Saturday, September 23, 2023

Who Do You Think You Are? Androids

 Adapted from Starfinder 2e Playtest , Android - Starfinder Wiki and Android- Archives of Nethys


Paizo has released their playtest for Starfinder 2e. I will use the new setting to convert elements into my derivative setting for a West Marches campaign.

Androids thrive in nearly any environment and exist as part of myriad cultures, meaning they can be found almost anywhere in the galaxy. Many androids are curious about their origins, traveling alone or with others in search of answers to various metaphysical and material questions about their identities and the greater cosmos. Androids are diverse, with few individuals sharing the exact same appearance despite their manufactured state. If you want to roleplay a character on a journey of self-discovery, you should play an android.



Android

Humanoid

Android

Construct


Androids first emerged as synthetic beings crafted by many technologically advanced civilizations throughout the galaxy. Humanoid peoples created the first androids in their own images, but after the technology that animated the living constructs spread, androids began displaying a fantastic diversity of forms. Androids were originally designed as servants, but today, androids stand as equals to other citizens under the Pact. Many androids have formed their own independent communities, while others integrate seamlessly into Pact Worlds societies. Unlike many other technological constructs, androids are more than intricate synthetic organs and complex programming; each possesses their own soul.

You Might...

  • Keep your identity a secret, assuming others want to exploit or harm you.

  • Seek to understand your purpose in the wider galaxy.

  • Judge others based on how they treat service workers, blue-collar laborers, fans, or pets.

Others Probably...

  • Have trouble parsing your emotions or understanding when you express them.

  • Secretly covet your lack of aging.

  • Have some level of guilt for their ancestors’ use of your species as laborers.

Physical Description

Androids are biomechanical constructs that typically resemble humanoids with glowing circuitry. Most were created in specialized birthing sites called foundries. Older variants of androids, such as androids on Golarion (Pathfinder Lost Omens: Ancestry Guide 68-69), were primarily biological, but androids in the modern era usually incorporate more technological components and synthetic elements into their bodies. Androids need to eat and sleep, but they do not reproduce, do not age, and have no innate concept of gender—though many express humanoid gender identities or shift fluidly between them. Most androids voluntarily release their bodies after a century or so, allowing new souls to inhabit them in a process called renewal.

Society

Androids tend to be cautious when visiting new places and meeting new people. Once comfortable, androids tend to form tight bonds of friendship and kinship, forming found families and adopting entire streets and communities as their home rather than remaining confined by the boundaries formed by walls. Androids often go out of their way to help one another and their chosen families and communities, and most are loath to end the life of another android, knowing that to do so ends not one life but the countless other souls who could one day inhabit that body.

Sample Names:
Asha, Blue-17, Celita, Daniv, Emene-3, Era-4, Flick, Garro, Historia-6, Hope-1, Iseph, Melody, Naga, Olas, Omen, Prime, Ruby-17, Stringer, Twenty Six, Urdun, Verity-3, Anati, Daniv, Era-4, Feralia, Gelegor, Ilgos-5, Koresh, Oris, Prime, Urdun, Verity-3, Ymry and Yose

Beliefs

Androids hold a variety of religious and philosophical views, with individuals sometimes collecting beliefs and practices through decades of lived experiences. Similar to elves and other long-lived species, androids tend to view things differently than beings with shorter lifespans. Many androids are patient in achieving their goals and might create plans that span decades or centuries, hoping they will be alive to experience the results. Elder androids who voluntarily pass on to the next part of their cycle may bequeath their goals to the next soul to inhabit their body.

Popular Edicts discover your origins, plan for the future, help others achieve liberation

Popular Anathema engage in reckless or self-destructive behavior

Android Mechanics

Hit Points 8

Size Medium

Speed 25 feet

Attribute Boosts Dexterity, Intelligence, Free

Attribute Flaw Charisma

Languages Common

Additional Languages

Additional languages equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier (if it’s positive). Choose from the list of common languages and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent in your region).

Senses Low-Light Vision

Constructed

Your synthetic body resists ailments better than those of purely biological organisms. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws against diseases, poisons, and radiation.

