Bionix
Resides within many empires
Customs
Trusted Greeting
When Bionix great each other, they press their fists against each other’s while making a sound like a key turning in a lock. This greeting symbolizes their bond and trust with each other.
Even if foreigners cannot make the sound that comes with the greeting, locals still perform the touching of fists without the sound.
Untrusted Greeting
Bionix are a straightforward thinking culture. In Bionix culture, they communicate their level of trust towards others. When greeting someone they do not know or trust, they make eye contact and flash their eyes as a way of saying “I’m watching you”. They do not intend to threaten, but show their interest in forming a trusted bond. However, foreigners may misunderstand this greeting. Without knowing the Bionix culture, foreigners can often take offense or become frightened by the Bionix's eye glow. Unless they know the Bionix culture, they only used this greeting for other Bionix.
Eye Flashes
There are many ways Bionix communicate with each other. One major way, besides using their language, is to cause their eyes to glow faintly. Depending on how long the glow lasts or a specific pattern of flashes, depends on what is being conveyed.
Fashion
Bionix have no use for clothing since they are already covered in metal and don’t have any noticeable features. Instead of fancy clothing, Bionix wear different colored nuts, bolts, and other decorative pieces of metal to show their beauty.
Only when venturing out into colder climates do Bionix require clothing. Their organic parts still require protection from colder environments.
Food & Drink
Oatmeal
The Bionix make a unique type of food called oatmeal, which is well-known for its thick slop made from oats soaked in water or other potable liquids. It is a thick slop made from oats soaked in water or other potable liquids. It is common for it to be warmed and have fruits and other ingredients added to enhance the flavor. Without the added ingredients oatmeal has a very bland taste which some Bionix enjoy.
Metalshine
A potent clear grain alcohol typically drank by the shot. Metalshine is grains, typically oats, distilled in metal vats and filtered to increase its potency. It is more common to see Bionix drinking Metalshine than any other alcohol.
The strength of Metalshine is so intense it has been used to polish metal, hence its name.
Geography
They make use of large rectangular metal cities that are massive blocks of metal containing the entire city. They do not have a specific geographical location but build their cities where they can, causing little to no issues with surrounding kingdoms.
Technologically Advanced Cities
Because of the unique nature of Bionix, they have their own special aspects of technology. The battery position, which is a role held highly by those who have it power their cities.
Copper wiring provides power for street crystals, security doors, light trains, and other devices. The only way this is possible is because of the battery position Bionix are honorably given at the start of their new life. While also seen as the lowest position in the society, they are also the most thanked and cared for.
The Bionix cities are the birthplace of electrical technology, even if it is still in its infancy. However, Bionix cities are extremely careful who has access to their technology and ensure it does not leave their cities. Of course, this hasn’t stopped it from seeping out into the world.
Laws & Regulations
Bionix society is strongly conservative. They have extremely strict laws and are even stricter when enforcing them. They trained the Black Guard to not allow any leniency for law breakers.
Forced Assimilation
Criminals facing the death penalty must take the assimilation process to make up for their past mistakes. This process is the only time someone is forced to become a Bionix.
Noise Curfew
The Black Guard strictly patrolled the streets of Bionix cities to not only keep the peace but also to prevent unnecessary noise. In some areas, the streets are so quiet it can feel like a ghost town as the citizens only venture out into them when necessary.
To make unnecessary noise is subject to fines given by the city guards. These fines can vary between a few coppers to hundreds of gold depending on how loud the noise was. The city guards fine and sentence to jail time anyone who causes noise related to any kind of destruction to the city.
Noise Ordinance
Sometimes people are going to make noise. Whether that is because of construction, celebrations, or craftsmanship, noise is inevitable. Citizens are granted noise ordinances that allow noise for certain periods of time. They pay these ordinances daily and range in price from a few gold coins or more, depending on the source of the noise. Those who work in environments where noise is uncontrollable are granted a permanent noise ordinance for their hours of operation.
