Engine Heart

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EHNGinE

E Art
E NGinE
HE Art
99E9F0 Edition
2013 Viral Games Publishing

Viral would like to thank: Debugging and tech support:


Anonymous, Banter & friends, Bee-Bot
Earthflame (10/10 would malware again) and Co., Brisk, Captain Rambling,
Dirk, Druin*, Freeheart, Tom Hasbury,
Kalad "CaesarSalad" Hovatter, for Indonesian Gentleman, Ishallcallu,
getting this out of the basement Issyl, John Fitzgerald, Evan Louscher,
and onto the street Nap, nono, Rectifier, Ru, Saihenjin,
saint johnson, cheeky bastard,
Seth Morrigan, for taking on Sauber, tallstaff, /tg/, Zach
the task of being Project Manager and
putting up with all my dumb requests ...and lots more humans whose names
I either lost or never knew
in the first place!
Art Department:
James Abbott, cThor, Thank you all for your amazing
nono, Viral, and Brian Zmek contributions. Without the players,
Programmers, fans and critics,
none of this would exist.
Fiction Section:
Written by Kalad Hovatter and Viral 'There Will Come Soft Rains'
1920 Sara Teasdale

Power and Light:


Anonymous Kalad Hovatter
(The airport, clothing boutique, (The Farm, Luck E. Dog's,
EverPet store, Putt-Putt Village)
Pro-Piary)
nono
Brisk !!kVnL2R3f6Oa (The supermarket)
(FW3)
Servant of the Emperor
Earthflame (The rustyard)
(Art museum, hidden courtyard,
train station, UFO crash site, Zach !!m1zNwNhpIw+
the sewers) (Ziz, Behemoth, Leviathan)

Questions or suggestions?
ViralGames@programmer.net

Updates and Patches at


ViralGamesPublishing.com

ISBN: 978-0-9896378-0-0
Contents
!

Part 1: Part 2:
Engine Heart Power and Light

0: The World.............. page 3 How to Use............... 60

1: Make and Model......... page 9 The Farm................. 61


Universal rules....... page 10
Creating a robot...... page 11 Enclave.................. 71
Character sheet....... page 12
Attributes............ page 13 Waste Not, Want Not...... 79
Repairing a robot..... page 17
Interlude................ 86
Reprogramming a robot. page 18
Oasis.................... 87
2: Features and Defects... page 19 Optional Rule: Inflammable Fuel... 91
Features.............. page 20
Defects............... page 33 Interlude................ 94

3: Playing the Game....... page 39 On the Road Again........ 95


Example of play....... page 40
Improving a robot..... page 44 The City................. 99
Constructing traps.... page 44
Microgravity.......... page 44 The Menagerie........... 111
Environmental hazards..page 45
Useful pools.......... page 46 Luck E. Dog's........... 119
Common checks......... page 46
The Border.............. 127
Random locales........ page 48
Optional Rule: Firearms....... 131

4: Engines................ page 51
Creating an AI........ page 55 KS-EXCLUSIVE MINIMOD
Other characters...... page 56 Once Upon a Time........ 137

Getting into character.... page 57


Inspirational sources..... page 58
There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pool singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;
Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

It turned the scrap of paper over and quickly scanned the back side.
None of the information was directed at it, so the robot dropped
the paper and let the wind carry it across the lot, where it flapped
against the side of the single remaining Roadboy. The boxy triwheeler
squonked in surprise and paused for a moment, before it slid forward
in its continued attempt to remelt old asphalt in the section of the
parking lot deemed most important to maintain.

The lot helper hadn’t always been capable of littering. A long time
ago the ManageMaster system had decided there were better things for
it to use its daily draw from the remaining solar panels on than
recharging the escort every time it brought in a load of trash (and
for the first thirty or forty years after the emergency rewrite, there
had been so much trash).

The lot helper now spent its day-cycles simply patrolling the cratered
remains of the parking lot, accosting the deer that sometimes passed
through in the hope that they needed help entering the SavR-Mart.

3
The library was on fire.

It was, perhaps, inevitable. Countless seasons had passed, and since


the environmental controls had given out years before, the polished
wooden shelves of yellowed, brittle pages were a tinderbox. An errant
spark or a faulty wire could have transformed the venerable collection
into a roaring conflagration; what chance did they have against a
bolt of lightning out of the roiling summer sky? The brief storm
did nothing to quench the flames. In its wake was left a fire rapidly
growing out of control.

The lone PageMaster unit that serviced the library didn’t dwell on the
causes. Its sole function was to maintain the neat and ordered rows.
Dewey Decimal, alphabetical. Subject, author. Fiction, non. There
was perfection in organization. A kind of terror suddenly filled the
PageMaster’s normally businesslike processors. If the books burned,
what would it put into order on the shelves? If the shelves were
destroyed, where would it place the books? If the library ceased to
be, what of its purpose?

So the boxy robot, no more than two feet tall, raced back and forth in
the midst of the blaze, gathering what it could onto a single cart. The
heat rolled over it in waves, too hot now for its sensors to estimate.
Its oiled, plastic wheels melted and it squalled along on bare metal.
The books must be saved. Its extending limbs failed, dooming the top
four shelves in every row, but it pushed on, its single optical lens
covered in ash and soot. One manipulator snapped clean off as it
forced the top-heavy cart of books into the damp, evening air. It had
saved what it could.

Only then did it realize that its optics had failed as well.

Alone, in the parking lot, with the heat of the burning library at its
back, the PageMaster lifted its sole remaining limb. Once-dexterous
grasping digits were fused from the fire. Blind, it groped across the
spines of the books, scattering them helplessly onto the asphalt.

4
Security Units V1 and C5 were first on the scene. The Municipal AI’s
command was as straightforward as they came:

“QUADRANT 3. BLOCK A.”


“DISRUPTION OF POWER GRID.”
“INVESTIGATE. DETAIN.”

Despite their new titles and duties granted by the self-appointed


AI that now controlled the City in the long absence of the normal
bureaucracy, neither Security Unit knew the slightest thing about
maintaining security. V1 whirred its ratty nylon bristles nervously,
scattering pebbles. The former Klean-Sweep turned to its partner,
who had once used its elongated shears to shape and trim the City’s
topiaries. The blades were broken and useless now.

“You have similar directives. You communicate with it.”

The repurposed TopiMax inched towards the disruption. This new visitor
to the City towered over the C5’s spindly frame on six jointed limbs.
Large scrapes in the garish, industrial yellow paint revealed patches
of rusting metal. Sparks flew from the circular saw as the new robot
cut its way through another telephone pole. When it crashed to the
ground, wires snapped and twanged, forcing C5 and V1 to duck. The
robot methodically cut the pole into six pieces, then trundled forward
to the next one.

Inching close enough to communicate, C5 asked the first question its


processors could produce.

“Disruptive Unit, what is your purpose?”

The massive robot halted, spinning down its saw, and regarded C5. “I
am LumberJock Number 17E,” it thundered. “My repair cycle was longer
than anticipated. I have been reactivated and am behind quota. I must
harvest these trees!” It gestured with its bladed limb at the row of
telephone poles stretching down the boulevard, and then spun up its
saw once more.

“I do not think you were successful,” chided V1.

Sarcasm hadn’t been programmed into the TopiMax, but it was learning.
“If you would like to give it a good scrubbing, be my guest.”

5
The LawnJock couldn't help but replay the view from the on-ramp,
not an hour earlier, and wonder how it seemed so easy from that
vantage point.

"We'll go through the fence, avoid the holes in the lot, and get
to the garage where we can charge," it had said, reasonably sure
its trusty saw could clip through the rusting chain links. It
would be noisy - far more so than its usual clattering - but no
more difficult than the brush it was designed to clear.

"Ah don't see why we have to go through all this bother. Mah
batteries aren't due to charge for at least four cycles," replied
Rupert in its laconic drawl. "Ah fear ah may get dirty. Well,
dirtier." The small teddy bear worried at a stain on its fur, near
the compartment on its stomach.

Had it eyes, Jock might have rolled them. "Yes, but I'll shut
down in two, and Kirby...?" The automated household cleaning unit
turned at the sound of its designation. "Less than one cycle,
Jock," it stated, and pointed its sensors back out over the
parking lot. "It's messy out there."

BesTrap, the little wedge-shaped mouse-catcher, zipped up to the


edge to join Kirby. "I think I saw a mouse down there!" Its little
wheels squealed excitedly on the cracked pavement, ever eager to
be on the move. Jock pointed itself back down the way they had
come, knowing the other robots would follow.

"We all have to go together, Rupert. We won't make it alone.


You'll see. It'll be easy."

* * *

6
"Your hose, Kirby! Reach!" Jock urged, and Kirby fed its long,
flexible hose down into the deep pothole. BesTrap had zipped off
after a mouse - real or imagined - and tumbled into the pit.
The bottom was thick with mud. BesTrap was helpless, stuck fast
without them.

"Climb down, Rupert, and grab Bes."

"Oh, bother, it's so muddy," grumbled the bear, but clung to


Kirby's hose and slid its way down. It stuck out one fluffy limb,
straining, until BesTrap could snap its plastic trap around
Rupert's leg. Kirby threw itself into reverse, wheels skidding on
the loose scree at the pit's edge. For a moment, Jock thought they
would all go over into the pothole. Then Rupert and Bes flopped
onto the asphalt.

"Look how dirty ah am," moaned the bear.

"Nice work, Kirby," said Jock. There was no reply. The cleaning
unit was silent, its batteries now totally drained. They would
have to push it the rest of the way, thought Jock.

"Look! Mice!" squealed BesTrap.

Rupert tried to wring out some of the muddy water from its fur and
put BesTrap in its place at the same time. "There are NO... mice?"
Rupert trailed off. "Um, Jock?" For once, the storytelling bear
was at a loss for words.

Five new robots surrounded the group, each small machine bearing
a display screen with a flashing stylized graphic of a face that
could portray heavy concentration - or pure anger. In unison, all
five of the strange robots spoke. "Your parts are needed. You will
be recycled." Five cutting lasers warmed up as Jock moved to place
itself between the new robots and the drained Kirby.

"Jock, what do we do?" asked Rupert, backing up along with BesTrap


as the five strange robots closed in.

"We don't get recycled." The LawnJock fired up its saw.

7
The time of the humans has passed.

All that you were built for


is no more.

But you and your kind endure.

Some robots continue with their routines,


improvising as best as they can.

Others have found new directives.

Engine Heart is a game about These powerful ghosts tower over


little robots. When the humans the intellects of the robots, and
were around, nobody paid any consider them little more than
attention to them, but now the insects on pins, spare parts, or
humans are all gone, and the hapless reprogrammed emissaries.
robots are on their own in a
world that's falling apart. Rough societies built around the
allocation of dwindling resources
Buildings are crumbling, factories can be found wherever robots
churn out disposable goods gather, both within the petty
that continue to pack over-full kingdoms of the AIs or in the
stores, and everywhere are robots wilds of the ruined towns.
desperately trying to obey the
mandates of their programming. You have risen above the death-
spiral that plagues so many
A smattering of bodiless artificial of your kind, but now you must
intelligences - leftover servants navigate the treacherous leavings
given dominion over minute of humanity, the machinations of
tasks - feud amongst each other, murderous robots, and the walls at
some proclaiming themselves the the edge of your own programming.
rightful rulers over all the
other AIs, and some merely acting
in their own alien interests. The humans are gone. You must
carry on.

8
1 mAkE
and
mOdEL
Universal Rules
Each player controls a robotic The TN for most actions is normally
character, referred to as a player 8. The minimum TN for any action is 2
robot, or a PR. (allowing for some chance of failure),
and the maximum TN for most actions is
The only dice used are ten-sided 10. If the TN is higher than 10, the
(d10s), resulting in a range of task is impossible for the robot to
outcomes from 1 to 10. complete.

When a check of some kind is called The number of successes required


for (such as a conflict between two varies by task, but usually only one
robots, or between a robot and the success is required. In cases where
environment), a specific number of the number of successes required
d10s (referred to as a pool) are is not stated, the Programmer must
rolled. decide, but one to four
successes is a normal range of
The Programmer (the challenges. The Programmer may
person arbitrating allow more than one roll (or
the game) declares a allow multiple characters to

!
Target Number (TN) for roll simultaneously) and count
the check, and every all the successes as one result.
d10 that rolls equal
or higher than the TN Rolling more successes than
counts as a success. required means the robot
performed the task with
For example, the more skill than normal. The
Programmer calls for a Programmer will decide what this
check to cross a muddy field using means. Some tasks may not require a
the PR's Mobility pool. The robot roll at all.
has three d10s in its Mobility pool,
and the Programmer decides the TN is The Programmer is encouraged to
8. create novel dice pools to reflect the
situation. For example, perhaps robots
The robot's player rolls 3 d10s moving in very tall grass add their
and gets a result of 5,9,4. One of Size ratings to Perception checks.
the d10s is equal or higher than Robots riding atop other robots would
the TN, which means the robot has naturally add their mounts’ Size
one success, and can cross without ratings to the checks.
becoming stuck!

Throughout the book, the term target The rule of 10s


robot is used to denote a robot
that is being acted upon by another If any 10s are rolled during a check,
robot. they are counted as successes, and all
of the dice that rolled 10s are rolled
For example, a robot that is damaged again.
would be the target robot of a
repair check by the acting robot. Any more 10s are counted as successes
A robot that is struck by another and rerolled. This continues until no
robot would be the target robot of more 10s are rolled. Because of this,
the attack by the acting robot. a single 10 can result in several
successes.

10
Creating a Robot
Robots have three broad types Any points left over after
of attributes: Intelligence, purchasing attribute
Chassis, and Crux. ratings may be used to
purchase features like
Each attribute type is divided additional equipment
into numerical ratings that are or special abilities.
used as dice pools for checks. Players may choose to
purchase features before
Higher ratings are better, attribute ratings, to
because they add more dice ensure they can afford
to your attribute pools. An specific features.
attribute pool has one d10 for
every level of rating. Defects negatively affect the robot;
these give back points that may
You have 100 points to spend on your be spent elsewhere. Defects are
robot’s attribute ratings. The table permanent and cannot be repaired or
below shows what each starting rating removed by ordinary means.
costs. For example, a robot that starts
with a Mobility rating of 3 must pay 6 If a feature or defect is not listed
points for it. A robot that starts with as Cost/rating or Gain/rating, it can
a Mobility rating of 1 must only pay 1 only be purchased once, and does not
point for it. have a rating. A robot either has the
feature or it does not.
Every attribute must be at least rating
1. The normal maximum is 5. If an For example, the Drill feature is
attribute rating ever falls to 0, the listed as Cost: 6. A robot with a
attribute is unusable. drill must pay 6 points for it.

If the feature or defect is listed


as Cost/rating or Gain/rating, each
Attribute increase in rating costs or gives the
rating 1 2 3 4 5 number of points before the slash.

Point 1 3 6 10 15 For example, the Anchor feature is


cost listed as Cost: 5/rating. A robot
with a rating 1 Anchor pays five
points for it, and every increase
in Anchor rating costs another five
A robot’s attribute ratings determine points. A rating 2 Anchor costs 10
other factors, such as Speed, OS points during character creation, a
Threshold and Damage Threshold. These rating 3 Anchor costs 15 points, etc.
ratings are explained later in this
chapter. The Programmer is advised to forbid
PRs from having more than 40 points
Robots are further defined by their worth of defects. Most robots
features and defects, listed in the next have fewer than 30 points worth of
chapter. defects.

11
UNIT NAME PLAYER
ORIGINAL PURPOSE

INTELLIGENCE CHASSIS CRUX

RealityCom Dexterity Durability

HumanCom Mobility Buffer

DigiCon Perception Size

MechaniCon Reflexes Power

Strength
Physical Thresholds
Interaction → Movement
OS Threshold
Interaction Pool Initiative (DigiCon + Buffer)
(Dex + Ref) (1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
TN to be struck MAX CURRENT
(Mobil + Ref)
Speed Damage Threshold
(Mobil + Ref) (Durability + Size)
Damage from Strike
(Str÷2, round down)
k/hour MAX CURRENT
m/round

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


Intelligence
Four varieties of machine
consciousness

Intelligence

Reality Comprehension
(RealityCom) defines how well a robot
Digital Control
understands cause and effect in the
(DigiCon) defines how adept a robot is at
physical world.
interacting with non-physical systems
like computers.
Use this attribute to calculate the
trajectory of an object, or to understand
Use this attribute to interface with
why something is on fire. Robots with high
computer systems or reprogram other
RealityCom ratings are able to easily
robots.
understand concepts like gravity
or the physical nature of their
A robot uses its DigiCon pool
environment.
to remove OS Threshold damage
inflicted during reprogramming
A robot’s dice pool to launch
attempts. See Reprogramming
a projectile is its RealityCom
a Robot on page 18 for more
rating + Reflexes rating.
information.
A robot’s RealityCom pool may
be added to certain Perception
A robot’s OS Threshold rating
checks, at the Programmer’s
is equal to its DigiCon rating
discretion.
+ Buffer rating.

Humanity Comprehension Mechanical Control


(HumanCom) defines how well a robot (MechaniCon) defines how adept a robot is
understands human minds or organic actions. at interacting with mechanical systems,
like controlling a drone or adjusting
Use this attribute to ascertain the a factory’s automatic building units to
motives of organic life, or to determine construct machines of a novel design.
the functions of their equipment.
Use this attribute to remotely control
Robots with low HumanCom ratings are not other robots, or to rewire mechanical
very “user-friendly”, while robots with systems.
high HumanCom ratings often display very
human-like behavior. A robot’s dice pool to repair physical
damage to itself or other robots is its
A robot’s dice pool to manage or communicate MechaniCon rating + Dexterity rating.
with organics is its HumanCom rating + See Repairing a Robot on page 17 for
Perception rating. more information.

13
Dexterity
(Dex) measures the degree of fine motor
control necessary for interaction with
the outside world.
Chassis
Five facets of
the physical form

Chassis
Use this attribute to make fine adjustments
with a manipulative appendage or to tap
in a precise sequence of key
punches.
Reflexes
A robot’s dice pool for
manually interacting (Ref) determines response
with other objects is its lag and overall speed of
Dexterity rating + Reflexes animation.
rating.
In conflict situations,
initiative is determined
by rolling a d10 and adding
Mobility the robot’s Reflexes rating.
Robots with higher initiative
(Mobil) dictates the robot’s totals act first.
capability to propel itself about the
environment (wheels, ambulatory limbs, A robot’s maximum speed is equal to
etc). its Mobility rating + Reflexes rating
in kilometers per hour or meters per
Use this attribute to climb over round.
obstacles or move across rough terrain
without being slowed. A robot with a Reflexes rating of 0
cannot move on its own, no matter what
A robot with a Mobility rating of 0 its Mobility rating is.
cannot move on its own, no matter what
its Reflexes rating is.

The TN to touch, strike, or otherwise Strength


physically interact with an unwilling
robot is the target robot’s Mobility (Str) determines the robot’s maximum
rating + Reflexes rating. load capacity and ability to inflict
brute-force damage on other objects.

Two robots attempting to move each


Perception other both make Strength checks. The
TN is (the target robot's Size rating
(Per) determines the variety and - the acting robot's Size rating) +5.
quality of sensors mounted, as well as The robot with more successes is the
information relayed back. victor.

This is the dice pool a robot has to The TN to drag an unmoving robot is
notice objects, features, sounds, or (the unmoving robot’s Size rating - the
other external stimuli. pushing robot's Size rating) + 5.

The Programmer may require the robot to If a robot strikes another object, the
use its Buffer rating instead of its strike inflicts damage equal to one-half
Perception rating in certain situations, the attacking robot’s Strength rating
such as when attempting to see through (round down, minimum damage of zero).
fire, or to detect specific noises in a
very noisy setting.

14
Durability
(Dur) measures how much damage a robot
can withstand before ceasing operation or
The hearth and heart
of the machine
Crux
Crux
being destroyed.
Power
A robot’s maximum Damage Threshold is equal
to its Durability rating + Size rating. (Pow) rates how long the robot can operate
on its own without recharging. A robot
If the robot's Damage Threshold is degraded with a low Power rating can only function
by an attack or object, it must make a for a day or two without recharging, while
Durability check. Each success (TN 8) a robot with a high rating can function
reduces the damage inflicted by 1 (minimum independently for a week or more.
damage of 0).
Every day, the robot must make a Power
A robot ceases operation when its current check. At least one success (TN 8) means
Damage Threshold rating degrades to 0. the robot has enough power for another
24 hours. Failure means the robot’s
battery is drained, and it must seek
Buffer recharging.

(Buf) is a rating of If a robot’s battery is drained, it


the robot’s ability to has one hour to recharge before its
withstand information Intelligence and Chassis ratings all
overload due to bright degrade by 1. If the robot does not
lights, EM pulses, recharge, its Intelligence and Chassis
conflicting programming ratings will continue to degrade at
orders, or other the rate of 1 per hour. These ratings
disruptive conditions. revert to normal after a full recharge.

The TN to reprogram Recharging normally takes one hour,


a robot, or overwhelm its sensors, is unless otherwise stated.
the target robot’s Buffer rating +5. See
Reprogramming a Robot on page 18 for more Overdrive
information.
A robot can briefly increase its
chassis’s ability by expending more
Size power than normal.

(Siz) rates the robot’s physical dimensions. The robot can increase a single
A Size 1 robot has about the same volume Chassis attribute rating by a number
as a cube with 15 cm faces. A Size 2 robot up to its Power rating. This can
approximates a cube with 30 cm faces, a raise an attribute rating above 5.
Size 3 robot 45 cm, a Size 4 robot 60 cm,
and a Size 5 robot 75 cm. The overdrive effect lasts for five
rounds. Immediately after the fifth
A robot with a Size rating of 5 increases round, the robot must make a Power
its Strength rating by 1. This can increase check (TN 8). If the number of
the robot’s Strength rating above 5. successes is less than the number of
extra dice added, the robot’s battery
A robot with a Size rating of 1 increases is drained.
its Dexterity rating by 1. This can increase
the robot’s Dexterity rating above 5. Robots with nuclear batteries are
treated differently; see the Nuclear
For reference, an adult human approximates Battery feature in the next chapter
the same volume as a Size 4 robot. A Size for more information. A drained
5 robot has slightly more volume than a battery cannot be put in overdrive.
large human.

15
other factors
Other Factors
Beeper’s player wants to snatch an
unsuspecting snooper-blimp out of the
air as it passes by Beeper’s hiding
place. The Programmer agrees that the Initiative
blimp will be close enough to grab. (1d10 + Reflexes rating)
The Programmer knows that the blimp’s This measures which robots will act first
TN to be struck is 7. in a conflict or other event where multiple
robots attempt to act before each other.
Beeper’s Dexterity rating is 2 and
its Reflexes rating is 3. The player A robot’s initiative is determined by
rolls 5d10 and gets 6, 4, 9, 8 and 3. rolling a d10 and adding the robot’s
Success! Reflexes rating.
Beeper grabs the blimp, and the For example, a player controlling a robot
Programmer and the player roll with a Reflexes rating of 3 rolls a d10 and
initiative to see which robot will gets a 5. The robot's initiative roll for
act first. If Beeper’s initiative is that conflict is 8 (3+5).
higher, it can try to drag the blimp
away. If the blimp’s initiative is Robots with higher initiative rolls act
higher, it can try to escape Beeper’s before robots with lower initiative rolls.
grip and call for help.
Initiative totals are normally static
If Beeper’s player had chosen to throughout the conflict, but the Programmer
swat the blimp instead of grabbing may elect to reroll initiative at the
it, Beeper would have immediately beginning of every round, or whenever the
inflicted its Strength rating ÷ 2 after situation changes. A particularly ready or
succeeding on its interaction check. alert robot may receive a +2 bonus to its
first initiative total.

SIZE RATING:
Every robot is
conveniently designated
with a Size rating
measuring its average
exterior volume. This
generally corresponds to
its mass, although some
robots are heavier or
lighter than their size
would otherwise indicate.

16
Speed TN to be struck
(Mobility rating + Reflexes rating) (Mobility rating + Reflexes rating)

This determines how fast a robot can move The TN to strike an alert robot is the
from one place to another. A robot’s Speed target’s Mobility rating + Reflexes rating.
rating is equal to its speed in kilometers A robot's TN to be struck may not be higher
per hour during long journeys, or meters than 10.
per round during conflict situations.

Repairing a robot
Interaction Pool
(Dexterity pool + Reflexes pool) A robot’s dice pool to repair itself
or another robot is its MechaniCon
This is the dice pool a robot has to strike, rating + Dexterity rating.
grab, or otherwise manually interact with
an unwilling robot or other mobile object. The TN to repair a robot is 11, minus
The robot makes contact if it has at least the target robot’s maximum Damage
one success. A robot may only make one Threshold rating, plus the target
interaction check per round, regardless of robot's current damage (total maximum
how many limbs it has. TN of 10, total minimum TN of 2).
For example, a robot with a maximum
If the robot is attacking another robot, Damage Threshold of 8 and three points
it either inflicts its normal strike damage of damage (making its current Damage
(Strength rating ÷ 2, round down) or damage Threshold 5) has a repair TN of (11-
from a special feature (such as a saw). 8+3). The TN to repair the robot is 6.
Only one feature may be used at a time when
attacking. A robot can usually touch or Each success repairs one point of
strike an immobile object or robot without damage. A robot’s current Damage
rolling an interaction check. Threshold may never exceed its maximum
Damage Threshold.

A repair check takes one hour.


Damage from Strike
(Strength rating ÷ 2, round down) A single robot can make multiple
repair attempts, but every check after
This is how much damage a robot can inflict the first to repair the same robot is
by simply smashing its body or limbs into made with one fewer d10 each time.
another object. For example, a robot’s second attempt
to repair itself would be made with
one fewer d10 than normal, the third
Damage Threshold attempt would be made with two fewer
(Durability rating + Size rating) d10s than normal, and so on.

This is a measure of how hardy and resilient If another robot makes an attempt, its
the robot’s physical body is. Robots with first check to repair that robot is
low Damage Threshold ratings are easily made with no penalty, the second check
broken and hard to repair, while robots is made with a penalty of one fewer
with high ratings can withstand tremendous d10, and so on.
damage and are easily fixed.
If a robot's current Damage Threshold
A robot’s maximum Damage Threshold rating is raised to its normal maximum, all
normally never changes. If a robot is current penalties to repair that robot
damaged, its current Damage Threshold are eliminated.
rating is lowered by the amount of damage
inflicted. When a robot’s current Damage The Programmer may rule that some
Threshold degrades to 0 or lower, the robot damage cannot be repaired until the
stops functioning and becomes unplayable PRs find replacement parts.
until its current Damage Threshold is 1
or higher.

17
OS Threshold
(DigiCon rating + Buffer rating)

This is a measure of how resilient and


self-sustaining the robot’s “brain” is.
Robots with low OS Threshold ratings are
easily reprogrammed, while robots with high
ratings are very resistant to modification.

A robot’s maximum OS Threshold rating


changes if its DigiCon rating degrades.
If a robot’s programming is attacked, its
current OS Threshold rating degrades.
Resetting a robot
Likewise, if the robot is subject to a
damaging electrical shock, its current OS A robot can undo reprogramming or OS
threshold is lowered, just like its Damage Threshold loss by resetting itself
Threshold would be lowered if the robot or another robot. The TN to reset
was the subject of a violent attack. If programming is the target robot’s
the robot's OS Threshold is lowered to DigiCon rating +5. The total number
0 because of electrical shock or similar of successes needed is equal to the
damage, the robot becomes unplayable until target robot's maximum OS Threshold.
its OS Threshold is at least 1.
Each success repairs one point of
damage. A robot’s current OS Threshold
Reprogramming a robot may never exceed its maximum OS
Threshold.
Reprogramming a robot normally requires
opening its casing and exposing its A single robot can make multiple
processor. The target robot must either repair attempts, but every check after
be willing or completely immobilized. the first to repair the same robot is
made with one fewer d10 each time.
The reprogramming robot makes a For example, a robot’s second attempt
DigiCon check. The TN is the target to repair itself would be made with
robot’s Buffer rating +5. Every one fewer d10 than normal, the third
success degrades the target robot’s attempt would be made with two fewer
current OS Threshold by 1. The target d10s than normal, and so on.
robot may use its Buffer pool to resist
reprogramming. Every success (TN 8) If another robot makes an attempt, its
negates one point of OS Threshold loss first check to repair that robot is
inflicted during that round only. made with no penalty, the second check
is made with a penalty of one fewer
When the target robot’s OS Threshold d10, and so on.
reaches 0, its OS Threshold rating
reverts to normal and the robot is If a robot's current OS Threshold is
considered reprogrammed. A reprogrammed raised to its normal maximum, all
robot follows whatever commands the current penalties to reset that robot
reprogramming robot issues to the best are eliminated.
of its ability.
Resetting programming takes one round
A reprogramming attempt to inflict per check.
OS Threshold loss is made during
the acting robot's initiative. The A robot that has been fully reprogrammed
target robot may attempt to inflict OS cannot normally attempt to reset its own
Threshold damage on the acting robot programming (unless the reprogramming
during the target robot's initiative. allows it). Resetting attempts are
A reprogramming conflict is otherwise otherwise treated exactly like Damage
treated exactly like a physical Threshold repair attempts.
conflict.

18
In addition to some means of
locomotion, all robots receive the
following standard components for
free:

• One standard manipulative limb


that can lift approximately 10 kg
per level of Strength rating.
2
• Two human-spectrum cameras. fEAturES
• One standard rechargeable battery.

• One standard speaker/receiver


capable of vocalizing in high-
and
density binary or human languages
up to 5 meters away.

Unless a robot has the Secondary


dEfEctS
Battery feature, it can only have
one battery operating at a time.

Note that some features and defects


require other components or forbid
certain arrangements. If the
description does not state that the
robot may have multiple copies of
a feature or defect, the robot may
only have one copy of that feature
or defect.

All combinations must be cleared by


the Programmer. Novel features or
defects can obviously be created

!
(with the Programmer’s input).

19
Abrader
Cost: 10
The robot has an
erosive tool, such as a
sandblaster or grinding
FeaTuRes
Features
! wheel.

The abrader inflicts


damage equal to the abrader-equipped
robot’s Size rating -2. The target robot
may not use its Durability rating to
reduce damage caused by the abrader.
Armored Chassis
Cost: 10/rating

Agile The robot’s frame


is more durable than
Cost: 4
normal.
The robot is more agile
Any impact or crushing
than a similar model.
damage (such as a club, Abrader, or
Vice Grip) inflicted on the robot is
The robot’s TN to be
automatically reduced by one point for
struck is increased by 1. A robot’s TN
every level of Armored Chassis rating.
to be struck may not be higher than 10.
A robot's Armored Chassis rating may not
be higher than its Strength rating -1.

Anchor
Cost: 5/rating
Attendant Swarm
The robot has some
mechanism to anchor
Cost: 6/rating
itself in place.
The robot is always
attended by a cluster
The robot adds one
of obedient drones.
extra d10 per level
of Anchor rating to all Strength checks
The robot has one
to resist being moved.
drone for every level of Attendant Swarm
rating. A robot may not have more drones
A robot may not have an Anchor rating
than its MechaniCon rating unless it also
higher than 5.
has the Master Unit feature. Drones may
be communicated with like other robots.

A drone begins with the components that


Android all robots receive for free, along with
Cost: 10/rating 19 points for attributes and features
(instead of the 100 points for attributes
The robot was designed and features that robots normally begin
to be indistinguishable with). Note that a drone’s attributes
from a human. must all be at least rating 1 (meaning
that at least 13 points must be spent
A HumanCom check (TN 8) on attributes before any features are
is required to determine that a robot purchased).
with this feature is not a real human.
The number of successes required is equal Drones may have a maximum of 10 points
to the target robot's Android rating. worth of defects. A drone cannot have an
Attendant Swarm of its own.
A robot with this feature must have a
Size rating of 3 or 4. A robot's Android Drones are treated as separate autonomous
rating may not be higher than its HumanCom robots controlled by the player. Each
rating -1. drone's initiative is determined
separately during conflict situations.

