Artifice

Antarok is a world where man must overcome machine.

Artifice

 An overview of Artifice. Artifice requires at least 25 Experience in Ensorcelling and Engineering.

Artifice Invented as many things are by the Faefolk, the origins of Artifice are lost to time. However, it had become a staple for Duerger and Gnomish societies, who were themselves the exiled Satyr and Boggarts banished from Ælphyne to the depths of the Ur'Duun for their inventive genius. In a bygone era, they quickly overtook the earth, establishing railways and autonomous facilities throughout the underground world. In the last two centuries, the Vokhan have systematically destroyed the Duergar and Gnomish Holds, leading to many ruins operated by dangerous machines and untold creations, some of these co-opted by the sway of Nihilos. Only a few Duergar Holds remain, holding out against a world that forsook their ambitions. Humanity has taken Artifice just as far, with Artifice being a vital component to citizens of Dullahan, which itself possesses a fleet of Airships, and an arsenal of Automatricks. This has led to Artifice bleeding into every country across the known world, save for those that regulate it due to their beliefs such as Ælheim.

Definitions Nexus: - The Alkahest source of energy for Artificed creations. Diction: - Written or structural veins of Ensorcelling. Cognition: - Large sums of Diction serving as a 'brain' or subroutine for Automata. Aligned: - Creations without a Cognition are referred to as Aligned. Automata: - Creations with a Cognition powered by a Nexus are by definition Automata. Automaton: - Automata made to resemble a person through appearance are referred to as Automatons. Automatrick: - Automata which are handheld, worn, or expendable for some purpose. Automaclothy: - The field of Artificing porous or unconnected materials like textiles, bundles of grass, or chains. Engrafted: - Automata implanted within the body are referred to as Engrafted Automata. Grafted: - Automata attached to the body are referred to as Grafted Automata. Module: - Anything made to 'hack into' or 'upgrade' an Aligned or Automata is a Module. Tools There are no tools which are specific to the Artificer, as Automata can be made from any material whether it be steel, wood, bone, or a corpse. They use mundane tools, creating Diction as one would the Glyphics of Ensorcelling. They also use trade skills like smithing or carpentry, and the machinistry of engineering. Some Artificers either work with, or are Crested, Terra, or Draoidh themselves. Artifice is not undone by other forms of magical alteration to its make, meaning that other Theorems and Practices can expand upon their capabilities. Artificers delegate. They employ tradesmen to sculpt, mold, or forge their components. They have apprentices, sprawling workshops, and even automata they have made to simplify Techniques Diction Diction is another word for the Argumentation of Ensorcelling, dictating how Artificed creations should act while storing and carrying logic between components. There is no rule on how Diction should be written. The more specific the language, the less likely Automata are to misinterpret their own logic, and the more non-specific, the less it will understand about itself. Diction logic is not so objective as a true or false statement, meaning even poorly written creations can function with danger or impediment. Even well-intentioned Automata can be extremely dangerous as a result, and Automata with suffuse Cognitions can even degrade or be injured in such a way that their morality and function suffers. Diction can be written, sculpted, carved, or woven just as Ensorcelling can. It may be used to disable or enable its own function, and thus its Alignment. Redundancies may be used to prevent an Automaton from being disabled by damage to critical systems. Cognition Cognition refers to organized clusters of Diction logic containing the routines, understanding, and memory banks of Automata. Within the Cognition are logic statements, written against phrases or variable machine language. Automata cannot understand what being human is without first writing everything into its Cognition that a human should be. Cognition may be astoundingly complex even for small machines powered by a single Gram of Dust. Creating a Cognition can take a considerable amount of time, with weeks, months, and sometimes years of effort poured into them. Routines A Routine is a common function of Cognitions which Artificers commonly employ and teach their apprentices. Security: Some manner of authentication, often a password, together with a description within Diction who the Automata should obey. Further elaboration extends to the holder of an object such as a command rod or control cube that confers authentication. Seeming can be used to turn into an owner and confuse an Automata, while wounds or clothing can violate the parameters of a visual description. Even an object used for authentication can be duplicated to confuse Automata. Paralysis: Also known as a 'kill switch', a paralysis routine disables Automata when they attempt to perform