Society
With the Bionix being a genderless sub-species, they do not care about gender, physical appearance, or mental health; if you can perform your assigned task, you can live within the community. The different colored accessories worn identify each position within a Bionix city. Even those who are not Bionix can live within their cities, as long as they can do their part. If you are not a Bionix, you can be assigned any position in the city except for a battery.
Social Roles
- Spiked Gold: Ruling Power
- Jagged Red Metal: Crimson Titan
- Smooth Wavy Blue: Battery
- Polished Silver: City Channeler
- Rough Green: General Laborer
- Faded Orange: Explorer
- Solid Black: Black Guard
Battery
The battery role is a special position that only Bionix can perform. This is because the Bionix connect to the city to provide power. They are attached to special machines that syphon out power when the Bionix is in their recharge state. The process is done through shifts to allow the Bionix to function normally in society.
Black Guard
A special unit of soldiers called the Black Guard heavily protect the Bionix cities. They are trained to know the law and go through a rigorous training period that makes sure they can enforce them. The Black Guard are trained in special combat shield tactics. They have learned that a shield can be used for more than just defense. Their studies are mostly to teach how to restrain or detain criminals so they can be placed in front of the Supreme Court for sentence. Any punishments ordered by the Supreme Court are carried out by the Black Guards.
The only soldiers who are superior to the Black Guards are the Crimson Titans, an elite force of combat channelers.
Crimson Titans
The elite military of the Bionix cities known as the Crimson Titans. Known for their machine-like aggression in combat. They show no fear and give no mercy to those they fight. Their legend speaks of battlefields becoming seas of red and the blood of their enemies is burnt into their metallic skin.
These elite soldiers were trained in channeling and hand-to-hand combat using various weapons. They are trained to adapt to any situation while watching their fellow titans back. They are ruthless killing machines created for one purpose: to kill.
Independent Rule
Bionix cities link with each other, exchanging resources, and guarding their surrounding areas against harm. Most Bionix cities have agreed to pay tax to the empire their cities live in to keep peace. The empires or neighboring kingdoms within the empire have access to hiring the Crimson Titans should they need military aid.
Ruling Power
The Ruling Power is one individual who has the ultimate power over the Bionix city. They are trained from the very beginning of their new life as a Bionix. A new Bionix has no memory of past lives and can be molded into a leader who puts the city first. The Ruling Power watches the Supreme Court and votes in case of a tie.
Ruling Power Selection
Once the current ruler has entered their elder years, they select a new Ruling Power. The assimilation process selects a new Ruling Power. They chose the most qualified to be the next Ruling Power and began their training with the current leader. It is an extreme honor for a Ruling Power to mold and train their successor.
Supreme Court
The Ruling Power elects a group of trusted individuals, each representing one position within the city. This Supreme Court serves under the Ruling Power and works together in creating the laws and regulations for their city. They are also the judge and jury for all crimes committed within their city.
Traditions
Assimilation Process
Those who live in the Bionix cities but are not Bionix have the option to go through the Assimilation Process. This process gives a new life to those suffering from financial hardship, non-fatal injuries, or criminals seeking a fresh start. This process is the only way that Bionix can reproduce and keep their sub-species going. The Supreme Court and temple encourage the process, but do not force it upon anyone except criminals who have committed severe crimes.
The Assimilation Process is performed by the temple of Gerealif, the Bionix god of metal and life (Gaia and Transmutation). It involves consent from the subject wishing to proceed with the process, followed by a thorough mental and physical examination. Metal can replace everything else, so they can assimilate only individuals with healthy minds and organs.
Once the process is approved, the subject has a few days to say their goodbyes to loved ones and finish up any last-minute tasks. They do not give their loved ones any information as to the position they will be placed in or their appearance. The temple's funeral service provides a way to say goodbye, if desired.
There is another side to the assimilation process that involves the legal system of the Supreme Court.
Corrupted Bionix Culture
Corrupt cities run like their counterpart but have a Ruling Power and Supreme Court that is unjust and tainted with power. They will do anything that betters themselves over the society and agree to nearly any course of action that increases their military numbers.
The civilized cities have different cultural habits than the hidden Bionix cities. They are the outcasts of the society and have caused many problems for the legitimate Bionix cities.
