Cauldron Vial

Cauldron's Vials, also known as formulas or samples, are the serums they use to provide powers to their clients and test subjects.

Appearance
Samples are held in glass vials about as long as a pen and no thicker than a finger. They had black rubber corks. The vials are usually contained in stainless steel, cylindrical canisters.

The sample itself is a colored, metallic, semi-transparent liquid. When two vials were mixed together, they somehow take up the same amount of volume as a single vial. However, they do not stay "mixed" for long and tend to split in layers.

Sometimes multiple canisters are held in metal briefcases, along with extensive paperwork detailing the vials and requirements. Cauldron's symbol was engraved inside the lid.

Effects
Drinking a vial causes intense, rapidly increasing pain, followed by a Trigger event. Like any trigger event, it incapacitates any nearby parahumans. If a parahuman drinks a vial, it has no effect whatsoever.

Taking a vial can also heal injuries and illnesses. According to Doctor Mother, this is a result of the Balance Formula. However, the first few vials also had this effect.

Cauldron generally requires both physical and psychological tests from their customers. 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.

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.

As of 2011, Cauldron vials produced physical or mental alterations akin to the more extreme natural trigger events 0.125% of the time.

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 53s; others were kept prisoner in the Cauldron Compound.

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. People with a Corona pollentia have a higher risk of deviation.

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. These cases were the usual result of vials containing the Foreign Element.

Ratings
Cauldron rate a sample's qualities using a number of different qualities, indicated by different letters. The most important values are P, O and R.

R value
R refers to the reliability of the sample. Samples with high R values produce simple, predictable results. Samples with low R values risk physical changes, or simply give wildly varying types of powers.

According to Doctor Mother, an R score of 5 indicates a 3-4% chance of unwanted physical changes, and a 0.5% chance of extreme mutations. It also indicates that the sample provides a broad category of powers, rather than a single specific power.

O value
O refers to a power’s "uniqueness", how unusual it is for parahumans to have similar abilities. This value is particularly subjective. Higher ratings in this value make it easier to stand out as a hero or villain, while low ratings give simple powers already possessed by a number of other parahumans.

P value
P refers to the average PRT Classifications the sample provides.

Notable Vials
Main article: List of Cauldron vials.

Deus: produced both Genesis and Siberian. Usually produced projection powers.

Balance: mixed with most vials. Reduces the risk of physical mutation.

Division: produced Echidna. Had a tendency toward Brute and Changer powers.

Production
Vials are produced from sawn-off, broken-down body parts taken from Eden. The first vials took five hours each to prepare.