Cosmic Mythopoeia Robots

By Felipe Lohan Pinheiro da Silva

This is a descriptive system-agnostic standard for robots in cosmic mythopoeia RPGs.

☙Origin❧

The origin is up to the GM. Probably an alien civilization (Lovecraftian Mi-Go, the Great Race of Yith, etc). A human origin (be it from an ancient civilization or modern times) is also possible.

☙Brain types❧

All the the following brain types, can be interfaced w/ robotic bodies. As these kinds of brains are standardized (or have an standardized interface w/ the external world), the same brain can be connected to robotic bodies representing different races. For example, a Mi-Go-like robotic body, an Elder One-like one, a human-like one, etc.

*Artificial brain: The brain is an oblate spheroid of about 1400 cubic millimeters, weighting about 1.3kg, about the size of a human brain,  diameter of translucent crystalline matter.

*Brain cylinder: Featured in the work “The Whisperer In Darkness”, by Lovecraft. A natural brain (from whatever the race) is removed by a surgical procedure, and put into an hermetic-sealed metallic cylinder. Inside the cylinder, the brain is immersed into a preserving nutritive fluid that must be replaced from time to time.

Note: the GM must rule what robot bodies are compatible w/ artificial brains and what w/ brain cylinders, and if there are robot bodies compatible w/ both. He also must rule if there are some kind of “adapter” (to use one brain standard in a robotic body of the other standard).

☙Limbs & Sensors❧

Each limb and sensory organ has all the internal embedded sensors and motors/engines necessary to work properly, and a cable to transmit signals to a central node; this central node is connected to the brain; all cables use a FTL (Faster Than Light) technology. The interface of the cable of the central node w/ the brain is made via adhesive electrodes.

☙Learning❧

As the robot is turned on in a body for the first time, he learns how to move in his new body and learns his first language in an astounding rate.

If he moves to a body representing a different race, he needs to learn how to move in the new body. The GM should keep a register of what bodies he had learned to to use; he could rule that the first body standard could be “free” (in terms of character/experience points).

☙Healing❧

Normal robots only can be healed from damage by being fixed.

But the GM can rule that these robots uses a technology of “self-healing” materials, that heals any damage that doesn’t incur in an amputation/removal/destruction of a member.

If the GM rule that Their pieces uses a “liquid metal/nanobots” technology, they can heal even amputations.

The GM could also determine that they can only be healed by being immersed in a special healing vat, or by drinking a special kind of “potion”; in both cases, it’s actually a liquid containing nanobots.

☙F[ood/uel]❧

It could use nuclear atomic/radioactive material, a common electric battery (it could have a photoelectric skin to gather electric energy from the sun), normal food for humans, or liquid fuel, or some kind of exotic/super-science fuel/cell.

☙Reverse engineering❧

The GM should keep in mind that some human groups (independent or affiliated to cults or governments) may want to capture some specimens of robot to reverse engineer its technology.