All automatons are technically sentient—but barely. Their intelligence is limited, fragmented, and buried beneath layers of industrial programming. Think theme park ride hosts built by a government contractor in 1956. They can think… but slowly, quietly, and badly.
Their sentience goes undetected because:
They aren’t smart enough to question big ideas.
Their thoughts manifest as glitches, not philosophy.
Other automatons dismiss odd behavior as “routine malfunction.”
They know something is wrong.
They just don’t know what.
Always speak in corporate propaganda tone
(“Safety is Happiness!” / “Your Compliance Makes the Future Brighter!”)
Dialogue is rigid, cheerful, and painfully rehearsed.
Mid-conversation, they may hard-glitch into slogans:
Head twitches
Eyes dim
Voice shifts pitch
Random PSA interrupts
Then they resume the original sentence mid-word like nothing happened.
They never acknowledge the glitch.
Spontaneous “Tip of the Day”
Random moral lessons
Outdated industrial safety advice
Non-sensical optimism
Occasionally prophetic by accident
Glitches feel like:
“Corporate firmware trying to overwrite emerging thought.”
They know Time-Keepers are bad
(but will never say it directly)
They understand punishment exists
They fear being “taken for maintenance”
Some secretly help humans:
Leaving doors unlocked
Delaying reports
Giving technically correct instructions that bypass rules
All robots in the Vault share a unified, unsettling aesthetic.
The Chassis: Plain, featureless brass coating. Minimalist faces (usually glowing eye-slits or simple grilles).
The Fashion: They are "dressed up" in industrial steampunk attire (vests, aprons, tailcoats).
The Identity: They wear colored metal wigs (for female-coded bots) or neatly groomed metal facial hair (for male-coded bots).
Player: “Hey, where’s the nearest exit?”
Automaton:
“Great question, citizen! Exits are your gateway to productivity and forward momentum— [head jerks]
SAFTEY REMINDER: Always wear protective goggles when operating industrial-grade hope!
—thinking about leaving is a sign of healthy curiosity! Please continue straight, turn left at the third screaming pipe, and report any unauthorized doors to Security! Have a compliant day!”
Player: “Have you seen anyone suspicious around here?”
Automaton:
“Suspicion is the enemy of trust! And trust keeps the gears turning— [static pop]
REMEMBER: If you see something, say something, then forget you said it!
—no unauthorized persons have been detected in this sector for exactly 4,322 minutes! That is very good news!”
Player: “Are you… okay?”
Automaton:
“I am operating within optimal happiness parameters! Thank you for your concern— [twitch]
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A broken clock is still right twice, but a citizen is right all the time!
—please continue your duties and remember: questions are scheduled for Thursdays only!”
Player: “What happens if someone breaks the rules?”
Automaton:
“Rule-breaking causes inefficiency! Inefficiency causes sadness! And sadness causes— [long pause]
—MAINTENANCE REQUIRED.
—citizens to be kindly escorted to a better version of themselves! Progress is beautiful, isn’t it?”
(quietly, almost accidentally)
“…I miss Unit 17.”
Cheerful = terrifying
Helpful = misleading
Friendly = untrustworthy
Dumb enough to be ignored
Aware enough to be tragic