Mystral Automotons

One of the core technologies of Mystral Energy is the automatons: mechanical semblances of animal life that perform manual labor. This is a runaway technology that builds upon itself, and one of the core reasons that Mystral Energy is considered TL4+2^. Automatons can be found throughout Mystral societies, laboring away at their tasks.

Automatons use mystral energy very efficiently: something about the animal form cuts down on the energy used. Automatons come in all shapes and sizes, from lumbering hulks with eight legs and beetle-like 'mandibles' to three foot imitation people. The constant is limbs: the heart of Automaton movement is its legs and arms.

Appearance and Function

Automatons are largely made out of wood: glass is too fragile and metal too expensive for the purpose. Of course, the wood is often reinforced with metal, and the joints must be made of wood and metal. The Mystrium that powers them is worked into their frame, and shows as lines of inlaid metal in the wood.

The mind of an Automaton is stored in a complex glass ball. There is both a hardware and a software component, and both are difficult problems. While up to IQ 8 can be achieved, doing so is expensive, and when possible, Automatons are left essentially as dumb creatures. The 'eyes' of the Automaton (which also function as ears) must be patches of the glass brain left open to the world, which has lead many to conclude its best to just go ahead and give the things proper heads. In addition to eyes, Many Automatons, especially the less complex ones, have control patch on the brain.

Creating the mind of an Automaton is done with a machine similar to the Menmus, but that only works on automaton minds. The mind of an automaton is much better understood than a human mind, and its mostly programmable. And the actions should be treated as just that: programs. An ordinary operator is limited to copying programs painstakingly designed by an engineer, though turning off any given program isn't too hard, as is changing the 'ownership' of the automaton.

Automatons have the automaton and machine metatraits, Maintenance (monthly, 1 person) [-2], reprogramable, cannot speak, and are mystral-null. They can only learn mostly physical tasks.  They have been set to work farming, working textiles, and other repetitive tasks.

Minds

While the mind of an automaton can be changed after it is built, the hardware of the mind determines its general capabilites: you need much more complex brains to run the complex minds of a dexterous Automoton.

Mindless : The automaton does not respond to outside stimuli at all, but simply performs a pre-defined task. They can be manipulated via placing a hand on the control patch (a part of the brain) and giving commands like 'stop', 'start', and 'turn left'. IQ is 0, as are will and perception. They also have indominable -- they respond only to commands on the control patch. What a mindless automaton does can hardly be called a skill, but roll vs 8  if there is a chance it will fail at something related to coordination. $100, LC 4

Bestial: The automaton can see, hear, and respond to commands. They can move intelligently, search for things, pick up objects, and protect themselves from danger by moving away. They generally require supervision when doing something like plowing a field. IQ is 5, will is 10, and perception is 8. They have DX 8, and  Ham Fisted 2 if they have manipulators at all. They lack indomitable and are programed to obey certain commands (and sometimes certain people), but many of them still have control patches. Bestial automatons can be programmed with 4 skill points. $250, LC 4

Dexterous: Something of a misnomer as the greatest difference is that of intelligence, Dexterous automatons can perform complex tasks like sewing clothes, harvesting crops, building houses, cleaning floors and making sure soup doesn't burn. Dexterous automatons can have DX 9, IQ 8, will 10, perception 9 and and 12 skill points. They are limited to skills that don't require complex decision making. While its traditional to build dexterous automatons in a human shape, its not necessary. They are the least likely to have their control patch exposed to the world. $3000, LC 3

Bodies

There are many types of automaton bodies -- far more than there are minds, and its simpler to design new ones. Virtually every shape found in nature and few others are represented. Despite this, some shapes dominate. The primary determiner of cost is size:

ST 5	SM -3	$500
ST 7	SM -2	$500
ST 10	SM -1	$600
ST 15	SM 0	$1000
ST 20	SM 1	$1600
ST 30	SM 2	$3600
ST 50	SM 3	$11,000
ST 70	SM 4	$28,000
ST 100	SM 5	$100,000
ST 150	SM 6	$460,000

Automatons smaller than SM -3 are possible but still cost $500. SM 5+ automatons are limited to the water or air, as they are unable to support their bulk on land. The most efficient results (in terms of cost per pound of lift) come from machines in the ST 20-30 range, though 15 and 50 are within 10% of that.

