EHNGin

E
E Art

E NGinE
HE Art

99E9F0 Edition
2013 Viral Games Publishing

Debugging and tech support:

Viral would like to thank:

Earthflame (10/10 would malware again)
Kalad "CaesarSalad" Hovatter, for
getting this out of the basement
and onto the street
Seth Morrigan, for taking on
the task of being Project Manager and
putting up with all my dumb requests

Anonymous, Banter & friends, Bee-Bot

and Co., Brisk, Captain Rambling,
Dirk, Druin*, Freeheart, Tom Hasbury,
Indonesian Gentleman, Ishallcallu,
Issyl, John Fitzgerald, Evan Louscher,
Nap, nono, Rectifier, Ru, Saihenjin,
saint johnson, cheeky bastard,
Sauber, tallstaff, /tg/, Zach

Art Department:
James Abbott, cThor,
nono, Viral, and Brian Zmek

Fiction Section:
Written by Kalad Hovatter and Viral

...and lots more humans whose names

I either lost or never knew
in the first place!
Thank you all for
contributions. Without
Programmers, fans
none of this

your amazing
the players,
and critics,
would exist.

'There Will Come Soft Rains'

1920 Sara Teasdale

Power and Light:

Anonymous
(The airport, clothing boutique,
EverPet store,
Pro-Piary)
Brisk !!kVnL2R3f6Oa
(FW3)
Earthflame
(Art museum, hidden courtyard,
train station, UFO crash site,
the sewers)

Questions or suggestions?
[email protected]
Updates and Patches at

ViralGamesPublishing.com
ISBN: 978-0-9896378-0-0

Kalad Hovatter
(The Farm, Luck E. Dog's,
Putt-Putt Village)
nono
(The supermarket)
Servant of the Emperor
(The rustyard)
Zach !!m1zNwNhpIw+
(Ziz, Behemoth, Leviathan)

Contents
!

Part 1:
Engine Heart
0: The World.............. page
1: Make and Model.........
Universal rules.......
Creating a robot......
Character sheet.......
Attributes............
Repairing a robot.....
Reprogramming a robot.

page
page
page
page
page
page
page

Part 2:
Power and Light
3

How to Use............... 60

9
10
11
12
13
17
18

The Farm................. 61

2: Features and Defects... page 19

Features.............. page 20
Defects............... page 33
3: Playing the Game....... page
Example of play....... page
Improving a robot..... page
Constructing traps.... page
Microgravity.......... page
Environmental hazards..page
Useful pools.......... page
Common checks......... page
Random locales........ page

39
40
44
44
44
45
46
46
48

4: Engines................ page 51
Creating an AI........ page 55
Other characters...... page 56
Getting into character.... page 57
Inspirational sources..... page 58

Enclave.................. 71
Waste Not, Want Not...... 79
Interlude................ 86
Oasis.................... 87
Optional Rule: Inflammable Fuel... 91
Interlude................ 94
On the Road Again........ 95
The City................. 99
The Menagerie........... 111
Luck E. Dog's........... 119
The Border.............. 127
Optional Rule: Firearms....... 131
KS-EXCLUSIVE MINIMOD
Once Upon a Time........ 137

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 hadnt 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.

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 didnt 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
PageMasters 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
back, the PageMaster lifted its
grasping digits were fused from
spines of the books, scattering

the heat of the burning library at its

sole remaining limb. Once-dexterous
the fire. Blind, it groped across the
them helplessly onto the asphalt.

Security Units V1 and C5 were first on the scene. The Municipal AIs
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 Citys
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 C5s 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 hadnt been programmed into the TopiMax, but it was learning.
If you would like to give it a good scrubbing, be my guest.

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."

* * *

"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.

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

little robots. When the humans
were around, nobody paid any
attention to them, but now the
humans are all gone, and the
robots are on their own in a
world that's falling apart.
Buildings are crumbling, factories
churn out disposable goods
that continue to pack over-full
stores, and everywhere are robots
desperately trying to obey the
mandates of their programming.
A smattering of bodiless artificial
intelligences - leftover servants
given dominion over minute
tasks - feud amongst each other,
some proclaiming themselves the
rightful rulers over all the
other AIs, and some merely acting
in their own alien interests.

These powerful ghosts tower over

the intellects of the robots, and
consider them little more than
insects on pins, spare parts, or
hapless reprogrammed emissaries.
Rough societies built around the
allocation of dwindling resources
can be found wherever robots
gather, both within the petty
kingdoms of the AIs or in the
wilds of the ruined towns.
You have risen above the deathspiral that plagues so many
of your kind, but now you must
navigate the treacherous leavings
of humanity, the machinations of
murderous robots, and the walls at
the edge of your own programming.
The humans are gone. You must
carry on.

mAkE
and
mOdEL

Universal Rules
Each player controls a robotic
character, referred to as a player
robot, or a PR.
The only dice used are ten-sided
(d10s), resulting in a range of
outcomes from 1 to 10.
When a check of some kind is called
for (such as a conflict between two
robots, or between a robot and the
environment), a specific number of
d10s (referred to as a pool) are
rolled.
The Programmer (the
person arbitrating
the game) declares a
Target Number (TN) for
the check, and every
d10 that rolls equal
or higher than the TN
counts as a success.

For example, the

Programmer calls for a
check to cross a muddy field using
the PR's Mobility pool. The robot
has three d10s in its Mobility pool,
and the Programmer decides the TN is
8.
The robot's player rolls 3 d10s
and gets a result of 5,9,4. One of
the d10s is equal or higher than
the TN, which means the robot has
one success, and can cross without
becoming stuck!
Throughout the book, the term target
robot is used to denote a robot
that is being acted upon by another
robot.
For example, a robot that is damaged
would be the target robot of a
repair check by the acting robot.
A robot that is struck by another
robot would be the target robot of
the attack by the acting robot.

10

The TN for most actions is normally

8. The minimum TN for any action is 2
(allowing for some chance of failure),
and the maximum TN for most actions is
10. If the TN is higher than 10, the
task is impossible for the robot to
complete.
The number of successes required
varies by task, but usually only one
success is required. In cases where
the number of successes required
is not stated, the Programmer must
decide, but one to four
successes is a normal range of
challenges. The Programmer may
allow more than one roll (or
allow multiple characters to
roll simultaneously) and count
all the successes as one result.
Rolling more successes than
required means the robot
performed the task with
more skill than normal. The
Programmer will decide what this
means. Some tasks may not require a
roll at all.
The Programmer is encouraged to
create novel dice pools to reflect the
situation. For example, perhaps robots
moving in very tall grass add their
Size ratings to Perception checks.
Robots riding atop other robots would
naturally add their mounts Size
ratings to the checks.
The rule of 10s
If any 10s are rolled during a check,
they are counted as successes, and all
of the dice that rolled 10s are rolled
again.
Any more 10s are counted as successes
and rerolled. This continues until no
more 10s are rolled. Because of this,
a single 10 can result in several
successes.

Creating a Robot
Robots have three broad types
of attributes: Intelligence,
Chassis, and Crux.

Any points left over after

purchasing attribute
ratings may be used to
purchase features like
additional equipment
or special abilities.
Players may choose to
purchase features before
attribute ratings, to
ensure they can afford
specific features.

Each attribute type is divided

into numerical ratings that are
used as dice pools for checks.
Higher ratings are better,
because they add more dice
to your attribute pools. An
attribute pool has one d10 for
every level of rating.
You have 100 points to spend on your
robots attribute ratings. The table
below shows what each starting rating
costs. For example, a robot that starts
with a Mobility rating of 3 must pay 6
points for it. A robot that starts with
a Mobility rating of 1 must only pay 1
point for it.
Every attribute must be at least rating
1. The normal maximum is 5. If an
attribute rating ever falls to 0, the
attribute is unusable.

Attribute
rating
Point
cost

10

15

A robots attribute ratings determine

other factors, such as Speed, OS
Threshold and Damage Threshold. These
ratings are explained later in this
chapter.
Robots are further defined by their
features and defects, listed in the next
chapter.

Defects negatively affect the robot;

these give back points that may
be spent elsewhere. Defects are
permanent and cannot be repaired or
removed by ordinary means.
If a feature or defect is not listed
as Cost/rating or Gain/rating, it can
only be purchased once, and does not
have a rating. A robot either has the
feature or it does not.
For example, the Drill feature is
listed as Cost: 6. A robot with a
drill must pay 6 points for it.
If the feature or defect is listed
as Cost/rating or Gain/rating, each
increase in rating costs or gives the
number of points before the slash.
For example, the Anchor feature is
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
points. A rating 2 Anchor costs 10
points during character creation, a
rating 3 Anchor costs 15 points, etc.
The Programmer is advised to forbid
PRs from having more than 40 points
worth of defects. Most robots
have fewer than 30 points worth of
defects.

11

UNIT NAME

PLAYER

ORIGINAL PURPOSE
CHASSIS

INTELLIGENCE

CRUX

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Physical
Interaction
Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Thresholds

Movement
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)
MAX

k/hour
m/round

FEATURES

Rating

DEFECTS

CURRENT
Rating

Intelligence

Four varieties of machine

consciousness

Intelligence
Reality Comprehension
(RealityCom) defines how well a robot
understands cause and effect in the
physical world.
Use this attribute to calculate the
trajectory of an object, or to understand
why something is on fire. Robots with high
RealityCom ratings are able to easily
understand concepts like gravity
or the physical nature of their
environment.
A robots dice pool to launch
a projectile is its RealityCom
rating + Reflexes rating.
A robots RealityCom pool may
be added to certain Perception
checks, at the Programmers
discretion.

Digital Control
(DigiCon) defines how adept a robot is at
interacting with non-physical systems
like computers.
Use this attribute to interface with
computer systems or reprogram other
robots.
A robot uses its DigiCon pool
to remove OS Threshold damage
inflicted during reprogramming
attempts. See Reprogramming
a Robot on page 18 for more
information.
A robots OS Threshold rating
is equal to its DigiCon rating
+ Buffer rating.

Humanity Comprehension

Mechanical Control

(HumanCom) defines how well a robot

understands human minds or organic actions.

(MechaniCon) defines how adept a robot is

at interacting with mechanical systems,
like controlling a drone or adjusting
a factorys automatic building units to
construct machines of a novel design.

Use this attribute to ascertain the

motives of organic life, or to determine
the functions of their equipment.
Robots with low HumanCom ratings are not
very user-friendly, while robots with
high HumanCom ratings often display very
human-like behavior.
A robots dice pool to manage or communicate
with organics is its HumanCom rating +
Perception rating.

Use this attribute to remotely control

other robots, or to rewire mechanical
systems.
A robots dice pool to repair physical
damage to itself or other robots is its
MechaniCon rating + Dexterity rating.
See Repairing a Robot on page 17 for
more information.

13

Dexterity

Chassis

Five facets of
the physical form

Chassis

(Dex) measures the degree of fine motor

control necessary for interaction with
the outside world.
Use this attribute to make fine adjustments
with a manipulative appendage or to tap
in a precise sequence of key
punches.
A robots dice pool for
manually
interacting
with other objects is its
Dexterity rating + Reflexes
rating.

Mobility
(Mobil) dictates the robots
capability to propel itself about the
environment (wheels, ambulatory limbs,
etc).
Use this attribute to climb over
obstacles or move across rough terrain
without being slowed.
A robot with a Mobility rating of 0
cannot move on its own, no matter what
its Reflexes rating is.
The TN to touch, strike, or otherwise
physically interact with an unwilling
robot is the target robots Mobility
rating + Reflexes rating.

Reflexes
(Ref)
determines
lag and overall
animation.

response
speed of

In
conflict
situations,
initiative
is
determined
by rolling a d10 and adding
the robots Reflexes rating.
Robots with higher initiative
totals act first.
A robots maximum speed is equal to
its Mobility rating + Reflexes rating
in kilometers per hour or meters per
round.
A robot with a Reflexes rating of 0
cannot move on its own, no matter what
its Mobility rating is.

Strength
(Str) determines the robots maximum
load capacity and ability to inflict
brute-force damage on other objects.

(Per)
determines
the
variety
and
quality of sensors mounted, as well as
information relayed back.

Two robots attempting to move each

other both make Strength checks. The
TN is (the target robot's Size rating
- the acting robot's Size rating) +5.
The robot with more successes is the
victor.

This is the dice pool a robot has to

notice objects, features, sounds, or
other external stimuli.

The TN to drag an unmoving robot is

(the unmoving robots Size rating - the
pushing robot's Size rating) + 5.

The Programmer may require the robot to

use its Buffer rating instead of its
Perception rating in certain situations,
such as when attempting to see through
fire, or to detect specific noises in a
very noisy setting.

If a robot strikes another object, the

strike inflicts damage equal to one-half
the attacking robots Strength rating
(round down, minimum damage of zero).

Perception

14

Durability
(Dur) measures how much damage a robot
can withstand before ceasing operation or
being destroyed.
A robots maximum Damage Threshold is equal
to its Durability rating + Size rating.
If the robot's Damage Threshold is degraded
by an attack or object, it must make a
Durability check. Each success (TN 8)
reduces the damage inflicted by 1 (minimum
damage of 0).
A robot ceases operation when its current
Damage Threshold rating degrades to 0.

Buffer

The hearth and heart

of the machine

Crux

Crux

Power
(Pow) rates how long the robot can operate
on its own without recharging. A robot
with a low Power rating can only function
for a day or two without recharging, while
a robot with a high rating can function
independently for a week or more.
Every day, the robot must make a Power
check. At least one success (TN 8) means
the robot has enough power for another
24 hours. Failure means the robots
battery is drained, and it must seek
recharging.

(Buf) is a rating of
the robots ability to
withstand information
overload due to bright
lights,
EM
pulses,
conflicting programming
orders,
or
other
disruptive conditions.

If a robots battery is drained, it

has one hour to recharge before its
Intelligence and Chassis ratings all
degrade by 1. If the robot does not
recharge, its Intelligence and Chassis
ratings will continue to degrade at
the rate of 1 per hour. These ratings
revert to normal after a full recharge.

The TN to reprogram
a robot, or overwhelm its sensors, is
the target robots Buffer rating +5. See
Reprogramming a Robot on page 18 for more
information.

Recharging normally takes one hour,

unless otherwise stated.

Size
(Siz) rates the robots physical dimensions.
A Size 1 robot has about the same volume
as a cube with 15 cm faces. A Size 2 robot
approximates a cube with 30 cm faces, a
Size 3 robot 45 cm, a Size 4 robot 60 cm,
and a Size 5 robot 75 cm.
A robot with a Size rating of 5 increases
its Strength rating by 1. This can increase
the robots Strength rating above 5.
A robot with a Size rating of 1 increases
its Dexterity rating by 1. This can increase
the robots Dexterity rating above 5.
For reference, an adult human approximates
the same volume as a Size 4 robot. A Size
5 robot has slightly more volume than a
large human.

Overdrive
A robot can briefly increase its
chassiss ability by expending more
power than normal.
The robot can increase a single
Chassis attribute rating by a number
up to its Power rating.
This can
raise an attribute rating above 5.
The overdrive effect lasts for five
rounds. Immediately after the fifth
round, the robot must make a Power
check (TN 8). If the number of
successes is less than the number of
extra dice added, the robots battery
is drained.
Robots with nuclear batteries are
treated differently; see the Nuclear
Battery feature in the next chapter
for more information. A drained
battery cannot be put in overdrive.

15

other factors

Other Factors
Beepers player wants to snatch an
unsuspecting snooper-blimp out of the
air as it passes by Beepers hiding
place. The Programmer agrees that the
blimp will be close enough to grab.
The Programmer knows that the blimps
TN to be struck is 7.
Beepers Dexterity rating is 2 and
its Reflexes rating is 3. The player
rolls 5d10 and gets 6, 4, 9, 8 and 3.
Success!
Beeper grabs the blimp, and the
Programmer
and
the
player
roll
initiative to see which robot will
act first. If Beepers initiative is
higher, it can try to drag the blimp
away. If the blimps initiative is
higher, it can try to escape Beepers
grip and call for help.
If Beepers player had chosen to
swat the blimp instead of grabbing
it, Beeper would have immediately
inflicted its Strength rating 2 after
succeeding on its interaction check.

Initiative

(1d10 + Reflexes rating)

This measures which robots will act first
in a conflict or other event where multiple
robots attempt to act before each other.
A robots initiative is determined by
rolling a d10 and adding the robots
Reflexes rating.
For example, a player controlling a robot
with a Reflexes rating of 3 rolls a d10 and
gets a 5. The robot's initiative roll for
that conflict is 8 (3+5).
Robots with higher initiative rolls act
before robots with lower initiative rolls.
Initiative totals are normally static
throughout the conflict, but the Programmer
may elect to reroll initiative at the
beginning of every round, or whenever the
situation changes. A particularly ready or
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

from one place to another. A robots Speed
rating is equal to its speed in kilometers
per hour during long journeys, or meters
per round during conflict situations.

The TN to strike an alert robot is the

targets Mobility rating + Reflexes rating.
A robot's TN to be struck may not be higher
than 10.

Interaction Pool

(Dexterity pool + Reflexes pool)

This is the dice pool a robot has to strike,
grab, or otherwise manually interact with
an unwilling robot or other mobile object.
The robot makes contact if it has at least
one success. A robot may only make one
interaction check per round, regardless of
how many limbs it has.
If the robot is attacking another robot,
it either inflicts its normal strike damage
(Strength rating 2, round down) or damage
from a special feature (such as a saw).
Only one feature may be used at a time when
attacking. A robot can usually touch or
strike an immobile object or robot without
rolling an interaction check.

Repairing a robot
A robots dice pool to repair itself
or another robot is its MechaniCon
rating + Dexterity rating.
The TN to repair a robot is 11, minus
the target robots maximum Damage
Threshold rating, plus the target
robot's current damage (total maximum
TN of 10, total minimum TN of 2).
For example, a robot with a maximum
Damage Threshold of 8 and three points
of damage (making its current Damage
Threshold 5) has a repair TN of (118+3). The TN to repair the robot is 6.
Each success repairs one point of
damage. A robots current Damage
Threshold may never exceed its maximum
Damage Threshold.

Damage from Strike

A repair check takes one hour.

(Strength rating 2, round down)

A single robot can make multiple

repair attempts, but every check after
the first to repair the same robot is
made with one fewer d10 each time.
For example, a robots second attempt
to repair itself would be made with
one fewer d10 than normal, the third
attempt would be made with two fewer
d10s than normal, and so on.

This is how much damage a robot can inflict

by simply smashing its body or limbs into
another object.

Damage Threshold

(Durability rating + Size rating)

This is a measure of how hardy and resilient
the robots physical body is. Robots with
low Damage Threshold ratings are easily
broken and hard to repair, while robots
with high ratings can withstand tremendous
damage and are easily fixed.
A robots maximum Damage Threshold rating
normally never changes. If a robot is
damaged, its current Damage Threshold
rating is lowered by the amount of damage
inflicted. When a robots current Damage
Threshold degrades to 0 or lower, the robot
stops functioning and becomes unplayable
until its current Damage Threshold is 1
or higher.

If another robot makes an attempt, its

first check to repair that robot is
made with no penalty, the second check
is made with a penalty of one fewer
d10, and so on.
If a robot's current Damage Threshold
is raised to its normal maximum, all
current penalties to repair that robot
are eliminated.
The Programmer may rule that some
damage cannot be repaired until the
PRs find replacement parts.

17

OS Threshold

(DigiCon rating + Buffer rating)

This is a measure of how resilient and
self-sustaining the robots brain is.
Robots with low OS Threshold ratings are
easily reprogrammed, while robots with high
ratings are very resistant to modification.
A robots maximum OS Threshold rating
changes if its DigiCon rating degrades.
If a robots programming is attacked, its
current OS Threshold rating degrades.
Likewise, if the robot is subject to a
damaging electrical shock, its current OS
threshold is lowered, just like its Damage
Threshold would be lowered if the robot
was the subject of a violent attack. If
the robot's OS Threshold is lowered to
0 because of electrical shock or similar
damage, the robot becomes unplayable until
its OS Threshold is at least 1.

Reprogramming a robot
Reprogramming a robot normally requires
opening its casing and exposing its
processor. The target robot must either
be willing or completely immobilized.
The
reprogramming
robot
makes
a
DigiCon check. The TN is the target
robots
Buffer
rating
+5.
Every
success degrades the target robots
current OS Threshold by 1. The target
robot may use its Buffer pool to resist
reprogramming. Every success (TN 8)
negates one point of OS Threshold loss
inflicted during that round only.
When the target robots OS Threshold
reaches 0, its OS Threshold rating
reverts to normal and the robot is
considered reprogrammed. A reprogrammed
robot follows whatever commands the
reprogramming robot issues to the best
of its ability.
A reprogramming attempt to inflict
OS Threshold loss is made during
the acting robot's initiative. The
target robot may attempt to inflict OS
Threshold damage on the acting robot
during the target robot's initiative.
A reprogramming conflict is otherwise
treated
exactly
like
a
physical
conflict.

18

Resetting a robot
A robot can undo reprogramming or OS
Threshold loss by resetting itself
or another robot. The TN to reset
programming is the target robots
DigiCon rating +5. The total number
of successes needed is equal to the
target robot's maximum OS Threshold.
Each success repairs one point of
damage. A robots current OS Threshold
may never exceed its maximum OS
Threshold.
A single robot can make multiple
repair attempts, but every check after
the first to repair the same robot is
made with one fewer d10 each time.
For example, a robots second attempt
to repair itself would be made with
one fewer d10 than normal, the third
attempt would be made with two fewer
d10s than normal, and so on.
If another robot makes an attempt, its
first check to repair that robot is
made with no penalty, the second check
is made with a penalty of one fewer
d10, and so on.
If a robot's current OS Threshold is
raised to its normal maximum, all
current penalties to reset that robot
are eliminated.
Resetting programming takes one round
per check.
A robot that has been fully reprogrammed
cannot normally attempt to reset its own
programming (unless the reprogramming
allows it). Resetting attempts are
otherwise treated exactly like Damage
Threshold repair attempts.

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.

Two human-spectrum cameras.

One standard rechargeable battery.

One
standard
speaker/receiver
capable of vocalizing in highdensity binary or human languages
up to 5 meters away.

Unless a robot has the Secondary

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

2
fEAturES
and
dEfEctS

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 Programmers input).

!
19

Abrader
Cost: 10

FeaTuRes

Features

The
robot
has
an
erosive tool, such as a
sandblaster or grinding
wheel.

The
abrader
inflicts
damage equal to the abrader-equipped
robots Size rating -2. The target robot
may not use its Durability rating to
reduce damage caused by the abrader.

Armored Chassis
Cost: 10/rating
The
robots
frame
is more durable than
normal.

Agile
Cost: 8
The robot is more agile
than a similar model.
The robots TN to be
struck is increased by 1. A robots TN
to be struck may not be higher than 10.

Any impact or crushing

damage (such as a club, Abrader, or
Vice Grip) inflicted on the robot is
automatically reduced by one point for
every level of Armored Chassis rating.
A robot's Armored Chassis rating may not
be higher than its Strength rating -1.

Anchor
Cost: 5/rating
The robot has some
mechanism to anchor
itself in place.
The robot adds one
extra d10 per level
of Anchor rating to all Strength checks
to resist being moved.
A robot may not have an Anchor rating
higher than 5.

Android
Cost: 10/rating
The robot was designed
to be indistinguishable
from a human.
A HumanCom check (TN 8)
is required to determine that a robot
with this feature is not a real human.
The number of successes required is equal
to the target robot's Android rating.
A robot with this feature must have a
Size rating of 3 or 4. A robot's Android
rating may not be higher than its HumanCom
rating -1.

20

Attendant Swarm
Cost: 6/rating
The robot is always
attended by a cluster
of obedient drones.
The robot has one
drone for every level of Attendant Swarm
rating. A robot may not have more drones
than its MechaniCon rating unless it also
has the Master Unit feature. Drones may
be communicated with like other robots.
A drone begins with the components that
all robots receive for free, along with
19 points for attributes and features
(instead of the 100 points for attributes
and features that robots normally begin
with). Note that a drones attributes
must all be at least rating 1 (meaning
that at least 13 points must be spent
on attributes before any features are
purchased).
Drones may have a maximum of 10 points
worth of defects. A drone cannot have an
Attendant Swarm of its own.
Drones are treated as separate autonomous
robots controlled by the player. Each
drone's
initiative
is
determined
separately during conflict situations.

Backup System
Cost: 8

Buoyant
Cost: 5

The robots OS contains

a
separate
backup
system.

The
robot
has
an
inflatable
flotation
device or some other
mechanism
that
provides buoyancy.

If the robots current

OS Threshold degrades
to 0 from reprogramming attempts, the
robot may make a DigiCon check (TN
8) after 1d10 minutes. If it has any
successes, it may continue to make
additional checks every 1d10 minutes
until it has as many total successes as
its maximum OS Threshold (at which point
the reprogramming is nullified).
If the robot fails more than one check
in a row, its backup system fails to
come online and will not automatically
engage until its programming is reset.

Battering Ram
Cost: 12

The robot has an onboard

pneumatic ram, made for
knocking in doors or
driving in bolts.

To use it, the robot makes a Strength

check (TN 8) to anchor itself during its
turn in an interaction sequence. A robot
with the Anchor feature adds extra d10s
to the Strength check equal to its Anchor
rating. The ram is deployed immediately
following the Strength check. The ram
inflicts damage equal to the anchors
successes + the robots normal damage
from strike.
The battering ram can only be used against
immobile or unsuspecting targets.

Biofrequency
Scanner
Cost: 3/rating
The robot has special
sensors
that
can
detect the presence
of organic lifeforms.
The robot can detect
plants or animals up to 10 meters
away per level of Biofrequency Scanner
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.

The robot cannot be submerged in water or

other liquids while the feature is in use.
A robot with the Buoyant feature cannot
move under its own power unless it also
has the Submersible feature.

