"When a spark goes on-line, there is great joy..."
—Rhinox, "The Spark"
A Cybertron's Spark is his soul—the essence of his personality and life force. It is an actual physical object, a perfect sphere about the size of a human fist, which is made of a gel-like material and pulsates with a blue glow. It is typically located in the torso of a Cybertron, in a cavity at either the stomach or chest level. Chest-level sparks can be centered, or off-set either to the left or right. The spark cavity is usually well-armored.
The spark has energy of its own, measured as a character's Spark power. The power of the spark's life force can be converted into useable energy two ways. First of all, it can be used to prevent stasis lock in emergency situations. A character falling to the Incapacitated health level can expend a point of temporary Spark to remain conscious (see Expending Spark, Chapter Four, for complete details). He can also tap into the spark's energy by converting Spark energy into usable Energon (Spend one temporary Spark point, recover one Energon). Such practices are risky because using up life force brings Cybertronians closer to death. If at any time a Cybertron's entire Spark pool is depleted, he will die.
The power of a character's spark can also be accessed for certain supernatural abilities. Spark is rolled in situations involving spark power—most commonly used by Transmetal IIs. See Chapter Five for more information on Spark Powers.
Stories are told of Cybertrons who purposely removed their sparks before entering dangerous situations. For every round that the spark is outside the body without a secondary energy source, remove one point of temporary Spark power. Naturally, the spark cannot survive for very long in this situation. It is also possible for one Cybertron to "incubate" the spark of another for a short period of time: the process which creates an Optimal.
The power of a character's spark is directly related to his commitment toward his beliefs. If a Maximal is true to the ways of his Pax, his spark will grow because of it; similarly, if a Predacon follows his Code, he gains in life force.
Characters who wish to recover lost Spark energy must make a roll of Wits plus Matrix. This roll can only be made once per story, and recovers as many points of temporary Spark as successes made. This roll has a difficulty based largely on the character's conviction as portrayed during gameplay. The base is only 5, but it is modified every time the character strays from his Alliance's Code. Add difficulty as below if the character strays from his code. This is not meant to prevent characters from straying from their codes if it is dramatically appropriate, but is designed as a check against these Alliances' primary programming directives. Difficulties are cumulative, so if a character commits two "+1" actions, their roll difficulty is modified to +2. Use these lists as guidelines to decide where other types of actions may fit onto the Alliance chart.
Difficulty modifiers for Maximal Pax
+1: Verbally insulting a past hero or member of the Autobot race; Believing Maximals to be intrinsically superior to Predacons
+2: Racist (but non-lethal) actions against Predacons or other forms of life; Firing the first shot in a pre-combat situation
+3: Escalating an attack when the problem can be solved without violence; Failing to cooperate with Maximal allies to promote unity among the race
+4: Robbing a sentient lifeform of its basic right to freedom; Destroying or damaging any ancient artifact
+5: Failing to show mercy to a surrendered opponent; Destroying a sentient being outright ("sparking" during combat); Destroying or damaging an Autobot artifact
Difficulty modifiers for Predacon Code
+1: Verbally renouncing competition of any type; Publicly (and obviously) denouncing one's own leader
+2: Failing a duty assigned to one by one's Commander; Failing to take an opportunity in a combat of wits (treachery)
+3: Cowardice in the face of death; "Going easy" on one's own followers or underlings after a failure; Relying too much on one's allies
+4: Cowardice in the face of a fair challenge; Refusal to fight against continuing oppression; Fear of attacking/destroying a fairly matched or stronger opponent
+5: Destroying an opponent while he is down; Taking an unfair advantage in physical combat
If the character ever commits an act marked in the +4 or +5 sections of the above chart, that character may actually lose a point of permanent spark for his digression. Have the player roll the character's Willpower, at a difficulty of 8 for "+4" acts, or 9 for "+5" acts. If the roll fails, that character loses a permanent point of Spark. Obviously, accumulation of actions against one's primary programming is not wise, and if a character finds himself constantly checking to preserve his Spark, a change of Alliance may be in order.
Barring this method, there is also a Procedure which can be used to revive a spark to its full capacity, though it has its risks. At Storyteller's discretion, the experiencing of powerful emotions related to life force (such as love), can be used to recover Spark.
"Yes! The planet has energon."
"Too much energon. Field readings are off the scale. Continued exposure to robotic forms could cause permanent damage."
