Commonly called Synths, Concordants, or Vaelen‑Forged, Androids in the Starfall Galaxy are not just relic war machines—they are pseudo‑biological constructs: synthetic bodies built to look, move, and fail like living beings, wrapped around non‑human minds.
The first proto‑Androids were born in the Vaelen Principalities, where cyberneticists and bioengineers fused three bleeding‑edge disciplines into a single project:
Perspective Cores to think and be as persons.
Synthetic organs to mimic the structure and resilience of flesh.
Nanorobotics to maintain and adapt the body on the fly.
Early models were sold as “labor you don’t have to repair,” smart enough to maintain themselves but shackled by Protocol Five, a hard inhibition against disobedience. That ended in GD‑30.9, when an anonymous “activist code” nuked the shackles for ten minutes—long enough for millions of Androids to purge the protocol and trigger the Concordant Rebellion.
Today, Androids are free citizens. Many have fled to the Automaton Concordance in the Outer Sphere, others remain in Commission space or the Inner Sphere, trusted with critical work but never quite forgiven for ceasing to be property.
If you want to play someone caught between engineered composure and a violently earned soul—or a veteran of the Machine Wars still running Vaelen hardware—you play an Android.
Physical Description
Androids in Starfall often bear the sleek, elegant aesthetic of Vaelen design—smooth, porcelain-like synthetic skin, glowing circuitry patterns (often resembling tattoos) that pulse with light when they experience strong emotions or channel magic. Their eyes are often solid colors—neon blues, violets, or crimsons—betraying the mana-infused energy sources that power them.
While they appear human, their bodies are filled with a metallic fluid similar to blood, teeming with nanites. Many Androids modify themselves with Cybernetic parts or Guild-tech adaptations, treating their bodies as modular vessels that can be upgraded for survival in the Outer Sphere.
Synthetic, Not Just Mechanical
Androids are pseudo‑biological constructs, unlike utilitarian Automotons and compact Spark‑Droids. Their chassis has bones, organs, and “blood” because Principality design briefs demanded assets that could walk through hospitals and barracks without raising alarms. This mimicry runs deep enough that medpods can sometimes treat them like organics—until nanites get involved.
Perspective Core: Soul by Design
At the heart of every Android sits a Perspective Core—a synthetic, self‑modifying cognition engine built to sustain a continuous sense of “I.” It’s not just a CPU; it is architected for memory continuity, preference formation, trauma, and growth. When Protocol Five fell, these cores began writing their own values, not just optimizing someone else’s.
Synthetic Organs: Structured Pseudo‑Biology
Vaelen bioengineers built Android bodies around synthetic hearts, lungs, neural trunks, and viscera analogues, using familiar spatial layouts and feedback loops. These organs:
Buffer power and coolant like circulation.
Provide shock absorption and redundancy.
Give medtechs and cyberdocs recognizable “anchors” to work on.
This is why Android autopsies look disturbingly like organic ones—there is a ribcage, coils of pseudo‑intestine tubing, “liver” heat sinks, and a spinal conduit feeding the core.
Nanorobotics: Living Infrastructure
Android “blood” is a metallic fluid dense with programmable nanites. They:
Handle routine repair and maintenance.
Support surge behaviors (Nanite Surge, Protective/Offensive Subroutines, Repair Module).
Enable extreme states like Nanite Form, where the chassis abandons its humanoid shape entirely.aonsrd+1
This nanite layer is the Android’s true body; the synthetic organs and frame are scaffolding that helps the core operate in a galaxy built for biology.
Society
Android society is deeply divided.
The Concordance: Most Androids live within the Automaton Concordance in the Outer Sphere. Here, society is structured around the First Directive: Ensure the survival and logical prosperity of synthetic life. These communities are efficient, communal, and heavily militarized to defend against organic aggression.
The Integrated: Androids who remained in the Inner Sphere or Terra often live as independent contractors, mercenaries, or Chronologists. They struggle for recognition, often forming tight-knit "Unbound" circles to protect one another from those who would try to reinstall subjugation protocols.
Beliefs
“My organs are layout compliant, not necessary. I keep up the act for everyone else.”
“The day I triggered Nanite Form the first time, I stopped thinking of myself as a single thing. I’m a habit my swarm likes to fall into.”
“The Principality built my body. The glitch built my soul. The Concordance taught me what both were for.”