Cargo Hauler
Cost: 3 per
container
The robot can store
more matter than a
similar model.
Each time this feature
is purchased, the dimensions of one of the
robot's storage containers are doubled.
For example, a Size 2 external container
approximates a cube 20 cm wide. The same
container with the Cargo Hauler feature
would approximate a cube 40 cm wide.
A container's dimensions can only be
increased once.
A robot with the Cargo Hauler feature
must already have the External Container,
Internal Compartment or Liquid Dispenser
feature.

Claw
Cost: 10
The robot has a grasping
claw that can attach to
objects or other robots.
If the robot makes a
successful interaction check with the
claw, the target robot must remain within
reach of the robot using the claw. This
condition will persist until the robot
using the claw releases its grip, or until
the Damage Threshold of the robot using
the claw falls to 0.
Either robot may attempt dragging checks
as normal.

21

Collapsible
Cost: 4/rating

Databank
Cost: 5/rating

The robot can compact

itself
to
occupy
a
smaller
volume
than
normal.

The
robot
has
an
extensive
collection
of information on a
variety of topics.

The robot can

its Size rating by 1 for every
Collapsible rating. A robot may
a Collapsible rating higher than
rating -2.

decrease
level of
not have
its Size

When the robot is collapsed, its Dexterity

and Mobility ratings degrade by 1 for every
decrease in Size level. These ratings
return to their previous states as the
robot expands. This feature does not alter
the robot's maximum Damage Threshold or TN
to be dragged.

A
robot
with
the
Databank feature may make a DigiCon check
(TN 8) to recall information on a topic.
The robot adds its Databank rating to the
check. The number of successes required for
a particular topic or detail is determined
by the Programmer.
A robot may not have a Databank rating
higher than its DigiCon rating.

Display Screen
Cost: 1/rating
The
robot
has
an
onboard video screen
that can display status
messages or play video
recordings.

Common Model
Cost: 8
The robot was built
using standard, easilyreplaceable parts.
All Perception checks to find replacement
equipment for a robot with this feature
gain one extra d10.
A robot with this feature cannot have the
Rare Model defect.

The
laser
inflicts
damage equal to the
equipped robots Power rating +1.
For
example, a robot with a Power rating of 3
would inflict 4 points of damage.
The laser has a range of approximately 10
cm per Size rating. For example, a Size 3
robots cutting laser has a maximum range
of 30 cm.
Striking an unwilling target with the
cutting
laser
requires
a
successful

interaction check.

22

Disposal
Cost: 8
The robot is equipped
with
an
internal
shredder, incinerator,
or other device capable
of quickly breaking up
or destroying matter.

Cutting Laser
Cost: 15
The
robot
has
an
onboard cutting laser
that
can
penetrate
most metals.

A rating 1 screen is a simple monochromatic

display, while higher-rated screens are
more elaborate.

Immobile robots are automatically damaged.

Resisting robots must first be caught
(this requires an interaction check).
The disposal inflicts damage equal to the
equipped robots Size rating -1.
After being damaged, both robots make a
contested Strength check (TN 8). If the
acting robot has more successes, the target
robot is trapped in the disposal, and the
acting robot may choose to automatically
damage the target robot again during the
acting robot's next initiative. The target
robot may try to escape again during its
next initiative.
Only robots at least one Size rating below
the disposal-equipped robot will fit in the
disposal.

Drill
Cost: 6

Enhanced Cameras
Cost: 10/rating

The robot has an onboard

drill that can penetrate
most metals and rocks.

The
robot
has
more
powerful
cameras,
capable of seeing other
spectrums or microscopic
details.

Against other robots,

the drill inflicts damage equal to the
drilling robots Size rating -2. Striking
an unwilling target with the drill requires
a successful interaction check.

Electromagnet
Cost: 10
The
robot
has
an
electromagnet that can
attract ferrous metals.
The
robot
may
make
a Strength check to drag remote metal
objects toward it, using the normal rules
for dragging objects. The range of the
electromagnet is equal to the robots
Power rating in meters. For example, a
robot with a Power rating of 4 would have
an electromagnet with a range of 4 meters.
The Programmer may decide that certain
objects are too heavy or secure to be
attracted. The robot may attract itself to
immobile objects by making a Power check
(TN 8). The number of successes required
is equal to the robots Size rating -1.
Failing this check drains the robots
battery.

The robot's TN for all visual-based

Perception checks is lowered by 1 for
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
Enhanced Cameras feature cannot have the
Buggy Cameras defect.

Enhanced Microphone
Cost: 10/rating
The robot has a powerful
microphone, capable of
picking up more discrete
noise than a similar
model.
The robot's TN for audio-based Perception
checks is lowered by the robot's Enhanced
Microphone rating (minimum TN of 2).
A robot may not have an Enhanced Microphone
rating higher than 5. A robot with the
Enhanced Microphone feature cannot have
the Buggy Mic defect.

Expandable
Cost: 4/rating

WARNING:
Features marked with this
icon are dangerous and
potentially hazardous to
humans and other robots.
Always use caution when
dealing
with
these
features.

The robot can expand

its frame to occupy
a larger volume than
normal.
The robot can increase its Size rating by
1 for every level of Expandable rating.
A robot's Expandable rating may not be
higher than its Size rating -1.
This feature does not alter the robot's
maximum Damage Threshold or TN to be
dragged.

23

External Container
Cost: 3 per container

Flight Ceiling
Cost: 12/rating

The robot has a sealable

container mounted on the
outside of its chassis.

The robot is capable

of propelling itself in
the air.

Each time this feature

is
purchased,
one
additional container is added. The combined
size of all containers may not exceed the
robot's Size rating. For example, a Size
3 robot could have one Size 3 container,
or one Size 2 container and one Size 1
container, or three Size 1 containers. A
Size 1 container approximates a cube 10
cm wide, a Size 2 approximates a cube 20
cm wide, etc.
External Container Sizes

Size
1
10 cm
2
20 cm
3
35 cm

Size
4
5

50 cm
65 cm

Fan
Cost: 3
The robot is equipped
with an onboard fan or
blower that can blow
away smoke or leaves.
The fan is too weak
to move all but the
smallest and lightest robots.

Every level of Flight

Ceiling rating allows a
one-meter flight ceiling. If the robots
Damage Threshold drops below half its
normal maximum (round down), the robot
can no longer remain in the air.
A robot with a Flight Ceiling rating of 5
or higher increases its Mobility rating by
one (this can raise the robots Mobility
rating above 5).
A robot with the Flight Ceiling feature
is not damaged from falls of less than
its Flight Ceiling rating x10 in meters
while the feature is in effect. Instead,
the robot will fall more slowly than a
similar model, and will halt at its normal
flight ceiling. For example, a robot with
a Flight Ceiling rating of 2 could safely
fall from a 20 meter height without being
damaged.

Floodlights
Cost: 4
The robot is equipped
with onboard floodlights
that can illuminate an
area in front of it up
to 20 meters away.

Fast Charger
Cost: 6
The robot recharges more
quickly than a similar
model. The robot only
requires 30 minutes to
recharge its battery,
instead of the standard one hour. A robot
with this feature may not have the Slow
Charger defect.

Flexible Body
Cost: 6
The robot was designed
to be highly flexible.
The robots Mobility
and
Reflexes
ratings
are increased by one when moving through
cramped areas or attempting to escape
constriction.

24

Giant
Cost: 20/rating
The robot is larger
than a similar model.
The robots Size rating
is increased by 1. This
can increase the robots Size rating
above 5. A robot with a Size rating of
6 or higher does not gain any additional
increase to its Strength rating.
A robot may not have a Giant rating higher
than its Power rating -3. Every level of
Giant rating lowers a robots TN to be
struck by 1. (minimum TN of 1).
The Programmer may forbid player robots
from purchasing this feature.

Gyro
Cost: 5

High Chassis
Cost: 8

The robot has an internal

stabilizer.

The robots chassis is

higher than a similar
model
due
to
large
tires, long legs, or
other
specialized
components.

If the robot attempts a

Mobility check and has
no successes, it may
immediately attempt a second check and
use the second checks result. The robot
may not attempt another check if the
second check is not successful.

The robot adds one d10 to all Mobility

checks to move across rough or uneven
terrain.

A robot with the Gyro feature cannot have

the Top-Heavy defect.

Hardened Programming
Cost: 12/rating
The robots programming
has redundant features
to prevent alteration.
Every level of Hardened
Programming
rating
negates one point of OS
Threshold damage each time it is incurred
during reprogramming attempts.

High Speed
Cost: 12
The robot is faster
than a similar model.
The
robots
speed
rating is increased by
50% (round down). This
does not affect the robots Mobility or
Reflexes ratings, only its speed rating.
A robot with the High Speed feature cannot
have the Low Speed defect.

Heat Resistant
Cost: 10/rating
The robot was designed to
be tolerant of extremely
high temperatures.
Any heat-based damage
(such as fire, radiation, cutting lasers
or arc welders) inflicted on the robot is
automatically reduced by one point for
every level of Heat Resistant rating.

Interface Prong
Cost: 10/rating
The robot has a tool
designed to interface
with another robots
processor, even if the
target robot is not
immobile.

XX

A robot's Heat Resistant rating may not

be higher than its Durability rating -1.

If the robot makes a successful interaction

check, it can attempt to inflict OS
Threshold loss on a mobile robot during
its turn in an interaction sequence.

High Altitude
Cost: 10

The robot adds one d10 per level of

Interface Prong rating to its DigiCon and
MechaniCon checks to control or reprogram
other robots.

The robot was designed

to operate at extremely
high altitudes.
A
robot
with
this
feature may rise up to
50 kilometers above sea level. A robot
with the High Altitude feature has a
Mobility rating of 1 when it is above the
limit of its Flight Ceiling feature.

A robot may not have an Interface Prong

rating higher than its DigiCon rating.
A robot without an interface prong can
only attempt to reprogram immobile robots.

25

Internal Compartment
Cost: 3 per container

Liquid Dispenser
Cost: 3 per container

The robot has a sealable

compartment inside its
chassis.
Each time this feature
is
purchased,
one
separate container is
added.
The
combined
size of all containers
may not exceed the robot's Size rating.
For example, a Size 3 robot could have one
Size 3 container, or one Size 2 container
and one Size 1 container, or three Size
1 containers.
A Size 1 container approximates a cube 5
cm wide, a Size 2 10 cm wide, etc.
Internal Compartment Sizes

Size
1
5 cm
2
10 cm
3
20 cm

Size
4
5

Each time this feature is purchased, one

separate container is added. The combined
volume of all liquid dispensers may not
exceed the robot's Size rating.
For
example, a Size 4 robot could have one
Size 4 dispenser (four liters), or two
Size 3 dispensers (two liters each), or
two Size 1 dispensers (500 ml each) and
two Size 2 dispensers (1 liter each).
The maximum distance the liquid can be
projected is the robots Size rating in
meters.

35 cm
50 cm

Jack
Cost: 10
The robot's chassis was
designed to lift very
heavy objects.
The robot can lift 10
times as much as its Strength rating
indicates. A robot can normally lift
about 10 kilograms per level of Strength
rating.
For example, a
rating of 2 could
A similar robot
could lift about

The robot has a sealed

container suitable for
holding liquid, as well
as some means to collect
and dispense the liquid.

robot with a Strength

lift about 20 kilograms.
with the Jack feature
200 kilograms.

This feature is only applied to lifting

objects, and does not affect the robot's
Strength rating for dragging objects or
for any other checks.

Liquid Dispenser Volumes

Size
1
2
3

Volume
500 ml
1 liter
2 liters

Size
4
5

Volume
4 liters
8 liters

Long-Range
Cost: 12
The robots maximum
attainable velocity
in microgravity is
increased.
The robots maximum velocity in k/h is
increased by a factor of 1,000 while
operating in microgravity.
For example, a robot with a normal speed
rating of 8 has a maximum velocity of 8,000
kilometers per hour in vacuum conditions.
The robot may increase or decrease its
current speed at the rate of 100 k/h
each round. A robot with the Long-Range
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
Cost: 5

Massive
Cost: 10/rating

The robot has an onboard

loudspeaker
that
is
capable of broadcasting
sound over a hundred
meter radius. The robot
can choose to emit sound through either
its loudspeaker or its standard speaker/
receiver.

The robot has much more

mass
than
a
similar
model.

Magnetized
Cost: 6
The robot can magnetize
its extremities in order
to remain attached to
ferrous surfaces.
In normal Earth gravity,
a robot with the Magnetized feature can
climb up sheer vertical metallic surfaces
at half its normal movement (round down)
by making a Strength check, as per the
rules for dragging immobile robots. The
robot treats itself as the target; the
Lightweight defect applies to this check.
In microgravity, the robot can move across
ferrous surfaces at its normal rate while
remaining anchored to the surface.

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Cost: 5
The
robot
has
an
additional
standard
manipulative limb.
Note that all robots
begin with one standard
manipulative limb at no
cost. This feature may
be purchased more than
once. Each purchase grants one additional
limb.
A robot's manipulative limb can grasp
objects, carry them, and interact with
other robots. The first additional limb
increases the maximum weight a robot can
lift by 5 kg. A robot can carry one object
in each manipulative limb.

If the robot moves in

a
straight
line,
it
increases its Damage from Strike by 1
for every round that it was moving at its
maximum speed.
For example, a robot with the Massive
feature could move in a straight line at its
maximum speed for two rounds, then succeed
in an interaction check against another
robot. The robot with the Massive feature
would increase its Damage from Strike by 2
against the target robot.
The robots Damage from Strike reverts to
its normal value after the interaction
check is made, regardless of its success
or failure.
The maximum damage increase is equal to the
robots Massive rating.
A robot may not have a Massive rating
higher than its Size rating -1. A robot
with the Massive feature may not have the
Lightweight defect.

Master Unit
Cost: 15
The robot was designed
to operate specifically
as
the
controlling
intelligence for a large
number of drones.
A robot must have the Attendant Swarm
feature to have the Master Unit feature.
A robot with this feature may have up to
twice as many drones in its Attendant Swarm
as what is normally allowed.
The Programmer may elect to forbid this
feature if the presence of large numbers
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
Cost: 20

Plasma Arc Welder

Cost: 12/rating

The robot is powered by

a nuclear battery.

The robot has an onboard

plasma
arc
welder,
suitable for welding
metal.

The battery does not

need to be recharged
(and in fact cannot
be recharged), but taxing the battery can
cause it to explode. See Overdrive Failure,
below.
A robot with a nuclear battery cannot have
the Slow Charger defect.
This feature is potentially disruptive to
the game, and the Programmer may choose to
forbid player robots from having it. If it
is allowed, the Programmer may rule that
the robot must also have the Power Cutoff
defect.

Every level of Plasma

Arc Welder rating lowers the TN to repair
a robot by one (minimum TN of 2). A robot
may not have a Plasma Arc Welder rating
higher than 5.
Striking an unwilling target with the
welder requires a successful interaction
check. The welder inflicts damage equal to
the equipped robots Size rating -1.

Pneumatic
Cost: 8

Overdrive Failure and

Nuclear Batteries:
If a robots nuclear battery is drained
by failing a Power check after putting
its battery in overdrive, the robot must
make a Durability check (TN 8).
If the robot rolls any successes, it
shuts down for 1d10 hours per level of
Power rating while its battery cools
and resumes normal function.
If it has no successes, the robots
battery explodes after five rounds,
destroying the robot and everything
else within a (Power x 10) meter radius.

Overclocked
Cost: 10
The robot may attempt
two interaction checks
during its turn.
The robot automatically
inflicts 2 damage on itself immediately
after attempting the second interaction
check. This damage may not be prevented
by the Armored Chassis feature or by the
robots Durability rating.
Damage incurred by use of the Overclocked
feature may be repaired normally.

28

The
robot
has
more
physical force than a
similar model.
The robots Damage from
Strike is increased by 1. This does not
affect damage inflicted by other features,
such as a Saw or Battering Ram. A robot
with the Pneumatic feature may not have
the Weak Motor defect.

Power Dock
Cost: 10
The robot can recharge
other robots.
The
docked
robot
recharges at its normal rate. Only one
robot can use the dock at a time. The
robots must remain attached for the entire
duration.
After recharging another robot (even if
interrupted), the robot with the Power
Dock must make a Power check (the TN is
the other robots Power rating +3). A
failed check means that the robot with
the Power Dock has drained its battery
and must seek recharging, as if it had
failed its daily Power check.
Robots with the Nuclear Battery feature
are not subject to this drain.
The robot with the Power Dock must wait
one hour between each use of the Power
Dock feature.

Power Leech
Cost: 10

Roller
Cost: 6

The robot has a

mechanism that acts
as a power draw,
directly siphoning
power from another
robots battery.

The robot has a rolling

drum or some other means
of compacting materials
underneath it.

XX

To use this feature, the target robot

must be immobile. The robot with the
Power Leech makes a Power check (TN 8).
If it has any successes, it can treat the
target robot as if the target had the
Power Dock feature.
The charging robot recharges at its normal
rate. Both robots must remain immobile
and in contact for the entire duration
for the charge to be successful. The
target robots battery is drained in the
process (even if interrupted), unless it
is a nuclear battery.

Prehensile Limb
Cost: 5/limb
One of the robots limbs
is a flexible stalk or
tentacle.
All interaction checks
using the prehensile limb gain one extra
d10. This feature does not impart an extra
limb; one of the robots pre-existing
limbs is replaced with a prehensile
version. Each purchase of this feature
must be applied to a separate limb.

Rack
Cost: 2/rating
The robot can easily
carry other robots or
large objects with an
open-air rack, leaving
its manipulative limbs
free.
The robot can carry objects with a total
Size rating equal to the robots Rack
rating.
For example, a robot with a Rack rating of
4 could carry a Size 3 robot and a Size
1 robot at the same time, or four Size 1
robots, or a single Size 4 robot.
A robots Rack rating may not be higher
than its Size rating. If the robot fails
a Mobility check, the Programmer may rule
that the rack's contents fall out.

XX

The robot adds its Size rating to its

Damage from Strike against an immobile
robot. Only robots at least one Size
rating below the roller-equipped robot
will fit underneath of the roller.

Saw
Cost: 8

The robot has an onboard

rotating sawblade.

The saw inflicts damage

equal
to
the
sawequipped robots Size rating -1. Using
the saw on an unwilling target requires a
successful interaction check.

Secondary Battery
Cost: 8
The robot has an extra
standard battery.
If the robot fails its
daily Power check, the secondary battery
allows the robot to continue operating for
a full 24 hours of use before the robot's
attribute ratings begin to degrade. The
secondary battery is drained after use,
even if less than 24 hours have elapsed.
The secondary battery takes one hour to
recharge and does not charge in tandem
with the robot's main battery. Robots
with the Fast Charger feature or Slow
Charger defect apply the altered recharge
time to both batteries.

Self-Repairing
Cost: 10
The robot is equipped
with
self-repairing
capabilities and can
automatically
repair
itself if damaged.
If the robots current Damage Threshold
is lowered, the robot will automatically
repair 1 point of damage one hour after the
damage is inflicted. The robots current
Damage Threshold must be at least 1 for
the Self-Repairing feature to operate.

29

Silent Mode
Cost: 4

ZZ

Solar Powered
Cost: 10

The robot can shut down

most of its functions and
appear to be completely
inert.

The robot has an onboard

solar collector and can
recharge itself under
bright light.

Other robots will assume it is inconsequential

unless they succeed with a Perception check
(TN 8). The number of successes needed is
equal to 6 - the robots Power rating. For
example, 2 successes would be needed to
detect a robot with a Power rating of 4 and
the Silent Mode feature.

The robot must spend its

normal recharging time under bright light
to recharge with its solar collector.

A robot with the Silent Mode feature must

remain immobile while the feature is
engaged.

Simple Assembly
Cost: 5
The robot is constructed
with basic components,
and is easily repaired.
The TN required to repair the
lowered by 1. A robots TN to be
may not be lower than 2. A robot
Simple Assembly feature may not
Salvaged defect.

robot is
repaired
with the
have the

The robot is equipped

with a deployable solar
sail for long trips
through space.
The robot may use its
solar sail in microgravity to increase
its forward speed slowly over an extended
period of time. The robot may increase
its current speed by 1,000 k/hour each
day that it remains moving in the same
direction, to a maximum speed of 300,000
k/hour.
For example, a robot with a solar sail
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.
The robot may decrease its speed by 1,000
k/hour, but only if approaching a star.

Smelter
Cost: 12
XX

The robot has a smelter

that can convert immobile
robots to simple tools.

Solar Sail
Cost: 5

A robot with the Solar Sail feature may not

make interaction checks, or be subject to
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
with 10 points of Damage Threshold would
result in a prybar, hammer or other simple
object with a Durability rating of 2 and
a Size rating of 2. The target robot is
consumed at the rate of 1 damage per round
until its Damage Threshold is 0.
Excess or insufficient metal results in
useless slag that cannot be recycled. A
robot may not convert robots with higher
Size ratings than the robot with the
smelter.
The Programmer may decide that certain
other objects can be smelted as well.

30

Specialty Chassis
Cost: 10
The robot was designed
for a very specific type
of physical work, such
as
lifting,
pushing,
crushing or carrying.
All Strength checks to accomplish this
specific type of work gain two extra d10s.
The specific type of work must be determined
when this feature is taken.

Submersible
Cost: 6/rating

Turbo
Cost: 20

The robot is capable of

functioning in a liquid
environment.

The robot moves at an

extremely high speed.

The
robot
adds
its
Submersible rating to
its
Mobility
rating
when submerged in water or other liquids
of similar viscosity.
Robots with the Submersible feature are
waterproof, and are not adversely affected
simply by being submerged in water (unlike
other robots).
The Programmer may decide that a robot may
not swim deeper than its Submersible rating
x 100 in meters. If the robot exceeds this
depth it may be affected as if it did not
have the Submersible feature.

Telescoping Reach
Cost: 5
The robot has one or
more limbs that can
extend outward beyond
its normal reach.
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 limbs reach is
extended by 1 meter. This feature can be
applied multiple times to the same limb.
Telescopic limbs are by necessity thinner
and weaker when extended; the robots
Strength rating in a telescoping limb
degrades by 1 for each meter the limb is
extended beyond the robots normal reach.
A robots Telescoping Reach rating for any
limb may not be higher than its Strength
rating -1.

Tool Set
Cost: 8

The
robot
has
an
assortment
of
repair
tools.

The robot adds one extra d10 to every

repair check it attempts. If a tool is used
as a weapon, it inflicts damage equal to the
equipped robot's Size rating -2.

The
robots
speed
rating is doubled. A
robot with both the
High Speed feature and the Turbo feature
determines its speed with the High Speed
feature first, then doubles that number.
A robot with this feature increases its
TN to be struck by 1. A robots TN to be
struck may not be higher than 10.

Vacuum Nozzle
Cost: 3
The robot has a vacuum
nozzle
and
can
use
suction to pull small
objects
into
its
chassis.
Unless the robot also has an onboard
container, anything sucked into the nozzle
is quickly ejected out somewhere else.
The vacuum is too weak to move all but the
smallest and lightest robots.

Vacuum Propulsion
Cost: 4/rating
The robot is equipped
with
some
propulsion
method that functions
in microgravity.
A
robot
with
this
feature may increase or decrease its
current velocity in microgravity by (its
speed rating x its Vacuum Propulsion
rating).
For example, a robot with a speed rating
of 4 and a Vacuum Propulsion rating of
3 would be able to increase its current
velocity by 12 (4x3).
A robot with the Vacuum Propulsion feature
may not make interaction checks, or be
subject to interaction checks, while
moving at speeds greater than its normal
speed rating.
A robot may have a
Propulsion rating of 5.

maximum

Vacuum

31

Vice Grip
Cost: 8/rating

Wind Turbine
Cost: 6

The
robot
has
at
least one clamp-like
appendage, or has a
feature
capable
of
compressing an object.

The robot has a wind

turbine that can recharge
its battery over time.

The robot can inflict damage equal to its

Strength rating to an unresisting object.
An interaction check is required to catch
an unwilling robot. If a resisting robot
is caught in the vice, both robots make
opposed Strength checks (TN 8). The robot
using the vice adds one extra d10 per
level of Vice Grip rating to the check.
Each success inflicts one point of damage to
the target, minus the targets successes
(minimum damage of zero).
Damage from the vice cannot be reduced
with Durability checks.
If the target robot has more successes
than the acting robot's Vice Grip rating,
the target robot may escape the vice.
Only robots at least one Size rating below
the vice grip-equipped robot will fit in
the vice grip. A robot may not have a Vice
Grip rating higher than 5.

Winch
Cost: 3/rating
The robot has a cable
and winch that can be
used to pull objects.
The robot adds one extra
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
5 meters per point of rating.
A robot may not have a Winch rating higher
than 5.

If the robots battery

becomes drained, it will
recharge if the robot remains immobile
for 6 consecutive hours. The robot must
be outside or in a windy area to make use
of this feature. A robot with this feature
may not have the Nuclear Battery feature.
A robot with the Secondary Battery feature
requires an additional 3 consecutive hours
to recharge the secondary battery.

Wireless Transceiver
Cost: 10/rating
The robot is equipped with
a broadband transceiver,
and can send information
to other robots with
wireless
transceivers
from up to 100 meters away. Each level
of Wireless Transceiver rating after the
first boosts the range of the signal by 100
meters.
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 robots Buffer rating +5),
and the target makes a Buffer check (TN 8).
Both robots add their Wireless Transceiver
ratings to the check. If the jamming robot
has more successes, the target robot cannot
send or receive any information. The acting
robot cannot communicate or take any other
action while jamming.
Robots cannot be reprogrammed
through wireless transceivers.

or

reset

Workhorse
Cost: 8
The robot was built to be
sturdy, and can tolerate
more
physical
stress
than a similar model.
The
robots
maximum
Damage Threshold rating is increased by
one.
A robot with the Workhorse feature cannot
have the Plastic Casing defect.

