Nanites

Summary

Nanites are microscopic technological entities that permeate the game world, existing in the air and potentially in everything. In Session 10 of the campaign, nanites were established as a fundamental aspect of the world's technology and magic system. Multiple characters have demonstrated the ability to manipulate fields of these microscopic machines, including Goober, Safia, and Nick Silver. The campaign's setting includes a darkly humorous origin story for the nanites: Shawn established that universal vaccination with microchips preceded the apocalypse, with the ruling "Everybody got vaccinated and got microchips, and that led to the end of the world." The lasting consequence is that everyone is magnetic but immune to diseases.

Details

Nanites function as an omnipresent technological substrate that certain characters can manipulate. As Abdul explained, "There's theoretically nanites everywhere and in everything." This ubiquity allows users to interact with nanite fields in their immediate environment without requiring the nanites to be physically present in a specific location beforehand.

The manipulation of nanite fields has been demonstrated in combat applications. During Session 10, Nick Silver used nanite manipulation to restrain someone, with the description that "He was manipulating a field of nanites that were in the air" to hold the target in place. This suggests that nanite control can exert physical force and create restraining effects.

The connection between vaccines and nanites is direct: the microchips introduced through vaccination are nanites themselves. The apocalypse occurred when this universal vaccination program introduced these microchips into the population. The result is a post-apocalyptic setting where everyone possesses magnetic properties but has gained immunity to diseases. This trade-off—magnetism for disease immunity—forms part of the world's fundamental physics and biology.

The setting also includes an immortal swineherd who achieved immortality through a specific vaccine protocol—receiving one dose each of three different vaccines. This suggests that mixing vaccine types can produce unpredictable or exceptional effects within the game world's logic.

History

Session 10

Nanites were discussed as an established element of the game world in Session 10. The session clarified that Nick Silver had used nanite field manipulation to hold someone in place, demonstrating the practical applications of this technology. The conversation established that nanites exist "in the air" and "around" people, allowing manipulation of these fields without direct contact.

During the session, the topic arose during out-of-character conversation about real-world vaccines, which Shawn transformed into game lore with the ruling: "I'm making that canon. Everybody got vaccinated and got microchips, and that led to the end of the world." Shawn clarified the dual nature of the apocalypse's effects: "Yeah, yeah, everybody's magnetic, but nobody gets diseases anymore, so that's great."

The group also discussed the previously mentioned immortal swineherd, establishing that "He got three shots of the vaccine and he became immortal. He got one shot of each vaccine."

Abdul articulated the broader implications of this ruling for the setting's technology, observing that nanites now have a canonical origin and are ubiquitous throughout the game world. This explanation retroactively provides context for the nanite-manipulation abilities that several characters have already demonstrated in the campaign.

The session confirmed that Goober and Safia also possess nanite manipulation abilities, establishing this as a power shared by multiple characters rather than unique to Nick Silver.