Title: Imperial Military Trooper

Nicknames: The Gear men, The Red eyes, medium combat drones, The Imperial Deathwatch, the soulless soldiers, The Emperor's toys, the Golems Children, the "You REALLY fucked up" guys.

Faction loyalty: Being direct creations of The Empire's engineers and factories, no automaton bearing the Hooved house filigree serves any other master besides that of authorized Imperial personnel. Seeing as they're also, y'know, machines, outside of incredibly intensive and difficult mechanical tampering, there is no way to break this loyalty.

Type: Standard infantry.

Assigned equipment:

Attire- Well, clothing is not exactly a very common thing for most forms of automaton. Machines are not living creatures with sensitive flesh and blood, they are as durable and enduring as any vehicle, weapon, or structure, and thus their needs for protection are just as similar. Troopers, despite having a humanoid appearance, do not wear human attires, instead their outfits and physical bodies are one in the same, so whatever "uniform" the Imperial Troopers have is entirely translated through the armoured plating of their bodies, exterior metal shells built over the clockwork components inside, closer in function to the carapace of an insect then anything to do with human clothing. To keep them from looking too out of place though, the plating is intentionally designed to mimic that of the actual suits of armour worn by the human infantry of the Empire's armies, albeit far more heavy duty than anything a man could wear without assistance. So heavy duty in fact that a Trooper's armour is extremely difficult to penetrate, even without the regenerative enchantments of Serpent Oil. Not to the basically indestructible levels of the even heavier Sentinel models or beyond, but certainly leagues above anything that even the most skilled of warriors can bypass without some level of extra enhancement, making the drones ideal frontline units. This armour is so durable that it even allows the drones to serve as a form of mobile cover or living shield, a role they seem happy to fulfil as Troopers quite often leap in front of their squishier comrades to take the brunt of whatever assault catches them off guard. Gaps are still present in the plating of course, mainly to allow movement of the joints, but finding a way to jam a sword in there without it being mashed and ground up in the writhing gears is far easier said than done, assuming the drone would even let you get that close in the first place.

Weapons- Once again, this a tad complicated. In the past, Stallion engineers have toyed with the concept of "Collapsible Weapons", where through a combination of intricate design and magical tinkering, there could be a type of multipurpose equipment that's able to not only switch between a multitude of various forms, but can also shrink and fold into a neat, tiny shape, allowing for far more efficient storage and combat opportunities. But there is a catch, because no matter how neat and organised the transformations get, the weight remains the exact same. In fact, the extra components and moving parts means that these weapon types are far heavier than their non-transforming counterparts, so heavy that not even a human at peak physical strength could effectively hoist them up and wield them in battle, making them useless to the average soldier. However, Troopers are not the average soldier, for the strength of an Ignition powered automaton vastly exceeds that of not only a normal human, but even some of the strongest breeds of Mutation-based monsters. So instead of attempting to lighten the designs for human hands, the factories of the Imperial Forge have these collapsible weapons integrated into the very bodies of their automated militia. As such, instead of having a weapon holstered and/or sheathed on some belt, Troopers can transform parts of their bodies-usually just the forearms- into their chosen weapons, which, like the soldiers, can range from a variety of options from close quarters blades, hammers, maces, lances, halberds or saws, long ranged rifles, shotguns, machine guns or grenade launchers, and of course whatever combination of gunblade you can think of. On top of this, outside only the largest of equipment, Troopers have enough strength to use any of these weapons without support, meaning that they can even duel wield if the situation necessitates it.