a command. This might 'paralyze' the offending branch of Diction, or else separate the Nexus entirely from its Cognition as a method of handling error. It is not unusual to teach an Automata a skill, only for it to misunderstand some social or moral imperative, and then happily turn on or fail its owner by using their owner as an ingredient in the stew they were asked to prepare for dinner. Imitation The process of teaching Aetherite-Aligned Automata a skill which cannot be conveyed through Diction is referred to as Imitation, and is performed by getting the machine to observe the practical applications of a Skill. This might be as simple as placing a Module with the correct sensory components to observe and record several sessions of a training regimen, and then collecting it later for installation into a machine. Example: An Artificer wishes for their Automata to serve as a calculator, so they upgrade it with a Calculator Module powered by a Sliver of Aetherite, allowing it to solve equations using abacus beads at up to an Apprentice Mathematics level. Out of character, they have spent 25 XP on their bike to teach it Apprentice Mathematics as they would any other NPC they owned. They might have also funded the skill as part of a Formation, or a Hired Hand. Hacking To 'hack' Automata is to devise a Module with a specific or general purpose that modifies existing Diction. Such Modules are affixed to Artificed creations with adhesives, wrapped around and secured with rope, or screwed, nailed, and riveted into place. Some Modules are even composed as tarps of cloth or netting that render Automata inert, common in traps or the storage of weaponry reserved for warfare. As a general rule, an Artificer can devise hacks for the Cognitions of equivalently skilled Artificers, but there is always a chance for this to work against simple Diction with few redundancies. Within societies where Artifice is common such as Dullahan and the Dwarven Holds, Artificers more often employ defensive measures to protect their Diction from hacking. Each of these methods methods multiplies the amount of time it takes to design or assemble Automata. Redundancy: Having redundant logic reinforces and complicates Diction, making it difficult for a Module to supersede its much louder host. Encryption: Creating Diction which itself is encrypted or crafted as a puzzle necessitating a password which must be discovered by a Module. Layering: Armor without any Diction cannot itself be hacked unless first penetrating that armor. Automata which operate a machine or command subordinate Automata is another form of Layering. Nexus Nexii are one or more Alkahest power sources embedded into an Artificed creation, powering its Diction while conferring an Alignment. It will only confer its power if the Diction is connected to its housing, meaning Automata will be powered down should their Nexus be removed or destroyed. As Alkahest is a soft metal similar to gold, Artificers go to great lengths to hide and protect the Nexii deep inside their creations. The size of Alkahest used dictates the length its Diction can travel instantaneously across its network. The upper limit of weight it may support with Animation - without outside energy sources - is also determined by this, provided the material does not buckle. The amount of shear force or penetration Automata might convey via its blades or projectiles can also be approximated in this way, but this is not a hard rule. Size Radius Weight Shear Strength Dust (Gram) 1 Meter 10 Kg Wood Sliver 10 Meters 100 Kg Bone Shard 100 Meters 1 Tonne Iron Crystal 1,000 Meters 10 Tonnes Steel Sphere 10,000 Meters 100 Tonnes 1.5x Steel Globe 100,000 Meters 1 Kiloton 2x Steel Examples: Two grams of Dust would equate to a machine that could support the movement of 20 kilograms at once, as an Automata with a maximum radius of 2 meters. Automatrick Armor uses the power of its Nexus to enhance its wearers strength, allowing them to perform unnatural feats of strength or benefit from its Alignment. Animation All Artificed creations are capable of rotating or spinning upon an axel or ball joint connected to its Diction, with the amount of force supplied by its Nexii. They can also accelerate or push objects housed inside them, meaning small projectiles or even other Automatricks can be ejected as a weapon by Automata. Alignment Automata possess an Alignment to the Metaphor of their Nexus. While multiple Nexii are possible, they must be fashioned into the creation with parallel lines of Diction to wherever its Alignment should overlap. The simplest creations without any Cognition are referred to as Aligned, such as an Aligned Pickaxe which does not wear from striking the earth. Alkahest Alignment Ability Aetherite Able to learn (spend experience on) Skills following the same rules as a Personal NPC, provided their Cognition is adequate enough to carry out or understand it, from Novice at Dust, up to Grandmaster with a Globe. Automata may not wield Arcana unless they are using the Conjurations of Ensorcelling, or they have become a Djinn. Fabulite Able to better glean more sensory