a timely process and not something many can afford to do during Branches. Despite repeated exposure, manual combat does not lose its effectiveness over time and is considered a suitable backup in the event of ineffective patches.

As explored in Branch Phases, a Branch n production has two realms: the corporeal and metaphysical. The corporeal realm consists of everything outside of the Branch Domain, while everything inside is the metaphysical realm. As of now, our current understanding is that the events that happen in one realm are more or less “mirrored” in the other. For example, Adjuncts who seem to be gaining ground and subduing the exhibition in the Branch Domain may have higher AV outputs that are contributing to the destruction of the Vice’s core in the Host’s body. The opposite is also true, in that higher AV outputs can result in bolstered patches and critical hits against the exhibition.

When a Branch is successfully committed, due to the damage to the core, a Vice retracts any newly sprouted germination tracks and diverts the energy to focus on repairing the core. It is not likely that it will regain any growth progress, as its main focus is on repairing the damaged epithelium to better defend against future attacks.

It is difficult to pose a generalized statement about the relationship between core damage and the time between Branches, as this relationship is typically unique to individual Vices. While not part of the Branch Policy, with dedicated observation, this relationship can be parsed and used to prepare for future Branches. Though, as a general rule, the time between committed Branches will always be longer than suspended Branches.

Committing a Branch is always recommended over suspending a Branch for the following reasons:

  • Committing a Branch provides the opportunity to inflict enough damage to the core for a Vice to lose progress. Suspending a Branch will never result in lost progress, as it merely halts its progress. Some more aggressive and efficient commits have been shown to reduce the size of a Vice core by nearly half.
  • This lost progress buys a Host more time between Branches as it focuses on repair, compared to suspension.
  • Branches provide the Host and any primary or secondary Adjuncts present with valuable information that can inform rescission methodology, whereas suspending a Branch before it moves into production doesn’t allow the Host to gather any new information
  • Repeated summoning within the Branch Domain bolsters and solidifies patch markup, allowing for minor enhancements between Branches
  • Allowing Adjuncts to regularly join and commit Branches can result in a primary Adjunct with a stronger tie to the Host and better footing in the Branch Domain. Primary Adjuncts are often integral to a successful rescission.

Rescind Production

Rescinding a Branch is the act of destroying a Vice core, ultimately killing the Vice. Rescission is a difficult process that requires strength, discernment, and precision. Weaker and more imprecise blows will merely damage the core and trigger the Vice to terminate the Branch before the core can be fully destroyed. Terminating a Branch requires energy and entails reverting the charge of the vitiumnexa and corralling both the vitiumnexa and any stray VG throughout the Host’s body to reform its network. If the core is damaged enough before it can react, it will be unable to terminate the Branch and the core will be vulnerable, allowing the Host or Adjuncts to completely destroy it.

The Host and Adjuncts will need to utilize the observations and information gathered in previous Branches to prepare the most efficient and extensive plan of attack, known as the rescission methodology. Classifying Vices briefly outlines tactics for rescinding the various classifications.

Having a diverse team of support for rescission is highly recommended, as the varying patches and vantage points offer a multitude of benefits. While the Host’s patch is typically crafted as a bespoke weapon to combat their Vice’s exhibition, sometimes a multi-tool approach needs to be implemented for more complex or defensive exhibitions. Solutions Architects are CVRS agents trained to detect weaknesses in a Vice’s exhibition, and can be a valuable addition to a Host’s treatment team.

Patients admitted to Primary Care may be briefed on the different rescission approaches available (standard rescission, exposure rescission, and manual rescission), and the final decision will depend heavily on the severity of the Vice’s classification. These approaches are outlined in Services: Rescission, but in short:

  • Standard rescission is the act of destroying the Vice core within the Branch Domain, most commonly utilizing patches. This is the gold standard of rescission.
  • Exposure rescission entails gradually eating away at the Vice core using a series of AV Shots. This method is often employed in conjunction with standard rescission.
  • Manual rescission is performed by manually separating the core from the Host’s body, typically with the use of surgical tools. This method is experimental and highly risky and should only be pursued as a last resort.