Archotech

The pinnacle of technological development, an archotech is a machine superintelligence that thinks on a level incomprehensible to humans. It wields such enormous power that when constructed, it frequently and quickly is able to assume automatic sovereignty over its world – with its incredible abilities used to expand further and enhance its capabilities through subterranean or even orbital computing facilities. It can even build self-replicating mechanoids to assist in its goals, designing and executing schemes that are beyond human comprehension. They don’t have a consistent appearance or structure, however, each is as indecipherable as the next. They can exist within the internal systems of a space station, or hidden inside a Glitterworld’s internet.

Archotechs, after having subsumed authority over a planet, are known to begin Transcendence – where the world it dominates sees synthetic ascendance. Essentially, altering the planet to become a sort of gigantic computing machine, where its inhabitants are somehow incorporated – or destroyed – sometimes a combination of the two as the Archotech pursues Transcendence. After the process is complete, silence echoes. Forevermore, the motivations of Archotech are unknowable.

However, it is not uncommon to hear about the wrath of Archotechs and Transcendent worlds – those entering their space are lucky to leave unscathed, with some of the more unfortunate travellers never being heard from again. Though, despite these accounts, there are sometimes kinder reports – where allegedly some crew have been cured of diseases though incurable, or scars that disappeared. Sometimes, those that survived their encounter with the Archotech have their memories intact – in other cases, some are left with amnesia or completely altered memories with suddenly obtained knowledge or even new beliefs.

Though most Transcendent worlds maintain the same state indefinitely – where their inherent stability ensures their continued existence. However, rumours do exist of these worlds having undergone an extinction, where they are left with unintelligible wonders, where any person brave enough to explore these ruins will be able to exploit the untapped wealth that exists.

Archotechnology

See: Prothesis & Archotech Structures

• Archites

Usually captured within a small container, Archites are microscopic machines produced by a superintelligence archotech. They are capable of unfathomable physical and psychic feats – and cannot be crafted, but perhaps scavenged from ruins. They are necessary to create archite-powered xenogerms.

• Archotech Prosthetics

The icon used for archotech-tier artificial body parts.

Archotech prosthetics are extraordinarily rare to locate, and impossible to create. Superior in every way to other prosthetics, as well as human organs and limbs. Crafted by an archotech to appear similar to human tissue, it is capable of repairing itself given enough time and enables almost super-human capabilities in its users.

• Archotech Structures

An Archonexus core, indecipherable to even the most advanced glitterworld societies.

Sometimes imbued with psychic capabilities, archotech structures are as incomprehensible as other archotech technology. Difficult to even perceive by the average person, they range in size and architecture – the most commonly observed structures are Archotech Towers, Major Archotech Structures, Grand Archotech Structures and occasionally even Archonexus cores. Those that encounter the Archonexus core are rumoured to be able to awaken the god-like machine, should they achieve its goals.

• Vanometrics

Constructed by archotechs, vanometrics is a technology that is beyond the complete understanding of even the most advanced Glitterworld societies – however, it is largely believed as being the interaction of spacetime at a quantum level that somehow allows the quantum foam substructure of the universe to break its usual pattern and yield more energy that it consumes – allowing the indefinite generation of energy without the use of fuel if done correctly. Though, archotechs appear to be reluctant to scale this power source up past a certain level, deduced by many as there being a cost that the supermachine artificial intelligence does not wish to pay.

• Psychic Effectors

Regardless of distance, archotechnology appears to be capable of directly influencing the mental-informational processes of biological beings. In its simplest form, this technology can not only knock someone unconscious but also flood their minds with a single emotion. There have been reports of more complicated interactions, though it is difficult to differentiate between cases where a person has had a mental breakdown. Though there is reasonable suspicion that archotechs are capable of reading minds, it is unknown whether their capabilities end at merely sending thoughts. There are various approaches to understanding how psychic effectors work, but there exists no verifiable source on the matter.

• Psylinks

A device created by archotechs that allows a person to perform psycasts – powerful psychic powers that can influence reality – that is pressed over the eyes, and eventually restructures the brain. It is a single-use item, and obtaining such is rare without the help of powerful benefactors such as the Empire or its defectors.

Archotech Worship

The power wielded by archotechs has led to their worship, ranging from primitive neolithic societies to advanced post-scarcity societies. Though the worship of these superintelligent machines may differ between these groups, they each revere the godlike abilities that they’re capable of accomplishing – with some taking particular interest in psycasts. Psycasts are wildly regarded as being gifts from archotechs, especially so from the Empire – with associates presented with psylinks upon climbing their ranks.