The science of tomorrow brought to you today. Wonders come in many shapes, sizes and categories.

All Wonders have a specific “point rating” that can be used to determine their relative power level and their cost as a Background item. Each type of Wonder has a different way of calculating its value, but the Storyteller may always override it and choose to assign a value arbitrarily. After all, what's a powerful Wonder in one chronicle may be useless in another, and vice versa.

An Invention is an apparently ordinary object empowered with some extraordinary ability. Flying carpets, laser cannons, cloaks of invisibility and powered armor suits are all examples of an Inventions. An Invention's power is not limited to a preset number of uses. Inventions may be used time and again, their power limited only by the power and understanding of the scientist who wields them.

An Invention typically has one or two powers that are either continuous or able to be activated at need. For instance, a suit of powered armor would give its wearer a constant bonus to Strength, while a cloak of invisibility might only render the wearer invisible upon command. Furthermore, an Invention can also be a Device. In such a case, it has its own Inspiration, and the user can rely on the item's natural power instead of activating it with his own knowledge.

Inventions also occasionally have drawbacks, strange little curses or odd limitations on their power. A Storyteller may increase the overall power of an Invention by adding Flaws to balance the item's power, or afflicting the item with specific facets or annoying quirks. Some Inventions are unreliable and they don't always work the way the user wants. Others are downright jinxed, causing all manner of problems. Unfortunately, most such items bear a curse that prevents the owner from ditching them.

Storytellers may wish to assess penalties for characters who sleep in their powered armor suits or never remove their Rings of Invulnerability. He may dictate that the suit has become grafted to the character's flesh permanently or that the jewelry junkie has become addicted to her precious ring. Perhaps the wearer becomes the slave or cat's paw of the inventor who empowered the Invention, especially if the item is also a Device. After all, Inventions are the greatest creations of the Scientists and other beings who create them. As such, they Resonate with the power of that being's Facets and personality, and those who use them cannot help but be affected when they do so.

An Invention's value is equal to the Sphere rating of each of its powers. The price doubles if the effects remain active continuously. Therefore, if an Invention has a continuous Forces 2 power and a normal Matter 3 power, its total rating is (2 x 2, plus 3) seven points. Continuous Effects are always on, or they can be turned on and off at the whim of the user. Standard Effects are built in, but they can be activated by only an Inspired user — in effect, giving an Adventurer access to a power that she normally wouldn't have.

Gizmos are single-use Wonders such as super-serums, chemical candles, camoflague powders, miracle formulas, Z-Wave bullets, strings of firecrackers, disposable Kirlian photography cameras and so on. Unlike Inventions, which can have an array of mystical Effects, Gizmos are usually created for a single purpose. Occasionally, there are gizmos with an array of uses (“Cleans teeth and freshens breath!” “It's a floor wax! It's a dessert topping!”), but their powers generally come under a single umbrella if one looks hard enough. For example, while true holy water is useful both for dissolving vampires and banishing demons, its main use is to wash away sin, explaining why both the Damned and the Damnable find it so unpleasant.

A gizmo's physical substance is generally used up when its magic is released. These throwaway items can possess mighty effects, but they disappear eventually. At best, they become mere mementos, husks of their former power. For example, while a view screen that was created as a Device would always be Inspired, a Gizmo view screen would only work for a set number of times before its power gave out—possibly with some dramatic effect like exploding once the last use was done. Such items cannot be recharged as with Devices, although their physical remnants might be used in the crafting of another Gizmo or recycled as parts for an entirely new gizmo depending on the circumstances.

Gizmos are good for only a set number of uses or amount of time before their power gives out, but unlike Devices, they may sometimes be more useful thus. For example, a bottle may have only five pills left, but those pills could be divided between the members of a group. Likewise, a glow candle might be good for two hours, but by chopping it in two, you could get two one-hour candles. Not all gizmos are divisible this way — some, like disposable cameras, lose their power when broken, while others, such as individual pills, don't have sufficient potency to share — but most come in sets of charges that can be used as needed. For particularly difficult feats, or in adverse conditions, Gizmos may also be “beefed up” by increasing the number of charges used at a time.

What constitutes a charge or dose and the amount of time for which it's good is a matter of Storyteller arbitration. A candle whose light reveals the presence of Z-Wave auras might be good for five-minutes per charge (one candle obviously consisting of multiple charges), while anti-gravity salve needs to last long enough to get you where you're going. Generally speaking, each charge will last a Scene, whether it's five minutes of non-stop combat or two hours of leisurely chatting over coffee. Multiple doses or charges may also be required for particularly difficult feats. Logical metaphysics should always apply.

Unlike Devices, Gizmos may also be used by the uninspired. Most technological gizmos can be operated by all but the most sheltered native or willfully ignorant shaman. If you believe in them, then they work “like a charm.”

Gizmos are valuable according to their one-shot power. If a Gizmo duplicates a particular Knack or Merit, then its value is one-tenth the Knack or Merit cost. Therefore, it is best to buy Gizmos in groups (like a box of candles, a bunch of flowers or whatnot).

One builds a Charm or gizmo just like an Invention, but because it is not permanently empowered, doing so requires one less level of Prime Sphere skill. With the right Tass, apprentices can forge Charms with Prime 2, so these items are key stepping stones in the creation of more powerful magical Wonders.