and Dylan C!!!!!!! present:

Explaination of Reploids

I figured if I had explained magic so well, I might as well also explain technology: or to be precise, one of the most fantastic forms of it.

Reploids are basically the ultimate form of artificial intelligence: they are capable of thinking, feeling emotions, and making complex decisions in a way that is indistinguishible from that of a human being. Better, in fact: their brains are much better at organizing information than ours. They are also visually identical to humans. Without looking inside of them, only the best roboticists and Replogists can tell if someone's a Reploid (if they don't say so themselves).

The physical strength of the average Reploid is several hundred (in some cases, several thousand) times that of the average human, and they're also better at adapting than nonintelligent robots. In other words, a Reploid can not only replace industrial machinery, but also rip said machinery apart barehanded. However, this generally isn't wise, since it may prove tough on their synthetic skin (which is only four times as durable as human skin).

They also come with a set of armor, which typically includes full-body protection, a "morphing" system in the hands, which can transform into a plasma welder (or cannon), extra strength to the limbs, and better cooling systems. Many armor sets also include a helmet, which serves a variety of functions. The armor not only broadens the amount of conditions Reploids can work in that humans can't, but also makes Mavericks that much more dangerous (see below).

The Three Laws of Robotics are ludicrously well-documented, so there's no real need to reiterate them here. However, while theoretically a Reploid must obey them, they aren't imprinted with them the way Asimov's robots are. In simpler terms, a Reploid is capable of breaking them without either going insane or shutting down. They are therefore merely excuses to engage in behavior that a human supposedly would find unusual ("I did it to protect a human"/"I was ordered to"/"I did it to protect my own existence and I wasn't ordered otherwise and nobody was harmed by it").

Mavericks

A sad fact of Reploid life is that they will inevitably encounter prejudice from humans. Some of them encounter such extreme or constant disrespect and/or hatred from humans that they break under the pressure and basically feel genocidal hatred for all of humanity. This is called "going Maverick" and takes a variety of forms. The most common, unfortunately, is that the Maverick Reploid tries to kill all humans he or she can get his/her hands on. The only thing that can really stop them is another Reploid or an experienced and powerful magic-user. Mavericks simply do not listen to reason, and sadly, the only cure for going Maverick is destruction.

Hunting and stopping Mavericks has become a profession for some. There are many local "companies" for this, and there is at least union for Maverick hunters on each of the Four Continents. However, attempts have been made to make organizations that prevent Reploids from going Maverick in the first place using nonviolent methods, and the general public seems to like this better.