Homo factum [provisional]
Introduction
Anthroids are robots made by humans in the image of humans: a synthetic species exploring its own place in the galaxy.
Playing as an anthroid will suit players who want to play as robots and engage with philosophical questions about life, technology and the mind – or just to make jokes about drinking coolant.
In-Game Description
Anthroids are an artificial species created by pre-Alliance humans. They differ from mechanical intelligence platforms, which are controlled by AIs that can load into or out of the system as required; in contrast, the intelligence of anthroids is an emergent property of their synthetic nervous systems, in close imitation of biological structures.
The creation of anthroids begins with a skeletal frame, which is immersed over the gestation period in a vat of nano-polymers and proteinogens. Targeted impulses induce these materials to weave together into synthetic tissues, including a complex neural lattice analogous to a human brain. When internal culturing is complete, a FABREP dermal sheath is moulded over the neonate’s musculature.
Ancestral anthroids took the form of animals: replacements for extinct pollinators and keystone predators. Intelligent humanoid models were developed in the face of planetary extinction – so that something would remember and resemble their creators, if they died out.
Development of true-to-life deterministic intelligence is strictly controlled under Alliance law, according to the Convention on Non-Biological Personhood. Anthroids and humans joined the Alliance at the same time, as equals under that law. While the species are closely linked and often found co-habiting, anthroids have established their own culture and their own place in the galaxy.
Anthroids are traditionally generated “as adults” with a baseline of experience and insight loaded in as standard. However, there is an increasing trend towards allowing Anthroid experience to develop organically through physical bodies that are upgraded and replaced as the Anthroid ages, meaning some adult Anthroids will have experienced a childhood of sorts. The age of physical and emotional maturity in this process is presently aligned with humans’ as a matter of legal convenience; similarly, only Anthroids with both adult-presenting bodies and adult minds are considered adults.
As long as they have an adequate information storage and processing centre (a de facto “brain”), Anthroids could in theory live forever. As post-LEGA-C Anthroids are a comparatively new phenomenon, the engineering, political, and moral implications of this have not yet been tested and are subject to ongoing debate in Alliance space.
Naming Conventions
Some Anthroids use batch numbers and numerical designations to emphasize their synthetic nature, but will use a shortened version as a nickname for the ease of biological colleagues. Others, particularly LEGA-C models, will pick very simple and plain human names, often monosyllabic ones, that are reflective of their shared history.
Anthroids do not use the name Tom, which otherwise fits this scheme, so as to avoid confusion with the stationary artificial intelligence units called T/OMs (Testing/Observation Matrices).
Name examples: A11 (AKA Eleven), DC527 (AKA Deesee), Jack, Jean
Roleplay Notes
Anthroids are a young species, and most of their history has been defined by their creators. Now that they stand with the Alliance, how will they distinguish themselves? Your anthroid might strongly identify with humans and seek their approval – or they might be ambivalent towards their creators, and keen to strike out on their own. How you’re made doesn’t have to define who you are.
Variant: Lega-C Anthroids
This variant of the kit allows you to play as an older and more obviously mechanical anthroid – a Lega-C model, as opposed to more recent generations. The kit for Lega-C models is more intensive, with vents, rivets and a more “obsolete” appearance – think dolls and mannequins, and plan your makeup or masks accordingly. There is no gameplay difference between Lega-C and younger anthroids, and Lega-C units should still be clearly identifiable as human-like if they have a hard face mask.
Costume Brief
Requirements
Anthroids must have a cyber prosthetic wire jack or coloured circle somewhere on their head, as well as at least one additional visible marker of their synthetic nature.
Avoid
Don’t go for a fully inhuman appearance. Anthroids don’t have modular components like many sci-fi robots, and aren’t built – they’re grown around endoskeletons in vats, and can bleed, be wounded and heal much as a human would, even if covered in hard plating.
Additions
• Plating edge lines on visible skin to give the illusion of rigid plates under a silicone skin, created using makeup.
• Masks resembling a face or helmet.
• The appearance of wires, ports or similar technological elements “emerging” from skin.
• Elements resembling exposed synthetic musculature, which resembles metallic cords under the skin. This might be accomplished with makeup, body art, or a textured/painted base layer of costume (i.e. a skintight glove printed with a mechanical texture, so as to resemble a robotic limb.)
• Eye colours and shapes that are clearly unnatural for a human. This may be accomplished with costume contact lenses.