—Megatron and Predacon computer, "Beast Wars, Part One"
Energon is the main fuel of all Cybertrons. It comes in two forms: refined, usable energon, and unrefined, unstable energon.
Unstable energon appears as a blue, glowing crystalline structure. The crystals may be tall and thin, or clustered as the inside of a geode, and sparkle and flash at random. Stable energon appears in a cubical form, also glowing and usually ranging from clear-blue to clear-purple in color. Unstable energon can be refined into stable fuel through a carefully orchestrated procedure. Stable, processed energon is what keeps Cybertronians running. It is used to power certain abilities related to Weapons and Mechanisms.
When energon is raw, exposure to it is actually detrimental to the health of Cybertrons. During any prolonged exposure to raw energon, Cybertrons take damage. This damage is dependent on the proximity and amount of energon, but is typically one health level per round. The damage is aggravated, but purely internal, so that Cybertrons damaged by energon exposure will not be dented or scratched. If a Cybertron falls into Stasis Lock in proximity to raw energon, the damage he next takes will be to his spark, so he should be moved to a secure area immediately.
Raw energon is highly unstable, and when struck by an energy-based weapon (photon blasters, bombs, missiles, etc.), it will explode. This explosion is immensely powerful; energon explosion damage is always aggravated.
Because raw energon is so potentially dangerous, it is often used by the more violent and crafty Cybertrons to make weaponry. An Energon Blade is a small knife the size of a surgical tool, which can be used to cut enemies or to pierce sparks. Larger blades can be fashioned, but are extremely rare because of their danger to the wielder and their difficulty of concealment. Darts, bullets, or venom can also be laced with raw energon, and raw energon can be used to create powerful explosives.
Weapons made of raw energon are considered to do aggravated damage. However, any Cybertron carrying an energon weapon must subtract a point of temporary Spark off his total rating so long as he carries the weapon, due to the proximity of the dangerous material. Cybertrons must be at a Generation of Transmetal or higher to consider carrying any energon weapon-otherwise, they will not be able to soak the energon damage. A small blade or bag of bullets is not enough raw energon on the person of a Transmetal to warrant a soak roll every round. However, a large piece of energon, such as an energon-fashioned broadsword, would be. (See below for the specifics about Generations.)
The other type of energon is fully processed energon which is used as fuel. Ironically, the Cybertrons are dependent on this type of energon to function. The Energon rating on a character sheet is the maximum amount of fuel a character's body can handle; it is also an indication of how much fuel the Cybertron needs to operate at his peak. Energon ratings fluctuate frequently as energon is accessed to power Mechanisms and Weapons.
If a character's Energon pool is completely depleted, he no longer has the energy to function. He will be sluggish and unresponsive, and, if overworked, will collapse into stasis lock out of weariness. Consider a character out of Energon to be at a -5 to all dice pools. A character with only one point of energon left is at -4, two points at -3, three at -2, and four points, -1; he is running out of energy at a steady rate, and debilitating himself because of it. Starting Energon pools are at 10; the utter maximum size for any energon pool for a protoformed character is 20.
Lost energon can be easily recovered through repair and refueling. Any generation of Cybertron can also process natural fuels, such as food, into useable fuel. Granted, all prefer "the real thing," but the body of a Cyberorganic Beast is more than used to processing meat, grains, etc., into fuel. A Cybertron, regardless of generation, can only process that type of food which their beast mode would be comfortable with. Hence, a Cybertron with a lion beast mode must eat meat; a horse would eat grass; a rat would eat almost anything. Cybertrons like the Autobots of old, who chose vehicles as secondary forms, were more than comfortable with gasoline! All Cybertrons can also fuel themselves with processed energon, which is given "intravenously," or readily consumed.
During a game, a Cybertron may spend a point of Energon to gain an extra action in a round. A Cybertron can have no more full-roll actions per turn than he has dice in his Dexterity pool.
Willpower is a character's strength of purpose. It is spent to gain one extra success on an important roll. It can also be spent to resist instinctual actions or to resist mental control from outside. Like the Energon pool, the Willpower pool can fluctuate a great deal over the course of the story.
Maximal protoforms have a starting Willpower of three, and Predacon protoforms have a starting Willpower of four. A character who spends all his Willpower will be tired and listless, unable to summon the strength to care much anymore about anything.