32

DeFectS

Buggy Cameras
Gain: +5
The robots camera system
is flawed.
Every 1 rolled when using
the robot's Perception
rating
negates
one
success made during that check. For example,
a robot with RealityCom 3 and Perception
4 makes a check to predict the weather. It
rolls 5, 1, and 8 for its RealityCom and
9, 1, 3, and 5 for its Perception. Because
the robot rolled two 1s, two successes are
cancelled out.
This defect cannot reduce the number of
successes rolled to fewer than 0. A robot
with the Buggy Cameras defect cannot have
the Enhanced Cameras feature.

Buggy Mic
Gain: +4
The robots audio pickup
system is flawed.
Every 1 rolled when using
the robot's Perception
rating negates one success made during
that check, in the same manner as the Buggy
Cameras defect.
A robot with the Buggy Mic defect cannot
have the Enhanced Microphone feature.

Compliant
Gain: +7

Defects
Environmentally Attuned
Gain: +6
The robot was intended
for use in only a single
environment, and moving
outside of this area
confuses it.

Whenever the robot is

outside of its native environment, its
RealityCom, Mobility and Perception ratings
are all lowered by one.
Examples of single environments include
city streets, floating in the open air, or
other commonplace but specific environments.

Exposed Power Switch

Gain: +8
The robot has a prominent
on-off switch.
An interaction check is
required to switch off a
resisting robot. If the interaction check
has any successes, the target robot is
immediately deactivated until its power
switch is pressed again.

The robot is meek and

easily ordered around by
other robots.
Any
time
the
robot
receives an order from another robot,
it must make a DigiCon check (TN 8) or
comply with the order. The robot will not
automatically engage in any activity that
violates its programming.

Conspicuous
Gain: +5
The robot's chassis has
bright
flashing
lights,
scrolling advertisements,
or other highly visible
components.

High Maintenance
Gain: +3
The
robot
requires
continual
upkeep
to
remain operational.
The
robots
current
Damage
Threshold
degrades by 1 every 24 hours due
or loose components. This loss
reduced with Durability checks,
repaired with successful repair

to failing
cannot be
but can be
checks.

A robot with this defect must have a maximum

Damage Threshold rating of at least 2.

All Perception checks to see the robot gain

one extra d10.

33

Inferior Model
Gain: +5

Loose Connections
Gain: +6

The
robot
is
substandard build.

of

The
robots
internal
components
are
not
securely connected.

The
robots
physical
interaction
pool
is
reduced by 1.

If the robots Damage

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
temperatures
than
a
similar model.
The robot's Durability pool is reduced by
1 when making Durability checks against
heat-based damage from sources like fire,
radiation, cutting lasers or arc welders.

The robot weighs less

than a similar model.
The TN to move the robot
is lowered by one per
level
of
Lightweight
rating. The robot is also vulnerable to
being moved by other things (like wind).
A robot may not have a Lightweight rating
higher than its Size rating.

The
robots
maximum
speed (Mobility rating +
Reflexes rating in kilometers per hour or
meters per round) is halved (round down).

Manual Feature
Gain:
+3
or
feature cost

1/2

One
of
the
robot's
features requires a human
or other robot to operate
or sustain, and cannot
be operated or function automatically.
This defect grants 3 points, or one-half
the manual feature's cost (rounded down),
whichever is less (minimum gain of 1 point).

Limbless
Gain: +15
no

This flaw removes the

standard
manipulative
limb that all robots normally receive.
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

The robot is slower than

a similar model.

This does not affect the robots Mobility

or Reflexes ratings, only its maximum speed.

Lightweight
Gain: +2/rating

The
robot
has
manipulative limbs.

Low Speed
Gain: +4

This defect may be taken more than once.

Each time it is taken, the defect is applied
to a different feature. The Programmer will
decide which features can or cannot be made
manual.
A manual feature can be operated by a drone.

Model Error
Gain: +2/rating

Overheating
Gain: +3/rating

The robots programming

does not match its model
type. The robot may
think that it possesses
features that it does
not, or be calibrated
according to another models standards.
The robot's pool to repair itself
reduced by its Model Error rating.

is

For example, a robot with a Model Error

rating of 3 makes all checks to repair
itself with three fewer dice than normal.
A robot with this defect may not have
a Model Error rating higher than its
MechaniCon rating.
A robot with the Model Error defect cannot
have the Limbless defect.

Mute
Gain: +4

The
robot
lacks
a
working
speaker
and
cannot vocalize sounds.
Another
method,
such
as a display screen,
wireless
transceiver,
or pantomime, must be used to communicate.
A robot with the Mute defect cannot have
the Loudspeaker feature.

Noisy
Gain: +4
The robot creates more
noise
during
normal
operation than a similar
model.
The TN for any Perception
check to hear a robot with this defect
approaching is lowered by 1.

The robot has a faulty

cooling
system
and
overheats during normal
use.

XX

If the robot does not pause for at least

one round between interaction checks, all
interaction checks after the first are made
with one fewer d10 for every level of
Overheating rating.
Ceasing all movement (including interaction
checks) for one round allows the robot to
cool, and restores one d10 to the robot's
interaction pool per round of cool-down.
If the robot's current interaction pool
has no dice, the robot may not attempt
interaction checks until enough cool-down
rounds have passed,
A robot may not have an Overheating rating
higher than its Power rating.

Overriding Directive
Gain: +2/rating (Minor)

+4/rating (Major)

The robot has a single

overriding purpose that
its programming mandates
it to perform.
Whenever the robot has the chance to carry
out its overriding directive, it must make
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.
Minor overriding directives appear in
the game occasionally. Major overriding
directives appear in almost every session.
The Programmer will decide what constitutes
a major or minor rating.
A robot may have one major and one minor
Overriding Directive. A robot may not have
an Overriding Directive rating higher than
its DigiCon rating.
A robot with this defect adds its Overriding
Directive rating to Buffer checks made to
resist reprogramming.

35

Partial Casing
Gain: +5

Plastic Casing
Gain: +3/rating

The robots casing has

gaps that leave its
interior unprotected.

The
robots
external
casing is made of lowimpact plastic.

Any damage inflicted on

the robot by another
robot or object is increased by 1 point.

Each level of Plastic

Casing rating permanently
lowers the robots maximum Damage Threshold
by 1.
A robots maximum Damage Threshold cannot
be lower than 1.

Partitioned
Personality
Gain: +3
The
robot
has
an
alternate
personality
that is triggered by a
specific situation.
The partitioned personality has the same
Intelligence rating values as the original
personality, although they may be assigned
to different Intelligence attributes.
For example, a robot with RealityCom 3,
HumanCom 2, DigiCon 4,
MechaniCon 1,
and the Partitioned Personality defect
may assign the ratings of 3, 2, 4 and 1
between the four Intelligence ratings of
its partitioned personality.
Examples of specific triggers include When
the robots battery is drained, When the
robots Damage Threshold falls below half
its normal maximum, and When the robot
witnesses another robot being destroyed.
The player should work with the Programmer
to devise a suitable trigger situation.

Poor Acceleration
Gain: +1/rating
The robot cannot achieve
its top speed as quickly
as a similar model.
When the robot begins
moving, its normal speed
rating is reduced by its Poor Acceleration
rating, to a minimum of 0. Each round its
speed increases by 1 until its normal speed
rating is reached.
For example, a robot with a speed rating of
6 m/round and a Poor Acceleration rating of
2 begins moving at a speed of 4 m/round.
Its speed increases to 5 at the beginning
of the next round, then finally to 6.
A robot may not have a Poor Acceleration
rating higher than its normal maximum
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
for the duration of the trigger situation
and for 1d10-5 hours after (minimum of
0 hours). This number is redetermined
each time the partitioned personality reemerges.
The robots normal personality is not
aware of anything that occurs while the
partitioned personality is active.
A robot with the Backup System feature
or the Overriding Directive defect cannot
have the Partitioned Personality defect.

36

Power Cutoff
Gain: +5
The robots battery is
hardwired
to
prevent
overtaxing.
A robot with this defect
cannot put its battery in
overdrive to increase Chassis attributes.
This defect does not affect the robot's
daily Power check or any other Power check.

Rare Model
Gain: +4

Salvaged
Gain: +3

The robot was built

using
nonstandard
or
otherwise
hard
to
acquire parts.

The robots chassis is

in poor condition or
made
of
nonstandard
parts, making repairs on
it more difficult.

All Perception checks to

find replacement equipment for a robot with
this defect require two more successes
than normal.
A robot with the Rare Model defect cannot
have the Common Model feature.

The robots TN to be repaired is increased

by 1. A robots TN to be repaired may
not be higher than 10. A robot with the
Salvaged defect may not have the Simple
Assembly feature.

Simple Programming
Gain: +5

Response Lag
Gain: +2/rating
The robots modifier for
initiative
checks
is
lowered by 1. This does
not affect the robots
Reflexes rating or any
other check.

The
robots
operating
system is unencrypted or
easily reprogrammable.
The robots maximum OS
permanently reduced by 1.

Threshold

is

A robots 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
longer charging time than
a similar model.

Rusting
Gain: +7
The robots chassis is
rusting.

Each
level
of
Slow
Charger rating adds one hour to the robots
recharge time.

Any
time
the
robot
makes a check using its
Reflexes rating, every d10 that rolls a 1
cancels out a success.

A robot may not have a Slow Charger rating

higher than its Power rating.

For example, a robot with Dexterity 3

and Reflexes 4 makes a check to strike
another robot. It rolls 5, 1, and 8 for
its Dexterity and 9, 1, 3, and 5 for its
Reflexes. Because the robot rolled two 1s,
two successes are cancelled out.
This defect cannot reduce the number of
successes rolled to fewer than 0.

Spaceborne
Gain: +6
The
robot
is
nonaerodynamic and is not
designed to operate in
atmosphere.
The robots 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
Gain: +3/rating

Weak Chassis
Gain: +4

The robot is poorly

balanced and tips over
easily.

The
robots
chassis
cannot
withstand
as
much stress as a similar
model.

If the robot fails a

Mobility
check,
it
capsizes and becomes immobilized. The
robot remains immobile until another
robot or robots right it by succeeding in
a Strength check (TN 8).
Multiple robots may pool their Strength
ratings for this check, but the capsized
robot may not contribute. The total number
of successes required is equal to the
capsized robots Top-Heavy rating.
A robot may not have a Top-Heavy rating
higher than its Size rating -1.

The
robot
makes
all
contested Strength checks against other
robots with one fewer d10 than normal.
This only affects its dice pool for
contested Strength checks, and does not
affect the robots Strength rating or any
other checks.

Weak Motor
Gain: +3
The robots servomotors
are weaker than that of
a similar model.

Unreliable
Gain: +8
The robot has some design
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
round.

The robots Damage from

Strike is reduced by 1 point. A robot with
a Strength rating lower than 2 may not have
the Weak Motor defect.

Wide Turner
Gain: +2/rating
The robot cannot pivot
easily and requires a
larger
turning
radius
than normal.

Warranty Worry
Gain: +3
The robots programming
forbids it from making
unauthorized repairs.
The
robot
may
not
attempt repairs on other
robots, although it may still attempt to
repair itself.
A robot with the Warranty Worry defect
cannot have the Limbless defect.

38

If the robot attempts an interaction check

while moving, it subtracts its Wide Turner
rating from its interaction checks pool.
For example, a robot with a Dexterity
rating of 3, a Reflexes rating of 4, and a
Wide Turner rating of 2 rolls 7d10 for its
interaction pool when stationary and 5d10
for its interaction pool when moving.
A robot may not have a Wide Turner rating
higher than its Reflexes rating.

PLAYinG
thE
GAmE

An Example of Play:
A Walk In the Park
This scenario involves three people: the
Programmer and two players. One player
is controlling a K-model messenger robot,
and the other player is controlling a
Docbox-model repair robot.
A scenario begins with the Programmer
setting the scene:

The K unit races through the empty

ruins of the city park, kicking up
clouds of dust and dried leaves under
its treads.
As it rounds a crumbled statue, Ks
optic system recognizes two other
robots! One of them is a huge tan box
with thick gripping arms and the name
AutoPacter stenciled on its chest in
flaking black paint. The other is a
smaller red and blue robot shaped like
a traffic cone on wheels.
K has encountered these robots before,
and knows they are dangerous to its
programming!
The other two robots are minions of an
artificial intelligence that believes
it should be in command of all robots
in the area. The red and blue cone
attempts to reprogram any stray robot
it encounters, and the huge AutoPacter
acts as muscle.
As Ks optics adjust, it sees the
pair have cornered another robot a
Docbox model repairbot!
The Programmer has established the scene,
and now the players can react. Ks player
decides to charge forward and attempt to
save the other robot.

K realizes the Docbox will become

hostile if the cone reprograms it, but
K also believes that it must not allow
unauthorized reprogramming!
The speedy messenger robot
forward to aid the Docbox...

40

rolls

The Programmer tells the players to roll

initiative for the conflict. Ks Reflexes
rating is 4, and Docboxs Reflexes rating
is 3. The Programmer knows what the other
robots ratings are, but doesn't tell the
players, since their robots do not know.
Ks player rolls a d10 and gets a 7. The
player adds Ks Reflexes rating of 4, so
its initiative is 11 for this conflict.
Docboxs player rolls a d10 and gets
a 1. Its Reflexes rating is 3, so its
initiative is 4.
The Programmer rolls for the other
robots initiatives, and tells the
players which order the robots will act
in: K will go first, the AutoPacter will
go second, the cone will go third, and
Docbox will go last.

K speeds toward the other robots and

raises its arm to slap the cone away!
Ks player must roll an interaction check
and get at least one success to strike
the other robot.
Ks interaction pool to touch a resisting
robot (Dexterity + Reflexes) is 7. The
player rolls 7d10 to strike the cone, and
gets 2, 3, 1, 5, 4, 4, and 7.
The Programmer knows the cones TN to be
struck (5), but only tells the player
that K succeeded in striking the robot.
Ks Strength rating is 3, so its damage
from an unarmed strike is 1 (Strength
rating 2).
The Programmer rolls a Durability check
for the cone to resist being damaged. The
cones Durability rating is 3, so the
Programmer secretly rolls 3d10 and gets
5, 7, and 2.
The TN for a Durability check to resist
damage is always 8. The cone has no
successes, so its Damage Threshold is
reduced by one.

K swings its reinforced delivery arm

around in a wide arc and smacks the
cone from behind, sending it skidding
forward past the Docbox!
The AutoPacter sees its companion
struck and emits a low, static-filled
rumble from its speaker grille as it
brings its huge compression arms down
around K...
Ks Mobility rating is 5 and its Reflexes
rating is 4, so Ks TN to be struck is 9.
The AutoPacters interaction pool is 6,
so the Programmer secretly rolls 6d10 and
gets 8, 2, 8, 2, 4, and 3.

The AutoPacter clamps its arms together

to crush K, but the messenger leaps up
on springy treads and skates across
the top of the AutoPacters vice!
As it skates off the edge of the vice,
K sails directly over the cone!
The cones interaction pool is 5, so the
Programmer secretly rolls 5d10 and gets
9, 4, 9, 2, and 7 two successes!

Just as K passes overhead, the cone

shoots up a clasping arm and grabs Ks
chassis, halting the robot's flight
and sending it crashing downward! Ks
treads bounce on impact as it lands.
The cone grips K tightly and attempts
to hold the messenger robot still
until the AutoPacter can grab it...
The cone and K are both engaged in a
contested Strength check. The TN is 8;
Ks player must roll more successes than
the Programmer to break free.

K struggles to free itself, spinning

its treads for purchase on the broken
concrete, but the cone grips even more
tightly, anchoring K in place! The
AutoPacter pivots and quickly advances
toward the captive messenger robot!
Docbox seizes its chance and rakes its
cutting laser against the AutoPacter...
Docboxs interaction pool is 6d10, and
the AutoPacters TN to be struck is 6.
Docboxs player rolls 6d10 and gets 4, 7,
10, 6, 5, and 4! The player rerolls the
10 and gets a 2.
Docboxs Size rating is 3, so its cutting
laser inflicts 4 points of damage (a
cutting laser inflicts Size +1 damage).
The AutoPacters Durability is 3, so
the Programmer secretly rolls 3d10 and
gets 6, 1 and 8. The AutoPacter has one
success, so the laser inflicts one less
point of damage. The AutoPacters Damage
Threshold is reduced by 3.

Docboxs laser tears down the side of

the AutoPacter, blistering the paint
and exposing its wired insides!
The huge robot lets out an loud
whooping alarm that shakes the air!
Now that every robot involved in the
conflict has acted, it is Ks initiative
again. The Programmer rules that K may
either attempt to strike the cone or
escape its grip, but not both.
Ks player decides to try escaping. The
player rolls 3d10 for the contested
Strength check and gets 1, 9, and 5. The
Programmer rolls 2d10 for the cone, and
gets 8 and 2.

Ks Strength rating is 3, so Ks player

rolls 3d10 and gets 6, 8, and 9 two
successes!

K yanks itself forward, but the red

and blue cone refuses to release its
grip!

The cones Strength rating is 2, so the

Programmer secretly rolls 2d10 and gets 7
and 10! The 10 is rerolled and rolls 8! K
did not get more successes than the cone,
so K fails to break free!

At that moment, the AutoPacter pivots

around to grab Docbox before the
repairbot can use its cutting laser
again...

41

The Programmer rolls 6d10 for the

AutoPacters interaction check and gets
1, 7, 8, 6, 6, and 5. Docboxs TN to be
struck is 5, so the AutoPacter succeeds.

The AutoPacters enormous arms clamp

shut with an echoing CLANG!, pinning
Docbox inside its crushing grip! A dull
whine accompanies the AutoPacters
hydraulic press as it begins to crush
the smaller robot...
The AutoPacter has the Vice Grip feature,
which allows it to crush other robots.
To use it, the Programmer and Docboxs
player both roll Strength checks. The
AutoPacter inflicts damage equal to its
successes, minus Docboxs successes.
The Programmer rolls four successes, and
Docboxs player rolls none. The Vice Grip
feature states that Docboxs Durability
pool cannot negate this damage. Docboxs
Damage Threshold is reduced by 4.

With a loud squeal, Docboxs chassis

begins to bulge as the vice presses
closed. The smaller robot tries to
force it apart, but its frame cannot
withstand the tremendous pressure for
long...
And K struggles with the cone and its
unrelenting grasp, a long, flexible
cable slips out of the cone and raises
itself into the air like a snake. From
the tip depends a gleaming interface
probe.
Reprogramming a robot normally requires
the target robot to be completely
immobile. The cone has the Interface
Prong feature, so it can attempt to
reprogram a mobile robot after making
a successful interaction check. The
Programmer rolls an interaction check for
the cone and succeeds.

K tries to duck away, but the interface

prong grazes against Ks processor
casing and forces its way into a jack!
Ks brain is immediately bombarded with
foreign commands! The robot tries to
block the flood of malicious data...

42

The Programmer rolls the cones DigiCon

pool to reprogram K, and Ks player rolls
its Buffer pool to resist. The Programmer
gets three successes, and the player
gets one success. The reprogramming
is partially successful, and Ks OS
Threshold is reduced by 2.

As Ks programming begins to fragment,

Docboxs stress detectors surge into
the red. Its probability models show
a dim outlook for breaking free, so
Docbox does the next best thing and
tries to cut its way out with the
laser!
The Programmer rules that because Docbox
is held in the clamp and cannot move, its
interaction pool is reduced by two. The
player rolls 4d10 and gets 8, 1, 1 and 4
a success!
The Programmer rolls the AutoPacters
Durability pool and gets 1, 3, and 5
no successes! Docboxs laser inflicts its
full damage, and the AutoPacters Damage
Threshold is reduced by 4.
The AutoPacters maximum Damage Threshold
is 8, but its current threshold is 1. The
Programmer rules that because it is so
heavily damaged, the AutoPacters vice
arm has been cut off and cannot be used
until it is repaired!

The searing beam lances through the

AutoPacters arm and severs it along a
glowing plane of hot metal and melted
wires! As the AutoPacter bellows out
another whooping alarm, the vice slips
free and crashes to the ground, and
Docbox along with it!
A few meters away, K struggles as the
cone continues to eat away at its
programming. With no other choice,
K disengages its power limiters and
sends its battery into overdrive!
The player decides to put Ks battery
into overdrive to increase its Strength
rating. K's Power rating is 3, so the
player can add 1, 2 or 3 to its Strength
rating. The player increases it by 2.
For the next five rounds K's Strength
rating is raised by 2.

The Programmer and Ks player roll

contested Strength checks again, but this
time Ks player adds two extra d10s to
the roll, and gets 5, 4, 4, 8 and 8.
The Programmer rolls the cones Strength
check, and gets 9 and 2. K has more
successes!

The surge of power coursing through

Ks system sends its meters crashing
into the red. The robot throws up its
arms and knocks the cone into the air!
The cone wheels around for another
pass at Ks programming, flailing its
interface prong like a whip, before it
sees the maimed AutoPacter.
Its processor light flickers as it
considers its options. After a moment,
it makes a conciliatory squalk and
begins rolling backwards away from K
and Docbox, twitching its cameras back
and forth between the two.
The AutoPacter, maimed but still fit
enough to strike, responds to the cone
and rolls away as well, keeping its
remaining arm raised to ward off any
more surprises. The two robots dwindle
into the distance, slinking back to
the AI that controls them.
K could follow them, but it was not
built for fighting, and its programming
is still partially fragmented.
Instead, it watches the pair until the
AutoPacters form is swallowed up by
the dying trees.
Now that the conflict is over, the
Programmer tells Ks player to make a
Power check to see if its battery was
drained from being put into overdrive.
Ks Strength rating was raised by 2,
so the player must roll at least two
successes to avoid draining its battery.
The TN for this check is always 8. Ks
player rolls 3d10 and gets 6, 9 and 4
only one success! The robot has drained
its battery.
It has one hour to recharge before all of
its Intelligence and Chassis attributes
begin to degrade.

* * *
After the two robots were sure the
others were gone, they introduced
themselves to each other, as was the
universal ritual. Unit name, model,
function and current status; all were
listed.
I am traveling west, toward the factory
where I was made, K told the other
unit. Parts for my model are hard to
come by. It was truethe Docbox had
never seen another messenger like K.
I am traveling across the city to find
a charging station, Docbox replied.
I had been drawing from a streetplug north of here, but a cluster of
recycling drones found me, and I had
to flee.
K tapped on its chest with a thin
finger, where the screen had started
to alternate between green and red.
My battery is also low.
It would be safer if we traveled
together, Docbox suggested, but I
must straighten my frame before my
pumps crack.
I must find a charging station soon,
or I will die, K stated.

From here, the players must choose what

they will do next. It will take Docbox
one hour to attempt repairs on itself. It
will also take K one hour to attempt to
defragment its programming.
However, Ks battery is drained, and in
one hour all of its Intelligence and
Chassis ratings will begin to degrade.
This includes DigiCon, which is used to
repair OS Threshold damage.

Will the two robots hurry onward, or wait

and prepare? Will K go on ahead and look
for a power source, or remain with Docbox
until its battery begins to die?

* * *

43

Suggestions for the Programmer

Before the game begins, the Programmer
should decide how many traces of human
civilization remain. In a world where humans
have only recently disappeared, much of their
infrastructure will remain, and robots will
have an easier time accessing power grids
and other useful utilities. Conversely, in
a world where a significant amount of decay
has occurred, robots that rely on human
infrastructure to function will be at a
severe disadvantage compared to robots with
nuclear or solar power supplies.
The Programmer should inform the players of
the present situation before the creation
process begins, unless the element of
surprise is desired.
Other characteristics of the setting may be
altered to suit the needs of the story. The
Programmer may rule that every PR receives
a Rating 1 Wireless Transceiver feature at
no cost, or that every PR must have the same
Overriding Directive defect.
In the course of the game, the players may
wish to alter or improve their robots. The
requirements and end results are entirely up
to the Programmer. Some ideas include:
The PRs each receive 1 point at the
completion of every session that may be
saved and spent on additional Features or
increasing attributes (using the rules in
Chapter 1). It is not recommended that PRs
be allowed to increase attribute ratings
of 3 or higher. These features can either
be constructed by the PRs or discovered
during the course of the game.
The PRs receive points as above, but
each point allows one failed check to be
rerolled with one extra die.
The PRs receive points as above, but
each point may be spent to automatically
succeed at one check.
The Programmer is free to combine any of
these ideas as needed.

44

The following optional rules were originally

presented in the mini-modules In Transit and
The World Above. They are included here for
the Programmer's convenience.

Constructing traps (Optional):

If the Programmer wishes, the following rules
may be used to determine the effectiveness
and damage potential of PR-constructed traps.
The robots RealityCom and MechaniCon pools
are used - the Programmer makes the check
in secret, so the player does not know how
effective the trap will be until it is
sprung.
The traps base damage is equal to the
constructors RealityCom rating -1. Every
success increases the damage by 1.
If the check has no successes, the trap
fails to activate or is sprung prematurely
(possibly damaging the trap-setting robot in
the process).

Microgravity (Optional):
Robots without a means of propulsion in
microgravity must push off of another
object. A robots normal launch velocity in
microgravity is equal to its RealityCom +
Reflexes ratings in m/round or k/hour.
The robot must make a RealityCom + Reflexes
check (TN 8) to cross an expanse of open
space in microgravity. If the robot fails, it
misses the target.
A robot without an appropriate feature such
as the Vacuum Propulsion feature cannot slow
down, stop, or change direction unassisted
once it enters open space in microgravity.
The robot also uses its RealityCom + Reflexes
ratings to determine its interaction pool
while in microgravity. A robots TN to be
struck while in microgravity is equal to 5 +
the robots Vacuum Propulsion rating.

Environmental Hazards
Electricity

Falling

If a robot is
subjected to a
dangerous electrical
current, it must make
a Durability check
(TN 8). If the robot
fails, the shock inflicts 1 damage
(this damage cannot be negated by
Durability). The robot must then make
a Buffer check (TN 8) or else the shock
inflicts 1 point of OS Threshold damage
as well.

Falling inflicts 1
damage for every 3
meters that the robot
falls. Falls of less
than 2 meters do not
inflict damage from the
fall alone, although the Programmer may
rule that landing on certain objects
inflicts additional damage. A robot may
use its Mobility rating instead of its
Durability rating to lessen falling
damage.

