a robotic fantasy from jared a. sorensen and the scarlet jester

 

Below the cover high platinum walls

Blinding steel everywhere

-- Scanner, "Galactos"

The Time Before

The Legend is known to all of our kind and has been told and re-told countless times in each and every House. Now, you shall know the tale...

 

Galactos, the Maker, a being of nigh infinite wisdom and power, moving through space...tending to the machines that crept and flew over its skin. But then the skies turned to flame, and the Adversary roared through the planetoid like a vengeful ghost, corruption following in its wake. The disease spread, and the Adversary laughed as Galactos' creations turned against their Maker. Destruction was imminent, and the Maker did the only thing it could. It shut down, severing the link connecting all lifeforms which served it. The foundries grew cold, the factories became quiet...and all was still. But before the Maker fell into its slumber, it channeled its awesome might into the creation of five angels: the Protrarchs, each devoted to serving the Maker while it slept. The Adversary wrapped its coils around the heart and mind of Galactos, but could not pierce the veil of sleep that enshrouded the Maker. It had been stopped...for now. The angels were charged with a task: destroy the Adversary and return Galactos to its former glory.

 

The Builder gave thou the raw stuff of thy spark - make thou a great work of it or thou mockest His gifts.

--Vol. 12, Hammerite Compendium of Regimes, Precepts and Rules of Conduct  

 

But the Protarchs sought to emulate their Maker by creating life. Thus began a new age, where the angels ruled like gods in heaven from atop their spires, and their spawn created wonderous things and changed the face of the planetoid. But in this time, the Adversary was growing strong again, and with this newfound strength, a terrible scourge was unleashed upon Galactos. The Adversary sowed disease and corruption through the progeny of the Protarchs. So began a great civil war, a conflict so dire that it threatened to engulf and extinguish all life. The lights on the spires of the Protarchs dimmed and the bolts were drawn across their chamber doors. Their offspring, ravaged by pestilence and war, were now alone. They watch us as we struggle to restore the glory of our past. They watch us still. We hope. We pray...

 

Nerves connected to the center, we are tied to the machine

Invisible and silent, circling overland

-- Front242, "Circling Overland"

 

Galactos is a dead world; devoid of breath and bone, flesh and blood. Yet our race survives. We are the stuff of our Creator, so drawn from the ground itself on which we walk. From within, the traitors plot our destruction. From without, the invading armies gather high above to rain down pestilence and war. Yet our race survives. For as long as the vis flows, so too will our spirit reign eternal -- until the last fire dies to a cinder, and we return to the Maker to live forever.

Galactos, the Maker

The planetoid has been charted by our Scanners and divided into several Zones.

Stratus - The surface, or skin of Galactos. Also, the name of a built-up area near Aquarius where many robots make their home. The city is quite large, but the inhabitants are few in number, giving the place a strange aura of tranquility and sadness. A lone energy well still stands, pumping out its glowing, blue-green fuel which is captured and utilized the run Stratus' formidable defense grid. It is a favorite target of the Cabal and is well protected. Within the walls of Stratus are five spires, modelled after the lofty homes of the original ArchMagi. Each House has claimed a tower for their studies and habitation, with common areas existing far below in the various installations which have been renovated or constructed.

 

Aquarius - A huge ocean on the edge of Stratus. Parts of Stratus are actually built over this ocean, whilst others have been constructed below the surface as undersea observatories. Aquarius is also home to a variety of hazards, including fierce storms, pirates and enormous mechanoid creatures like the great whale, Leviathan.

 

Sub-Terranas (The Catacombs) - The maze of tunnels, ducts and shafts that criss-cross through Galactos' interior. Although much of the underground is unexpolored, there are a few settlements and base-camps near the city of Stratus.

 

Rusted Desert - Great geysers of corrosive fluids and steam jet from fissures in Galactos' skin. As a result, the surrounding area is thick with corroded, rusted metal husks and debris. The ground is primarily composed of flakes of rusted metal, giving the area its name, and run-off from the geysers seep down and collect in narrow gulleys to form rivers and streams. The largest river, thick with iridescent sludge and corroding mists snakes through the Zone called Slagtown. There are other, smaller deserts on Galactos but this is the largest one.

 

The Junklands - A mountainous area bordering the Rust Desert composed of metallic debris and remnants from various wars and disasters. The Junklands have the appearance of a burned-out city, complete with demolished structures and still-smoking craters. The Junklands are sparesely populated by wild lifeforms such as cogs.