Characters can recover Willpower through frequent rest—one point after a night of sleep. They recover Willpower at the Storyteller's whim at the end of each story. Willpower is also recovered when a character fulfills part of his Nature; see Chapter Three for more information.
"This is a dumb plan, web-face. I don't HAVE any real blood! Just mech-fluid!"
"Oh, my circuits will adjust. It's the act I enjoy more than the nourishment."
—Cheetor and Tarantulas, "The Web"
A word or two about spiders. Spiders of the giant variety such that Cybertronian Protoformation would produce are not able to substantiate themselves on ordinary bugs. Cybertrons who choose a spider for a beast mode are automatically able to create a web in proportion to their size (this web seems far from natural, rather, it glows blue with the strength of the energon used to create it). The spiders can capture larger animals and survive off of their blood. In general, animals can eat food to survive, and the Cybertron that protoforms an animal can eat whichever kind of food is natural to his beast form, to regain Energon levels.
"Vampirism" among Cybertrons is possible, though it is considered a deviant behavior at best. A spider or other blood-sucker can get nourishment from the mech-fluid of other Cybertrons, but at half potency (where two energon points taken from the victim results in a gain of one point for the recipient). Consider the Energon pool of Cybertron spiders to be much like the Blood Pool of White Wolf vampires, but keep in mind that to a Cybertron, food is food and blood is blood, with no issue as to "vitae" or blood potency. Cybertrons have no actual blood of their own, only mech-fluids which are internally processed. As such, they are incapable of being blood-bound, ghouled, or Embraced. (Really, what would be the point?)
Cybertrons are machines, albeit of the most complex type imaginable. Therefore, spells and affects which are aimed at technology can affect them. However, because of their sparks, these effects are difficult to use or predict. For example, a Control Complex Machine roll on a Cybertron would be contested against his Willpower, and though it would control the bodily actions of the Cybertron, it would not control his thoughts. (See Mechanisms for more information on controlling the Cybertron frame.) In a way, Cybertrons have this as a special racial disadvantage: they are machine as well as living creature, and subject to the rules of machines.
A Jam Technology roll or other such effect used on a Cybertron would indeed work, causing this Cybertron to instantly enter Stasis Lock. However, after one turn, a temporary Willpower may be paid to counteract this effect, and with no health penalties. Sparks themselves are the seat of Cybertron consciousness. They are supernatural and are not subject to mechanical logic.
"I HATE water."
—Cheetor, "Deep Metal"
Cybertrons are made of metal and are typically poor swimmers. Unless a Cybertron has purchased an underwater beast mode as a Mechanism, assume that the Cybertron cannot swim. Rather, they are dense, and sink like lead to the bottom of any pool of water. They can act as they do on land, but Dexterity is at one third due to their weight. (Round up.)
Winged "flight" underwater, swimming, is possible, but the same restrictions apply. Jet engines will not function unless they are specifically designed to do so. See Chapter Five for more information on Mechanisms.
A Cyberorganic Beast must drink water like any beast of its natural type would. Transmetals and above do not find it necessary, though some enjoy it. Oddly enough, Cybertrons do not have to breathe air, even in beast mode, and may thus remain submerged for extended periods of time, as well as speak as soon as their vocal receptors have adapted to the new surroundings. However, vocal receptors require some circulation, either of water or air, to function; Cybertrons cannot speak in a vacuum, and their voices may still be "cut off" by injuries to the throat and neck.
Contrary to what a beginner might assume, water is not "the secret weakness" of a robotic race. Exposure to water does not cause Cybertrons to short out. However, acid rain has been known to cause problems, as have certain types of fire-retardant foams.
There are only two ways for a Cybertron to die completely. Both of them involve the Spark.
The first way is for the Cybertron's spark to be destroyed in a violent manner: stabbing it, explosion, etcetera. A spark's nature is such that it is not easily crushed (it tends to bounce back into its original, rounded shape after pressure is applied). In extreme circumstances if the spark is exposed to high pressure for a very long time, this may destroy it as well, but, typically, only piercing or energy damage will destroy a spark.
A spark will also die if it simply fades away due to lack of energy. The spark inside the body of a Cybertron will remain energized so long as it remains inside this (or any) energon-charged body. However, if the spark is removed or tapped for power, it will begin to drain. When a Cybertron's spark has been completely depleted, and the body it resides in is destroyed, the spark fades away into the Matrix, and the Cybertron dies.
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