These corrupt Bionix run their cities through fear and manipulation. They kidnap travelers and forcefully assimilate them to grow their numbers. The Bionix cities' loyalty to empires has been called into question because of the violent actions of the corrupt. The empires require clear intentions from newly established Bionix cities, or they dispose of them quickly out of fear.
While these corrupt cities exist, they are extremely rare to come across as they remain intentionally hidden. Some people even mine out areas to build underground in locations that have been scarcely explored.
Disciplines
Except for your language, the cultural disciplines are based on the position they assigned you while living in the city. If you are not sure what position you would have been assigned, select one that best fits your character design, which will place you in a position.
Languages
Native
Bionix (if you are not in the Bionix sub-species, you can speak Bionix using the Bionix Voice Box. Start with a Bionix Voice Box).
Secondary
Your secondary language is the native language of the culture your Bionix city resides in. Such as if your city resides in the geographical area where the scholarite culture is prominent, you would know Runic as your secondary language.
Optional: Limb Replacement
Your limbs may have been replaced with steammail because of an accident or assimilation issue. Either way, you can choose to replace many limbs with the lowest priced available steammail (arms, hands, legs, or feet).
Battery (Smooth Wavy Blue)
Must be a Bionix to take this discipline.Suggested Masteries
Any two general character creation mastery
Your time as a battery has given you the ability to control the flow of electricity within your body. As you level up, you will come to understand how to manipulate the flow of electricity within your body. However, to charge up the power within, you must over channel spells.
Each time you over channel, gain two power charges that are represented by a d12. The maximum power charges your body can hold is equal to your level plus half your agility (15d12 max). At specific levels, you unlock special abilities you can use with your power charges. Any of these abilities that require an attack roll uses five plus your level as your accuracy. Any difficulty ratings are eight plus your level (max 18).
5 + your level = ability accuracy
8 + your level = ability difficulty rating
Level One Uncontrolled Energy Beam, AoE 5x30ft. Line
Using two actions, you can focus the energy within your body out into a five-foot-wide, thirty-foot-long line, stopping at the first target it hits. This ability uses all available power charges. Targets within the area of effect must make a reaction to avoid the lightning damage. The beam stops at the first target/object it strikes, dealing the total damage rolled.
Level Four: Shocking Thorns (Defensive Ability)
To have this ability activated, you must have at least one power charge. On a successful attack against you, if the target rolls 1-3 on the attack die, the static charge built up in your body exerts out along their weapon and into them. Their weapon takes 1d4-1 durability damage, and they take 1d12 lightning damage.
Level Six: Controlled Energy Beam
Having the raw energy of lightning surging through you for this long, you have learned how to control the amount of energy released in your Energy Beam. You have gained control over the amount of power charges used in your Energy Beam activation, so you can select the number of charges to be used.
Level Eight: Lightning Nova, AoE 20ft. Sphere
Choose up to your current power charges’ worth of targets with in twenty feet from you. Each target must make a reaction check to avoid taking lightning damage. The number of power charges placed on each target shows how many d12s of damage they will take on a failed reaction check.
Black Guard (Solid Black)
Suggested Masteries
Counterattack and one other combat character creation
Self-Shield Wall
When dual wielding shields, their protection bonus stack and you can disarm and grapple (pin) targets with your shields.
Shield Expert
Start with a kite or targe shield. Your shield skill is expertise. Regardless of your shield skill, you can use shields as weapons (excludes pavise until you met the requirements). Using a shield to block attacks using counter actions has the damage reduced by half before applying to the shield.
Chains of Justice
Gain the spell Chains of Aggression as a special ability that is not considered channeling when used. While you can boost this ability as if it was a spell, it cannot exceed a cost of fifteen. Your accuracy is based on your shield skill instead of your magic accuracy.
City Channeler (Polished Silver)
Suggested Masteries
Energy Manipulation and Energetic Memory
A city channeler is commissioned to help the city’s people using their energetics as needed.
