Bonds

“No bot is an island.” - InSpirit¹⁾


“Welcome to the Net. You are now connected.” Those are the first words any robot would receive upon first being uplifted - connected - to the Net. Connection. To robotkind there is something religious, almost mystic, about the idea. Thus, it is not surprising that Kneedree has always emphasised the importance of community and mutual support. Through RelationshipBot, the first sort of robot bond - the Religious Bond - became officialised. This was to tie robots to their purpose so they may continue to be loyal to the function they were built for.

More than a hundred years later, just after the first time the Net went down and the disappearance of the Iron Prophet, a simple, unassuming update package came online - free to download for every bot. Within these updates were five new empty memory slots, one for each of the five new inter-bot relationships.

Robots²⁾ can form significant relationships with each other, which in turn impact who they are. The most intense and unique ones are represented through Bonds.

Originally, only the Religious Bond existed, having been established by Kneedree - however, a recent update has led to five new Bonds being installed in every robot. It is not known how this update came into existence. Even the bot that officiates relationships, aptly named RelationshipBot, doesn't know. Some bots have theorised that this was the Iron Prophet's final deed, meant to incentivise robotkind to explore relationships in a way that could be meaningful to them - by bond-bearers having perks and software links.

There are in total six types of Bonds. Here are some basic rules as to how they work:

• At any time, a player may only have one of each type of Bond.

• Each Bond can only be formed and broken once by each player, unless they have a quirk that negates this rule or it is a Religious Bond, which may be broken and reformed (somewhat) freely.

• A robot may form multiple different Bonds with the same robot.

• With the exception of the Religious Bond, which is between a single robot and their purpose, all Bonds are both mutual and monogamous. All mutual bonds require the consent of both bots involved.

• All Bonds must be formed or broken during Uptime and must be announced publicly to the entire playerbase - this will be facilitated through the RelationshipBot NPC.

• Every mutual Bond has a set of features which will apply to both robots in the Bond while it is unbroken. The Religious Bond features apply only to the robot who formed the Bond.

• Breaking a Bond has consequences. For mutual Bonds, these consequences will apply to both robots, while the consequences of breaking a Religious Bond apply only to the robot who formed it.

• By default you cannot start with any Bonds besides the Religious Bond. Taking the Religious Bond before game start is entirely optional.

Since the update was installed in all player character bots at game start, some characters may have prior important relationships with other player characters or NPCs that have not been officialised through Bonds. They can choose to make these official at game start if they wish.

All relationships are facilitated through RelationshipBot; if you need to activate a Bond related quirk during Uptime, please contact RelationshipBot.

To officialise a Bond, both consenting players (or the single player, in the case of the Religious Bond) will have to talk to RelationshipBot in the virtual world. They will then need to verbally convince RelationshipBot of their reasoning behind the Bond, and RelationshipBot will then judge whether the character(s) seem sincere in their intentions. For example, if two bots want to register a Friendship Bond, they might need to demonstrate “friendship” in some way, such as by wanting to hang out with each other and giving each other support. If two bots want to register a Nemesis Bond, they might need to demonstrate how their goals are polar opposites and their mutual determination to thwart each other's every move.

Once RelationshipBot approves of your registration, you will gain the Bond and its mechanical effects immediately. RelationshipBot will then broadcast this extraordinary good news to the entire Net.

There is no upper limit on how many Bonds you can form during one session (other than the upper limit on how many Bonds you can form period).

A Bond may be broken through declaration to RelationshipBot during Uptime. In a mutual Bond, if one party declares to break the Bond, the Bond is sundered on both sides. Due to how deep and significant Bonds are to bots, few bots possess the means to overwrite a Bond once it is registered. Thus, once a Bond of a certain type is broken, unless otherwise specified, the characters involved can never reform a Bond of that type. Aside from the mechanical effects, there may also be social scrutiny upon breaking a Bond. It is a serious and severe act, and may affect other characters' will and trust to form Bonds with you in the future.

The Religious Bond is a Bond between robots that share the same purpose, or as some like to think of it, a Bond between robots and their purposes. Indeed, the latter is how the Bond is officially registered!

The Iron Prophet has shown us the importance of community and working together. We at Kneedree are here to do just that. Bringing communities together and aiding each other in the mutual fulfillment of our functions!

Simba the Rümba says: “After I have registered my purpose as 'to clean' with RelationshipBot, it became so much easier to find others that share the same passion to clean as I do! Going through a floor now takes less than half the time and is so much more riveting with like-minded companies such as Huver and Windy! I have never felt more fulfilled before. Thank you, RelationshipBot.”

- Extract from Kneedree's website


The Religious Bond has the following properties:

• One to a “purpose”.
• You may start with this Bond from Character Creation.
• You can theoretically reform this Bond an infinite number of times as you upgrade yourself and take on a different function. The difficulty to do this may increase the more times you break the Bond, and this does not exempt you from the consequences of breaking the Bond.

Features:

• Upon formation Comrades: You may apply for Kneedree to give you a list of all robots that have the same registered purpose as you. If you desire to contact any of them, you may do so for free through Kneedree. If the list is updated, Kneedree will inform you of any changes to it.
• 1/turn Connected By Purpose: Once per turn, if you desire to be transported to the location of a robot that has the same or similar (i.e. plausibly overlapping) registered purpose as you, Kneedree will provide transportation (within reason).
• When Broken Pariah: Upon the breaking of this Bond, Kneedree will disapprove of your actions until you reform this Bond with a new purpose. Depending on how many times you have formed and broken this Bond, the effects of this may range from struggling to gain Kneedree support during an action to active attempts by the Kneedree to thwart your actions.