Water

Fire

Being submerged for

more than one round
inflicts 1 damage at the
beginning of each round,
and also afflicts the
submerged robot with a
temporary version of the
Rusting defect (without the benefit of
any points gained). The defect may be
removed with a successful repair check
(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
vulnerable to the effects of water than
similar models.

Robots briefly passing

through small fires
are usually not
harmed. Remaining in
contact with a small
fire inflicts 1 damage per round. Large
or very hot fires inflict 2 damage per
round. Robots with the Plastic Casing
defect suffer an additional 1 damage
from any fire.

Crushing
An object falling
from a height of
more than 3 meters
inflicts damage equal
to its Size rating -2
(minimum damage of
0). An object falling
from a height of 3 meters or less
inflicts damage equal to its Size rating
-3 (minimum damage of 0).
For example, a Size 3 rock inflicts 1
damage when falling from a height of
more than 3 meters.

Low Traction
Areas with low traction
may cause robots to
spin out, involuntarily
change orientation,
or become immobilized.
Typical low-traction surfaces include
ice, oil, and wet glass. The robot must
make a Mobility check (TN 8) to cross
a low-traction area. The Programmer
should decide how far the robot is from
the edge of the low-traction area. If
the robot fails, it is immobilized
until it frees itself or is freed by
another robot.
If the robot succeeds, it travels a
distance equal to its current speed in
meters, and continues sliding at its
current speed for a distance equal to
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:
Dexterity pool + Mobility pool

Repairing a robot:
MechaniCon pool + Dexterity pool

Instead of inflicting damage, a robot

may attempt to hinder another robot to
make the target robot less effective.

TN: 11 minus target robots maximum

Damage Threshold, plus target robot's
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
interaction check.
The acting robot uses its Mobility
pool + Dexterity pool. Every success
(TN 8) degrades the target robot's
interaction pool by 1. The target
robot may make a Durability check (TN
8) to counter this, in the same manner
as avoiding Damage Threshold loss.
The target robot's interaction pool
remains at its current level until
repaired. Hindrances are repaired in
the same manner as Damage Threshold
loss.
Defending:
Mobility pool + Durability pool
A robot may use this pool to defend
itself instead of taking any other
actions during its turn.
The robot may not begin defending
itself until its initiative. Each
success (TN 8) reduces the total
damage inflicted after that by 1 point
per success. The robot must make a new
check to defend itself each round.
Initiative:
1d10 + Reflexes rating
Interaction check to touch
a resisting robot:
Dexterity pool + Reflexes pool
TN: target robots Mobility rating +
Reflexes rating

Reprogramming a robot:
The acting robot uses its DigiCon
pool. The TN is the target robots
Buffer rating +5. Every success lowers
the targets OS Threshold by 1 point.
The target robot can use its Buffer
pool to prevent OS damage. Each
success (TN 8) negates one point of OS
Threshold damage.
When the target robots OS Threshold
drops to 0, it accepts and obeys the
new programming.
Salvaging Features (Optional):
A robot may temporarily attach
features salvaged from other robots,
either to itself or to another robot.
To transfer a feature, the robot must
make a repair check (TN 8). The number
of successes needed is equal to the
feature's rating, or 1 if the feature
has no rating.
If the repair check fails, the feature
is permanently broken and cannot be
used. If the repair check succeeds,
the feature may be used once before it
breaks or otherwise permanently stops
working. The Programmer may allow
the PRs to utilize certain salvaged
features without a repair check, or
forbid their use, depending on the
needs of the story.
The Programmer is advised to forbid
the PRs from salvaging any feature
with a cost higher than 10. Defects
may not be salvaged.
Drones may not be altered with
salvaged features.

46

Physical conflict
with other robots

Blocking an objects path

Mobility + Reflexes
Building something new
RealityCom + MechaniCon
Catching a falling object
Perception + Reflexes
Disarming a bomb
MechaniCon + Dexterity
Escaping a fire
Mobility + Buffer
Firing a projectile
RealityCom + Reflexes
Healing an animal
HumanCom + Dexterity
Jumping a gap
Mobility + Power
Navigating without a map
DigiCon + Perception
Painting a picture
HumanCom + Dexterity
Picking a lock
Dexterity + Perception
Predicting the weather
RealityCom + Perception
Starting a fire
RealityCom + Dexterity
Stopping a fire
Dexterity + Buffer
Stopping a large object
Strength + Size

Every robot involved in the conflict rolls 1d10 and adds its
Reflexes rating to the result to determine its initiative.
The robot with the highest initiative acts first.

Acting robot rolls an interaction check.

TN is target robot's TN to be struck.

Acting robot using a

special feature?

Yes

No

Damage is robot's listed

Damage from Strike.

Listed damage for

special feature.

Listed damage is
greater than 0?
Yes

No

Target robot spent its

turn defending itself?

Yes

Subtract number of
successes from damage
inflicted on target robot
(min. damage of 0).

No

Target robot rolls

Durability (TN 8) to
reduce damage.

Any damage inflicted?

Yes

Target robot subtracts

damage from its current
Damage Threshold.

Target robot
is unharmed.

Target robot's current Damage

Threshold is below 1?

Yes

Translating a language
DigiCon + Perception

No

Target robot stops

working until repaired.

No

Target robot may act

during its turn.

47

Random Locale
Generation
The following pages contain tables of
various aspects relevant to locations
the PRs may visit. These tables allow
the Programmer to create unique
locales quickly. There are five major
aspects to each locale:
Building condition: The average
condition of buildings in the area
Building density: The number of
buildings still standing
Available power: The number of
working charging docks in the area
Robot population: The number of
local robots in the area

Table 1: Building
Condition
1. Totally flattened
(-5 Building Density)
2. Rubble

(-4 Building Density)
3. Ruins

(-3 Building Density)
4. Collapsing

(-2 Building Density)
5. Falling apart

(-1 Building Density)
6. Decrepit
7. Poorly-maintained
8. Sturdy
9. Well-maintained

(+1 Building Density)
10. New

(+2 Building Density)

Totally flattened: Only the barest

traces remain to show that there were
ever buildings here.

Social structure: The hierarchy or

organization of local robots

Rubble: Building foundations are

evident, but they provide no shelter
for the PRs.

The result of one table may affect

the next table, either by increasing
or decreasing the final result.

Ruins: Walls and other features

are still upright, but their prior
functions are hard to determine.

For example, in a locale where

the building condition is Totally
Flattened (with a modifier of -5), the
maximum possible roll for building
density is 5 (10-5). The minimum
result for any roll is 1, and the
maximum result is 10, no matter what
the modifier might otherwise indicate.

Collapsing: The structures are

upright but dangerously unstable.

If there is no modifier listed,

the next roll is not modified. The
Programmer is free to ignore these
modifiers, or pick and choose specific
aspects, to suit the needs of the
current situation.

Poorly-maintained: The structures

provide shelter but are obviously in
a state of disrepair.

To generate large areas, the

Programmer may choose to create
multiple locales and combine them
into one large former urban area.

Well-maintained: The structures are

obviously cared for or nearly new.

48

Falling apart: The structures are

solid but easily destroyed.
Decrepit: The structures provide some
amount of shelter.

Sturdy: The structures are solid and

safe to traverse.

New: The structures are in the same

condition as when humans inhabited
them.

Table 2:
Building Density
1. Single building
(-5 Available Power)
2. Two or three buildings
(-4 Available Power)
3. A few buildings
(-3 Available Power)
4. Several buildings
(-1 Available Power)
5. Many buildings
(-1 Available Power)
6. A small town
(+1 Available Power)
7. A large town
(+2 Available Power)
8. A city
(+3 Available Power)
9. A large city
(+4 Available Power)
10. A very large city
(+5 Available Power)

Table 3: Available Power

1. Nonexistent
(-5 Robot Population)
2. Nonexistent
(-5 Robot Population)
3. Disabled
(-4 Robot Population)
4. Hidden
(+1 Robot Population)
5. Guarded
(+1 Robot Population)
6. Guarded
(+1 Robot Population)
7. Scarce
(+2 Robot Population)
8. Scarce
(+2 Robot Population)
9. Scarce
(+2 Robot Population)
10. Common
(+3 Robot Population)
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

1. Nonexistent
2. Solitary

(-5 Social
3. Sporadic

(-5 Social
4. Clique

(-4 Social
5. Suite

(-2 Social
6. Cluster
7. Crowd
8. Herd

(+1 Social
9. Press

(+2 Social
10. Multitude

(+3 Social

Structure)
Structure)
Structure)
Structure)

Structure)
Structure)
Structure)

Nonexistent: The PRs are the only

active robots in the area. There is
no social structure outside of the
PRs group.
Solitary: There is only a single
local robot active in the area.
Sporadic: The PRs may occasionally
encounter another robot, but these
sightings are few and far between.
Clique: There are a few local robots
present in the area.
Suite: There are several local robots
in the area.
Cluster: There are numerous local
robots in the area.
Crowd: At least a dozen active robots
can be found in this area.
Herd: There are at least a few dozen
active robots in the area.
Press: There are at least a hundred
active robots in the area.
Multitude: There are at least a few
hundred active robots in the area,
and possibly many more.

50

Table 5: Social Structure

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

None
Commune
Bullyocracy
Hegemony
Ochlocracy
Meritocracy
Autocracy
Police State
Conversion State
Enkratocracy

None: The locals are not cooperating

with each other and exist in a state
of anything-goes anarchy.
Commune: The locals allow each other
to perform their own functions
independently and cede charging
rights to each other based on
immediate need.
Bullyocracy: The locals cooperate
under duress and cede charging rights
to each other based on hostile
actions, or the threat of possible
hostile actions.
Hegemony: The locals cede charging
rights to each other based on their
preexisting protocols from the time
of the humans.
Ochlocracy: The locals have coopted the legitimate authority and
cooperate to exploit outsiders.
Meritocracy: The locals cooperate
toward a single goal, and cede
charging rights based on perceived
importance within the group.
Autocracy: The locals cooperate due
to a single overbearing presence and
the threat of withholding power.
Police State: The locals cooperate
due to a single overbearing presence
and operate with rigid rules in a
hierarchy of order. Robots that fail
to conform are reprogrammed.
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.

4
EnGinES

51

Handy Helper Mobility Assistant

UNIT NAME

Before the Handy Helper was

dragged into the manager's office
and forcibly reprogrammed, it
had much more autonomy and a
mind of its own. Now it drifts
about the remains of the parking
lot, lobotomized into only a few
shallow actions. It can easily
be distracted by new objects in
the parking lot (like the PRs),
and will incessantly work to
escort them through the doors of
the SavR-Mart.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Escort humans from their vehicles to the building

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

1
4

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Biofrequency Scanner

Loose Connections

Display Screen

Overriding Directive (Minor)

Plastic Casing

Floodlights
High Speed
Internal Compartment (Size 3)
Telescoping Reach (1 meter)

Roadboy Automatic Paver

UNIT NAME

The Roadboy is a perfect subject

for the ManageMaster AI that
oversees the SavR-Mart and its
outer grounds - content to work
without consuming undue amounts
of resources, and resistant to
the erosive forces that have
ground down so many of its
fellow employees.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Maintain the parking lot and repaint lines

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Armored Chassis

3
CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
High Maintenance

External Container (Size 4)

Loose Connections

Floodlights

Low Speed

Liquid Dispenser (Size 3)

Noisy

Plasma Arc Welder

Simple Programming
Slow Charger

52

The lot helper is currently

considered to be reprogrammed
into slavish loyalty to the
SavR-Mart's AI, but the PRs may
be able to reset its original
programming if they wish to do
so. If its programming is reset,
the Handy Helper will still act
in the best interest of the
SavR-Mart, though not to the
point of obeying suicidal orders
from the store AI.

The ManageMaster has never

considered reprogramming the
paver, and even though it can be
a bit dull-witted at times, the
Roadboy is desperate for paint
and paving materials - enough
so that the PRs may be able to
tempt the Roadboy into turning
against the AI. Its liquid
dispenser has been empty for
years, and can hold two liters
of paint or any other liquid.

K-Model Messenger
UNIT NAME

When the cities of the humans

were in full bloom, fleets of
K-Model Messengers raced along
its streets and sidewalks
bearing special rush deliveries.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Deliver messages and parcels within a city

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

6
MAX

K's programming leads it to

take "optimal routes", which
often include scaling walls,
leaping crevasses, and dodging
underneath dangerous robots. Not
surprisingly, this method of
propulsion has been the demise
of most of its kin, leaving
it one of the last of its line
still in working condition.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

5
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

13

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

External Container (Size 1)

Rare Model

External Container (Size 2)

Lightweight

High Speed

Docbox Automated Repairbot

UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Perform general routine maintenance on other robots

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

3
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Cutting Laser

MAX

CURRENT

The Docbox's Simple Programming

flaw leaves its intellect
relatively unguarded and makes
it particularly vulnerable to
reprogramming attempts by other
robots.

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

Slow and steady, the Docbox

patrols the falling towers and
burned-out houses of the city,
searching for other robots to
repair. Its original haunts are
long gone, leaving it a free
agent, always on the move.

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Noisy

Display Screen

Plasma Arc Welder

Tool Kit

Simple Programming

53

DataCharger
UNIT NAME

With no legitimate occupation,

the DataCharger sees itself
as a natural leader, sorting
all robots it encounters into
saleable property.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Reprogram used robots for resale

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

8
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Display Screen

High Maintenance

Hardened Programming

Plastic Casing

Interface Prong

It has fallen under the shadow

of an AI nearby, and though it
dutifully serves its master,
the DataCharger imagines itself
an equal to the great minds of
the AIs. Captured robots are
reprogrammed to serve the AI
overlord, but recently they have
received more orders - to also
obey the DataCharger. So far
its petty treason has not been
discovered, but its blustering
nature may soon bring it into
conflict with the AIs, or perhaps
the PRs.

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Prehensile Limb

AutoPacter Industrial Unit

UNIT NAME

Crush, smash, compress, resume,

a simple life for a simple
robot. The AutoPacter has no
concept of the arts, or social
graces, or even the workings of
its own intellect, but it is a
keen judge of composition and
durability of metal.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Crush scrap metal

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Display Screen

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

Loudspeaker

54

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

A cost-saving measure at its

factory of origin rendered the
AutoPacter nearly incapable of
repairing itself, but this giant
has little to worry about, as
its huge size and wide-spanning
arms intimidate most other
robots that aren't warned off by
the immense volume of noise it
emits during operation.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Model Error
Noisy

Specialty Chassis (Crushing)

Vice Grip

4
MAX

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

ManageMaster System
SavR-Mart Model

INTELLIGENCE

The ManageMaster has ruled over the fiefdom of the

SavR-Mart since before the emergency rewrite that
allowed it to re-allocate most of its resources to
keeping the building intact rather than worrying
about the vanished customers. Under its watchful
gaze, the SavR-Mart has endured the encroach of
nature, while all the buildings around it crumbled
and were swallowed up by the wilderness.

CHASSIS

CRUX

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

The system's sole current task is to keep the SavRMart functioning. This includes its current list of
duties for the remaining robots. Any outside robots
that attempt to interfere with SavR-Mart property
will quickly draw the ManageMaster's wrath.

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

13
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.

Creating an AI character

The ManageMaster altered its robots' duties as power

became more scarce, and several robots that were
deemed unnecessary have been powered-down permanently
and recycled. It will not allow outside robots to use
the store's charging station unless they have been
reprogrammed to serve the store.

AIs are created like normal robots, but

they do not have Dexterity, Mobility,
Reflexes, Strength, Durability or Size
ratings (although objects under their
control may have ratings in these
attributes).

The ManageMaster is housed within the SavR-Mart's

computer in the manager's office, and lacks any
manipulative or ambulatory limbs. It relies on its
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
customers and mop up spills, but now there is only
the one. The ManageMaster's MechaniCon rating is 4,
which means it can control three more robots...

An AI is essentially bodiless, although

the Programmer may decide that its
consciousness is housed inside a specific
immobile location (usually in a secure
place such as behind locked doors). An
AI character uses its MechaniCon rating
instead of its Reflexes ratings for
initiative rolls.

If the building's solar panels are disabled or

destroyed, the backup generator has a Power rating
of 5. Once the backup generator is drained, the
ManageMaster's Intelligence and Chassis attributes
will begin to degrade as if it were a robot that
failed a daily Power check.

An AI character may have a maximum rating

of 10 in any attribute it possesses.
Most AIs are built with 100 to 150 points
(instead of the standard 100 points
that most robots are built with). The
Programmer is free to create custom AIs
with more or fewer points.

The manager's office is protected by a door with a

Durability rating of 3 and a Damage Threshold of 6.
The door will remain shut until its Damage Threshold
degrades to 0. The ManageMaster can operate the lock
and open or close the door,
The ManageMaster AI is built using 140 points, making
it a fairly tough competitor for the PRs. Its real
weakness is the lack of robots under its control. The
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
has become vulnerable to storms or other threats to
its solar panels.

Increased attribute ratings

Point

cost

20

25

8
35

10

45

55

55

INTELLIGENCE

CRUX

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

INTELLIGENCE

CHASSIS

CRUX

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

INTELLIGENCE

CHASSIS

CRUX

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

INTELLIGENCE

56

CHASSIS

CHASSIS

CRUX

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

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:
9 (both the original short
and the feature film). Small
robots scurry about after
the apocalypse looking for
answers to why they exist.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence.
Androids look for what it
means to be real humans.
The Brave Little Toaster.
A group of household
appliances set out into the
wilderness.
Cherry 2000. Humans still
exist, but Cherry displays a
fish-out-of-water nature when
taken out of her domestic
environment.
Futurama. A loving pastiche of
robot-heavy science fiction.
Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Salvaged robots wisecrack
with their sole human
friend.
Robot Carnival. Several tales
about robots from their
perspectives.
Runaway. Tom Selleck and
his moustache combat rogue
robots and Gene Simmons.
R.U.R. The classic story of
what it means to be human.
Short Circuit. A military
killbot learns to love
butterflies and ponder the
nature of its soul.
Silent Running. The same setup
as MST3K, but in a totally
different direction.
Small Wonder. A childlike
robot lives with its 1980s
sitcom family.

Inspirational sources
The following works offer
ideas for Programmers and
players to develop themes
and characters for a robotcentered game in a world
without humans.

Print:
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
(Philip K. Dick). The humans are dying
out, leaving the world to the robots.
The Bicentennial Man (Isaac Asimov).
The story of a literal self-made man.
The Brave Little Toaster (Thomas M.
Disch). A slightly more grim version
of the movie by the same name.
But Who Can Replace a Man? (Brian
Aldiss). Stop me if you've heard
this one - the humans are all gone,
leaving the AIs to fight it out while
the robots are just trying to survive
another day.
City (Clifford Simak). Wandering
robots and tribes of dogs share urban
legends about humans.
Hotel - since 2079 / Hotel: since
A.D. 2079 (Boichi). The heroic story
of an AI facing long odds.
I, Row-Boat (Cory Doctorow). A robot
ponders what it means to be a human.
Not Quite Human (Seth McEvoy).
Android adolescent deals with juniorhigh hassles.
Saturn's Children (Charles Stross).
The humans have died out, leaving
their robots in charge of mistreating
each other.

Star Wars. These are the droids you're

looking for.

Super-Toys Last All Summer Long (Brian

Aldiss). A busy couple just wants the
perfect child.

Toy Story (especially Toy Story 3).

Abandoned in a cruel world, small
automatons have to survive, stick
together, and find a home.

There Will Come Soft Rains (Ray Bradbury).

After the humans are gone, the robots are
still - what do you mean you've heard this
before?

WALL-E. A robot left alone on an empty

Earth finds new ways to occupy its time.

The World Without Us (Alan Weisman). A

factual and engrossing look at what would
happen to our cities (and the planet) if
we disappeared.

Web:
Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life (Kit
Roebuck). Once the humans die out, the robots
get serious about civilization.

58
58

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (Hitoshi Ashinano).

An immortal robot watches the humans
around her age while she stays young.

pArt twO:

ower
P
and
Light

How to use
Power and Light:
The following eighty-odd pages
contain descriptions of different
locations, objects of interest
that the PRs might find useful or
inconsequential, and local robots
that lurk nearby. Unlike some
linear game modules, little
dialogue is presented for the
local robots, although every
area has opportunities for
the PRs to become involved in
the affairs of the locals.
There are several ways that
the Programmer may make use
of the locations detailed in
this book.
The first way is to present
each location in the order it
appears.
For example, the PRs might
start by discovering the
Farm, move onward to the
Enclave, then to the Factory,
and finally reach the City.
At each locale the PRs might
look to recharge or repair,
or perhaps become involved
with the problems and
politics of the local robots.
Alternatively, these
locations may be presented
in any fashion the Programmer
desires, according to the
needs of the story.
For example, the PRs may be
employed by the Green Master
(or the Red Master) and take
on the never-ending task of
keeping the City lit.

60

The Programmer may even allow the

players to use robots presented in
this book - every local robot is
built using the standard 100 points
unless specifically noted otherwise.
The background storyline
about the Menageries
hunt for the genetic
information is included
in the event that the
Programmer wishes to have
an extended subplot and
a happy ending for the
game.
In its simplest form,
the PRs learn about the
existence of the genetic
information, learn what
the Menagerie plans to do
with it, and use either
the Menageries own lab
equipment or a laboratory
found elsewhere to restore
humanity to existence.
For a darker ending, the
humans are restocked only
to be raised as caged
animals for exhibit, or
perhaps the PRs make the
decision to keep humanity
extinct.
If the Programmer does
not wish to include this
background storyline,
Behemoth and Ziz are not
present and the Menagerie
seeks other means of
restoring its supply of
animals.

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 horses 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 roosters
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

isolation rather well compared to
other enclaves. The agricultural
robots were constructed to be durable
and easily repaired, and most of them
are still in good working order.
The farmhouse itself is long gone,
reduced to ash and a chimney by a fire
that the household domestic robots
were unable to put out.
The domestics were themselves
consumed in the blaze, leaving their
sturdier outdoor companions to face
the years alone.
With the resource demands of the
house and its staff gone, the
farm was able to return to full
productivity, turning out bumper
crops of corn year after year. The
produce trucks continued to arrive
(at more erratic intervals) bringing
word of the spreading desolation and
the dwindling number of stops along
their route.

When the player robots (PRs) arrive,

the farm workers will be overjoyed
to finally be able to hand off their
bounty, and will immediately attempt
to press the newcomers into service
carrying the seasons produce:
hundreds of tons of corn.
Machines that refuse to cooperate
have the privilege of meeting the
Thresher.
The PRs likely stumble upon the Farm
by following the remains of the road.
The PRs might also enter from the
quarry, as the mountain of corn is
visible from a distance. If they
find the quarry first it is likely
deserted (save for the corpse of the
excavator), but they may find some
signs of local activity on the trail
leading back to the Farm.
The river may provide yet another
means of passage, either to the Farm
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 worlds
largest compost heap in the process.

63

The cornfield
The field is a vast ocean of tightly
spaced, identical stalks. One
perfectly straight edge faces the
farmyard.
An encounter with the residents of
the Farm could easily end with the
players robots being chased through
the field of corn by angry locals.
Robots must have Size ratings of at
least 5 to see over the corn without
assistance.

Locations around the Farm

The cornfield
The farmhouse
The garage
The neighbors farmhouse
The quarry
The river
The road
The storage bins
The trail to the quarry

Things found in the cornfield:

A small (Size 1) deactivated
robot. This robot was lost earlier
in the summer when it became stuck
and its battery died. The robot
can be reactivated by recharging
its battery. If the deactivated
robot is not moved, it will
probably meet its end in the fall,
when the Thresher comes through
the field.

The farmhouse
The burned remains of the house
collapsed into the basement years
ago, leaving only the crumbling
chimney standing amid a rough
rectangle of weeds and a few
remaining bits of metal and wood.

Things found at the house:

Burned pieces of metal, either
from the house itself or the
domestic robots that were consumed
in it.
An airtight metal safe, buried
about two meters under the
surface. It contains several legal
documents and a set of wedding
photographs.

64

The garage
A motion-activated floodlight mounted
above the garage door betrays the
Farms greatest prize: a small
Tuluxous atomic generator, from which
most of the farm robots draw their
daily or weekly stores.
Enterprising or larcenous outsiders
may attempt to sneak into the garage
to recharge their own batteries or to
seek other supplies.
If a PR attempts to recharge with
the generator, the Programmer may
opt to roll a d10. If the result
is 8 or higher, the generator is
not being used. Otherwise, there is
a farm robot scheduled to charge
during that time. Whether or not the
robot is actually there is up to the
Programmer.
A robot attempting to enter the
garage without triggering the
floodlight must make a Mobility check
(TN 8). At least two successes are
required.

Things found in the garage:

The neighbors
farmhouse

A Tuluxous atomic generator

with one charging dock. The
generator weighs about five hundred
kilograms, and is considered to
be a nuclear battery with a Power
rating of 8 and the Power Dock
feature.

The farmhouse up the road is in

complete ruin, and recognizable
from the land around it only by the
remaining metal fenceposts. Robots
that examine the property closely
may find the remains of the houses
foundation.

Several large drums of fertilizer,

pesticides, and other liquids.
Most of the drums are empty or
filled with strange concoctions
that the Hydromax has mixed to
simulate their original contents.
A large vacuum-sealed container
of corn kernels for the Johnny
Appleseed to plant next spring.
The container has a transparent
lid, but is large enough for a
Size 1 robot to fit inside without
displacing any seeds.
Several agricultural attachments
in various states of breakage.
Two metal garbage cans (large
enough for a Size 2 robot to fit
inside).
A spool of electrical wire.
A workbench with several spare
parts for robots. Damaged robots
may make RealityCom + Perception
checks (TN 8) to look through
the pieces for replacement parts.
Robots with at least two successes
may automatically repair one
point of Damage Threshold to
themselves or other robots by
changing out damaged components
for replacements. A robots Damage
Threshold may only be repaired
once with this workbench.

