Apricot Ziggurat

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Apricot Ziggurat

Apricot Ziggurat is a bio-mechanoid. A lot of her surface is skin-like, but there are enough obviously mechanical components and protuberances that one cannot actually mistake her for a human. For a general guideline, she looks a bit like the protagonist of the classic NES game, The Guardian Legend. She has stubby metal wings that don't actually do much in aerodynamic terms, some artificial electronic gems, antenna/fin things where her ears should be, etc.

As to her origin: Deep in a cave there is an enormous tree-like structure made of biomechanical cabling and armatures. Large cocoons hang from the branches like fruit, connected by glowing filaments to the larger branches. Apricot Ziggurat fell out of one of these one day, and wandered for a long time before reaching the surface world. And, eventually, stumbling into Ragged Hollow. Neither she nor anyone else has ever been able to find the cave again. Her memory and personality modules seemed to boot up gradually, so her memories of her first months are pretty confused. Her programming is to function as a protector, and so she tried to work as a town guard for a while. However, she turned out to not have a lot of talent for peacekeeping or investigation. She did try. Apricot lived in Ragged Hollow for years, and went on a Halloo because some of her friends were doing it. Her age is sort of indeterminate. She might be very old but have gone through a regeneration cycle.

She chose the name Apricot because she grew on a tree like a fruit.

• Calling: Battle Princess
• Rank 2 (XP 6/12)
• Species: Bio-Mechanoid
• Homeland: Wistful Dark
• History: Town Guard
• Languages: Low Speech, Dream Call

Purviews

My history grants me a Minor Bonus (+2) on...

• Seeing the truth of a situation
• Throwing my weight around
• Powering through obstacles

Aptitudes

• 8 Might (Base 8)
• 8 Deftness (Base 8)
• 10 Grit (Base 10)
• 6 Insight (Base 6)
• 11 Aura (Base 11)

Quirks: Buster Arm: One of your arms is equipped with a powerful, long range energy weapon. It draws its power from your internal energy reserves, so you need to be careful how much you use it.

• Your (right/left?) arm has an energy cannon, it is fitted in such a way that it does not inhibit your dexterity.
• The cannon functions like a Mechanical Missile Weapon (Small), except:
  • It does Bright Damage
  • It does not require reloading
• You can fire the cannon once per Fight without penalty, but...
  • If discharged again during the same Fight, your suffer 1 Heart of Damage for every shot you take
  • If you have 0 Hearts the weapon cannot be used, it just gives out a sad bleep

Abilities

• Not of Flesh and Blood: You have a synthetic body. You do not eat or breathe and need maintenance rather than rest to heal.
  • You can suffer different effects when you roll on the Injury Table, and must be healed with Bio-Mechanical Treatment (p262).
  • For better or worse, you are immune to things that target organic life. For example, neither healing potions or poisons affect you.
  • You do not need to eat, and are immune to Starvation.
  • You must go offline periodically to recharge. This is the mechanical equivalent of sleep. If missed or skipped you suffer Fatigue.
• Personal Analytics: Your heads-up display affords a greater perceptive range than organic beings.
  • If you focus, you can detect the general distance and direction of:
    • Any living creatures
    • Sources of great energy, such as imbued items, powerful undead, or other mechanoids
  • Your scan has a 50ft range
  • During a Fight, this Ability requires the use of your Action
• Heart's Blade: She can manifest a special weapon immediately, without using an action.
  • Sky Steel Mighty melee weapon (Dragon Buster)
    • Requires both hands to wield or take a Minor Penalty when using one-handed
    • Crushing Blow: You do 2 Hearts of damage, instead of 1, on a successful Attack.
    • Extra Damage: +1 Heart for Attack roll totals of 20 and above.
  • You can call this weapon into existence through force of will.
    • Melee Weapons are formed instantly and can be used on the same Turn they are called.
    • Your Heart’s Blade will vanish instantly on command.
  • Only a single form of the Heart’s Blade may be summoned at any one time: either the primary, secondary, or combination form.
  • If the weapon is Sundered or lost during combat, you can will it away and summon a new Blade.
• Shield of Love: Once per fight I can place a force field around an ally within sight that absorbs 1 heart of damage, then disappears. This has to be used on my turn but doesn't take an action.
• Soul Companion: Disco is a UFO/flying saucer looking thing on little chicken legs.
• Rank 2: Glittering Machine. She can summon a Sky Steel tool instead of her Heart's Blade. It can be anything simple, such as a grappling hook or lockpick. +1 bright allegiance.
  • Remains until you swap it for another tool or call your Heart's Blade.

Social Bonds & Reputations

• Allegiance: +1 bright from Glittering Machine.
  • Gifts:

Conflict

• Attack Bonus: +2
• Hearts: 3
• Defense: 10
• Speed: Average

Gear

Retrieving items takes 2 Actions from a Backpack and 1 Action from a Traveler's Bag

Worn Outfit: Normal Clothes

• Medium Armor
• Lantern Implant
• Lantern Fuel
• Functional Outfit (Worn)
• Traveler's Bag

Companions

Disco: A toy Soul Companion, who looks a bit like a UFO with legs. He can plug into a circular mount on Apricot's back.

• Brave Toy Companion: +0 Attack, Hearts 2, Defense 14, Average Speed
• Languages: Bright Tongue, Low Speak. Your Companion will only talk with you unless otherwise requested.
• Range: They can exist up to 40 ft away from you. Beyond that range they vanish, only to reappear by your side.
• Fighting: Your Companion can only provide limited support during a Fight:
  • Attack: They are not powerful enough to harm foes, but can perform Attack Assists for you or your allies.
  • Health: At 0 Hearts they puff out of existence, but will return after you’ve slept and rested.
• Ability: Booster - Disco can convert into a jetpack, cling onto your back, and lift you to safety.
  • You gain the power of flight at an Average Speed Rating.
  • The boost grants enough lift for you to reach one visible destination.
  • During a Fight, your Companion loses a single Heart for each Turn this Ability is in use.
• Ailments: They are immune to the direct effect of Ailments; however they suffer the symptoms of any Ailments you contract!
• Gear: They cannot use any Gear; Armor falls off, weapons are dropped, etc. However, they can carry items.

Wealth

• Stones: 75
• Coins: 13
• Gems: