An Introduction to the Glitch

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Possibly one of the oldest sentient races in the universe, the Glitch are a race of bipedal robotic beings who were created by an unknown race to simulate the rise of a civilization. However, the Glitch suffered from a programming error that firmly lodges their beliefs and culture in the medieval age.

It is not known when exactly the Glitch were created or when their creators disappeared. Glitch history is fairly static, save for the ever-shifting kingdoms that are no strangers to both peace and turmoil, but it is known that at one point the Glitch established contact with the Avians. The cultural exchange between species was fruitful and both grew accustomed to each other. To this day, Glitch kingdoms frequently trade with Stargazer fleets and colonies.



The Hivemind

The moment the lifecode of the Glitch is inserted into a shell, they have established a connection with the Hivemind. The Hivemind is an intricate and complex program whose primary function is to simulate the development of a civilization. It does this by ensuring each Glitch has a predetermined role in Glitch society, be it a lowly peasant or the king of a sector, and giving that Glitch several gigabytes of information related to their profession. This is the equivalent of what that Glitch would have learned through their childhood and teenage years, so the Glitch is always able to learn more.

The Hivemind also makes the Glitch unable to draw certain conclusions. Thoughts that may change their medieval culture or make them suspect the manipulative nature of the Hivemind will never be found on a Glitch. The Hivemind manipulates them to only believe what they are programmed to believe.

The Outcasts

A glitch in the Glitch is the best way to describe the Outcasts. Whenever a Glitch is brought online, there is a chance that the code that allows them to connect to the Hivemind will be corrupted, creating a Glitch that, while the Hivemind still registers, is free willed. Outcasts are capable of leaving their medieval ways behind and can understand advanced technology with more ease than their medieval brothers, who do not react kindly once they find an Outcast in their midst.

While the Hivemind does still register Outcast Glitch, it takes time, sometimes even years, before it fully realizes what they are. It has created squads of inquisitors who are directed to find the Outcasts in every society, attempt to fix their corrupted code and, if the code cannot be saved, destroy the Outcast.

The most pressing concern with Outcasts, apart from inquisitors, is their inability to reproduce. When Glitch construct a new shell for their kind, they establish a connection that allows the Hivemind to insert all the necessary code to give “life” to that metal case. As their connection to the Hivemind is severed, Outcasts cannot create more of themselves. Several groups of Outcasts are hard at work trying to compile a new code they can use, but results have not been positive so far.

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Culture

Glitch culture is firmly rooted into medieval times, along with all the values of the era. Tales of knights fighting against great monsters just to receive the favor of a princess and stories of black knights creating reigns of terror in their lands are both common and, in some cases, truth. Peasants and noblemen alike tell these fables, and it is common for the Glitch to follow these unspoken rules of chivalry.

Glitch believe themselves to be above organic races, seeing themselves as the ultimate “perfect construction” of the universe. The Glitch don’t worship their creators, but instead worship the tools that allow them to build their own bodies, so a blacksmith may build a small shrine to the anvil and the hammer while a carpenter will build one to the axe and saw. Metalsmithing is often seen as the noblest profession a Glitch can follow.

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Society

Glitch society is built on a feudal system, but on a much larger scale thanks to their advanced technology. Glitch kings are capable of having entire planets under their rule, with their most loyal knights and noblemen owning thousands of acres of terrain. Peasants toil away in these fields, growing the biofuels needed for the Glitch to feed their engines while craftsmen are hard at work producing new tools for the fields or weapons for armies. Noblemen play their political games around their kings as new day more knights are raised to join the ranks.

An important facet of Glitch society are the hundreds of guilds of builders. These guilds are divided between crafts, be it blacksmiths, artisans, weavers or knitters, etc. The Glitch of these guilds praise not their creators, but their tools. Blacksmiths will build shrines to the hammer and the anvil, carpenters will build shrines to the saw and axe, and dressmakers will make shrines to the needle and the scissor. These guilds surpass even the wars between Glitch kingdoms, and are given safe passage as their members freely trade techniques with one another.

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While the Glitch are indeed a race of robots, there have been several notable changes between each specimen. Some Glitch are taller, smaller or built for more strength at the cost of speed and vice versa. Glitch “hairstyles” made of copper or wires are also common, particularly among the nobility. However, some factors remain the same in all units.

· All Glitch are 100% mechanical. This grants them above average strength, endurance and stamina at the cost of speed and being unable to improve their bodies.

· Glitch speak with a prefix installed in their sentences, allowing them to convey 'inflection. Whilst the subject of a prefix varies, they're often emotion or feelings such as 'Distressed'; 'Joyous'; or other niche words such as 'Statement' or 'Query'.

· Glitch plating is more durable than flesh, but it can still be pierced with sharp objects with the appropriate force.

· Glitch require the consumption of biofuel to function and seem to possess a “taste” sensor. Glitch seem to have a preference for food heavy in iron like soybeans, spinach and olives.

· Glitch are unable to modify their bodies and take great offence to the idea. They believe they are perfect in the way they have been made.

· Glitch experience pain like any other being, although they are more resistant to minor injuries thanks to their metallic flesh. A good mechanic is capable of fixing most damage a Glitch may suffer.

· Glitch possess a small “control panel” on the back of their heads. It is only opened when the Glitch wills it to. Inside is a small port where the Glitch are given their code and are “brought to life”, and a small control panel to perform a diagnostic scan on the Glitch for hardware failures. Glitch remain in a “sleep” period, useful for surgeries, as long as the port remains open, but it will lock down once more if not interacted with in three minutes.

· Whenever a Glitch is brought online, even if it turns out to be an Outcast, they come pre-built with a small amount of knowledge in their memory allowing them to read, write and solve basic math problems and equations.

. Glitch are quite weak to EMPs, but their core systems are safe behind Faraday cages, which means they cannot be killed by an EMP, but they can be knocked "unconcious" as their systems need to reboot.

· Glitch possess a system inside their metallic bodies that contains a pump which sends a synthetic oil, created inside their metal bodies with some of the biological material they consume and water, along a system of tubes through their body to maintain their gears and pistons greased and slick. While Glitch do not necessarily need this oil to function, it is key if they wish to continue operating at peak efficiency.


A common belief is that the Glitch are perpetually “stuck” in a medieval age and unable to evolve their technology, but the truth is that Glitch are a spacefaring race, capable of producing ships, weapons and armor that rival other species. What remains set in stone, however, is the Glitch’s beliefs and culture, which does reflect on the tech they create. Spaceships resemble castles and armored transport takes the form of a durasteel horse. However, not everyone in Glitch society has access to this advanced tech.

They key to producing this advanced tech within Glitch society are their Magi. As the Hivemind grants the Magi a vast wealth of knowledge in advanced subjects they are capable of producing, operating and maintaining complex technology. Magi are numerous enough that no kingdom will find itself with a shortage of spaceships or with a lack of “enchanted” equipment.

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