Beast of Burden: A slow plodding automaton with  no limbs other than legs. +20% ST, Move 4
Mount: A faster automaton made for carrying around people. They tend to be stylized to look elegant, and  Move 6, Enhanced move 1
Beetle:Slow and plodding, but with a limb or two on the front. This may look like a beetle, but this design includes things similar to an elephant, centaur, crab or bear Move 4, enhanced move .5.
Quick Beetle:As the beetle, but faster: Move 6, enhanced move .5, + 20% cost
Scurrier: A lighter design meant for climbing, rough terrain, and moving sideways. Classic designs look like spiders or dogs.  +1 SM, Move 6 and terrain adaptation
Manual Scurrier: a scurrier design with hands that can perform useful tasks. +1 SM, Move 6, terrain adaptation, +20% cost.
Sessile: A legless device consisting only of manipulating arms. This includes crane-like structures, factory workers consisting only of the upper body, and other stationary automatons. -20% cost.
Humanoid: Built in a roughly human shape. Move 5
Slender Humanoid: A humanoid shape built for reach rather than strength. usually built in ST 10 size. +1 SM, Move 5
Ichthyoid: Built to operate in the water, via means of flippers or a fish tail. Move 4, +20% ST
Fast Ichthyoid: As Ichthyoid. Move 6, enhanced move 1 (water)

Other forms are possible, but less likely. Wheeled forms are particularly inappropriate. Most new automaton forms have a slight form change or improvement: a cutting edge model may have high manual dexterity 1 and cost 50% more, or be designed with an unusually smooth gait and cost 20% more.

Common Combinations

Servant: ST 10 Dexterous Slender Humanoid, $3600. Used to fill the roles of servants, mopping floors, doing laundry, and pouring drinks. An additional $100-$300 is often spent to have them made look stylish, with elegant guiding or an imitation of a human face. Skills include savoire faire (servant) and housekeeping.
Laborer: ST 15 Dexterous Humanoid $4000. Used in construction, farm work, pottery, freight loaders, and possibly as soldiers, Laborers are among the most common Automatons available. They have a variety of skills.
Big Beetle: ST 50 Bestial Beetle $11,250. These massive machines are the equivalent of forklifts, back hoes, and other heavy machinery. The two massive mandibles are incredibly strong, and the design is meant for moving lots of heavy objects quickly.
Mystral Horse: ST 30 Bestial Mount $3850. Sized like a biological horse but stronger, the Mystral horses can be ridden, but is more often used to pull carriages.
Builder: ST 30 Dexterous Beetle. $6,600. With six legs and the ability to walk on the back four, builders are usually used in construction tasks where delicate manipulation of large bulk is needed.

Using Automatons in the Campaign

Automatons are mostly meant to be used as a background element for a campaign, a technological nicety to allow drudgery to get done. They have their greatest impact on the setting in industry, transportation, and flavor.

Automatons could conceivably be used as soldiers, but they have a few major drawbacks. First off, they are mystral nulls, which means they cannot use mystral energy weapons or even mystral blades. Secondly, their skill with a melee weapon is generally limited to 11. You spend 8 points to raise it from DX 9, and the other four are generally required for other skills (like soldier). Lastly, Automatons are reprogramable. They do have major advantages though. They are manufactured, not born, and are when compared to a human soldier, pretty cheap. They can be built stronger than humans, are more durable, more obedient (unless your foe has gotten to them), and don't require food. Whether or not to use automaton's as soldiers is an important game decision, and can be justified in either case. Of note are wars against non-mystral foes, where automatons tend to be a lot more powerful. Regardless of whether or not they replace grunt soldiers, automatons will be used in war to carry things around, build fortifications and in other supplementary uses. And even if they replace the grunts, humans will need to be around to direct the troops, provide mystral support, and so forth.

Automatons are not meant to be purchased as allies or played as characters, but a group wishing to do so is advised to add another mind type with a higher price tag. This will turn the game into a full-on robot setting, with all of the implications involved.

Automatons are intentionally cheap: The laborer can be purchased for 10 months pay of the struggling TL 4 worker he replaces (automatons are mystral null and thus can't use most of mystral tech). If a setting where Automatons do not completely dominate lower-class industry is desired, Prices should be substantially raised.

I hope you find these low tech robots fun to play with and intriguing. If nothing else, this can serve as a base for you to start your own changes. Have fun playing!