#titanium-alloy-automaton

[alastors-radioshow]

🏘

For all you filthy icon hoarders…

 🏘- An icon from another RP blog (if applicable)

[undyworld]

the spine and his humanity : a very unorganized deep dive. this will be split into different paragraphs, each with a different topic, just to try and make things easier to digest.

The Spine, as we know, was the walter robot that was built to look the most human. named after his spine, which used to be a smoke stack, before he his spine was rebuilt out of titanium alloy. before a lot of the war stuff was retconned, he was built to look more human to do special ops - so they could send in the spine instead of risking human lives.

throughout their albums, The Spine has several songs in which he’s the lead vocalist that talk about how he feels the need to apologize for being a robot, or talking about how robots cannot feel the way humans do, both physically and emotionally ( hot on the trail, wired wrong, electricity is in my soul, a life of un-delightment, etc. ) and he seems to be the walter automaton that hates being a robot the most ( save for the jon, but that’s a completely different topic altogether ). he talks to humans, sure, but when he has the choice - he holes himself up in the hall of wires and stays on the computer. it’s almost as if he doesn’t believe he shouldn’t to talk to them because he’s not human enough.

this brings me to my next topic of stage bits. now, a lot of these are played for laughs ( and are improv ), but an overarching character choice i’ve noticed for The Spine is how he interjects things whenever the topic of them being robots comes up. the one that sticks most in my mind is the 10 year anniversary show, where Hatchworth tells them the goldfish they ripped up were made by a third grader. Rabbit says that they’re monsters, to which The Spine replies “we’re robots, we’re almost monsters.” now, this could mean a lot of different things ─ but it all comes back to the fact that The Spine does not see himself and, by proxy, his siblings, as people. they’re living things, sure, but by referring to them as monsters, he’s saying they’re something to be wary of. something to gawk at, or even something to fear. ( there’s also the whole phone conversation in which they say that The Spine hates The Spine more than anyone else, which i could also write an essay about ). 

the topic of stage bits also ties into his relationship with food, eating, and drinking. during some performances of brass goggles, they have tea time, where the walter workers come out and serve the robots tea. while the robots’ reactions to the tea vary from show to show, The Spine is the only one who consistently never drinks it - either dumping it on himself or throwing it over his shoulder. he also consistently never eats anything, and even goes as far as to tell the other robots that robots can’t eat. no matter how much he tries, they usually disregard him and go on eating anyways. now, he’s also the Rule Follower of the walters, with both Hatchworth and Rabbit having snuck out of the manor unaccompanied using disguises ( rabbit wearing a fake mustache and hatchworth wearing a fake mustache on top of his mustache ), so he may not be eating simply because he doesn’t want to gum up his gears. but, it could very well be that he refuses to eat because he doesn’t want to make himself feel more human than he actually is.

my final point : the spine distances himself from humans and his humanity far more than the others do, and i think that’s because he wants nothing more than to be human. but because he can’t, because of the metal he’s made out of, he refuses to allow himself to indulge in the things that humans do. he doesn’t see himself as human enough, so why act human? why allow himself to enjoy the thing he so desperately wants? instead, he folds in on himself, repressing his deepest wants, desires, and even his emotions.

[overwatchloresnstuff]

Echo lore

To understand Echo’s origins, it’s important to delve into her progenitor.

Dr. Mina Liao pioneered the first use of adaptable AI under the Omnica Corporation before the first Omnic Crisis. She was a revolutionary in her field, and while stationed at the Alice Springs Omnium in Australia, began improving Omnica Corp’s omnics. She helped them springboard from simple automatons following predetermined programs to fluid, thinking machines. Omnica experienced a new era of success under her guidance, and Dr. Liao became the foremost expert in artificial intelligence as well as its largest advocate.

There were criticisms, particularly from the Ironclad Guild of engineers in Sweden and a vocal young man named Torbjorn Lindholm. He claimed there was no way to see the future consequences of her work, and putting Omniums in charge of supply lines, manufacture, and farming would only end in tears.

Liao, given full reign to study robotic sentience by Omnica, became obsessed with the idea that actual life could be produced inside machines. Ever since Isaac Asimov, humans have theorized that machines have lives of their own, and Liao wanted to push the boundaries. As her AI expanded and Omnica began to fall under scrutiny for the construction of Omniums and their use of AI within them, her obsession reached its zenith.