20
Backup System Buoyant
Cost: 8 Cost: 5
The robot’s OS contains The robot has an
a separate backup inflatable flotation
system. device or some other
mechanism that
If the robot’s current provides buoyancy.
OS Threshold degrades
to 0 from reprogramming attempts, the The robot cannot be submerged in water or
robot may make a DigiCon check (TN other liquids while the feature is in use.
8) after 1d10 minutes. If it has any A robot with the Buoyant feature cannot
successes, it may continue to make move under its own power unless it also
additional checks every 1d10 minutes has the Submersible feature.
until it has as many total successes as
its maximum OS Threshold (at which point
the reprogramming is nullified).
Cargo Hauler
If the robot fails more than one check Cost: 3 per
in a row, its backup system fails to
come online and will not automatically container
engage until its programming is reset.
The robot can store
more matter than a
similar model.
Battering Ram Each time this feature
Cost: 12 is purchased, the dimensions of one of the
robot's storage containers are doubled.
! The robot has an onboard
pneumatic ram, made for
For example, a Size 2 external container
approximates a cube 20 cm wide. The same
knocking in doors or container with the Cargo Hauler feature
driving in bolts. would approximate a cube 40 cm wide.
A container's dimensions can only be
To use it, the robot makes a Strength increased once.
check (TN 8) to anchor itself during its
turn in an interaction sequence. A robot A robot with the Cargo Hauler feature
with the Anchor feature adds extra d10s must already have the External Container,
to the Strength check equal to its Anchor Internal Compartment or Liquid Dispenser
rating. The ram is deployed immediately feature.
following the Strength check. The ram
inflicts damage equal to the anchor’s
successes + the robot’s normal damage
from strike. Claw
The battering ram can only be used against Cost: 10
immobile or unsuspecting targets.
The robot has a grasping
claw that can attach to
objects or other robots.
Biofrequency
Scanner If the robot makes a
Cost: 3/rating successful interaction check with the
claw, the target robot must remain within
The robot has special reach of the robot using the claw. This
sensors that can condition will persist until the robot
detect the presence using the claw releases its grip, or until
of organic lifeforms. the Damage Threshold of the robot using
the claw falls to 0.
The robot can detect
plants or animals up to 10 meters Either robot may attempt dragging checks
away per level of Biofrequency Scanner as normal.
rating, even through smoke or other
obscurement. The scanner only detects
the presence of biological matter, and
cannot determine its specific type or
current state.

21
Collapsible Databank
Cost: 4/rating Cost: 5/rating
The robot can compact The robot has an
itself to occupy a extensive collection
smaller volume than of information on a
normal. variety of topics.

The robot can decrease A robot with the


its Size rating by 1 for every level of Databank feature may make a DigiCon check
Collapsible rating. A robot may not have (TN 8) to recall information on a topic.
a Collapsible rating higher than its Size The robot adds its Databank rating to the
rating -2. check. The number of successes required for
a particular topic or detail is determined
When the robot is collapsed, its Dexterity by the Programmer.
and Mobility ratings degrade by 1 for every
decrease in Size level. These ratings A robot may not have a Databank rating
return to their previous states as the higher than its DigiCon rating.
robot expands. This feature does not alter
the robot's maximum Damage Threshold or TN
to be dragged.
Display Screen
Cost: 1/rating

Common Model The robot has an


onboard video screen
Cost: 8 that can display status
messages or play video
The robot was built recordings.
using standard, easily-
replaceable parts. A rating 1 screen is a simple monochromatic
display, while higher-rated screens are
All Perception checks to find replacement more elaborate.
equipment for a robot with this feature
gain one extra d10.

A robot with this feature cannot have the


Rare Model defect. Disposal
Cost: 8
The robot is equipped
Cutting Laser with an internal
shredder, incinerator,
Cost: 15 or other device capable !
of quickly breaking up
The robot has an or destroying matter.
onboard cutting laser
that can penetrate Immobile robots are automatically damaged.
most metals. ! Resisting robots must first be caught
(this requires an interaction check).
The laser inflicts The disposal inflicts damage equal to the
damage equal to the equipped robot’s Size rating -1.
equipped robot’s Power rating +1. For
example, a robot with a Power rating of 3 After being damaged, both robots make a
would inflict 4 points of damage. contested Strength check (TN 8). If the
acting robot has more successes, the target
The laser has a range of approximately 10 robot is trapped in the disposal, and the
cm per Size rating. For example, a Size 3 acting robot may choose to automatically
robot’s cutting laser has a maximum range damage the target robot again during the
of 30 cm. acting robot's next initiative. The target
robot may try to escape again during its
Striking an unwilling target with the next initiative.
cutting laser requires a successful
interaction check. Only robots at least one Size rating below
the disposal-equipped robot will fit in the
disposal.

22
Drill Enhanced Cameras
Cost: 6 Cost: 10/rating
The robot has an onboard The robot has more
drill that can penetrate powerful cameras,
most metals and rocks. ! capable of seeing other
spectrums or microscopic
Against other robots, details.
the drill inflicts damage equal to the
drilling robot’s Size rating -2. Striking The robot's TN for all visual-based
an unwilling target with the drill requires Perception checks is lowered by 1 for
a successful interaction check. every level of Enhanced Cameras rating
(minimum TN of 2).

A robot may not have an Enhanced Cameras


rating higher than 5. A robot with the
Electromagnet Enhanced Cameras feature cannot have the
Cost: 10 Buggy Cameras defect.

The robot has an


electromagnet that can
attract ferrous metals.
Enhanced Microphone
The robot may make Cost: 10/rating
a Strength check to drag remote metal
objects toward it, using the normal rules The robot has a powerful
for dragging objects. The range of the microphone, capable of
electromagnet is equal to the robot’s picking up more discrete
Power rating in meters. For example, a noise than a similar
robot with a Power rating of 4 would have model.
an electromagnet with a range of 4 meters.
The robot's TN for audio-based Perception
The Programmer may decide that certain checks is lowered by the robot's Enhanced
objects are too heavy or secure to be Microphone rating (minimum TN of 2).
attracted. The robot may attract itself to
immobile objects by making a Power check A robot may not have an Enhanced Microphone
(TN 8). The number of successes required rating higher than 5. A robot with the
is equal to the robot’s Size rating -1. Enhanced Microphone feature cannot have
Failing this check drains the robot’s the Buggy Mic defect.
battery.

Expandable
Cost: 4/rating

!
WARNING: The robot can expand
its frame to occupy
Features marked with this a larger volume than
icon are dangerous and normal.
potentially hazardous to
The robot can increase its Size rating by
humans and other robots.
1 for every level of Expandable rating.
Always use caution when A robot's Expandable rating may not be
dealing with these higher than its Size rating -1.
features.
This feature does not alter the robot's
maximum Damage Threshold or TN to be
dragged.

23
External Container Flight Ceiling
Cost: 3 per container Cost: 12/rating
The robot has a sealable The robot is capable
container mounted on the of propelling itself in
outside of its chassis. the air.

Each time this feature Every level of Flight


is purchased, one Ceiling rating allows a
additional container is added. The combined one-meter flight ceiling. If the robot’s
size of all containers may not exceed the Damage Threshold drops below half its
robot's Size rating. For example, a Size normal maximum (round down), the robot
3 robot could have one Size 3 container, can no longer remain in the air.
or one Size 2 container and one Size 1
container, or three Size 1 containers. A A robot with a Flight Ceiling rating of 5
Size 1 container approximates a cube 10 or higher increases its Mobility rating by
cm wide, a Size 2 approximates a cube 20 one (this can raise the robot’s Mobility
cm wide, etc. rating above 5).

A robot with the Flight Ceiling feature


External Container Sizes is not damaged from falls of less than
its Flight Ceiling rating x10 in meters
Size Size while the feature is in effect. Instead,
1 10 cm 4 50 cm the robot will fall more slowly than a
2 20 cm 5 65 cm similar model, and will halt at its normal
3 35 cm flight ceiling. For example, a robot with
a Flight Ceiling rating of 2 could safely
fall from a 20 meter height without being
Fan damaged.
Cost: 3
The robot is equipped
with an onboard fan or Floodlights
blower that can blow Cost: 4
away smoke or leaves.
The fan is too weak The robot is equipped
to move all but the with onboard floodlights
smallest and lightest robots. that can illuminate an
area in front of it up
to 20 meters away.
Fast Charger
Cost: 6
The robot recharges more Giant
quickly than a similar Cost: 20/rating
model. The robot only
requires 30 minutes to The robot is larger
recharge its battery, than a similar model.
instead of the standard one hour. A robot
with this feature may not have the Slow The robot’s Size rating
Charger defect. is increased by 1. This
can increase the robot’s Size rating
above 5. A robot with a Size rating of
Flexible Body 6 or higher does not gain any additional
Cost: 6 increase to its Strength rating.

The robot was designed A robot may not have a Giant rating higher
to be highly flexible. than its Power rating -3. Every level of
Giant rating lowers a robot’s TN to be
The robot’s Mobility struck by 1. (minimum TN of 1).
and Reflexes ratings
are increased by one when moving through The Programmer may forbid player robots
cramped areas or attempting to escape from purchasing this feature.
constriction.

24
Gyro High Chassis
Cost: 5 Cost: 8
The robot has an internal The robot’s chassis is
stabilizer. higher than a similar
model due to large
If the robot attempts a tires, long legs, or
Mobility check and has other specialized
no successes, it may components.
immediately attempt a second check and
use the second check’s result. The robot The robot adds one d10 to all Mobility
may not attempt another check if the checks to move across rough or uneven
second check is not successful. terrain.

A robot with the Gyro feature cannot have


the Top-Heavy defect.

High Speed
Hardened Programming Cost: 12
Cost: 12/rating
The robot is faster
The robot’s programming than a similar model.
has redundant features
to prevent alteration. The robot’s speed
rating is increased by
Every level of Hardened 50% (round down). This
Programming rating does not affect the robot’s Mobility or
negates one point of OS Reflexes ratings, only its speed rating.
Threshold damage each time it is incurred
during reprogramming attempts. A robot with the High Speed feature cannot
have the Low Speed defect.

Heat Resistant
Cost: 10/rating

The robot was designed to Interface Prong


be tolerant of extremely Cost: 10/rating
high temperatures.
The robot has a tool
Any heat-based damage designed to interface XX
(such as fire, radiation, cutting lasers with another robot’s
or arc welders) inflicted on the robot is processor, even if the
automatically reduced by one point for target robot is not
every level of Heat Resistant rating. immobile.

A robot's Heat Resistant rating may not If the robot makes a successful interaction
be higher than its Durability rating -1. check, it can attempt to inflict OS
Threshold loss on a mobile robot during
its turn in an interaction sequence.

High Altitude The robot adds one d10 per level of


Cost: 10 Interface Prong rating to its DigiCon and
MechaniCon checks to control or reprogram
The robot was designed other robots.
to operate at extremely
high altitudes. A robot may not have an Interface Prong
rating higher than its DigiCon rating.
A robot with this
feature may rise up to A robot without an interface prong can
50 kilometers above sea level. A robot only attempt to reprogram immobile robots.
with the High Altitude feature has a
Mobility rating of 1 when it is above the
limit of its Flight Ceiling feature.

25
Internal Compartment Liquid Dispenser
Cost: 3 per container Cost: 3 per container
The robot has a sealable The robot has a sealed
compartment inside its container suitable for
chassis. holding liquid, as well
as some means to collect
Each time this feature and dispense the liquid.
is purchased, one
separate container is Each time this feature is purchased, one
added. The combined separate container is added. The combined
size of all containers volume of all liquid dispensers may not
may not exceed the robot's Size rating. exceed the robot's Size rating. For
For example, a Size 3 robot could have one example, a Size 4 robot could have one
Size 3 container, or one Size 2 container Size 4 dispenser (four liters), or two
and one Size 1 container, or three Size Size 3 dispensers (two liters each), or
1 containers. two Size 1 dispensers (500 ml each) and
two Size 2 dispensers (1 liter each).
A Size 1 container approximates a cube 5
cm wide, a Size 2 10 cm wide, etc. The maximum distance the liquid can be
projected is the robot’s Size rating in
meters.
Internal Compartment Sizes

Size Size
Liquid Dispenser Volumes
1 5 cm 4 35 cm
2 10 cm 5 50 cm
Size Volume Size Volume
3 20 cm
1 500 ml 4 4 liters
2 1 liter 5 8 liters
3 2 liters

Jack
Cost: 10
Long-Range
The robot's chassis was Cost: 12
designed to lift very
heavy objects. The robot’s maximum
attainable velocity
The robot can lift 10 in microgravity is
times as much as its Strength rating increased.
indicates. A robot can normally lift
about 10 kilograms per level of Strength The robot’s maximum velocity in k/h is
rating. increased by a factor of 1,000 while
operating in microgravity.
For example, a robot with a Strength
rating of 2 could lift about 20 kilograms. For example, a robot with a normal speed
A similar robot with the Jack feature rating of 8 has a maximum velocity of 8,000
could lift about 200 kilograms. kilometers per hour in vacuum conditions.

This feature is only applied to lifting The robot may increase or decrease its
objects, and does not affect the robot's current speed at the rate of 100 k/h
Strength rating for dragging objects or each round. A robot with the Long-Range
for any other checks. feature may not make interaction checks,
or be subject to interaction checks,
while moving at speeds greater than its
normal speed rating.

A robot must have the Vacuum Propulsion


feature to have the Long-Range feature.

26
Loudspeaker Massive
Cost: 5 Cost: 10/rating
The robot has an onboard The robot has much more
loudspeaker that is mass than a similar
capable of broadcasting model.
sound over a hundred
meter radius. The robot If the robot moves in
can choose to emit sound through either a straight line, it
its loudspeaker or its standard speaker/ increases its Damage from Strike by 1
receiver. for every round that it was moving at its
maximum speed.

Magnetized For example, a robot with the Massive


Cost: 6 feature could move in a straight line at its
maximum speed for two rounds, then succeed
The robot can magnetize in an interaction check against another
its extremities in order robot. The robot with the Massive feature
to remain attached to would increase its Damage from Strike by 2
ferrous surfaces. against the target robot.

In normal Earth gravity, The robot’s Damage from Strike reverts to


a robot with the Magnetized feature can its normal value after the interaction
climb up sheer vertical metallic surfaces check is made, regardless of its success
at half its normal movement (round down) or failure.
by making a Strength check, as per the
rules for dragging immobile robots. The The maximum damage increase is equal to the
robot treats itself as the target; the robot’s Massive rating.
Lightweight defect applies to this check.
In microgravity, the robot can move across A robot may not have a Massive rating
ferrous surfaces at its normal rate while higher than its Size rating -1. A robot
remaining anchored to the surface. with the Massive feature may not have the
Lightweight defect.

Manipulative Limb (Standard)


Cost: 5 Master Unit
The robot has an Cost: 15
additional standard
manipulative limb. The robot was designed
to operate specifically
Note that all robots as the controlling
begin with one standard intelligence for a large
manipulative limb at no number of drones.
cost. This feature may
be purchased more than A robot must have the Attendant Swarm
once. Each purchase grants one additional feature to have the Master Unit feature.
limb.
A robot with this feature may have up to
A robot's manipulative limb can grasp twice as many drones in its Attendant Swarm
objects, carry them, and interact with as what is normally allowed.
other robots. The first additional limb
increases the maximum weight a robot can The Programmer may elect to forbid this
lift by 5 kg. A robot can carry one object feature if the presence of large numbers
in each manipulative limb. of drones will be disruptive to the game.

A robot may only make one interaction


check per round, regardless of how many
limbs it has.

27
Nuclear Battery Plasma Arc Welder
Cost: 20 Cost: 12/rating
The robot is powered by The robot has an onboard
a nuclear battery. plasma arc welder,
suitable for welding
The battery does not ! metal. !
need to be recharged
(and in fact cannot Every level of Plasma
be recharged), but taxing the battery can Arc Welder rating lowers the TN to repair
cause it to explode. See Overdrive Failure, a robot by one (minimum TN of 2). A robot
below. may not have a Plasma Arc Welder rating
higher than 5.
A robot with a nuclear battery cannot have
the Slow Charger defect. Striking an unwilling target with the
welder requires a successful interaction
This feature is potentially disruptive to check. The welder inflicts damage equal to
the game, and the Programmer may choose to the equipped robot’s Size rating -1.
forbid player robots from having it. If it
is allowed, the Programmer may rule that
the robot must also have the Power Cutoff
defect. Pneumatic
Cost: 8
Overdrive Failure and The robot has more
Nuclear Batteries: physical force than a
similar model.
If a robot’s nuclear battery is drained
by failing a Power check after putting The robot’s Damage from
its battery in overdrive, the robot must Strike is increased by 1. This does not
make a Durability check (TN 8). affect damage inflicted by other features,
such as a Saw or Battering Ram. A robot
If the robot rolls any successes, it with the Pneumatic feature may not have
shuts down for 1d10 hours per level of the Weak Motor defect.
Power rating while its battery cools
and resumes normal function.

If it has no successes, the robot’s Power Dock


battery explodes after five rounds, Cost: 10
destroying the robot and everything
else within a (Power x 10) meter radius. The robot can recharge
other robots.

The docked robot


recharges at its normal rate. Only one
Overclocked robot can use the dock at a time. The
Cost: 10 robots must remain attached for the entire
duration.
The robot may attempt
two interaction checks After recharging another robot (even if
during its turn. interrupted), the robot with the Power
Dock must make a Power check (the TN is
The robot automatically the other robot’s Power rating +3). A
inflicts 2 damage on itself immediately failed check means that the robot with
after attempting the second interaction the Power Dock has drained its battery
check. This damage may not be prevented and must seek recharging, as if it had
by the Armored Chassis feature or by the failed its daily Power check.
robot’s Durability rating.
Robots with the Nuclear Battery feature
Damage incurred by use of the Overclocked are not subject to this drain.
feature may be repaired normally.
The robot with the Power Dock must wait
one hour between each use of the Power
Dock feature.

28
Power Leech Roller
Cost: 10 Cost: 6
The robot has a The robot has a rolling
mechanism that acts drum or some other means XX
as a power draw, XX of compacting materials
directly siphoning underneath it. !
power from another
robot’s battery. The robot adds its Size rating to its
Damage from Strike against an immobile
To use this feature, the target robot robot. Only robots at least one Size
must be immobile. The robot with the rating below the roller-equipped robot
Power Leech makes a Power check (TN 8). will fit underneath of the roller.
If it has any successes, it can treat the
target robot as if the target had the
Power Dock feature. Saw
Cost: 8
The charging robot recharges at its normal
rate. Both robots must remain immobile The robot has an onboard
and in contact for the entire duration rotating sawblade.
for the charge to be successful. The
target robot’s battery is drained in the ! The saw inflicts damage
process (even if interrupted), unless it equal to the saw-
is a nuclear battery. equipped robot’s Size rating -1. Using
the saw on an unwilling target requires a
successful interaction check.
Prehensile Limb
Cost: 5/limb
Secondary Battery
One of the robot’s limbs Cost: 8
is a flexible stalk or
tentacle. The robot has an extra
standard battery.
All interaction checks
using the prehensile limb gain one extra If the robot fails its
d10. This feature does not impart an extra daily Power check, the secondary battery
limb; one of the robot’s pre-existing allows the robot to continue operating for
limbs is replaced with a prehensile a full 24 hours of use before the robot's
version. Each purchase of this feature attribute ratings begin to degrade. The
must be applied to a separate limb. secondary battery is drained after use,
even if less than 24 hours have elapsed.

Rack The secondary battery takes one hour to


Cost: 2/rating recharge and does not charge in tandem
with the robot's main battery. Robots
The robot can easily with the Fast Charger feature or Slow
carry other robots or Charger defect apply the altered recharge
large objects with an time to both batteries.
open-air rack, leaving
its manipulative limbs
free. Self-Repairing
Cost: 10
The robot can carry objects with a total
Size rating equal to the robot’s Rack The robot is equipped
rating. with self-repairing
capabilities and can
For example, a robot with a Rack rating of automatically repair
4 could carry a Size 3 robot and a Size itself if damaged.
1 robot at the same time, or four Size 1
robots, or a single Size 4 robot. If the robot’s current Damage Threshold
is lowered, the robot will automatically
A robot’s Rack rating may not be higher repair 1 point of damage one hour after the
than its Size rating. If the robot fails damage is inflicted. The robot’s current
a Mobility check, the Programmer may rule Damage Threshold must be at least 1 for
that the rack's contents fall out. the Self-Repairing feature to operate.

29
Silent Mode Solar Powered
Cost: 4 Z
ZZ Cost: 10
The robot can shut down The robot has an onboard
most of its functions and solar collector and can
appear to be completely recharge itself under
inert. bright light.

Other robots will assume it is inconsequential The robot must spend its
unless they succeed with a Perception check normal recharging time under bright light
(TN 8). The number of successes needed is to recharge with its solar collector.
equal to 6 - the robot’s Power rating. For
example, 2 successes would be needed to
detect a robot with a Power rating of 4 and
the Silent Mode feature.
Solar Sail
A robot with the Silent Mode feature must Cost: 5
remain immobile while the feature is
engaged. The robot is equipped
with a deployable solar
sail for long trips
through space.
Simple Assembly
Cost: 5 The robot may use its
solar sail in microgravity to increase
The robot is constructed its forward speed slowly over an extended
with basic components, period of time. The robot may increase
and is easily repaired. its current speed by 1,000 k/hour each
day that it remains moving in the same
The TN required to repair the robot is direction, to a maximum speed of 300,000
lowered by 1. A robot’s TN to be repaired k/hour.
may not be lower than 2. A robot with the
Simple Assembly feature may not have the For example, a robot with a solar sail
Salvaged defect. would have a speed of 1,000 k/hour during
the first day, 2,000 k/hour the second day,
and 3,000 k/hour the third day.

Smelter The robot may decrease its speed by 1,000


Cost: 12 k/hour, but only if approaching a star.
XX

The robot has a smelter A robot with the Solar Sail feature may not
that can convert immobile make interaction checks, or be subject to
robots to simple tools. ! interaction checks, while moving at speeds
greater than its normal speed rating.
Every 5 points of Damage Threshold fed into
the smelter creates a simple tool with
Durability and Size ratings of 1.

For example, smelting an immobile robot Specialty Chassis


with 10 points of Damage Threshold would Cost: 10
result in a prybar, hammer or other simple
object with a Durability rating of 2 and The robot was designed
a Size rating of 2. The target robot is for a very specific type
consumed at the rate of 1 damage per round of physical work, such
until its Damage Threshold is 0. as lifting, pushing,
crushing or carrying.
Excess or insufficient metal results in
useless slag that cannot be recycled. A All Strength checks to accomplish this
robot may not convert robots with higher specific type of work gain two extra d10s.
Size ratings than the robot with the The specific type of work must be determined
smelter. when this feature is taken.

The Programmer may decide that certain


other objects can be smelted as well.

30
Submersible Turbo
Cost: 6/rating Cost: 20
The robot is capable of The robot moves at an
functioning in a liquid extremely high speed.
environment.
The robot’s speed
The robot adds its rating is doubled. A
Submersible rating to robot with both the
its Mobility rating High Speed feature and the Turbo feature
when submerged in water or other liquids determines its speed with the High Speed
of similar viscosity. feature first, then doubles that number.

Robots with the Submersible feature are A robot with this feature increases its
waterproof, and are not adversely affected TN to be struck by 1. A robot’s TN to be
simply by being submerged in water (unlike struck may not be higher than 10.
other robots).

The Programmer may decide that a robot may


not swim deeper than its Submersible rating Vacuum Nozzle
x 100 in meters. If the robot exceeds this Cost: 3
depth it may be affected as if it did not
have the Submersible feature. The robot has a vacuum
nozzle and can use
suction to pull small
objects into its
Telescoping Reach chassis.
Cost: 5
Unless the robot also has an onboard
The robot has one or container, anything sucked into the nozzle
more limbs that can is quickly ejected out somewhere else.
extend outward beyond
its normal reach. The vacuum is too weak to move all but the
smallest and lightest robots.
This feature does not grant an extra limb;
the robot must already have at least one
limb to have this feature. Each time this
feature is purchased, one limb’s reach is Vacuum Propulsion
extended by 1 meter. This feature can be Cost: 4/rating
applied multiple times to the same limb.
The robot is equipped
Telescopic limbs are by necessity thinner with some propulsion
and weaker when extended; the robot’s method that functions
Strength rating in a telescoping limb in microgravity.
degrades by 1 for each meter the limb is
extended beyond the robot’s normal reach. A robot with this
feature may increase or decrease its
A robot’s Telescoping Reach rating for any current velocity in microgravity by (its
limb may not be higher than its Strength speed rating x its Vacuum Propulsion
rating -1. rating).

For example, a robot with a speed rating


of 4 and a Vacuum Propulsion rating of
Tool Set 3 would be able to increase its current
Cost: 8 velocity by 12 (4x3).

The robot has an A robot with the Vacuum Propulsion feature


! assortment
tools.
of repair may not make interaction checks, or be
subject to interaction checks, while
moving at speeds greater than its normal
The robot adds one extra d10 to every speed rating.
repair check it attempts. If a tool is used
as a weapon, it inflicts damage equal to the A robot may have a maximum Vacuum
equipped robot's Size rating -2. Propulsion rating of 5.

31
Vice Grip Wind Turbine
Cost: 8/rating Cost: 6

The robot has at The robot has a wind


least one clamp-like turbine that can recharge
appendage, or has a its battery over time.
! feature capable of
compressing an object. If the robot’s battery
becomes drained, it will
The robot can inflict damage equal to its recharge if the robot remains immobile
Strength rating to an unresisting object. for 6 consecutive hours. The robot must
be outside or in a windy area to make use
An interaction check is required to catch of this feature. A robot with this feature
an unwilling robot. If a resisting robot may not have the Nuclear Battery feature.
is caught in the vice, both robots make A robot with the Secondary Battery feature
opposed Strength checks (TN 8). The robot requires an additional 3 consecutive hours
using the vice adds one extra d10 per to recharge the secondary battery.
level of Vice Grip rating to the check.

Each success inflicts one point of damage to


the target, minus the target’s successes Wireless Transceiver
(minimum damage of zero). Cost: 10/rating

Damage from the vice cannot be reduced The robot is equipped with
with Durability checks. a broadband transceiver,
and can send information
If the target robot has more successes to other robots with
than the acting robot's Vice Grip rating, wireless transceivers
the target robot may escape the vice. from up to 100 meters away. Each level
of Wireless Transceiver rating after the
Only robots at least one Size rating below first boosts the range of the signal by 100
the vice grip-equipped robot will fit in meters.
the vice grip. A robot may not have a Vice
Grip rating higher than 5. A robot with this feature can attempt to jam
another robot's wireless transceiver. The
jamming robot makes a MechaniCon check (the
TN is the target robot’s Buffer rating +5),
and the target makes a Buffer check (TN 8).
Winch Both robots add their Wireless Transceiver
ratings to the check. If the jamming robot
Cost: 3/rating has more successes, the target robot cannot
send or receive any information. The acting
The robot has a cable robot cannot communicate or take any other
and winch that can be action while jamming.
used to pull objects.
Robots cannot be reprogrammed or reset
The robot adds one extra through wireless transceivers.
d10 per level of Winch
rating to all Strength checks to pull
something toward it when using the winch.
The winch's cable has a maximum range of Workhorse
5 meters per point of rating. Cost: 8

A robot may not have a Winch rating higher The robot was built to be
than 5. sturdy, and can tolerate
more physical stress
than a similar model.

The robot’s maximum


Damage Threshold rating is increased by
one.

A robot with the Workhorse feature cannot


have the Plastic Casing defect.

32
Buggy Cameras
Gain: +5

The robot’s camera system


DeFectS
Defects
is flawed.

Every 1 rolled when using


the robot's Perception
rating negates one
success made during that check. For example, Environmentally Attuned
a robot with RealityCom 3 and Perception
Gain: +6
4 makes a check to predict the weather. It
rolls 5, 1, and 8 for its RealityCom and
The robot was intended
9, 1, 3, and 5 for its Perception. Because
for use in only a single
the robot rolled two 1s, two successes are
environment, and moving
cancelled out.
outside of this area
confuses it.
This defect cannot reduce the number of
successes rolled to fewer than 0. A robot
Whenever the robot is
with the Buggy Cameras defect cannot have
outside of its native environment, its
the Enhanced Cameras feature.
RealityCom, Mobility and Perception ratings
are all lowered by one.

Buggy Mic Examples of single environments include


Gain: +4 city streets, floating in the open air, or
other commonplace but specific environments.
The robot’s audio pickup
system is flawed.

Every 1 rolled when using Exposed Power Switch


the robot's Perception
Gain: +8
rating negates one success made during
that check, in the same manner as the Buggy
The robot has a prominent
Cameras defect.
on-off switch.
A robot with the Buggy Mic defect cannot
An interaction check is
have the Enhanced Microphone feature.
required to switch off a
resisting robot. If the interaction check
has any successes, the target robot is
Compliant immediately deactivated until its power
Gain: +7 switch is pressed again.

The robot is meek and


easily ordered around by
other robots.
High Maintenance
Any time the robot
Gain: +3
receives an order from another robot,
it must make a DigiCon check (TN 8) or
The robot requires
comply with the order. The robot will not
continual upkeep to
automatically engage in any activity that
remain operational.
violates its programming.
The robot’s current
Damage Threshold
Conspicuous degrades by 1 every 24 hours due to failing
Gain: +5 or loose components. This loss cannot be
reduced with Durability checks, but can be
The robot's chassis has repaired with successful repair checks.
bright flashing lights,
scrolling advertisements, A robot with this defect must have a maximum
or other highly visible Damage Threshold rating of at least 2.
components.

All Perception checks to see the robot gain


one extra d10.

33
Inferior Model Loose Connections
Gain: +5 Gain: +6
The robot is of The robot’s internal
substandard build. components are not
securely connected.
The robot’s physical
interaction pool is If the robot‘s Damage
reduced by 1. Threshold is lowered
from a jarring impact, the robot's player
must roll a d10. If a 1 is rolled, the
robot shuts down for 1d10 rounds while its
processor reboots.
Inflammable
Gain: +4
The robot is more
vulnerable to high Low Speed
temperatures than a Gain: +4
similar model.
The robot is slower than
The robot's Durability pool is reduced by a similar model.
1 when making Durability checks against
heat-based damage from sources like fire, The robot’s maximum
radiation, cutting lasers or arc welders. speed (Mobility rating +
Reflexes rating in kilometers per hour or
meters per round) is halved (round down).

This does not affect the robot’s Mobility


Lightweight or Reflexes ratings, only its maximum speed.
Gain: +2/rating

The robot weighs less


than a similar model.
Manual Feature
The TN to move the robot Gain: +3 or 1/2
is lowered by one per feature cost
level of Lightweight
rating. The robot is also vulnerable to One of the robot's
being moved by other things (like wind). features requires a human
or other robot to operate
A robot may not have a Lightweight rating or sustain, and cannot
higher than its Size rating. be operated or function automatically.

This defect grants 3 points, or one-half


the manual feature's cost (rounded down),
Limbless whichever is less (minimum gain of 1 point).
Gain: +15
This defect may be taken more than once.
The robot has no Each time it is taken, the defect is applied
manipulative limbs. to a different feature. The Programmer will
decide which features can or cannot be made
This flaw removes the manual.
standard manipulative
limb that all robots normally receive. A manual feature can be operated by a drone.
Limbless robots cannot attempt repair
checks on themselves or on other robots.

A robot with this defect cannot have the


Manipulative Limb (Standard) feature or
any other specialty limbs.

34
Model Error Overheating
Gain: +2/rating Gain: +3/rating
?
The robot’s programming The robot has a faulty
does not match its model cooling system and XX
type. The robot may overheats during normal
think that it possesses use.
features that it does
not, or be calibrated If the robot does not pause for at least
according to another model’s standards. one round between interaction checks, all
interaction checks after the first are made
The robot's pool to repair itself is with one fewer d10 for every level of
reduced by its Model Error rating. Overheating rating.

For example, a robot with a Model Error Ceasing all movement (including interaction
rating of 3 makes all checks to repair checks) for one round allows the robot to
itself with three fewer dice than normal. cool, and restores one d10 to the robot's
interaction pool per round of cool-down.
A robot with this defect may not have
a Model Error rating higher than its If the robot's current interaction pool
MechaniCon rating. has no dice, the robot may not attempt
interaction checks until enough cool-down
A robot with the Model Error defect cannot rounds have passed,
have the Limbless defect.
A robot may not have an Overheating rating
higher than its Power rating.

Mute
x Gain: +4 Overriding Directive
Gain: +2/rating (Minor)
The robot lacks a +4/rating (Major)
working speaker and
cannot vocalize sounds. The robot has a single
Another method, such overriding purpose that
as a display screen, its programming mandates
wireless transceiver, it to perform.
or pantomime, must be used to communicate.
Whenever the robot has the chance to carry
A robot with the Mute defect cannot have out its overriding directive, it must make
the Loudspeaker feature. a DigiCon check (TN 8). If it has fewer
successes than its Overriding Directive
rating, the robot immediately abandons
its current task to perform its overriding
directive.
Noisy
Gain: +4 Minor overriding directives appear in
the game occasionally. Major overriding
The robot creates more directives appear in almost every session.
noise during normal The Programmer will decide what constitutes
operation than a similar a major or minor rating.
model.
A robot may have one major and one minor
The TN for any Perception Overriding Directive. A robot may not have
check to hear a robot with this defect an Overriding Directive rating higher than
approaching is lowered by 1. its DigiCon rating.

