Editing The Slug (section)

===Power Removal===
As a possible countermeasure for clients that willfully renege on their deal with [[Cauldron]], [[Doctor Mother]] claims they have an in-house cape that can allow them to [[Corona Pollentia#Power Removal|remove powers]] if necessary.<ref>“What kind of countermeasures?  Would you kill me?”<br><br>“We try to avoid murder in the course of doing business, not just because of the moral issues, but because it draws attention.  For leaks, our usual procedure is to discredit the individual in question and deploy our in-house division of parahumans to drive them into hiding, remove their powers or both.”<br>[...]<br>“We’ll see.  In terms of cost, Cauldron requires that the client pay two-thirds of the total amount in advance, and pay the rest over a six year period or ''default''.”<br><br>“Meaning you employ those countermeasures you talked about.”<br><br>“Revoking your powers in the worst case scenario, yes.”<br><br>“Is that revoking of powers a part of the process of however you give people the powers, or is it something that one of your in-house capes does?”<br><br>The Doctor was typing on the computer.  Without taking her eyes from the screen, she said, “The latter.  You don’t need to worry about someone using a loophole or flaw in the process to take away your abilities.” - [[Interlude 12.5]]</ref> [[Wildbow]] speculates her claim is real because of the Slug: as an example, he can choose to edit the brain of an affected individual so that a spoken key word or phrase will permanently take away their connection to their powers, i.e., individual loses their powers for good. He can also set a spoken key word or phrase that temporarily removes that individual's powers.<ref name="discord eBrains">'''Wildbow:''' Reneging on Cauldron favors - probably a firm reminder.  Very firm if it's ~that~ against the spirit of the deal.   "What we gave you we can take away.  There's a new cape in this city with a key word or phrase that will temporarily take away your connection to your power.  They now have license to use it if they run into you, and they'll retain that license until you make it up to us.  If you don't shape up and follow through on your commitments, you will lose those powers permanently, and we'll tell your enemies where you are, should you try to run."<br><br>'''Jicker:''' harsh, but fair<br><br>'''Forgery:''' Huh, I didn't expect their first response being an empty threat like "We can say a word and your power disappears".<br><br>'''Wildbow:''' Empty?<br><br>'''Forgery:''' Wait, can Cauldron powers be removed with a single word?<br><br>'''Wildbow:''' If the person has been slugged.<br>[...]<br>'''Forgery:''' I thought Slug was just the amnesia maker?<br><br>'''Wildbow:''' Slug edits brains.  Took away memories, set in blocks, set up the Nemesis weakpoints... - Conversation with Wildbow on Parahumans Discord</ref><ref>When characters start willfully disengaging from the commitments made to Cauldron, then Cauldron is liable to start applying heavier pressure.  They maintain the ability to drop the hammer on the player - a visit from Contessa or Number Man, but they would always prefer to get people back on course, instead.  We might see scenarios like…<br>[...]
* “We always knew you would be hard to manage, so we took precautions,” the voice says on the phone.  “While you were unconscious after getting your powers, we implanted a key phrase in your head.  One of our agents in the city now has that phrase, and they can use it to turn off your power at an inopportune time.  What we gave you we can take away.”  The threat becomes one of the powers being turned off for good. - WD Cauldron</ref><!-- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D8y2aVXfuk35S-54ycdoaz0qQeFHHIBMoJbQGOBYG90/edit --><ref>'''Jicker:''' if Cauldron is investing in these capes, it's better to get them back on track if possible<br><br>'''Wildbow:''' It's better<br><br>'''Jicker:''' at least, that was my line of thinking<br><br>'''Wildbow:''' But if they're being total asshats with no sign of redemption, or if there's risk they blab, remove. - Conversation with Wildbow on Parahumans Discord</ref>

[[Wildbow]] speculates that [[Cauldron]] can set up this countermeasure by subtly asking a client to check in with the Slug.<ref name="discord eCheck">'''Lune:''' so would slugging a cauldron cape be something like, "hey once you get your power, check in with this cool sluggy dude before you leave"?<br><br>'''Wildbow:''' Could be a check. Good guys tend to talk to a therapist, they talk to the in-house doctor (if they don't go with a Cauldron sanctioned one), they get vetted, they get their vial in a controlled circumstance.<br><br>'''Bluejue:''' Can customers be slugged at a later time if they prove to be surprisingly uncooperative or untrustworthy?<br><br>'''Wildbow:''' Bad guys? Villains? "We need to check you're on the up and up. Our friend here will touch his forehead to yours as part of that."<br>Yeah, Blue. - Conversation with Wildbow on Parahumans Discord</ref> However, he also speculates that this countermeasure was only set up for certain capes that they were not sure they could trust (e.g., those without enough pre-existing strings to pull),<ref>'''Forgery:''' So is there a word that can shut down c53s, given they were slugged? Are all cauldron capes slugged?<br>Sorry about the questions, its just that this information feels like a huge revelation on how Cauldron capes work, if they can be shut down at Cauldron's digression.<br>[...]<br>'''Wildbow:''' I think it'd be specific to certain capes they weren't sure they could trust, Forg<br><br>'''Inky || Hellraiser:''' Probably a lot of the more villainous leaning cauldron capes<br><br>'''Wildbow:''' Probably ones where there weren't enough blatant, pre-existing strings to pull. If a player ended up going down that road, it might be that Cauldron predicted it as a possibility. - Conversation with Wildbow on Parahumans Discord</ref> or if a client later proves to be surprisingly uncooperative/untrustworthy.<ref name="discord eCheck" /> Indeed, it would probably be too taxing for the Slug to hit all Cauldron capes with this process.<ref>'''Ryneron:''' Is there a reason they don't just do it to everyone they can?<br>[...]<br>'''Forgery:''' I assume because having the slug hit every cape would be taxing<br>[...]<br>'''Wildbow:''' And you're right, Forge. It'd probably be taxing. - Conversation with Wildbow on Parahumans Discord</ref>