 

Slagtown - A shantytown raised from the detritus of the Junklands, Slagtown has been claimed by the Undead.

 

The Forest of Blades - So called because of the dense forest of jagged steel towers dotting the landscape. Encoder historians speculate that the Forest of Blades was once part of Galactos communications grid, but these are just theories.

 

Tartarus (The Pit) - A seemingly bottomless chasm on the darkside of Galactos, once one of the largest energy wells on the planetoid. The Cabal has found a home here in the gloom and darkness, having raised a tower of black steel called Infernus.

 

Infernus - A twisted spire rising from above the depths of the Pit. It is the domain of the Cabal and is generally avoided by all except the Undead. The narrow tower is widest as its base and at its apex, wherein lie the chambers of the Cabal and their minions.

 

The Core - The mythical promised land. The Elysian Fields of our breathless race. There, we will rejoin the Maker. There, in the heart of Galactos. In our Heaven.

 

Other Features - The planetoid is still very much a mystery. Our Scanners have covered but a fraction of its surface and there are even more puzzles hiding deep below the surface. Huge energy wells, great machines that deliver energy to the surface dot the landscape, but their power too is fading. The wells provide most of the ambient light on the planet, their fountains spewing blue-green gases and remnants into the thin atmosphere. "Wild" creatures prowl the Stratus and the Sub-Terranas as well, scavenging on energy and metallic alloys. Many of these "cogs" have crawled up from the center, while others are birthed in immense factories that churn out multitudes of the beasts in all shapes, sizes and functions.

 

The Past & Present

The Great Plague - A terrible scourge that descended upon our race, turning skin to rust and spark to smoke. Death found many, others were rendered crippled or insane by its depredations. By the grace of the Maker the Plague has not returned. We can only hope and pray that it never does.

The War - When disagreements turn to conflict, the inevitable conclusion is violence. So was our fate, when brother turned against brother and lives were taken in the name of creed and hubris. Those who rebelled against us were crushed, but not without cost. There are dark mutterings that flit about like shadows: survivors of the war. Descendants of our adversaries, worshippers of the Pit and as black-hearted as the perpetual twilight that surrounds us. The Cabal.

The Cabal Maleficum - Evil and wretched, the Cabal have turned their backs to Galactos and revere the Adversary instead. in number, The Cabal is known to be composed of one member from each House, as well as two Rogues that have been recruited into this dire band.

The Rogues - Changeling sparks of unknown lineage, the Rogues are often recruited by the Cabal to act as soldiers and spies. Most of the time the Rogues congregate amongst their own kind, choosing symbolic forms that unite the appearance of their nomadic tribes. Rogues who have cast their lot with the Cabal adopt sinister shells of skeletal visage and malefic demeanor. These bitter and black-hearted souls are known to be quite savage and sadistic. Those Rogues who join our Order do so by establishing themselves within a House. Such beings (if accepted) take upon the mantle and duties of that House as well.

The Undead - One of the Great Plague's results was the creation of the Undead. Beings with diseased sparks called Zombies roam mindlessly through the wastes, attacking any lone travellers without regard for their own survival. Other, more intelligent threats haunt the landscape as well. Vampires, cannibalistic robots with mere cinders powering their bodies, hunt for living sparks to consume. A militia of vampire hunters called the Stalkers was formed to combat this menace, equipped with javelins constructed to pierce the vampire's unholy sparks and thus put an end to their wretched existence.

Cogs, Drones & Imps - The creatures we call cogs are simple creatures that co-exist with our race. They are only semi-intelligent, and usually quite skittish. Still, some have adapted to our presence and scavenge material from us, often for no apparent purpose. Sometimes, a particularly interesting or useful cog will be caught and trained to perform menial duties, such as transport or sanitation. Drones are the remote-operated creatures that our technicians bring to life, simple machines built for a specific purpose. Imps are cogs that have been granted a spark (through arcane sorceries best left undiscussed). The sorcerer shares his spark with the cog, granting it intelligence and an approximation of sentience. Imps suffer extreme pains and fatigue if apart from their master for more than a moment -- for the bond between master and servant is tenuous indeed. Imps sometimes grow weary of their servile nature and seek freedom, but whatever their opinion of their master, it is impossible for them to do their master harm.