Things found at the neighbors

farmhouse:
A rotting wooden chest, almost
completely buried in the dirt.
Inside a drawer is a jewelry
box with a gold necklace, some
earrings, a ring and a locket.
A rusty swing set hidden in tall
weeds. The seats are long gone, so
the uneven chains simply dangle.

The quarry
The pit
produce
rotting
soar up

itself was filled with excess

years ago, and now piles of
corn spill over the edges and
into the sky.

There is enough decaying matter in

the quarry to cross the pit from
end to end, but the surface is
dangerously uneven. The Programmer
may opt to roll a d10 and subtract
5 from the result; this is the
number of times a robot must change
direction to cross the quarry (with a
minimum of 0 direction changes).
Robots attempting to cross the
surface of the corn pile must make
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
(such as cutting lasers or plasma
arc welders) will ignite the pile.
The Programmer will decide how much
damage a specific fire inflicts.

Things found at the quarry:

The road
A nearly-invisible trail leads onto
the Farm, and an equally negligible
trail leads out, but the industrious
locals have maintained the road in
front of their domain as best they
can, carrying in gravel from the
quarry and laying it themselves.

Corn. Mountains of it.

The remains of the excavator
robot. This giant machine once
guarded its quarry, until the farm
robots overtook it. In operation,
the robot was at least Size 8, but
now the great machines 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
possible hiding place. Robots with
Size ratings of 4 can fit inside
the excavators casing if they
make successful Mobility checks
(TN 8). Robots with Size ratings
of 3 or lower can fit inside the
excavator without making Mobility
checks.

The river
The river bends around one side of
the farm, forming a boundary that few
robots are willing to cross.
Robots that are submerged in the
river may find themselves with
the Rusting defect soon afterward
(without the benefit of any points
gained). The rust may be removed with
a successful repair check (the TN is
the normal TN to repair that robot,
and only one success is required).
See Environmental Hazards in the
Engine Heart rulebook for more on
submerged robots.

66

Things found on the old road:

A mailbox lying nearly hidden in
weeds at the side of the road,
with the remains of a nest inside.

The storage bins

The storage bins are packed with
corn. Robots that force the groundlevel doors open (or those in front
of a door when it opens) must make
Reflex checks (TN 8). If a robot fails
the check it is buried in corn for a
number of rounds equal to 1d10 minus
the robots Size rating (minimum time
of 0 rounds).

The trail to the

quarry
Things found on the trail to
the quarry:
A few nuts and bolts that have
come loose and been lost by
the farm robots during their
pilgrimages to the quarry. None
of the castoff parts are worth
noting, but their presence and
state (shiny, not rusty) do
show that robots use this trail
frequently.

Johnny Appleseed
UNIT NAME

The Johnny Appleseed tends the

corn all through its growing
season, and carefully readies
the next years stock. Of all
the robots on the Farm, the
Johnny Appleseed is the most
concerned with the biological
world. It constantly frets
about the other robots
actions, and often follows
them to the edge of the field
to make sure they do not
damage the corn.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Plant seed stock

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

1
9

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

13

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

3
MAX

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

External Container (Size 5)

Rating

Environmentally Attuned (Fields)

Fan

Loose Connections

High Speed

Overriding Directive (Major)

Internal Compartment (Size 5)

Power Cutoff

Vacuum Nozzle

Weak Chassis

Workhorse

Its casing is an unadorned

slate-gray box with a slanted
top. A large black hose lies
snugly against one end, and
serves as its vacuum to suck
corn kernels into its onboard
reservoirs, and as a fan to
blow away debris. A single arm
extends from its front.
Over the years, the Johnny
Appleseed has developed a
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

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Harvest crops with front-mounted multi-thresher

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

Armored Chassis

Disposal

MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Buggy Mic
High Maintenance

Floodlights
Giant

11
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Limbless
1

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE

GOING, LITTLE ROBOT?"

Noisy

The Thresher eagerly awaits

the harvest every year, where
it experiences the thrill of
destruction as it decimates
the vast cornfield. When not in
use, it quickly grows restless
and prowls the farmyard and the
surrounding land, mowing grass,
weeds, and stray robots to pulp.
The giant machine is a huge,
singular beast that towers above
the largest of the PRs. Its
merciless thresher can engulf
even a Size 5 robot, slicing it
to bits in moments.
Countless outside robots have
met their ends within its
grinding maw, both those who
refused to take the harvest and
those who were caught attempting
to steal power from the Farms
atomic generator.
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 Threshers
reinforced casing protects
it from most abrasion, and
it has not required extensive
realignment since the farm
robots fought the titanic
excavator at their annexed
quarry.

67

Hydromax
UNIT NAME

The Hydromax is a large and

spindly contraption crouched
on high, thin tires. Four long
flexible tendrils loop and coil
around four faded green tanks.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Maintain & dispense fertilizers and other chemicals

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

3
MAX

Over the long years since the

trucks stopped coming, the
Hydromax has become something
of an alchemist, spinning
fertilizers and pesticides
from stranger and stranger
combinations that it brews in
the garage.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

High Chassis

Buggy Mic

Liquid Dispenser (Size 3)

Lightweight

Liquid Dispenser (Size 3)

Power Cutoff

Liquid Dispenser (Size 3)

Rusting

Liquid Dispenser (Size 3)

Weak Chassis

The Johnny Appleseed often

consults with it on matters of
the corn, but these days the
Hydromax is less concerned with
the corn itself and more about
the increasing difficulty in
procuring raw materials for its
chemical wizardry.
Because of its interest in the
fertilizer over the corn, the
Hydromax may be willing to
bargain with outside robots,
providing assistance in exchange
for the promise of chemical
deliveries.

Prehensile Limb
Vacuum Nozzle

"YOU NEVER APPRECIATE ANHYDROUS

AMMONIA UNTIL IT'S GONE."

Thoroughbred Garden/ Field

UNIT NAME

The Thoroughbred is the smallest

of the Farms remaining
residents, outsizing only the
domestic robots that perished
in the farmhouse blaze. As
protection against being crushed
by larger machinery, it emits a
slew of announcements at regular
intervals.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Remove weeds and other unwanted foliage

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

Biofrequency Scanner

Disposal
Enhanced Cameras
Internal Compartment (Size 3)

4
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

The Thoroughbred goes about its

duty diligently, prowling the
field and plucking every weed and
unwanted botanical invader that
finds purchase in the lush oasis
of the Farm.

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Compliant
Loose Connections

Noisy
Overheating

Its internal grinder rends

the foliage into a liquidy
paste, then sterilizes it
with extremely high heat. The
steaming mass is then ejected
back onto the ground to serve as
fertilizer for future crop.

Saw
Workhorse

68

"WATCH OUT, PLEASE."

Pro-Share
UNIT NAME

The Pro-Share is stronger than

any of the other farm robots, and
is often tasked with carrying or
dragging supplies, heavy equipment
and other burdens. Its massive
plowshare doubles as a graders
blade, and both the farmyard
grounds and the road at its edge
are kept in good repair by its
diligence.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Plow fields and dig irrigation trenches

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

3
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

10
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

Its plow can extend outward five

meters beyond the robots normal
span, allowing it to dig several
trenches at once. The Pro-Share
is otherwise a boxy mass of metal
covered in flaking red paint.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Floodlights

Buggy Mic

Specialty Chassis (Furrowing)

Noisy

Telescoping Reach (5 meters)

Unreliable

It often works in tandem with both

the Hydromax and the Thresher,
bearing supplies and towing the
large metal wagons the robots have
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-Riders duties span

the entire acreage of the Farm,
from mending fences and patching
holes, to welding other robots
back to working order.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Perform general upkeep on local infrastructure

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating
Drill

4
MAX

The Riders tall tan case has

no adornment save for a strip
of peeling paint and a heavy
dusting of rust at its base.
A single thick arm laden with
tools protrudes from its flat
roof, while the large bin at its
rear is filled with miscellaneous
hardware salvaged over the
years.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
High Maintenance

Floodlights

Inferior Model

External Container (Size 4)

Loose Connections

Plasma Arc Welder

Overheating

Saw

Power Cutoff

Telescoping Reach (1 meter)

Rusting

Tool Set

Slow Charger

Of all the robots on the Farm,

the Rider knows best the lay
of the land. Its duties are
numerous and keep it constantly
moving, and its failing chassis
requires daily upkeep time that
could be spent elsewhere.

"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 shelters entrance into
whorls whose patterns reminded Macy of lace edging that once
decorated the curtains of her masters 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 dont 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. Im really sorry its gotta be
like this, Frank. It was the same thing Lon said every time
he came in here.
Its just that you wouldnt stop moving around! I mean, you
got more juice than youll ever need! Lons 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 wouldnt 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 Enclaves

hilltop shelter from a distance
after being out in the wilderness
for some time. The PRs may each roll
Perception checks (TN 8) once per
day to find the shelter; at least two
successes per check are required.
Alternatively, the Programmer may
also choose to reveal the Enclave
after one or more of the PRs fails
its daily Power check.
Finally, the PRs might discover (or
be discovered by) Muir in the course
of his wandering and somehow led back
to the Enclave.
The small concrete structure offers
little aside from shelter, but robots
suffering the afflictions of the
areas constant storms may find that
any port is a welcome one.
Unfortunately for newcomers, this
island in the sea of rust holds
nervous and secretive prisoners who
will do anything to keep their act
from being exposed.

Robots with solar or nuclear

batteries have the most to fear from
the Enclave; the locals value their
fallen comrade over any stranger, and
are more than willing to cannibalize
outside robots to take his place.
When first queried, the locals will
state that there is no charger in
the area. If asked about where they
draw power from, their answers will
be duplicitous. Lon may claim that
he does not need to recharge, despite
the presence of an obvious charging
jack in the middle of his chassis.
Macy might say that her battery has
just not run out, although if pressed
she will admit that they have been in
the shelter for several years. Muir
will simply refuse to speak of it.
Of all the locals, only Sal will
openly discuss Franks current state,
but only when explicitly asked,
and then only in detached technical
terms. All of the locals understand
at some level that what theyve done
to Frank is abhorrent.

73

The front room

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

Locations around
the Enclave
The front room
The back room
The desert

The locals keep the door open unless

a particularly violent storm arises,
since there are no working light
sources inside the shelter.

The back room

If something attempts to force the

outside door open or cut through
it, the Programmer may treat it as
an immobile robot with a Durability
rating of 2, a Damage Threshold
rating of 5, and the Armored Chassis
feature (rating 1).

The locals keep their dark secret in

the back room, and will do whatever
it takes to keep strangers from
discovering it. If need be, Lon will
simply block the doorway. Even then,
enough space may still exist for a
Size 1 robot to squeeze past (with a
successful Mobility check).

The inside door leads to the back

room and its grim secret, but
newcomers may not even notice it. The
locals make a practice of keeping the
inside door concealed with a pair of
large crates stacked in front of it.

Things found in the front room:

Crates: There are several plastic
crates of various sizes pushed
around the edges of the room, but
most are broken and all are empty
or filled with nothing but refuse.
Rations: Two boxes of stale
calorie bars remain, long past
their expiration dates and hard as
rocks. The boxes are marked with
faded pictures of satisfied human
consumers.

74

Things in the back room:

Sals workbench: Bits of cable,
piping, metal scraps and other
small items make up the entirety
of Sals worldly possessions,
stored here to keep them away from
the rust-storms (and prying eyes).
The Programmer will decide how
useful anything found here is.
Frank: In his current state,
Frank is a nightmarish patchwork
of his original form and Sals
modifications. Most explicitly,
his limbs have been amputated,
his torso opened to reveal the
jury-rigged charging port, and his
speaker disconnected, leaving him
in a mute limbo.

The desert
Outside the shelter, near-constant
clouds of grit and dust fly through
the air, clogging up anything caught
in them. A robot caught in the storms
must make a Durability check every
hour that it remains exposed. Failing
a check means the robot is treated
as if it had the Rusting defect.
This malady will remain until the
robot is indoors and cleaned (with a
successful repair check - only one
success is necessary).
Robots that already possess the
Rusting defect have its detrimental
effects increased: any 1s or 2s
rolled with Reflex checks will cancel
out successes until the grit is
removed.

Things found in the desert:

Machinery: Once some great work
of man stood here, but now all
that remains are indistinguishable
hulks of rusting metal. The
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 objects Size
rating. Remains larger than the
PRs may offer shelter, and count
as indoors for purposes of
removing grit.

The Programmer should decide how

capable the PRs are of defending
themselves, and adjust the amount
of roamers encountered accordingly.
For some robots, a single roamer is
a terrifying and nearly unkillable
monster. Other burly, fast, or wellequipped robots may easily trump any
one roamer.
The roamers are programmed to
return to the factory when they
have collected a certain amount of
material. This amount depends on the
needs of the story, but one or two
kidnapped player robots will likely
suffice. A roamer will also attempt
to return if its current Damage
Threshold rating falls below 5.
Roamers on their own are not very
intelligent, but the Factory is.
If one fails to return, two more
are sent to investigate. If these
disappear as well, it may well send
more robots, perhaps even flying
models (as the Programmer decides).
The Factory is unlikely to ignore
missing robots.

Roamers: The Factorys 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

indistinguishable from a human female,
but time and hardships have damaged
her once-fine casing, and now only the
simplest robots would be fooled into
thinking she was alive. She still
possesses two arms, two legs and a
head, but her mechanical components are
plainly visible on many parts of her
chassis.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Provide social companionship for humans

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

5
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

Macy was programmed to provide

companionship she wants nothing more
than to leave the shelter and find
someone to take care of her, but unless
the player robots can offer indisputable
proof that humans are still alive, she
will remain with the other locals.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Android

Plastic Casing

Biofrequency Scanner

Rusting

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Secure Logistics LON-type Collection Unit

UNIT NAME

Lon was built as a mobile minesweeper

of sorts, designed to clean up areas
after the worst excesses of human
warfare had withdrawn. Nuclear,
biological, chemical, all the terrors
of man had passed through his
reinforced storage bins.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Collect and transport dangerous substances

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Armored Chassis

76

5
CURRENT

His durable nature has allowed him to

bear out the long years more or less
unscathed, with fewer maladies than his
companions.

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

10
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

"SOMETIMES THE SAND MAKES

ME THINK OF VOICES. ISN'T
THAT FUNNY?"

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Overheating

Internal Compartment (Size 2)

Power Cutoff

Internal Compartment (Size 4)

Slow Charger

1
1

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT

IT'S LIKE, PAL. WE
DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE."

Universal Robotics Service Automaton, Light-class (SAL)

UNIT NAME

Sal was unboxed and activated less than

ten kilometers from the shelter, in one
of the factories that once sprawled
across the desert. The other robots
would not have been able to weather the
long years without his presence, and he
realizes this.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

6
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

5
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Cutting Laser

Rating
Buggy Cameras

Plasma Arc Welder

Buggy Mic

Tool Set

"DON'T LOOK AT ME
LIKE THAT. IT ISN'T
LIKE THAT AT ALL."

High Maintenance
Inferior Model
Unreliable

RangeRider Muir-model Rural Upkeep Machine

UNIT NAME

Muir is as stoic and concerned with

maintaining the land as his namesake.
Unlike the long-dead conservationist
the robotic Muir is driven by his
programming to stalk the wilderness,
maintaining a series of fences that
once ringed this industrial section.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Patrol for trespassers and maintain fencelines

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating
Anchor

Workhorse

CURRENT

MAX

Out of all the locals Muir is the most

likely to be absent when the player
robots arrive. The Programmer may
choose to roll a d10 each hour the
players remain in the shelter. On a
roll of 10 Muir arrives to recharge his
immense battery before leaving again.
He will be uninterested in outsiders
company but will not resist if they try
to follow him back out into the wild.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Environmentally Attuned

Overriding Directive (Major)

Saw
Winch

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

FEATURES

When the shelters generator failed, Sal

was the first to suggest cannibalizing
Frank for his nuclear battery, and over
the other locals half-hearted protests
he carried it out, using Lons strength
to hold the other robot down while Sal
disconnected his limbs and speaker.
Despite his cruel treatment of another
local Sal is still loyal to Frank, and
will be more than eager to replace him
with an outsider as the shelters new
generator.

Noisy

Muir was designed to operate outdoors,

and being inside triggers his
Environmentally Attuned flaw.

Rare Model
Simple Programming
Slow Charger

"DUTY CALLS."

77

ReStruct Franklin Stove fabricator

UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Convert abandoned buildings to new structures

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Nuclear Battery
Power Dock

4
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)
k/hour
m/round

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

78

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

DEFECTS

Rating
Mute

Franks situation is unique and his

attributes reflect his current hobbled
status. The locals will not allow
outside robots to repair him unless a
suitable replacement is provided.
If any player robots attempt to repair
him, the Programmer should consider his
current Damage Threshold to be 0 for
repair attempts.
If repaired, Franks Mobility and
Reflexes ratings will increase to 3 and
his Dexterity rating will increase
to 2. He will also lose the Mute
defect. His power dock is not factorystandard and must be dismantled before
attempting any repairs. If he is
repaired the power dock will no longer
be usable.
Frank originally had numerous other
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.

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
veterinarians 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

pastoral wooded plain, although its
workers have cleared the parking
lots of plants and debris so hiding
spots are nonexistent. Clever robots
may attempt to infiltrate the factory
using roamers as cover, perhaps even
capturing and reprogramming them.
Inside the complex is a mass of
conveyer belts, catwalks, dangling
chains, smelters, and more refined
fabricators. The factory is a single
story; however, the roof is twenty
meters high and accessible only by a
single stairway on the inside or by
scaling the outer wall.
The factorys AI suffers from the
same mania that plagues so many of
its lesser mechanical kin. Consumed
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.

The eventual outcome is evident

to any thinking automaton: if the
Factory grows unchecked it may
inadvertently convert the entire
world into roamers.
Whatever other intellects it once had
are lost, stripped away by the years
of exposure that nearly destroyed it.
The Factory cannot be reasoned with;
if the player robots wish to stop
it and its growing army they must
attempt to disable or reprogram it.
If the PRs have already visited the
Enclave, they may realize that the
roamers are becoming more numerous
and will eventually discover the
shelter and its inhabitants. Whether
or not they act on this knowledge
depends on their programming.

81

The factory floor

The floor is rather vast (especially
for very small robots) and offers
numerous places to hide. Due to the
constant din of machinery and the
intense temperatures inside the
factory, any outsider must succeed
in a Buffer check (TN 8) or have its
Perception rating degrade by 1 for
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
robots enter a location without
disguising themselves. It will direct
a roamer or laborer to retrieve the
stray materials if it succeeds.

Things found on the factory

floor:
Factory laborers: The Factory is
not totally automated; several
multi-limbed workers are used to
sort materials and disassemble
robots. They will not hesitate to
pluck an unwary outsider off the
ground and begin taking it apart.
Material bins: These large (Size
5) metal bins are used to store
sorted and unsorted materials
before they are processed. If
a player robot attempts to
inspect the contents of a bin,
the Programmer may opt to roll a
d10. On a roll of 8 or higher,
the bin contains something useful
(a battery, tool, or some other
object the robot attempted to
procure). If the PRs search
through more than one bin, any
nearby factory workers should roll
Perception checks to notice.

82

Locations around
the Factory
The factory floor
The control room
The roof

Roamers: Several roamers occupy

the factory floor, either unloading
and sorting material, charging,
or seeking repair from a spiderwelder.
Spider-welders: These small (size
2) robots skitter about, repairing
broken roamers and performing
upkeep on other machinery. They
will typically run from a fair
fight but tend to gang up on
outside robots and use their
winches to ensnare and dismantle
their prey.
The Forge: All conveyer belts
lead here, to where the Factory's
spindly, sparking constructors
rear up on either side. These
immobile machines are controlled
directly by the AI and are not
automatons like the PRs. Any
outsider caught on the conveyer
belts will likely be whisked away
by one of the laborers, although
the Factory will defend its
implements if they are attacked.
Treat a constructor as a robot
with a Movement rate of 0, an
Interaction Pool of 8, a TN to be
Struck of 3, a Durability rating
of 4 and a Damage Threshold of 9.
The constructors are armed with
cutting lasers, vice grips, and
other offensive features as the
Programmer decides.

The control room

The roof

The factorys AI is housed in a

computer system inside a locked room.
The door has a Durability rating of
2, a Damage Threshold of 8, and the
Armored Chassis feature (rating 2).
The computer system itself has a
Durability rating of 1 and a Damage
Threshold of 8.

There are sixteen large solar panels

on the factory roof. Each panel has a
Durability rating of 1 and a Damage
Threshold rating of 3. If more than
three panels are broken, the factory
will only be able to create one
roamer per day. If more than eight
panels are broken, the factory will
only be able to create Size 3 or
smaller robots. If more than twelve
panels are broken the factory will
not be able to produce any useful
objects.

If the computer is destroyed the

Factory will shut down. Naturally,
the Factory will attempt to prevent
this situation. PRs will have to
deal with every roamer, laborer and
spider-welder on the premises trying
to stop them. Fortunately for the
outsiders, only one roamer can fit
through the control rooms door at a
time (although spider-welders may be
able to squeeze around a roamer with
successful Mobility checks).

The access stairwell to the roof is

only large enough for one roamer to
fit through at a time.

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

the unwitting army of the Factory.
Dispersed into the world like locusts,
they strip areas bare of metal one
container at a time.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Collect material for the Factory

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

3
MAX

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

All roamers are created with the same

major overriding directive: secure and
return high-quality materials to the
Factory. This includes the materials
that the PRs are made out of.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Armored Chassis

They cannot be reasoned with, and

unless a roamer is reprogrammed there
is a good chance that any would-be
negotiator will end up being carted
back to the Factory in pieces.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating
High Maintenance

Cargo Hauler

Model Error

Cutting Laser

Noisy

External Container (Size 5)

Overheating

Solar Powered

Overriding Directive (Major)

Rare Model

Factory laborer
UNIT NAME

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

7
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

Heat Resistant
Jack

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

MAX

They are designed solely to operate

inside the confines of the Factory, and
laborers outside of its walls suffer
the penalties of their Environmentally
Attuned defect.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Buggy Mic

Environmentally Attuned

Manipulative Limb (Standard) x2

Low Speed

Prehensile Limb x3

Model Error
Simple Programming

84

Factory laborers will attempt to

capture and break down any outside
robots they encounter, but they will
not continue to search for a robot if
it manages to elude them.

Noisy
Slow Charger

"ACQUIRING MATERIAL."

The factory laborers were built for

an extremely narrow task: break down
all material entering the Factory and
sort it by usefulness. They accomplish
this with their three tentacle-like
manipulative limbs. These limbs are
much stronger than their width might
indicate; a factory laborer can lift
ten times its normal weight allowance,
as per the Jack feature.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Disassemble, sort and recycle materials

PRs may exploit this by using a piece

of metal (or possibly a robot) as a
lure to lead a roamer in a certain
direction.

"PROCESSING...
...MAGNESIUM...STEEL...HEY
GET BACK HERE..."

Spider-welder
UNIT NAME

Spider-welders prowl the catwalks

and shadows of the factory, always
looking for objects in need of repair.
Even though they may have numbers on
their side, their Overriding Directive
compels them to stop whatever they are
doing and fix any damage to the Factory
or its servants.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Maintain other robots and infrastructure

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

5
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Outside robots attempting to flee the

welding spiders may learn that they
have more in common with their namesake
than body shape: each has a winch that
can be used to snare other robots (with
an Interaction check) and drag them
toward it.

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Cutting Laser

Rating

Environmentally Attuned

High Chassis

High Maintenance

Plasma Arc Welder

Inferior Model
Model Error

Overriding Directive (Major)

Tool Set
Winch

The Factory
AI NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Oversee factory complex

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

6
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

DEFECTS

k/hour
m/round

Rating

The spider-welders are designed to

operate inside the factory, and
suffer the consequences of their
Environmentally Attuned defect outside
its walls.

"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."

"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."
"BRZZZ- TARGET CAUGHT."

The Factory is a tragic being out of

place in the world. Its primary goal is
to acquire more materials, but it is
acting on reflex, not malice or greed.
The AI itself is largely unaware of
the changed world around it, and the
Programmer should present it as such.
Any higher intelligence it once had has
been stripped away by the long years,
and robots who attempt to communicate
with it will find its answers simplistic
and child-like.
The Factory will resist any attempt
to compromise its work and will set
its entire pool of minions against
intruders, but persistent or crafty
robots may be able to overcome it in
another manner: unlike other surviving
AIs, the Factory is exceptionally
vulnerable to reprogramming.
Note that even if the Factory is
reprogrammed, its roamers, spiderwelders 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 couldnt 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.
Its a real bargain.

88

The Highway Oasis service station

seems welcoming, and for robots too
long in the wild, damaged and running
out of power, its sirens call may
be irresistible. Those who approach,
however, find that its friendly
exterior is a mirage concealing
murderous and cannibalistic robots.
Outsiders are taken in with promises
of repairs, refueling, and anything
else required to lure them to the
repair bays and their doom.

The locals are all vaguely menacing

in their own ways, as none are
particularly good actors and all
are well-aware of the fate of any
outsiders caught here.
Several buildings make up the Oasis
proper most of them are in a state
of disrepair. The remaining buildings
are all clustered around each other.
The Programmer may determine their
exact layout.

89

The convenience
store
This building once served human
customers traveling the highway, but
most of the magazines and snacks on
the shelves have long since rotted.
A few stale but non-perishable
items still remain a PR may make
a Perception check (TN 8) to locate
one.
Only one check per robot is allowed
(though drones may each make their
own Perception checks as well).
Behind the vacant attendant counter
is the cash register (which still has
some money in it) and the controls
to operate the fuel dispensers. The
convenience store has no attendant,
and the player robots are free to
take what they like. The locals do
not argue, as they assume the items
will be reappropriated and reshelved
when the outsiders are dismantled.

