Bio-Cradle

Composed almost entirely of synthetic materials, the only thing each of these abominations shares in common is a human brain. Hunger, thirst, and fatigue become inconveniences of the past, leaving the person inside to focus completely on their own goals. Although Robobrains predate these procedures by over two centuries, this process is specifically tailored to leave sentience and consciousness intact. This means that for much of this incredibly painful and psychologically disturbing surgery the patient is fully aware of what is being done to them. Because of this, only volunteers with a high resolve and motivation can make it through the entire process without succumbing to shock or falling into a coma. Ironically, even those that do survive often change their original intentions within the first few days of recovering. Due to the nature of the transformation, perceptions are inadvertently influenced when access to a higher form of consciousness is achieved.

What does usually remain is strong ambition and ego, leading to more than a few renegades splitting off from their original allegiance to design their own fate. Without any internal policing force, this exodus is difficult to stop. Deciding instead to study the influence this will have on the region as a whole, the Organic Mechanic has put his energy into tracking them rather than actually preventing them from escaping. As with all people, those that leave develop vastly different goals and methods to achieve them, however even the most altruistic struggle with common empathy. Despite the memories of their own pain, it is difficult for them to quantify it in their algorithms that reach forward centuries or even millennia ahead. To most entombed within a Bio-Cradle, life has been reduced to simple mathematics. Their factors are energy requirements, resource management, and risk assessment, while organics are forever focused on their petty comforts and freedoms.

Those that do remain under what was once The Robco Liberation Army, now serve a more sinister goal. In an attempt to merge humans with machines, they seek to take the species to a new evolutionary level with the help of their advanced technology. Freeing them from the confines of their primitive minds, it is considered paramount for humanity to have any chance of catching up with the Zetans. A threat somehow forgotten time and time again by the denizens of Earth, their extermination has become the mission of the Anthropoids by any means necessary. They must first conquer as much of the planet as possible and refine their craft, dawning a new age of war in the Great Dust Bowl as they begin to muster their forces. Without any use for diplomacy, those that cannot be converted willingly join the militia as walking corpses, and the few that do volunteer will require extensive personal modifications before being truly accepted amongst their new brethren.

Bio-Cradles as Characters

• Trait: Intelligent Design
  
  Almost entirely cybernetic, you are now treated as a robot with all the pros and cons that come with it. You do not need to sleep, eat, or drink and cannot benefit from chems or natural healing over time. You are also immune to radiation, disease, and poison. You may also install robot armor upgrades, but no others.
  
  Unlike most robots, you are able to wear armor, clothing, and enter power armor while still receiving their benefits as if you were an organic being. DR from clothing/armor and robotic armor upgrades can stack, however you will not not begin with any 'base-plating' and can only install one of these types of modifications at a time.
  
  Placing the last remnants of your organic form in this adaptable cybernetic frame has given you the freedom to choose your future. You may now perform upgrades to yourself during downtime in between Scenes. This costs 5x Uncommon junk components and 10x Rare junk components as well as requiring at least one rank of Robotics Expert. The process takes 1 + 2cd hours to complete and requires an INT + Science check at Difficulty 4 to finish successfully, (though no materials are lost unless there are Complications). Upon completion, you may select an additional perk at a maximum rank equal to your ranks in Robotics Expert.
  
  Despite everything you have done to shed the weakness of the flesh, you are still held back but what little organic matter you still possess. Out of its natural protections and now living the rest of its life inside a cold automaton frame, your gray matter is especially vulnerable when targeted specifically. Any attack that causes four or more damage to your head now inflicts an Injury instead of the normal five. You also lose DR entirely if any attack strikes your head after the 'Take Aim' action was taken.