Automata

Shortly after Airships were invented, The Locksmith and The Watchmaker would create the next greatest invention in history. The first automatons are imitations of life, containing entangled particles to a multiversal counterpart to whatever form of life it is imitating.   The story goes that the watchmaker intended to build a gift for a locksmith. The watchmaker remembered a conversation. The locksmith said "I always wanted a horse, but I don't want to care for it. I'm dreadful at caring for pets." In response the watchmaker decided to build what would become the first form of automaton: simulacra. The frame of brass and gold behaved just as a horse would. The locksmith rejoiced at the gift and encouraged her partner to push further and discover the limits of this invention. The watchmaker went to crafting numerous different frames with different methods of operation.     Automata are defined as constructed constructed mechanisms designed to perform specific tasks, or designed to operate independently of outside influence. They are combination of four distinct parts and each part can make a major difference on how the automaton behaves and what it is capable of.  

• Frame The frame is the general structure of the automaton and plays a vital role in the automatons physical strength, lifespan, and durability. Automatons naturally degrade overtime, especially when made with iron which rusts.
  Most frames are made of iron or steel, but this comes at a cost of mobility as well. Some modern models come with quantum tethers that connect the other components together with strong and invisible bonding that still allows for high mobility and dexterity. These tethers are still rare, due to the fact that they are expensive and difficult to maintain without the proper expertise.
• Shell The shell refers to the outer casing and surrounds the other components. Depending on the model and what it was designed for, common shells include brass, iron, and, even minerals such as granite or marble. The primary purpose of a shell is to provide protection as well as add aesthetic value to the finished product.
• Power source' automatons use a variety of different power sources to achieve operation. Some contain combustion engines requiring fossil fuels to operate while others are charged via electricity. Some are powered by Aether, especially if they contain quantum tethers as their frame.
• Operations: This is the most vital component as it directly affects what an automaton is capable of and how it behaves. There are three common operation methods used. These operations are independent of the other components. Quantum entanglement is by far the most popular however has several limitations. Second most popular through the use of command cylinders that contain detailed list of commands the automaton can use. This is much more limited compared to quantum entanglement but is significantly cheaper and also preferable in certain circumstances. The third method is behavioral construction which is effectively a combination of the other two methods. For more information on these see the sidebar.

Sentient Automata

Flight of The Delerium is a table top role playing game as well as setting for fiction. The sentient automata are a potential character race for players. Sentient automata are usually passionate and full of life. They are vibrant an optimistic though some may say naive. They often have many goals and fill their lives in pursuit of ambitions. While there are some who deviate from this, the majority do not, and the sentient automata have a reputation for their cheerful demeanor.   They do have some bugs when it comes to their new found self awareness. They tend to fall short when it comes to contextual scenarios involving emotion. An automaton is often overwhelmed by their emotion and can often feel them at inappropriate times. They are adaptive and intelligent, possessing a photographic memory And are capable of making deductions based on information and experience they've acquired.    

Perception

  While the most common stereotypes surrounding automatons involves they're optimistic and cheerful dispositions, there are still quite a few people find them unnerving. Automatons are meant to be imitations of life, and sometimes their uncanny appearance and behavior brings out anxiety in those who meet them. Some people are deeply unsettled by automatons and often treat them poorly to the point of outright racism.   Uprisings among the sentient automatons have sprung up in several parts of the world but none more so than in The British Empire where automatons are forced to servitude, sentient or not. This has led many to consider automatons untrustworthy.   Despite this, several organizations of automatons have developed with the primary agenda of building good relations with humankind. Many sentient automatons adore humanity and wish to be human themselves. They do not have the ability to feel tactile sensations and even pain is an inviting concept to them. This desire can develop into prolems. Sometimes, automatons suffer a strange form of depression referred to as Geppetto's Complex or Pinocchio syndrome. This condition usually leads to envy on the part of the automaton. Most of the time this syndrome is fairly mild and never develops further, but there are scattered cases of murders as the automatons seek to rebuild themselves as living organisms by harvesting humans and wearing their skin. These situations are remarkably rare and usually only occur in areas where extreme prejudice towards automatons exist.     Needless to say relationship between automatons and humans have been complicated over the last couple decades.