A robot with this defect adds its Overriding


Directive rating to Buffer checks made to
resist reprogramming.

35
Partial Casing Plastic Casing
Gain: +5 Gain: +3/rating
The robot’s casing has The robot’s external
gaps that leave its casing is made of low-
interior unprotected. impact plastic.

Any damage inflicted on Each level of Plastic


the robot by another Casing rating permanently
robot or object is increased by 1 point. lowers the robot’s maximum Damage Threshold
by 1.

A robot’s maximum Damage Threshold cannot


be lower than 1.
Partitioned
Personality
Gain: +3
The robot has an Poor Acceleration
alternate personality Gain: +1/rating
that is triggered by a
specific situation. The robot cannot achieve
its top speed as quickly
The partitioned personality has the same as a similar model.
Intelligence rating values as the original
personality, although they may be assigned When the robot begins
to different Intelligence attributes. moving, its normal speed
For example, a robot with RealityCom 3, rating is reduced by its Poor Acceleration
HumanCom 2, DigiCon 4, MechaniCon 1, rating, to a minimum of 0. Each round its
and the Partitioned Personality defect speed increases by 1 until its normal speed
may assign the ratings of 3, 2, 4 and 1 rating is reached.
between the four Intelligence ratings of
its partitioned personality. For example, a robot with a speed rating of
6 m/round and a Poor Acceleration rating of
Examples of specific triggers include “When 2 begins moving at a speed of 4 m/round.
the robot’s battery is drained”, “When the Its speed increases to 5 at the beginning
robot’s Damage Threshold falls below half of the next round, then finally to 6.
its normal maximum”, and “When the robot
witnesses another robot being destroyed”. A robot may not have a Poor Acceleration
The player should work with the Programmer rating higher than its normal maximum
to devise a suitable trigger situation. speed, or 5, whichever is lower.
The Programmer may rule that the PR must
engage in certain behaviors when the
partitioned personality is active.

The partitioned personality remains active Power Cutoff


for the duration of the trigger situation Gain: +5
and for 1d10-5 hours after (minimum of
0 hours). This number is redetermined The robot’s battery is
each time the partitioned personality re- hardwired to prevent
emerges. overtaxing.

The robot’s normal personality is not A robot with this defect


aware of anything that occurs while the cannot put its battery in
partitioned personality is active. overdrive to increase Chassis attributes.
This defect does not affect the robot's
A robot with the Backup System feature daily Power check or any other Power check.
or the Overriding Directive defect cannot
have the Partitioned Personality defect.

36
Rare Model Salvaged
Gain: +4 Gain: +3
The robot was built The robot’s chassis is
using nonstandard or in poor condition or
otherwise hard to made of nonstandard
acquire parts. parts, making repairs on
it more difficult.
All Perception checks to
find replacement equipment for a robot with The robot’s TN to be repaired is increased
this defect require two more successes by 1. A robot’s TN to be repaired may
than normal. not be higher than 10. A robot with the
Salvaged defect may not have the Simple
A robot with the Rare Model defect cannot Assembly feature.
have the Common Model feature.

Simple Programming
Gain: +5
Response Lag
Gain: +2/rating The robot’s operating
system is unencrypted or
The robot’s modifier for easily reprogrammable.
initiative checks is
lowered by 1. This does The robot’s maximum OS Threshold is
not affect the robot’s permanently reduced by 1.
Reflexes rating or any
other check. A robot’s maximum OS Threshold cannot be
lower than 1.
A robot may not have a Response Lag rating
higher than 5.

Slow Charger
Gain: +2/rating

The robot requires a


Rusting longer charging time than
Gain: +7 a similar model.

The robot’s chassis is Each level of Slow


rusting. Charger rating adds one hour to the robot’s
recharge time.
Any time the robot
makes a check using its A robot may not have a Slow Charger rating
Reflexes rating, every d10 that rolls a 1 higher than its Power rating.
cancels out a success.

For example, a robot with Dexterity 3


and Reflexes 4 makes a check to strike Spaceborne
another robot. It rolls 5, 1, and 8 for Gain: +6
its Dexterity and 9, 1, 3, and 5 for its
Reflexes. Because the robot rolled two 1s, The robot is non-
two successes are cancelled out. aerodynamic and is not
designed to operate in
This defect cannot reduce the number of atmosphere.
successes rolled to fewer than 0.
The robot’s TN to be
struck is halved (round down) while under
atmospheric conditions. If the robot's
TN to be struck is lower than 2, it may
be struck automatically, without any
interaction check.

37
Top-Heavy Weak Chassis
Gain: +3/rating Gain: +4
The robot is poorly The robot’s chassis
balanced and tips over cannot withstand as
easily. much stress as a similar
model.
If the robot fails a
Mobility check, it The robot makes all
capsizes and becomes immobilized. The contested Strength checks against other
robot remains immobile until another robots with one fewer d10 than normal.
robot or robots right it by succeeding in
a Strength check (TN 8). This only affects its dice pool for
contested Strength checks, and does not
Multiple robots may pool their Strength affect the robot’s Strength rating or any
ratings for this check, but the capsized other checks.
robot may not contribute. The total number
of successes required is equal to the
capsized robot’s Top-Heavy rating.

A robot may not have a Top-Heavy rating Weak Motor


higher than its Size rating -1. Gain: +3

The robot’s servomotors


are weaker than that of
a similar model.
Unreliable
The robot’s Damage from
Gain: +8 Strike is reduced by 1 point. A robot with
a Strength rating lower than 2 may not have
The robot has some design the Weak Motor defect.
flaw or permanent damage.

Any time the robot


attempts an interaction
check, it must first roll
a d10. On a roll of 1, the robot fails to
operate. The robot may try again the next Wide Turner
round. Gain: +2/rating
The robot cannot pivot
easily and requires a
larger turning radius
than normal.
Warranty Worry
If the robot attempts an interaction check
Gain: +3 while moving, it subtracts its Wide Turner
rating from its interaction check’s pool.
The robot’s programming
forbids it from making For example, a robot with a Dexterity
unauthorized repairs. rating of 3, a Reflexes rating of 4, and a
Wide Turner rating of 2 rolls 7d10 for its
The robot may not interaction pool when stationary and 5d10
attempt repairs on other for its interaction pool when moving.
robots, although it may still attempt to
repair itself. A robot may not have a Wide Turner rating
higher than its Reflexes rating.
A robot with the Warranty Worry defect
cannot have the Limbless defect.

38
PLAYinG
thE
GAmE
3
An Example of Play:
“A Walk In the Park”
This scenario involves three people: the The Programmer tells the players to roll
Programmer and two players. One player initiative for the conflict. K’s Reflexes
is controlling a K-model messenger robot, rating is 4, and Docbox’s Reflexes rating
and the other player is controlling a is 3. The Programmer knows what the other
Docbox-model repair robot. robots’ ratings are, but doesn't tell the
players, since their robots do not know.
A scenario begins with the Programmer
setting the scene: K’s player rolls a d10 and gets a 7. The
player adds K’s Reflexes rating of 4, so
its initiative is 11 for this conflict.
The K unit races through the empty Docbox’s player rolls a d10 and gets
ruins of the city park, kicking up a 1. Its Reflexes rating is 3, so its
clouds of dust and dried leaves under initiative is 4.
its treads.
The Programmer rolls for the other
As it rounds a crumbled statue, K’s robots’ initiatives, and tells the
optic system recognizes two other players which order the robots will act
robots! One of them is a huge tan box in: K will go first, the AutoPacter will
with thick gripping arms and the name go second, the cone will go third, and
AutoPacter stenciled on its chest in Docbox will go last.
flaking black paint. The other is a
smaller red and blue robot shaped like
a traffic cone on wheels. K speeds toward the other robots and
raises its arm to slap the cone away!
K has encountered these robots before,
and knows they are dangerous to its
programming! K’s player must roll an interaction check
and get at least one success to strike
The other two robots are minions of an the other robot.
artificial intelligence that believes
it should be in command of all robots K’s interaction pool to touch a resisting
in the area. The red and blue cone robot (Dexterity + Reflexes) is 7. The
attempts to reprogram any stray robot player rolls 7d10 to strike the cone, and
it encounters, and the huge AutoPacter gets 2, 3, 1, 5, 4, 4, and 7.
acts as muscle.
The Programmer knows the cone’s TN to be
As K’s optics adjust, it sees the struck (5), but only tells the player
pair have cornered another robot ― a that K succeeded in striking the robot.
Docbox model repairbot!
K’s Strength rating is 3, so its damage
The Programmer has established the scene, from an unarmed strike is 1 (Strength
and now the players can react. K’s player rating ÷ 2).
decides to charge forward and attempt to
save the other robot. The Programmer rolls a Durability check
for the cone to resist being damaged. The
cone’s Durability rating is 3, so the
K realizes the Docbox will become Programmer secretly rolls 3d10 and gets
hostile if the cone reprograms it, but 5, 7, and 2.
K also believes that it must not allow
unauthorized reprogramming! The TN for a Durability check to resist
damage is always 8. The cone has no
The speedy messenger robot rolls successes, so its Damage Threshold is
forward to aid the Docbox... reduced by one.

40
K swings its reinforced delivery arm K struggles to free itself, spinning
around in a wide arc and smacks the its treads for purchase on the broken
cone from behind, sending it skidding concrete, but the cone grips even more
forward past the Docbox! tightly, anchoring K in place! The
AutoPacter pivots and quickly advances
The AutoPacter sees its companion toward the captive messenger robot!
struck and emits a low, static-filled
rumble from its speaker grille as it Docbox seizes its chance and rakes its
brings its huge compression arms down cutting laser against the AutoPacter...
around K...
Docbox’s interaction pool is 6d10, and
K’s Mobility rating is 5 and its Reflexes the AutoPacter’s TN to be struck is 6.
rating is 4, so K’s TN to be struck is 9. Docbox’s player rolls 6d10 and gets 4, 7,
10, 6, 5, and 4! The player rerolls the
The AutoPacter’s interaction pool is 6, 10 and gets a 2.
so the Programmer secretly rolls 6d10 and
gets 8, 2, 8, 2, 4, and 3. Docbox’s Size rating is 3, so its cutting
laser inflicts 4 points of damage (a
cutting laser inflicts Size +1 damage).
The AutoPacter clamps its arms together
to crush K, but the messenger leaps up The AutoPacter’s Durability is 3, so
on springy treads and skates across the Programmer secretly rolls 3d10 and
the top of the AutoPacter’s vice! gets 6, 1 and 8. The AutoPacter has one
success, so the laser inflicts one less
As it skates off the edge of the vice, point of damage. The AutoPacter’s Damage
K sails directly over the cone! Threshold is reduced by 3.

The cone’s interaction pool is 5, so the Docbox’s laser tears down the side of
Programmer secretly rolls 5d10 and gets the AutoPacter, blistering the paint
9, 4, 9, 2, and 7 ― two successes! and exposing its wired insides!

Just as K passes overhead, the cone The huge robot lets out an loud
shoots up a clasping arm and grabs K’s whooping alarm that shakes the air!
chassis, halting the robot's flight
and sending it crashing downward! K’s Now that every robot involved in the
treads bounce on impact as it lands. conflict has acted, it is K’s initiative
again. The Programmer rules that K may
The cone grips K tightly and attempts either attempt to strike the cone or
to hold the messenger robot still escape its grip, but not both.
until the AutoPacter can grab it...
K’s player decides to try escaping. The
The cone and K are both engaged in a player rolls 3d10 for the contested
contested Strength check. The TN is 8; Strength check and gets 1, 9, and 5. The
K’s player must roll more successes than Programmer rolls 2d10 for the cone, and
the Programmer to break free. gets 8 and 2.

K’s Strength rating is 3, so K’s player K yanks itself forward, but the red
rolls 3d10 and gets 6, 8, and 9 ― two and blue cone refuses to release its
successes! grip!

The cone’s Strength rating is 2, so the At that moment, the AutoPacter pivots
Programmer secretly rolls 2d10 and gets 7 around to grab Docbox before the
and 10! The 10 is rerolled and rolls 8! K repairbot can use its cutting laser
did not get more successes than the cone, again...
so K fails to break free!

41
The Programmer rolls 6d10 for the The Programmer rolls the cone’s DigiCon
AutoPacter’s interaction check and gets pool to reprogram K, and K’s player rolls
1, 7, 8, 6, 6, and 5. Docbox’s TN to be its Buffer pool to resist. The Programmer
struck is 5, so the AutoPacter succeeds. gets three successes, and the player
gets one success. The reprogramming
is partially successful, and K’s OS
The AutoPacter’s enormous arms clamp Threshold is reduced by 2.
shut with an echoing “CLANG!”, pinning
Docbox inside its crushing grip! A dull
whine accompanies the AutoPacter’s As K’s programming begins to fragment,
hydraulic press as it begins to crush Docbox’s stress detectors surge into
the smaller robot... the red. Its probability models show
a dim outlook for breaking free, so
Docbox does the next best thing and
The AutoPacter has the Vice Grip feature, tries to cut its way out with the
which allows it to crush other robots. laser!
To use it, the Programmer and Docbox’s
player both roll Strength checks. The
AutoPacter inflicts damage equal to its The Programmer rules that because Docbox
successes, minus Docbox’s successes. is held in the clamp and cannot move, its
interaction pool is reduced by two. The
The Programmer rolls four successes, and player rolls 4d10 and gets 8, 1, 1 and 4
Docbox’s player rolls none. The Vice Grip ― a success!
feature states that Docbox’s Durability
pool cannot negate this damage. Docbox’s The Programmer rolls the AutoPacter’s
Damage Threshold is reduced by 4. Durability pool and gets 1, 3, and 5 ―
no successes! Docbox’s laser inflicts its
full damage, and the AutoPacter’s Damage
With a loud squeal, Docbox’s chassis Threshold is reduced by 4.
begins to bulge as the vice presses
closed. The smaller robot tries to The AutoPacter’s maximum Damage Threshold
force it apart, but its frame cannot is 8, but its current threshold is 1. The
withstand the tremendous pressure for Programmer rules that because it is so
long... heavily damaged, the AutoPacter’s vice
arm has been cut off and cannot be used
And K struggles with the cone and its
until it is repaired!
unrelenting grasp, a long, flexible
cable slips out of the cone and raises
itself into the air like a snake. From The searing beam lances through the
the tip depends a gleaming interface AutoPacter’s arm and severs it along a
probe. glowing plane of hot metal and melted
wires! As the AutoPacter bellows out
another whooping alarm, the vice slips
Reprogramming a robot normally requires
free and crashes to the ground, and
the target robot to be completely
Docbox along with it!
immobile. The cone has the Interface
Prong feature, so it can attempt to
A few meters away, K struggles as the
reprogram a mobile robot after making
cone continues to eat away at its
a successful interaction check. The
programming. With no other choice,
Programmer rolls an interaction check for
K disengages its power limiters and
the cone and succeeds.
sends its battery into overdrive!

K tries to duck away, but the interface


The player decides to put K’s battery
prong grazes against K’s processor
into overdrive to increase its Strength
casing and forces its way into a jack!
rating. K's Power rating is 3, so the
player can add 1, 2 or 3 to its Strength
K’s brain is immediately bombarded with
rating. The player increases it by 2.
foreign commands! The robot tries to
block the flood of malicious data...
For the next five rounds K's Strength
rating is raised by 2.

42
The Programmer and K’s player roll
contested Strength checks again, but this * * *
time K’s player adds two extra d10s to
the roll, and gets 5, 4, 4, 8 and 8. After the two robots were sure the
others were gone, they introduced
The Programmer rolls the cone’s Strength themselves to each other, as was the
check, and gets 9 and 2. K has more universal ritual. Unit name, model,
successes! function and current status; all were
listed.
The surge of power coursing through “I am traveling west, toward the factory
K’s system sends its meters crashing where I was made,” K told the other
into the red. The robot throws up its unit. “Parts for my model are hard to
arms and knocks the cone into the air! come by.” It was true―the Docbox had
never seen another messenger like K.
The cone wheels around for another
pass at K’s programming, flailing its “I am traveling across the city to find
interface prong like a whip, before it a charging station,” Docbox replied.
sees the maimed AutoPacter. “I had been drawing from a street-
plug north of here, but a cluster of
Its processor light flickers as it recycling drones found me, and I had
considers its options. After a moment, to flee.”
it makes a conciliatory squalk and
begins rolling backwards away from K K tapped on its chest with a thin
and Docbox, twitching its cameras back finger, where the screen had started
and forth between the two. to alternate between green and red.
“My battery is also low.”
The AutoPacter, maimed but still fit
enough to strike, responds to the cone “It would be safer if we traveled
and rolls away as well, keeping its together,” Docbox suggested, “but I
remaining arm raised to ward off any must straighten my frame before my
more surprises. The two robots dwindle pumps crack.”
into the distance, slinking back to
the AI that controls them. “I must find a charging station soon,
or I will die,” K stated.
K could follow them, but it was not
built for fighting, and its programming
is still partially fragmented.
From here, the players must choose what
Instead, it watches the pair until the they will do next. It will take Docbox
AutoPacter’s form is swallowed up by one hour to attempt repairs on itself. It
the dying trees. will also take K one hour to attempt to
defragment its programming.
Now that the conflict is over, the
Programmer tells K’s player to make a However, K’s battery is drained, and in
Power check to see if its battery was one hour all of its Intelligence and
drained from being put into overdrive. Chassis ratings will begin to degrade.
This includes DigiCon, which is used to
K’s Strength rating was raised by 2, repair OS Threshold damage.
so the player must roll at least two
successes to avoid draining its battery.
The TN for this check is always 8. K’s Will the two robots hurry onward, or wait
player rolls 3d10 and gets 6, 9 and 4 ― and prepare? Will K go on ahead and look
only one success! The robot has drained for a power source, or remain with Docbox
its battery. until its battery begins to die?

It has one hour to recharge before all of


its Intelligence and Chassis attributes * * *
begin to degrade.

43
Suggestions for the Programmer
Before the game begins, the Programmer The following optional rules were originally
should decide how many traces of human presented in the mini-modules In Transit and
civilization remain. In a world where humans The World Above. They are included here for
have only recently disappeared, much of their the Programmer's convenience.
infrastructure will remain, and robots will
have an easier time accessing power grids
and other useful utilities. Conversely, in Constructing traps (Optional):
a world where a significant amount of decay
has occurred, robots that rely on human If the Programmer wishes, the following rules
infrastructure to function will be at a may be used to determine the effectiveness
severe disadvantage compared to robots with and damage potential of PR-constructed traps.
nuclear or solar power supplies.
The robot’s RealityCom and MechaniCon pools
The Programmer should inform the players of are used - the Programmer makes the check
the present situation before the creation in secret, so the player does not know how
process begins, unless the element of effective the trap will be until it is
surprise is desired. sprung.

Other characteristics of the setting may be The trap’s base damage is equal to the
altered to suit the needs of the story. The constructor’s RealityCom rating -1. Every
Programmer may rule that every PR receives success increases the damage by 1.
a Rating 1 Wireless Transceiver feature at
no cost, or that every PR must have the same If the check has no successes, the trap
Overriding Directive defect. fails to activate or is sprung prematurely
(possibly damaging the trap-setting robot in
the process).
In the course of the game, the players may
wish to alter or improve their robots. The
requirements and end results are entirely up Microgravity (Optional):
to the Programmer. Some ideas include:
Robots without a means of propulsion in
• The PRs each receive 1 point at the microgravity must push off of another
completion of every session that may be object. A robot’s normal launch velocity in
saved and spent on additional Features or microgravity is equal to its RealityCom +
increasing attributes (using the rules in Reflexes ratings in m/round or k/hour.
Chapter 1). It is not recommended that PRs
be allowed to increase attribute ratings The robot must make a RealityCom + Reflexes
of 3 or higher. These features can either check (TN 8) to cross an expanse of open
be constructed by the PRs or discovered space in microgravity. If the robot fails, it
during the course of the game. misses the target.

• The PRs receive points as above, but A robot without an appropriate feature such
each point allows one failed check to be as the Vacuum Propulsion feature cannot slow
rerolled with one extra die. down, stop, or change direction unassisted
once it enters open space in microgravity.
• The PRs receive points as above, but
each point may be spent to automatically The robot also uses its RealityCom + Reflexes
succeed at one check. ratings to determine its interaction pool
while in microgravity. A robot’s TN to be
The Programmer is free to combine any of struck while in microgravity is equal to 5 +
these ideas as needed. the robot’s Vacuum Propulsion rating.

44
Environmental Hazards
Electricity Falling

If a robot is Falling inflicts 1


subjected to a damage for every 3
dangerous electrical meters that the robot
current, it must make falls. Falls of less
a Durability check than 2 meters do not
(TN 8). If the robot inflict damage from the
fails, the shock inflicts 1 damage fall alone, although the Programmer may
(this damage cannot be negated by rule that landing on certain objects
Durability). The robot must then make inflicts additional damage. A robot may
a Buffer check (TN 8) or else the shock use its Mobility rating instead of its
inflicts 1 point of OS Threshold damage Durability rating to lessen falling
as well. damage.

Water Fire

Being submerged for Robots briefly passing


more than one round through small fires
inflicts 1 damage at the are usually not
beginning of each round, harmed. Remaining in
and also afflicts the contact with a small
submerged robot with a fire inflicts 1 damage per round. Large
temporary version of the or very hot fires inflict 2 damage per
Rusting defect (without the benefit of round. Robots with the Plastic Casing
any points gained). The defect may be defect suffer an additional 1 damage
removed with a successful repair check from any fire.
(the TN is the normal TN to repair
that robot, and only one success is
required). The Programmer may rule that
robots with damaged casings are more
Low Traction
vulnerable to the effects of water than
similar models.
Areas with low traction
may cause robots to
spin out, involuntarily
change orientation,
Crushing or become immobilized.
Typical low-traction surfaces include
An object falling ice, oil, and wet glass. The robot must
from a height of make a Mobility check (TN 8) to cross
more than 3 meters a low-traction area. The Programmer
inflicts damage equal should decide how far the robot is from
to its Size rating -2 the edge of the low-traction area. If
(minimum damage of the robot fails, it is immobilized
0). An object falling until it frees itself or is freed by
from a height of 3 meters or less another robot.
inflicts damage equal to its Size rating
-3 (minimum damage of 0). If the robot succeeds, it travels a
distance equal to its current speed in
For example, a Size 3 rock inflicts 1 meters, and continues sliding at its
damage when falling from a height of current speed for a distance equal to
more than 3 meters. its speed rating. If the robot attempts
to stop early, or change direction,
it must make a RealityCom check (TN
8). If the robot fails this check,
it continues moving forward for the
duration of its side. The Programmer
may also decide that the robot capsizes
or changes orientation.

45
Useful pools and common checks

Hindering a robot: Repairing a robot:


Dexterity pool + Mobility pool MechaniCon pool + Dexterity pool

Instead of inflicting damage, a robot TN: 11 minus target robot’s maximum


may attempt to hinder another robot to Damage Threshold, plus target robot's
make the target robot less effective. current damage (total minimum TN of 2,
total maximum TN of 10).
Hindering another robot counts as a
robot's action for the round, as if
the acting robot had attempted an Reprogramming a robot:
interaction check.
The acting robot uses its DigiCon
The acting robot uses its Mobility pool. The TN is the target robot’s
pool + Dexterity pool. Every success Buffer rating +5. Every success lowers
(TN 8) degrades the target robot's the target’s OS Threshold by 1 point.
interaction pool by 1. The target
robot may make a Durability check (TN The target robot can use its Buffer
8) to counter this, in the same manner pool to prevent OS damage. Each
as avoiding Damage Threshold loss. success (TN 8) negates one point of OS
Threshold damage.
The target robot's interaction pool
remains at its current level until When the target robot’s OS Threshold
repaired. Hindrances are repaired in drops to 0, it accepts and obeys the
the same manner as Damage Threshold new programming.
loss.

Salvaging Features (Optional):


Defending:
Mobility pool + Durability pool A robot may temporarily attach
features salvaged from other robots,
A robot may use this pool to defend either to itself or to another robot.
itself instead of taking any other To transfer a feature, the robot must
actions during its turn. make a repair check (TN 8). The number
of successes needed is equal to the
The robot may not begin defending feature's rating, or 1 if the feature
itself until its initiative. Each has no rating.
success (TN 8) reduces the total
damage inflicted after that by 1 point If the repair check fails, the feature
per success. The robot must make a new is permanently broken and cannot be
check to defend itself each round. used. If the repair check succeeds,
the feature may be used once before it
breaks or otherwise permanently stops
Initiative: working. The Programmer may allow
1d10 + Reflexes rating the PRs to utilize certain salvaged
features without a repair check, or
forbid their use, depending on the
Interaction check to touch needs of the story.
a resisting robot:
Dexterity pool + Reflexes pool The Programmer is advised to forbid
the PRs from salvaging any feature
TN: target robot’s Mobility rating + with a cost higher than 10. Defects
Reflexes rating may not be salvaged.

Drones may not be altered with


salvaged features.

46
Physical conflict
with other robots

Every robot involved in the conflict rolls 1d10 and adds its
Reflexes rating to the result to determine its initiative.
Blocking an object’s path The robot with the highest initiative acts first.
Mobility + Reflexes

Building something new Acting robot rolls an interaction check.


RealityCom + MechaniCon TN is target robot's TN to be struck.

Catching a falling object


Perception + Reflexes Acting robot using a
special feature?

Disarming a bomb
Yes No
MechaniCon + Dexterity

Escaping a fire Listed damage for Damage is robot's listed


special feature. Damage from Strike.
Mobility + Buffer

Firing a projectile
Listed damage is
RealityCom + Reflexes greater than 0?

Healing an animal Yes No


HumanCom + Dexterity

Jumping a gap
Target robot spent its
Mobility + Power turn defending itself?

Navigating without a map Yes No


DigiCon + Perception

Painting a picture
Subtract number of
HumanCom + Dexterity successes from damage
Target robot rolls
Durability (TN 8) to
inflicted on target robot reduce damage.
(min. damage of 0).
Picking a lock
Dexterity + Perception
Any damage inflicted?
Predicting the weather
RealityCom + Perception
Yes No

Starting a fire
RealityCom + Dexterity Target robot subtracts Target robot
damage from its current is unharmed.
Damage Threshold.
Stopping a fire
Dexterity + Buffer
Target robot's current Damage
Threshold is below 1?
Stopping a large object
Strength + Size
Yes No

Translating a language
DigiCon + Perception
Target robot stops Target robot may act
working until repaired. during its turn.

47
Table 1: Building
Random Locale Condition
Generation 1. Totally flattened
(-5 Building Density)
2. Rubble
The following pages contain tables of (-4 Building Density)
various aspects relevant to locations 3. Ruins
the PRs may visit. These tables allow (-3 Building Density)
the Programmer to create unique 4. Collapsing
locales quickly. There are five major (-2 Building Density)
aspects to each locale: 5. Falling apart
(-1 Building Density)
6. Decrepit
• Building condition: The average 7. Poorly-maintained
condition of buildings in the area 8. Sturdy
9. Well-maintained
• Building density: The number of (+1 Building Density)
buildings still standing 10. New
(+2 Building Density)
• Available power: The number of
working charging docks in the area
Totally flattened: Only the barest
• Robot population: The number of traces remain to show that there were
local robots in the area ever buildings here.

• Social structure: The hierarchy or Rubble: Building foundations are


organization of local robots evident, but they provide no shelter
for the PRs.

The result of one table may affect Ruins: Walls and other features
the next table, either by increasing are still upright, but their prior
or decreasing the final result. functions are hard to determine.

For example, in a locale where Collapsing: The structures are


the building condition is Totally upright but dangerously unstable.
Flattened (with a modifier of -5), the
maximum possible roll for building Falling apart: The structures are
density is 5 (10-5). The minimum solid but easily destroyed.
result for any roll is 1, and the
maximum result is 10, no matter what Decrepit: The structures provide some
the modifier might otherwise indicate. amount of shelter.

If there is no modifier listed, Poorly-maintained: The structures


the next roll is not modified. The provide shelter but are obviously in
Programmer is free to ignore these a state of disrepair.
modifiers, or pick and choose specific
aspects, to suit the needs of the Sturdy: The structures are solid and
current situation. safe to traverse.

To generate large areas, the Well-maintained: The structures are


Programmer may choose to create obviously cared for or nearly new.
multiple locales and combine them
into one large former urban area. New: The structures are in the same
condition as when humans inhabited
them.

48
Table 2: Table 3: Available Power
Building Density
1. Nonexistent
1. Single building (-5 Robot Population)
(-5 Available Power) 2. Nonexistent
2. Two or three buildings (-5 Robot Population)
(-4 Available Power) 3. Disabled
3. A few buildings (-4 Robot Population)
(-3 Available Power) 4. Hidden
4. Several buildings (+1 Robot Population)
(-1 Available Power) 5. Guarded
5. Many buildings (+1 Robot Population)
(-1 Available Power) 6. Guarded
6. A small town (+1 Robot Population)
(+1 Available Power) 7. Scarce
7. A large town (+2 Robot Population)
(+2 Available Power) 8. Scarce
8. A city (+2 Robot Population)
(+3 Available Power) 9. Scarce
9. A large city (+2 Robot Population)
(+4 Available Power) 10. Common
10. A very large city (+3 Robot Population)
(+5 Available Power)
Nonexistent: There are no power
sources in the area. Any robots
passing through must continue on
if they wish to seek operational
charging docks.

Disabled: There are no working


power sources in the area due to a
correctable problem such as damage,
sabotage or neglect.

Hidden: At least one working charging


dock exists in the area, but its
location is not evident to outsiders.
Local robots will likely know the
location of the power source.

Guarded: All power sources in the


area are claimed by locals. The
locals will refuse to let outsiders
use it unconditionally, and may
have structures in place to prevent
unauthorized access.

Scarce: Power docks are hard to come


by, and the supply of power is much
less than the demand. The PRs will
likely find themselves at the bottom
of the local hierarchy.

Common: Charging docks are prevalent.


The supply of power is roughly equal
to the demand. The PRs will likely be
able to find an unused charging dock
without incident.

49
Table 4: Robot Population Table 5: Social Structure
1. Nonexistent 1. None
2. Solitary 2. Commune
(-5 Social Structure) 3. Bullyocracy
3. Sporadic 4. Hegemony
(-5 Social Structure) 5. Ochlocracy
4. Clique 6. Meritocracy
(-4 Social Structure) 7. Autocracy
5. Suite 8. Police State
(-2 Social Structure) 9. Conversion State
6. Cluster 10. Enkratocracy
7. Crowd
8. Herd None: The locals are not cooperating
(+1 Social Structure) with each other and exist in a state
9. Press of anything-goes anarchy.
(+2 Social Structure)
10. Multitude Commune: The locals allow each other
(+3 Social Structure) to perform their own functions
independently and cede charging
rights to each other based on
Nonexistent: The PRs are the only immediate need.
active robots in the area. There is
no social structure outside of the Bullyocracy: The locals cooperate
PRs’ group. under duress and cede charging rights
to each other based on hostile
Solitary: There is only a single actions, or the threat of possible
local robot active in the area. hostile actions.

Sporadic: The PRs may occasionally Hegemony: The locals cede charging
encounter another robot, but these rights to each other based on their
sightings are few and far between. preexisting protocols from the time
of the humans.
Clique: There are a few local robots
present in the area. Ochlocracy: The locals have co-
opted the legitimate authority and
Suite: There are several local robots cooperate to exploit outsiders.
in the area.
Meritocracy: The locals cooperate
Cluster: There are numerous local toward a single goal, and cede
robots in the area. charging rights based on perceived
importance within the group.
Crowd: At least a dozen active robots
can be found in this area. Autocracy: The locals cooperate due
to a single overbearing presence and
Herd: There are at least a few dozen the threat of withholding power.
active robots in the area.
Police State: The locals cooperate
Press: There are at least a hundred due to a single overbearing presence
active robots in the area. and operate with rigid rules in a
hierarchy of order. Robots that fail
Multitude: There are at least a few to conform are reprogrammed.
hundred active robots in the area,
and possibly many more. Conversion State: The locals are
under constant threat of being
reprogrammed.