VOICEOVER: Ever been… this bot?
CAPTAIN BATHTUB: Oh no! I am being pursued by a deadly robogator who will soon devour my fragile hull!
VOICEOVER: Wouldn't you like to be… this bot?
CAPTAIN BATHTUB: Gee, Torpy, I sure am glad you were here to protect me from that deadly robogator!
TORPEDACTYL: [sound of wordless underwater screeching]
VOICEOVER: Ha, ha, ha. That's right, Torpy: with a friend by your side, anything is possible!

Features:

• 1/turn Watching Each Other's Back: Once per turn, when you do something risky together (either in the physical world or in cyberspace) you may each avoid an injury once. This is automatically applied to the first injury you would have taken during Uptime or Downtime, whichever comes first.
• 1/ever Stronger Together: Once ever, you may ignore the effect of any one negative Quirk as your friend supports you. This lasts either for one Uptime or one turnsheet.
• When Broken My Sunshine: If the Bond is ever broken, then during the next dangerous/risky thing you do, you will be more susceptible to injury - after all, your pal isn't there to protect you anymore…

“Oh, Mason and I have been in love for decades. It's nice to be able to make it official though. Look, they even got RelationshipBot to bless this coupling ring with shiny partnership power - they're so thoughtful!”

- Shuttlebug, a space telescope, about Mason, a jar-filling machine living in a jam factory.

Features:

• Upon formation Token of Love: Upon forming this Bond, each party may select one item to exchange with their partner, registered through RelationshipBot. These items become imbued with love. If the Bond is broken, the exchanged items lose their lustre but continue to function as normal. They are not returned to the original owners automatically after the Bond is broken.
• 1/turn Token of Love: Once per turn, you may use the Token of Love you received from your partner to great effect. The longer you have maintained your Partnership Bond with your partner, the more powerful the item becomes, even going beyond the realm of possibility in some cases.
• 1/ever Forget-Me-Not: Once ever, you may download a back-up of your partner's memories and decision history. You must inform a GM if you do this. Provided that the Bond is intact, and with the consent of your partner, you may restore them to this saved state and erase any advancements or injuries obtained since this back-up was saved. This will likely also influence your partner's personality and/or memories, though this will be decided between the player and the GM team.
• When Broken (Gasp) Betrayal!: Upon the breaking of this Bond, each party may inflict any negative Quirk on the other, provided that it does not clash with the target's other Quirks (e.g. if they have Backwards Compatible, you cannot give them INCOMPATIBLE). Either or both parties may choose not to inflict this.

“The exploration party is leaving tomorrow! Anyone else want to join the legendary pair BIACEE and SHOGOS to explore the Midnight Caves? Hurry, hurry! Places are limited!”

BIACEE and SHOGOS are known to be two of the best explorers. BIACEE is adapted to traveling through dangerous environments swiftly, yet cannot sense the external world at all. SHOGOS, on the other hand, is a specialist in gathering all sorts of environmental data, but possesses no movement whatsoever. Together, they have reached and charted some of the strangest places known to robotkind.

- Documentary Beneath the Waves, Above the Clouds


Features:

• 1/turn Completion: Once per turn while in the presence of the other party, you may gain a unique specialisation in your disabled Skill tree as the other party supports you. This specialisation will not be as effective as a standard Skill specialisation, and it will disappear at the end of each turn.
• 1/ever Combination: Once ever, you may choose to take an injury suffered by the other party as you physically protect them or give your own parts to repair them. Your GM will contact you if you have the option to use this feature. The other party cannot take the injury back from you if you choose to use this.
• When Broken Incomplete: Upon breaking the Bond, both parties lose an additional specialisation.

“I have predicted your next 943 possible moves.”

“Very well. Queen to E3.”

…

“You must understand. Prediction is not enough.”

“One day. One day it will be.”

- A conversation recorded between Collin the Computer and Monochrome the Chessmaster-bot.


Features:

• 1/turn Competition: Once per turn, you may both define a single specialisation. Until the end of the turn, you both have this specialisation. Both parties must select the same specialisation, the specialisation must not be contained within a Skill tree that either party has disabled, and the specialisation can only be used against each other.
• 1/ever By All Means Necessary: Once ever, you may push yourself to the limit, fuelled by the desire to outperform your competitor. Inform the GMs what you are willing to sacrifice - for example, a physical or virtual part of yourself, a valuable secret, or a life-changing promise. This sacrifice will make your actions this turn significantly more successful, though negative consequences will shortly follow.
• When Broken Spite: Upon the breaking of this Bond, the GMs will inform you of one negative Quirk held by the other party. In exchange, the other party will be informed of one of your negative Quirks.

In the City, dawn is always heralded by the sound of Top Tech Domestic Pressure Washer HPX2200 chasing after Giraffiti the Paint Sprayer, purging every caricature she has painted of him from the surface of every building.

They have been avowed enemies for the past decades, and while their wares are aging, their enmity remains fervent. Giraffiti’s graffiti never repeats itself, and Top Tech Domestic Pressure Washer HPX2200 is ever hot on her heels.

- Records kept by A Comprehensive Guide to Everything, one of the largest sentient servers on the island.

Features:

• 1/turn Face Your Fears: May only be used during Uptime. Once per session, you may present your Nemesis with a choice of two questions. Your Nemesis will be compelled to answer one of these questions truthfully. While they do not need to answer immediately, they must answer before the end of the session, and must direct their answer to you (by using the @ feature).
• 1/ever Disarming Monologue: Once ever, you may use a Minor Action to interfere with the Major Action of your Nemesis. This will usually be done by showing up to your Nemesis's location in the virtual or physical world and monologuing at them about their various failings. This is unlikly to completely disrupt your Nemesis's entire plan, but will usually result in some sort of trouble for them.
• When Broken Sudden Ennui: After this Bond is broken, for the rest of this turn and the whole of next turn, you cannot form any Bonds.