slave borgs

[staticjoy]

I want to play a retired slave Borg. How would this be developed as an OCC? I am curious to know would he even have MDC on the chasis? The Skills of a slave, should I use the vagabond's skill set? How should I deal with the extended life expectancy and the affect on skills?
This all started when I saw a picture in one of the war books and it mentioned retired cyborgs.
THANKS in advance for your replies.

[Blue_Lion]

Wait slaves can retire. I thought they where property that got worked to death. Odds are they take most of the goodies back.
Military combat borgs may have the option to retire think the bionic sorce book covers this. A slave is property and would not be likely to retire.

[Proseksword]

I think the words you're looking for are "escaped" or "freed", not "retired".

[Blue_Lion]

I think the words you're looking for are "escaped" or "freed", not "retired".

That would be more likely then they keep all their stuff and class.

[say652]

Rmb has Slave Borg attributes, etc.


For a retired version, low end attributes maybe half the standard full conversion mdc from the bionics source book.

*Grammar Nazis are Sooo last century*

[staticjoy]

The Rmb has an enslaved Borg write up. I was hoping for a stripped down rule set.

[taalismn]

I think the words you're looking for are "escaped" or "freed", not "retired".

Or 'emancipated'. Yeah, 'freed by owner' tends to be rarer than 'escaped', 'rescued' or 'self-liberated'.
Stat-wise? Depends on how extensive the cyborg conversion was, how long and hard was the period of enslavement, and your post-enslavement live(whether or not, for example, you got the opportunity to repair any damage/wear-and-tear done to your bionics).

[glitterboy2098]

the RMB write up actually suggests most borgs get their conversion by way of a form of Indentured Servitude and/or Bonded Labor which can be viewed similar to being "slavery with a time limit" (though historically, Slavery and Indenture often had major differences beyond just the limited time nature of the later)

outright slavery of course still allows for being a Freedman, a runaway, or in Trusteeship. as well as things like Favored status (where the owner trusts the slave with a degree of freedom and authority to act in his stead in some things)

also don't forget situations like Thralldom, Helotry, Janissaries, or Qing era officialdom, where social standing is more fluid that our stereotypical views of slavery.

[staticjoy]

the RMB write up actually suggests most borgs get their conversion by way of a form of Indentured Servitude and/or Bonded Labor which can be viewed similar to being "slavery with a time limit" (though historically, Slavery and Indenture often had major differences beyond just the limited time nature of the later)

outright slavery of course still allows for being a Freedman, a runaway, or in Trusteeship. as well as things like Favored status (where the owner trusts the slave with a degree of freedom and authority to act in his stead in some things)

also don't forget situations like Thralldom, Helotry, Janissaries, or Qing era officialdom, where social standing is more fluid that our stereotypical views of slavery.

Thanks you've given me some fun research. Looking forward to building this concept for my GMs review

[kaid]

the RMB write up actually suggests most borgs get their conversion by way of a form of Indentured Servitude and/or Bonded Labor which can be viewed similar to being "slavery with a time limit" (though historically, Slavery and Indenture often had major differences beyond just the limited time nature of the later)

outright slavery of course still allows for being a Freedman, a runaway, or in Trusteeship. as well as things like Favored status (where the owner trusts the slave with a degree of freedom and authority to act in his stead in some things)

also don't forget situations like Thralldom, Helotry, Janissaries, or Qing era officialdom, where social standing is more fluid that our stereotypical views of slavery.

Yes like many juicers/mom conversions the borg conversion is extremely expensive and a lot of people get their conversion via military service or indenturing themselves for a period of time to pay off the debt. While this is sort of like slavery indenture contracts usually are pretty specific in what the conditions and requirements are to fulfill the contract. There are some actual slave borgs in some areas but in general its hard to truly make something as powerful as a borg a slave unless they are at least somewhat accepting the condition.

[Procopius]

but in general its hard to truly make something as powerful as a borg a slave unless they are at least somewhat accepting the condition.

Am I misremembering this, or does Rifts have cortex bombs or similar "fail-safe" type cyberware? If so, that's a pretty powerful coercive measure -- that or psychological conditioning. Not everyone has the Coalition's resources, but they were able to make that D-Bee sent to assassinate Prosek either switch sides or actually believe himself to be Prosek.