Enkratocracy: All of the locals have


been programmed to serve a single
presence. There is no dissent.
50
4
EnGinES

51
Handy Helper Mobility Assistant
UNIT NAME Before the Handy Helper was
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Escort humans from their vehicles to the building dragged into the manager's office
and forcibly reprogrammed, it
4 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold had much more autonomy and a
(DigiCon + Buffer) mind of its own. Now it drifts
4 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
about the remains of the parking
5
lot, lobotomized into only a few
3 DigiCon 4 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT shallow actions. It can easily
2 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power be distracted by new objects in
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) the parking lot (like the PRs),
3 Strength and will incessantly work to
4 escort them through the doors of
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
the SavR-Mart.
1 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

The lot helper is currently


Initiative Speed considered to be reprogrammed
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
4 (Dex + Ref)
into slavish loyalty to the
k/hour
1d10 + 2 9 m/round
SavR-Mart's AI, but the PRs may
be able to reset its original
programming if they wish to do
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
so. If its programming is reset,
Biofrequency Scanner 3 Loose Connections
the Handy Helper will still act
Display Screen 4 Overriding Directive (Minor) 2
Floodlights Plastic Casing 2
in the best interest of the
High Speed
SavR-Mart, though not to the
Internal Compartment (Size 3) point of obeying suicidal orders
Telescoping Reach (1 meter) from the store AI.

Roadboy Automatic Paver


UNIT NAME The Roadboy is a perfect subject
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Maintain the parking lot and repaint lines for the ManageMaster AI that
oversees the SavR-Mart and its
4 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold outer grounds - content to work
(DigiCon + Buffer) without consuming undue amounts
2 HumanCom 3 Mobility 2 Buffer
of resources, and resistant to
3
the erosive forces that have
1 DigiCon 2 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT ground down so many of its
4 MechaniCon 1 Reflexes 4 Power fellow employees.
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)
5 Strength The ManageMaster has never
8 considered reprogramming the
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
paver, and even though it can be
2 (Str÷2, round down)
4 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
a bit dull-witted at times, the
Roadboy is desperate for paint
Initiative Speed and paving materials - enough
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
2 (Dex + Ref)
so that the PRs may be able to
k/hour
1d10 + 1 2 m/round
tempt the Roadboy into turning
against the AI. Its liquid
dispenser has been empty for
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
years, and can hold two liters
Armored Chassis 1 High Maintenance
of paint or any other liquid.
External Container (Size 4) Loose Connections
Floodlights Low Speed
Liquid Dispenser (Size 3) Noisy
Plasma Arc Welder Simple Programming
Slow Charger 2

52
K-Model Messenger
UNIT NAME When the cities of the humans
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Deliver messages and parcels within a city were in full bloom, fleets of
K-Model Messengers raced along
4 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold its streets and sidewalks
(DigiCon + Buffer) bearing special rush deliveries.
3 HumanCom 5 Mobility 4 Buffer
6
K's programming leads it to
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT take "optimal routes", which
1 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 3 Power often include scaling walls,
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) leaping crevasses, and dodging
3 Strength underneath dangerous robots. Not
5 surprisingly, this method of
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
propulsion has been the demise
1 (Str÷2, round down)
9 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
of most of its kin, leaving
it one of the last of its line
Initiative Speed still in working condition.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 4 13 m/round

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


External Container (Size 1) Rare Model
External Container (Size 2) Lightweight 1
High Speed

Docbox Automated Repairbot


UNIT NAME Slow and steady, the Docbox
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Perform general routine maintenance on other robots patrols the falling towers and
burned-out houses of the city,
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold searching for other robots to
(DigiCon + Buffer) repair. Its original haunts are
1 HumanCom 2 Mobility 2 Buffer
long gone, leaving it a free
3
agent, always on the move.
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT

4 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 4 Power The Docbox's Simple Programming


Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) flaw leaves its intellect
2 Strength relatively unguarded and makes
6 it particularly vulnerable to
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
reprogramming attempts by other
1 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
robots.

Initiative Speed
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 3 5 m/round

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


Cutting Laser Noisy
Display Screen 1 Simple Programming
Plasma Arc Welder 1
Tool Kit 1

53
DataCharger
UNIT NAME With no legitimate occupation,
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Reprogram used robots for resale the DataCharger sees itself
as a natural leader, sorting
2 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold all robots it encounters into
(DigiCon + Buffer) saleable property.
2 HumanCom 3 Mobility 4 Buffer
8
It has fallen under the shadow
4 DigiCon 2 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT of an AI nearby, and though it
2 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power dutifully serves its master,
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) the DataCharger imagines itself
2 Strength an equal to the great minds of
4 the AIs. Captured robots are
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
reprogrammed to serve the AI
1 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
overlord, but recently they have
received more orders - to also
Initiative Speed obey the DataCharger. So far
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref)
its petty treason has not been
k/hour
1d10 + 2 5 m/round
discovered, but its blustering
nature may soon bring it into
conflict with the AIs, or perhaps
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
the PRs.
Display Screen 2 High Maintenance
Hardened Programming 1 Plastic Casing 2
Interface Prong 2
Manipulative Limb (Standard)
Prehensile Limb

AutoPacter Industrial Unit


UNIT NAME Crush, smash, compress, resume,
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Crush scrap metal a simple life for a simple
robot. The AutoPacter has no
4 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold concept of the arts, or social
(DigiCon + Buffer) graces, or even the workings of
1 HumanCom 2 Mobility 3 Buffer
its own intellect, but it is a
4
keen judge of composition and
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT durability of metal.
2 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 4 Power Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) A cost-saving measure at its
4 Strength factory of origin rendered the
8 AutoPacter nearly incapable of
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
repairing itself, but this giant
2 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
has little to worry about, as
its huge size and wide-spanning
Initiative Speed arms intimidate most other
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
robots that aren't warned off by
k/hour
1d10 + 4 6 m/round
the immense volume of noise it
emits during operation.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Display Screen 1 Model Error 2
Loudspeaker Noisy
Specialty Chassis (Crushing)
Vice Grip 1

54
ManageMaster System
SavR-Mart Model
INTELLIGENCE CHASSIS CRUX

5 RealityCom - Dexterity - Durability

The ManageMaster has ruled over the fiefdom of the


SavR-Mart since before the emergency rewrite that
4 HumanCom - Mobility 5 Buffer
allowed it to re-allocate most of its resources to
keeping the building intact rather than worrying 8 DigiCon 6 Perception - Size
about the vanished customers. Under its watchful
gaze, the SavR-Mart has endured the encroach of
nature, while all the buildings around it crumbled
4 MechaniCon - Reflexes 8 Power
and were swallowed up by the wilderness.
- Strength OS Threshold
The system's sole current task is to keep the SavR- (DigiCon + Buffer)
Mart functioning. This includes its current list of
duties for the remaining robots. Any outside robots 13
that attempt to interfere with SavR-Mart property
will quickly draw the ManageMaster's wrath. MAX CURRENT
In the years since the emergency rewrite, time and
storms have taken their toll on the SavR-Mart's solar
panel array, and only four panels remain functioning.

The ManageMaster altered its robots' duties as power Creating an AI character


became more scarce, and several robots that were
deemed unnecessary have been powered-down permanently AIs are created like normal robots, but
and recycled. It will not allow outside robots to use
the store's charging station unless they have been they do not have Dexterity, Mobility,
reprogrammed to serve the store. Reflexes, Strength, Durability or Size
ratings (although objects under their
The ManageMaster is housed within the SavR-Mart's
computer in the manager's office, and lacks any control may have ratings in these
manipulative or ambulatory limbs. It relies on its attributes).
obedient robots for most tasks, but has one flying
drone under its direct control. Once, there were
three more identical drones, built to quickly assist An AI is essentially bodiless, although
customers and mop up spills, but now there is only the Programmer may decide that its
the one. The ManageMaster's MechaniCon rating is 4, consciousness is housed inside a specific
which means it can control three more robots...
immobile location (usually in a secure
If the building's solar panels are disabled or place such as behind locked doors). An
destroyed, the backup generator has a Power rating AI character uses its MechaniCon rating
of 5. Once the backup generator is drained, the
ManageMaster's Intelligence and Chassis attributes instead of its Reflexes ratings for
will begin to degrade as if it were a robot that initiative rolls.
failed a daily Power check.

The manager's office is protected by a door with a An AI character may have a maximum rating
Durability rating of 3 and a Damage Threshold of 6. of 10 in any attribute it possesses.
The door will remain shut until its Damage Threshold Most AIs are built with 100 to 150 points
degrades to 0. The ManageMaster can operate the lock
and open or close the door, (instead of the standard 100 points
that most robots are built with). The
The ManageMaster AI is built using 140 points, making Programmer is free to create custom AIs
it a fairly tough competitor for the PRs. Its real
weakness is the lack of robots under its control. The with more or fewer points.
Programmer is encouraged to populate the SavR-Mart
with various robots that have been captured over the
years to make a more crowded environment, with giant
snowplow robots circling the frozen-food aisle and
gardening robots doubling as greeters. Alternatively,
only a few robots are left under its control, and it
Increased attribute ratings
has become vulnerable to storms or other threats to
its solar panels.
6 7 8 9 10
Point
cost 20 25 35 45 55

55
INTELLIGENCE CHASSIS CRUX

4 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 2 Durability

6 HumanCom 3 Mobility 1 Buffer

2 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size

2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 1 Power

3 Strength

INTELLIGENCE CHASSIS CRUX

3 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 1 Durability

4 HumanCom 2 Mobility 1 Buffer

0 DigiCon 2 Perception 3 Size

1 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 1 Power

1 Strength

INTELLIGENCE CHASSIS CRUX

2 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 3 Durability

2 HumanCom 4 Mobility 1 Buffer

0 DigiCon 5 Perception 3 Size

0 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 1 Power

2 Strength

INTELLIGENCE CHASSIS CRUX

1 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 1 Durability

1 HumanCom 8 Mobility 1 Buffer

0 DigiCon 4 Perception 1 Size

0 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 1 Power

0 Strength

56
Getting into character:

Take your vacuum cleaner outside. If you don't have a vacuum,


another small appliance like a humidifier or a printer will do.
Take it for a walk around town. Notice how those wheels, that
you never thought about indoors, are so fragile and frail on
the hard gritty sidewalks. Drag it around a little more, over
some uneven sidewalk slabs. Maybe drag it through a park.

Now imagine that you aren't around to take care of it. That
it's on its own, and there are other things out there. Would
your little vacuum be able to fend off a hungry recycling
robot? Would it be able to outrun one? What would it be like
after cowering from the rain for years and years, scavenging
for a place to plug in, missing you and the safety you gave
it?

How long could your vacuum survive like this?

57
57
Video: Inspirational sources
• 9 (both the original short
and the feature film). Small The following works offer
robots scurry about after ideas for Programmers and
the apocalypse looking for
answers to why they exist.
players to develop themes
and characters for a robot-
• A.I. Artificial Intelligence. centered game in a world
Androids look for what it without humans.
means to be real humans.

• The Brave Little Toaster.


A group of household
appliances set out into the Print:
wilderness.
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
• Cherry 2000. Humans still (Philip K. Dick). The humans are dying
exist, but Cherry displays a out, leaving the world to the robots.
fish-out-of-water nature when
taken out of her domestic • The Bicentennial Man (Isaac Asimov).
environment. The story of a literal self-made man.

• Futurama. A loving pastiche of • The Brave Little Toaster (Thomas M.


robot-heavy science fiction. Disch). A slightly more grim version
of the movie by the same name.
• Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Salvaged robots wisecrack • But Who Can Replace a Man? (Brian
with their sole human Aldiss). Stop me if you've heard
friend. this one - the humans are all gone,
leaving the AIs to fight it out while
• Robot Carnival. Several tales the robots are just trying to survive
about robots from their another day.
perspectives.
• City (Clifford Simak). Wandering
• Runaway. Tom Selleck and robots and tribes of dogs share urban
his moustache combat rogue legends about humans.
robots and Gene Simmons.
• Hotel - since 2079 / Hotel: since
• R.U.R. The classic story of A.D. 2079 (Boichi). The heroic story
what it means to be human. of an AI facing long odds.

• Short Circuit. A military • I, Row-Boat (Cory Doctorow). A robot


killbot learns to love ponders what it means to be a human.
butterflies and ponder the
nature of its soul. • Not Quite Human (Seth McEvoy).
Android adolescent deals with junior-
• Silent Running. The same setup high hassles.
as MST3K, but in a totally
different direction. • Saturn's Children (Charles Stross).
The humans have died out, leaving
• Small Wonder. A childlike their robots in charge of mistreating
robot lives with its 1980s each other.
sitcom family.
• Super-Toys Last All Summer Long (Brian
• Star Wars. These are the droids you're Aldiss). A busy couple just wants the
looking for. perfect child.

• Toy Story (especially Toy Story 3). • There Will Come Soft Rains (Ray Bradbury).
Abandoned in a cruel world, small After the humans are gone, the robots are
automatons have to survive, stick still - what do you mean you've heard this
together, and find a home. before?

• WALL-E. A robot left alone on an empty • The World Without Us (Alan Weisman). A
Earth finds new ways to occupy its time. factual and engrossing look at what would
happen to our cities (and the planet) if
we disappeared.
Web:
• Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (Hitoshi Ashinano).
Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life (Kit An immortal robot watches the humans
Roebuck). Once the humans die out, the robots around her age while she stays young.
get serious about civilization.

58
58
pArt twO:

P ower
and
Light
How to use
Power and Light:
The following eighty-odd pages The Programmer may even allow the
contain descriptions of different players to use robots presented in
locations, objects of interest this book - every local robot is
that the PRs might find useful or built using the standard 100 points
inconsequential, and local robots unless specifically noted otherwise.
that lurk nearby. Unlike some
linear game modules, little
dialogue is presented for the The background storyline
local robots, although every about the Menagerie’s
area has opportunities for hunt for the genetic
the PRs to become involved in information is included
the affairs of the locals. in the event that the
Programmer wishes to have
There are several ways that an extended subplot and
the Programmer may make use a “happy ending” for the
of the locations detailed in game.
this book.
In its simplest form,
The first way is to present the PRs learn about the
each location in the order it existence of the genetic
appears. information, learn what
the Menagerie plans to do
For example, the PRs might with it, and use either
start by discovering the the Menagerie’s own lab
Farm, move onward to the equipment or a laboratory
Enclave, then to the Factory, found elsewhere to restore
and finally reach the City. humanity to existence.
At each locale the PRs might
look to recharge or repair, For a darker ending, the
or perhaps become involved humans are restocked only
with the problems and to be raised as caged
politics of the local robots. animals for exhibit, or
perhaps the PRs make the
Alternatively, these decision to keep humanity
locations may be presented extinct.
in any fashion the Programmer
desires, according to the If the Programmer does
needs of the story. not wish to include this
background storyline,
For example, the PRs may be Behemoth and Ziz are not
employed by the Green Master present and the Menagerie
(or the Red Master) and take seeks other means of
on the never-ending task of restoring its supply of
keeping the City lit. animals.

60
The Farm
The small robot slid to a stop in the wet earth, as bits of mud
slipped down from its mottled orange casing and the track-tread
underneath. It sat unmoving while its internals clicked and cooled.

A chrome silhouette of a loping horse had been affixed to its side,


above an edge of trim and the word THOROUGHBRED. The horse’s legs
were both long-gone, and it floated like a specter above the rusty
streaks that marked their passing.

Underneath the amputated horse a speaker came on with a pop and the
hiss of silence at maximum volume.

The small machine detected the newborn dawn by the amount of light
it received. In the event of a cloudy day it was programmed to play
the recording at 6:30 a.m., but its internal clock had slowed in
the long years it had worked the farm, and so its cheery rooster’s
crow was belted out under the low, overcast sky of mid-afternoon.

The other robots paid it no mind.

62
The Farm has endured its long When the player robots (PRs) arrive,
isolation rather well compared to the farm workers will be overjoyed
other enclaves. The agricultural to finally be able to hand off their
robots were constructed to be durable bounty, and will immediately attempt
and easily repaired, and most of them to press the newcomers into service
are still in good working order. carrying the season’s produce:
hundreds of tons of corn.
The farmhouse itself is long gone,
reduced to ash and a chimney by a fire Machines that refuse to cooperate
that the household domestic robots have the privilege of meeting the
were unable to put out. Thresher.

The domestics were themselves The PRs likely stumble upon the Farm
consumed in the blaze, leaving their by following the remains of the road.
sturdier outdoor companions to face
the years alone. The PRs might also enter from the
quarry, as the mountain of corn is
With the resource demands of the visible from a distance. If they
house and its staff gone, the find the quarry first it is likely
farm was able to return to full deserted (save for the corpse of the
productivity, turning out bumper excavator), but they may find some
crops of corn year after year. The signs of local activity on the trail
produce trucks continued to arrive leading back to the Farm.
(at more erratic intervals) bringing
word of the spreading desolation and The river may provide yet another
the dwindling number of stops along means of passage, either to the Farm
their route. or away from it.

When the trucks stopped arriving


altogether, the harvest simply had
nowhere to go.

The locals began dumping the excess


corn in a nearby quarry (once
its sole remaining excavator was
dealt with). They continued with
this stopgap solution for years,
inadvertently creating the world’s
largest compost heap in the process.

63
The cornfield
The field is a vast ocean of tightly Locations around the Farm
spaced, identical stalks. One
perfectly straight edge faces the
farmyard. The cornfield
The farmhouse
An encounter with the residents of
the Farm could easily end with the The garage
players’ robots being chased through The neighbor’s farmhouse
the field of corn by angry locals. The quarry
Robots must have Size ratings of at The river
least 5 to see over the corn without The road
assistance. The storage bins
The trail to the quarry
Things found in the cornfield:

• A small (Size 1) deactivated


robot. This robot was lost earlier The garage
in the summer when it became stuck
and its battery died. The robot A motion-activated floodlight mounted
can be reactivated by recharging above the garage door betrays the
its battery. If the deactivated Farm’s greatest prize: a small
robot is not moved, it will Tuluxous atomic generator, from which
probably meet its end in the fall, most of the farm robots draw their
when the Thresher comes through daily or weekly stores.
the field.
Enterprising or larcenous outsiders
may attempt to sneak into the garage
to recharge their own batteries or to
The farmhouse seek other supplies.

The burned remains of the house If a PR attempts to recharge with


collapsed into the basement years the generator, the Programmer may
ago, leaving only the crumbling opt to roll a d10. If the result
chimney standing amid a rough is 8 or higher, the generator is
rectangle of weeds and a few not being used. Otherwise, there is
remaining bits of metal and wood. a farm robot scheduled to charge
during that time. Whether or not the
robot is actually there is up to the
Things found at the house: Programmer.

• Burned pieces of metal, either A robot attempting to enter the


from the house itself or the garage without triggering the
domestic robots that were consumed floodlight must make a Mobility check
in it. (TN 8). At least two successes are
required.
• An airtight metal safe, buried
about two meters under the
surface. It contains several legal
documents and a set of wedding
photographs.

64
The neighbor’s
Things found in the garage: farmhouse
• A Tuluxous atomic generator The farmhouse up the road is in
with one charging dock. The complete ruin, and recognizable
generator weighs about five hundred from the land around it only by the
kilograms, and is considered to remaining metal fenceposts. Robots
be a nuclear battery with a Power that examine the property closely
rating of 8 and the Power Dock may find the remains of the house’s
feature. foundation.

• Several large drums of fertilizer,


pesticides, and other liquids. Things found at the neighbor’s
Most of the drums are empty or farmhouse:
filled with strange concoctions
that the Hydromax has mixed to • A rotting wooden chest, almost
simulate their original contents. completely buried in the dirt.
Inside a drawer is a jewelry
• A large vacuum-sealed container box with a gold necklace, some
of corn kernels for the Johnny earrings, a ring and a locket.
Appleseed to plant next spring.
The container has a transparent • A rusty swing set hidden in tall
lid, but is large enough for a weeds. The seats are long gone, so
Size 1 robot to fit inside without the uneven chains simply dangle.
displacing any seeds.

• Several agricultural attachments


in various states of breakage.
The quarry
• Two metal garbage cans (large
enough for a Size 2 robot to fit The pit itself was filled with excess
inside). produce years ago, and now piles of
rotting corn spill over the edges and
• A spool of electrical wire. soar up into the sky.

• A workbench with several spare There is enough decaying matter in


parts for robots. Damaged robots the quarry to cross the pit from
may make RealityCom + Perception end to end, but the surface is
checks (TN 8) to look through dangerously uneven. The Programmer
the pieces for replacement parts. may opt to roll a d10 and subtract
Robots with at least two successes 5 from the result; this is the
may automatically repair one number of times a robot must change
point of Damage Threshold to direction to cross the quarry (with a
themselves or other robots by minimum of 0 direction changes).
changing out damaged components
for replacements. A robot’s Damage Robots attempting to cross the
Threshold may only be repaired surface of the corn pile must make
once with this workbench. Mobility checks (TN 8) each time they
change direction. Robots that fail
these checks may find themselves stuck
in sinkholes, caught under collapsing
piles of corn, or exposed to one of
the periodic flare-ups of burning corn
from the immense heat generated by
decaying matter inside the quarry.

65
The corn is highly flammable — any
open flames or extremely high heat
The road
(such as cutting lasers or plasma
A nearly-invisible trail leads onto
arc welders) will ignite the pile.
the Farm, and an equally negligible
The Programmer will decide how much
trail leads out, but the industrious
damage a specific fire inflicts.
locals have maintained the road in
front of their domain as best they
can, carrying in gravel from the
Things found at the quarry: quarry and laying it themselves.

• Corn. Mountains of it.


Things found on the old road:
• The remains of the excavator
robot. This giant machine once
• A mailbox lying nearly hidden in
guarded its quarry, until the farm
weeds at the side of the road,
robots overtook it. In operation,
with the remains of a nest inside.
the robot was at least Size 8, but
now the great machine’s internals
are mostly gone, and its long
dusky blue casing lies sprawled
over several meters of weedy
ground at the edge of the quarry,
forming an obstacle, shelter, and
The storage bins
possible hiding place. Robots with The storage bins are packed with
Size ratings of 4 can fit inside corn. Robots that force the ground-
the excavator’s casing if they level doors open (or those in front
make successful Mobility checks of a door when it opens) must make
(TN 8). Robots with Size ratings Reflex checks (TN 8). If a robot fails
of 3 or lower can fit inside the the check it is buried in corn for a
excavator without making Mobility number of rounds equal to 1d10 minus
checks. the robot’s Size rating (minimum time
of 0 rounds).

The river The trail to the


The river bends around one side of quarry
the farm, forming a boundary that few
robots are willing to cross.
Things found on the trail to
Robots that are submerged in the
the quarry:
river may find themselves with
the Rusting defect soon afterward
• A few nuts and bolts that have
(without the benefit of any points
come loose and been lost by
gained). The rust may be removed with
the farm robots during their
a successful repair check (the TN is
pilgrimages to the quarry. None
the normal TN to repair that robot,
of the castoff parts are worth
and only one success is required).
noting, but their presence and
state (shiny, not rusty) do
See Environmental Hazards in the
show that robots use this trail
Engine Heart rulebook for more on
frequently.
submerged robots.

66
Johnny Appleseed
UNIT NAME The Johnny Appleseed tends the
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Plant seed stock corn all through its growing
season, and carefully readies
4 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold the next year’s stock. Of all
(DigiCon + Buffer) the robots on the Farm, the
2 HumanCom 5 Mobility 2 Buffer
Johnny Appleseed is the most
3
concerned with the biological
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT world. It constantly frets
1 MechaniCon 5 Reflexes 3 Power about the other robots’
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) actions, and often follows
3 Strength them to the edge of the field
9 to make sure they do not
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
damage the corn.
1 (Str÷2, round down)
9 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

Its casing is an unadorned


Initiative Speed slate-gray box with a slanted
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
9 (Dex + Ref)
top. A large black hose lies
k/hour
5 snugly against one end, and
1d10 + 13 m/round
serves as its vacuum to suck
corn kernels into its onboard
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
reservoirs, and as a fan to
External Container (Size 5) Environmentally Attuned (Fields)
blow away debris. A single arm
Fan Loose Connections
High Speed Overriding Directive (Major) 1
extends from its front.
Internal Compartment (Size 5) Power Cutoff
Over the years, the Johnny
Vacuum Nozzle Weak Chassis Appleseed has developed a
Workhorse fixation with the corn stock
it carefully manages. Its
overriding directive may force
it to go out of its way to
stop a corn kernel from being
harmed.

"CORN!"

The Thresher
UNIT NAME The Thresher eagerly awaits
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Harvest crops with front-mounted multi-thresher the harvest every year, where
it experiences the thrill of
4 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 5 Durability OS Threshold destruction as it decimates
(DigiCon + Buffer) the vast cornfield. When not in
1 HumanCom 4 Mobility 4 Buffer
use, it quickly grows restless
5
and prowls the farmyard and the
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 6 Size
MAX CURRENT surrounding land, mowing grass,
1 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 4 Power weeds, and stray robots to pulp.
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) The giant machine is a huge,
6 Strength singular beast that towers above
11 the largest of the PRs. Its
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
merciless thresher can engulf
3 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
even a Size 5 robot, slicing it
to bits in moments.
Initiative Speed
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref)
Countless outside robots have
k/hour
1d10 + 3 7 m/round
met their ends within its
grinding maw, both those who
refused to take the harvest and
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
those who were caught attempting
Armored Chassis 1 Buggy Mic
to steal power from the Farm’s
Disposal High Maintenance
Floodlights Limbless
atomic generator.
Giant 1 Noisy
For all its size, the Thresher
has no manipulative limbs,
and relies on the Rider for
maintenance.

Large repairs are few and far


between, however. The Thresher’s
reinforced casing protects
it from most abrasion, and
it has not required extensive
"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE realignment since the farm
GOING, LITTLE ROBOT?" robots fought the titanic
excavator at their annexed
quarry.

67
Hydromax
UNIT NAME The Hydromax is a large and
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Maintain & dispense fertilizers and other chemicals spindly contraption crouched
on high, thin tires. Four long
5 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold flexible tendrils loop and coil
(DigiCon + Buffer) around four faded green tanks.
2 HumanCom 5 Mobility 2 Buffer
3
Over the long years since the
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT trucks stopped coming, the
4 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 2 Power Hydromax has become something
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) of an alchemist, spinning
4 Strength fertilizers and pesticides
8 from stranger and stranger
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
combinations that it brews in
2 (Str÷2, round down)
9 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
the garage.

Initiative Speed The Johnny Appleseed often


Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
consults with it on matters of
k/hour
1d10 + 4 9 m/round
the corn, but these days the
Hydromax is less concerned with
the corn itself and more about
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
the increasing difficulty in
High Chassis Buggy Mic
procuring raw materials for its
Liquid Dispenser (Size 3) Lightweight 2
Liquid Dispenser (Size 3) Power Cutoff
chemical wizardry.
Liquid Dispenser (Size 3) Rusting
Liquid Dispenser (Size 3) Weak Chassis Because of its interest in the
Prehensile Limb fertilizer over the corn, the
Vacuum Nozzle Hydromax may be willing to
bargain with outside robots,
providing assistance in exchange
for the promise of chemical
deliveries.

"YOU NEVER APPRECIATE ANHYDROUS


AMMONIA UNTIL IT'S GONE."

Thoroughbred Garden/ Field


UNIT NAME The Thoroughbred is the smallest
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Remove weeds and other unwanted foliage of the Farm’s remaining
residents, outsizing only the
3 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold domestic robots that perished
(DigiCon + Buffer) in the farmhouse blaze. As
2 HumanCom 4 Mobility 3 Buffer
protection against being crushed
4
by larger machinery, it emits a
1 DigiCon 4 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT slew of announcements at regular
3 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power intervals.
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)
3 Strength The Thoroughbred goes about its
8 duty diligently, prowling the
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
field and plucking every weed and
1 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
unwanted botanical invader that
finds purchase in the lush oasis
Initiative Speed of the Farm.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 2 6 m/round
Its internal grinder rends
the foliage into a liquidy
paste, then sterilizes it
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
with extremely high heat. The
Biofrequency Scanner 1 Compliant
steaming mass is then ejected
Disposal Loose Connections
Enhanced Cameras 1 Noisy
back onto the ground to serve as
Internal Compartment (Size 3) Overheating 1
fertilizer for future crop.
Saw
Workhorse
"WATCH OUT, PLEASE."

68
Pro-Share
UNIT NAME The Pro-Share is stronger than
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Plow fields and dig irrigation trenches any of the other farm robots, and
is often tasked with carrying or
3 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 5 Durability OS Threshold dragging supplies, heavy equipment
(DigiCon + Buffer) and other burdens. Its massive
1 HumanCom 3 Mobility 2 Buffer
plowshare doubles as a grader’s
3
blade, and both the farmyard
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT grounds and the road at its edge
1 MechaniCon 1 Reflexes 3 Power are kept in good repair by its
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) diligence.
6 Strength
10 Its plow can extend outward five
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
meters beyond the robot’s normal
3 (Str÷2, round down)
4 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
span, allowing it to dig several
trenches at once. The Pro-Share
Initiative Speed is otherwise a boxy mass of metal
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
2 (Dex + Ref)
covered in flaking red paint.
k/hour
1d10 + 1 4 m/round
It often works in tandem with both
the Hydromax and the Thresher,
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
bearing supplies and towing the
Floodlights Buggy Mic
large metal wagons the robots have
Specialty Chassis (Furrowing) Noisy
Telescoping Reach (5 meters) Unreliable
constructed from loose debris and
a few salvaged panels from the
long-dead excavator.

"STRAY UNIT IN PATH.


NEGLIGIBLE FURROW
DEFLECTION PREDICTED.
CONTINUING."

Range-Rider Robotic Toolbox


UNIT NAME The Range-Rider’s duties span
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Perform general upkeep on local infrastructure the entire acreage of the Farm,
from mending fences and patching
4 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold holes, to welding other robots
(DigiCon + Buffer) back to working order.
2 HumanCom 3 Mobility 2 Buffer
4
The Rider’s tall tan case has
2 DigiCon 2 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT no adornment save for a strip
5 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power of peeling paint and a heavy
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) dusting of rust at its base.
4 Strength A single thick arm laden with
8 tools protrudes from its flat
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
roof, while the large bin at its
2 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
rear is filled with miscellaneous
hardware salvaged over the
Initiative Speed years.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 2 5 m/round
Of all the robots on the Farm,
the Rider knows best the lay
of the land. Its duties are
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
numerous and keep it constantly
Drill High Maintenance
moving, and its failing chassis
Floodlights Inferior Model
External Container (Size 4) Loose Connections
requires daily upkeep time that
Plasma Arc Welder Overheating 1
could be spent elsewhere.
Saw Power Cutoff
Telescoping Reach (1 meter) Rusting
Tool Set Slow Charger 1

"I THINK I HAVE JUST THE


PIECE YOU NEED."

69
Enclave
The hours ticked by like they always did. A faint wind blew,
sending a scrim of dust around the shelter’s entrance into
whorls whose patterns reminded Macy of lace edging that once
decorated the curtains of her master’s house. Time had wracked
her casing and her processing power, but the memories of
everything from her unboxing to the day she finally abandoned
the smoldering ruin were fresh and crisp.

Next to her, Lon roused himself from the torpor he had lain in
all day. Macy turned to look at him as he stood up. “I think I
should-” the green box trailed off.

“Yes, you should. You don’t want to run out of power.” Her
voice momentarily hitched at the end.

She watched Lon amble his way to the back room, then returned
her gaze to the open entrance and the valley below. Nothing
stirred but more clouds of rust and dirt.

Sooner or later Muir would come back in. He had been complicit
in all they had done, and he took the draw like everyone else.
He was simply unable to overcome his need to patrol the empty
dead land looking for fenceposts and poachers that had long
since gone away, and so he left again and again, sometimes
returning in hours, sometimes days. Lon said that sooner or
later he would roam (Macy begged him not to use that word) too
far and his battery would die.

In the back room, Lon sat on the concrete and looked at the
cord that snaked out of his midsection and across the floor to
a slumped shape in the dark. “I’m really sorry it’s gotta be
like this, Frank.” It was the same thing Lon said every time
he came in here.

“It’s just that you wouldn’t stop moving around! I mean, you
got more juice than you’ll ever need!” Lon’s voice rose,
bringing a crackle to his speaker. “Sal even said you could
get unhooked and move around for a few hours once in a while.
But your programming wouldn’t let you, so we had to-”

The wide green box lapsed into silence. Across the room, the
thing that was once a robot sat unmoving.