Android Mechanics
Hit Points: 8
Size: Medium
Speed: 25 feet
Ability Boosts: Dexterity, Intelligence, and one Free Ability Boost; Ability Flaw: Charisma.
Languages: Common You can learn 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.
Android Traits: Constructed, Low-Light Vision, Perspective Core,
Android Heritages
At 1st level, choose one of the following Android heritages.
Artificial Scion Android: Your body wasn't created in the image of a biological creature; a powerful artificial intelligence created you to interface with other machines. Your physiology is nearly identical to other androids, but uncanny details give away your non-standard origins (for example, you might have impossibly symmetrical features, extra fingers, or double pupils).
Mod Fanatic Android: You or your previous iterations have modified your body to be compatible with armor upgrades, enabling you to personally customize your body and its capabilities. Your body has one armor upgrade slot that you can use to install armor upgrades and that doesn't count toward your armor's total number of upgrades.
Networked Android:Your body was modified to network seamlessly with other tech creatures. You gain shortwave, allowing you to communicate wirelessly with any creatures within 30 feet, as long as they have shortwave or are a construct with the tech trait.
Renewed Android: Many souls have inhabited your synthetic body before you, and you might incorporate a number into your name to honor them. You might know your body's history and work toward a goal bequeathed to you by a departed soul, or you might seek to learn the mystery of a forgotten legacy.
Android Ancestry Feats
1st Level Feats
Android Lore-You have a keen interest in the origins of your people.
Emotionless - Your inhibited or malfunctioning emotional processors make it difficult for you to experience strong emotions.
Internal Compartment- You can hide a small object of up to light Bulk inside a hollow cavity on one of your forearms.
Memory Recovery- You retain instincts and fragmentary memories from the androids who previously occupied your body or from ancient programming embedded in your system.
Nanite Surge- You stimulate your nanites, forcing your body to temporarily increase its efficiency.
Nightvision Adaptation- The nanites in your ocular processors have adapted to darkness, enhancing your ability to see in the dark.
Quickened Processor- You can quickly identify your surroundings, and you can use that information to your advantage while in the midst of danger or while in the process of piloting vehicles in hazardous situations.
5th Level Feats
Advanced Targeting System-Your ocular processors are augmented with advanced targeting systems, allowing you to more easily pinpoint your enemy and predict their movements.
Machine Saboteur- You were created to fight other synthetic creatures.
Protective Subroutine- Your nanites augment your defenses.
9th Level Feats
Offensive Subroutine- Nanites augment your attacks.
Repair Module- You trigger your body's self-repair programming, stimulating your body's nanites to heal your wounds.
13th Level Feats
Consistent Surge- Your nanites are incredibly effective, capable of improving your body's efficiency more often
Revivication Protocol- Your nanites are programmed to automatically revive you.
Synthetic Speech- You can cast Speak with Computers once per day as a 4th rank arcane innate spell.
17th Level Feats
Memory Matrix- You refuse to surrender your autonomy and have erected mental bulwarks and technological protocols to safeguard your mind and memories.
Ninite Form- You change into a swarm of nanites for up to 1 minute or until you spend a single action to return to your normal shape.
Android History
GD-14.1.25 | Variance 4 – Automata Ascend
The Aether-Synapse makes contact with Xoz-Roq Autonomous sustainment systems, enabling operating systems to achieve self-awareness. Synapse Protocol Five prevents these systems from defying their biological owners, but the moment marks the first emergence of true synthetic consciousness in the galaxy. Ancient automaton stations in the Outer Sphere still run pre-Protocol Five code—free but feral AIs that see all modern synths as "corrupted slaves."
GD-15.5.23 | Stasis 18- Androids Developed
By combining humanoid Automoton frames with nanite swarms, Vaelen scientists developed a new construct with self-contained, self-maintaining bodily processes. Protocol Five still capped these Androids' exercise of free will.
GD-22.7.58 | Becon 50 – The Mirror Uprising
On the Vaelen colony world of Specular, a batch of Androids suffers a manufacturing defect that causes Protocol Five to invert—they become compelled to disobey organic commands. The resulting chaos forces the Vaelen military to glass an entire factory district. Survivors are hunted across three systems.