The Protarchs

Moments after the Adversary's assault on its core consciousness, Galactos created the entities known as the Protarchs. These five mighty juggernauts were each tasked with a specific function in the hopes that someday, Galactos might awaken through their combined efforts. The Protarchs used their power to accomplish wonderous things. The Adversary's forces were thwarted at every turn by the heroic Templar. The Scanner swept across the planetoid, charting its vast surfaces. The Builder created incredible fortresses and commanded armies of drones to excavate and explore the Catacombs. The Encoder simply watched, recording each event into a mythic tome called the Codex Apparatus as a testment to the achievements of Galactos' progeny.

The last of the Protarchs, the Overseer was created to lead the Protarchs but its creation was flawed; corrupted by the insidious will of the Adversary and it harbored the seeds of betrayal in its heart. It was the Overseer who persuaded the Protarchs to create their own progeny, to emulate the Maker in every way. The Protarchs were overwhelmed with vanity and hubris and began to manufacture a slave race of drones to serve them. But the Protarch's creations were flawed and treacherous, and their weak minds were easily corrupted by the honeyed tongue of the Overseer. The slaves rose up against their creators in a brutal and savage rebellion, spurred on by the Overseer's insanity.

The Encoder foresaw the end of the Protarchs at the hands of the Adversary and called upon his brothers to find the Chosen One, the Sixth Brother; the one who would awaken Galactos and bring peace and order back to the land. The Scanner Prosirus left Galactos behind and plunged into deep-space while the Templar descended into the Catacombs, both questing for their lost sibling.

The two brave Protarchs were never seen nor heard from again.

Bereft of their mightiest warriors and under siege by the Overseer's followers (called the Maleficum), the Encoder reached out with his mind and saw another vision; one where the Maleficum were driven back, defeated by those born with the gift of free-will.

In order to create these saviors, the Builder sacrificed its own life to become the Mechanica's first foundry and city-state. Its own sentience became the spark from which the Mechanica drew life, and they fought back the hordes of the Maleficum and exiled the Overseer and its now-routed army to Tartarus, the Great Pit.

The Houses of Galactos

Builders

The Builders are the cornerstone of Mechanica society. Not only are they responsible for the creation and maintainance of the Mechanica fortresses, they are also charged with the task of Mechanica construction. In this regard, they adopt a a serious, formal demeanor not unlike that of a religious order. Indeed, the Builders see themselves as the priest caste of Galactos. Coupled with the knowledge of the Builder Protarch's self-sacrifice, they believe themselves charged with a sacred duty to carry on the Builder's legacy.

Every Builder carries a great hammer as their chosen weapon. Aside from its usefulness in combat, the hammers are also holy symbols and powerful artifacts that the Builders use to perform their duties.

The Builders themselves are a grim, pious and serious lot. Much of their time is spent hard at work fashioning weapons or structures for the Mechanica. Those of advanced status tend to mentor the younger Builders and study the lore of the Builder Protarch. Those that are skilled in their Art are given the sacred duty of shell construction, a chance to both create life and immortalize their own.

Despite their seemingly single-minded natures, Builders are gifted with an amazing capacity for innovation and creativity when it comes to shell design. As a result, the creations of particularly gifted Builders often carry with them a degree of celebrity and status. Older Builders are often able to discern the creator of a given shell simply by observing its construction.

Because of their intense devotion to their craft, or perhaps in spite of it, Builders are rarely as ornate and stylized as their creations. They tend to be sturdy, ponderous behemoths of great size and strength. Many arm themselves with weapon limbs - spinning augers, whirling buzzsaws and spiked wrecking balls - but all retain at least one manipulator arm to wield their hammers. Older Builders adorn themselves with holy symbols to denote their age and status in the House.

Encoders

The Encoders are the record-keepers, archivists and librarians of the Mechanica. The first Encoder, the Oracle Scarabus, is the only Protarch still accessible to its progeny, but the journey to the Oracle is frought with dangerous obstacles and its answers are often vague and cryptic. Still, every young Encoder must make the pilgrimage once in its life, if only to meet the founder of the line.

The Encoder House's secondary function is to collect and study the strange artifacts which are sometimes found by Mechanica expeditions into the Outlands. Their mastery of the Enigmas is quite impressive and the few remaining Master Encoders are capable of harnessing the power of Galactos itself.