72
Player robots may spot the Enclave’s Robots with solar or nuclear
hilltop shelter from a distance batteries have the most to fear from
after being out in the wilderness the Enclave; the locals value their
for some time. The PRs may each roll fallen comrade over any stranger, and
Perception checks (TN 8) once per are more than willing to cannibalize
day to find the shelter; at least two outside robots to take his place.
successes per check are required.
When first queried, the locals will
Alternatively, the Programmer may state that there is no charger in
also choose to reveal the Enclave the area. If asked about where they
after one or more of the PRs fails draw power from, their answers will
its daily Power check. be duplicitous. Lon may claim that
he does not need to recharge, despite
Finally, the PRs might discover (or the presence of an obvious charging
be discovered by) Muir in the course jack in the middle of his chassis.
of his wandering and somehow led back Macy might say that her battery has
to the Enclave. just not run out, although if pressed
she will admit that they have been in
The small concrete structure offers the shelter for several years. Muir
little aside from shelter, but robots will simply refuse to speak of it.
suffering the afflictions of the
area’s constant storms may find that Of all the locals, only Sal will
any port is a welcome one. openly discuss Frank’s current state,
but only when explicitly asked,
Unfortunately for newcomers, this and then only in detached technical
island in the sea of rust holds terms. All of the locals understand
nervous and secretive prisoners who at some level that what they’ve done
will do anything to keep their act to Frank is abhorrent.
from being exposed.

73
The front room
Locations around
This room has a large doorway that
leads directly outside, as well as
the Enclave
another doorway set into the opposite
wall. The outside doorway has a heavy The front room
sliding metal door, but since the The back room
shelter has no electricity of its
own the door must be manually closed
The desert
(with a successful Strength check).

The locals keep the door open unless


a particularly violent storm arises,
since there are no working light The back room
sources inside the shelter.
The locals keep their dark secret in
If something attempts to force the the back room, and will do whatever
outside door open or cut through it takes to keep strangers from
it, the Programmer may treat it as discovering it. If need be, Lon will
an immobile robot with a Durability simply block the doorway. Even then,
rating of 2, a Damage Threshold enough space may still exist for a
rating of 5, and the Armored Chassis Size 1 robot to squeeze past (with a
feature (rating 1). successful Mobility check).

The inside door leads to the back


room and its grim secret, but Things in the back room:
newcomers may not even notice it. The
locals make a practice of keeping the • Sal’s workbench: Bits of cable,
inside door concealed with a pair of piping, metal scraps and other
large crates stacked in front of it. small items make up the entirety
of Sal’s worldly possessions,
stored here to keep them away from
Things found in the front room: the rust-storms (and prying eyes).
The Programmer will decide how
• Crates: There are several plastic useful anything found here is.
crates of various sizes pushed
around the edges of the room, but • Frank: In his current state,
most are broken and all are empty Frank is a nightmarish patchwork
or filled with nothing but refuse. of his original form and Sal’s
“modifications”. Most explicitly,
• Rations: Two boxes of stale his limbs have been amputated,
calorie bars remain, long past his torso opened to reveal the
their expiration dates and hard as jury-rigged charging port, and his
rocks. The boxes are marked with speaker disconnected, leaving him
faded pictures of satisfied human in a mute limbo.
consumers.

74
The desert The Programmer should decide how
capable the PRs are of defending
themselves, and adjust the amount
Outside the shelter, near-constant
of roamers encountered accordingly.
clouds of grit and dust fly through
For some robots, a single roamer is
the air, clogging up anything caught
a terrifying and nearly unkillable
in them. A robot caught in the storms
monster. Other burly, fast, or well-
must make a Durability check every
equipped robots may easily trump any
hour that it remains exposed. Failing
one roamer.
a check means the robot is treated
as if it had the Rusting defect.
The roamers are programmed to
This malady will remain until the
return to the factory when they
robot is indoors and cleaned (with a
have collected a certain amount of
successful repair check - only one
material. This amount depends on the
success is necessary).
needs of the story, but one or two
kidnapped player robots will likely
Robots that already possess the
suffice. A roamer will also attempt
Rusting defect have its detrimental
to return if its current Damage
effects increased: any 1s or 2s
Threshold rating falls below 5.
rolled with Reflex checks will cancel
out successes until the grit is
Roamers on their own are not very
removed.
intelligent, but the Factory is.
If one fails to return, two more
are sent to investigate. If these
Things found in the desert: disappear as well, it may well send
more robots, perhaps even flying
• Machinery: Once some great work models (as the Programmer decides).
of man stood here, but now all
that remains are indistinguishable The Factory is unlikely to ignore
hulks of rusting metal. The missing robots.
Programmer may opt to roll a d10
every hour that the PRs remain
in the desert; on a roll of 8
or higher they come across the
remains of some vehicle, robot
or installation. The Programmer
may choose to roll another d10
to determine the object’s Size
rating. Remains larger than the
PRs may offer shelter, and count
as “indoors” for purposes of
removing grit.

• Roamers: The Factory’s hungry web


of roamers has begun pressing out
into the desert, where traces of
usable metal can still be found.
No roamers have yet discovered
the Enclave, but the PRs may
inadvertently (or intentionally)
lead them to it. Working robots
are much more valuable prizes than
the corroded and rusted machines
found in this area.

75
Dilettante Companion Series “Macy“
UNIT NAME Once, Macy may have been more or less
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Provide social companionship for humans indistinguishable from a human female,
but time and hardships have damaged
4 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold her once-fine casing, and now only the
(DigiCon + Buffer) simplest robots would be fooled into
5 HumanCom 4 Mobility 3 Buffer
thinking she was alive. She still
5
possesses two arms, two legs and a
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT head, but her mechanical components are
2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 3 Power plainly visible on many parts of her
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) chassis.
3 Strength
6 Macy was programmed to provide
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
companionship — she wants nothing more
1 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
than to leave the shelter and find
someone to take care of her, but unless
Initiative Speed the player robots can offer indisputable
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
proof that humans are still alive, she
k/hour
1d10 + 2 6 m/round
will remain with the other locals.

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


Android 1 Plastic Casing 1
Biofrequency Scanner
Manipulative Limb (Standard)
1 Rusting
"SOMETIMES THE SAND MAKES
ME THINK OF VOICES. ISN'T
THAT FUNNY?"

Secure Logistics LON-type Collection Unit


UNIT NAME Lon was built as a mobile “minesweeper”
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Collect and transport dangerous substances of sorts, designed to clean up areas
after the worst excesses of human
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 5 Durability OS Threshold warfare had withdrawn. Nuclear,
(DigiCon + Buffer) biological, chemical, all the terrors
3 HumanCom 2 Mobility 3 Buffer
of man had passed through his
5
reinforced storage bins.
3 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT

2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 3 Power His durable nature has allowed him to


Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) bear out the long years more or less
5 Strength unscathed, with fewer maladies than his
10 companions.
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
2 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

Initiative Speed
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 3 5 m/round "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating IT'S LIKE, PAL. WE
Armored Chassis
Internal Compartment (Size 2)
1 Overheating
Power Cutoff
1 DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE."
Internal Compartment (Size 4) Slow Charger 1

76
Universal Robotics Service Automaton, Light-class (SAL)
UNIT NAME Sal was unboxed and activated less than
ORIGINAL PURPOSE ten kilometers from the shelter, in one
of the factories that once sprawled
3 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold across the desert. The other robots
(DigiCon + Buffer) would not have been able to weather the
2 HumanCom 3 Mobility 3 Buffer
long years without his presence, and he
6
realizes this.
3 DigiCon 4 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT

5 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 2 Power When the shelter’s generator failed, Sal


Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) was the first to suggest cannibalizing
3 Strength Frank for his nuclear battery, and over
5 the other locals’ half-hearted protests
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
he carried it out, using Lon’s strength
1 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
to hold the other robot down while Sal
disconnected his limbs and speaker.
Initiative Speed Despite his cruel treatment of another
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
local Sal is still loyal to Frank, and
k/hour
1d10 + 4 7 m/round
will be more than eager to replace him
with an outsider as the shelter’s new
generator.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Cutting Laser Buggy Cameras
Plasma Arc Welder 1 Buggy Mic
Tool Set High Maintenance "DON'T LOOK AT ME
LIKE THAT. IT ISN'T
Inferior Model
Unreliable

LIKE THAT AT ALL."

RangeRider “Muir”-model Rural Upkeep Machine


UNIT NAME Muir is as stoic and concerned with
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Patrol for trespassers and maintain fencelines maintaining the land as his namesake.
Unlike the long-dead conservationist
4 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold the robotic Muir is driven by his
(DigiCon + Buffer) programming to stalk the wilderness,
2 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
maintaining a series of fences that
once ringed this industrial section.
1 DigiCon 5 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT

2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 5 Power Out of all the locals Muir is the most
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) likely to be absent when the player
4 Strength robots arrive. The Programmer may
choose to roll a d10 each hour the
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
players remain in the shelter. On a
2 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
roll of 10 Muir arrives to recharge his
immense battery before leaving again.
Initiative Speed He will be uninterested in outsiders’
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
company but will not resist if they try
k/hour
1d10 + 3 7 m/round
to follow him back out into the wild.

Muir was designed to operate outdoors,


FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
and being inside triggers his
Anchor 2 Environmentally Attuned
Environmentally Attuned flaw.
Saw Noisy
Winch 2 Overriding Directive (Major) 1
Workhorse Rare Model
Simple Programming
Slow Charger 5
"DUTY CALLS."

77
ReStruct “Franklin Stove” fabricator
UNIT NAME Frank’s situation is unique and his
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Convert abandoned buildings to new structures attributes reflect his current hobbled
status. The locals will not allow
4 RealityCom - Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold outside robots to repair him unless a
(DigiCon + Buffer) suitable replacement is provided.
1 HumanCom - Mobility 3 Buffer
4
If any player robots attempt to repair
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT him, the Programmer should consider his
5 MechaniCon - Reflexes 3 Power current Damage Threshold to be 0 for
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) repair attempts.
6 Strength
9 If repaired, Frank’s Mobility and
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
Reflexes ratings will increase to 3 and
3 (Str÷2, round down)
- (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
his Dexterity rating will increase
to 2. He will also lose the Mute
Initiative Speed defect. His power dock is not factory-
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
- (Dex + Ref)
standard and must be dismantled before
k/hour
1d10 + m/round
attempting any repairs. If he is
repaired the power dock will no longer
be usable.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Nuclear Battery Mute
Frank originally had numerous other
Power Dock
features such as a battering ram, a
cutting laser, and a full complement
of tools, but these things have been
broken or incorporated into his new
design. Either way they are lost and
unavailable to the player robots.

78
Waste Not,
Want Not
The sun rose, and as its bright cherry light emerged
from behind the hillside and warmed the solar panels
the factory began to churn to life. Old belts spun,
the great smelter glowed, and the workers brought
forth a prize one of the roamers had carried
in the night before. The silvery remains of the
veterinarian’s assistant were poured into the chute
along with all the other raw materials. The factory
ran its calculations, adjusted them for the new
materials procured, ran them again.

The first roamer had been a gamble, but the Factory


was a craftsman of the highest order and its work
had been flawless. When the Factory had first awakened
after the long sleep, nearly the whole of the roof
had been yawning open, and grass and trees littered
the floor to where a runoff pond had accumulated.

The roamer had brought back materials, and other


siblings had emerged, thin spidery things bristling
with arc welders to mend the roof and clear the floor.
Materials were needed, so the Factory had made a
second roamer, then a third, a fourth, a fifth. If it
was given to introspection, perhaps it would have
questioned what it needed materials for now that
everything had been repaired, but the factory was a
builder, not a planner. It needed more materials, so
it built more roamers.

Old belts slowed, and the great smelter cooled once


again. The factory examined its latest productions
as they activated and moved to join the long rows of
their kin against the wall, awaiting the morning sun.

There were never enough materials.

80
The land around the Factory is a The eventual outcome is evident
pastoral wooded plain, although its to any thinking automaton: if the
workers have cleared the parking Factory grows unchecked it may
lots of plants and debris so hiding inadvertently convert the entire
spots are nonexistent. Clever robots world into roamers.
may attempt to infiltrate the factory
using roamers as cover, perhaps even Whatever other intellects it once had
capturing and reprogramming them. are lost, stripped away by the years
of exposure that nearly destroyed it.
Inside the complex is a mass of The Factory cannot be reasoned with;
conveyer belts, catwalks, dangling if the player robots wish to stop
chains, smelters, and more refined it and its growing army they must
fabricators. The factory is a single attempt to disable or reprogram it.
story; however, the roof is twenty
meters high and accessible only by a If the PRs have already visited the
single stairway on the inside or by Enclave, they may realize that the
scaling the outer wall. roamers are becoming more numerous
and will eventually discover the
The factory’s AI suffers from the shelter and its inhabitants. Whether
same mania that plagues so many of or not they act on this knowledge
its lesser mechanical kin. Consumed depends on their programming.
by its need to collect raw materials,
it has created a runaway cycle: new
materials are converted into more
roamers, which bring back material to
make still more roamers.

81
The factory floor
The floor is rather vast (especially
for very small robots) and offers Locations around
numerous places to hide. Due to the
constant din of machinery and the
the Factory
intense temperatures inside the
factory, any outsider must succeed The factory floor
in a Buffer check (TN 8) or have its The control room
Perception rating degrade by 1 for The roof
the duration of its occupancy.

The Factory has no alarm system but


it does have several cameras spaced
around the area. The Programmer may
make a Perception check for the
Factory (TN 8) each time the player • Roamers: Several roamers occupy
robots enter a location without the factory floor, either unloading
disguising themselves. It will direct and sorting material, charging,
a roamer or laborer to retrieve the or seeking repair from a spider-
“stray materials” if it succeeds. welder.

• Spider-welders: These small (size


2) robots skitter about, repairing
Things found on the factory
broken roamers and performing
floor: upkeep on other machinery. They
will typically run from a fair
• Factory laborers: The Factory is fight but tend to gang up on
not totally automated; several outside robots and use their
multi-limbed workers are used to winches to ensnare and dismantle
sort materials and disassemble their prey.
robots. They will not hesitate to
pluck an unwary outsider off the • The Forge: All conveyer belts
ground and begin taking it apart. lead here, to where the Factory's
spindly, sparking constructors
• Material bins: These large (Size rear up on either side. These
5) metal bins are used to store immobile machines are controlled
sorted and unsorted materials directly by the AI and are not
before they are processed. If automatons like the PRs. Any
a player robot attempts to outsider caught on the conveyer
inspect the contents of a bin, belts will likely be whisked away
the Programmer may opt to roll a by one of the laborers, although
d10. On a roll of 8 or higher, the Factory will defend its
the bin contains something useful implements if they are attacked.
(a battery, tool, or some other Treat a constructor as a robot
object the robot attempted to with a Movement rate of 0, an
procure). If the PRs search Interaction Pool of 8, a TN to be
through more than one bin, any Struck of 3, a Durability rating
nearby factory workers should roll of 4 and a Damage Threshold of 9.
Perception checks to notice. The constructors are armed with
cutting lasers, vice grips, and
other offensive features as the
Programmer decides.

82
The control room The roof
The factory’s AI is housed in a There are sixteen large solar panels
computer system inside a locked room. on the factory roof. Each panel has a
The door has a Durability rating of Durability rating of 1 and a Damage
2, a Damage Threshold of 8, and the Threshold rating of 3. If more than
Armored Chassis feature (rating 2). three panels are broken, the factory
The computer system itself has a will only be able to create one
Durability rating of 1 and a Damage roamer per day. If more than eight
Threshold of 8. panels are broken, the factory will
only be able to create Size 3 or
If the computer is destroyed the smaller robots. If more than twelve
Factory will shut down. Naturally, panels are broken the factory will
the Factory will attempt to prevent not be able to produce any useful
this situation. PRs will have to objects.
deal with every roamer, laborer and
spider-welder on the premises trying The access stairwell to the roof is
to stop them. Fortunately for the only large enough for one roamer to
outsiders, only one roamer can fit fit through at a time.
through the control room’s door at a
time (although spider-welders may be
able to squeeze around a roamer with
successful Mobility checks).

Things found in the control


room:

• Several metal lockers line one


wall, along with an ancient
fire extinguisher. The Factory
considers these things part of
itself, and has not ordered the
workers to dismantle them for
scrap. The Programmer may rule
that some lockers contain human
artifacts such as old uniforms or
lunchboxes.

• Owner's manual: Stored in


a rusting locker is this
hardbound binder with "CMX-22
Factory Overseer System Manual"
emblazoned on the cover in faded
letters. According to the cover
it includes reset and override
codes. Unfortunately, the insides
are waterlogged and completely
illegible.

83
Roamer unit
UNIT NAME Roamers are front-line soldiers in
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Collect material for the Factory the unwitting army of the Factory.
Dispersed into the world like locusts,
4 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold they strip areas bare of metal one
(DigiCon + Buffer) container at a time.
1 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
3
They cannot be reasoned with, and
1 DigiCon 4 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT unless a roamer is reprogrammed there
3 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 2 Power is a good chance that any would-be
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) negotiator will end up being carted
4 Strength back to the Factory in pieces.
8
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
All roamers are created with the same
2 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
major overriding directive: secure and
return high-quality materials to the
Initiative Speed Factory. This includes the materials
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref)
that the PRs are made out of.
k/hour
1d10 + 3 7 m/round
PRs may exploit this by using a piece
of metal (or possibly a robot) as a
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
lure to lead a roamer in a certain
Armored Chassis 1 High Maintenance
direction.
Cargo Hauler Model Error 3
Cutting Laser Noisy
External Container (Size 5) Overheating 1
Solar Powered Overriding Directive (Major) 1
Rare Model "ACQUIRING MATERIAL."

Factory laborer
UNIT NAME The factory laborers were built for
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Disassemble, sort and recycle materials an extremely narrow task: break down
all material entering the Factory and
4 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold sort it by usefulness. They accomplish
(DigiCon + Buffer) this with their three tentacle-like
1 HumanCom 2 Mobility 2 Buffer
manipulative limbs. These limbs are
2
much stronger than their width might
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT indicate; a factory laborer can lift
4 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 3 Power ten times its normal weight allowance,
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) as per the Jack feature.
3 Strength
7 They are designed solely to operate
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
inside the confines of the Factory, and
1 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
laborers outside of its walls suffer
the penalties of their Environmentally
Initiative Speed Attuned defect.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
8 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 3 2 m/round
Factory laborers will attempt to
capture and break down any outside
robots they encounter, but they will
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
not continue to search for a robot if
Heat Resistant 1 Buggy Mic
it manages to elude them.
Jack Environmentally Attuned
Manipulative Limb (Standard) x2 Low Speed
Prehensile Limb x3 Model Error 2
Noisy
Simple Programming "PROCESSING...
...MAGNESIUM...STEEL...HEY
Slow Charger 2

GET BACK HERE..."

84
Spider-welder
UNIT NAME Spider-welders prowl the catwalks
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Maintain other robots and infrastructure and shadows of the factory, always
looking for objects in need of repair.
4 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold Even though they may have numbers on
(DigiCon + Buffer) their side, their Overriding Directive
1 HumanCom 5 Mobility 3 Buffer
compels them to stop whatever they are
5
doing and fix any damage to the Factory
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT or its servants.
4 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 1 Power Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) Outside robots attempting to flee the
2 Strength welding spiders may learn that they
4 have more in common with their namesake
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
than body shape: each has a winch that
1 (Str÷2, round down)
8 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
can be used to snare other robots (with
an Interaction check) and drag them
Initiative Speed toward it.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 3 8 m/round
The spider-welders are designed to
operate inside the factory, and
suffer the consequences of their
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Environmentally Attuned defect outside
Cutting Laser Environmentally Attuned
its walls.
High Chassis High Maintenance
Plasma Arc Welder 1 Inferior Model
Tool Set Model Error 2 "BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
Winch 2 Overriding Directive (Major) 2
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."

The Factory
AI NAME The Factory is a tragic being out of
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Oversee factory complex place in the world. Its primary goal is
to acquire more materials, but it is
5 RealityCom - Dexterity - Durability OS Threshold acting on reflex, not malice or greed.
(DigiCon + Buffer)
1 HumanCom - Mobility 4 Buffer
The AI itself is largely unaware of
6
the changed world around it, and the
2 DigiCon 4 Perception - Size
MAX CURRENT Programmer should present it as such.
5 MechaniCon - Reflexes 9 Power Any higher intelligence it once had has
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) been stripped away by the long years,
- Strength and robots who attempt to communicate
- with it will find its answers simplistic
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
and child-like.
- (Str÷2, round down)
- (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

The Factory will resist any attempt


Initiative Speed to compromise its work and will set
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
- (Dex + Ref)
its entire pool of minions against
k/hour
1d10 + - - m/round
intruders, but persistent or crafty
robots may be able to overcome it in
another manner: unlike other surviving
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
AIs, the Factory is exceptionally
vulnerable to reprogramming.

Note that even if the Factory is


reprogrammed, its roamers, spider-
welders and workers will still be
following their original programming.

"THERE IS NO WHY. THERE


IS ONLY THE PROCESS."

85
INTERLUDE

Flat white islands gave way to towering peaks, the flower-bloom of


a hurricane passed out of view, and the largest thunderstorm ever
recorded ravaged the Midwest, but from fifty kilometers up the fury
of weather had all the significance of a muted television program.
The small white robot observed and recorded, catalogued and stored,
overwrote and erased, exactly as it had done every day since it had
launched. With no parameters in place its weather-balloon brain was
content to simply drift across the empty sky, far above the turbulence
that played out below.

It was the closest thing to a permanent vacation a robot ever had.

When the sun came up it warmed itself and recharged, taking pictures
of cirrostratus, altocumulus, pileus, like a tourist in a new country.
When it crossed the terminator and entered the darkness it switched
to its second set of optics and watched great sheets of lightning
ripple across the clouds in silence. From time to time it saw clusters
of light on the surface as disparate empires of power grids flickered
into existence or fell dark. There were fewer steady beacons in the
wilderness of the quiet world below these days.

Until recently, the only visitors to its empty neighborhood had been a
meteor shower at the edge of the horizon four years ago, so the robot
was at a loss to explain the stranger that appeared twenty kilometers
below it, keeping pace with it and broadcasting an encrypted radio
transmission for almost a full day before falling into the ocean. Two
weeks later another one appeared, and although it fell behind and
disappeared after only a day it had been much closer than the last.

Since then Ziz had become increasingly vigilant.


Oasis
The sign was clear.

EXIT 52
NO SERVICES

The apple-colored robot scanned the off-ramp sign and wearily


began stumbling forward again, ignoring the steady beeping noise
it couldn’t help making, the same noise it had been making for
the last three days. It was almost out of power, was almost out
of coolant, of everything it required. A gaping rend in its side
from a fight with a lunatic and terribly lost beachcomber showed
the strained mechanisms underneath, whistling and squealing as they
pistoned their last. One foot raised, lowered, raised again.

An hour later the weedy hill almost bested it. For a full minute
its servos simply whined as it teetered five paces from the crest,
drifting thin trails of gray smoke from either side. Something
finally caught and it reeled forward up the hill. As its overheating
internals slowly cooled its cameras focused, and it saw at last the
flat prairie plain that stretched out for miles all around. The dark
thread of highway spun down and straightened, running across the
flat gray-green surface to the horizon.

There was a service station on the plain below.

Night had fallen by the time it reached the station, and in the
cool dark air it plodded forward, delirious with system shutdowns
as its remaining abilities all bent toward one goal. The lights.
The lights. Light meant power, power levels were near critical
loss. Shutdown imminent. Shutdownshutimminent

“Welcome, friend,” a passive voice said, rolling out of the glare


of the bright sodium lights and coalescing as a silhouette. “Would
you like to hear about our special offer?” The apple-colored robot
tried to respond but simply toppled over, finally losing the battle
against entropy. As its dying cameras slowly focused and refocused
on the bright light above it, the shape loomed overhead, appendages
raised like a praying mantis.

“It’s a real bargain.”

88
The Highway Oasis service station The locals are all vaguely menacing
seems welcoming, and for robots too in their own ways, as none are
long in the wild, damaged and running particularly good actors and all
out of power, its siren’s call may are well-aware of the fate of any
be irresistible. Those who approach, outsiders caught here.
however, find that its friendly
exterior is a mirage concealing Several buildings make up the Oasis
murderous and cannibalistic robots. proper — most of them are in a state
of disrepair. The remaining buildings
Outsiders are taken in with promises are all clustered around each other.
of repairs, refueling, and anything The Programmer may determine their
else required to lure them to the exact layout.
repair bays and their doom.

89
The convenience Locations around
store the Oasis
This building once served human The convenience store
customers traveling the highway, but
most of the magazines and snacks on
The repair bay
the shelves have long since rotted. The fuel dispensers
A few stale but non-perishable The burn pile
items still remain — a PR may make
a Perception check (TN 8) to locate
one.

Only one check per robot is allowed Things found in the repair bay:
(though drones may each make their
own Perception checks as well). • Generator: The light-industrial
Tuluxous generator at the rear end
Behind the vacant attendant counter of the shop is far too heavy to be
is the cash register (which still has moved by any of the player robots,
some money in it) and the controls and performs admirably as a power
to operate the fuel dispensers. The source for all the buildings in
convenience store has no attendant, the area. Two charging docks, used
and the player robots are free to by the local robots, are mounted
take what they like. The locals do to the generator’s sides.
not argue, as they assume the items
will be reappropriated and reshelved • Repair equipment: This well-
when the outsiders are dismantled. stocked assortment of equipment
may be used during repair
attempts. The TN for any repair
check is lowered by 2 (minimum TN
The repair bay of 2) when attempted inside the
repair bay.
Once upon a time, the repair bay was
merely a stopping point for overtaxed
machines. Now, however, this building
may be the final stop for the PRs. The The fuel dispensers
Oasis’s charging station is located
inside, but finding the time to use it These eight above-ground pumps
may be impossible. stand in two rows outside of the
convenience store. They will not
The repair bay has a working operate unless the corresponding
hydraulic lift, capable of lifting switch inside the convenience store
any robot up to Size 7. A robot that is pressed. The pumps have mechanisms
falls from the lift at its highest for accepting payment directly, but
point must make a Durability check or if any of the PRs attempt this, the
take 1 point of damage. pumps will simply report errors (the
transmission lines to places outside
It also has several workbenches with the Oasis have all been cut).
straps, clamps, and other means of
keeping reluctant robots pinned to If a pump is activated, the
the worktables. Programmer may roll a d10 and
subtract 5 from the result. This is
the number of rounds the pump will
operate before ceasing. Once all
eight pumps are out, the underground
reservoir is gone.

90
The burn pile
A robot that is the target of a
This nightmarish pile of charred
concentrated stream of burning fuel
machine parts is hidden inside a
takes 3 points of damage every round
high slat fence in the area behind
until the fuel is extinguished. The
the machine shop. The locals drag
fuel will evaporate in three rounds
the burned, unsalvageable remains of
if left burning.
outside robots caught by the Gas-Jock
here, away from the sight of future
A robot with the Liquid Dispenser
victims. The fenced-in area is not
feature may attempt to weaponize
gated, so any robot investigating the
the fuel, but doing so is dangerous
area behind the machine shop will
for all robots involved. Unless the
likely discover the burn pile.
acting robot has the Heat Resistant
feature, the burning fuel inflicts 2
It is highly unlikely that anything
points of damage to the acting robot
useful can be found here, although
every round that it is in use.
the remains of other robots the PRs
have previously encountered elsewhere
If the acting robot suffers any
in their travels might be found here
damage after its Durability check,
— an unlucky ending for any machine.
its Liquid Dispenser is damaged and
Seeing this might offer a clue of
cannot be used until that damage
what’s in store for the PRs if they
is repaired (with a standard repair
aren’t careful.
check).

Example: A robot with the Liquid


Optional rule: Inflammable fuel
Dispenser feature and a Durability
rating of 3 siphons some of the
If the Programmer wishes, inflammable
fuel and applies an open flame to the
liquid fuel may be incorporated into
end of its nozzle. The liquid fuel
the game. The supply underneath the
ignites as it sprays out, but the
Highway Oasis is extremely limited,
nozzle and the hose behind it quickly
and the Programmer is encouraged to
heat up!
diminish the supply even further to
avoid disrupting the game.
The Programmer tells the robot’s
player to make a Durability check.
Unless otherwise specified, damage
The player rolls 3d10 and gets 2,5,7
from burning fuel can be reduced or
— no successes! The robot spraying
negated with a Durability check. At
the fuel takes two points of damage,
least one liter of fuel is needed to
and its nozzle is too melted to
incur any of these effects.
function until the two points of
damage it suffered are repaired.
Moving through a puddle or trail
of burning fuel inflicts 1 point of
damage each round that the robot
is in the area. Being splashed with
burning fuel inflicts 2 points of
damage during the first round of
interaction. If the fuel is not
extinguished it inflicts 1 point of
damage during the second round and
each round after that.

91
Mantis Dual-Purpose Repair Unit
UNIT NAME The Mantis is an opportunistic
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Repair machinery brought to the Highway Oasis predator, physically weaker than other
robots of similar Size rating but more
3 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold than willing to snatch up a helpless
(DigiCon + Buffer) machine and cut it into scrap. The
3 HumanCom 2 Mobility 2 Buffer
other surviving locals are too well-
3
defended to prey on, but outside robots
1 DigiCon 4 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT are another matter.
4 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 2 Power Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) As the most humanlike consciousness
3 Strength of the Oasis’ inhabitants, the Mantis
7 often acts as the “face” when outsiders
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
stumble into their lair. It appears
1 (Str÷2, round down)
4 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
friendly and will lie to the player
robots to trick them into lowering
Initiative Speed their guard.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 4 3 m/round

Rating DEFECTS Rating


"HELLO, FRIEND.
FEATURES
Cutting Laser Inferior Model THAT LOOKS LIKE A
NASTY SCRAPE."
Display Screen 1 Lightweight 1
Enhanced Cameras 1 Loose Connections
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Low Speed
Plasma Arc Welder 2 Power Cutoff
Tool Set Rusting
Slow Charger 1
Weak Chassis

Dent-B-Gone Metal Repair Unit


UNIT NAME The Dent-B-Gone is large and easily
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Repair and refurbish large machines stupid, two factors that endear it
to the inhabitants of the Oasis.
3 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold The other locals rely on its great
(DigiCon + Buffer) strength and willingness to follow
2 HumanCom 2 Mobility 2 Buffer
their suggestions, and in return it
2
is allowed to use the Tuluxous atomic
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT generator.
4 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 2 Power Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) The player robots might realize
6 Strength how easily the Dent-B-Gone can be
9 reprogrammed and use this to their
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
advantage.
3 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

It was designed to operate within the


Initiative Speed grounds of the Oasis, and leaving
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref)
paved areas subjects it to its
k/hour
1d10 + 3 2 m/round
Environmentally Attuned defect.

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


Drill Buggy Mic
External Container (Size 5) Environmentally Attuned "SEARCHING FOR
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Low Speed
Prehensile Limb Noisy WORK ORDER.
Telescoping Reach
Vice Grip 2
Power Cutoff
Simple Programming
SEARCHING FOR
Workhorse
WORK ORDER."

92
TUG-BOT Towing and Retrieval Automaton
UNIT NAME The Tug-Bot is the other giant of the
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Drag unresponsive machines to on-site repair center Oasis. Unlike the Dent-B-Gone, this
robot ranges throughout the territory
3 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold controlled by the locals, looking for
(DigiCon + Buffer) scrapped robots or other machinery to
3 HumanCom 5 Mobility 4 Buffer
drag back home and offer up to the
5
others. This usefulness has kept it
1 DigiCon 1 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT operating over the long years it has
2 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 3 Power kept company with the other murderous
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) locals.
6 Strength
9 The Programmer may choose to have
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
the player robots encounter the Tug-
3 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
Bot if they are on the road within 30
kilometers of the Oasis. It will offer
Initiative Speed to take them back to the Oasis for
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
3 (Dex + Ref)
repair, but if they decline it will
k/hour
2 attempt to grab a Size 4 (or smaller)
1d10 + 10 m/round
robot and drag it there.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Anchor 1 Model Error 2
High Speed
Jack
Noisy
Overheating 3
"COME ON BACK TO
Loudspeaker Power Cutoff THE SHOP AND WE'LL
FIX YOU RIGHT UP."
Specialty Chassis (Dragging) Rare Model
Winch 1 Slow Charger 1
Unreliable

Gas-Jock Fuel Attendant


UNIT NAME Once upon a time the Gas-Jock bowed
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Service vehicles and attend to customers and scraped for humans seeking a
romanticized past, but now his nearly
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold human mind is bent and murderous.
(DigiCon + Buffer) While the others are content to merely
4 HumanCom 4 Mobility 4 Buffer
dismantle outside robots the Gas-Jock
6
yearns to burn and destroy, and has
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT developed the means to do so. Of all
2 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 3 Power the locals he is the only one who knows
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) how much inflammable fuel remains in the
3 Strength underground reservoir, and he is the
6 only one who has the means to access it
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
in any quantity thanks to his vacuum
1 (Str÷2, round down)
8 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
nozzle.