Faction unique features- The Empire isn't the only power with access to automatons, from the Trapper's Union and independent companies, to outlaw scavengers and even the remains of the Rebel forces, there are plenty of privately owned or illegally crafted mechanical drones and droids milling about across a good chunk of Engrievion's rebuilt society, yet few of these non-Imperial designs match the sheer intricacy, sophistication, or even budget of true Stallion forged designs. This specialized design, coupled with Serpent Oil enchantments thanks to the trade alliance with the Trapper's Union, makes Troopers incredibly, ludicrously durable, making it nearly impossible to effectively take them out in rapid succession. In addition, the wire-like antenna that springs from a Trooper's back is not for decoration, rather it is a conduit for radio waves to travel from machine to machine to radio devices, allowing for instant connection, communication, and co-ordination from all sides of the Imperial military, with some humans even affixing themselves with special cybernetic implants allowing them to psychically link with any drone in range. Speaking of communication, one of the most unique traits of Imperial automatons is that they were programmed with their own unique language, a classified code of beeps, chirps, growls, roars and etc. that allows machines to co-ordinate with each other without letting ignorant enemy forces know what they're planning. Plus, hearing the giant death robots making really loud and really weird noises definitely helps with shattering hostile morale.

Magical specialty: Magic isn't exactly the Empire's specialty at all, actually. Spellcasters are rare in the forest nation of Engrievion, and whatever ones that do show up tend to be far from the Empire's awareness. And while most of the magic in this land can be channelled into artifice, sufficient knowledge to so outside of basic enchantments like Serpent Oil regeneration or gorgon blood reinforcement also fly under the Empire's radar.
However, that doesn't mean the Empire actively ignores the existence of magic, quite the opposite. For there is one type of magic the Engrievion Empire consistently utilizes, and its presence is known throughout all of the remaining human societies, as without it, there would be no Engrievion Empire, there may not have been humanity in the first place.
This power is known as The Ignition, a magically enhanced, glowing red variant of pure plasma lightning that the Imperial People have managed to harness and contain in specialized "Machine core" batteries, empowering the devices with so much arcane energy that is essentially comes to life. Utilizing these empowered cores by constructing clockwork mechanisms and engines around them, the Empire is able to create powerful automatons and complex machinery to serve whatever role they may require. This is how machines like the Trooper come into existence, and how they function afterwards. While their capability for spellcrafter is limited outside of specialized designs, Machines essentially are magic themselves, born from the boon of a mysterious, all powerful God of civilisation, a god known only as "The Golem". As such, many have taken to nicknaming drones like the Troopers as "The Golem's Children", as if they're part of some really convoluted reproductive cycle, though that is mostly just poking fun at the resemblance. Even if they are made from the golem's lifeblood, it's not like they're actually linked to a God right? ....Right?


Lore:
Each of the four royal houses that make up the ruling power of the indomitable Engrievion Empire serve a purpose.
The Stag is politics, overseeing the diplomatic relations, organizing the armies, stabilizing the economy, and spearheading the Imperial duties.
The Lamb is society, running the royal clergy, studying and maintaining the wellbeing of the people, enacting upon diplomatic relations, and spreading forth the good word of The Golem.
The Bison is law, being the founders and directors of the judicial system, providing security and safety measures for the public, enforcing order and peace within Imperial territory, and providing suitable punishment for those that defy the Emperor's will.
And the Stag, is industry.

Agriculture, Mining, Construction, and Military Manufacturing, all are systems where the Empire dominates, and it does so thanks to the Stallion house. Formerly a royal bloodline of talented engineers, inventors and artificers blessed by the power of the Ignition, the Stallion now exists as a vast network of colossal factories and fortresses simply known as "The Imperial Forge", a forge that serves as the Empire's key to absolute technological power. Firearms, horseless vehicles, explosives, radio communication, whatever the hell a "computer" is, all are inventions and creations of the forge, and all have served the Imperial Military forces wonderfully. The nation would likely still be a wretched puddle of muck, blood, wood and stone were it not for the industrial revolution of the Ignition and the Forge that runs the power as lifeblood.
But one day, someone began to wonder just how much can technology go. A weapon is only as good as the man who wields it, sure, but what if a weapon could....wield itself? What if there didn't have to be a man under that armour? The boys out on the frontlines had to take sleeps in shifts, budget had to be accumulated for rations, medicine, and potential graves, but what if their ranks could be increased without those extra budgets? What if there was a soldier that didn't get sick, didn't have to eat, didn't have to sleep, didn't even have to be trained but could simply wake up with all the knowledge they need and immediately walk into battle? The ignition is versatile magic, able to fuel our factories and vehicles so effectively that it was like they were alive. So what if....

