Editing Cauldron Vial (section)

==Effects==
Drinking a vial causes intense, rapidly increasing pain, followed by a [[Trigger event]].<ref name ="I12.5">[[Interlude 12.5]]</ref><ref name="17.6">[[Migration 17.6]]</ref><ref name="17.7">[[Migration 17.7]]</ref> Like any trigger event, it incapacitates any nearby [[parahumans]].<ref name="29.7">[[Venom 29.7]]</ref><ref name="17.6">[[Migration 17.6]]</ref> If a parahuman drinks a vial, it has no effect whatsoever.<ref name="29.7">[[Venom 29.7]]</ref>

Taking a vial can also heal injuries and illnesses.<ref name="17.6"/> According to [[Doctor Mother]], this is a result of the [[Balance Formula]].<ref name ="I12.5"/><ref name="I15.z"/> However, the first few vials also had this effect.<ref name="I29">[[Venom 29.x]]</ref>

Cauldron generally requires both physical and psychological tests from their customers.<ref> There is a two month waiting period, during which time I will assign you some testing, some regarding your physical condition, other tests for psychological reasons. [...] The testing will include blood tests, stress tests, MRI, CAT scan, radiographic scans and a Torsten DNA sequencing.  These scans are primarily for our purposes, and if you’d prefer, you can have your family doctor arrange or conduct these tests instead for a small fee.  A larger fee will allow you to skip the tests entirely. [...] She’d been here twice since her first meeting.  Both times, she’d had her psychological testing.  She’d also had a full workup done.  The psychiatrist had been a young-looking white man, the doctor a heavyset Greek.  They’d said little beyond what they needed to for the testing, and had volunteered nothing about Cauldron.<br>She made her way to the room where she’d done her stress test.  Here, she’d run back and forth with steadily increasing speeds until she couldn’t run anymore.  She’d rested, then run again, then again, until she couldn’t even stand. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/interlude-12%C2%BD/ Excerpt] from [[Interlude 12.5]]</ref> Personality, mental state and background have a great deal of effect on the resulting power. [[Cauldron]] provides packages to some customers designed to shape their mental state to help guarantee they get the power they desire.<ref>“We have options, but I don’t know that they apply to your case.  I mentioned the psychological testing earlier.  You should know that an individual’s personality, mental state and background do seem to have a great deal of effect on the resulting power. I would even say it’s one of the primary factors, outside of the sample itself.”<br>
Jamie wondered momentarily how her own mental state would influence her powers.<br>
The Doctor went on, “We have a package we call ‘Shaping’, and another we call ‘Morpheus’.  Both are intended to make the most of the two month waiting period and help a client reach an ideal mental and emotional state.  It’s often purchased by our high-end customers, to refine the powers they want and help ensure there are no untoward effects. For a low-end customer such as yourself, I don’t know that it would suit your needs.  You would be buying a lower quality sample to pay for the package… perhaps if you were someone who wanted powers for recreational purposes.  If you wanted to help guarantee that you got the ability to fly, for example.” - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/interlude-12%C2%BD/ Excerpt] from [[Interlude 12.5]]</ref>

===Deviations===
In 1986, two-sevenths of Cauldron subjects died from taking the formula, while four-sevenths experienced unwanted physical changes. Only one-seventh became normal parahumans. However, over time they were able to improve the success rate enormously.<ref name="I15.z">[[Interlude 15.z]]</ref>

As of 2011, Cauldron vials produced physical or mental alterations akin to the more extreme natural trigger events 0.125% of the time.<ref name="I21" />

Sometimes, especially when the [[Balance Formula]] was omitted, they produced more extreme alterations. The [[Passenger]] sought to reinforce what it saw as a damaged host. Cauldron referred to these as "deviant cases". 93% of deviant cases had their bodies re-built based on plants, animals, or inanimate objects. Some of these had their memories modified and were released as [[Case 53]]s; others were kept prisoner in the [[Cauldron Compound]].<ref name="I21" />

Being under physical stress - increased heart rate etc. - increases the chance of physical mutations. Cauldron customers are told that drinking the vial quickly will produce a cleaner transition, and are expected to drink on an empty stomach.<ref name ="I12.5">[[Interlude 12.5]]</ref> People with a [[Corona pollentia]] have a higher risk of deviation.<ref name="29.7">[[Venom 29.7]]</ref>

7% of deviant cases became what Cauldron called "extreme deviants". They resembled nothing found in nature. Cauldron did not usually release these, but studied and then disposed of them.<ref name="I21" /> These cases were the usual result of vials containing the [[List of Cauldron Vials#Foreign Element|Foreign Element]].<ref name="29.7">[[Venom 29.7]]</ref>