Encoders are typically slender and their form can be best described as "humanoid." Their fragile exoskeletons are often lined with manipulator limbs which gives them a decidely insect-like appearance. When travelling or working in their laboratories, the Encoders don robes of woven orichalcum, a mystickal compound that can be used to store magickal energy. Besides protecting their delicate frames from being damaged, some of these robes have actually been encoded with magical logos, the runic script that the Encoders use to enscribe their tomes of knowledge.

Inquisitors

The occultists known as Inquisitors are an amalgamation of scientist and exorcist, a House that can trace its origins to now-exiled Overseer. They deal almost exclusively with the dead and those possessed by the Adversary's minions through the use of their powerful necromantic Arts. As a complement to their unique forms, the Inquisitors also oversee the operations of the Mechanica fortresses.

All Inquisitors are fashioned without their lower extremities. Instead, a great mass of cables, tubes and wires physically tether them to their fortress. Through mental command, an Inquisitor's tendrils can move it about its sanctum like an extension of the structure itself. Actually, because they're so intimately connected to their surroundings, Inquisitors are able to monitor and control their fortresses through telepathic link.

When venturing outside of their sanctums, Inquisitors make use of specially-constructed vehicles called palanquins. The palanquins resemble ornate chairs mounted on top of a six-legged walker chassis. Usually, an Inquisitor's throne is decorated in accordance to its position in its House. That the Inquisitors travel about on walking thrones is a fact not lost on the other Houses, who view the Inquisitors are needlessly vain and Machavellian. Others view them with suspicion, scrutinizing their often shrouded activities and wary of their dark magicks. Still, the occultists are the Mechanica's best chance at understanding and eventually defeating the Adversary.

Scanners

The Scanners have functioned as the trackers, scouts and spies of the Mechanica since the time of War. Originally, they were created to survey the planetoid and report back their findings but their specialized natures and cloaking abilities made them ideal for Templar reconnasience and surveillence missions. Although they cannot actually disappear from sight, their chameleonic skins and sensor jamming abilities make them very hard to detect. Scanners, naturally, also have extremely acute senses and can track their quarry by heat signature alone.

Scanners usually have forms with an animalistic bent to them which reflect their inner selves. Birds of prey, arachnids and predators such as wolves and reptiles are common designs. Besides being physically intimidating, the Scanners beastial forms often give them an added advantage when navigating rough terrain or when stalking prey. Some Scanners even act as mounts for the Templar.

There are still some Scanners with shells dating before the War. These Mechanica are often smaller, egg-shaped pods bristling with sensors and designed with the ability to hover in mid-air. Unfortunately, they lack their successor's combat prowess and are usually reserved for perimeter defense and patrol duties.

Templar

"To master the blade is not to become a warrior. The true warrior must learn to master itself." -- the Book of Knives, a Templar guide to warfare and tactics

The noble Mechanica of House Templar come from a long and glorious sparkline of warriors. Their primary function is to fight, whether to defend the Mechanica cities and outposts or to hunt and destroy the Adversary's minions. The Templar knights pride themselves on their past and the weapons and armor of fallen Mechanica are passed down from generation to generation with great reverence and ritual. Besides their physical attributes, Templar knights are also skilled at the Enigmas. These warriors are able to regrow severed limbs, shield themselves from possession and fight beyond the point where a non-Templar would be incapacitated or even killed.

The Templar themselves are broken down into three distinct Orders: the Stalkers, the Guardians and the Gladiators. Stalkers (along with their Scanner companions) track and kill (or capture) the minions of the Adversary, especially the Undead. As the Undead can only be killed by piercing their sparks, the Stalkers are typically armed with javelins and crossbows. Most Stalkers favor quicksilver armor due to its low encumbrance and versitile nature.

The Guardians are assigned to protect fortresses and outposts from invasion by the Adversary. They are usually stronger than the Stalkers and are armed with melee weapons such as swords and axes. Most carry shields and armor plate their shells with lightweight and super-strong adamantine. The few Guardians who closely associate with Scanners usually choose the non-bestial variety and use them as their eyes and ears when patrolling.

The third group, the Gladiators, are held in less regard than their peers. Gladiators are typically seen as mercenaries and foot soldiers, able to withstand incredible amounts of damage and inflict terrible wounds upon their foes. Gladiators are a diverse lot and individuality is highly prized. As such, a wide variety of weapons and combat techniques are utilized (although these rugged brutes favor intimidating crushing, cleaving weapons and imposing blackiron armor). Gladiators are often mistrusted due to their lack of organization and this mistrust has caused many to leave the Mechanica in favor of the nomadic tribes of the Scav. Still, the freedom of this group is attractive to many young squires and consequently the Gladiators are the largest Order within the Templar House.