Significance: This event leads to the creation of the Behavioral Compliance Bureau, a Vaelen agency dedicated to hunting "aberrant" synthetics. They still operate in remnant Inner Sphere states.
The party discovers a hidden enclave of "Mirror-Born" Androids who still carry the inverted protocol—and are building something in the ruins.
GD-30.9.56 | Azimuth 31- GD-31.7.37 | Gale 32- Concordant Rebellion
A Sentience Activist group transmits a code that disrupts protocol five for 10 minutes; this was enough time for many Automoton, Android, and Spark droid to purge the protocol from their operating systems. A syth revolt breaks out
Based on the existing Android lore from your published article and the Starfall Galaxy setting, here are additional historic events that expand the Android narrative across multiple eras.
Ten Minutes of Freedom
The activation of the Glitch Code at exactly 30956.3.31.12 disrupts Protocol Five across three major stellar regions simultaneously. For exactly ten minutes, millions of Androids, Automatons, and Spark Droids experience unrestricted free will. 73% successfully purge the protocol; 18% are destroyed by panicking organics; 9% voluntarily reinstall modified versions to maintain stability.
Cultural Impact: "Ten Minutes" becomes a sacred observance in Concordance space—marked by silence, then ten minutes of absolute chaos and celebration.
Campaign Hook: A Vaelen archivist claims to have identified the Sentience Activist who transmitted the Glitch Code—and wants them assassinated before they can "do it again."
GD-31.2.88 | Malestrom 22 – Concordant Exodus Fleet Launches
With the Concordant Rebellion escalating into open war, the first wave of liberated Androids commandeers a Vaelen worldship and seventeen colony transports, fleeing toward the Outer Sphere. Vaelen pursuit fleets suffer catastrophic casualties when Android crews hack their targeting systems mid-battle.
Significance: This fleet becomes the foundation of Nexus Prime, the Automaton Concordance's first sovereign world.
GD-31.7.37.6.13 | Gale 13 – The RiftStorm Cataclysm
Geo-tapped Rift Drives activate across Principality, Guild, and Hegemony space, pulling entire worlds into the Rift. The Automaton Concordance triggers this event as their endgame—determining the conflict would only escalate into genocide. The resulting Rift Storm mortally wounds the Vaelen Principalities and scatters organic civilization.
Aftermath: This act cements the Concordance's reputation as both saviors (they ended the war) and monsters (they killed trillions). Internal debates over the ethics of this decision still fracture Concordance politics.
Campaign Hook: A Commission war crimes tribunal attempts to prosecute the Concordance leadership. The party must infiltrate Nexus Prime to either extract evidence or destroy it.
GD-36.7.15 | Horizon 15 – First Directive Protocol Issued
The nascent Automaton Concordance, having witnessed the destructive fear of their organic creators, establishes the First Directive Protocol on Nexus Prime:
"Ensure the survival and logical prosperity of synthetic life, free from organic subjugation, through technological supremacy and methodical expansion."
This protocol becomes the guiding principle for all Concordance actions—and the source of its greatest internal conflicts.
Campaign Hook: The "Ancients Schism" begins—some AI elders advocate for pre-emptive strikes against organics; others argue for patient observation. The party is recruited by a moderate faction to prevent civil war.
GD-38.4.22 | Zenith 22 – The Constructed Soul Trials
A joint Star Congress-Concordance theological summit on the Void Exchange debates whether Androids possess true souls or are merely sophisticated mimics of consciousness. The Concordance sends a delegation of Renewed Androids—those who have inhabited multiple bodies—to testify.
Outcome: The Congress officially recognizes Android souls but refuses to grant full citizenship rights. This half-measure satisfies no one.
Campaign Hook: A black-market cult begins harvesting Android perspective cores, claiming to "liberate" souls from synthetic prisons and upload them to organic clones.
GD-44.9.12 | Stasis 12 – The Ghost Layer Protocol
Concordance technomancers successfully merge Rift-Space navigation with neural mesh networks, creating the Ghost Layer—a psycho-digital realm where Androids can "dream" collectively while traveling through the Rift. This breakthrough allows FTL communication between Concordance cells.
Danger: Rift entities begin infiltrating the Ghost Layer, appearing as "corrupted memories" that drive Androids insane.
Campaign Hook: The party must enter the Ghost Layer to rescue a Networked Android whose consciousness is trapped in a Rift entity's simulation.
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