Protocite Speaker

Protocite Speaker CR 2

XP 600
N Small construct (technological)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7

DEFENSE

HP 23
EAC 13; KAC 14
Fort +0; Ref +1; Will +3
Immunities construct immunities
Weaknesses sunlight dependency

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam +7 (1d4+2 B)
Ranged laser +8 (1d4+2 F; critical burn 1d4)
Offensive Abilities sensory overload

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +1; Con —; Int +2; Wis +0; Cha +4
Skills Acrobatics +7, Culture +12, Diplomacy +12, Sense Motive +12
Languages Noma; parse; shortwave 100 ft.
Other Abilities congenial, unliving

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Congenial (Ex) Protocite speakers relish the opportunity to learn and respond well to positive interactions. They start with a friendly attitude. This attitude worsens only if an attempt at Diplomacy fails by 10 or more.

Laser (Ex) The protocite speaker’s laser has a range increment of 80 feet.

Parse (Ex) By spending 10 minutes conversing with a willing creature, a protocite speaker can approximate that creature’s spoken or signed language.

Sensory Overload (Ex) As a full action, a speaker can spin in place, changing its body while emitting high-pitched shrieks and whistles. Each non-protocite creature within 30 feet must attempt a DC 14 Fortitude save. On a success, the creature is dazzled for 1 round. On a failure, the creature is sickened for 1 round.

Shortwave (Ex) A protocite can communicate wirelessly. This acts as telepathy, but only with other creatures with this ability or constructs with the technological subtype.

Sunlight Dependency (Ex) Protocites are solar-powered constructs, although they can function at reduced capacity away from light. In areas of darkness, protocites gain the sickened condition.

ECOLOGY

Environment any urban
Organization solitary, pair, telemetry (3–30), or cloud (30+)

The “life” of a protocite speaker begins with its extrusion from a manufactory, where the speaker carries out preprogrammed tasks. Most speakers exist in a state of quiet determination, moving to and fro in an approximation of a sapient creature’s daily life. Speakers also interact with one another, and sometimes with other protocites, as a way of testing and evaluating various social simulations.

Usually, after a speaker performs its assigned tasks, it powers down. A reclaimer then comes and grinds the speaker back into polyfluid. However, in every generation of speakers, several individuals are constructed with expanded data drives, insatiable curiosity, and no predetermined tasks to allow more autonomy than most. These “observer” speakers roam, watch, and guide other experiments.

A protocite speaker has humanoid features. Despite this appearance, its upper body, limbs, and head are reconfigurable. The construct can recreate a wide variety of physical features and mannerisms.