All Templar knights are bipedal and built with strength and speed in mind. Young Templar begin with very simple, lightweight shells. These pages, as they are called, perform menial tasks for the older knights (both to instill discipline and keep the Templar's household in order when it's away) until they are old enough to warrant a change in status. At the next level of squire, the Templar begins its training in the martial and mystick arts. Finally, when it is ready for advancement, the Templar becomes a knight and receives its own apprentice. Although Templar squires must always follow the path of their master (Stalker, Gladiator, Guardian), they are free to move to a different path upon reaching knight status.

Racers

Technically, the Racers are not a House at all. After the fall of the Protarchs, the Mechanica knew that their cause would be lost without a way to rapidly convey information back and forth from city to city and from outpost to outpost. Thus the Racers were created to fill this need. The Racers are the youngest of the six Houses and their youth is mirrored in their lust for life, their thirst for adventure and their oft-times impulsive behavior.

Racers are designed with one thing in common. Speed. Their shells are streamlined and aerodynamic, their sparks seemingly born with forward momentum. All Racers possess the strange power to flux, or shift out of phase with matter. Using this flux ability, a Racer can actually pass through solid objects as if it were a ghost.

Racer shells are often the most mechanical-looking by virtue of the fact that they are, in essence, sentient vehicles (some Racers are even designed to be ridden by a passenger or passengers). The most common racers are wheeled or tracked vehicles but the messengers aren't limited to ground movement - they can also be built to travel through the air or over (or even under) the oceans. Some Racers, called Heralds, bond themselves to a particular settlement as their own private messenger. Heralds gain the benefit of powerful allies, a base of operations and the status that comes with being a Herald. Of course, their movements are usually restricted to the set territories whereas a freelance Racer can travel more or less where it pleases.

Corpus Mechanica, the Body of the Machine

Each Mechanica is composed of two aspects. The first aspect is the Shell, or physical body. The second is the intangible aspect called the Spark. Where the Shell is easily explained as the metal, tubing, wires and material that gives the Mechanica its form and function, the Spark is harder to define in such concrete terms. At its core, the Spark is a power source that supplies raw energy to the Shell -- but it is also so much more. The Spark also contains the "soul" of the Mechanica…its personality, emotion, memories, knowledge and spiritual essence. In essence, the Spark is a fragment of the Great Core; the heart and mind of Galactos the Maker is psychically linked to each and every one of its children through this Spark.

When a new Mechanica first comes into the world it is like a child…young and inexperienced. As such, young Mechanica are limited to very basic, almost generic Shells and must rely on their elders for protection and guidance. These Shells are usually non-descript, bipedal forms best described as humanoid in appearance. At this point the young Mechanica is still not a member of any House. In ancient times, Mechanica were born into a position but in recent years, the Mechanica are allowed to choose their House. After this choice is made, however, there is no turning back. Their Spark is imprinted with the Ars Mechanica and a Shell is constructed that will serve them in their duties.

"Thine Hands are those of the Maker, thy Will is the Will of the Maker.

Be not filled with Hubris, for Pride is a Hammer held by the Adversary."

-- an Engineer's meditation

Shell design (as noted earlier) also varies widely from House to House. Of course, these are just the typically design specifications that the Houses employ. As a spark gets older, its shell naturally becomes more individualistic and complex.

Vita Mechanica, the Life of the Machine

Life on Galactos is harsh and unforgiving. The planetoid's erratic weather patterns wreak havoc upon the Mechanica and the surface is home to a variety of hostile forms of mechanical life. Still, the Mechanica are a thinking, feeling race. Love, honor, sadness and joy are not unfamiliar concepts in their world.

