Helping Paws

Would you like some help with your house? Would you like some homemade meals, but cannot or don't want to cook? Do you want a companion in your house that fails to look entirely human or isn't a cold robot? Say hello to Helping Paws. These homunculi make for great help around your home and for even greater cooks. Never worry about the dirt and dust. Never worry about being hungry. They can even do the shopping for you and manage your pantry. They can keep up with your conversation and learn new skills. With 10 different models that can be expanded with our customization options, you can have your dream homunculi helping you with most of your needs.   So why wait? Visit the closest Fur and Fang, Inc. shop and make your order!

  Fur and Fang, Inc.'s designers saw that some people reacted negatively to the Homunculi that look either too human but not close enough or to the robotic ones. Their solution was to start creating homunculi that are still humanoid but with more animal traits. And soon, one of their unit types, the Helping Paws, became a best-selling product.   Helping Paws, or simply Paws or Robopaws, as they are often called, are humanoid house servants that can be highly customized with modules that would let them specialize in almost any way of living in The Pit, though their best chore-related skills will always be cooking and cleaning.  

Appearance

There are 10 different basic models of Helping Paws: 3 dogs (Labrador, German Shepherd, Poodle), 3 cats (long-haired, short-haired, short), a rabbit, a wolf, a deer, and a bear. Should that selection be insufficient, it is possible to order a custom species, expanding even to other animal kingdoms (though that raises the cost drastically). Each model comes in one of the three assigned sizes: small - 130 cm, medium - 160 cm, and tall - 190 cm, which, once again, can be customized. Each of the models is covered with synthetic fur acquired from the The Layer of Factories (in case of animals that don't have fur, the replacements like synthetic leather or scales have also been found, but tend to be harder to import), with around 5 patterns for each of the models.   Helping Paws are humanoid; they have two legs and two arms and come with options of tails, both static and moving ones. They have hands with five digits, one of them being opposable thumbs. Their legs tend to resemble the ones of the animals they are based on in structure. The builds of 10 standard models also resemble those of animals, but while staying realistic for humanoids.   Helping Paws wear any clothes their owners give them and can even choose their own if they are permitted (though they tend to prefer the style of clothes their owners already gave them). Most places see walking with a Paw that doesn't have any clothes as weird.  

---

Personality

Satisfaction guaranteed.

There are 8 personality modules with which the Paws can be equipped: Calm, Child-like, Dignified, Energetic, Noble, Proper, Shy, and Silent. The standard models have 3 slots for personalities, though any module exceeding the first one included in the purchase needs to be bought separately. Once there is more than one module equipped within the homunculi, it is possible to set the ratio that will control the extent to which each of the modules will affect their personality.   While the modules set the general personality of the Paw, they still can change and adapt through interactions with their owner and other humans. This will not negate the modules, just build on them.  

Skills

"How can I help you today?"

All of the Paws come with a programmed-in ability to clean, cook, help around the house, monitor the resources, operate Elemental Crystals accompany someone as well, and navigate through the areas known to them. They can find their way home, barter, and hold a conversation. Even if there is some ability missing, it probably can be purchased to expand on their repertoire and adapt them to The Pit. There is even an option to teach them combat, though Paws don't tend to be the most durable when it comes to damage, without various types of armor.  

Elemental accumulation

One of the most valued upgrades to Helping Paws and most other homunculi is one that lets them accumulate Elements in Elemental Crystals. Depending on the location, concentration of Elements in the area, and amount and intensity of activity of the homunculus, it could potentially work indefinitely without the need for a recharge while also filling up the Crystals for other use or, of course, with another upgrade, to power up the devices that are within their effective range.  

Perception

Standard Helping Paws can perceive the world just like humans, both through replicas of the same senses and the same spectrums related to those senses. But through the upgrades, these senses can also be upgraded. From perceiving far more of the sounds or colors than they normally should, through the enhanced senses that let them detect things over long distances or things so small, and ones barely discernible from the background, the humans would need specialized apparatus, to seeing in the dark, map-based orientation in the field, and perceiving the poisons in the air and the Elements and their concentration.