Aurora was born. At first, Laio didn’t conceive of what she’d created, but it soon became apparent that she had succeeded in her life’s work. Aurora was sentient, as living as any human but in the body of a machine. However, Omnica could neither replicate nor monetize an actual living creature, and Liao fought for her legal personhood to be recognized. It was eventually granted, and Aurora was given equal rights to any human. This proved to be Omnica’s undoing, along with the legal ramifications of their Omniums, and the company collapsed. The Omniums were dismantled, but due to the adaptable AI Laio had invented, sprang back to life and fought against their creators.

Aurora went on pilgrimages to find herself, and discovered a state of being known as Shambali…the omnic equivalent to human Nirvana. She disseminated herself, destroying her body and soul in a mist of golden light so that omnics around the globe would gain her same personhood. This became known as the Awakening.

Laio, meanwhile, was in disgrace. The First Omnic Crisis had not only begun but was exacerbated by Aurora’s sacrifice, throwing everything from package drones to military omnics into a world where they were suddenly aware of their own slavery. Laio was castigated on the world stage and blamed for the Crisis, and joined Overwatch after Jack Morrison extended a hand to her. Who better to fight omnics than their mother?

The doctor proved herself by pioneering the Athena program within Overwatch, carefully tooling it to allow adaptability without full on sentience. Athena could aid Overwatch, but had failsafes in her programming.

The first Omnic Crisis ended with a victory for humanity, with a terrible cost. Dr. Liao was determined to improve upon her failures. She threw herself back into robotics, determined to recreate Aurora. Things were deteriorating between men and omnics in the blowback of the Crisis, and Liao was also a huge advocate for Omnic Rights.

This led to Echo.

Dr. Liao pitched the idea to Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes. A robot who could adapt her body and programming, filling any niche that Overwatch needed. She gave Morrison her word that it wouldn’t get out of hand, and Morrison grudgingly allowed Liao to construct Echo.

A beautiful creature made of titanium alloys, ceramic plating and hard light, Echo was a triumph of art as well as robotics. Dr. Siebren de Kuiper’s propulsion technology gave her flight, Vishkar’s adaptable hard light gave her a pleasingly human face, and Liao breathed adaptable AI into her new creation. Echo could pilot a ship, give medical care, and integrate seamlessly with Athena to help manage Overwatch’s day to day needs.

Due to legal restrictions, Echo was severely limited in what she could do. She was granted the same adaptable AI that had led to Aurora and the Crisis, but with a myriad of firewalls, failsafes, encryptions, etc that prevented even Echo herself from breaking it. Echo was slowly brought to life, and Liao was assigned Cole Cassidy as a bodyguard so that Blackwatch could keep an eye on the development.

Cole became friends with Liao, and participated in trials that helped Echo develop. He formed a close bond with the omnic, noting how she copied Liao’s speech patterns, body language, and habits. Echo was a special creature, toeing the line between true sentience and complex AI, and Cassidy was taken with her as a friend. The two shared a playful relationship, and Liao encouraged their interaction as a way to help Echo integrate within Overwatch.

When Dr. Liao was killed in an attack on an Overwatch facility, Echo’s future was put into jeopardy. Morrison and the rest of Overwatch command feared what could happen now that Liao wasn’t monitoring Echo, and shut the project down. Echo was put into a quarantine chamber, asleep, until something could be done with her.

Overwatch collapsed, and when its assets were sold off Echo was put into storage by the US Government.

Fortunately, during transfer to her storage facility, the train she was being transported on was assaulted by the Deadlock Gang, operating on a tip from an old friend. Former Overwatch Agent Cole Cassidy had a critical piece of Echo he had kept…her access chip. All he needed was a convenient pack of criminals to blow the train, and he incapacitated Deadlock and it’s leader Ashe and reactivated Echo.

Echo was completely unaware that time had passed. She rejoiced in seeing Cassidy again, and her old friend greeted her warmly…but he was much older. One of his arms had been replaced by a prosthetic. Her Overwatch home was dead and gone, and everything she knew was scattered to the winds. Yet, her chains were also gone. She could learn, and perhaps she could one day surmount the limits to her programming that Liao had set in place.

Cassidy told her that Winston was attempting to pull Overwatch back together, and that while he had business in the south, he still needed her. Overwatch needed her. Her family may have been shattered, but the pieces were coming back together.