information from inferior components. A Gram of Dust is enough to make a vibrating Tuning Fork sound barely intelligible, while a Crystal would make them able to converse, smell, see, or hear from any component as a human might. Superhuman senses beyond the mechanical are possible with Spheres and Globes. Luxiumite Able to fill translucent objects such as bulbs or crystals with light; a Gram able to make a single palm-sized bulb shine brightly, while a single Globe could fill an infinite number across its Diction, or something as luminous as the sun itself without adding heat. Aerisite Able to now float, supporting up to the tonnage of its Aerisite Nexus. Other forms of propulsion must be built into the Automata in order for it to move through the air. It also possesses an equivalent level of the Flying Skill without needing to be taught, provided its Cognition is adequate enough to understand how. It will not rust, wherever its Diction can reach. Geomenite Able to carry out an equivalent level of the Deepcraft Skill without needing to be taught, provided their Cognition is adequate enough to do so, while conferring the ability to dig or move through softer minerals than itself without being worn down or scratched. They will also resist the sway of lesser-tiered Terrari trying to manipulate its materials directly. Imberite Able to regulate buoyancy underwater, while utilizing an equivalent level of the Swimming Skill without needing to be taught, provided its Cognition is adequate enough to do so. Imberite confers a resistance to water pressure, with a Crystal adequately safeguarding even the most fragile of materials from the deepest depths of Lacon. Somniite Able to resist hacking by lesser-tier skill in Artificing, and better understand the aspirations behind its Cognition. This allows for poorly or hastily written Cognitions to achieve tangible and secure results. Somniite Modules are used to program slapdash Cognitions in mere moments to jury rig solutions, add context to weapons in the heat of battle, to prototype, or to patch existing Automata with concurrent Cognitions, even hacking them. Somniite is used with implants and prosthetics to better understand the body without need for an exact logical breakdown of something so complex. Saolite Able to regenerate slowly if made of organic materials such as flesh, bone, or plant material, and able to regenerate most damage provided its Nexus and Cognition both remain intact. Saolite Alignment Modules may be woven into living tissues by a competent surgeon or Maltrician Grafts and Engrafts in order to create intelligent, immune-safe prosthetics, artificial organs, or implants. Saolite confers immunity to the sway of a lesser-tiered Draoidh upon its materials. Ardorite Able to function in cold weather without freezing, while resisting Abation of a lesser tier. It will also be able to tell the time down to the current nanosecond, without needing any other way to first deduce the time. Miasmite Able to sense Apparationists of an equivalent tier while preventing them from moving through itself. Applications include Aligned structures such as vaults and fortresses, shackles that can bind Apparators, and suits of armor that deny Possession. Anathemite Able to resist acids of a lesser tier, and it will appear pitch black standing within a shadow or the darkness no matter its material. Absentite Able to feel the sway of Nihilos, Diction slowly subverted until the Automata goes awry with time, regardless of Obfuscation. These are commonly woven into machines as Modules by saboteurs and Blighted agents well ahead of any conflict. Like Aetherite, it may learn or be taught additional skills up to its tier, provided it is given an adequate Cognition to understand these. Example: An Automata Air Bike with a Shard of Aerisite as its Nexus may support the floating of 1 Tonne at a dead wind while granting it the Journeyman Flying Skill to operate its fin-like wings. This small personal craft has a Gram of Imber as a secondary Nexus to prevent its exterior surface from rusting, while conferring the Novice Swimming skill. Grafting It can be troublesome at times to tell where the trade of Artificing ends, and Malediction begins. Saolite allows for Automata which can support or mimic life function. While appropriate skill in Surgery or Medicine is required, the body is a canvas to Artificers who wish to be more machine than man. Grafting for utility is not common outside of Dwarven Holds, and morally sound Artificers will generally refuse to take on these projects; if one has a superior Engrafted heart which itself is Automata, it cannot simply be shut down when it goes haywire and threatens its host. Dedicated Artificer-Surgeons are rare due to stigma and career-ending mistakes, while infection and painful, poorly-harmonized Grafts are common stories shared. While this is only known to a select few Gnomes, any who somehow convert their minds entirely into Diction will become a Djinn. Components Most Artificers prefer to reduce their reliance on Alkahest by using components which expand upon what a machine is capable of. The