[kaid]

I can't recall if there are cortex bombs although no real reason they could not be used. That said even with a cortex bomb something as powerful as a borg could still do a LOT of damage even in a short period of time. From what I remember a lot of the slave/indentured were either pit/gladiator type things or basically jannisaries. The former you could do the cortex bomb pretty easily the latter its hard to have super powerful guards and use them that capacity if you are threatening them with a bomb in their head. There is a strong chance they start doing only exactly what you tell them to do which makes them of dubious usefulness. It is pretty cannon that a lot of the enhanced folks like juicers/crazies and borgs tend to indenture for terms of service where they are basically working for room and board+ small amount of spending cash while working in the military/guards of various towns/city states/merc companies. For a borg really even a 10-15 year indenture probably is still an overall good deal as a full conversion borg will likely live to pretty old age baring total destruction of their organics as all the bionic stuff can be replaced over time if damaged up to even inputting them into a new chassis.

[Bill]

but in general its hard to truly make something as powerful as a borg a slave unless they are at least somewhat accepting the condition.

Am I misremembering this, or does Rifts have cortex bombs or similar "fail-safe" type cyberware? If so, that's a pretty powerful coercive measure -- that or psychological conditioning. Not everyone has the Coalition's resources, but they were able to make that D-Bee sent to assassinate Prosek either switch sides or actually believe himself to be Prosek.

I always imagined that slave borgs would have a remote cut-out switch that would leave their bodies deactivated and helpless if they tried to revolt. Or for use as punishment. It would really be awful for them, I think. Complete sensory deprivation and immobility whenever the overseer chooses.

[Alrik Vas]

That's likely, Bill. Though blowing up their brain is a threat most small time bosses would believe in.

[kaid]

One also has to assume all slave/indentured borgs have tracking chips/homing devices rigged deep in their innards to be activated if one is not where they should be that would allow pretty easy location of runaways.

[taalismn]

That's likely, Bill. Though blowing up their brain is a threat most small time bosses would believe in.

The threat of a bomb is a lot more graphic than "I turn you off and you go mad until I turn you back on or kill you in your delusion".
Though it suggests how a slave borg might have major insanities related to dark places, being buried alive, or being confined without being actually in a cave-in or such like. Or maybe believing that the real world is a bad dream, while the fantasy land he or she created during sens-dep is the real one they escaped to.

[Bill]

One also has to assume all slave/indentured borgs have tracking chips/homing devices rigged deep in their innards to be activated if one is not where they should be that would allow pretty easy location of runaways.

I think that's a good idea. The setting generally limits the range of personal radios to about five miles though, which might make it less valuable.

[glitterboy2098]

One also has to assume all slave/indentured borgs have tracking chips/homing devices rigged deep in their innards to be activated if one is not where they should be that would allow pretty easy location of runaways.

I think that's a good idea. The setting generally limits the range of personal radios to about five miles though, which might make it less valuable.

true enough.. 5-15 miles for such things would fit the tech well.

this would not be a big limit though.. it would be easy enough to put each implant with a special unique code, which could be tracked in location by the owner to detect runaways when they occur. plus since most slave borgs probably aren't given blinding fast speed, it would make it easier to track a runaway if the escape is detected early enough.

i could also see the slave-catchers sent after them using those radio-direction finders in much the same way the historical ones used bloodhounds and other dogs to track down an escaped Slave once they had a tip as to where to search.

at the same time, i could see an underground railroad forming between areas where slavery is allowed, and places like Lazlo, New Lazlo, Arzno, etc where it isn't. including people with the skills to disable said radio-locators or at least block their signal.

[Blue_Lion]

One also has to assume all slave/indentured borgs have tracking chips/homing devices rigged deep in their innards to be activated if one is not where they should be that would allow pretty easy location of runaways.

I think that's a good idea. The setting generally limits the range of personal radios to about five miles though, which might make it less valuable.

Just means you have to sweep close to an escaped slave to activate it. If it is not always on an air craft can fly a search pattern transmitting the activation signal and find it that way.

Wilks walkie talkies has a 10 mile range.
Field radio manpacks have a range of 60-150 miles.

So it does seam standard radios can go farther than 5 miles.

