Editing The Machine (section)

===Manual? Jackets?===
EXCERPTS FROM THE NEWBIE MANUAL.

"...and please remember to dress warmly. Contrary to common sense, it can get quite cold at times. The machine takes waste heat created and redirects it to increase efficiency in producing power.

Younger divers may find it interesting to know this is how we averted a severe energy crisis. All heat from power plants is redirected toward keeping all buildings at a comfortable temperature, or it is redirected back into the process to heat more water to spin turbines. 

This system created the mistaken impression that the machine is a giant steam engine when it was first discovered. Scientists will now say this is ludicrous, but are hard pressed to provide any other explanation. 

Form your own opinions. Just make sure you bring a heavy jacket."

".....It may appear that there aren't any engineers nearby when you spy an interesting widget, but you can never be sure. Stay still, listen for a clinking or faint screeching(it may be hard to hear it over the perpetual ticking of the Machine) and check the surroundings for any pieces of technology that look out of place.

If all is in order, CAREFULLY but QUICKLY remove said piece of technology, MAKING SURE NOT TO DISTURB ANY OF THE OTHER SYSTEMS NEAR IT."

"....and while Engineers are a very real threat, they do, for the most part, leave Delvers alone unless they attempt to retrieve technology.
It has been theorised that these Engineers are simply mindless automatons imprinted with several billion blueprints to a 'perfect machine' for any given purpose. This theory has no concrete evidence as, for obvious reasons, we have never been able to take one apart. However, we have gotten Engineers out of the Machine by holding a broken device in front of them and leading them outside, after which we exposed them to several types of machinery. It may be interesting to know that most grappling hooks and crossbows on the market today are based off an Engineer's design."

"There is always a Janitor around even if you can't see it.

Whatever name you use, drone, engineer, builder, janitor, keep in mind one is always close by. Eye witness reports say the janitors are few and far between, but paranoia will save your life. Trying to so much as lift a panel to look at the inner workings of your new find with one nearby may be enough to forfeit your life.

Perhaps an exaggeration, but the janitors can be fickle. They do not react to invasions of any sort as long as there is no perceived obstruction of the greater operations of the machine.

Janitors come in varieties. When you first go in you may notice 'tracks' built into the ceiling, floor, and walls. Beware when standing on or near these, as some only zip back and forth along these rails. You might find yourself in something akin to a traffic accident. Except people aren't built with airbags. Others seem to be disconnected and operate at least somewhat independently. These are even more hazardous as you may not know if it is nearby, and you cannot evade it merely by standing far enough away. 

If you see one as big as a house, keep clear. Anything that size, or larger, is a mover. They might not notice anything too small in their way to avoid it. 

Always watch out for the small skittering drones. They can't do much of anything on their own, but they've been known to swarm. Even a single one is cause for being on your toes. They've been caught observing a group of divers stripping a find only to disappear when nobody is looking. Later a group of janitors shows up, and none too happy about having more things to repair. They can and will call others to aid in fixing malfunctions they find. 

Take care you don't get classified as a malfunction.

Although all seem to act with some sort of independence, they've been known to come searching for their fellows. Our best guess is there is some sort of logging system so janitors can be replaced quickly, and to help make sure jobs are not doubled up on. Avoid 'killing' any if you can. Force is only authorized in the most extreme of circumstances."

"If you find the way you came is suddenly sealed off, do not panic. This will most certainly end in tragedy if your group looses their collective heads.

This is an expected and natural part of the machine. Corridors shift and move on their own. The exact layout subtly altering over long periods of time. There are central important locations that will remain constant, but avenues in between may disappear or simply move elsewhere. 

DO NOT WORRY.

There has not been a reported case of a corridor moving while it is in use. The only reports received are of a group heading into a dead end.. only to backtrack and realize there are three new doors the way they just came. This can be disorienting so please use our suggested exercises for remaining calm. 

Main structures will remain. As such there is always a way to get from one to the other. You will not be trapped without an exit as the entrance to the machine is one of the main structures. Always remain calm and try another way, moving toward the direction of the entrance. "

"When venturing even deeper into the Machine, it would be advisable to leave a trail. These are generally helpful as long as the substance being used is organic in nature(sometimes leading to a literal trail of bread crumbs), as any metallic or otherwise artificial substances will soon be claimed by the Engineers. They do not seem to notice most organic material, unless it is part of a complex system. And even then it is limited to an analysis, followed by swift removal.

Despite all this, there have been a few documented cases of Engineers attempting to tamper with organic material. At least 5 corpses have been found with their insides replaced with intricate mechanical systems. There have also been unconfirmed reports of these strange corpse machines moving about in the inner confines of the Machine, although this could be attributed to the strain brought about by extended periods of time spent inside the Machine."

"...if, however, you should be unfortunate enough to find yourself on the wrong side of an Engineer, there are a few simple steps to take.

1- DROP EVERYTHING. Unless you should value your loot more than your well-being, life, and posthumous dignity, this should be your first resort. The Engineer will reclaim the components and leave you alone. Remember, there is no shame in giving up prestige to save one's life.
2- IF, for some reason, you decide to not give the Engineer what it desires, always remember that it relies on gears for all it's locomotion. There is a reported weak point along what passes for it's midsection where an important mechanism is housed. If you have a crowbar or an iron rod, wedge it firmly into the weak spot, taking care not to destroy it.

If you are lucky, the Engineer will still be stable, but it's mechanisms would have frozen. Bear in mind this is a temporary condition as even the strongest, thickest rods will, with due time, simply be crushed by the gears inside the Engineer.
If you are unlucky, one of the major systems would have been damaged and the Engineer is now dead. This means that several are coming to repair it, and this would be an excellent time to make yourself scarce."