Idea: The Von Neumann Problem

Icons
(at least the character write-up is)

I have no idea if this would make an interesting scenario, but here we go...

An alien space probe lands on a remote island. Its entrance into the atmosphere does not go unnotices, and our heroes are notified.

The space probe is a Von Neumann machine: it uses the available material to create copies of itself, which it then sends out to build more copies. Theoretically, it should stop when it has analyzed sufficient resources, but the meaning of the term "sufficient" is vague. One of the "top men" involved suspects that the probe will stop after it has a probe in each environment on earth, so that's actually a lot of probes.

When not busy defending itself, it builds one new probe every fifteen minutes. When busy defending itself, it takes thirty minutes to build a new probe (it uses one of the Fast Attack movements from Extra Limbs to do so).

The density (and Density) is less while it is being built; clever players could do something then.

If the players arrive after the first one is built, then they have to get rid of two. Or four. Or...

The probe has a vast library of devices that it can make prominent on the copies: because there are no useful radioactive materials on the landing island, the initial copies are solar. If there is an enforced absence of light (a day or two), new probes will be geothermal, or wind-powered, or tidal...whatever works.

I've used Transmutation here to reflect its nanites disintegrating something nearby and reconstructing it into something else. Yes, realistically the probe should have Adaptation and Gadgets but instead I've subsumed them under the "Alien probe" quality.

It's a challenge. I just don't know if it would be an interesting challenge.

Neumann (No secret ID...he's an alien space probe) — Artificial

PRW	CRD	STR	INT	AWE	WIL	STA
5	4	8	5	4	10	18
Specialties		Military (+1)
Powers:		Supreme (10) Life Support (everything) Amazing (8) Density (Innate) Supreme (10) Transmutation Limit: Source Extra: Analysis Good (5) Super-Senses (IR, UV, X-ray, tactile, one to be named as needed) Amazing (8) Extra limbs (arms)
Qualities:		Alien probe that uses the local resources to analyze and reproduce In light and resources, can reproduce every 15 minutes Reservoir of gadgets to make

"Analysis" is an extra I just made up whereby the probe can touch something as if to restructure it and discovers its chemical compound. Arguably it already has that because it does transmutation.