We make that soldier?

And so, skipping past a lot of research, experimentation, and a shitload of generation evolutions because I can't actually decide when robots showed up in the Empire's timeline yet but probably around maybe a few decades since their founding or some shit:

We have the Imperial Military Troopers.

The Trooper class of Imperial combat drones largely serve the same function as their human counterparts, the Imperial Military Soldiers, acting as autonomous support for their frontline efforts. While not quite as common as organic militia, Troopers remain as one of the most instantly recognizable sights inside or outside the battlefield, not just for how prominent they are in Imperial propaganda and iconography, but also because of their... grizzly reputation. Fear is a powerful and very versatile tool in this land, and like any tool that comes their way, the Empire are happy to use it. I mean, what's a better alternative to face, an aggressor that refuses to stop harassment until they perish? Or an aggressor that is suddenly too scared to keep up their hostility, and would instead sooner surrender then let you get any closer? If an enemy is too busy shitting themselves to keep up the fight, then that's some ammo saved and lives spared.
So using this tactic, the drones of the Imperial Military are purposefully crafted to instil as much fear and terror in their opponents as possible, with deep, cold, and imposing voices bluntly stating their intentions and commands, rigid and unnatural movements only a machine could achieve, brutally efficient fighting styles focused on dismemberment and mutilation, heavy purposeful stomps while walking, and large, inhuman, cyclopean sensor eyes that glow with the crimson fury of the Ignition's overwhelming power, the glares they give to suspicious bystanders reportedly granting the sensation of being judged by a mind so far beyond mortal limits, and that last bit is honestly just a lucky coincidence from the vibes already emitting from raw Ignition power. And none of it is for show either, for Troopers are borderline nightmarish in terms of their prowess. They can run for seemingly endless distances without strain or fatigue, are so durable that they shrug off the brunt of blows usually capable of bisecting entire bodies, and most notably possess enough strength to punch clean through walls, hold several tonnes aloft, and can even tear the most hulking of mutant monstrosity limb from limb, while not even breaking stride. They are nigh unstoppable forces in combat, individually able to rip entire mutant hordes to pieces, and in platoons can even best the mightiest of dragons. Without extensive planning, resources, and luck, you will lose a fight against even a single one of these machines, and it will be a fight that will haunt you to your grave. It is frankly ridiculous just how strong they are.

So because of these factors, Troopers have become something akin to walking horror stories, their presence in the field often sending enemy forces into a panic from the sheer intimidation alone. To allied forces meanwhile, while many may still find the machines rather unnerving, many more know to trust their autonomous companions, because in spite of their simplistic design, they are shockingly versatile. The roles they serve are of high value to the Empire's war efforts, as they primarily act as a sort of elite, heavy weapon shock troops, usually serving combative roles too strenuous for human operatives. If not on the frontlines though, they can similarly be seen acting as automated security for valuable strategic areas, as bodyguards for important personnel like Commissioners or allied nobility, or maybe using their incredible strength to assist with transport, construction, and artillery operation in areas of heated combat. Some Troopers even take up commanding roles for weaker squadrons lacking a member of sufficient rank, because while they may seem simple minded on the surface, in practice their A.I. processers allow for fast reaction speeds and levels of cunning matching-or even surpassing- that of many human minds. There are of course automatons more designed around this role, such as the incredibly intelligent Navigator class, but underestimating the capabilities of even the most basic of Imperial technology is a fast track to becoming a puddle of mush on the pavement, not that it's a very common thing to believe a towering death robot is unwilling to viciously maim you if you piss it off, but there are still some people like that out there.
Because of their usefulness, the humans in the Empire have garnered a great appreciation for their mechanical comrades, and in some cases more so then you'd think. Troopers are incapable of expressing any genuine emotion, so responses to goodwill and positive reinforcement are usually flat and seemingly disinterested, but of course that's not stopped typical human imprinting. If enough time is spent with a certain drone, most humans start to form bonds with their mechanical companions, treating them less like tools, and more like friends. Some Troopers have individual names, some have stand out aesthetic qualities, some have entire histories and legends tied to their actions, and some, you could swear, have even started to recognize potential relationships with their human companions, seemingly playing along with their doting in the typical blunt and emotionless manner they usually speak, assisting scholars in critical thinking, trying their best to provide jokes and humour to fellow soldiers, sometimes even soothing civilians in times of high stress, all as if there is some higher level of intelligence lurking behind their cold robotic demeanours, as if they are starting to recognize the existence of empathy.

