-old-Tallneck

A Communications Class machine, the Tallneck is the only known machine of this class. It is not hostile to humans, is by far the largest known contemporary machine, and is one of only two known machines that are equipped with a protective energy shield. A human with the necessary technology can override a Tallneck upon climbing to the top of its head to reveal details and locations of structures, machine sites, human settlements and other points of interest over a vast area.

Utility

Tallnecks are completely solitary, never congregating or encountering each other. Utilizing their slow, steady, surefooted gait, each one continuously walks an unvarying circuitous path in its particular region, functioning as a communications center.

Manufacturing

The Tallneck resembles a giraffe in both silhouette and gait. They have no visible optical sensors, and their heads are broad discs, with a data node on the top center that can be used as an access point for overriding. Their chassis is covered by heavy armor plating. Several long antennae-like platforms project from the back of the neck, and four tail-like structures are mounted in pairs on the posterior. Their feet have ten toes in the front and three in the back.

Inventor(s)

The inventor of Tallnecks is unknown, but Alex Daddario Taylor assumes that Dr. Sobeck must have had something to do with it. The topic has never come when the two meet.

Access & Availability

Tallnecks, while used by everyone with most types of technology, are not accessible to the public and most government workers. They are guarded by other HZD machines. Improvements have been made from the original designs to included energy shields to protect them from hostile forces, elemental and man-made. They are said to be capable to withstand a nuclear bombing, but this has not been tested as of yet and there are no plans to do so.

Complexity

Tallnecks are not hostile to humans; they appear to be completely oblivious to their surroundings, save for the path they constantly follow. If they are aware, they certainly have no visible reaction, appearing to disregard everything from battles to animals, humans or machines that wander into their path. However, while a Tallneck itself is harmless to humans, the area around its path may be infested with dangerous machines that are hostile to humans. Indeed, one would have to frequently clear a path through hostiles in order to reach a position from which they could climb onto and atop a Tallneck to override it.

Discovery

Tallnecks were created to replace numerous cell towers as the production and maintenance costs of cell towers were expensive and very damaging to the environment. Tallnecks were discovered to be able to provide greater coverage with fewer machines, are self-sustaining, and of low maintenance. However, the implementation of Tallnecks was halted by industry lobbyists not wanting to lose profits.