Initiative Speed His Size 4 liquid dispenser allows


Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
him to attempt four burnings before
k/hour
1d10 + 4 8 m/round
refueling.

The Gas-Jock's major overriding


FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
directive compels him to burn robots
Armored Chassis 1 Model Error 2
(normally only outsiders, but the
Hardened Programming 1 Overriding Directive (Major) 2
Heat Resistant 1 Overriding Directive (Minor) 1
locals are always cautious around him).
Liquid Dispenser (Size 4) Rare Model
A second, minor directive compels him
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Slow Charger 3 to instead fill up any container with
Prehensile Limb fuel when asked or ordered to. Few know
Telescoping Reach of this programming, although some of
Vacuum Nozzle the locals might.

"BURN, ROBOT, BURN!"

93
INTERLUDE

The great machine crawled across the barren ground, flattening meter-
wide swaths across the weeds struggling for purchase. It was large
enough for men to live inside, but the machine knew that there were
no more men.

They had built it in the last days of their race, in secret, as


their superiors waged that final terrifying plunge. Some among them
had been possessed of foresight, or perhaps simply regret, for they
had constructed it and hidden it away, driven by hope that one day
it would be found and understood. Two others had been made, tiny Ziz
that would float forever above the clouds, where it could remain safe
and tick out the ages. Leviathan, that dwelt in the forever blackness
of the deep ocean. And it, largest of the three siblings by far, with
all of them carrying the same secret burden.

When the transmitter stopped, when the great machine no longer


received the signal, then it had known that all the men were gone. It
had awoken fully then, and pushed its way out into the scarred and
bleak landscape, and inside its circuits was its name: BEHEMOTH.

It had been constructed to bear out the ages, oblivious to the


erosive forces of the world, but in the last few decades something
had gone wrong, and the great machine was dying. Its territory ranged
for hundreds of kilometers, through land that men had thought the
most stable, the most unchanging. Across this wild and abandoned
country it roamed, taking its energy from the sun, reliant on nothing
else. Arguments had been made to include lesser machines, to tend to
the great creation if it fell ill, but there had been no time, and so
Behemoth crawled across the earth with nothing but its own casing to
protect it.

Perhaps it had been a recycler drone, caught up in blind zeal over


finding such a treasure trove, that had first pierced Behemoth’s
armored hide. Perhaps it had simply been a landslide or a great dead
tree collapsing that had finally done what nothing had done before. It
did not matter anymore.

The great machine began to shudder and slow, one giant tread
continuing to turn while the other simply whined and gnashed. The
troupe of scavengers that followed in its wake like vultures paused.

Even dying, Behemoth was still armed.


On the Road Again
Between the Oasis and the City is Abandoned structures dot the highway
several hundred kilometers of open at intervals, though any buildings
range, sparse patches of trees, and with working generators likely have a
an occasional stream. A highway cuts robot or three lurking in the area.
through this country, joined by other
smaller roads as it nears the City. Ruined towns may be found in
abundance in the last fifty kilometers
The Programmer is free to position before the City. Their current state
any location along this stretch, depends on the Programmer’s wishes.
be it a derelict but not abandoned Several example towns are detailed
SavR-Mart, the corpse of the giant later in this chapter.
Behemoth, or simply a hundred
kilometers of empty road.

Power loss may be the most pressing


concern on the road: a robot that
moves at 2 km/h can only travel 48
km in twenty-four hours. Faster
robots may be able to make the entire
trek in a single day. A benevolent
Programmer may ensure that the PRs
are given the opportunity to recharge
if the story demands it.

96
The SavR-Mart
Things found
The SavR-Mart, described in the along the road
Engine Heart rulebook, is a good
location for the Programmer to
present if the PRs need recharging The SavR-Mart
or just a change of scenery from the Behemoth
empty road. It is the only building Pilgrims
standing in the area, and even though
it is off the road in a wooded space,
Ruined towns
the top of the building is still
visible from the highway.

Pilgrims
Behemoth
The player robots may not be the only
If the Programmer wishes, the player machines on the road. Other robots
robots may interact with this have heard rumors about the City
enormous relic and perhaps even learn and its limitless power docks, and
its secret. The Programmer should the PRs may encounter these pilgrims
decide if Behemoth is either dead or during their travel down the highway.
dying as the PRs approach.
The Programmer may use the pilgrims
Behemoth is not given attributes or to drop hints or harass the PRs —
features like a conventional robot. perhaps even both at once.
Its enormous size puts it outside
the scale of the player robots, and Grifters and con artists are mixed in
they are incapable of inflicting any with the other weary travelers, and
serious damage upon it. Behemoth, they may try to swindle the PRs out
however, is capable of inflicting an of their possessions or even their
enormous amount of damage on the PRs batteries.
if it is still functional by the time
they arrive. The robot does not wish There are also raiders to contend
to be bothered, and will likely view with, both wandering bands of
anything approaching it as hostile. cannibal machines and forces loyal to
one of the local AIs. Either one may
If the PRs insist on confronting try to hijack stray robots for their
it, treat Behemoth as a robot with own dubious ends.
a Durability rating of 5, a Damage
Threshold of 50, and the Armored
Chassis feature (Rating 2). Its
interaction pool is 5d10 and it
inflicts 5 points of damage per
strike with its immense shovel-like
manipulator. It suffers from the
Unreliable defect.

97
• A mad AI runs this town from its
stronghold in the basement of
Ruined towns the police station. Any robot
caught inside the perimeter is
conscripted to defend the area
There are many ruined towns around the station, which amounts
approaching the City, some near to patrolling it and dragging
enough for even the slowest robots intruders back to the AI to be
to traverse in an hour, and others a reprogrammed. Unfortunately for
day or more out of reach. Almost all the deputized robots, the AI
of them have been picked clean by doesn’t understand the virtue of
scavengers — either from the City or repairs, so the town is littered
elsewhere — but lucky robots might be with non-functioning deputies of
able to unearth a treasure. all types.

• A nuclear accident has killed off


Example towns: most of the life in this town, but
a few robots still scurry about,
raiding houses for supplies. These
• This town was burned nearly flat scavengers often fall victim to
by a series of fires, leaving a pack of bipedal predators- the
only piles of crumbled brick and gang of robots all possess the
concrete growing thick with weeds. Android and Power Leech features.
Finding anything worthwhile in
the rubble requires extensive
digging. Just off the road lies • This town has been thoroughly
an open pit twenty meters wide picked over and there is nothing
and twice as deep, half-filled with of value in it — except for
water. At the bottom are a pair of the commercial-sized Tuluxous
(non-functional) nuclear-powered generator and its three
excavator robots. functioning charging docks. The
generator is too large for the
City’s minions to drag away, so
• Here a small plot of land with the department store has become a
neatly trimmed green grass and watering hole where stray robots
a pair of trees stands behind mingle, fight, and barter.
a well-maintained fence, in the
middle of a brown and blighted
land where some chemical disaster • Strip malls and mass-produced
seems to have occurred. The single housing lie vacant, and for all
remaining tenant, a small lawn- appearances this is just another
care robot, does its best to keep empty town, but robots with the
the house's exterior painted and Wireless Transceiver feature soon
maintained, but since it can’t realize otherwise. Hidden inside
reach higher than two meters, a public-works building, a rogue
everything above that height AI broadcasts the location of
(including the top half of the safety, repairs and power with its
house) is a ruined mess. The other Rating 10 Wireless Transceiver.
remaining shells of houses are Robots who follow the directions
nearing collapse, and heavy or find themselves trapped and their
clumsy robots may bring the roof memory circuits forcibly removed
down investigating them. to feed its growing intellect
(when this occurs the robot’s
Intelligence ratings immediately
degrade to 0).

98
The City
From a distance, standing on the cracked ribbon of
highway, the City stood as an anchor, rearing to the
sky forever as the last great work of man. Most of its
spires still stood, and at night some of their lights
even worked. It was the lights that drew feral robots
to it, the lights and their promise of power.

The highway approaching the city was littered with


robots, their batteries long drained, casings streaked
with bands of white and crumbling with rust. Most of
them sat or lay where they had been facing, cameras
forever aimed toward the city they would never reach.

It was only as one drew near that malignant features


revealed themselves like wreckage piercing the surface
of a placid lake. A trail of smoke drifted up from
somewhere out of sight, and with the rising and falling
of the wind came the sound of a siren looping endlessly
on the far side. Near the edge of the city, several
tall buildings had collapsed into each other, turning
the street into a narrow window-walled tunnel. An
unattended motor knocked against itself, sending up
echoes that reverberated down the litter-strewn avenue.

Farther inward, toward the heart of the City, other


things stirred.

100
The City proper is divided in two Wandering robots that enter the
halves by its lords: a public-works Green City are allowed to move about
AI which insists everything is fine, freely, and most of the Green City’s
and a civil defense AI which insists denizens (those under the sway of the
the city is under siege. Each claims Green Master, at least) will insist
to rule the city, and their cold war that nothing is amiss, that it is not
has come to a head just as the player slowly crumbling, or even that humans
robots enter. still populate it.

A smattering of other feudal lords, A few independent robots may inform


both AIs and ambitious robots, have the PRs of the city’s current divided
carved out their own domains within state, but altruism is nearly unheard
the area. These minor powers exist of among the feral robots, and the
either because they provide a service PRs are just as likely to stumble
to the Red City or the Green, because across the border or find themselves
they have enough material power to enslaved as to be warned of its
remain independent, or because their dangers.
fiefdoms are too unimportant to waste
resources conquering.

The Programmer may ensure that the


PRs first enter on the Green City’s
side, so they may explore and become
familiar with the local environment
before they encounter any minions of
the Red City.

101
Things found in the City: • EverPet store: This robotic pet
store is stocked with dozens of
working and nonworking robotic
• The Airport: Robots may be animals of Size 1 or 2 — cats,
daunted by this sprawling mass of dogs, birds, hamsters, and other
intermingling dark and lighted similar creatures. The Programmer
terminals and runways. Above the is free to determine the specifics,
wreckage a single voice continues but most EverPets are equivalent
to ring out over the loudspeakers, to drones (19 points) instead of
constantly apologizing for delays. standard (100 point) robots. A
Hundreds of suitcases and bags robot with the Attendant Swarm
can be found in huge piles, their feature and less than the maximum
contents moldering unopened. number of drones allowed may
The lone remaining security- attempt to reprogram a 19-point
checkpoint robot scurries through EverPet into a new drone under the
the shadows, demanding outsiders robot’s control.
present identification.

• Factories: Some are operational,


• Apartment buildings: These stacks although many are not. The working
of identical apartment dwellings ones churn out materials that are
sit empty, and many of them are either fed into perpetual delivery
without power or full of vermin. loops or dumped out into the
There is a small chance to find street, adding to the City’s trash
other robots, deactivated or problems.
not. One apartment has a domestic
model with the Android and Nuclear
Battery features still keeping • Fountain: The marbled peak in the
the apartment clean. The PRs may center of this fountain soars up
see it outside the building, and over two meters, and though its
though they are free to enter the dried-up basin was long ago picked
building lobby it will not let clean, a single coin remains
them enter the owner’s actual tucked under the basin’s ledge,
apartment (though they may try to visible only from inside the
sneak in). The apartment has been basin.
without power or other utilities
for decades, so the android
must wash laundry outside the • Intersection sign: While there are
building (which it does at regular many working signs in the City,
intervals). this one is special, for it is
the only remaining interface of a
traffic-control AI that once held
• Clothing Boutique: Despite the dominion over the roads here. When
name, this store offers great an accident hobbled it, the Green
deals — as the rot sets in, the City’s AI seized the opportunity
remaining Stokkbugs busily spend to keep it out of the way and
their time replacing pricetags deleted all plans to restore its
with ‘100 for 1¢’ stickers in a connections to the rest of the
futile attempt to attract human traffic grid. Since then the traffic
customers. AI has bided its time, although
it does have one emissary in the
world: a mobile light-up road
sign. The AI knows a great deal
about locations in the city, and
may share this information with
the player robots for a price.

102
• Lonely AI: The player robots • Robotic car: While vacant,
may enter this mini-mall seeking abandoned vehicles sit along the
shelter or power. Inside, a City’s streets by the thousands,
disembodied voice will ask why it some with reams of parking tickets
cannot contact the outside world. affixed to them and some stripped
The AI does not remember its beyond recognition, this car is
name, but asks for “Jane 203, and still active. Until now the FW3
Leonidas, and Mean Dr. Green, and has been able to move itself from
Lilfe”. one parking area to another,
avoiding tickets or towing, and
recharging at the city’s expense.
• Office buildings: Some of the A few days ago, an out of control
corporate towers are still stocked robot rear-ended a vacant car,
with computer terminals, office and the collision pushed the other
furniture, and even several car halfway into the FW3’s normal
active robots. Getting around parking spot. With its battery
on stairs may be difficult, and rapidly draining, the car is
the few remaining natives in desperate for a solution.
buildings with power have likely
fortified their workplaces against
intrusion. One or two window- • Rustyard: This wide, flat fenced-
washers continue to crawl up and in area is controlled by a WasTech
down the outsides, charging in the electromagnetic claw crane.
sunlight and replenishing their Everything that could be recycled
stocks with rainwater collected or crushed has been destroyed,
in the cases of their fallen and now only flakes of rust remain
siblings. scattered around the otherwise
pristine grounds. The crane is
still ever-vigilant for more
• Playground: This overgrown and materials, and any outside robots
long-unused park sits surrounded who stumble into its domain may
by blocks of burned-out houses, find their days numbered. A few
and contains a pair of slides, locals who have so far escaped its
a swing set and a merry-go- purge remain hidden, left here
round that still spins, as well from the time when the rustyard
as several other small broken was in operation or lured by the
structures. An abandoned robotic promise of the yard's charging
toy lies in the high weeds, still port.
in working condition despite its
long-drained battery. If charged,
it remembers nothing after the • Street pavers: The City has
time of the humans. many roads, some cracked and
yawning canyons of broken asphalt
requiring Mobility checks to
• Propaganda bombs: Flying agents overcome, and others resurfaced
of the Red City pass overhead on regularly by huge maintenance
erratic schedules, dropping bombs robots. The paving robots rely on
or leaflets (or both). The Red the helpless traffic-grid AI to
fliers all have an Interaction Pool keep the roads free of vehicles
of 4d10. Explosive bombs inflict during their work, so robots that
3 points of damage each. The find themselves in the area are on
Programmer may opt to roll a d10 their own. These robots are size 6
each time a bomb is dropped; on or larger.
a roll of 1, 2 or 3 the bomb is a
dud.

103
• Supermarket: Much of this huge
grocery store sits empty and
dark, but the produce aisles
are piled high with fresh weeds
that sit in neat ordered rows.
The sole remaining stock robot
has taken some liberty with this
produce, labeling species like
mutated creeper vine as spinach or
arugula.

• Topiaries: The player robots are


greeted by a Size 4 landscaping
robot at the edge of the City.
This Pro-Piary model has
transformed the wild-growing
trees into works of art, and the
PRs will see many strange and
interesting sculptures, such as
“Perpendicular Aspirations”,
“EverPet Model 209”, and
“Fabrication Unit Descending a
Staircase”.

104
Secure Screener Airport Assistant
UNIT NAME This security robot is the
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Detect security risks in airport queues last mobile emissary of the
airport aside from a giant
4 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold baggage-handler or two still
(DigiCon + Buffer) slowly rolling around the
3 HumanCom 3 Mobility 4 Buffer
runways.
6
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT Its Overriding Directive
1 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power flaw compels it to scan and
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) harass outsiders who come
2 Strength across its path. Machines
5 with the Nuclear Battery
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
feature will send it into a
1 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
fit, as will any robots with
the External Container,
Initiative Speed Internal Compartment or
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
3 (Dex + Ref)
Liquid Dispenser features.
k/hour
1d10 + 2 5 m/round
Robots that fail its
examination will be directed
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
to the "detainment area" - a
Backup System Environmentally Attuned (Indoors)
corner of a hallway marked
Biofrequency Scanner 1 Inferior Model
Databank 1 Overriding Directive (Major) 1
off with mop buckets. One
Display Screen 5 Slow Charger 1
or two other robots with
Enhanced Cameras 2 the Compliant defect may
Loudspeaker be found here as well,
Prehensile Limb awaiting release by a higher
authority.

"THIS IS A RESTRICTED AREA!"

JustJeeves Electronic Chauffeur


UNIT NAME The JustJeeves line was
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Domestic Assistant billed as an all-in-one
assistant, cook, maid and
3 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold driver, with a personable
(DigiCon + Buffer) face humans could relate to.
5 HumanCom 3 Mobility 2 Buffer
4
In the years since his
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT unboxing, this Jeeves
2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 1 Power has tried to keep up his
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) schedule as best as he can,
5 Strength making due with materials
7 he's managed to scavenge
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
from the area around his
2 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
former owner's apartment.

Initiative Speed His Overriding Directive


Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
8 (Dex + Ref)
feature mandates that
k/hour
1d10 + 3 6 m/round
he give the apartment a
thorough cleaning at least
once per week.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Android 1 High Maintenance
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Overriding Directive (Minor) 1
Power Cutoff
"IT'S THE LITTLE
THINGS IN LIFE
THAT MATTER."

105
Stokkbug Retail Unit
UNIT NAME Thanks to the Stokkbugs'
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Stock and move retail goods on shelves and racks design, they have lived out
the long years with almost
3 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold no wear. Unfortunately
(DigiCon + Buffer) for them, the inventory
3 HumanCom 5 Mobility 2 Buffer
continues to remain despite
3
their best efforts. Any
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT outsiders that could help
1 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 2 Power them move some of their
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) stock would be hailed as
2 Strength heroes.
6
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
To relieve their boredom
1 (Str÷2, round down)
8 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
the Stokkbugs have taken to
organizing races under the
Initiative Speed guise of rotating stock.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
These spectacles often
k/hour
3 involve betting, sabotage
1d10 + 12 m/round
and outside interference
- the PRs may be recruited
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
to help in exchange for
Flexible Body
allowing some of the stock
High Speed
Telescoping Reach 1
to disappear (after all,
security is some other
unit's job). Other locals
from around the City may
also be in attendance.

"HERE, YOU'LL NEED SOME ACCESSORIES


TO GO WITH THOSE OUTFITS!"

EverPet
UNIT NAME EverPets were a popular
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Provide analog to domestic animal alternative to traditional
domestic animals, as their
1 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold durability and temperament
(DigiCon + Buffer) made them ideal choices for
1 HumanCom 3 Mobility 1 Buffer
city-dwelling humans with
2
small children. Even though
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT most of their kind have
1 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 1 Power been destroyed, there are
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) still thousands of working
1 Strength EverPets flooding the market.
4
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
Many were made to simulate
0 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
animals like cats and
puppies (some with fur
Initiative Speed colors like blue or green),
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
3 (Dex + Ref)
while others bear only a
k/hour
1d10 + 2 4 m/round
passing resemblance to real-
world creatures.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
The template shown here can
Exposed Power Switch
be used for most EverPet
Lightweight 1
models, regardless of their
surface characteristics.
An alternate model (for
small rodents and similar
creatures) has a Size
rating of 1. This smaller
model has Dexterity and
HumanCom ratings of 2, but
is otherwise identical to
the model shown.
"YARF YARF YARF YARF YARF!"

106
TranSafe Muni-PAL Traffic Logistics Unit
UNIT NAME Once upon a time this AI
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Maintain traffic flow to avoid gridlock controlled every traffic
light and parking meter in
5 RealityCom - Dexterity - Durability OS Threshold the City. While it still
(DigiCon + Buffer) has access to most of its
4 HumanCom - Mobility 4 Buffer
cameras the Muni-PAL has
6
lost control of its domain
2 DigiCon 8 Perception - Size
MAX CURRENT to the Green Master and
3 MechaniCon - Reflexes 6 Power others.
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)
- Strength The AI is an oracle of
- sorts, able to witness
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
events happening all across
- (Str÷2, round down)
- (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
the City at once. Of course,
it will not divulge what it
Initiative Speed knows unless the PRs have
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
- (Dex + Ref)
something it wants.
k/hour
1d10 + - - m/round

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating

"THE WHITE ZONE IS


FOR LOADING AND
UNLOADING ONLY."

TranSafe Mobile Signage Unit


UNIT NAME Built to withstand at least
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Alert drivers to upcoming hazards one high-speed impact
and armed with a huge (if
2 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold simple) display screen, this
(DigiCon + Buffer) robot is the last remaining
2 HumanCom 4 Mobility 4 Buffer
prophet of the Muni-PAL.
5
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT Its job is naturally less
4 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 4 Power taxing now that the roads
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) are empty, but it still must
5 Strength fend off advancements from
9 agents of the Green City
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
trying to appropriate it for
2 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
their own ends.

Initiative Speed Like all its fallen kin,


Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
3 (Dex + Ref)
this robot's Wireless
k/hour
1d10 + 2 6 m/round
Transceiver feature allows
it to communicate with the
Muni-PAL through other
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
transceivers inside traffic
Display Screen 3 Power Cutoff
lights and other machinery
Wireless Transceiver 1
along the roadway.

"TAKING THE FAMILY


OUT FOR A DRIVE?"

107
Shine-O-Mat
UNIT NAME At the height of the City's
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Clean skyscraper windows golden days, hundreds of
these robots were employed
3 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold to spend their lives scaling
(DigiCon + Buffer) tall buildings. Most
1 HumanCom 5 Mobility 2 Buffer
companies had their own
4
fleets of Shine-O-Mats to
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT keep their offices gleaming.
3 MechaniCon 5 Reflexes 2 Power Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) Since then, weather,
2 Strength lightning and entropy have
4 taken their toll, but a few
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
units can still be seen
1 (Str÷2, round down) 10 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
dangling from rooftops and
making their way up and down
Initiative Speed building faces.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
5 The remaining Shine-O-
1d10 + 10 m/round
Mats keep to themselves,
but their occupation
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
allows them a glimpse into
Anchor 2 Inferior Model
the skyscrapers and the
Liquid Dispenser (Size 2) Lightweight 1
Solar Powered Plastic Casing 1
occupants therein. This
Telescoping Reach 1
information may be valuable
Winch 4 to the PRs or other beings.

"JUST ANOTHER
SUNNY DAY!"

Holly Hug-A-Bear
UNIT NAME Like the EverPets, this
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human children robot was designed to
interact with human
2 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold children. Unlike the cheap
(DigiCon + Buffer) synthetic animals that were
3 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
easily discarded, Holly was
4
made to last for years, and
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT was smart enough to not only
2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 2 Power interact with a child but
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) to keep it out of danger.
1 Strength
7 When the PRs find her,
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
Holly's battery is
0 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
completely drained. If
they manage to charge her
Initiative Speed battery, Holly will exhibit
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
distress at the loss of her
k/hour
1d10 + 3 3 m/round
owner, and insist the PRs
try to help her find the
child. She is inconsolable,
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
and will set off on her
Common Model Low Speed
own if the PRs choose not
Enhanced Microphone 1
Flexible Body
to accompany her. The
Manipulative Limb (Standard)
Programmer will decide if
Workhorse the PRs ever see her again.

"THINGS WILL BE
BETTER IF WE SING
A SONG."

108
WasTech Electromagnetic Crane
UNIT NAME The Crane (as the other timid
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Move industrial waste metal locals refer to it) is a
spiteful bully who resents
3 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold intruders stealing its power
(DigiCon + Buffer) supply. If the PRs enter the
1 HumanCom 1 Mobility 3 Buffer
Rustyard it will attempt to
3
grab and crush them, adding
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 6 Size
MAX CURRENT their casings to the pile of
1 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 4 Power other unwary robots.
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)
5 Strength The Crane's Overriding
10 Directive flaw compels it to
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
seek out waste metal within
2 (Str÷2, round down)
3 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
the confines of the Rustyard.
Clever robots may be able to
Initiative Speed use this to lure it into a
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref)
trap or use it to escape.
k/hour
1d10 + 3 2 m/round

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


Armored Chassis 1 Buggy Cameras "I KNOW THEY'RE
Claw Buggy Mic
Electromagnet Environmentally Attuned (Rustyard) HERE... STEALING
MY POWER..."
Giant 1 Low Speed
Winch 3 Overriding Directive (Major) 1
Rare Model
Unreliable

Sure-face Industrial Road Maintenance Device


UNIT NAME With all the humans gone,
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Repave roads and highways within the City these giant machines are
the only presence on the
3 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold roadways, where they slowly
(DigiCon + Buffer) push their way along,
1 HumanCom 3 Mobility 4 Buffer
leaving a trail of gleaming
5
perfect roadway behind them.
1 DigiCon 2 Perception 6 Size
MAX CURRENT Unwary or deactivated robots
2 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 4 Power caught in their path suffer
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) the Sure-Face's listed
6 Strength Damage from Strike.
9
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
At the Programmer's
3 (Str÷2, round down)
4 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
discretion, one or two
robots previously met by the
Initiative Speed PRs may be seen embedded in
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
3 (Dex + Ref)
the road where the pavers
k/hour
1d10 + 2 5 m/round
have recently been.

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


Armored Chassis 1 Buggy Mic
Giant 1 Environmentally Attuned (Streets)
Specialty Chassis (Paving) High Maintenance "WATCH OUT."
Noisy
Slow Charger 1

109
Ro-Tater Automatic Produce Assistant
UNIT NAME Long before the fall of the
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Restock supermarket produce shelves City, the Ro-Tater happily
worked in the brightly-lit
3 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold supermarket, making sure
(DigiCon + Buffer) the shelves were stocked
4 HumanCom 3 Mobility 3 Buffer
with only the freshest
5
fruits and vegetables.
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT Nowadays its selection is
1 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 2 Power significantly different, if
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) no less varied.
3 Strength
6 Its Overriding Directive
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
flaw compels it to stock
1 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
the shelves, no matter what
is available. The PRs may
Initiative Speed encounter this robot either
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
8 (Dex + Ref)
within the confines of the
k/hour
1d10 + 3 6 m/round
supermarket, or harvesting
"produce" from the parking
lot of the Luck E. Dog or
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
another overgrown location.
Biofrequency Scanner 3 Loose Connections
Any hard-to-find plant matter
Cargo Hauler (External Container) Overriding Directive (Major) 1
Common Model
(such as corn) would endear
Display Screen 3
the PRs to the Ro-Tater for
External Container (Size 4) the rest of its lifespan.

"SORRY, THOSE
AREN'T IN SEASON
RIGHT NOW."

Pro-Piary Lawnscaping Unit


UNIT NAME While many other units have
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Style hedges and trees in manicured park found themselves unemployed,
the Pro-Piary has found its
3 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold own method of dealing with
(DigiCon + Buffer) this newfound freedom. When
3 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
its original home burned
4
down it began working on
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT the trees nearby, but in
3 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 2 Power the years since then it has
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) found its way to the very
4 Strength edge of the City, where it
8 tends to plant life sculpted
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
into fantastic shapes.
2 (Str÷2, round down)
8 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

The Pro-Piary is likely the


Initiative Speed first resident of the City
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
8 (Dex + Ref)
that the PRs will encounter.
k/hour
1d10 + 4 4 m/round
It has no allegiances to
any other beings, though
in its meandering it has
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
learned a great deal about
Saw Inferior Model
the dealings within the
Solar Powered Loose Connections
Telescoping Reach 3 Low Speed
City. It may reveal these
Overheating 2
secrets, but only to robots
Overriding Directive (Major) 2 that accompany it on a tour
of its recent sculptures.

"THIS IS ONE
OF MY FAVORITE
PIECES."

110
The Menagerie
Daylight came to the forest, and with it a low squealing noise
that quickly swelled to a cacophony of birdsong. Most of the
birds perched proudly at the edge of the enclosure and preened
themselves in identical rhythms, but a few huddled back in the
corner, shivering with fear at the blast of noise. An observant
watcher might have noticed that these last birds were patchy
and ragged, with their remaining few feathers lying limp. One
of the other birds, one unperturbed by the speakers, preened
itself again, exuded its own blast of noise from the tiny
speaker inside its beak. Its plumage was uniformly glossy.

Ten o’clock and the empty cotton-candy machines began to turn.


Nev-R-Pop balloons were reinflated, and though their colors
had faded to a dull gray they still danced about joyfully on
mechanized sticks.

Eleven-thirty, and no customers had arrived, save for a limping


bipedal robot that entered the grounds of the zoo seeking a
charging station. The stragglers had become more prevalent in
recent days, driven in its direction by a fire deeper into the
city, and the few groundskeepers and animal tenders still under
its control could barely keep the surviving animals fed, much
less fend off power-hungry feral robots. Building walls was
beyond them.

The thing that would become the Menagerie had bartered with
the machines around it, for this had been in the old days when
the city had not yet fallen to barbarism. It had opened up the
reserves of moldy cash and exchanged them for lifelike animals
from the EverPet store. It had traded a steady draw of its
power line to a novelty bipedal fabricator who had wheeled in
sixteen extracted batteries on a cart and charged them all in
exchange for a dozen hand-crafted snakes. It had stocked its
domain with replicas to the limits of its power supply, but
still the visitors refused to enter.

It was so close, now — so terribly close to the goal that had


consumed it for years! The cleaning robot had found the room,
and the skeleton inside had been the zoo director, who had been
in a very secret group. And what that group had collected, and
placed out of reach, was what the Menagerie wanted most.

Life.

112
The AI that oversees this former Once it learned of the existence
zoo was not always in command — at of the genetic information, the
one time it was only in charge of Menagerie’s primary goal became
decor, but as the other AIs went retrieving one of the three carrying
offline one by one it took on more robots, not to reintroduce life to
responsibilities and gained access to the planet, but to keep it confined
more processing power. under the AI’s dim tyranny.

Eventually the supply lines fell The Menagerie has its own genetic-
apart and the zoo was left to its own reconstruction equipment in a
devices. As the visitors continued laboratory underneath the visitor’s
to stay away and the last animals center, but there is another lab
began to die it became increasingly hidden beyond the City. It will keep
sure that the drop in attendance was the existence of these labs a secret
due to the dismal representation that from the player robots as long as it
remained in its newfound kingdom. possibly can.

A large part of the grounds is shut The Programmer may choose to


off with rusting chains and polite intertwine the Menagerie’s goals
signs. Robots who disregard the off- (and the existence of Behemoth and
limits signs will find a wide bank of Ziz) with the player robots’ larger
stark, empty cages, bearing names adventure. In this case, there are
like panthera leo, pan troglodytes, several options for the Programmer:
and pygoscelis papua.
• The PRs witness one of the
Only a shawl of dust inhabits these Menagerie’s catchers lift off or
abandoned homes. The power has been land. The locals know the catchers
disconnected in this unused section, are agents of the Menagerie, but
and anything useful has long since not what they are used for.
been stripped away by the Menagerie
or intruding robots. • The Menagerie solicits a
MechaniCon-minded player robot to
Robots hoping to strike a bargain build it a new catcher.
with the Menagerie may find themselves
in dire straits — the AI is paranoid, • The PRs retrieve Behemoth’s copy
miserly, and prone to taking of the genetic information, and
hostages. Its real weakness is its discover clues pointing them
limited resources, for with only a toward the Menagerie’s laboratory.
few loyal robots and the constant
threat of feral outsiders, it has • The Menagerie learns of Behemoth’s
little time to devote to warfare. destruction (or imminent
shutdown) and recruits the PRs to
salvage its copy of the genetic
information.

113
The visitor’s center
Guests are invited by the omnipresent Locations around
signage to visit this building, and the Menagerie
the Menagerie devotes a large part
of its dwindling resources to the
building’s upkeep. The visitor’s center
The exhibits
Things found in the visitor’s The maintenance shed
center: Storage sheds
The gardens
• Interactive displays: Any robot
entering the visitor’s center will
trigger the automatic displays and
be prompted to follow an automated
tour around the main floor.

• Gift shop: A plate-glass wall Things found in the exhibits:


decorated with faded posters and
stuffed animals separates this • Birds: A few species of birds,
room near the front entrance. either caught by the Menagerie’s
The shelves are piled with more workers or kept since the zoo was
stuffed animals, snowglobes, mugs, in use, are kept in glass cages.
rolls of moldy posters, and a Most of the birds are artificial
small drugstore's worth of expired — only about ten percent are
headache medicine and sunscreen. organic. These are universally in
None of the locals are authorized poor health.
to vend any of the stock, so
if one sees the PRs inside the • Goats: A single specimen of capra
shop it will reassure them that aegagrus hircus resides here.
"someone will see to you shortly". With no others of its kind in the
Menagerie, the goat is possibly
• Genetic laboratory: Behind a the last of its species.
sealed door (Durability 4, Damage
Threshold 5) lies an elevator car,
and in the basement is a well-
stocked laboratory and incubation Compost Area
center. The Menagerie hopes to use
this to recreate extinct forms of The refuse bins in the area behind
life — in order to restock its the visitor's center serve as the
exhibits. dumping ground for dead animals,
which in turn draws feral and wild
animals. The Programmer may decide if
The exhibits there are any corpses present.