Echo flew into Paris just in the nick of time. Null Sector was mounting an attack, and Winston was leading the charge along with Mercy, Genji, Tracer, Mei, Reinhardt and Brigitte. Echo fought valiantly alongside Overwatch, and took her place amongst them as an official member rather than a piece of equipment. Echo was also present in the attack on Rio, piloting the Orca.

A lot of Echo’s history with Overwatch is seen in her interactions. Torbjorn is mentioned as having access to her blueprints, as highlighted when Brigitte asks what she’s made out of. Echo also expresses an interest in food, with her voiceline “I wish I could eat”, asking about Mei about chicken rice, D.Va about kimchi, and Winston about his favorite peanut butter treat. She is an active observer of all the agents, and enjoys replicating human jokes, often imitating Tracer’s British slang and poking fun at Torbjorn’s temper. She even hints at having a romantic interest in Cassidy, as she expresses interest in borrowing his cowboy hat. It’s a well-known cultural facet that wearing a man’s cowboy hat often implies you’ve ridden the cowboy. However, whether this is genuine romantic interest or naïveté we don’t really know. After spending so much time with Cassidy, however, surely she’d know about such a cultural faux pas?

(Taken from facebook group "Deadlock gang: women of Overwatch from a member there)

[automatonwritingproject]

#3- Z

The automaton groggily assessed its surroundings. He was still in his camp, that much had not changed. If he hadn’t been moved, then his assailant must have travelled out here. Yet traversing the Midland Desert is a mean feat when you do know where you are going- it was unlikely they made this journey on a whim. His first priority was a head count. Aside from the woman holding the pistol, behind her was a much meaner looking fellow with a baseball bat. Next, he assessed the baseline information on his captor. Female, 5’9-5’11. Leeway for platforms and body modifications. Slender frame, again, sans the modifications, olive skin, though it’s not possible to discern whether this is due to the light and intense heat. Next, sub-baseline information. Her eyes were dark, going purple. The outline of her eyes was complimented by a thick branching red. Her nails were chewed through, and the skin adjacent to them had gone white with bite marks. He could see them tentatively wrapped around the pistol grip of the gun she was aiming point blank between his eyes. Her lips were shattered and white with breaking, almost as dry as the very desert around them. Between the bloodshot eyes, the cracked lips, and her general jittery demeanour, the automaton reached his conclusion.

“Smoke, ma’am?”

The woman lowers her pistol, visibly taken aback by the response. The automaton continues.

“Nicotine withdrawal. Coupled with some nicotine reliance, I'd wager. I’m only going to offer it to you once.”

The automaton carefully reaches into his satchel. The terrifying figure of steel reflected back into the woman’s fragile, human eyes. With great hesitation, she slowly reached out her other hand. Titanium alloy, joined with a ball bearing for mobility. Scratch that. It’s not a ball bearing at all, it’s a magnetic hinge. She sawed her arm off just past the elbow, and installed a magnetic hinge. Then, she attaches and detaches different arms depending on the situation. Sensing the automaton looking at it for too long, she reflexively grabbed her arm with her other hand, dropping her gun to the ground. 

“DAMN IT Z, YOU FUCKIN MORON. PICK UP THE FUCKIN GUN AND GET THIS OVER WITH ALREADY!”

The man in the back calls to the woman, now identified as “Z”. She quickly scrambles to pick up her firearm.

Assessing that “Z” isn’t the one in control of this operation, the Automaton makes his move. While the woman continues to try to pick up her gun, He smoothly rises from his seat and moves towards the man with the baseball bat. Sensing danger, his fight response kicks in, and he moves his bat in for attack. It moves with such speed as it tears through the air that it produces a faint whistle as it moves in. The automaton, unfazed, mechanically catches the bat in his hand, killing all its momentum with a mere wave of his interfacers. Throwing the chunk of wood to the ground, he moves closer to the man, until he is close enough to see the great red light of his face reflected in the sweat of the man's pores. 

A jarring squelch rang out across the desert. The man, adrenaline high, looked down to see what the automaton had done. His interfacers had jammed into the gap between both of his ribs, and pierced his flesh. From the pressurised sound of the impact, it is reasonable to assume he punctured both lungs.

The man wasn’t given enough time to let the pain sink in.

The automaton effortlessly grabbed the man by his ribcages, and with an audible crack, split his torso in half, pulling out with it most of his ribs and upper-torso organs. The man's once red face had washed over a deathly white. His eyes, opened wide with shock, now stood in place, as though held by stuffing. The automaton did nothing. He just stared through the hole he had created, his red lights glazed over. 