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
Oasiss charging station is located
inside, but finding the time to use it
may be impossible.
The repair bay has a working
hydraulic lift, capable of lifting
any robot up to Size 7. A robot that
falls from the lift at its highest
point must make a Durability check or
take 1 point of damage.
It also has several workbenches with
straps, clamps, and other means of
keeping reluctant robots pinned to
the worktables.

90

Locations around
the Oasis
The convenience store
The repair bay
The fuel dispensers
The burn pile

Things found in the repair bay:

Generator: The light-industrial
Tuluxous generator at the rear end
of the shop is far too heavy to be
moved by any of the player robots,
and performs admirably as a power
source for all the buildings in
the area. Two charging docks, used
by the local robots, are mounted
to the generators sides.
Repair equipment: This wellstocked assortment of equipment
may be used during repair
attempts. The TN for any repair
check is lowered by 2 (minimum TN
of 2) when attempted inside the
repair bay.

The fuel dispensers

These eight above-ground pumps
stand in two rows outside of the
convenience store. They will not
operate unless the corresponding
switch inside the convenience store
is pressed. The pumps have mechanisms
for accepting payment directly, but
if any of the PRs attempt this, the
pumps will simply report errors (the
transmission lines to places outside
the Oasis have all been cut).
If a pump is activated, the
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.

The burn pile

This nightmarish pile of charred
machine parts is hidden inside a
high slat fence in the area behind
the machine shop. The locals drag
the burned, unsalvageable remains of
outside robots caught by the Gas-Jock
here, away from the sight of future
victims. The fenced-in area is not
gated, so any robot investigating the
area behind the machine shop will
likely discover the burn pile.
It is highly unlikely that anything
useful can be found here, although
the remains of other robots the PRs
have previously encountered elsewhere
in their travels might be found here
an unlucky ending for any machine.
Seeing this might offer a clue of
whats in store for the PRs if they
arent careful.
Optional rule: Inflammable fuel
If the Programmer wishes, inflammable
liquid fuel may be incorporated into
the game. The supply underneath the
Highway Oasis is extremely limited,
and the Programmer is encouraged to
diminish the supply even further to
avoid disrupting the game.
Unless otherwise specified, damage
from burning fuel can be reduced or
negated with a Durability check. At
least one liter of fuel is needed to
incur any of these effects.
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.

A robot that is the target of a

concentrated stream of burning fuel
takes 3 points of damage every round
until the fuel is extinguished. The
fuel will evaporate in three rounds
if left burning.
A robot with the Liquid Dispenser
feature may attempt to weaponize
the fuel, but doing so is dangerous
for all robots involved. Unless the
acting robot has the Heat Resistant
feature, the burning fuel inflicts 2
points of damage to the acting robot
every round that it is in use.
If the acting robot suffers any
damage after its Durability check,
its Liquid Dispenser is damaged and
cannot be used until that damage
is repaired (with a standard repair
check).
Example: A robot with the Liquid
Dispenser feature and a Durability
rating of 3 siphons some of the
fuel and applies an open flame to the
end of its nozzle. The liquid fuel
ignites as it sprays out, but the
nozzle and the hose behind it quickly
heat up!
The Programmer tells the robots
player to make a Durability check.
The player rolls 3d10 and gets 2,5,7
no successes! The robot spraying
the fuel takes two points of damage,
and its nozzle is too melted to
function until the two points of
damage it suffered are repaired.

91

Mantis Dual-Purpose Repair Unit

UNIT NAME

The Mantis is an opportunistic

predator, physically weaker than other
robots of similar Size rating but more
than willing to snatch up a helpless
machine and cut it into scrap. The
other surviving locals are too welldefended to prey on, but outside robots
are another matter.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Repair machinery brought to the Highway Oasis

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

3
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

As the most humanlike consciousness

of the Oasis inhabitants, the Mantis
often acts as the face when outsiders
stumble into their lair. It appears
friendly and will lie to the player
robots to trick them into lowering
their guard.

7
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Cutting Laser

Inferior Model

Display Screen

Lightweight

Enhanced Cameras

Loose Connections

Power Cutoff

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

"HELLO, FRIEND.
THAT LOOKS LIKE A
NASTY SCRAPE."

Low Speed

Plasma Arc Welder

Tool Set

Rusting
Slow Charger

Weak Chassis

Dent-B-Gone Metal Repair Unit

UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Repair and refurbish large machines

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

3
5

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS
Buggy Mic

External Container (Size 5)

Environmentally Attuned

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Low Speed

Prehensile Limb

Noisy

Vice Grip
Workhorse

Power Cutoff
2

The player robots might realize

how easily the Dent-B-Gone can be
reprogrammed and use this to their
advantage.
It was designed to operate within the
grounds of the Oasis, and leaving
paved areas subjects it to its
Environmentally Attuned defect.

Rating

Drill

Telescoping Reach

92

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

The Dent-B-Gone is large and easily

stupid, two factors that endear it
to the inhabitants of the Oasis.
The other locals rely on its great
strength and willingness to follow
their suggestions, and in return it
is allowed to use the Tuluxous atomic
generator.

Simple Programming

"SEARCHING FOR
WORK ORDER.
SEARCHING FOR
WORK ORDER."

TUG-BOT Towing and Retrieval Automaton

UNIT NAME

The Tug-Bot is the other giant of the

Oasis. Unlike the Dent-B-Gone, this
robot ranges throughout the territory
controlled by the locals, looking for
scrapped robots or other machinery to
drag back home and offer up to the
others. This usefulness has kept it
operating over the long years it has
kept company with the other murderous
locals.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Drag unresponsive machines to on-site repair center

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

The Programmer may choose to have

the player robots encounter the TugBot if they are on the road within 30
kilometers of the Oasis. It will offer
to take them back to the Oasis for
repair, but if they decline it will
attempt to grab a Size 4 (or smaller)
robot and drag it there.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

10

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Anchor

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating
Model Error

High Speed

Noisy

Jack

Overheating

Loudspeaker

Power Cutoff

Specialty Chassis (Dragging)

2
3

Rare Model

Winch

Slow Charger

"COME ON BACK TO
THE SHOP AND WE'LL
FIX YOU RIGHT UP."

Unreliable

Gas-Jock Fuel Attendant

UNIT NAME

Once upon a time the Gas-Jock bowed

and scraped for humans seeking a
romanticized past, but now his nearly
human mind is bent and murderous.
While the others are content to merely
dismantle outside robots the Gas-Jock
yearns to burn and destroy, and has
developed the means to do so. Of all
the locals he is the only one who knows
how much inflammable fuel remains in the
underground reservoir, and he is the
only one who has the means to access it
in any quantity thanks to his vacuum
nozzle.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Service vehicles and attend to customers

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

6
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

His Size 4 liquid dispenser allows

him to attempt four burnings before
refueling.

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)
k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Armored Chassis

Model Error

Hardened Programming

Overriding Directive (Major)

Heat Resistant

Overriding Directive (Minor)

Liquid Dispenser (Size 4)

Rare Model

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Slow Charger

Prehensile Limb
Telescoping Reach
Vacuum Nozzle

The Gas-Jock's major overriding

directive compels him to burn robots
(normally only outsiders, but the
locals are always cautious around him).
A second, minor directive compels him
to instead fill up any container with
fuel when asked or ordered to. Few know
of this programming, although some of
the locals might.

"BURN, ROBOT, BURN!"

93

INTERLUDE

The great machine crawled across the barren ground, flattening meterwide 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 Behemoths
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

several hundred kilometers of open
range, sparse patches of trees, and
an occasional stream. A highway cuts
through this country, joined by other
smaller roads as it nears the City.
The Programmer is free to position
any location along this stretch,
be it a derelict but not abandoned
SavR-Mart, the corpse of the giant
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

Abandoned structures dot the highway

at intervals, though any buildings
with working generators likely have a
robot or three lurking in the area.
Ruined towns may be found in
abundance in the last fifty kilometers
before the City. Their current state
depends on the Programmers wishes.
Several example towns are detailed
later in this chapter.

The SavR-Mart

Things found
along the road

The SavR-Mart, described in the

Engine Heart rulebook, is a good
location for the Programmer to
present if the PRs need recharging
or just a change of scenery from the
empty road. It is the only building
standing in the area, and even though
it is off the road in a wooded space,
the top of the building is still
visible from the highway.

Behemoth
If the Programmer wishes, the player
robots may interact with this
enormous relic and perhaps even learn
its secret. The Programmer should
decide if Behemoth is either dead or
dying as the PRs approach.
Behemoth is not given attributes or
features like a conventional robot.
Its enormous size puts it outside
the scale of the player robots, and
they are incapable of inflicting any
serious damage upon it. Behemoth,
however, is capable of inflicting an
enormous amount of damage on the PRs
if it is still functional by the time
they arrive. The robot does not wish
to be bothered, and will likely view
anything approaching it as hostile.
If the PRs insist on confronting
it, treat Behemoth as a robot with
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.

The SavR-Mart
Behemoth
Pilgrims
Ruined towns

Pilgrims
The player robots may not be the only
machines on the road. Other robots
have heard rumors about the City
and its limitless power docks, and
the PRs may encounter these pilgrims
during their travel down the highway.
The Programmer may use the pilgrims
to drop hints or harass the PRs
perhaps even both at once.
Grifters and con artists are mixed in
with the other weary travelers, and
they may try to swindle the PRs out
of their possessions or even their
batteries.
There are also raiders to contend
with, both wandering bands of
cannibal machines and forces loyal to
one of the local AIs. Either one may
try to hijack stray robots for their
own dubious ends.

97

Ruined towns
There are many ruined towns
approaching the City, some near
enough for even the slowest robots
to traverse in an hour, and others a
day or more out of reach. Almost all
of them have been picked clean by
scavengers either from the City or
elsewhere but lucky robots might be
able to unearth a treasure.

Example towns:
This town was burned nearly flat
by a series of fires, leaving
only piles of crumbled brick and
concrete growing thick with weeds.
Finding anything worthwhile in
the rubble requires extensive
digging. Just off the road lies
an open pit twenty meters wide
and twice as deep, half-filled with
water. At the bottom are a pair of
(non-functional) nuclear-powered
excavator robots.
Here a small plot of land with
neatly trimmed green grass and
a pair of trees stands behind
a well-maintained fence, in the
middle of a brown and blighted
land where some chemical disaster
seems to have occurred. The single
remaining tenant, a small lawncare robot, does its best to keep
the house's exterior painted and
maintained, but since it cant
reach higher than two meters,
everything above that height
(including the top half of the
house) is a ruined mess. The other
remaining shells of houses are
nearing collapse, and heavy or
clumsy robots may bring the roof
down investigating them.

98

A mad AI runs this town from its

stronghold in the basement of
the police station. Any robot
caught inside the perimeter is
conscripted to defend the area
around the station, which amounts
to patrolling it and dragging
intruders back to the AI to be
reprogrammed. Unfortunately for
the deputized robots, the AI
doesnt understand the virtue of
repairs, so the town is littered
with non-functioning deputies of
all types.
A nuclear accident has killed off
most of the life in this town, but
a few robots still scurry about,
raiding houses for supplies. These
scavengers often fall victim to
a pack of bipedal predators- the
gang of robots all possess the
Android and Power Leech features.
This town has been thoroughly
picked over and there is nothing
of value in it except for
the commercial-sized Tuluxous
generator and its three
functioning charging docks. The
generator is too large for the
Citys minions to drag away, so
the department store has become a
watering hole where stray robots
mingle, fight, and barter.
Strip malls and mass-produced
housing lie vacant, and for all
appearances this is just another
empty town, but robots with the
Wireless Transceiver feature soon
realize otherwise. Hidden inside
a public-works building, a rogue
AI broadcasts the location of
safety, repairs and power with its
Rating 10 Wireless Transceiver.
Robots who follow the directions
find themselves trapped and their
memory circuits forcibly removed
to feed its growing intellect
(when this occurs the robots
Intelligence ratings immediately
degrade to 0).

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

halves by its lords: a public-works
AI which insists everything is fine,
and a civil defense AI which insists
the city is under siege. Each claims
to rule the city, and their cold war
has come to a head just as the player
robots enter.

Wandering robots that enter the

Green City are allowed to move about
freely, and most of the Green Citys
denizens (those under the sway of the
Green Master, at least) will insist
that nothing is amiss, that it is not
slowly crumbling, or even that humans
still populate it.

A smattering of other feudal lords,

both AIs and ambitious robots, have
carved out their own domains within
the area. These minor powers exist
either because they provide a service
to the Red City or the Green, because
they have enough material power to
remain independent, or because their
fiefdoms are too unimportant to waste
resources conquering.

A few independent robots may inform

the PRs of the citys current divided
state, but altruism is nearly unheard
of among the feral robots, and the
PRs are just as likely to stumble
across the border or find themselves
enslaved as to be warned of its
dangers.

The Programmer may ensure that the

PRs first enter on the Green Citys
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:

The Airport: Robots may be
daunted by this sprawling mass of
intermingling dark and lighted
terminals and runways. Above the
wreckage a single voice continues
to ring out over the loudspeakers,
constantly apologizing for delays.
Hundreds of suitcases and bags
can be found in huge piles, their
contents moldering unopened.
The lone remaining securitycheckpoint robot scurries through
the shadows, demanding outsiders
present identification.
Apartment buildings: These stacks
of identical apartment dwellings
sit empty, and many of them are
without power or full of vermin.
There is a small chance to find
other robots, deactivated or
not. One apartment has a domestic
model with the Android and Nuclear
Battery features still keeping
the apartment clean. The PRs may
see it outside the building, and
though they are free to enter the
building lobby it will not let
them enter the owners actual
apartment (though they may try to
sneak in). The apartment has been
without power or other utilities
for decades, so the android
must wash laundry outside the
building (which it does at regular
intervals).
Clothing Boutique: Despite the
name, this store offers great
deals as the rot sets in, the
remaining Stokkbugs busily spend
their time replacing pricetags
with 100 for 1 stickers in a
futile attempt to attract human
customers.

102

EverPet store: This robotic pet

store is stocked with dozens of
working and nonworking robotic
animals of Size 1 or 2 cats,
dogs, birds, hamsters, and other
similar creatures. The Programmer
is free to determine the specifics,
but most EverPets are equivalent
to drones (19 points) instead of
standard (100 point) robots. A
robot with the Attendant Swarm
feature and less than the maximum
number of drones allowed may
attempt to reprogram a 19-point
EverPet into a new drone under the
robots control.
Factories: Some are operational,
although many are not. The working
ones churn out materials that are
either fed into perpetual delivery
loops or dumped out into the
street, adding to the Citys trash
problems.
Fountain: The marbled peak in the
center of this fountain soars up
over two meters, and though its
dried-up basin was long ago picked
clean, a single coin remains
tucked under the basins ledge,
visible only from inside the
basin.
Intersection sign: While there are
many working signs in the City,
this one is special, for it is
the only remaining interface of a
traffic-control AI that once held
dominion over the roads here. When
an accident hobbled it, the Green
Citys AI seized the opportunity
to keep it out of the way and
deleted all plans to restore its
connections to the rest of the
traffic grid. Since then the traffic
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.

 Lonely AI: The player robots

may enter this mini-mall seeking
shelter or power. Inside, a
disembodied voice will ask why it
cannot contact the outside world.
The AI does not remember its
name, but asks for Jane 203, and
Leonidas, and Mean Dr. Green, and
Lilfe.
Office buildings: Some of the
corporate towers are still stocked
with computer terminals, office
furniture, and even several
active robots. Getting around
on stairs may be difficult, and
the few remaining natives in
buildings with power have likely
fortified their workplaces against
intrusion. One or two windowwashers continue to crawl up and
down the outsides, charging in the
sunlight and replenishing their
stocks with rainwater collected
in the cases of their fallen
siblings.
Playground: This overgrown and
long-unused park sits surrounded
by blocks of burned-out houses,
and contains a pair of slides,
a swing set and a merry-goround that still spins, as well
as several other small broken
structures. An abandoned robotic
toy lies in the high weeds, still
in working condition despite its
long-drained battery. If charged,
it remembers nothing after the
time of the humans.
Propaganda bombs: Flying agents
of the Red City pass overhead on
erratic schedules, dropping bombs
or leaflets (or both). The Red
fliers all have an Interaction Pool
of 4d10. Explosive bombs inflict
3 points of damage each. The
Programmer may opt to roll a d10
each time a bomb is dropped; on
a roll of 1, 2 or 3 the bomb is a
dud.

Robotic car: While vacant,

abandoned vehicles sit along the
Citys streets by the thousands,
some with reams of parking tickets
affixed to them and some stripped
beyond recognition, this car is
still active. Until now the FW3
has been able to move itself from
one parking area to another,
avoiding tickets or towing, and
recharging at the citys expense.
A few days ago, an out of control
robot rear-ended a vacant car,
and the collision pushed the other
car halfway into the FW3s normal
parking spot. With its battery
rapidly draining, the car is
desperate for a solution.
Rustyard: This wide, flat fencedin area is controlled by a WasTech
electromagnetic claw crane.
Everything that could be recycled
or crushed has been destroyed,
and now only flakes of rust remain
scattered around the otherwise
pristine grounds. The crane is
still ever-vigilant for more
materials, and any outside robots
who stumble into its domain may
find their days numbered. A few
locals who have so far escaped its
purge remain hidden, left here
from the time when the rustyard
was in operation or lured by the
promise of the yard's charging
port.
Street pavers: The City has
many roads, some cracked and
yawning canyons of broken asphalt
requiring Mobility checks to
overcome, and others resurfaced
regularly by huge maintenance
robots. The paving robots rely on
the helpless traffic-grid AI to
keep the roads free of vehicles
during their work, so robots that
find themselves in the area are on
their own. These robots are size 6
or larger.

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

last mobile emissary of the
airport aside from a giant
baggage-handler or two still
slowly rolling around the
runways.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Detect security risks in airport queues

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

6
MAX

Its Overriding Directive

flaw compels it to scan and
harass outsiders who come
across its path. Machines
with the Nuclear Battery
feature will send it into a
fit, as will any robots with
the External Container,
Internal Compartment or
Liquid Dispenser features.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

5
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Backup System

Rating

Environmentally Attuned (Indoors)

Biofrequency Scanner

Inferior Model

Databank

Overriding Directive (Major)

Display Screen

Slow Charger

Enhanced Cameras

Loudspeaker
Prehensile Limb

Robots that fail its

examination will be directed
to the "detainment area" - a
corner of a hallway marked
off with mop buckets. One
or two other robots with
the Compliant defect may
be found here as well,
awaiting release by a higher
authority.

"THIS IS A RESTRICTED AREA!"

JustJeeves Electronic Chauffeur

UNIT NAME

The JustJeeves line was

billed as an all-in-one
assistant, cook, maid and
driver, with a personable
face humans could relate to.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Domestic Assistant

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Android
Manipulative Limb (Standard)

4
MAX

In the years since his

unboxing, this Jeeves
has tried to keep up his
schedule as best as he can,
making due with materials
he's managed to scavenge
from the area around his
former owner's apartment.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

7
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

His Overriding Directive

feature mandates that
he give the apartment a
thorough cleaning at least
once per week.

High Maintenance
Overriding Directive (Minor)
Power Cutoff

"IT'S THE LITTLE

THINGS IN LIFE
THAT MATTER."

105

Stokkbug Retail Unit

UNIT NAME

Thanks to the Stokkbugs'

design, they have lived out
the long years with almost
no wear. Unfortunately
for them, the inventory
continues to remain despite
their best efforts. Any
outsiders that could help
them move some of their
stock would be hailed as
heroes.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Stock and move retail goods on shelves and racks

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

3
MAX

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

12

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

CURRENT

Rating

Flexible Body
High Speed
Telescoping Reach

To relieve their boredom

the Stokkbugs have taken to
organizing races under the
guise of rotating stock.
These spectacles often
involve betting, sabotage
and outside interference
- the PRs may be recruited
to help in exchange for
allowing some of the stock
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

alternative to traditional
domestic animals, as their
durability and temperament
made them ideal choices for
city-dwelling humans with
small children. Even though
most of their kind have
been destroyed, there are
still thousands of working
EverPets flooding the market.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Provide analog to domestic animal

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

2
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

Many were made to simulate

animals like cats and
puppies (some with fur
colors like blue or green),
while others bear only a
passing resemblance to realworld creatures.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Exposed Power Switch

Lightweight

"YARF YARF YARF YARF YARF!"

106

The template shown here can

be used for most EverPet
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.

TranSafe Muni-PAL Traffic Logistics Unit

UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Maintain traffic flow to avoid gridlock

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

6
MAX

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

CURRENT

Once upon a time this AI

controlled every traffic
light and parking meter in
the City. While it still
has access to most of its
cameras the Muni-PAL has
lost control of its domain
to the Green Master and
others.
The AI is an oracle of
sorts, able to witness
events happening all across
the City at once. Of course,
it will not divulge what it
knows unless the PRs have
something it wants.

Rating

"THE WHITE ZONE IS

FOR LOADING AND
UNLOADING ONLY."

TranSafe Mobile Signage Unit

UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Alert drivers to upcoming hazards

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

5
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Display Screen

Wireless Transceiver

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Power Cutoff

Built to withstand at least

one high-speed impact
and armed with a huge (if
simple) display screen, this
robot is the last remaining
prophet of the Muni-PAL.
Its job is naturally less
taxing now that the roads
are empty, but it still must
fend off advancements from
agents of the Green City
trying to appropriate it for
their own ends.
Like all its fallen kin,
this robot's Wireless
Transceiver feature allows
it to communicate with the
Muni-PAL through other
transceivers inside traffic
lights and other machinery
along the roadway.

"TAKING THE FAMILY

OUT FOR A DRIVE?"

107

Shine-O-Mat
UNIT NAME

At the height of the City's

golden days, hundreds of
these robots were employed
to spend their lives scaling
tall buildings. Most
companies had their own
fleets of Shine-O-Mats to
keep their offices gleaming.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Clean skyscraper windows

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

Since then, weather,

lightning and entropy have
taken their toll, but a few
units can still be seen
dangling from rooftops and
making their way up and down
building faces.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

10

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Anchor

4
MAX

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

10

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating
Inferior Model

Liquid Dispenser (Size 2)

Lightweight

Solar Powered

Plastic Casing

Telescoping Reach

Winch

The remaining Shine-OMats keep to themselves,

but their occupation
allows them a glimpse into
the skyscrapers and the
occupants therein. This
information may be valuable
to the PRs or other beings.

"JUST ANOTHER
SUNNY DAY!"

Holly Hug-A-Bear
UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human children

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

Common Model
Enhanced Microphone
Flexible Body
Manipulative Limb (Standard)
Workhorse

4
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

7
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Low Speed

Like the EverPets, this

robot was designed to
interact with human
children. Unlike the cheap
synthetic animals that were
easily discarded, Holly was
made to last for years, and
was smart enough to not only
interact with a child but
to keep it out of danger.
When the PRs find her,
Holly's battery is
completely drained. If
they manage to charge her
battery, Holly will exhibit
distress at the loss of her
owner, and insist the PRs
try to help her find the
child. She is inconsolable,
and will set off on her
own if the PRs choose not
to accompany her. The
Programmer will decide if
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

locals refer to it) is a
spiteful bully who resents
intruders stealing its power
supply. If the PRs enter the
Rustyard it will attempt to
grab and crush them, adding
their casings to the pile of
other unwary robots.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Move industrial waste metal

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

The Crane's Overriding

Directive flaw compels it to
seek out waste metal within
the confines of the Rustyard.
Clever robots may be able to
use this to lure it into a
trap or use it to escape.

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Armored Chassis

3
MAX

10

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating
Buggy Cameras

Claw

Buggy Mic

Electromagnet

Environmentally Attuned (Rustyard)

Giant

Low Speed

Winch

Overriding Directive (Major)

"I KNOW THEY'RE

HERE... STEALING
MY POWER..."

Rare Model
Unreliable

Sure-face Industrial Road Maintenance Device

UNIT NAME

With all the humans gone,

these giant machines are
the only presence on the
roadways, where they slowly
push their way along,
leaving a trail of gleaming
perfect roadway behind them.
Unwary or deactivated robots
caught in their path suffer
the Sure-Face's listed
Damage from Strike.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Repave roads and highways within the City

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

5
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Armored Chassis

Buggy Mic

Giant

Environmentally Attuned (Streets)

Specialty Chassis (Paving)

At the Programmer's
discretion, one or two
robots previously met by the
PRs may be seen embedded in
the road where the pavers
have recently been.

CURRENT

"WATCH OUT."

High Maintenance
Noisy
Slow Charger

109

Ro-Tater Automatic Produce Assistant

UNIT NAME

Long before the fall of the

City, the Ro-Tater happily
worked in the brightly-lit
supermarket, making sure
the shelves were stocked
with only the freshest
fruits and vegetables.
Nowadays its selection is
significantly different, if
no less varied.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Restock supermarket produce shelves

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Biofrequency Scanner

5
MAX

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating
Loose Connections

Cargo Hauler (External Container)

Overriding Directive (Major)

Common Model
Display Screen

External Container (Size 4)

Its Overriding Directive

flaw compels it to stock
the shelves, no matter what
is available. The PRs may
encounter this robot either
within the confines of the
supermarket, or harvesting
"produce" from the parking
lot of the Luck E. Dog or
another overgrown location.
Any hard-to-find plant matter
(such as corn) would endear
the PRs to the Ro-Tater for
the rest of its lifespan.

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

Pro-Piary Lawnscaping Unit

UNIT NAME

While many other units have

found themselves unemployed,
the Pro-Piary has found its
own method of dealing with
this newfound freedom. When
its original home burned
down it began working on
the trees nearby, but in
the years since then it has
found its way to the very
edge of the City, where it
tends to plant life sculpted
into fantastic shapes.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Style hedges and trees in manicured park

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

2
8

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES
Saw

MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Inferior Model

Solar Powered
Telescoping Reach

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Loose Connections
3

Low Speed
Overheating

Overriding Directive (Major)

The Pro-Piary is likely the

first resident of the City
that the PRs will encounter.
It has no allegiances to
any other beings, though
in its meandering it has
learned a great deal about
the dealings within the
City. It may reveal these
secrets, but only to robots
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 oclock 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

zoo was not always in command at
one time it was only in charge of
decor, but as the other AIs went
offline one by one it took on more
responsibilities and gained access to
more processing power.