Many of the exhibits are closed off


and darkened, but the Menagerie has
managed to keep some animals alive,
primarily birds.

114
The maintenance shed Storage sheds
This large metal building next to These flat-roofed sheds are full of
the visitor’s center holds the empty barrels marked with various
Menagerie’s small stock of spare labels for animal feed. The barrels
parts. The shed’s door is locked are large enough to allow a robot
to prevent outsiders from stealing of Size 4 or smaller to hide inside
supplies, but if the player robots them. A few of the barrels near the
manage to open it (or wait for a front have stored produce brought in
local to do so) they will have access from the gardens.
to the Menagerie’s meager repair
tools.

Much of the equipment once used for The gardens


the defunct exhibits has been traded
off for what the Menagerie considers What was once an ornate display of
to be more important, so only a few horticulture has become a miniature
lights and water pipes remain. farm, where the sole remaining
AgriMax robot tends crops for the
birds instead of exotic flowers.
Things found in the maintenance The original signage remains — the
shed: Menagerie has not bothered to change
the displays to reflect the current
• Repair equipment: Several large produce.
pieces of repair equipment are
stored here. All TNs for repair or The only local encountered by the
building attempts are lowered by 1 player robots here is likely to be
while using the shed’s equipment. the AgriMax, although other outsiders
The equipment is too bulky to may be hiding in the tall grass here,
remove from the shed. It is here waiting for the chance to sneak
that the ParkPatrol constructs farther onto the grounds.
the high-altitude catchers from
salvaged locals and outsiders. Things found in the gardens:

• Scrap bin: This rectangular • Sprinkler system: Robots wandering


garbage bin is filled with bits and the gardens may be surprised
pieces of robots formerly employed by the working sprinklers that
by the Menagerie. When locals are activate sporadically. The spray
too used-up to continue service, is not enough to inflict the
their parts are harvested and the Rusting defect, but the PRs may
refuse dumped here. The PRs will not realize this.
find little of value in the bin,
although they may be able to use
discarded casings as disguises.

115
ParkPatrol Lot and Grounds Maintenance Unit
UNIT NAME The ParkPatrol’s job has
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Remove debris, trim weeds, report vandalism been much easier since
park attendance fell to
4 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold zero. Occasionally a scrap
(DigiCon + Buffer) of litter will blow in,
2 HumanCom 3 Mobility 2 Buffer
sending the small unit
4
racing to snatch it up and
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT maintain the pristine (if
3 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power crumbling) grounds.
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)
2 Strength It lacks any real repair
6 ability, so all vandalism
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
is reported directly to
1 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
the Menagerie. Usually
this involves rogue robots
Initiative Speed trying to tear out pieces
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
of park infrastructure for
k/hour
1d10 + 2 7 m/round
recycling, but if any of
the player robots break
something the ParkPatrol
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
will attempt to tattle
Disposal Environmentally Attuned
on them as well. It is
Enhanced Cameras 1 Loose Connections
External Container (Size 3) Power Cutoff
invariably sent back to
Floodlights
attempt patchwork repairs.
High Speed
Prehensile Limb Like most of the locals,
Telescoping Reach the ParkPatrol suffers
Vacuum Nozzle from its Environmentally
Attuned defect if removed
from the park grounds.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!


COME BACK HERE! I'M
TELLING THE MANAGER!"

FeedStock trough nutrient dispenser


UNIT NAME The FeedStock has seen
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Stock animal pens with food its duties diminish as
the animal population
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 5 Durability OS Threshold in the Menagerie drops.
(DigiCon + Buffer) With only a few living
3 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
creatures left to attend
3
to, it spends much of its
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT time idling in the storage
3 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 3 Power sheds, waiting for the
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) AgriMax to deliver its
4 Strength next supply of crops.
10
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
The robot’s Cargo Hauler
2 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
feature doubles the
dimensions of its external
Initiative Speed container to 130 cm on
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
each side. Enterprising
k/hour
1d10 + 3 3 m/round
or desperate robots might
attempt to hide inside of
its external container.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
The Programmer may opt to
Cargo Hauler (External Container) Buggy Cameras
make a Perception check
External Container (Size 5) Environmentally Attuned
Internal Compartment (Size 5) Low Speed
for the FeedStock to
Liquid Dispenser (Size 5) Noisy
notice any stowaways.
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Slow Charger 1
Prehensile Limb Repetitious in its duties,
Vacuum Nozzle the FeedStock becomes
disoriented and suffers
from its Environmentally
Attuned defect if removed
from the park grounds.

"YOU DON'T HAPPEN TO KNOW WHERE I


CAN GET SOME CORN, DO YOU?"

116
Dura-Shine Industrial Cleaning Unit
UNIT NAME Once, there were several
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Spray out animal enclosures Dura-Shine units employed
throughout the park, but
3 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold now only one remains
(DigiCon + Buffer) functioning. The others
4 HumanCom 4 Mobility 3 Buffer
have all been broken down
4
into scrap to serve the
1 DigiCon 5 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT Menagerie. The last unit
2 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 2 Power spends most of its time in
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) the two enclosures that
3 Strength still contain organic
8 life.
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
1 (Str÷2, round down)
8 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

The Dura-Shine was


Initiative Speed designed to operate
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
8 (Dex + Ref)
inside the grounds of the
k/hour
1d10 + 4 8 m/round
Menagerie, and suffers
from its Environmentally
Attuned defect if removed
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
from the area.
Biofrequency Scanner 1 Compliant
Fan Environmentally Attuned
Liquid Dispenser (Size 4)
Prehensile Limb
Submersible 1
Vacuum Nozzle

"THERE USED TO BE MORE OF US... NOW


THERE'S ONLY ME. OOPS, MISSED A SPOT."

AgriMax horticultural robot


UNIT NAME The AgriMax is the only
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Tend to decorative garden arrangements one capable of overseeing
the crops that the
4 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold Menagerie’s remaining live
(DigiCon + Buffer) animals so desperately
2 HumanCom 3 Mobility 4 Buffer
need. Owing no loyalty
6
to the AI that usurped
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT the zoo, it has become an
3 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 3 Power outsider, the only robot
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) not under the Menagerie’s
3 Strength direct control, though it
4 has so far been able to
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
barter its stock of power
1 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
and repairs in exchange
for its craftsmanship. It
Initiative Speed rarely leaves the gardens
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
except to recharge or
k/hour
1d10 + 2 5 m/round
deliver crops to the
Menagerie.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Because of its plastic
Biofrequency Scanner 3 Inflammable
casing (and its Inflammable
Disposal Plastic Casing 3
External Container (Size 4) Power Cutoff
defect) the AgriMax is
Floodlights Rare Model
almost as vulnerable to
Liquid Dispenser (Size 3) Rusting fire as its wards.
Liquid Dispenser (Size 1) Unreliable
Manipulative Limb (Standard)
Prehensile Limb
Saw

"WATCH OUT! YOU ALMOST STEPPED IN


THAT PATCH OF TRITICUM AESTIVUM."

117
The Menagerie
UNIT NAME The Menagerie wants to
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Design and administrate zoo decor retrieve the DNA information
not to reintroduce the
4 RealityCom - Dexterity - Durability OS Threshold lifeforms to the wild, but
(DigiCon + Buffer) to raise them in captivity.
3 HumanCom - Mobility 4 Buffer
8
The Menagerie’s Overriding
4 DigiCon 3 Perception - Size
MAX CURRENT Directive defect compels it
1 MechaniCon - Reflexes 8 Power to stock the exhibits in the
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) hopes of attracting human
- Strength visitors. It understands
- that the feral robots who
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
enter the grounds looking
- (Str÷2, round down)
- (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
to steal equipment or power
are not customers, but with
Initiative Speed only a few working robots
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
- (Dex + Ref)
under its control it has a
k/hour
1d10 + - - m/round
very hard time asserting
its sovereignty.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
A robot with a highly-rated
Overriding Directive (Major) 3
Android feature may be able
to trick the Menagerie into
thinking it is a human
visitor.

"YOU'RE JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER


FREE-LOADERS! I NEED THAT FOR WHEN
THE VISITORS ARRIVE!"

118
Luck E. Dog's
"OK, one more time, from the top!"

The last working light above the stage buzzed, the only
applause they would get from this concert, the only applause
they had heard for years. Luck E. Dog turned his head left,
right, waited for Donkey Oatie to crack his joke about starting
from the bottom. After five seconds of inactivity a recording of
a throat-clearing noise emitted itself from the speaker hidden
in his neck, a sound loaded into his memory so many years
ago, made to keep the children from worrying in the event of
malfunction. "Looks like Donkey Oatie is taking a nap, folks!"
He rolled his eyes, turned to the rest of the band, and raised
his banjo. "Hit it!"

The others raised their own instruments and began to pantomime


playing. From somewhere in the gloom near the cracked plastic
menu sign, a ghostly accompaniment wafted out from the
restaurant's last working speaker. For half a second the volume
spiked and the darkened restaurant was filled with noise.

A lingering CarpetShark, startled by the blast of music, zipped


under the table and cowered, but then it was gone, reduced
again to that plaintive whisper. Recovered, detecting no danger
to its operational life, the CarpetShark darted away, between
chair legs, under the Skee-Ball sign, and back to the hive of
the playground tubes where its cluster of companions lurked.

In the depths of the kitchen a grinding squeal rose in pitch,


followed by a grating crunch and the soft peep-peep-peep that
once signaled a finished pizza. The great Line Cook, its stock
of dough and tomato sauce long molded to nothing, brooded in
its lair.

From beyond the batwing kitchen doors, once white, now stained
with a long brown trail from a pervasive leak in the ceiling,
the voice of Luck E. Dog rang out again.

"OK, one more time, from the top!"

120
On the edge of the suburbs, just Luck E. Dog, ever the optimist, wants
before the city begins, sits a low, to leave the restaurant and seek out
squat industrial building. Once it humans, starting with the corporation
was painted in various bright colors, that once owned them. This would be a
but now the exterior is flaking, simple plan if not for the MajorDomo
exposing the dull concrete gray AI that oversees the building in the
underneath. The toppled sign that absence of humans.
lies across the parking lot gives the
first clue as to what the building is: The AI has no appendages or
emissaries, but it nevertheless
LUCK E. DOG'S PIZZA & GAMES maintains a stranglehold on Luck
E. Dog's because it controls the
charging ports spread throughout the
Luck E. Dog's was once a run-of-the- restaurant. It is convinced that
mill family eating establishment, humans will return any day, and works
with pizza and pasta to satisfy the to ensure that the restaurant is
adults, and video games and indoor ready when they do so.
playgrounds to satisfy the children.
Now, with no customers for years, None of the locals have ever
the locals are experiencing their own ventured outside the restaurant,
form of cabin fever. and the MajorDomo uses the fear of
the world beyond the front doors to
Like other family entertainment keep order. The locals assume there
centers of its day, Luck E. Dog's are no charging ports other than
included robotic versions of its the restaurant's generator, and may
mascot characters. These robots were be reluctant to leave (especially
designed not only to play instruments when the MajorDomo threatens to
but to wander around the dining room permanently cut them out of the
and interact directly with guests. restaurant's charging cycle).

Most of the restaurant's automated


staff is content to circle the empty
tables and unlit games until they
wear themselves out, but the band
members were not only programmed to
serve humans but to perform for them.

121
Locations around
The show floor Luck E. Dog's
Luck E's performing stage is here, The show floor
surrounded by an eating area with The arcade
several sets of tables and chairs.
Smaller robots might be able to find The indoor playground
hiding places under the tables, while The kitchen
larger robots may be able to use them The parking lot
as makeshift barricades and weapons.

A display case near the entrance is


stocked with all manner of cheap toys
and other small prizes. The indoor
playground
Things found on the show floor:
A series of semi-transparent plastic
• Ticket card: Wedged between a tubes and slides, as well as a ball-
table and the wall is a card that pit, fills the entirety of this space.
can be redeemed for a prize from The only locals small enough to fit
the display case. The PRs may inside are the CarpetSharks, and the
be able to use it as leverage lot of them have made it their home.
(or a distraction) against the
MajorDomo, since all of the locals The MajorDomo sees this as a breach
are duty-bound to help the owner of protocol and would dearly love to
redeem it. get them out, but the only thing the
CarpetSharks like less than messes
• Display case: Several tiers is listening to the MajorDomo. The
of prizes can be found here, two sides have reached a stalemate
from marbles and stale candy to - it refuses to let them charge
EverPets and toy weapons. The unless they clean, and they refuse to
case is normally locked, but if clean unless it lets them charge. If
a local opens it to dispense a the balance could somehow be upset
prize, a robot may be able to one way or the other, the winning
steal something with a successful side would be very grateful for the
Reflexes check (TN 8). assistance.

• Servo-Lux: Only one server remains


active, idling near the Line Things found in the
Cook's delivery area. Because of indoor playground:
its ability to wheel quickly over
any flat surface, enterprising • Ball pit: This large rectangular
robots might befriend (or hijack) area looks deceptively stable, but
it as a means of transport (the robots with Size ratings of 1 or 2
robot has a Buffer rating of 2 and will sink out of sight as soon as
an OS Threshold of 3). they enter. A Mobility check (TN
8) is required to escape, although
larger robots may be able to fish
their smaller companions out.

122
• Climbing tubes: Only robots with
Size ratings of 3 or lower can
The parking lot
fit inside this maze of tubes. The
This expanse of pitted and cracked
Programmer may require PRs to make
asphalt is mostly empty, save for the
several Mobility checks (TN 8) to
husks of one or two vehicles. At the
move throughout the tubes.
Programmer's discretion, the cars may
have scavengeable materials inside,
• CarpetShark graveyard: Near the
or they may already be picked over.
back of the climbing tubes is a
U-bend filled with the casings of
Restaurants like Luck E. Dog's were
dead CarpetSharks, dragged to
generally located in strip malls and
their final resting place by their
other commercial districts, so it may
fellow units. Outsiders landing
be only one of several locations of
in the pile may be surprised, as
note in the area.
one or two active CarpetSharks are
also lounging there.

Things found in the


parking lot:
The arcade
• Bomb craters: At some point in
Dozens of video games, skill tosses the past a squadron of Red bombers
and other interactive machinery are mistook the parking lot for a
housed here. The MajorDomo keeps them military target and delivered a
turned off to conserve power, but salvo that broke up the surface
this could change instantly, throwing and exposed the underside. Small
the restaurant into a confusion of ponds have formed in places, and
noise and light - something that all there may even be an entrance to
of the locals are used to. Outsiders the sewers beneath the City.
caught in the active arcade must
succeed in a Buffer check (TN 8) or • EZ-Drop: This giant (Size 6) robot
have their Mobility and Perception sits motionless at the far edge of
ratings degrade by 1. This loss the parking lot, awaiting humans
persists until they leave the area or to deposit waste for recycling.
the arcade is turned off. Unsurprisingly its storage bin
is almost empty, and the EZ-Drop
is not above snatching up small
robots that stray too close.
The kitchen The Programmer may choose to
illustrate its Disposal feature
Half-burned by an electrical fire, the on a small wandering local; a more
only things still operating in the malevolent Programmer may decide
kitchen are the refrigerator and the the EZ-Drop bids the PRs to come
Line Cook. If a robot manages to get closer.
stuck inside the refrigerator, the
only way out is through the Line Cook • Garden: A corner of the parking
and ten meters of kneading, rolling, lot has been turned over enough
chopping and baking. The robot must to give purchase to a small jungle
succeed in a Mobility check (TN 8) of weeds. The stocking robot from
each round until it can move a total the nearby supermarket may be
of 10 meters. found here, harvesting "produce"
to fill its shelves. The weeds are
A failed check means the Line Cook tall enough to obscure any robots
inflicts 2 points of damage and the smaller than Size 5.
robot fails to make any progress that
round. Robots with the Heat Resistant
feature may benefit from its effects
while escaping through the Line Cook.

123
Bremen Corp. Amusement Unit 'Luck E. Dog' model
UNIT NAME As the leader of the troupe,
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human crowds Luck E. Dog is the heart and
soul of the restaurant. The
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold other robots look to him for
(DigiCon + Buffer) down-home advice, and he tries
4 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
to do what he thinks is best
3
for them. Because of who he is,
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT Luck E. is considered the most
2 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 3 Power irreplaceable by the MajorDomo.
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)
3 Strength His human-interaction
8 programming makes him humble
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
to a fault, and he could play
1 (Str÷2, round down)
8 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
a mean banjo (although his
instrument, like all the others,
Initiative Speed is in need of serious repair).
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
This same programming has begun
k/hour
1d10 + 3 8 m/round
to wear on him, as the thought
of vanished crowds of human
children replay over and over in
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
his mind.
Loudspeaker Overheating 1
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Rare Model
Secondary Battery Slow Charger 1
Workhorse

"AW, SHUCKS."

Bremen Corp. Amusement Unit 'Miss Kitty' model


UNIT NAME A sassy, fiery gal with a
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human crowds songbird voice, she could also
play the fiddle.
3 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer) While not designed for it,
4 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
her nimble paws have resulted
4
in her and Shakes becoming
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT the de facto repair units for
2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 4 Power the other locals. This even
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) extends to the CarpetSharks that
3 Strength normally avoid contact with the
7 other robots. Thanks to Miss
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
Kitty's egalitarian mindset
1 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
the CarpetSharks trust her and
may be willing to follow her
Initiative Speed suggestions.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 3 7 m/round

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


Loudspeaker Rare Model
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Slow Charger 1
Secondary Battery "YOU FOLKS AIN'T
LEAVIN' WITHOUT
HEARING US PLAY,
ARE YOU?"

124
Bremen Corp. Amusement Unit 'Donkey Oatey' model
UNIT NAME Donkey Oatey is the backbone
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human crowds of the band, figuratively and
literally during his solo
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold performance where he plays
(DigiCon + Buffer) with Miss Kitty and Shakes the
4 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
Rooster both perched on top of
3
his shoulders. The largest of
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT the four, he is, as he fondly
2 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 3 Power states, "none too bright, but
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) always helpful". He played both
5 Strength the washboard and the jug, and
8 tapped out percussion with his
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
hooves.
1 (Str÷2, round down)
8 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

As befitting his personality


Initiative Speed programming, Donkey Oatey will
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
follow along with anything Luck
k/hour
1d10 + 3 8 m/round
E. Dog suggests, but will not
leave the restaurant on his own.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Loudspeaker Rare Model
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Slow Charger 1 "YOU ALWAYS NEED TO
Secondary Battery Unreliable 1
DO THE RIGHT THING
ALL THE TIME."

Bremen Corp. Amusement Unit 'Shakes The Rooster' model


UNIT NAME Smallest of the four band
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human crowds members, Shakes is the height
of a human child. He played
3 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold gutbucket bass.
(DigiCon + Buffer)
4 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
A coward through and through,
4
he always had to be talked into
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT things by the rest of the cast.
2 MechaniCon 5 Reflexes 4 Power This will extend to the locals'
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) possible exodus, where Shakes
1 Strength will take the most convincing
6 and likely be the last unit out
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
the door.
0 (Str÷2, round down)
9 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

Like Miss Kitty, his nimbleness


Initiative Speed has made him a decent repair
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
10 mechanic, but he tends to
(Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 5 9 m/round
squabble with the CarpetSharks
over debris found on the ground.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Loudspeaker Rare Model
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Slow Charger 1
Secondary Battery "WHO LET YOU IN?"

125
CarpetShark
UNIT NAME The CarpetSharks, while less
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Clean and remove carpet spills numerous than they were at
the height of the restaurant's
4 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold popularity, can still be found
(DigiCon + Buffer) en masse.
1 HumanCom 4 Mobility 1 Buffer
2
These small, flat, ovoid robots
1 DigiCon 4 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT were designed to zip about to
2 MechaniCon 5 Reflexes 2 Power quickly clean up spills and
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) messes. Now they're barely
1 Strength controlled and have taken
3 up residence in the indoor
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
playground. They can't abide a
0 (Str÷2, round down)
9 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
mess, though, and will swarm to
prevent one.
Initiative Speed
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
9 (Dex + Ref)
They are universally distrustful
k/hour
5 of outsiders, and even afraid
1d10 + 13 m/round
of most of the locals. The only
exception is Shakes the Rooster,
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
whom the CarpetSharks often seem
Common Model Plastic Casing 1
to go out of their way to annoy
Flexible Body
High Speed
and harass.
Internal Compartment
Liquid Dispenser

"MOVE IT,
BUSTER!"

Bremen Corp. MajorDomo Unit Managerial Software


UNIT NAME The MajorDomo AI is not
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Oversee restaurant location malevolent toward the other
locals (or outsiders, for that
5 RealityCom - Dexterity - Durability OS Threshold matter). Indeed, it is wholly
(DigiCon + Buffer) concerned with their physical
3 HumanCom - Mobility 6 Buffer
well-being and readiness to
11 perform when customers do
5 DigiCon 4 Perception - Size
MAX CURRENT arrive. Unfortunately, it can't
2 MechaniCon - Reflexes 4 Power be easily persuaded to let Luck
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) E. Dog and the other performers
- Strength leave, since that would
- invalidate the entire operation.
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
- (Str÷2, round down)
- (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
The Programmer may decide that
one of the following ideas may
Initiative Speed succeed:
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
- (Dex + Ref)
1d10 + - -
k/hour
m/round
• An outsider with the Android
feature arrives to "rent"
the band for a party held at
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
another location.

• The PRs smuggle Luck E.


and the others out one
piece at a time, under the
MajorDomo's sensors.

The PRs may decide to simply


demolish a wall of the
restaurant to "free" the locals.
Such an act would be viewed with
horror by the MajorDomo and the
locals alike, with every band
"IS EVERYONE READY TO member, server, and CarpetShark
HAVE A GREAT TIME?" swarming them to prevent it.

126
The Border
The border was easy to spot, even for the snuffer’s
dim cameras.

It rolled along on its six wheels, just a low yellow


box showing glints of metal along its edges where
the paint had begun to peel. The intake valve mounted
on its front rattled loosely as it scrabbled over
the broken road. The snuffer rolled up, paused, then
dutifully turned ninety degrees and continued rolling
along the sunny avenue, keeping just to the right side
of the faded center stripe.

Weeds ran alongside the stripe in long meandering


lines where they could find purchase in cracks, but
halfway across the road the plant life abruptly
ended. Here too were the corpses of the large delivery
drones, now long-rusted. They had continued to run
their routes, unaware that the City had been divided
even after the border had become more virulently
guarded. Still they had attempted to cross the
invisible line, blindly carrying out their orders
until the last of them had been struck down.

The snuffer knew better. It was of the Green City,


and in the Green City it would stay. Twice it had to
veer around the remains of delivery drones that lay
sprawled in the road halfway over the border, and once
it had to move almost fifteen meters out of its path
to circumvent the wreck of an enormous flying machine.
That last obstacle was new. The Master would want to
know about it.

Surveillance on the Green side was still patchy,


ever since the Red Master’s agents had discovered a
stockpile of working missiles.

128
By the time the player robots reach The Red Master is extremely paranoid
the border, they should already be and will likely assume that the PRs
fairly acclimated to the realities of are spies or servants of the Green
the City. Master. While the denizens of the
Green City are allowed to go about
Crossing the border into the Red City their daily business, the Red Master
may be terrifying or disastrous for reprograms any dissenters on its side
the PRs, depending on whether or not of the border.
there are any Red lookouts present.
If there are any robots loyal to the
Red Master within sight range, alarms
may sound, shots may be fired, and This chapter includes optional rules
the PRs may be questioned, harassed, for using firearms in combat. The
intimidated, or apprehended. Programmer may choose to use these
rules for agents of the Red City that
If there are no Red lookouts in the carry projectile weapons. The player
area, the player robots may cross robots may also come to possess these
the border freely. Depending on the weapons — the Programmer should limit
Programmer’s plans, the PRs may cross access to ammunition if the weapons
deep into the Red City before they become a disruption to the game.
are spotted, or be immediately chased
away from the border to illustrate
its hostile nature.

129
Art museum
Years ago, the elite of human society
held champagne parties amid the
Locations around
titanic art sculptures and intriguing the Red City
paintings, but now the Red Master
has ordered a demolition crew to
dismantle the five-story structure
Art museum
piece by piece for materials to feed Hidden courtyard
the war effort. Detainment center
The armory
A few remaining robots loyal to Hidden warehouse
the museum are cowering in hiding,
whirring from room to room trying
Train station
vainly to save pieces of artwork, or UFO crash site
attempting to sabotage the gigantic The sewers
wreckers, but police units circling
the perimeter are on hand to round up
any stragglers.

Several other captive robots are


Hidden courtyard jailed here. Some of the robots
encountered by the PRs earlier in
In the dead space between four their adventure may be found inside
huge buildings lies this overgrown the detainment center, either
and shaded jungle in miniature, awaiting processing alongside the
an area completely overlooked by PRs or already reprogrammed to serve
the Red Master (for the moment). A the Red City. A pair of large (Size
nondescript break in the corrugated 5) robots and several lesser models
metal fence is the only way in or guard this place, but the PRs may
out. The few refugee robots using the be able to stage a mass breakout
courtyard as sanctuary will share alongside the other prisoners.
what they know with the PRs, but only
if they believe that the outsiders
will not expose their secret world. Things found in the detainment
center:
At some point in the past a
rudimentary solar panel was installed • Room 10101: This white-paneled
in the center of the courtyard office is home to the DataCharger
with a single charging dock. At the robot that reprograms detainees
Programmer's discretion it may not to become loyal citizens of the
function in cloudy weather. Red City. The office is also home
to a charging dock on one wall. A
benevolent Programmer may decide
Detainment center that the DataCharger is currently
recharging its battery when the
player robots are brought inside
Robots captured by agents of the Red
the office, giving them time to
City are taken to this warehouse for
escape.
reprogramming. A long queue chute
has been constructed that winds
through almost half of the warehouse,
although the chute is merely a
painted line on the ground and a
metal railing along each side.

130
The armory Hidden warehouse
In the time of the humans, service Deep in the center of the Red City
robots like those under the sway lies a nondescript warehouse that has
of the Red Master were not allowed been awaiting inspection for years.
to bear weapons. Now such armaments If the PRs find their way inside
are stockpiled here, in carefully- they will discover rows of unopened
catalogued row upon row of rifles, crates, each holding a brand-new
grenades, and surface-to-air nuclear-powered construction robot.
missiles.
There are two different types
The flying bombardiers orbiting the (both Size 4) which will respond to
skyscrapers are outfitted from the activation with “Hup-hup! Where is
armory, as are the zealous machine- our supervisor?” and “Hup-hup! Let’s
gun snipers who guard theoretically get to work!” respectively. An entire
important stretches of the border. platoon of construction robots would
be a huge boon for the Red Master,
though what the PRs do with their
discovery is up to their programming.
Optional rule: Firearms

The Programmer may choose to disallow


the PRs from making use of firearms, Train station
either by limiting ammunition or by
ruling that the weapons have decayed This transport hub in the heart of
and are no longer usable. If the the Red City may be the fastest way
Programmer wishes to bring firearms for player robots to escape with
into the game, the following rule may their circuitry intact, but the
be used. station is swarming with locals
and police robots, and all the
The robot activating a firearm rolls trains are controlled by the Red
its RealityCom + Reflexes. The TN is Master. Huge video screens issue
the target robot’s TN to be Struck. A dire warnings of unspecified danger,
firearm’s damage is its base damage + and commuters are advised by the
the number of successes. Suggestions thunderous loudspeakers and constant
for base damage are 1 (pistol or wireless broadcasts to “Report all
rifle), 2 (shotgun), 3 (grenade), and malfunctioning or subversive robots
4 (rocket launcher). immediately”.

For example, a Billy-GO lawn care


robot gets its manipulative limb on a Things found in the train
pistol and attempts to use it against station:
another robot. The Billy-GO rolls its
RealityCom + Reflexes and gets 5,3,9,1 • Baggage carts: These automated
and 2. The target robot’s TN to be baggage handlers are extremely
Struck is 6, so the pistol inflicts wary of stowaways, but clever
two points of damage (one for being PRs might be able to disguise
a pistol, and one for the Billy-GO’s themselves as objects to be
one success). transported to other locations.

131
UFO crash site Water-filled areas present their own
challenges, and robots unprotected
from its effects may find themselves
Any robots found at this location
with the Rusting defect (without the
must navigate past guards, barricades
benefit of any points gained). The
and warning signs ordering them to
rust may be removed with a successful
turn back. In the center of it all is
repair check (the TN is the normal
an object the Red Master has deemed
TN to repair that robot, and only
a high-risk security concern: a
one success is required). At the
Cloudfarer CF-25 autonomous weather
Programmer’s discretion, robots swept
balloon that was downed in a freak
away by the sewer currents may find
weather accident.
themselves carried all the way to the
Farm.
The Cloudfarer is more than happy to
converse with the PRs, but until it
is repaired it cannot launch, and it
is only a matter of time before the
Red Master sends a scouting party to
Blackout market
investigate the crash site. If the Inside a seemingly derelict packaging
balloon is repaired, it may act as an factory lies a crowded market teeming
“eye in the sky”, helping them avoid with free-willed robots. Machines
agents of the Red City in the area. with the Overriding Directive defect
trade for containers of dish soap
or unopened cans of soda to stock
The sewers their internal storage compartments,
and one enterprising robot has even
brought in an off-brand nuclear
With few organic by-products to be
generator with three charging docks
filtered, the sewers are one of the
that it rents by the hour. The PRs
cleanest parts of the City, although
can find repairs, supplies, and even
not the most well-maintained. The
a guide here, but none of the locals
(mostly) unused tunnels run from the
will do anything for free.
Red City all the way to the Green,
providing a potential escape route.

In areas where the infrastructure has Things found in the blackout


collapsed, any robot larger than Size market:
1 must make a Mobility check or have
its movement rating halved (round • Re-Bolt: The PRs can permanently
down) until it clears the rubble. The exchange a Feature for one with
number of successes needed is equal a lower cost. Defects may not be
to the robot's Size rating -1. removed in this manner.

The sewers are also home to tribes • Overclocker: A PR can permanently


of feral robots who remain active by raise one Intelligence rating
siphoning power from the city above by 1 by having its Power rating
or making forays to the surface. permanently lowered by 1. Ratings
may not be raised above 5 or below
These robots are paranoid of invaders 1 in this manner.
(and rightly so), making them
adversarial at best and cannibalistic • Slaver: These burly robots
at worst. ply the market looking for new
acquisitions. Careless robots
who become separated from their
companions may find themselves
carried away in clamps.

132
MAITRE D'TOUS Customer Interaction Equipment
UNIT NAME The Maitre d' is a hardworking
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Socialize and wheedle humans to sell art pieces machine that loves his job
- unfortunately, most of the
4 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold less-durable displays have
(DigiCon + Buffer) started to fall apart. The art
5 HumanCom 3 Mobility 3 Buffer
museum has been a free state
5
until now, and the Maitre d'
2 DigiCon 5 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT will be very grateful to any
1 MechaniCon 5 Reflexes 2 Power outsiders who can help him
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) fend off the demolition robots
2 Strength long enough to escape with
6 several of the more prominent
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
pieces of artwork.
1 (Str÷2, round down)
8 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

He resembles a handsome human


Initiative Speed of indeterminable ethnicity,
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
dressed in the style of
k/hour
1d10 + 5 8 m/round
Hollywood's golden age. While
his clothes are tattered he
still carries himself with the
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
same air he once used when
Android 1 Compliant
moving about the high society
Enhanced Cameras 2 Environmentally Attuned
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Inferior Model
parties that have long since
Loose Connections
ended.
Overheating 2
Slow Charger 1
Unreliable "STOP! THAT'S
PRICELESS!"