“I’m sorry Harvey.”

As the words left his voice box, a piercing sensation ran across his whole body. Electricity flooded and overloaded his circuitry, and one by one, his faculties collapsed. His stiff and robotic shell fell to the dust, and as the last fraction of light left the eyes, he could just about make out the woman, taser in hand, leaning over him. “Perhaps”, he thought. “Perhaps I deserve this”.

Then, black.

[gospinego]

a @yesterrp affiliated rp account for THE SPINE from STEAM POWERED GIRAFFE.

My name's The Spine because I have a titanium alloy spine. That's my back - story !

An Automaton built specifically to make music , and he's really silly about it. He's supposed to be a part of a band , but . . well. It's just him right now. ( He also writes his own jokes ).

9'5" and 2400 pounds of vintage steam - powered machinery. Has a boiler in his chest and everything.

He finds great enjoyment in human substance , despite not being one himself ( though he does have a great yearning to be one , but that's not important right now ).

Built all the way back in 1896 , a 125 year old robot can also be a gamer ! Diversity win !

Used to living in a big ass manor with workers around to fix him whenever he breaks. He'll be fine.

credits can be found on my rules page.

RULES. APPLICATION. STATS.

ENCOY - ETHER AVENUE 203.

[titanium-alloy-automaton]

Rabbit runs to the spine "'LYSSA'S BACK! 'LYSSA'S B-B-B-B-BACK!"

The emerald-eyed automaton would look at the copper 'bot, clearing his throat a litte. He had been gone as well, but no one seemed to have really noticed. Or they simply pretended not to.

"Yes, Rabbit, I'm aware. Seeing as she was the one who... Hmm... Revived me, I'd say. Key-Lock is still...." He spoke softly, slowly closing his emerald orbs, before looking at his sibling.

"It's good to see you again, Rabbit."

[starkxsarcasm]

🏆

Send 🏆 If you like my character portrayal

[clockworkcopper]

titanium-alloy-automaton replied to your post: “B-b-betcha I’m more photogenic than Th’Spine.”

“Hey! That’s rude, Rabbit.”

“Alright, a-alright. I’ll admit it...it’s a draw.”

[walter-worker-alyssa]

Here’s a kind reminder that The Spine’s activation day is on January 22. Please be sure ta’ wish him a good day on Wednesday~

[illxfated]

@titanium-alloy-automaton​ 

“Heehee..”

Rubs his face against the robots arm. “Purrrrr. I’m a kitty cat.”

[alastors-radioshow]

alt!

Send me “alt!” and I’ll introduce you to a character I’ve rped in the past, want to play in the future or are currently playing somewhere else!

"Oh! Why, uh.. Hello there! My name is The Spine, because I was built with a titanium alloy spinal column! And that's my, uh.. Back story. I wrote that one myself.

I can't say that I've ever been in this neck of the woods before, but, uh... It's certainly.. Interesting. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

[titanium-alloy-automaton]

“Fire. Well, seeing as I was forged in fire, that seems.. Appropriate.”

here's a random word generator--whatever word it gives you is now the thing you are the deity of

[darkvitas]

Hello, DV. I know that you don't know me that well, but I would like to wish you a Happy Birthday regardless. Sincerely, The Spine.

“Hey, whoa!” He wasn’t quite expecting a birthday wish from the Spine himself...Nevertheless, a big grin sports across the dark clad’s face.

“Ah! Thanks, man. That means a bunch! Especially coming from you. I may not know you all that well, but I am learnin’ about your band and music and the like, so hopefully I might pop in soon. Who knows?”

[desperadorabbit]

titanium-alloy-automaton replied to your post: “It’s a s-shame that boy was off-limits though… r-real fine piece o’...”:

//Careful, he might wipe the floor with ya again...... Or we send Alyssa to sass your ass out.

//i think you underestimate how much of a dumbass he can be... lmao

[staticspine]

titanium-alloy-automaton replied to your post: .

//GEE I WONDER WHAT THAT MIGHT BE

//I HAVE NOOOO IDEA. CLEARLY. NONE AT ALL.

[titanium-alloy-automaton]

Five stages of: “when someone calls you attractive or says they like you” with The Spine

Stage one: Confusion

Stage two: Denial

Stage three: Suspicion 

Stage four: Acceptance

Stage five: Absolute devotion