Educated in Lightning
Gain the Elemental Lightning skill as educated expertise and all lightning spells have their essence cost reduced by two (min. 1). Spells that are reduced to one cannot become elementary spells.
Enhanced Conduit
Conduits you meld with have a +2 durability. While melded with the conduit, your channeling limit increases by one.
Innate Recharge
You can channel the Recharge spell as a special ability. This ability can be used at no cost, equal to half your agility per full rest. Using the spell in this way prevents it from being boosted.
Crimson Titan (Jagged Red)
To be a Crimson Titan must take the Limb Replacement optional discipline and have at least your arms replaced.Suggested Masteries
Energy Manipulation and one character creation (CC) weapon mastery (i.e. Melee Tech Weapons, Ranged Weapons or Martial Weapons)
As a member of the Crimson Titans, you have been taught the ability to transmute your limbs into one melee weapon type and a short arm. There are some limitations based on the weapon types, as you are transmuting a single limb into the weapon. Transmuting weapons that require two hands still works, but you need another limb to grip it like a hand. Limbs cannot be transmuted into polearms. A transmuted weapon cannot be disarmed, you are automatically proficient with it, and the duration is equal to your mental in minutes (maximum of ten minutes).
The grade of your steammail matters for the transmuted weapon’s damage as the weapon takes on the steammail’s quality grade. The base damage of the weapon is based on the listed weapon's damage. For example, if you have a grade one steammail and you transmute it into a short sword, your damage would be 1d6 (base damage) plus 1d4 (upgrade damage). Upgrading your steammail works the same as upgrading a weapon. You must meet the skill requirement for the grade you are upgrading too (see equipment upgrades in the marketplace chapter).
Transmuting a limb costs two essence per limb, a free action, and another limb to touch the limb being transmuted. Transmuting more than one limb within a single round has the standard free action rules applied (see actions in the game rules chapter). So, if transmuting your right arm into a short sword, you must be able to touch it with another limb before the transmutation can be activated.
A Crimson Titan is trained in martial arts. Crimson Titans learn that their transmuted weapons are not just weapons, but an integral part of themselves, through training. When using your transmuted weapons, you use your martial arts skill for accuracy.
Your martial arts and transmutation skills are expertise. Select one melee weapon type that you can transmute one of your steammail limbs into (i.e. short blades, axes, great weapons, etc.). You can transmute a limb into a gun. When transmuting your limb into a gun, the steammail must have a power source installed. The transmuted gun has a capacity of four short bullets and a range of sixty feet. Standard gun rules apply as if it weren’t part of your body with the exception that it cannot be disarmed. The guns base damage is 1d8 and has the bonus upgrade damage based on your steam mail’s quality grade.
Crimson Titan’s Discipline Summary
- Transmuting a limb costs 2 essence and a free action.
- You must touch the limb with another limb to transmute it.
- Expertise Martial Arts and Transmutation skills.
- Transmute your steammail limbs into one melee weapon type (excludes polearms).
- Transmute your steammail limbs into a gun that has a sixty-foot range and base damage of 1d8.
- The transmutation of your steammail limbs lasts for equal to your mental in minutes (maximum 10).
Explorer (Faded Orange)
Suggested Masteries
Any vision mastery and any general character creation
Wilderness Survival
You have learned how to survive in the wild. Your harvest and apothecary skills are expertise. You know the following apothecary recipes: three class one, three class two, two class three, and one class four.
Know Your Surroundings
Survival and perception are expertise and lucky.
Heightened Endurance
When fatigued from travel, you suffer one less fatigue regardless of how you travelled. It takes one more fatigue to become exhausted.
General Labor (Rough Green)
Suggested Mastery
Any two general character creation mastery
Hardened Exterior
The tough work general laborers endure has given you damage resistance to blunt damage equal to your vitality.
Maximum Capacity
You increase your carry capacity multiplier and maneuvering heavy objects to times thirty. The length of the object is one and a half times your height; the width of the object is equal to your height.
Laborer’s Grip
Your time carrying heavy awkward items has trained you to wield two-handed weapon one handed. You gain the Ambidextrous rank 2 mastery.
