I was loaded aboard a wagon, the reins snapped, and the horses trotted away. The wagon rattled over the cobblestone roads, and I shook and bumped against a handful of other recyclers who had been taken along.
They stared at me just as I did to them. Voiceless questions asked, silent answers given. None among us knew why we were being taken, but they seemed to know where we were going.
Though I could not see the streets or the sidewalks or the people passing by, the tops of buildings and homes and shops slide across my view. They grew in height as we passed the merchant quarter, then shrunk down to normal size as we entered a nameless suburb. The further we strayed from the city's center, the smaller and dirtier the houses became.
When I could no longer see the roofs pass by, I knew that in their place there were countless tents filled with the homeless and destitute suffering around on sidewalks and benches. I had been here before.
This was the place where drugs were abused, where thieves were born, where the black market reigned. A long time ago my Main Quest had taken me through here to an awful little tavern to speak to some equally awful little man. The memory was so distant that the only thing I could recall was having to fetch some priceless artifact. Turns out it was just a 10 gold book dug out of a trash dump.
When the carriage finally came to a stop, a group of clean, well-groomed faces emerged. They almost seemed like clones of each other. Close cut black hair, thick-rimmed glasses, white lab coats. Their eyes skimmed across us, but they all fell on me, the recycler with the red rim.
Passing whispers, uncertain nods.
They handed us each a large pamphlet which was carefully dropped into our mouths.
+1 Recycler Quick Start Guide
I first thought it was like an end-journey snack, but seeing the title as it was, instead of just "pamphlet," I instantly knew the reason.
Perhaps all us aboard were failed garbage cans that needed re-indoctrination into how things were supposed to be. How we were supposed to behave, what our objectives were, what our purpose was.
In my mind's eye, I cracked open the pages, and my attention fell on the one thing I was dying to see. The expanded skill tree.
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Congratulations! You have been selected to partake in the POWE initiative, and with your new body, you may simultaneously contribute to our society while serving your court-mandated time of imprisonment.
May you prosper and become reborn again into a law-abiding citizen.
-Terry Morkan, Head Technocrat.
Part 1, The Progression System.
The progression system requires the use of experience points, or XP, just as any profession or discipline. This is obtained by recycling the material that is deposited into the receptacle.
Each recycler should expect to receive 5XP for every gram of material recycled. The amount of resources gained can be improved upon by investing in the Efficiency skill tree. Please see Addendum 11.2 for more information concerning the rules for XP gain.
The newly acquired raw material will then be stored in the advanced storage container. This container may be increased or decreased as needed. The efficiency of storage may be increased by investing further into the Efficiency tree. Raw materials may then be retrieved by its handler, which will provide another 5XP per gram harvested.
A recycler may also unlock the ability to vend items, depending on the quality and material used. The recycler must use sound judgement to decide which products to offer to maximize its potential throughput.
When a recycler has accumulated enough XP, it will be granted an additional level and skill point. This can be used to unlock upgrades in efficiency, utility, or vending items. Please see table 1-2 for more information.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
Those recyclers which have been provided an AI core may use it to aid in its objectives. For more information regarding the activation, usage, and maintenance of the AI core, please see Part 6.
Table 1-2, Skill Tree Summary
Table 1-2
Sensory
Sight
Sight+
Unlocks Farsight and Microsight.
Requires Sensory+
Hearing
Hearing+
Unlocks Full Spectrum and Echolocation.
Requires Sensory+
Smell
Smell+
Enhances olfactory receptors to canine-levels.
Requires Sensory+
Touch
Touch+
Unlocks MicroFeel.
Requires Sensory+
Taste
Taste+
Enables advances flavor discernment.
Requires Sensory+
Speech
Enables the use of family-friendly phrases to increase marketing Potential.
Manipulation
Enables use of (1) manipulator arm.
Manip 2
Increases total arms to (2).
Manip 3
Increases total arms to (4).
Manip 4
Increases total arms to (5).
Manip 5
Increases total arms to (10).
Manip+
Unlocks Emergency Strength
Requires Mobility+
Movement
Installs gyroscopic-based limited movement.
Move 2
Installs a larger gyroscope, enabling greater control.
Move+
Unlocks Flashstep
Requires Mobility+
Sensory+
Unlocks advanced sensory skills.
Mobility+
Unlocks advanced mobility skills.
Efficiency
Efficiency 1
+50% raw materials when recycling.
Efficiency 2
+60%
Efficiency 3
+70%
Efficiency 4
+80%
Efficiency 5
+90%
Transmutation
May change alchemical elements from one type to another.
Operates at (current recycling efficiency)–50%.
Compression 1
Compression efficiency increased to 30%.
Compression 2
Compression efficiency increased to 40%.
Compression 3
Compression efficiency increased to 50%.
Compression 4
Compression efficiency increased to 60%.
Compression 5
Compression efficiency increased to 75%.
Utility
Vend: Paper
Enables the ability to craft and sell paper products
Unlocks beginner recipes.
Vend: Metal
Enables the ability to craft and sell metal-based products.
Unlocks beginner recipes.
Vend: Alchemy
Enables the ability to craft and sell alchemical-based products.
Unlocks beginner recipes.
Vend: Complex
Enables the ability to craft and sell complex items, such as small machines.
Unlocks beginner recipes.
Vend: ALL
Limitations on crafting and vending are lifted.