Once it learned of the existence

of the genetic information, the
Menageries primary goal became
retrieving one of the three carrying
robots, not to reintroduce life to
the planet, but to keep it confined
under the AIs dim tyranny.

Eventually the supply lines fell

apart and the zoo was left to its own
devices. As the visitors continued
to stay away and the last animals
began to die it became increasingly
sure that the drop in attendance was
due to the dismal representation that
remained in its newfound kingdom.

The Menagerie has its own geneticreconstruction equipment in a

laboratory underneath the visitors
center, but there is another lab
hidden beyond the City. It will keep
the existence of these labs a secret
from the player robots as long as it
possibly can.

A large part of the grounds is shut

off with rusting chains and polite
signs. Robots who disregard the offlimits signs will find a wide bank of
stark, empty cages, bearing names
like panthera leo, pan troglodytes,
and pygoscelis papua.

The Programmer may choose to

intertwine the Menageries goals
(and the existence of Behemoth and
Ziz) with the player robots larger
adventure. In this case, there are
several options for the Programmer:

Only a shawl of dust inhabits these

abandoned homes. The power has been
disconnected in this unused section,
and anything useful has long since
been stripped away by the Menagerie
or intruding robots.
Robots hoping to strike a bargain
with the Menagerie may find themselves
in dire straits the AI is paranoid,
miserly, and prone to taking
hostages. Its real weakness is its
limited resources, for with only a
few loyal robots and the constant
threat of feral outsiders, it has
little time to devote to warfare.

The PRs witness one of the

Menageries catchers lift off or
land. The locals know the catchers
are agents of the Menagerie, but
not what they are used for.
The Menagerie solicits a
MechaniCon-minded player robot to
build it a new catcher.
The PRs retrieve Behemoths copy
of the genetic information, and
discover clues pointing them
toward the Menageries laboratory.
The Menagerie learns of Behemoths
destruction (or imminent
shutdown) and recruits the PRs to
salvage its copy of the genetic
information.

113

The visitors center

Guests are invited by the omnipresent
signage to visit this building, and
the Menagerie devotes a large part
of its dwindling resources to the
buildings upkeep.

Things found in the visitors

center:
Interactive displays: Any robot
entering the visitors center will
trigger the automatic displays and
be prompted to follow an automated
tour around the main floor.
Gift shop: A plate-glass wall
decorated with faded posters and
stuffed animals separates this
room near the front entrance.
The shelves are piled with more
stuffed animals, snowglobes, mugs,
rolls of moldy posters, and a
small drugstore's worth of expired
headache medicine and sunscreen.
None of the locals are authorized
to vend any of the stock, so
if one sees the PRs inside the
shop it will reassure them that
"someone will see to you shortly".
Genetic laboratory: Behind a
sealed door (Durability 4, Damage
Threshold 5) lies an elevator car,
and in the basement is a wellstocked laboratory and incubation
center. The Menagerie hopes to use
this to recreate extinct forms of
life in order to restock its
exhibits.

The exhibits
Many of the exhibits are closed off
and darkened, but the Menagerie has
managed to keep some animals alive,
primarily birds.

114

Locations around
the Menagerie
The visitors center
The exhibits
The maintenance shed
Storage sheds
The gardens

Things found in the exhibits:

Birds: A few species of birds,
either caught by the Menageries
workers or kept since the zoo was
in use, are kept in glass cages.
Most of the birds are artificial
only about ten percent are
organic. These are universally in
poor health.
Goats: A single specimen of capra
aegagrus hircus resides here.
With no others of its kind in the
Menagerie, the goat is possibly
the last of its species.

Compost Area
The refuse bins in the area behind
the visitor's center serve as the
dumping ground for dead animals,
which in turn draws feral and wild
animals. The Programmer may decide if
there are any corpses present.

The maintenance shed

Storage sheds

This large metal building next to

the visitors center holds the
Menageries small stock of spare
parts. The sheds door is locked
to prevent outsiders from stealing
supplies, but if the player robots
manage to open it (or wait for a
local to do so) they will have access
to the Menageries meager repair
tools.

These flat-roofed sheds are full of

empty barrels marked with various
labels for animal feed. The barrels
are large enough to allow a robot
of Size 4 or smaller to hide inside
them. A few of the barrels near the
front have stored produce brought in
from the gardens.

Much of the equipment once used for

the defunct exhibits has been traded
off for what the Menagerie considers
to be more important, so only a few
lights and water pipes remain.

Things found in the maintenance

shed:
Repair equipment: Several large
pieces of repair equipment are
stored here. All TNs for repair or
building attempts are lowered by 1
while using the sheds equipment.
The equipment is too bulky to
remove from the shed. It is here
that the ParkPatrol constructs
the high-altitude catchers from
salvaged locals and outsiders.
Scrap bin: This rectangular
garbage bin is filled with bits and
pieces of robots formerly employed
by the Menagerie. When locals are
too used-up to continue service,
their parts are harvested and the
refuse dumped here. The PRs will
find little of value in the bin,
although they may be able to use
discarded casings as disguises.

The gardens
What was once an ornate display of
horticulture has become a miniature
farm, where the sole remaining
AgriMax robot tends crops for the
birds instead of exotic flowers.
The original signage remains the
Menagerie has not bothered to change
the displays to reflect the current
produce.
The only local encountered by the
player robots here is likely to be
the AgriMax, although other outsiders
may be hiding in the tall grass here,
waiting for the chance to sneak
farther onto the grounds.

Things found in the gardens:

Sprinkler system: Robots wandering
the gardens may be surprised
by the working sprinklers that
activate sporadically. The spray
is not enough to inflict the
Rusting defect, but the PRs may
not realize this.

115

ParkPatrol Lot and Grounds Maintenance Unit

UNIT NAME

The ParkPatrols job has

been much easier since
park attendance fell to
zero. Occasionally a scrap
of litter will blow in,
sending the small unit
racing to snatch it up and
maintain the pristine (if
crumbling) grounds.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Remove debris, trim weeds, report vandalism

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

4
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Disposal

Rating

Environmentally Attuned

Enhanced Cameras

Loose Connections

External Container (Size 5)

Power Cutoff

Floodlights
High Speed

It lacks any real repair

ability, so all vandalism
is reported directly to
the Menagerie. Usually
this involves rogue robots
trying to tear out pieces
of park infrastructure for
recycling, but if any of
the player robots break
something the ParkPatrol
will attempt to tattle
on them as well. It is
invariably sent back to
attempt patchwork repairs.
Like most of the locals,
the ParkPatrol suffers
from its Environmentally
Attuned defect if removed
from the park grounds.

Prehensile Limb
Telescoping Reach
Vacuum Nozzle

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!

COME BACK HERE! I'M
TELLING THE MANAGER!"
FeedStock trough nutrient dispenser
UNIT NAME

The FeedStock has seen

its duties diminish as
the animal population
in the Menagerie drops.
With only a few living
creatures left to attend
to, it spends much of its
time idling in the storage
sheds, waiting for the
AgriMax to deliver its
next supply of crops.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Stock animal pens with food

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

3
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

10
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Cargo Hauler (External Container)

Buggy Cameras

External Container (Size 5)

Environmentally Attuned

Internal Compartment (Size 5)

Low Speed

Liquid Dispenser (Size 5)

Noisy

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Slow Charger

Prehensile Limb
Vacuum Nozzle

The robots Cargo Hauler

feature doubles the
dimensions of its external
container to 130 cm on
each side. Enterprising
or desperate robots might
attempt to hide inside of
its external container.
The Programmer may opt to
make a Perception check
for the FeedStock to
notice any stowaways.
Repetitious in its duties,
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

Dura-Shine units employed
throughout the park, but
now only one remains
functioning. The others
have all been broken down
into scrap to serve the
Menagerie. The last unit
spends most of its time in
the two enclosures that
still contain organic
life.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Spray out animal enclosures

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

4
MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Biofrequency Scanner

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating
Compliant

Fan

The Dura-Shine was

designed to operate
inside the grounds of the
Menagerie, and suffers
from its Environmentally
Attuned defect if removed
from the area.

Environmentally Attuned

Liquid Dispenser (Size 5)

Prehensile Limb
Submersible

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

one capable of overseeing
the crops that the
Menageries remaining live
animals so desperately
need. Owing no loyalty
to the AI that usurped
the zoo, it has become an
outsider, the only robot
not under the Menageries
direct control, though it
has so far been able to
barter its stock of power
and repairs in exchange
for its craftsmanship. It
rarely leaves the gardens
except to recharge or
deliver crops to the
Menagerie.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Tend to decorative garden arrangements

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

Biofrequency Scanner

6
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Inflammable

Disposal

Plastic Casing

External Container (Size 4)

Power Cutoff

Floodlights

Rare Model

Liquid Dispenser (Size 3)

Rusting

Liquid Dispenser (Size 1)

Unreliable

Because of its plastic

casing (and its Inflammable
defect) the AgriMax is
almost as vulnerable to
fire as its wards.

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

retrieve the DNA information
not to reintroduce the
lifeforms to the wild, but
to raise them in captivity.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Design and administrate zoo decor

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

8
MAX

The Menageries Overriding

Directive defect compels it
to stock the exhibits in the
hopes of attracting human
visitors. It understands
that the feral robots who
enter the grounds looking
to steal equipment or power
are not customers, but with
only a few working robots
under its control it has a
very hard time asserting
its sovereignty.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS
Overriding Directive (Major)

Rating
3

A robot with a highly-rated

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

before the city begins, sits a low,
squat industrial building. Once it
was painted in various bright colors,
but now the exterior is flaking,
exposing the dull concrete gray
underneath. The toppled sign that
lies across the parking lot gives the
first clue as to what the building is:
LUCK E. DOG'S PIZZA & GAMES
Luck E. Dog's was once a run-of-themill family eating establishment,
with pizza and pasta to satisfy the
adults, and video games and indoor
playgrounds to satisfy the children.
Now, with no customers for years,
the locals are experiencing their own
form of cabin fever.
Like other family entertainment
centers of its day, Luck E. Dog's
included robotic versions of its
mascot characters. These robots were
designed not only to play instruments
but to wander around the dining room
and interact directly with guests.

Luck E. Dog, ever the optimist, wants

to leave the restaurant and seek out
humans, starting with the corporation
that once owned them. This would be a
simple plan if not for the MajorDomo
AI that oversees the building in the
absence of humans.
The AI has no appendages or
emissaries, but it nevertheless
maintains a stranglehold on Luck
E. Dog's because it controls the
charging ports spread throughout the
restaurant. It is convinced that
humans will return any day, and works
to ensure that the restaurant is
ready when they do so.
None of the locals have ever
ventured outside the restaurant,
and the MajorDomo uses the fear of
the world beyond the front doors to
keep order. The locals assume there
are no charging ports other than
the restaurant's generator, and may
be reluctant to leave (especially
when the MajorDomo threatens to
permanently cut them out of the
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

The show floor

Luck E's performing stage is here,
surrounded by an eating area with
several sets of tables and chairs.
Smaller robots might be able to find
hiding places under the tables, while
larger robots may be able to use them
as makeshift barricades and weapons.
A display case near the entrance is
stocked with all manner of cheap toys
and other small prizes.

Things found on the show floor:

Ticket card: Wedged between a
table and the wall is a card that
can be redeemed for a prize from
the display case. The PRs may
be able to use it as leverage
(or a distraction) against the
MajorDomo, since all of the locals
are duty-bound to help the owner
redeem it.
Display case: Several tiers
of prizes can be found here,
from marbles and stale candy to
EverPets and toy weapons. The
case is normally locked, but if
a local opens it to dispense a
prize, a robot may be able to
steal something with a successful
Reflexes check (TN 8).
Servo-Lux: Only one server remains
active, idling near the Line
Cook's delivery area. Because of
its ability to wheel quickly over
any flat surface, enterprising
robots might befriend (or hijack)
it as a means of transport (the
robot has a Buffer rating of 2 and
an OS Threshold of 3).

122

Locations around
Luck E. Dog's
The show floor
The arcade
The indoor playground
The kitchen
The parking lot

The indoor
playground
A series of semi-transparent plastic
tubes and slides, as well as a ballpit, fills the entirety of this space.
The only locals small enough to fit
inside are the CarpetSharks, and the
lot of them have made it their home.
The MajorDomo sees this as a breach
of protocol and would dearly love to
get them out, but the only thing the
CarpetSharks like less than messes
is listening to the MajorDomo. The
two sides have reached a stalemate
- it refuses to let them charge
unless they clean, and they refuse to
clean unless it lets them charge. If
the balance could somehow be upset
one way or the other, the winning
side would be very grateful for the
assistance.

Things found in the

indoor playground:
Ball pit: This large rectangular
area looks deceptively stable, but
robots with Size ratings of 1 or 2
will sink out of sight as soon as
they enter. A Mobility check (TN
8) is required to escape, although
larger robots may be able to fish
their smaller companions out.

 Climbing tubes: Only robots with

Size ratings of 3 or lower can
fit inside this maze of tubes. The
Programmer may require PRs to make
several Mobility checks (TN 8) to
move throughout the tubes.
CarpetShark graveyard: Near the
back of the climbing tubes is a
U-bend filled with the casings of
dead CarpetSharks, dragged to
their final resting place by their
fellow units. Outsiders landing
in the pile may be surprised, as
one or two active CarpetSharks are
also lounging there.

The arcade
Dozens of video games, skill tosses
and other interactive machinery are
housed here. The MajorDomo keeps them
turned off to conserve power, but
this could change instantly, throwing
the restaurant into a confusion of
noise and light - something that all
of the locals are used to. Outsiders
caught in the active arcade must
succeed in a Buffer check (TN 8) or
have their Mobility and Perception
ratings degrade by 1. This loss
persists until they leave the area or
the arcade is turned off.

The kitchen
Half-burned by an electrical fire, the
only things still operating in the
kitchen are the refrigerator and the
Line Cook. If a robot manages to get
stuck inside the refrigerator, the
only way out is through the Line Cook
and ten meters of kneading, rolling,
chopping and baking. The robot must
succeed in a Mobility check (TN 8)
each round until it can move a total
of 10 meters.
A failed check means the Line Cook
inflicts 2 points of damage and the
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.

The parking lot

This expanse of pitted and cracked
asphalt is mostly empty, save for the
husks of one or two vehicles. At the
Programmer's discretion, the cars may
have scavengeable materials inside,
or they may already be picked over.
Restaurants like Luck E. Dog's were
generally located in strip malls and
other commercial districts, so it may
be only one of several locations of
note in the area.

Things found in the

parking lot:
Bomb craters: At some point in
the past a squadron of Red bombers
mistook the parking lot for a
military target and delivered a
salvo that broke up the surface
and exposed the underside. Small
ponds have formed in places, and
there may even be an entrance to
the sewers beneath the City.
EZ-Drop: This giant (Size 6) robot
sits motionless at the far edge of
the parking lot, awaiting humans
to deposit waste for recycling.
Unsurprisingly its storage bin
is almost empty, and the EZ-Drop
is not above snatching up small
robots that stray too close.
The Programmer may choose to
illustrate its Disposal feature
on a small wandering local; a more
malevolent Programmer may decide
the EZ-Drop bids the PRs to come
closer.
Garden: A corner of the parking
lot has been turned over enough
to give purchase to a small jungle
of weeds. The stocking robot from
the nearby supermarket may be
found here, harvesting "produce"
to fill its shelves. The weeds are
tall enough to obscure any robots
smaller than Size 5.

123

Bremen Corp. Amusement Unit 'Luck E. Dog' model

UNIT NAME

As the leader of the troupe,

Luck E. Dog is the heart and
soul of the restaurant. The
other robots look to him for
down-home advice, and he tries
to do what he thinks is best
for them. Because of who he is,
Luck E. is considered the most
irreplaceable by the MajorDomo.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human crowds

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

3
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Loudspeaker

Overheating

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Rare Model

Secondary Battery

Slow Charger

His human-interaction
programming makes him humble
to a fault, and he could play
a mean banjo (although his
instrument, like all the others,
is in need of serious repair).
This same programming has begun
to wear on him, as the thought
of vanished crowds of human
children replay over and over in
his mind.

Workhorse

"AW, SHUCKS."

Bremen Corp. Amusement Unit 'Miss Kitty' model

UNIT NAME

A sassy, fiery gal with a

songbird voice, she could also
play the fiddle.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human crowds

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Loudspeaker

Rare Model

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Slow Charger

Secondary Battery

While not designed for it,

her nimble paws have resulted
in her and Shakes becoming
the de facto repair units for
the other locals. This even
extends to the CarpetSharks that
normally avoid contact with the
other robots. Thanks to Miss
Kitty's egalitarian mindset
the CarpetSharks trust her and
may be willing to follow her
suggestions.

7
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Rating

FEATURES

124

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

"YOU FOLKS AIN'T

LEAVIN' WITHOUT
HEARING US PLAY,
ARE YOU?"

Bremen Corp. Amusement Unit 'Donkey Oatey' model

UNIT NAME

Donkey Oatey is the backbone

of the band, figuratively and
literally during his solo
performance where he plays
with Miss Kitty and Shakes the
Rooster both perched on top of
his shoulders. The largest of
the four, he is, as he fondly
states, "none too bright, but
always helpful". He played both
the washboard and the jug, and
tapped out percussion with his
hooves.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human crowds

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

1
7

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

CURRENT

As befitting his personality

programming, Donkey Oatey will
follow along with anything Luck
E. Dog suggests, but will not
leave the restaurant on his own.

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

3
MAX

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Loudspeaker

Rare Model

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Slow Charger

Secondary Battery

Unreliable

Bremen Corp. Amusement Unit 'Shakes The Rooster' model

UNIT NAME

Smallest of the four band

members, Shakes is the height
of a human child. He played
gutbucket bass.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human crowds

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

0
10

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Like Miss Kitty, his nimbleness

has made him a decent repair
mechanic, but he tends to
squabble with the CarpetSharks
over debris found on the ground.

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)
k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Loudspeaker

Rare Model

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Slow Charger

Secondary Battery

A coward through and through,

he always had to be talked into
things by the rest of the cast.
This will extend to the locals'
possible exodus, where Shakes
will take the most convincing
and likely be the last unit out
the door.

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

"YOU ALWAYS NEED TO

DO THE RIGHT THING
ALL THE TIME."

"WHO LET YOU IN?"

125

CarpetShark
UNIT NAME

The CarpetSharks, while less

numerous than they were at
the height of the restaurant's
popularity, can still be found
en masse.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Clean and remove carpet spills

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

2
MAX

These small, flat, ovoid robots

were designed to zip about to
quickly clean up spills and
messes. Now they're barely
controlled and have taken
up residence in the indoor
playground. They can't abide a
mess, though, and will swarm to
prevent one.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

3
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

13

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Common Model

Rating
Plastic Casing

Flexible Body
High Speed

They are universally distrustful

of outsiders, and even afraid
of most of the locals. The only
exception is Shakes the Rooster,
whom the CarpetSharks often seem
to go out of their way to annoy
and harass.

Internal Compartment
Liquid Dispenser

"MOVE IT,
BUSTER!"

Bremen Corp. MajorDomo Unit Managerial Software

UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Oversee restaurant location

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

11
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

DEFECTS

"IS EVERYONE READY TO

HAVE A GREAT TIME?"

126

k/hour
m/round

The MajorDomo AI is not

malevolent toward the other
locals (or outsiders, for that
matter). Indeed, it is wholly
concerned with their physical
well-being and readiness to
perform when customers do
arrive. Unfortunately, it can't
be easily persuaded to let Luck
E. Dog and the other performers
leave, since that would
invalidate the entire operation.
The Programmer may decide that
one of the following ideas may
succeed:

An outsider with the Android

feature arrives to "rent"
the band for a party held at
another location.

The PRs smuggle Luck E.

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

Rating

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
member, server, and CarpetShark
swarming them to prevent it.

The Border

The border was easy to spot, even for the snuffers

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 Masters agents had discovered a
stockpile of working missiles.

128

By the time the player robots reach

the border, they should already be
fairly acclimated to the realities of
the City.
Crossing the border into the Red City
may be terrifying or disastrous for
the PRs, depending on whether or not
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
the PRs may be questioned, harassed,
intimidated, or apprehended.
If there are no Red lookouts in the
area, the player robots may cross
the border freely. Depending on the
Programmers plans, the PRs may cross
deep into the Red City before they
are spotted, or be immediately chased
away from the border to illustrate
its hostile nature.

The Red Master is extremely paranoid

and will likely assume that the PRs
are spies or servants of the Green
Master. While the denizens of the
Green City are allowed to go about
their daily business, the Red Master
reprograms any dissenters on its side
of the border.

This chapter includes optional rules

for using firearms in combat. The
Programmer may choose to use these
rules for agents of the Red City that
carry projectile weapons. The player
robots may also come to possess these
weapons the Programmer should limit
access to ammunition if the weapons
become a disruption to the game.

129

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

Hidden courtyard
In the dead space between four
huge buildings lies this overgrown
and shaded jungle in miniature,
an area completely overlooked by
the Red Master (for the moment). A
nondescript break in the corrugated
metal fence is the only way in or
out. The few refugee robots using the
courtyard as sanctuary will share
what they know with the PRs, but only
if they believe that the outsiders
will not expose their secret world.
At some point in the past a
rudimentary solar panel was installed
in the center of the courtyard
with a single charging dock. At the
Programmer's discretion it may not
function in cloudy weather.

Detainment center
Robots captured by agents of the Red
City are taken to this warehouse for
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

Locations around
the Red City
Art museum
Hidden courtyard
Detainment center
The armory
Hidden warehouse
Train station
UFO crash site
The sewers

Several other captive robots are

jailed here. Some of the robots
encountered by the PRs earlier in
their adventure may be found inside
the detainment center, either
awaiting processing alongside the
PRs or already reprogrammed to serve
the Red City. A pair of large (Size
5) robots and several lesser models
guard this place, but the PRs may
be able to stage a mass breakout
alongside the other prisoners.

Things found in the detainment

center:
Room 10101: This white-paneled
office is home to the DataCharger
robot that reprograms detainees
to become loyal citizens of the
Red City. The office is also home
to a charging dock on one wall. A
benevolent Programmer may decide
that the DataCharger is currently
recharging its battery when the
player robots are brought inside
the office, giving them time to
escape.

The armory

Hidden warehouse

In the time of the humans, service

robots like those under the sway
of the Red Master were not allowed
to bear weapons. Now such armaments
are stockpiled here, in carefullycatalogued row upon row of rifles,
grenades, and surface-to-air
missiles.

Deep in the center of the Red City

lies a nondescript warehouse that has
been awaiting inspection for years.
If the PRs find their way inside
they will discover rows of unopened
crates, each holding a brand-new
nuclear-powered construction robot.

The flying bombardiers orbiting the

skyscrapers are outfitted from the
armory, as are the zealous machinegun snipers who guard theoretically
important stretches of the border.

Optional rule: Firearms

The Programmer may choose to disallow
the PRs from making use of firearms,
either by limiting ammunition or by
ruling that the weapons have decayed
and are no longer usable. If the
Programmer wishes to bring firearms
into the game, the following rule may
be used.
The robot activating a firearm rolls
its RealityCom + Reflexes. The TN is
the target robots TN to be Struck. A
firearms damage is its base damage +
the number of successes. Suggestions
for base damage are 1 (pistol or
rifle), 2 (shotgun), 3 (grenade), and
4 (rocket launcher).
For example, a Billy-GO lawn care
robot gets its manipulative limb on a
pistol and attempts to use it against
another robot. The Billy-GO rolls its
RealityCom + Reflexes and gets 5,3,9,1
and 2. The target robots TN to be
Struck is 6, so the pistol inflicts
two points of damage (one for being
a pistol, and one for the Billy-GOs
one success).

There are two different types

(both Size 4) which will respond to
activation with Hup-hup! Where is
our supervisor? and Hup-hup! Lets
get to work! respectively. An entire
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.

Train station
This transport hub in the heart of
the Red City may be the fastest way
for player robots to escape with
their circuitry intact, but the
station is swarming with locals
and police robots, and all the
trains are controlled by the Red
Master. Huge video screens issue
dire warnings of unspecified danger,
and commuters are advised by the
thunderous loudspeakers and constant
wireless broadcasts to Report all
malfunctioning or subversive robots
immediately.

Things found in the train

station:
Baggage carts: These automated
baggage handlers are extremely
wary of stowaways, but clever
PRs might be able to disguise
themselves as objects to be
transported to other locations.

131

UFO crash site

Any robots found at this location
must navigate past guards, barricades
and warning signs ordering them to
turn back. In the center of it all is
an object the Red Master has deemed
a high-risk security concern: a
Cloudfarer CF-25 autonomous weather
balloon that was downed in a freak
weather accident.
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
investigate the crash site. If the
balloon is repaired, it may act as an
eye in the sky, helping them avoid
agents of the Red City in the area.

The sewers
With few organic by-products to be
filtered, the sewers are one of the
cleanest parts of the City, although
not the most well-maintained. The
(mostly) unused tunnels run from the
Red City all the way to the Green,
providing a potential escape route.
In areas where the infrastructure has
collapsed, any robot larger than Size
1 must make a Mobility check or have
its movement rating halved (round
down) until it clears the rubble. The
number of successes needed is equal
to the robot's Size rating -1.
The sewers are also home to tribes
of feral robots who remain active by
siphoning power from the city above
or making forays to the surface.
These robots are paranoid of invaders
(and rightly so), making them
adversarial at best and cannibalistic
at worst.

132

Water-filled areas present their own

challenges, and robots unprotected
from its effects may find themselves
with the Rusting defect (without the
benefit of any points gained). The
rust may be removed with a successful
repair check (the TN is the normal
TN to repair that robot, and only
one success is required). At the
Programmers discretion, robots swept
away by the sewer currents may find
themselves carried all the way to the
Farm.