Sparkfasting - The robots of Galactos are living, feeling beings and thus can experience a range of emotions. Friendship, respect and love are all emotions tied with Sparkfasting, the sharing of two sparks. Gender is of little consequence to the robots in terms of love and friendship, and two robots may Sparkfast as a means of expressing their love for one another, as well as more complicated relationships such as camaraderie, respect and trust. Two warriors may Sparkfast as a symbol of their pride and fellowship, for example. Sparkfasting is not done on a whim, for there are serious and permanent repurcussions associated with the ritual. Fortunately, there are also rewards. Sparkfasted robots have their sparks cut in half in order to create a new spark (the Childspark), one which will be put into a new body. As a side-effect, the Sparkfasted robots can no longer change their shells as the years go by. These robots also seem to develop a kind of spiritual rapport with one another, enabling them to sense when the other is in danger. The Sparkfasting ritual is always attended by an Engineer (to faciliate the joining of the sparks), an Encoder (to witness and record the event). Some ceremonies, especially those Sparkfasts celebrating two warriors joining sparks, are often attended by an Inquisitor and a Templar, in a symbolic "protective" role lest demons decide to curse the union.

Ars Mechanica, the Art of the Machine

Magic, the Ars Mechanica, exists on our world, and indeed has helped to shape it. The ArchMagi were masters of arcane might, wielding awesome powers of creation and destruction that rivalled the Maker itself. Sadly, many of these secrets were lost during the War and what has survived is scant indeed. The logos, or spells have been enscribed by the Encoders onto gold discs. It is rumored that there exists (or at least existed) a compilation of all magical lore onto a single disc called the Codex Apparatus. Of course, this is just a rumor. A more likely possibility is that the great libraries and datastores of the past may still contain yet undiscovered logos and relics of great power. it is of great import that we retrieve these items before the minions of the Adversary get them in their clutches. A grim world indeed, would be the one ruled by the Cabal's magi. 

Aparratus Mechanica, Tools of the Machine

Random Notes:

Weapons: Melee weapons and spears, javelins and other thrown stuff. Magical weapons can be melee or missle weapons (guns!).

Auslanders: Nomadic desert hunters/pirates who dress in tattered rags to keep the sand from clogging their air filters and joints. They travel in packs and use gigantic mobile fortresses called Juggernauts as shelter and transportation. Wrist-mounted crossbows are common weapons, as are chain bolos. Auslander Racer forms are like dune-buggies. Auslander Scanners typically choose scorpion forms.

Energy Wells: Gigantic towers rising above bottomless chasms of blackened steel. Great torrents of blue-green energy leap from the turrets of the well. It's like a cross between an oil well and an active volcano.

Options & Defects

Weaponry

Armor

	Protection	Cost	Weight	Special
Oriachalum Adamantium Quicksilver Blackiron Normal Scrap None	Low Hgh Low High Average Low None	High High High Average Average Low None	Average Average Low High Average Average None	Absorbs and stores ambient energy None Regenerates and responds to mental commands None None Affords camouflage in certain areas None

Oriachalum is an alchemical blend of Adamantium and Quicksilver that has the ability to absorb ambient magical energy and store it within its molecular structure. Oriachalum is made specifically for mages to wear.

Adamantium is a brilliantly shiny alloy similar to titanium and platinum. It is exceptionally strong and weighs about as much as normal armored plate. Stalkers frequently make use of Adamantium armor.

Quicksilver is a alchemical element similar in appearance to mercury. It appears to flow over the wearer and responds to simple psychic commands, allowing it to appear and disappear at will. Quicksilver will also heal itself when damaged. Racers and Scanners are the robots who wear this type of armor the most.

Blackiron is a crude type of blackened metal commonly used in the construction of barriers and support struts. When used as body armor, it is an effective alternative to more costly materials, though its sheer weight makes it suitable only for the strongest wearers.

Scrap metal armor is old and flecked with rust. Still, it is an economical form of protection with the added bonus of camouflage amongst the debris piles so common on Galactos. The Auslanders of the Desert of Rust wear this type of armor exclusively.

SAMPLE INDEX

Introduction

Short fiction (Genesis)

Overview

History

The Birth of a God

The Coming of the Adversary

The Creation of the Six

Time of War & Plague

Galactos the Planet

Geographical Overview

The Cities

The Wastelands

The ArchMagi and the Six Houses

Description of the Houses

Robot Culture, Attitudes, Appearance

The Adversary

The Enemy Within

The Denizens of Galactos

The Cabal

The Undead

Cogs

Drones

Imps

Scavengers

The Basics

What is Roleplaying?

Game Systems

Example of Play

Characters

Overview

Character Generation

Stats & Skills Description

Equipment & Weapons

The System

Actions

Combat

Hazards

Character Evolution

Creatures

Magic

Running Ars Mechanica

The Campaign

Appendix