Clockwork Meka are an enemy group. They were made by Fontaine to serve as laborers, but were eventually modified for combat purposes.
Clockwork Meka are imbued with Arkhe energy, either Pneuma or Ousia, allowing them to deal Elemental DMG with their attacks, and will use different abilities depending on Arkhe alignment. The alignment can be determined based on the artificied clockwork — a bright white color indicates Pneuma, while a dark blue color indicates Ousia. If they are hit with the opposite energy of their alignment, they will temporarily lose their Arkhe energy, resulting in them being restricted to Physical attacks or unable to attack entirely for a period of time.
Types[]
Normal Meks[]
These Clockwork Meka have relatively low HP and take 1 opposite Arkhe attack to weaken.
Area Alert Mek
Arithmetic Enhancer Mek- Geological Survey Mek
- Nimble Harvester Mek
- Recon Log Mek
- Underwater Patrol Mek
- Underwater Survey Mek
Specialist Meks[]
These Clockwork Meka have greater HP and stronger attacks, and take 2 opposite Arkhe attacks to weaken.
- Annihilation Specialist Mek
- Assault Specialist Mek
- Deepwater Assault Mek
- Construction Specialist Mek
- Suppression Specialist Mek
Bosses[]
These Clockwork Meka have even higher HP and more powerful attacks, and take 3 opposite Arkhe attacks to weaken.
Drops[]
— Mora
Lv. 1+ Meshing Gear
Lv. 40+ Mechanical Spur Gear
Lv. 60+ Artificed Dynamic GearDescriptions[]
Also an excellent assistant to thieves and brigands.
Lore[]
Around 400-500 years ago, Alain Guillotin (and his peers) developed a method of generating controlled Pneumousia Annihilation reactions,[1] turning what was seen as a "latent [environmental] threat" into a powerful — albeit unstable — new energy source.[2]
At the time, the use of clockwork machinery was already well-established in Fontaine, but "traditional" clockwork meka were powered by elastic potential energy. Alain created a new type of clockwork meka that was powered by a "kinetic core," a device that utilized his controlled-Annihilation technology, which produced a significant increase in operational efficacy. His "new-type" meka were also more structurally advanced, as the older models could not withstand the released energy.[2]
To obtain the pneuma and ousia needed for Annihilation reactions, Alain's clockwork meka use components called "Repeaters" to refine the naturally-occurring pneumousia in Fontaine's environment. This is very convenient for operating within Fontaine, but limits their utility elsewhere. Pneumousia Blocks can be used as a substitute energy source, but only for brief periods.[3]
Due to the unstable nature of pneumousia energy, Alain's clockwork meka tend to be in either a pneuma-aligned or ousia-aligned state.[4] This is their "equilibrium." Striking a mek with an pneuma or ousia-infused attack will destroy this equilibrium completely, causing the mek to lose some (if not all) of its functionality.[5] Modern meka seem to possess a built-in "Self-Repair" function that allows them to rebalance these energies.
Over time, Alain's work rendered the field of traditional clockwork machinery essentially obsolete. Consequently, the funding dried up, and researchers were forced to pivot or shut down their labs altogether. It was for this reason that Butor closed his Institute of Clockwork Applications.[6]
Since Alain's time, clockwork meka researchers have made great advancements in kinematics, but very little in terms of dynamics. As a result, modern meka have a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate innovative design features (e.g., the biomimesis of the Underwater Survey Mek), but their energy generation is still at the level of Alain's first inventions.[7][8]
Today, most of the research and development for clockwork meka is conducted by the Fontaine Research Institute,[9] and most of the manufacturing is done at the Fortress of Meropide.[10]
Clockwork meka are primarily employed by the Maison Gardiennage, but citizens can also purchase them for personal use. By law, these purchases must be registered and recorded, but people have been known to circumvent this using methods such as filing off the serial numbers.[11] Geological Survey Meks are particularly popular among Treasure Hoarders and Adventurers, as they can be set to detect specific minerals.[12]
Although modern clockwork meka are very advanced, most are not capable of true artificial intelligence.[13] The most notable exception is Seymour, a special Recon Log Mek created by Alain himself "as proof of his accomplishments in kinematics and material science."[14] Seymour possesses a complex artificial neural network that enables rapid learning and adaptation, and is capable of making autonomous decisions. Another exception is "Curve", a humanoid mek created by Mosso Lombroso that developed the ability to make decisions based on emotions instead of logic.
The applications of clockwork meka have shifted over time. In the present, they are most valued for their combat ability, to the point that models originally designed for non-violent purposes have been modified to favor attacks. This is best seen in the humanoid meka: Annihilation Specialist (designed to commemorate the inventor's lover), Assault Specialist (designed to assist humans), and Icewind Suite (designed as a dynamic art piece). As these meka are primarily used by the Maison Gardiennage, some citizens see this as "[the] state apparatus enforcing the monopoly on violence."[9]
Trivia[]
- They are the first Automaton enemy group to consist of Common Enemies.
- There are two known Meka types that deal the same damage type regardless of their Arkhe alignment: The Recon Log Mek (Electro) and Underwater Survey Mek (Hydro).
- The Prototype Cal. Breguet is the only known Mek type to not have an alternate Arkhe alignment — it is exclusively Ousia-aligned.
- The first meka created by Alain Guillotin were the Recon Log Mek and Assault Specialist Mek, which are associated with Mary-Ann (his sister) and Carter Scherbius (his late friend), respectively.
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Clockwork Meka | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 发条机关 Fātiáo Jīguān | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 發條機關 Fātiáo Jīguān | |
| Japanese | クロックワーク・マシナリー Kurokkuwaaku Mashinarii | Clockwork Machinery |
| Korean | 태엽 장치 Taeyeop Jangchi | Clockwork Device |
| Spanish | Mecabot | Meka Bot |
| French | Méka horlogoïde | Clockoid Meka[• 1] |
| Russian | Мек Mek | Meka |
| Thai | กลไกเครื่องลาน | |
| Vietnamese | Robot Dây Cót | |
| German | Uhrwerk-Mecha | Clockwork Meka |
| Indonesian | Clockwork Meka | — |
| Portuguese | Mecautômato | |
| Turkish | Kurmalı Meka | Wind-up Meka |
| Italian | Mekautoma | Meka Automaton |
Change History[]
References[]
- ↑ Interactable: Ancient Log #2
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Interactable: Ancient Log #3
- ↑ Archive: Suppression Specialist Mek
- ↑ Tutorial: Pneuma, Ousia, and Their Mutual Annihilation
- ↑ Archive: Arithmetic Enhancer Mek
- ↑ World Quest, Fontaine Research Institute Chronicles: Go to the Institute of Clockwork Applications and retrieve the Anchor
- ↑ Archive: Underwater Survey Mek
- ↑ Character and Weapon Enhancement Material: Mechanical Spur Gear
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Archive: Annihilation Specialist Mek
- ↑ Map Description: Fortress of Meropide
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter IV, Act II - As Light Rain Falls Without Reason, Part 2: The Truth, Lost With the Rain
- ↑ Archive: Geological Survey Mek
- ↑ Archive: Recon Log Mek
- ↑ Interactable: Ancient Log #4
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