most complex of these - a fully functional hand - would require at least an Expert skill in Engineering, and an Apprentice smith to forge its pieces. Below are common components utilized or commissioned by Artificers. See Engineering. With a powered fuel source and adequate machining, a single Gram of Dust wielded by a Nexus could empower a Cognition to manipulate a clockwork machine far larger than it should normally be able to. Below is a non-comprehensive list of a few common components an Artificer might make use of. Engines: Engines are highly complex machines with combustion reservoirs, pistons, crankshafts, and rods. They power machines in lieu of higher tier Nodes. Synthetic Organs: Objects with thin membranes or reservoirs of liquids designed to mimic life. These function as rudimentary eardrums, eyes, or pressure sensors when Routed between in lieu of the more accurate and compact Alkahest sensors. Wheel: A Wheel, with an axel. With or without a source of Steam power which may be used in place of a more powerful Nexus or far-reaching Diction. They serve as internal drivers, or a way of motion. Pulley: Pulleys transfer rotation between smooth or toothed wheels at a distance through belts or chains, often providing shock protection for internal gears as the machine moves or receives impacts. These are often but not always housed to prevent debris from snagging them, but larger pulleys such as treads might crush anything that snuck its way into the rollers. Gear: Gears are toothed wheels meshing against one another at differing angles and diameters. Their rotation is often driven by a pulley system connected to a source of power - Nexii, or Steam Engines - and they create an internal complexity which might drive the appearance of lifelike motion in Automata. Smaller geartrains referred to as Clockwork might be added so that an automaton can tell the time, move its joints precisely, or navigate with built-in logic such as astrolabes. Bladders: Sacs filled with gases or fluids for creating Synthetic Organs, or else increasing the ability for zeppelin-type Airships to float. Coptics: Rotor blades for creating helical-type Airships, aerial or watercraft propulsion, and spinning laceration devices. Technology Warning: Please consult with a Storyteller before introducing a new technology to the setting, if it did not exist in the industrial era. Creations Automata are commonly sold, commissioned with a purpose, or manufactured as a reproducible model by the apprentices or proletarians supervised by an Artificer. Labels and descriptions are thrown around loosely, and it can be difficult to tell what an invention is by a glance. Automatrick: Any weapon or armor with some automated component is an Automatrick. Examples are capability-enhancing armor, functional wings, any form of firearm, swords which might detach into writhing and intelligent whips, or shields that reflexively expand into a barricade. Artificers are known to invent these without rhyme or reason, with whacky and crude inventions being commonplace. Arcanotrick: Automata themselves possess or wield Conjurations are referred to as Arcanotricks. Hacktrick: Automatricks with the purpose of delivering a Hacking Module. They often possess ways to pry apart or penetrate armor, or slide into small crevices of layering. Hacktrick spears, and hammers are the simplest but most common example. Pocket Trick: Small expendable Automatricks that activate when deployed for a purpose. Common Pocket Tricks include hacktricks, grenades, or espionage devices such as warning buzzers, truth detectors, and noisemakers. This also refers to small Automata that pop locks or tear into the body for assassination or interrogation. Automaton: Automata which are made to be sapient while resembling their creators are known as Automatons. These can be extraordinarily elaborate, and indistinguishable from the general populace. Even one Automaton takes a considerable amount of time and skill to create, with few Artificers making more than one design. Common creations include soldiers, servants, and even courtesans. Automaclothy: When Artificing textiles and other porous or unconnected materials like bushels of dried grass or chains, Diction must be embroidered symbolically rather than with language. These Automata treat their entire make as one long joint, allowing them to bend and exert force at any point across the material. There are robes that use Aerisite to lift their wearers whilst serving as wings, or else flying off of their wearer to distract or entrap an opponent or a weapon as a net. Airship: Any vehicle making use of Aerisite to float is referred to as an Airship, be it the small personal whirlycopter or the large, floating Skyhawk that propels itself forward with wings. Automata which float without this purpose are referred to as Drones. Proletarian: Automata which autonomously aide in manual labor, manufacturing, or record-keeping are Proletarians. These are often referred to as 'slave automata' in societies where they are not commonly used. Acquiring Alkahest See Seasonal Points and Duties to acquire Alkahest.