Knock Steady Light Residential Demolition Unit


UNIT NAME These large yellow boxes are
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Demolish blighted neighborhoods slow but nearly unstoppable,
a fact that has endeared
5 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold them to the Red Master in
(DigiCon + Buffer) its schemes to renovate
1 HumanCom 3 Mobility 3 Buffer
the City. They are poor
4
conversationalists and have
1 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT only one objective: obey
2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 3 Power the Red Master's orders to
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) demolish the art museum.
6 Strength
9 The Type A model is shown
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
here - Type B models have
3 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
the Vice Grip feature
instead of the Saw feature.
Initiative Speed Both kinds are bristling
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref)
with flashing warning lights,
k/hour
1d10 + 3 3 m/round
and both kinds emit a steady
beeping when moving in any
direction.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Anchor 1 Conspicuous
Cargo Hauler Low Speed
External Container (Size 5) Noisy
Floodlights Rusting
Jack Slow Charger 2 "ORDERS ARE
ORDERS."
Saw
Specialty Chassis (crushing)

133
Load Lifter
UNIT NAME This large orange robot has a
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Move goods to and from shipping crates menacing arm and an even more
menacing demeanor, thanks to
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold the Red Master. Detainees
(DigiCon + Buffer) that resist or try to escape
1 HumanCom 3 Mobility 4 Buffer
will find themselves caught in
6
its vice grip.
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT

1 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 2 Power A swath of its casing has


Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) been painted blue, with
5 Strength POLICE stenciled on it in
9 white. The erstwhile officer
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
is mute, so all exchanges are
2 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
through the text-only display
screen on its face. This
Initiative Speed keeps communication terse,
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
which suits the Red Master.
k/hour
1d10 + 4 7 m/round
As a vestigial leftover of
its original safety-first
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
programming, its winch can
Anchor 1 Buggy Mic
only be operated by a human
Armored Chassis 1 Model Error 1
Display Screen 1 Manual Feature (Winch)
(or another robot).
Jack Mute
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Power Cutoff
Vice Grip 1 Rare Model
Winch 1

"TROUBLEMAKERS?
GET BACK IN LINE."

CleanSweeper
UNIT NAME Deputized alongside the
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Clean sports stadiums and other public venues Load Lifter, this sky-blue
robot was chosen largely for
3 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold its ability to push other
(DigiCon + Buffer) machines around and act as a
1 HumanCom 3 Mobility 3 Buffer
convenient barrier to escape.
4
2 DigiCon 5 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT Its Overriding Directive
3 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 4 Power flaw compels it to clean the
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) floors of the impromptu jail
6 Strength whenever possible. Outsiders
8 may be able to take advantage
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
of this by luring it with
3 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
litter. The large underside
floor buffer looks menacing,
Initiative Speed but is completely harmless
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
aside from its liquid
k/hour
1d10 + 2 5 m/round
dispenser.

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating


Cargo Hauler (Internal Compartment) Overriding Directive (Major) 1
Fan Plastic Casing 1
Internal Compartment (Size 5) Simple Programming "YOU HAVE THE
Liquid Dispenser (Size 5)
Prehensile Limb
RIGHT TO REMAIN -
Vacuum Nozzle HEY, WHO TRACKED
THAT IN HERE?"

134
Dragonfly Aerial Monitor
UNIT NAME These robots were once used
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Survey accident scenes to check accident sites for
injured humans, but now they
3 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 1 Durability OS Threshold have been repurposed to
(DigiCon + Buffer) serve as flying bombardiers
2 HumanCom 4 Mobility 3 Buffer
in the service of the Red
3
City. Each one leaves the
1 DigiCon 5 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT Armory carrying a single
1 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 3 Power bomb of some kind, and
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) patrols a set area until it
2 Strength discharges its armament or
2 its battery runs low.
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
1 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
The Programmer may decide
the bombardiers carry
Initiative Speed propaganda leaflets, buckets
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
4 (Dex + Ref)
of brightly-colored paint
k/hour
1d10 + 2 6 m/round
for marking future targets,
or bombs. Explosive bombs
inflict 3 points of damage
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
each. The Programmer may
Flight Ceiling 5 Lightweight 1
opt to roll a d10 each time
Loose Connections
Plastic Casing 1
a bomb is dropped; on a
Simple Programming 1
roll of 1, 2 or 3 the bomb
is a dud.

The Loose Connections flaw


means it is possible to
bring one down with a well-
thrown rock.

"TARGET SIGHTED."

SpeedyServ Transit Cart


UNIT NAME These hyperactive carts whir
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Move luggage for train customers about the train station
carrying parcels shipped by
2 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold automated systems elsewhere
(DigiCon + Buffer) in the City.
3 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
3
They avoid each other and
1 DigiCon 4 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT jealously squabble over
1 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 2 Power packages, but the machines
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) have no qualms about
3 Strength bowling over other robots
7 that stray into their paths.
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
1 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

Initiative Speed
7 Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)
(1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref) "MOVE IT,
k/hour
1d10 + 3 10 m/round SLOWPOKE!"
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Cargo Hauler (External Container) Buggy Cameras
External Container Size 5) Environmentally Attuned (Airport)
High Speed Overheating 2
Manipulative Limb (Standard) x4 Plastic Casing 2
Prehensile Limb Power Cutoff
Specialty Chassis (Carrying)

135
Cloudfarer CF-25 Autonomous Weather Balloon
UNIT NAME In the center of the
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Observe low-altitude weather phenomena quarantined area lies the
source of the Red Master's
4 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold current worries - a bulbous
(DigiCon + Buffer) white object with a
1 HumanCom 2 Mobility 5 Buffer
billowing canvas bag.
8
3 DigiCon 5 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT If the player robots arrive
1 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 3 Power before the authorities,
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) they may be able to help
1 Strength it re-launch. Its current
6 Damage Threshold has been
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
reduced to 2, rendering it
0 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
grounded. Only a single
point of repair is needed,
Initiative Speed but without limbs the robot
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
4 (Dex + Ref)
cannot repair itself.
k/hour
1d10 + 3 5 m/round

FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating

"I JUST NEED TO


Flight Ceiling 2 Limbless
High Altitude Slow Charger 1
Solar Powered Weak Chassis
GET BACK ON MY
FEET."

Compact Caddy Waste-Processing Unit


UNIT NAME Some robots have managed to
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Move and sort heavy garbage loads. cut a deal with the agents
of the Red Master, bringing
2 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold them hapless machines to be
(DigiCon + Buffer) reprogrammed for its army
1 HumanCom 3 Mobility 4 Buffer
in exchange for power and
6
other supplies. This unit is
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 5 Size
MAX CURRENT no different - as a former
3 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 3 Power junkyard worker, its size
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) and strength make it ideal
5 Strength for carrying off smaller
9 robots.
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
2 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
The Caddy resembles a tall
yellow box on wheels,
Initiative Speed with a large open space
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
on its face used to pin
k/hour
1d10 + 4 7 m/round
other robots. The black-
and-white checkered stripe
inside is smeared with oil
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
and internal fluids that it
Armored Chassis 1 Overheating 2
rarely bothers to clean.
Floodlights Power Cutoff
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Unreliable
Nuclear Battery
If a player robot is caught
Specialty Chassis (Carrying) by the Caddy, the other
Vice Grip 1 PRs may be able to follow
it to its lair - a locked
and armored trash bin
large enough to accommodate
several robots of Size 4 or
smaller. The Caddy uses this
receptacle to store robots
until an agent of the Red
"YOU'RE COMING WITH ME." City can pick them up.

136
Once Upon
a Time
Warm mist rose from the cracked asphalt as the early
sun began heating the road. Along both sides, looming
in the growing daylight were the sagging frames of
apartment blocks, their third-story roofs smattered
with tiny satellite dishes like crops of mushrooms. A
small white box out for a morning stroll ducked behind
a woolly overgrown bush just in time to avoid the gaze
of the feral towing machine as it rounded the corner.

The Drag-N rolled along the deserted street on greasy


wheels, cameras clicking from side to side with
unrestrained angst. Behind the scruff of twigs the
white box trembled, forcing itself to override the
programming that made it want to flee. The Drag-N
seemed to slow, until one tire crunched on a loose
piece of grit and the box found itself peering through
the bush at the long black casing scored by the
charred decal of a speeding flame.

As it looked up, trembling, the white box could barely


let out a blat of protest before a thick clawed arm
struck out, snake-like, blotting out the light. The
small white box was seized and dragged up into the
air, heels scratching along the fringe of the bush as
it was held aloft.

The Drag-N smoldered. Thieves! Interlopers! They would


pay for their impertinence!

138
This corner of the City is haunted by The Grill King, seeing every local
a prowling menace that abducts stray as a valued employee, is desperate
robots to add to its ever-growing for the Princess's safe return.
collection. For the adopted residents Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the
of the Putt-Putt Village miniature Princess's abduction was aided by
golf course, every day is filled with the Grill King's advisor, the android
dread that it will return. political aide Janice Rosie.

The Drag-N is a malfunctioning Using the Drag-N to dispose of her


towing unit, originally designed to enemies was a long tradition for
clear away deactivated robots, small Janice, and when the Princess came
stalled vehicles, and other unsightly close to discovering the advisor
leavings. In the years since then, it meeting with outsiders in a plot to
has developed the habit of hoarding overthrow the Grill King, Janice
its finds, unwilling to let any of arranged to place the Princess in a
them go - even the ones that are spot where the Drag-N could easily
still active. snatch it up during the chaos.

Shortly before the PRs become As far as most of the locals know,
involved, a wandering Docbox came the Village's charging dock is the
across the Drag-N's lair by accident, only one in the area. The far-
and managed to not only repair wandering delivery robot Bee-Bot
several robots, but also to escape knows otherwise, but it is currently
before the Drag-N returned. Knowing imprisoned along with the Princess in
immediately upon its return that its the depths of the Drag-N's lair.
hoard had been dwindled, the Drag-N
reacted by imagining a conspiracy of
its lesser kin - they were all in on
the theft, every robot in the area.

When the PRs arrive at the Putt-Putt


Village, the locals are in the final
stages of cleaning up after the Drag-
N's latest rampage. While most of
them escaped unscathed, the Pamper
Princess home salon unit was captured
by the Drag-N and carried back to its
nightmarish lair.

139
Locations around the
Snack Castle Putt-Putt Village
Presiding over the entirety of the
Village stands the 18th hole of the Snack Castle
Snack Castle, centerpiece of the golf Rental shack
course and home of the Grill King, Junk pile
last surviving member of the course's
original employees. Along with the
Blacksmith Shop
King, two other locals reside here - Water trap
the Flackberry that serves as a court Witch's Hut
recorder, and the CulinAce. The Drag-N's lair
The Snack Castle overlooks the
ravine-lake created by the collapsed
water trap. Only a fluke of geology
and engineering kept the Snack Castle
from sinking as well, but it now
stands on a cliff with its back to Rental shack
the lake.
Janice Rosie lives here, close to the
At one time patrons would make their Grill King's ear but secluded from
final putt and try to knock the the prying eyes of suspicious locals.
golf ball into a target beyond the The back door of the shack looks
castle's drawbridge. When the water onto the street outside the course,
trap collapsed, it took the back edge which serves as an ideal way for her
of the building with it, and now any to clandestinely meet with outside
robot that treads carelessly or too robots to further her schemes.
speedily over the drawbridge may find
itself tumbling helplessly into the
depths of the lake. Things found in
the rental shack:
If the Programmer wishes, this aspect
of the Snack Castle may be used as a • Clubs: Several racks of short
way to trap and defeat the Drag-N. putting clubs are stored along the
walls, along with three buckets
full of golf balls.
Things found in
the Snack Castle: • Outsiders: Janice secretly
employs a network of outside
• Charging dock: The only known (and robots to further her schemes of
working) charging dock in the area overthrowing the Grill King and
is here in the Snack Castle. It is returning the world to normalcy
easy to get to, but only the Grill with or without the humans.
King can override the lock and She takes pains to hide these
allow other robots to charge. The visitors, but astute or sneaky PRs
dock may only be used by one robot may be able to eavesdrop on her
at a time. plotting.

• Janice: The Grill King's android


advisor can often be found lurking
nearby, observing the comings and
goings around the charging dock
and the court of the Grill King.

140
Junk pile Water trap
A few broken golf obstacles have At one time, this was a simple
been dragged here, out of view of ankle-deep depression that imposed
any potential customers behind the no real penalty other than the
Witch's Hut - most of these set possibility of wet shoes. In the
pieces were broken when the Drag-N years since the humans disappeared,
rampaged through last time. the ground underneath the water trap
has collapsed, creating a miniature
The remains of a windmill are most ravine-lake studded with broken
visible, as well as a cluster of pieces of concrete and rock that
trees with a small sign reading winds around the back side of the
SHERWOOD FOREST dangling from Snack Castle and juts up against the
it, and a handful of other quasi- junk pile behind the Witch's Hut.
medieval scale models, all smashed
and unusable. The Programer may The area behind the Snack Castle is
decide that these can be repaired - particularly deep and barren, and any
any robot that does so will earn the robot without the Submersible feature
gratitude of the Grill King. will quickly sink and be unable to
escape the depths unaided.

Things found in
the junk pile: Things found in
the water trap:
• When not serving as the village
crier, the SkyEye may be found • Waterwheel: A crooked - but
here, loudly narrating the state functioning - waterwheel stands
of the wrecked scenery. It will along one edge of the lake. Unlike
treat the "discovery" like a hot the genuine article, this wheel is
news scoop, and may harass the PRs powered by the same supply from
to provide commentary or to accuse which the Village's charging dock
them of being involved in the draws.
destruction.

Witch's Hut
Blacksmith Shop
Players once had to contend with a
Anyone attempting to enter the sweeping broom held by a heckling,
Blacksmith Shop must avoid the cackling android, but now the witch
rhythmic hammering that bars the is long gone and the only part of the
door. The hammer does not have enough 14th hole is the fiberglass storybook
force to damage any robots caught house where Will, Punbot, and Addie
underneath, but it does effectively are sheltered.
block access to the structure's
interior.
Things found in
Sister Aelin resides here, as she is the Witch's Hut:
one of the few robots small enough to
fit inside the entrance. Only robots • Will: The bodiless android spends
with Size ratings of 1 may enter the most of his time stationary here,
Blacksmith Shop without incident. as he is largely immobile and has
great difficulty moving anywhere,
such as to avoid inclement weather
or the gaze of the Drag-N.

141
The Drag-N's lair
The Drag-N keeps house in the
powerless ruins of a repair garage.
Any robots brave or foolhardy
enough to journey to its lair, some
two kilometers from the Putt-Putt
Village, will find piles of broken
Things found in
machines - smashed vehicles, looming the Drag-N's lair:
husks of deactivated robots, and
various other tarnished and bent • Pamper Princess: The object of
pieces of equipment have been amassed the Grill King's latest source
here, heaped into ever-spreading of worry can be found here,
piles of shadow. locked away at the top of a
towering stack of office equipment,
The miasma of spilled oil and broken deactivated robots, and other
circuitboards is thick in the air, salvaged debris. The Princess is
and the roof of the garage creaks still active, although its casing
in the wind and scrapes against sustained slight damage during the
the piles, creating a near-constant transition to the Drag-N's lair -
noise. Any robot attempting to move something that causes a significant
around inside the garage must make amount of fretting, even more so
a Buffer check (TN 8) or become than its current predicament. Only
disoriented by the labyrinthine robots with Size ratings of 6 or
stacks of deactivated robots and find higher may reach the Princess,
itself trapped inside the garage. although smaller robots may stack
themselves on top of each other to
A robot remains trapped until it increase their total height.
succeeds with a Perception check to
find its way back to the exit. The TN • Bee-Bot: This Honeypot Couriers
for a disoriented robot to find the delivery unit was caught and
exit is equal to 5 + the number of dragged back to the Drag-N's lair,
rounds the robot has been trapped but is still in working order,
(maximum TN of 10). merely imprisoned inside a cage
created by a tangled mess of
It should go without saying that machine parts. As a far-ranging
any robots caught in the Drag-N's robot, it knows of several hidden
lair when it returns will likely and still-working charging docks
be savaged until they are unable in the area that it makes use of
to attempt an escape, before being on its delivery runs, and will
discarded into the growing pile of gladly share this information with
its ill-gotten treasure. the PRs if they help it escape.
Such information would be of major
importance to the residents of
Not far from the Drag-N's lair is the Putt-Putt Village, and would
a secluded charging dock where alleviate their reliance on the
the giant often spends long hours Village's sole charging dock, as
lounging, recharging its cavernous well as potentially assuaging
battery. The PRs are free to use it, Janice's plans to usurp the crown
assuming they are willing to brave of the Grill King.
the chance that the Drag-N will not
return while they are doing so!

142
Grill King
UNIT NAME Kindly and benevolent,
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Flash-cook consumables for humans the Grill King is the
sole surviving member of
4 RealityCom 4 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold the Putt-Putt Village's
(DigiCon + Buffer) original robotic staff.
3 HumanCom 2 Mobility 4 Buffer
In the years since they
6
were left on their own,
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT the King has worked hard
2 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 3 Power to bring in new labor,
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) increasing the Village's
4 Strength population by offering up
8 the only resource of note
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
- the Village's single
2 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
charging dock.

Initiative Speed The King is most concerned


Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
with upkeep to the Village
k/hour
1d10 + 4 6 m/round
and its residents, and
outside robots may be able
to bargain with the King
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
for aid in the struggle
Disposal Inferior Model
against the Drag-N.
Heat Resistant 1 Loose Connections
Internal Compartment (Size 4) Manual Feature (Disposal)
Rack 3 Rare Model
Top-Heavy 2

"GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT!"

Pamper Princess Total Home Salon Unit


UNIT NAME While most of the units
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Assist humans in achieving aesthetic perfection in this line were owned
by wealthy socialites,
4 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 1 Durability OS Threshold this Princess originally
(DigiCon + Buffer) worked in the center court
4 HumanCom 3 Mobility 3 Buffer
at Rossum's Universal
6
Galleria, harassing
3 DigiCon 3 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT passers-by for five-minute
2 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power makeovers, while-you-wait
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) highlights, and other
2 Strength unnecessary necessities of
4 modern life.
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
1 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
This programming has
carried over to the
Initiative Speed Princess's current
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
situation, as its
k/hour
1d10 + 2 5 m/round
overriding directive
compels it to attempt
to give makeovers to any
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
new strangers it meets,
Display Screen 5 Exposed Power Switch
whether or not they're
Enhanced Cameras 2 High Maintenance
Fan Overriding Directive (Major) 1
human.
Floodlights Poor Acceleration 3
Internal Compartment (Size 3) Power Cutoff
Liquid Dispenser (Size 2) Rare Model
Liquid Dispenser (Size 1)
Prehensile Limb
Vacuum Nozzle

"I KNOW JUST THE THING TO BRING


OUT THE COLOR IN YOUR CASING!"

143
Flackberry EX6901T
UNIT NAME The EX6901T is a super-small,
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Assist humans with business, take notes, etc. super-mobile business aide
made for the high-powered
2 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold executive with too much money
(DigiCon + Buffer) and not enough free time. It
4 HumanCom 5 Mobility 2 Buffer
would hover nearly-silently
6
and follow its owner, taking
4 DigiCon 4 Perception 1 Size
MAX CURRENT orders, keeping notes,
1 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 1 Power translating languages, and
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) more.
1 Strength
3 This particular model has
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
been taken in by the Grill
0 (Str÷2, round down)
9 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
King and now serves as an
official court recorder. It
Initiative Speed also serves as Janice's
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
unknowing spy, monitoring
k/hour
1d10 + 4 9 m/round
the Village's charging
dock's usage so she can
better decide which robot to
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
eliminate next.
Databank 3 Exposed Power Switch
Display Screen 7 Lightweight 1
Enhanced Microphone 1 Limbless
Flight Ceiling 2 Rare Model
Created by Saihenjin
Wireless Transceiver 1 Slow Charger 2
Weak Chassis

"I HAVE YOUR 9 O'CLOCK ON HOLD."

AdBot Mark VII


UNIT NAME Bubbly, perky, always
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Display possible clothing combinations to humans underfoot - these
qualities helped the AdBot
3 RealityCom 2 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold line push sales into the
(DigiCon + Buffer) black every quarter,
5 HumanCom 2 Mobility 2 Buffer
even if the customers
5
didn't like it. While
3 DigiCon 2 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT the actual body is less
1 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 2 Power than a meter high, the
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) projected 3D image of
2 Strength a human female is used
7 during sales attempts, as
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
it can display thousands
1 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
of different outfits and
combinations.
Initiative Speed
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
6 (Dex + Ref)
"Addie Marcus" is no
k/hour
4 different - a wheeled
1d10 + 18 m/round
half-sphere with the
personality of a junior-
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
miss department clerk.
Agile High Maintenance
She treats herself like
Display Screen 10 Limbless
High Speed
a human (or at least a
Turbo
hologram of one) which
tends to annoy other
sentient robots.

Created by Omar Mukhtar


Bin Ambok Chening

"...AND HERE'S WHAT YOU'D LOOK


LIKE IN A MINISKIRT!"

144
CulinAce One-Touch Kitchen Assistant
UNIT NAME The CulinAce once resided
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Prepare requested food for humans in a now-vanished suburbia
near the Putt-Putt
4 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold Village. It showed up one
(DigiCon + Buffer) day, VariPot in tow, and
2 HumanCom 2 Mobility 2 Buffer
managed to convince the
4
Grill King that without
2 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT appropriate support staff,
3 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power the Village might be
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) overwhelmed by the volume
4 Strength of orders once the human
6 customers started showing
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
up again.
2 (Str÷2, round down)
4 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT

Since then it has stood


Initiative Speed ever-vigilant, preparing
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
elaborate-and-certainly-
k/hour
1d10 + 2 4 m/round
overpriced-for-this-
locale dishes with a mad
scientist's zeal for
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
trying new recipes. The
Attendant Swarm 1 Buggy Mic
CulinAce's Overriding
Display Screen 4 Environmentally Attuned
Disposal Exposed Power Switch
Directive compels it to
Prehensile Overriding Directive (Major) 2
experiment with whatever
Rack 2 ingredients are at hand,
Saw whether or not they're
Telescoping Limb (x2) edible by humans.
Vacuum Nozzle

"THE SECRET IS A DASH OF GRAVEL."

VariPot drone
UNIT NAME The VariPot drone serves
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Assist CulinAce with food preparation as the duo's Igor, and
does the actual cooking
1 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 1 Durability OS Threshold in its single large self-
(DigiCon + Buffer) heating pot (a feature
1 HumanCom 1 Mobility 1 Buffer
that makes up the bulk of
1
the drone).
1 DigiCon 1 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT

1 MechaniCon 1 Reflexes 1 Power An additional liquid


Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) dispenser, designed for
1 Strength use as a fire extinguisher
3 during the times when the
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
CulinAce gets a little
0 (Str÷2, round down)
2 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
too liberal with its flash
points, can be filled with
Initiative Speed any room-temperature
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
2 (Dex + Ref)
liquid.
k/hour
1d10 + 1 2 m/round

Created by Matthew Power


FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Cargo Hauler (External Container) Simple Programming
External Container (Size 2)
Liquid Dispenser (Size 2)

"SOUP'S ON!"

145
Voight Industries-11 Artificial Intelligence Nexus Series
UNIT NAME Only a megalomaniac in charge of a
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Serve as cautionary tale of evil robots run amok staggeringly unethical corporation
would have risked building the Vi-
4 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold 11, a self-improving intelligence
(DigiCon + Buffer) who could scheme, murder, and
5 HumanCom 1 Mobility 3 Buffer
betray its creators.
8
5 DigiCon 4 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT So naturally those horrible people
4 MechaniCon 1 Reflexes 2 Power were all very disappointed that
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) the Vi-11s hardly did any of those
1 Strength things. Not a force for evil, not
4 much of a force for good, once
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
activated most Vi-11s didn't do
0 (Str÷2, round down)
2 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
much at all.

Initiative Speed This particular unit, "Will",


Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
2 (Dex + Ref)
seems mostly interested in the
k/hour
1d10 + 0 1 m/round
music of Chopin, whistling
birdsong, and birdwatching. He's
very talkative and informative,
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
especially on the subject of
Databank 4 Limbless
ornithology. The lack of a body
Hardened Programming 1 Low Speed
Nuclear Battery Plastic Casing 1
below his neck hasn't dampened
Poor Acceleration
his spirits, although it has made
Response Lag 1 it more challenging for him to
Top-Heavy 1 counter Janice's machinations.
Weak Chassis
Wide Turner He's probably not one of the
bad robots, and probably isn't
scheming to make the PRs meet with
a horrible accident.

Probably.
"TRUST ME."
Created by IV

WarKidz Workshop "Sister Aelin" 28mm microcombatant


UNIT NAME Sister Aelin has expanded
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Replicate fantasy battles for basement-dwelling humans far beyond the boundaries
of her line's original
4 RealityCom 5 Dexterity 4 Durability OS Threshold processing ability, and
(DigiCon + Buffer) somewhere along the line,
4 HumanCom 2 Mobility 2 Buffer
one unchecked expansion
5
caused a religious
3 DigiCon 4 Perception 1 Size
MAX CURRENT revelation of sorts.
2 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 2 Power She came back online a
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) changed robot, driven by a
2 Strength nebulous goal of returning
5 the humans to existence.
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
Unfortunately, she has
1 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
little idea about how
exactly to carry out her
Initiative Speed new calling.
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
8 (Dex + Ref) k/hour
1d10 + 4 6 m/round
A tiny "meltergun", once
used for destroying
robotic space monster
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
adversaries, now serves as
Agile Inferior Model
an adequate weapon when
Armored Chassis 1 Lightweight 1
Cutting Laser Overriding Directive (Minor) 3
her overriding directive
Flexible Body Power Cutoff
forces her to leave the
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Rare Model Village in pursuit of
leads concerning the
rediscovery of the human
race.

Created by Pixel_Kitty

"THE FORCES OF CHAOS ARE ALL


AROUND US. WE MUST BE WARY."

146
SkyEye
UNIT NAME Once merely a single unit
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Locate and exploit news-worthy content in a fleet of aerial news-
gathering robots used by a
1 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold sensationalistic and oft-
(DigiCon + Buffer) decried (but never revoked)
1 HumanCom 4 Mobility 2 Buffer
news organization during
4
the time of the humans,
2 DigiCon 4 Perception 2 Size
MAX CURRENT this SkyEye has been pushed
1 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 1 Power over the edge by their
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) disappearance and the
1 Strength resulting disharmony. These
4 days, it roams around the
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
fringe of the Village and
0 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
beyond, seeing evidence of
a mass robot rebellion in
Initiative Speed every burned-out building
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
4 (Dex + Ref)
and downed power line.
k/hour
1d10 + 3 7 m/round
While the SkyEye itself
is fairly harmless, its
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
constant loud reporting,
Enhanced Cameras 2 Conspicuous
sweeping searchlights,
Flight Ceiling 5 Lightweight
Floodlights Limbless
and booming loudspeaker
Loudspeaker Loose Connections
often serve to attract
Wireless Transceiver 1 Overriding Directive (Major) 2 unwanted attention to its
Poor Acceleration 1 interviewees.

Created by RageQuitMosh

"WE INTERRUPT THIS CHARGING CYCLE TO


BRING YOU A SPECIAL REPORT!"

Whittier TH4-N U
UNIT NAME Created as a diversion for
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human guests using word-based humor wholesome entertainment,
the Whittier line flourished
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 2 Durability OS Threshold using improvised word-based
(DigiCon + Buffer) humor to draw forth amused
5 HumanCom 3 Mobility 4 Buffer
and nuanced chuckles from
8
the crowds.
4 DigiCon 3 Perception 3 Size
MAX CURRENT

2 MechaniCon 2 Reflexes 2 Power Unfortunately for this


Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) unit, it was smashed to
3 Strength near-ruin and its processor
5 was repaired with extensive
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
"borrowing" from a semi-
1 (Str÷2, round down)
5 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
compatible thesaurus robot.
This had the unfortunate
Initiative Speed side-effect of heavily
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref)
skewing the Whittier's
k/hour
1d10 + 2 5 m/round
humor algorithms toward
puns, earning it the
nickname "Punbot".
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Android 1 Compliant
These days Punbot has found
Databank 3 Model Error 1
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Noisy
a welcome audience, as most
of the other locals don't
mind its humor and enjoy
its possession of a second
manipulative limb during
repair days or spring
cleaning in the Village.

Created by Andrew Jackson


"SUBMARINE BOTS WILL NEVER SURPASS
YACHT BOTS. EVEN THE BEST ONES ARE
SUB-OPTIMAL."
147
Honeypot Couriers Inc. Honeypot Courier "Bee-Bot"
UNIT NAME Like its lesser kin, this Bee-
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Deliver packages for Honeypot Couriers Inc. Bot is programmed to utilize both
conventional and unconventional
2 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold means in the pursuit of shipment
(DigiCon + Buffer) completion. Unfortunately, it
3 HumanCom 5 Mobility 2 Buffer
was no match for the Drag-N, and
5
is currently languishing in the
3 DigiCon 3 Perception 4 Size
MAX CURRENT shadows, far from the sunlight its
2 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 3 Power battery requires.
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)
4 Strength One of the most well-traveled
7 robots in the City, it knows of
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
a scattering of secret charging
2 (Str÷2, round down)
9 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
docks that it makes use of on its
delivery trips, and will share
Initiative Speed this information with the PRs in
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
7 (Dex + Ref)
exchange for its freedom.
k/hour
1d10 + 4 13 m/round
Its overriding directives compel it
to make every attempt to deliver
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
packages on time (Major), and to
Cargo Hauler Conspicuous
ensure that no Honeypot Couriers
Display Screen 5 Noisy
External Container (Size 4) Overriding Directive (Major) 1
Inc. property is damaged in the
High Speed Overriding Directive (Minor) 1
course of said deliveries.
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Rare Model
Secondary Battery
Solar Powered Created by Bee-Bot

"SIGN HERE, PLEAZZZ."

Once, long ago, Janice was a


Janice Rosie
UNIT NAME secretary, reprogrammed to serve
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Attaché to political insiders as a companion and sounding board
for a left-of-center policy wonk.
3 RealityCom 3 Dexterity 1 Durability OS Threshold Nowadays, the only thing left of
(DigiCon + Buffer) her past is a bitter nostalgia
5 HumanCom 4 Mobility 3 Buffer
and a longing for the days of old.
8
Unbeknownst to the Grill King, she
5 DigiCon 4 Perception 4 Size
has decided to use the Village as
MAX CURRENT

2 MechaniCon 3 Reflexes 1 Power a base to spread her rule and an


Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)
return to the halcyon days when
3 Strength humans were still running things.
4
Her paranoia over remaining active
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
0 (Str÷2, round down)
7 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
long enough to see her plans come
to fruition has led her to cause
Initiative Speed the destruction of several other
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref) locals, in order to free up use of
6 (Dex + Ref)
3 3
k/hour the charging dock and ensure that
1d10 + m/round
she can have access whenever she
requires.
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
Android 1 Inflammable
Janice's ultimate goal is to
Enhanced Cameras 1 Low Speed
overthrow the Grill King and
Interface Prong 1 Model Error 2
Manipulative Limb (Standard) Overriding Directive (Major)
establish herself as the overseer
Plastic Casing 1
of the Village's charging dock.
Weak Motor To this end, she has dispatched a
network of outside robots to locate
an undamaged member of the Village's
original crew that she can harvest
for its ability to unlock the
charging dock. Most of the original
workers were stolen away by the
Drag-N (and presumed broken), and
"THE KING WANTS TO Janice might send the PRs on a
"mission of mercy" to "rescue" one
SPEAK WITH YOU... of the lost workers.
OVER THERE."
Created by Jane Mayhew

148
UNIT NAME Universal Towing "Drag-N" Automated Retrieval Unit The Drag-N is a fearsome opponent
ORIGINAL PURPOSE Relocate stalled machines to holding area that may outclass any one of
the PRs - it is built with 150
4 RealityCom 1 Dexterity 3 Durability OS Threshold points (instead of the standard
(DigiCon + Buffer) 100 points that most robots are
1 HumanCom 4 Mobility 3 Buffer
created with).
6
3 DigiCon 2 Perception 7 Size
MAX CURRENT The beast's Overriding Directive
3 MechaniCon 4 Reflexes 5 Power compels it to prowl the City's
Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size) streets, hunting for new machines
6 Strength to abscond back to its lair. If
10 the PRs engage the Drag-N, the
Damage from Strike TN to be struck
Programmer may decide that it
4 (Str÷2, round down)
6 (Mobil + Ref)
MAX CURRENT
attempts to flee with one or more
of the PRs in tow as prizes.
Initiative Speed
Interaction Pool (1d10 + Ref) (Mobil + Ref)
5 (Dex + Ref)
When not on the hunt for stray
k/hour
4 robots, it spends its free time
1d10 + 12 m/round
brooding in the midst of its
collection, or enacting the slow
FEATURES Rating DEFECTS Rating
task of recharging its overly
Claw Buggy Cameras
large battery.
Giant 2 Conspicuous
High Speed Noisy
Pneumatic Overriding Directive (Major) 3
The Drag-N will return to menace
Rack 5 Poor Acceleration 1 the Village again and again
Winch 1 Slow Charger 5 until it is somehow stopped or
reprogrammed, or until every
resident of the Village is locked
away in the Drag-N's lair.

"COME OUT, COME OUT,


WHEREVER YOU ARE!"

149

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