Top of 2016 #3: 7 Ways to Put a Robot in Your Fantasy Story

(Apparently, the 7 Lists stole the show last year.  Original is HERE.)

Robo from Chrono Trigger

Robo from Chrono Trigger

It isn’t easy putting tech into a fantasy setting.  Yet it can be done!  Sometimes even correctly.  Here are 7 methods that might or might not work.  Though looking at the ‘humor’ tag on this post, it’s probably a lot of tongue and cheek.

  1. Time travel!  Nothing goes wrong with having a robot time travel from a non-magical future to the magical past.  Except for changing history and risking a paradox.  The robot could make it that technology never evolves, so it was never created to go back in time to cause the . . . I really hate time travel.
  2. A quirky gnome decides to go as far as possible with golem creation.  This results in him or her realizing that you can’t depend entirely on magic.  So they add some armor and gears and steam and whatever else they can find along with spells.  Then the explosion happens, their creation wanders off, and the gnome is left with a single hair that is permanently smoking.
  3. Zombies with gears jammed into them.  Results vary from WTF!? to ‘Get the ale away from the nercromancer’.
  4. An ancient race decided to pursue the technological arts.  They thought it was the path to immortality and created mechanical bodies.  When the first one was done, a citizen was chosen to be killed and have their brain put inside.  Sadly, they thought it was a contest for a lifetime supply of chocolate and used their new body to turn society into rubble.  Rumor is that they remain there in misery because robots aren’t able to enjoy chocolate.
  5. Aliens crash landed on the planet and died because magic is toxic to them.  They left behind a robot that some hapless wanderer awakens.  It roams the countryside in search of its masters or maybe mindless destruction.  Really depends on what the aliens were looking for, but they’re dead and nobody speaks their language to solve the problem.  Except for the inevitable hybrid that makes no sense and can control the robot with her mind.
  6. Technology existed long before magic appeared.  Now it’s been uncovered and trying to make a comeback.  Robots will lead the way to face the wizards and dragons.  An army of metal and ancient programming that knows nothing more than destruction.  Unless they were programmed for hugs, which means the war might turn awkward.
  7. Lock a man in full body platemail and write ‘I Am A Robot’ on his chest.  How will he stay alive?  Eating food through a straw.  Bathroom?  Don’t ask such disgusting questions.  How do they know the term ‘robot’?  This conversation is over!

About Charles Yallowitz

Charles E. Yallowitz was born, raised, and educated in New York. Then he spent a few years in Florida, realized his fear of alligators, and moved back to the Empire State. When he isn't working hard on his epic fantasy stories, Charles can be found cooking or going on whatever adventure his son has planned for the day. 'Legends of Windemere' is his first series, but it certainly won't be his last.
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14 Responses to Top of 2016 #3: 7 Ways to Put a Robot in Your Fantasy Story

  1. I think #6 wins this year, if only for the awkward war image now stuck in my head.

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  2. I had to laugh out loud at number seven. This was a super list and I’m not surprised your top sevens were the most popular. Nice job.

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  3. Sounds like you’ve put some thought into this. Now I want chocolate.

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  4. L. Marie says:

    Ha ha! Great topic! I’d love to see the outcome of number 6, though my favorite is number 2. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  5. I think this was one of my favorites from last year, I always enjoy your 7 lists.

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