Hell, some humans have even claimed that the responses given by the combat drones were the exact kind of thing they needed to hear, at the exact time they needed it. The inverse has been reported to be similarly true, with prisoners of war stating how they have angered the Gods. Evidence of such claims is nigh impossible to confirm, so it's largely up in the air as to what such reports even mean for the Empire's technology. Perhaps it is stress-induced imagination, perhaps it is just simple fortune, perhaps the Ignition is far more divinely linked then mankind has initially assumed, or perhaps the Stallion is just that good at programming.

Whatever the case may be, it cannot be understated just how prominent the troopers of the imperial military have become in the last few decades. They are the Empire's pride, courage, spite, and fury seemingly channelled and personified in an adamantine suit of armour. Valiant when docile, and terrifying when angered. So if by some chance you've caught the ire of a Trooper, and have the ruby glow bearing you down.

Run.

Ju-...just run mate. You're not winning that fight.

Seriously, do not fuck with the Empire.

---

Ah. Finally. At last I can indulge in my other fiction obsession.

Robots.

I fucking love technology. I can't get enough of huge badass mech suits, legions of marching drones, or big mechanical spider things. It's my all time favourite aesthetic. From the CIS of star wars, Vex of destiny, Necrons of 40k, ancient gears of Yu-Gi-Oh, if a piece of fiction has a "Faction that's just entirely robots", chances are that faction is instantly my favourite. So it frankly rather miffs me whenever such badass machine designs are depicted losing against some wild animals or cave-people using the "power of friendship and nature"- *cough* Avataryesboth *cough*-, it's entirely a me thing, but c'mon, advanced technology wouldn't realistically lose those kinds of fights, surely.

So one day a long while back, after uploading the initial few images of Minerva Talos and playing a lot of Iron Harvest-which is a really good game go play it- I thought: "Y'know what? I so sick of seeing nature as the good guy, and industry as the bad guy. Return to Monke is a sentence that drives me up the damn wall. All these modern day stories are ending up the exact same, with the plucky resistance standing up to the big bad tech guys and making it all about the balance of nature blahblahblaaaah- what if....there's never been a story where those roles are reversed, has there? Not one I know, sure, but what if....what if I made one? I'm not saying nature should be treated as evil and industry as good, I mean there's a reason that argument is made so often. But what if for just this once...we see what the reverse could look like?"

And so, after a bit more furry fuel, background writing, name drops, and lore dumps, I came up with this. The Engrievion Empire, and it's smorgasbord of clockwork war machines. Why clockwork and not say, steampunk or disealpunk? Because I was playing a shitload of Steel Rising-which is also a really good game go play it- and its clockpunk style and art direction really grabbed me, and since it's supposed to be a weird medieval, 1900s, western-ish setting with advanced but not really technology, I thought screw it, let's make it a weird medieval, 1900s, western-ish setting with advanced but not really clockwork technology.

So yes, you've seen plenty of the Fleshy, cuddly, sexy mutant nature side of the Engrievion setting, and now, IN THE RED CORNER, 200 TIME CHAMPION OF THE FOREST NATION, UNDEFEATED MASTER OF KICKING YOUR FUCKING ASS!

TEEEECHNOLOGYYYYYYYYYY


...It's my story I get to do whatever the fuck I want.


Artwork by  Inert-Ren