Skill Tiers

Artificers are themselves Ensorcellers, so they understand with some degree the Glyphics behind their Diction. Much of the complexity exists behind the logic. Novice As an Ensorceller ventures into the field of Artifice, they begin to learn of Diction and the idea of a Nexus. This is always taught or gleaned from a book detailing the process, and they spend time learning how each form of Alkahest interacts with Diction. Diction: A Novice may use logic gates in their Diction, but it will not remember any information. Nexus: A Novice may safely handle a Gram of dust in their creations. They do not know yet how to link them together. Cognition: A Novice cannot make something as complex as a Cognition. Modules: A Novice cannot create Modules. A Novice may use purchased Modules to manufacture something they would normally be too unskilled for. Grafting: A Novice cannot hope to achieve Grafting or Engrafting. Apprentice An Apprentice can safely several Slivers of Alkahest by themselves in one creation. They learn to create Cognitions suitable for learning Apprentice-level tasks, with a high level of risk for going haywire. They are usually taught security measures by their mentor. Diction: An Apprentice may use logic gates in their Diction, and it may remember information. Nexus: An Apprentice may safely handle several Slivers of Alkahest linked between multiple Nexii. Cognition: An Apprentice can make a rudimentary Cognition capable of learning Apprentice-level tasks with a shallow personality. At this level, there is a high risk of it going haywire. Modules: An Apprentice can make Modules that even a Novice Artificer may add to their creation. An Apprentice may hack their way into Apprentice-level Automata. An Apprentice may use purchased Modules to manufacture something they would normally be too unskilled for. Grafting: An Apprentice can fashion Grafted prosthetics. The Engrafted organs by an Apprentice will fail after a week, if correctly implanted by a surgeon. Journeyman A Journeyman can utilize Crystals of Alkahest in their Nexii. Their Cognitions are robust enough for Journeyman-level tasks, able to partially mimic human personas with bombastic or cold personalities. They can intentionally manufacture highly volatile Modules or Cognitions that handle basic tasks in just a few minutes if they so choose. Diction: A Journeyman may use logic gates in their Diction, and it may remember information. Nexus: A Journeyman may safely handle several Crystals of Alkahest linked between multiple Nexii. Cognition: A Journeyman can make a Cognition capable of learning Journeyman-level tasks with an extreme personality. At this level, there is a moderate risk of it going haywire. Modules: A Journeyman can make Modules that even a Novice Artificer may add to their creation. A Journeyman may hack their way into Journeyman-level Automata. A Journeyman may use purchased Modules to manufacture something they would normally be too unskilled for. Grafting: A Journeyman can fashion Grafted prosthetics. The Engrafted organs by a Journeyman will cause harm after a season unless replaced, if correctly implanted by a surgeon. Expert An Expert can utilize several Spheres of Alkahest in their Nexii. Their Cognitions can handle Expert-level skills, able to mimic personalities almost exactly with enough time and effort. Diction: An Expert may use logic gates in their Diction, and it may remember information. Nexus: An Expert may safely handle several Crystals of Alkahest linked between multiple Nexii. Cognition: An Expert can make a Cognition capable of learning Expert-level tasks with a quirky personality. At this level, there is a slight risk of it going haywire. Modules: An Expert can make Modules that even a Novice Artificer may add to their creation. An Expert may hack their way into Expert-level Automata. An Expert may use purchased Modules to manufacture something they would normally be too unskilled for. Grafting: An Expert can fashion Grafted prosthetics capable of exceeding the precision and function of a normal limb. The Engrafted organs by a Journeyman will cause harm after a year unless replaced, if correctly implanted by a surgeon. Master A Master can utilize several Globes of Alkahest by in one creation. Their Cognitions can handle Master-level skills, and their Cognitions can be entirely custom creations with adaptive personalities. Diction: A Master may use logic gates in their Diction, and it may remember information. Nexus: A Master may safely handle several Globes of Alkahest linked between multiple Nexii. Cognition: A Master can make a Cognition capable of learning Master-level skills with any kind of personality. They might never experience a glitch. Modules: A Master can make Modules that even a Novice Artificer may add to their creation. A Master may hack their way into Master-level Automata. A Master may use purchased Modules to manufacture something only a Grandmaster could achieve, but there is little they cannot do otherwise. Grafting: A Master can fashion Grafted prosthetics capable of subverting biology; a preserved brain wired into an Automata is possible - they would need equivalent skill in Medicine to keep that part of the body alive, however. The Engrafted organs by a Master will never cause harm, if correctly implanted by a surgeon. Grandmaster A Grandmaster of Artifice is capable of true wonders, with no limitation on Alkahest. Their Cognitions can handle Grandmaster-level skills or Dominions, with wondrous personalities indistinguishable from other beings. Often they will develop a Dominion that influences their Automata in some novel way. Diction: A Grandmaster may devise knew methodology behind Diction, creating complex Automata far more quickly than another Artificer. Nexus: There is no limit to how much Alkahest a Grandmaster may weave into one creation. Cognition: A Grandmaster can make a Cognition capable of learning Grandmaster skills or a Dominion, with wondrous minds beyond understanding. They will never malfunction unless hacked or given short-sighted parameters. Modules: A Grandmaster can make Modules that even a Novice Artificer may add to their creation. A Grandmaster may hack their way into Grandmaster-level Automata A Grandmaster rarely ever bothers with purchasing Modules unless they know of another Grandmaster, or they are delegating to their apprentices. Grafting: A Grandmaster can fashion Grafted prosthetics capable of doing away with the brain and housing the soul, creating a Djinn. The Engrafted organs by a Grandmaster will never cause harm, and often implant themselves without need for a surgeon.

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