[Procopius]

I suppose you could alternately have it as some sort of deadman's switch -- the borg needs to be within radio range of a master transmitter or it goes into lockdown. Can't run far if you can't run (or move at all).

[Blue_Lion]

I suppose you could alternately have it as some sort of deadman's switch -- the borg needs to be within radio range of a master transmitter or it goes into lockdown. Can't run far if you can't run (or move at all).

Or a bomb next to the brain that needs a disarm code every 24 hours. (Ok it has been a day your brain takes 1d4MD)
Or shut down life support if the code is not entered every 24 hours.

[Library Ogre]

Another aspect of a bomb is that it also works as a hostage situation.

"Obey or we blow the bomb. Yes, it will kill you, but we've calculated you might not care about that. It will also, however, kill every unarmored human with ten feet of you."

[glitterboy2098]

I suppose you could alternately have it as some sort of deadman's switch -- the borg needs to be within radio range of a master transmitter or it goes into lockdown. Can't run far if you can't run (or move at all).

Or a bomb next to the brain that needs a disarm code every 24 hours. (Ok it has been a day your brain takes 1d4MD)
Or shut down life support if the code is not entered every 24 hours.

manually inputting a code seems like a bad failsafe set up. forget one night and "boom" there goes your whole workforce.

but perhaps a radio transmitter that, if the implant doesn't pick it up, starts a 24 hour timer on the destruct device? if the radio transmitter(s) go down, that gives you time to get them back up again. and it would force the slave-borgs to stay near the transmitters (within a few miles) even if they manage to escape.


i would note though.. the various ways the owners would try to retain the slave-borgs via implants and the like should not be applied to any player wanting to play an escaped slave-borg.. it prevents the player from being able to adventure and is unfair to the player.. but for NPC's and the like as part of an adventure, having to deal with situations like this would add an extra element of drama and complexity to an adventure. give the less combat focused classes a chance to shine (cyberdocs for example) as they find ways to overcome the issues.

[Library Ogre]

i would note though.. the various ways the owners would try to retain the slave-borgs via implants and the like should not be applied to any player wanting to play an escaped slave-borg.. it prevents the player from being able to adventure and is unfair to the player.. but for NPC's and the like as part of an adventure, having to deal with situations like this would add an extra element of drama and complexity to an adventure. give the less combat focused classes a chance to shine (cyberdocs for example) as they find ways to overcome the issues.

I'd say it depends on the method... giving someone playing a slave borg a slightly-better-than-average chassis in exchange for a "if I'm ever found, they will flick a switch and turn on the 24 hour time bomb in my head" kind of failsafe seems reasonable.

[eliakon]

Or maybe the life-support packs are not very robust...
If you need new life-support packs swapped in every week or you start simultaneously starving to death, while being poisoned by unfiltered wastes you might not want to run very far. At least not with out some spares. And that assumes that you can swap them out your self. If you need another person to do it you would need a minimum of two people to get away.

[Blue_Lion]

I suppose you could alternately have it as some sort of deadman's switch -- the borg needs to be within radio range of a master transmitter or it goes into lockdown. Can't run far if you can't run (or move at all).

Or a bomb next to the brain that needs a disarm code every 24 hours. (Ok it has been a day your brain takes 1d4MD)
Or shut down life support if the code is not entered every 24 hours.

manually inputting a code seems like a bad failsafe set up. forget one night and "boom" there goes your whole workforce.

but perhaps a radio transmitter that, if the implant doesn't pick it up, starts a 24 hour timer on the destruct device? if the radio transmitter(s) go down, that gives you time to get them back up again. and it would force the slave-borgs to stay near the transmitters (within a few miles) even if they manage to escape.


i would note though.. the various ways the owners would try to retain the slave-borgs via implants and the like should not be applied to any player wanting to play an escaped slave-borg.. it prevents the player from being able to adventure and is unfair to the player.. but for NPC's and the like as part of an adventure, having to deal with situations like this would add an extra element of drama and complexity to an adventure. give the less combat focused classes a chance to shine (cyberdocs for example) as they find ways to overcome the issues.

Sure you might forget but your work force will not, and they will show up for the code and that will remind you. I said needs a disarm code every 24 hours never said it was a keypad on the slave. Codes can be sent out different ways based on how they are set up such as radio codes from a a tower that is on a loop.