SOLAROIDS

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Solaroids are a race of sapient robots with the ability to think, feel, and have true free will. Their namesake comes from their main energy source being solar energy & all solaroids having some form-of distinct solar paneling on their body

Initially, sapient robots were an experiment during a peaceful era, where technological developments were mostly done for curiosity. But when rifts started opening and demost started to ravage the surface world, robotics research was shifted towards demon defense, leading them to be more armored, have specialized classes, and eventually relying on a solar-based energy source

Post-rift (demons still roamed the surface, but it's overall settled down), Solaroids became accepted as regular people as opposed to just machines due to the tight-knit nature of towns. However, production ended up slowing down massively due to the scattered nature of civilization, and absence of most transport means massively slowing down supply chains (an average solaroid build can take 2-6 months)

ATTRIBUTES, UPGRADES, ETC.

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WINGS

The main feature that defines a solaroid. "Wings" are solar panels that are attached to a solaroid's back and are used exclusively for recharging. They were developed during the rift era as an alternative to consumables as shipping & supplying them became to expensive, and charging pods to ensure they have access to energy anywhere they are.

Early wings were solid and couldn't be compacted. While this still served the purpose of a portable charging solution, this became problematic when demons discovered that if you break their wings, it'd be a while before they could be revived again. (wings were still hard to manufacture due to growing supply chain issues)

Later on during the rift era, flexible wings were developed are still the standard into the post-rift era. They're made with translucent vinyl-like panels that are supported by folding wires. Most modern wings expand to about twice the size of the solaroid's body, though models with augmentations on their backs may have reduced sizes. When not in use, they're folded underneath metal 'elytra' to keep them protected from damage (though that doesn't stop demons from trying)

While flexible wings became the standard, there are still a few models that don't have them. Notably, aerials which have them built-into their functional wings, and some demiroids who gained reinforced wings after merging with their unit.

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BUSTERS

The solaroid buster is a rift-era technology that's rarely made in the years following. They take a lot of energy to charge and make shots, and they require special and intricate hardware to have a proper shift from hand-to-buster.

Unlike other busters in other media, Solaroid busters are limited to energy shots & can drain a solaroid's energy fast if they're not careful. Use of one often paired with an energy pack (below).

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ENERGY PACKS

Energy packs are often paired with buster users and/or solaroids with energy-draining abilities (ie aerial's flight). They are plugged in on the back and held on by straps much like a backpack and can contain anywhere between the same amount or double the amount of energy as an average Hunter class solaroid. However, this doesn't guarentee lengthier uptime, as ability usage may half how much time is spent between charges.

GENERATIONS

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EARLY ANDROIDS

Refers to androids made before the rift reemergence. They are characterized by a lack of plating/armor, more fragile builds, and a reliance on non-solar power to charge themselves. Several had been upgraded to have plates and solar functionality. There are no known early androids post-rift

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RIFT-ERA

Refers to Solaroids made during the peak of the rifts (aka: the Rift-era). Many are characterized by having heavier, more rugged plating, and are usually built in sets / as a unit. The ones that have survived into the Post-Rift era will often upgrade themselves to more modern technology, such as dropping their solid solar panels for the modern folding ones.

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POST-RIFT

Refers to Solaroids made after the peak of the rifts. They tend to have sleeker, smoother plates than rift-eras. Due to parts scarcity & being the work of indiviual communities, many of them are drastically different in overall appearence.

SUBCLASSES

As more developments emerged, several subclasses were eventually defined; hunters, rangers, heavies, aerials, and civilians

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STANDARD

The baseline for all solaroid variants. Compared to others, they're well rounded in build, strength, and overall abilities. Though some adjustments may be done through additional parts or specialized builds to better fit different roles. Standard units stay around the same height as an average human.

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HEAVIES

A less common build, Heavies are larger, bulkier, and slower-moving solaroids that were designed for taking down demons that are also larger and more armored. Post rift however, most heavies take on the role of town guards due to being better equipped to defend townsfolk from immediate danger than other classes. These builds are more expensive, resulting in most towns only having 1-3 at any time

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AERIALS

The least common, aerials are a class that had been discontinued during the peak of the Rifts. They're an advanced form of hunter that also have the ability to fly. But due to them needing more energy and resources than an average unit, aerials became a lost piece of technology and very few remain

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CIVILIANS

Civilians are a strange subclass, as the term can refer to two different things:

Retired Solaroids
Older solaroids who no longer wish to be directly involved with demon attacks, often taking on townsfolk roles full time & finding ways to help that don't involve fieldwork. Such as farming, hospitality, and mechanics.

True Civilians
Solaroids built with no combat-related purpose. These are the least common due to the high demand for protection against demons. Though some from more upper class towns have built a few to serve as family for both other solaroids and humans who can't have children. The creaton of one is a polarizing subject in-universe, as it raises the debate on whether it's a waste of resources or if solaroids should have to justify their reason to exist.

DEMIROIDS

Demiroids are solaroid units that have been fused with a demon. Due to this nature, there's no single look or guideline for how they will turn out (they can range to close to a regular solaroid, to very monster-like). But they will exhibit features and power of the respective demon & also have the ability to use magic w/o augmentation.

It's ambiguous whether or not they're organic or synthetic (scanning systems get jammed whenever people tried determining it). Demiroids are often hunted down by surface dwellers as they see their existence as theft of resources, and rejected by demonkind as they're viewed as abominations.

Becoming a demiroid is almost never by choice. The most common way they're created is a failed possession spell. (and possessions are a last resort. even when not fused it's an unpleasant experience.)

In rare instances, lower resource towns may bargin with the Demiroid instead to not see the 'unit' go to waste. (often a "work for us and we won't kill you" deal)