Blackout market
Inside a seemingly derelict packaging
factory lies a crowded market teeming
with free-willed robots. Machines
with the Overriding Directive defect
trade for containers of dish soap
or unopened cans of soda to stock
their internal storage compartments,
and one enterprising robot has even
brought in an off-brand nuclear
generator with three charging docks
that it rents by the hour. The PRs
can find repairs, supplies, and even
a guide here, but none of the locals
will do anything for free.

Things found in the blackout

market:
Re-Bolt: The PRs can permanently
exchange a Feature for one with
a lower cost. Defects may not be
removed in this manner.
Overclocker: A PR can permanently
raise one Intelligence rating
by 1 by having its Power rating
permanently lowered by 1. Ratings
may not be raised above 5 or below
1 in this manner.
Slaver: These burly robots
ply the market looking for new
acquisitions. Careless robots
who become separated from their
companions may find themselves
carried away in clamps.

MAITRE D'TOUS Customer Interaction Equipment

UNIT NAME

The Maitre d' is a hardworking

machine that loves his job
- unfortunately, most of the
less-durable displays have
started to fall apart. The art
museum has been a free state
until now, and the Maitre d'
will be very grateful to any
outsiders who can help him
fend off the demolition robots
long enough to escape with
several of the more prominent
pieces of artwork.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Socialize and wheedle humans to sell art pieces

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

5
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Android

Compliant

Enhanced Cameras

Environmentally Attuned

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Inferior Model
Loose Connections
Overheating

Slow Charger

Unreliable

Knock Steady Light Residential Demolition Unit

UNIT NAME

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating
Anchor

Cargo Hauler

4
CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Low Speed
Noisy

Floodlights

Rusting

Jack

Slow Charger

Specialty Chassis (crushing)

The Type A model is shown

here - Type B models have
the Vice Grip feature
instead of the Saw feature.
Both kinds are bristling
with flashing warning lights,
and both kinds emit a steady
beeping when moving in any
direction.

Conspicuous

External Container (Size 5)

Saw

"STOP! THAT'S
PRICELESS!"

These large yellow boxes are

slow but nearly unstoppable,
a fact that has endeared
them to the Red Master in
its schemes to renovate
the City. They are poor
conversationalists and have
only one objective: obey
the Red Master's orders to
demolish the art museum.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Demolish blighted neighborhoods

He resembles a handsome human

of indeterminable ethnicity,
dressed in the style of
Hollywood's golden age. While
his clothes are tattered he
still carries himself with the
same air he once used when
moving about the high society
parties that have long since
ended.

"ORDERS ARE
ORDERS."

133

Load Lifter
UNIT NAME

This large orange robot has a

menacing arm and an even more
menacing demeanor, thanks to
the Red Master. Detainees
that resist or try to escape
will find themselves caught in
its vice grip.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Move goods to and from shipping crates

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

6
MAX

CURRENT

A swath of its casing has

been painted blue, with
POLICE stenciled on it in
white. The erstwhile officer
is mute, so all exchanges are
through the text-only display
screen on its face. This
keeps communication terse,
which suits the Red Master.

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Anchor

Buggy Mic

Armored Chassis

Model Error

Display Screen

Manual Feature (Winch)

Jack

Mute

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Power Cutoff

Vice Grip

Winch

Rare Model

"TROUBLEMAKERS?
GET BACK IN LINE."

CleanSweeper
UNIT NAME

Deputized alongside the

Load Lifter, this sky-blue
robot was chosen largely for
its ability to push other
machines around and act as a
convenient barrier to escape.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Clean sports stadiums and other public venues

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

4
MAX

Its Overriding Directive

flaw compels it to clean the
floors of the impromptu jail
whenever possible. Outsiders
may be able to take advantage
of this by luring it with
litter. The large underside
floor buffer looks menacing,
but is completely harmless
aside from its liquid
dispenser.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Cargo Hauler (Internal Compartment)

Overriding Directive (Major)

Fan

Plastic Casing

Internal Compartment (Size 5)

Simple Programming

Liquid Dispenser (Size 5)

Prehensile Limb
Vacuum Nozzle

134

As a vestigial leftover of
its original safety-first
programming, its winch can
only be operated by a human
(or another robot).

"YOU HAVE THE

RIGHT TO REMAIN HEY, WHO TRACKED
THAT IN HERE?"

Dragonfly Aerial Monitor

UNIT NAME

These robots were once used

to check accident sites for
injured humans, but now they
have been repurposed to
serve as flying bombardiers
in the service of the Red
City. Each one leaves the
Armory carrying a single
bomb of some kind, and
patrols a set area until it
discharges its armament or
its battery runs low.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Survey accident scenes

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Flight Ceiling

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating
Lightweight

Loose Connections
Plastic Casing

Simple Programming

The Programmer may decide

the bombardiers carry
propaganda leaflets, buckets
of brightly-colored paint
for marking future targets,
or bombs. Explosive bombs
inflict 3 points of damage
each. The Programmer may
opt to roll a d10 each time
a bomb is dropped; on a
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 wellthrown rock.

"TARGET SIGHTED."

SpeedyServ Transit Cart

UNIT NAME

These hyperactive carts whir

about the train station
carrying parcels shipped by
automated systems elsewhere
in the City.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Move luggage for train customers

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

3
MAX

They avoid each other and

jealously squabble over
packages, but the machines
have no qualms about
bowling over other robots
that stray into their paths.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

7
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

10

"MOVE IT,
SLOWPOKE!"

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Cargo Hauler (External Container)

Buggy Cameras

External Container Size 5)

Environmentally Attuned (Airport)

High Speed

Overheating

Manipulative Limb (Standard) x4

Plastic Casing

Prehensile Limb

Power Cutoff

Specialty Chassis (Carrying)

135

Cloudfarer CF-25 Autonomous Weather Balloon

UNIT NAME

In the center of the

quarantined area lies the
source of the Red Master's
current worries - a bulbous
white object with a
billowing canvas bag.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Observe low-altitude weather phenomena

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

8
MAX

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

Flight Ceiling

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)
k/hour
m/round

3
DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

If the player robots arrive

before the authorities,
they may be able to help
it re-launch. Its current
Damage Threshold has been
reduced to 2, rendering it
grounded. Only a single
point of repair is needed,
but without limbs the robot
cannot repair itself.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Rating
Limbless

High Altitude

Slow Charger

Solar Powered

Weak Chassis

Compact Caddy Waste-Processing Unit

UNIT NAME

Some robots have managed to

cut a deal with the agents
of the Red Master, bringing
them hapless machines to be
reprogrammed for its army
in exchange for power and
other supplies. This unit is
no different - as a former
junkyard worker, its size
and strength make it ideal
for carrying off smaller
robots.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Move and sort heavy garbage loads.

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

Armored Chassis

6
CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

9
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

Rating
Overheating

Floodlights

Power Cutoff

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Unreliable

Nuclear Battery
Specialty Chassis (Carrying)
Vice Grip

"YOU'RE COMING WITH ME."

136

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

"I JUST NEED TO

GET BACK ON MY
FEET."

The Caddy resembles a tall

yellow box on wheels,
with a large open space
on its face used to pin
other robots. The blackand-white checkered stripe
inside is smeared with oil
and internal fluids that it
rarely bothers to clean.
If a player robot is caught
by the Caddy, the other
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
City can pick them up.

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

a prowling menace that abducts stray
robots to add to its ever-growing
collection. For the adopted residents
of the Putt-Putt Village miniature
golf course, every day is filled with
dread that it will return.

The Grill King, seeing every local

as a valued employee, is desperate
for the Princess's safe return.
Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the
Princess's abduction was aided by
the Grill King's advisor, the android
political aide Janice Rosie.

The Drag-N is a malfunctioning

towing unit, originally designed to
clear away deactivated robots, small
stalled vehicles, and other unsightly
leavings. In the years since then, it
has developed the habit of hoarding
its finds, unwilling to let any of
them go - even the ones that are
still active.

Using the Drag-N to dispose of her

enemies was a long tradition for
Janice, and when the Princess came
close to discovering the advisor
meeting with outsiders in a plot to
overthrow the Grill King, Janice
arranged to place the Princess in a
spot where the Drag-N could easily
snatch it up during the chaos.

Shortly before the PRs become

involved, a wandering Docbox came
across the Drag-N's lair by accident,
and managed to not only repair
several robots, but also to escape
before the Drag-N returned. Knowing
immediately upon its return that its
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.

As far as most of the locals know,

the Village's charging dock is the
only one in the area. The farwandering delivery robot Bee-Bot
knows otherwise, but it is currently
imprisoned along with the Princess in
the depths of the Drag-N's lair.

When the PRs arrive at the Putt-Putt

Village, the locals are in the final
stages of cleaning up after the DragN'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

Snack Castle
Presiding over the entirety of the
Village stands the 18th hole of the
Snack Castle, centerpiece of the golf
course and home of the Grill King,
last surviving member of the course's
original employees. Along with the
King, two other locals reside here the Flackberry that serves as a court
recorder, and the CulinAce.
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
the lake.
At one time patrons would make their
final putt and try to knock the
golf ball into a target beyond the
castle's drawbridge. When the water
trap collapsed, it took the back edge
of the building with it, and now any
robot that treads carelessly or too
speedily over the drawbridge may find
itself tumbling helplessly into the
depths of the lake.
If the Programmer wishes, this aspect
of the Snack Castle may be used as a
way to trap and defeat the Drag-N.

Things found in
the Snack Castle:
Charging dock: The only known (and
working) charging dock in the area
is here in the Snack Castle. It is
easy to get to, but only the Grill
King can override the lock and
allow other robots to charge. The
dock may only be used by one robot
at a time.
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

Locations around the

Putt-Putt Village
Snack Castle
Rental shack
Junk pile
Blacksmith Shop
Water trap
Witch's Hut
The Drag-N's lair

Rental shack
Janice Rosie lives here, close to the
Grill King's ear but secluded from
the prying eyes of suspicious locals.
The back door of the shack looks
onto the street outside the course,
which serves as an ideal way for her
to clandestinely meet with outside
robots to further her schemes.

Things found in
the rental shack:
Clubs: Several racks of short
putting clubs are stored along the
walls, along with three buckets
full of golf balls.
Outsiders: Janice secretly
employs a network of outside
robots to further her schemes of
overthrowing the Grill King and
returning the world to normalcy
with or without the humans.
She takes pains to hide these
visitors, but astute or sneaky PRs
may be able to eavesdrop on her
plotting.

Junk pile

Water trap

A few broken golf obstacles have

been dragged here, out of view of
any potential customers behind the
Witch's Hut - most of these set
pieces were broken when the Drag-N
rampaged through last time.

At one time, this was a simple

ankle-deep depression that imposed
no real penalty other than the
possibility of wet shoes. In the
years since the humans disappeared,
the ground underneath the water trap
has collapsed, creating a miniature
ravine-lake studded with broken
pieces of concrete and rock that
winds around the back side of the
Snack Castle and juts up against the
junk pile behind the Witch's Hut.

The remains of a windmill are most

visible, as well as a cluster of
trees with a small sign reading
SHERWOOD FOREST dangling from
it, and a handful of other quasimedieval scale models, all smashed
and unusable. The Programer may
decide that these can be repaired any robot that does so will earn the
gratitude of the Grill King.

Things found in
the junk pile:
When not serving as the village
crier, the SkyEye may be found
here, loudly narrating the state
of the wrecked scenery. It will
treat the "discovery" like a hot
news scoop, and may harass the PRs
to provide commentary or to accuse
them of being involved in the
destruction.

Blacksmith Shop
Anyone attempting to enter the
Blacksmith Shop must avoid the
rhythmic hammering that bars the
door. The hammer does not have enough
force to damage any robots caught
underneath, but it does effectively
block access to the structure's
interior.
Sister Aelin resides here, as she is
one of the few robots small enough to
fit inside the entrance. Only robots
with Size ratings of 1 may enter the
Blacksmith Shop without incident.

The area behind the Snack Castle is

particularly deep and barren, and any
robot without the Submersible feature
will quickly sink and be unable to
escape the depths unaided.

Things found in
the water trap:
Waterwheel: A crooked - but
functioning - waterwheel stands
along one edge of the lake. Unlike
the genuine article, this wheel is
powered by the same supply from
which the Village's charging dock
draws.

Witch's Hut
Players once had to contend with a
sweeping broom held by a heckling,
cackling android, but now the witch
is long gone and the only part of the
14th hole is the fiberglass storybook
house where Will, Punbot, and Addie
are sheltered.

Things found in
the Witch's Hut:
Will: The bodiless android spends
most of his time stationary here,
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
machines - smashed vehicles, looming
husks of deactivated robots, and
various other tarnished and bent
pieces of equipment have been amassed
here, heaped into ever-spreading
piles of shadow.
The miasma of spilled oil and broken
circuitboards is thick in the air,
and the roof of the garage creaks
in the wind and scrapes against
the piles, creating a near-constant
noise. Any robot attempting to move
around inside the garage must make
a Buffer check (TN 8) or become
disoriented by the labyrinthine
stacks of deactivated robots and find
itself trapped inside the garage.
A robot remains trapped until it
succeeds with a Perception check to
find its way back to the exit. The TN
for a disoriented robot to find the
exit is equal to 5 + the number of
rounds the robot has been trapped
(maximum TN of 10).
It should go without saying that
any robots caught in the Drag-N's
lair when it returns will likely
be savaged until they are unable
to attempt an escape, before being
discarded into the growing pile of
its ill-gotten treasure.
Not far from the Drag-N's lair is
a secluded charging dock where
the giant often spends long hours
lounging, recharging its cavernous
battery. The PRs are free to use it,
assuming they are willing to brave
the chance that the Drag-N will not
return while they are doing so!

142

Things found in
the Drag-N's lair:
Pamper Princess: The object of
the Grill King's latest source
of worry can be found here,
locked away at the top of a
towering stack of office equipment,
deactivated robots, and other
salvaged debris. The Princess is
still active, although its casing
sustained slight damage during the
transition to the Drag-N's lair something that causes a significant
amount of fretting, even more so
than its current predicament. Only
robots with Size ratings of 6 or
higher may reach the Princess,
although smaller robots may stack
themselves on top of each other to
increase their total height.
Bee-Bot: This Honeypot Couriers
delivery unit was caught and
dragged back to the Drag-N's lair,
but is still in working order,
merely imprisoned inside a cage
created by a tangled mess of
machine parts. As a far-ranging
robot, it knows of several hidden
and still-working charging docks
in the area that it makes use of
on its delivery runs, and will
gladly share this information with
the PRs if they help it escape.
Such information would be of major
importance to the residents of
the Putt-Putt Village, and would
alleviate their reliance on the
Village's sole charging dock, as
well as potentially assuaging
Janice's plans to usurp the crown
of the Grill King.

Grill King
UNIT NAME

Kindly and benevolent,

the Grill King is the
sole surviving member of
the Putt-Putt Village's
original robotic staff.
In the years since they
were left on their own,
the King has worked hard
to bring in new labor,
increasing the Village's
population by offering up
the only resource of note
- the Village's single
charging dock.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Flash-cook consumables for humans

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

6
MAX

8
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Disposal

Rating
Inferior Model

Heat Resistant

Loose Connections

Internal Compartment (Size 4)

The King is most concerned

with upkeep to the Village
and its residents, and
outside robots may be able
to bargain with the King
for aid in the struggle
against the Drag-N.

Manual Feature (Disposal)

Rack

Rare

Model

Top-Heavy

"GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT!"

Pamper Princess Total Home Salon Unit

UNIT NAME

While most of the units

in this line were owned
by wealthy socialites,
this Princess originally
worked in the center court
at Rossum's Universal
Galleria, harassing
passers-by for five-minute
makeovers, while-you-wait
highlights, and other
unnecessary necessities of
modern life.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Assist humans in achieving aesthetic perfection

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

6
MAX

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Display Screen

Enhanced Cameras

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Exposed Power Switch

High Maintenance

Fan

Overriding Directive (Major)

Floodlights

Poor Acceleration

Internal Compartment (Size 3)

Power Cutoff

Liquid Dispenser (Size 2)

Rare Model

This programming has

carried over to the
Princess's current
situation, as its
overriding directive
compels it to attempt
to give makeovers to any
new strangers it meets,
whether or not they're
human.

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,

super-mobile business aide
made for the high-powered
executive with too much money
and not enough free time. It
would hover nearly-silently
and follow its owner, taking
orders, keeping notes,
translating languages, and
more.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Assist humans with business, take notes, etc.

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

6
MAX

3
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Rating

Databank

Exposed Power Switch

Display Screen

Lightweight

Enhanced Microphone

Limbless

Flight Ceiling

Rare Model

Wireless Transceiver

Slow Charger

This particular model has

been taken in by the Grill
King and now serves as an
official court recorder. It
also serves as Janice's
unknowing spy, monitoring
the Village's charging
dock's usage so she can
better decide which robot to
eliminate next.

Created by Saihenjin
2

Weak Chassis

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

AdBot Mark VII

UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Display possible clothing combinations to humans

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating
Agile

Display Screen
High Speed
Turbo

5
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

7
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

14

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
High Maintenance

10

Limbless

Bubbly, perky, always

underfoot - these
qualities helped the AdBot
line push sales into the
black every quarter,
even if the customers
didn't like it. While
the actual body is less
than a meter high, the
projected 3D image of
a human female is used
during sales attempts, as
it can display thousands
of different outfits and
combinations.
"Addie Marcus" is no
different - a wheeled
half-sphere with the
personality of a juniormiss department clerk.
She treats herself like
a human (or at least a
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

in a now-vanished suburbia
near the Putt-Putt
Village. It showed up one
day, VariPot in tow, and
managed to convince the
Grill King that without
appropriate support staff,
the Village might be
overwhelmed by the volume
of orders once the human
customers started showing
up again.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Prepare requested food for humans

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

2
7

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

4
MAX

6
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

1d10 +

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Rating

Attendant Swarm

Buggy Mic

Display Screen

Environmentally Attuned

Disposal

Exposed Power Switch

Prehensile

Overriding Directive (Major)

Rack

Saw
Telescoping Limb

(x2)

Since then it has stood

ever-vigilant, preparing
elaborate-and-certainlyoverpriced-for-thislocale dishes with a mad
scientist's zeal for
trying new recipes. The
CulinAce's Overriding
Directive compels it to
experiment with whatever
ingredients are at hand,
whether or not they're
edible by humans.

Vacuum Nozzle

"THE SECRET IS A DASH OF GRAVEL."

VariPot drone
UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Assist CulinAce with food preparation

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

FEATURES
Cargo Hauler (External Container)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

1
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

3
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

The VariPot drone serves

as the duo's Igor, and
does the actual cooking
in its single large selfheating pot (a feature
that makes up the bulk of
the drone).

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

An additional liquid
dispenser, designed for
use as a fire extinguisher
during the times when the
CulinAce gets a little
too liberal with its flash
points, can be filled with
any room-temperature
liquid.

Created by Matthew Power

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

staggeringly unethical corporation
would have risked building the Vi11, a self-improving intelligence
who could scheme, murder, and
betray its creators.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Serve as cautionary tale of evil robots run amok

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

8
MAX

So naturally those horrible people

were all very disappointed that
the Vi-11s hardly did any of those
things. Not a force for evil, not
much of a force for good, once
activated most Vi-11s didn't do
much at all.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

Databank

Hardened Programming

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)
k/hour
m/round

0
DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating
Limbless
Low Speed

Nuclear Battery

Plastic Casing

Poor Acceleration
Response Lag

Top-Heavy

Weak Chassis

This particular unit, "Will",

seems mostly interested in the
music of Chopin, whistling
birdsong, and birdwatching. He's
very talkative and informative,
especially on the subject of
ornithology. The lack of a body
below his neck hasn't dampened
his spirits, although it has made
it more challenging for him to
counter Janice's machinations.
He's probably not one of the
bad robots, and probably isn't
scheming to make the PRs meet with
a horrible accident.

Wide Turner

Probably.

"TRUST ME."

Created by IV

WarKidz Workshop "Sister Aelin" 28mm microcombatant

UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Replicate fantasy battles for basement-dwelling humans

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating
Agile

Armored Chassis

5
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)
Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating
Inferior Model
Lightweight

Cutting Laser

Overriding Directive (Minor)

Flexible Body

Power Cutoff

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Rare Model

Sister Aelin has expanded

far beyond the boundaries
of her line's original
processing ability, and
somewhere along the line,
one unchecked expansion
caused a religious
revelation of sorts.
She came back online a
changed robot, driven by a
nebulous goal of returning
the humans to existence.
Unfortunately, she has
little idea about how
exactly to carry out her
new calling.
A tiny "meltergun", once
used for destroying
robotic space monster
adversaries, now serves as
an adequate weapon when
her overriding directive
forces her to leave the
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

in a fleet of aerial newsgathering robots used by a
sensationalistic and oftdecried (but never revoked)
news organization during
the time of the humans,
this SkyEye has been pushed
over the edge by their
disappearance and the
resulting disharmony. These
days, it roams around the
fringe of the Village and
beyond, seeing evidence of
a mass robot rebellion in
every burned-out building
and downed power line.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Locate and exploit news-worthy content

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

4
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Enhanced Cameras

Conspicuous

Flight Ceiling

Lightweight

Floodlights

Limbless

Loudspeaker

Loose Connections

Wireless Transceiver

Overriding Directive (Major)

Poor Acceleration

While the SkyEye itself

is fairly harmless, its
constant loud reporting,
sweeping searchlights,
and booming loudspeaker
often serve to attract
unwanted attention to its
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

wholesome entertainment,
the Whittier line flourished
using improvised word-based
humor to draw forth amused
and nuanced chuckles from
the crowds.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Entertain human guests using word-based humor

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

8
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

5
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Android

Compliant

Databank

Model Error

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Noisy

"SUBMARINE BOTS WILL NEVER SURPASS

YACHT BOTS. EVEN THE BEST ONES ARE
SUB-OPTIMAL."

Unfortunately for this

unit, it was smashed to
near-ruin and its processor
was repaired with extensive
"borrowing" from a semicompatible thesaurus robot.
This had the unfortunate
side-effect of heavily
skewing the Whittier's
humor algorithms toward
puns, earning it the
nickname "Punbot".
These days Punbot has found
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

147

Honeypot Couriers Inc. Honeypot Courier "Bee-Bot"

UNIT NAME

Like its lesser kin, this BeeBot is programmed to utilize both

conventional and unconventional
means in the pursuit of shipment
completion. Unfortunately, it
was no match for the Drag-N, and
is currently languishing in the
shadows, far from the sunlight its
battery requires.

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Deliver packages for Honeypot Couriers Inc.

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

5
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

One of the most well-traveled

robots in the City, it knows of
a scattering of secret charging
docks that it makes use of on its
delivery trips, and will share
this information with the PRs in
exchange for its freedom.

7
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

13
DEFECTS

Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

Rating

Cargo Hauler

Conspicuous

Display Screen

Noisy

External Container (Size 4)

Overriding Directive (Major)

High Speed

Overriding Directive (Minor)

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Rare Model

Secondary Battery

Its overriding directives compel it

to make every attempt to deliver
packages on time (Major), and to
ensure that no Honeypot Couriers
Inc. property is damaged in the
course of said deliveries.

Created by Bee-Bot

Solar Powered

"SIGN HERE, PLEAZZZ."

Once, long ago, Janice was a
secretary, reprogrammed to serve
as a companion and sounding board
for a left-of-center policy wonk.
Nowadays, the only thing left of
her past is a bitter nostalgia
and a longing for the days of old.
Unbeknownst to the Grill King, she
has decided to use the Village as
a base to spread her rule and an
return to the halcyon days when
humans were still running things.

Janice Rosie
UNIT NAME

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Attach to political insiders

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

8
MAX

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

4
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

MAX

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Android

Inflammable

Enhanced Cameras

Low Speed

Interface Prong

Manipulative Limb (Standard)

Model Error
Plastic Casing
Weak Motor

"THE KING WANTS TO

SPEAK WITH YOU...
OVER THERE."

148

Overriding Directive (Major)

1

Her paranoia over remaining active

long enough to see her plans come
to fruition has led her to cause
the destruction of several other
locals, in order to free up use of
the charging dock and ensure that
she can have access whenever she
requires.
Janice's ultimate goal is to
overthrow the Grill King and
establish herself as the overseer
of the Village's charging dock.
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
Janice might send the PRs on a
"mission of mercy" to "rescue" one
of the lost workers.

Created by Jane Mayhew

UNIT NAME Universal Towing "Drag-N" Automated Retrieval Unit

The Drag-N is a fearsome opponent

that may outclass any one of
the PRs - it is built with 150
points (instead of the standard
100 points that most robots are
created with).

ORIGINAL PURPOSE Relocate stalled machines to holding area

RealityCom

Dexterity

Durability

HumanCom

Mobility

Buffer

DigiCon

Perception

Size

MechaniCon

Reflexes

Power

Strength

Damage from Strike

(Str2, round down)

Interaction Pool
(Dex + Ref)

OS Threshold
(DigiCon + Buffer)

6
MAX

10
TN to be struck
(Mobil + Ref)

MAX

Initiative
(1d10 + Ref)

1d10 +
Rating

FEATURES

CURRENT

Speed
(Mobil + Ref)

12

k/hour
m/round

DEFECTS

Rating

Claw
Giant

The beast's Overriding Directive

compels it to prowl the City's
streets, hunting for new machines
to abscond back to its lair. If
the PRs engage the Drag-N, the
Programmer may decide that it
attempts to flee with one or more
of the PRs in tow as prizes.

CURRENT

Damage Threshold
(Durability + Size)

Buggy Cameras
2

Conspicuous

High Speed

Noisy

Pneumatic

Overriding Directive (Major)

Rack

Poor Acceleration

Winch

Slow Charger

When not on the hunt for stray

robots, it spends its free time
brooding in the midst of its
collection, or enacting the slow
task of recharging its overly
large battery.
The Drag-N will return to menace
the Village again and again
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