Emotionally Unaware:

You find it difficult to understand and express complex emotions. You take a -1 circumstance penalty to Diplomacy and Performance checks, and on Perception checks to Sense Motive.

Android Heritages

Artisan Android

Impersonator Android

Laborer Android

Polyglot Android

Warrior Android

History

Creation and Early History

Androids were built to serve humans using crèches called foundries. This technology is thought to have been developed on the Lost Homeworld before the Gap, and there are suggestions that it was brought there from a distant solar system. Early models are believed to have been mostly biological.

Modern enslavement and independence

Corporations in the Foundry Confederation discovered how to manufacture new androids and did so to mass-produce them as an inexpensive slave race suited for dangerous tasks. This practice essentially ended with the Cocos Rebellion, ensuing revolts, and "The Automaton's Polemic," a landmark speech by Serphaeus 6. While these revolutionary acts led to the Foundry Confederation recognizing androids as fully independent citizens, manufacturing and indenturing androids persists in unregulated parts of the Confederation.

Society

Due to their shared past as designed servants, androids are insular in nature and tend to distrust authority, often assuming that other beings seek to exploit them. Their constructed, artificial nature also makes them less capable of freely exhibiting emotion (even though they feel emotions as strongly as other races), but also more adept at logical processing and making rapid decisions.

These traits lead many androids to seek out others of their own kind, or other similar sentient technological beings and constructs. They strongly value friends and those who treat them with respect and care. They also gravitate toward neutrality and care primarily for themselves and their friends.


In the Foundry Confederation

Androids live across the system, but many prefer to live in Foundry Station, Kolides, or the Remnant.

They experience strained relations with humans due to their recent and ongoing history as humanity's slaves and vesk due to their enslavement of others. Still, respect shirrens for their shared past circumstances and kasathas for their independence. Ysoki antics are only begrudgingly tolerated.

Likewise, many other races find the unique traits of androids, such as their artificial origins and unaging bodies, difficult to relate to.

Android Abilities

Androids derive their special abilities from their Bionic Physiology.

Cyber Mind

Androids possess a computer-like consciousness with advanced capabilities. Their minds process information at incredible speeds, allowing them to excel in tasks requiring logic, pattern recognition, and data analysis.

Enhanced Dexterity

Androids possess fine motor control and reflexes that far exceed those of organic beings. Their movements are precise, fluid, and incredibly swift.

Androids in Adventuring

An android settlement has gone silent - investigate whether it was attacked or its residents left voluntarily.
Infiltrate and sabotage a foundry still illegally producing indentured androids to be slaves.
A hacker has stolen classified memories from androids - track them down and recover the data.
Defend an android rights activist who exposed corruption and is now targeted for assassination.
An android character's creator has asked for protection from powerful enemies.
Retrieve an experimental starship AI that became sentient and went rogue, evading its corporate owners.
Join an underground railroad freeing and relocating androids living as slaves in fringe systems.
A virus spreads through android communities - find the source and the cure.
Legislate for android rights and equality by serving in the sector government.
A serial killer targets androids and leaves cryptic clues - stop them before more are killed.
Uncover an illegal chop shop harvesting used androids for parts. Shut it down.

Android Secrets

  • When an android "dies"—when its soul exits its intact body, even voluntarily—a new soul seeks out its body to inhabit it. This process is known as renewal.

  • Androids did not originate on the Lost Homeworld - their technology came from beyond Charted Space, with unclear motives.

  • Some androids secretly possess dangerous combat upgrades like plasma cannons but keep them hidden to avoid persecution.

  • A secretive group of androids works to sabotage AIs and limit their freedoms due to an old grudge.

  • Androids did not gain souls naturally - they were originally grafted onto them by an ancient precursor race.

  • Many androids have latent psychic powers due to the experimental nature of their minds, but this ability is suppressed.

  • Wealthy collectors secretly pay exorbitant sums for the deactivated bodies of rare early android models.

  • A serial killer who targets androids cannot be stopped because he is an android himself.

  • Some androids have the ability to transfer their consciousness to computer systems and control networks.

  • A clandestine android faction seeks to convert all biological life into synthetic forms by any means necessary.

  • Some androids were created not as servants but as supersoldiers for an apocalyptic war, and some still have those combat instincts.

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