Editing Modron (section)

== Modron Hierarchy ==
[[File:Base_modrons_by_Dillon.jpg|thumb|right|One, Two, Three,<br> Four, Five... point-one]]
Modrons exist in hierarchy, their very social structure based on the idea of delegation of authority; command decisions emanate from Primus itself, slowly going down the racial line until it is complete. Caste determines physical shape, abilities, social role and mental capacity. In ascending order, they go as follows; the first five castes form the "Base Modrons", whilst the other nine castes form the "Hierarch Modrons".

If a Modron is slain or otherwise rendered invalid to fulfill its purpose, a random Modron from the next lowest caste is promoted up to fill the void. The position they vacate is filled by a lower-caste modron with another promotion, and another, until the lack trickles down to the monodrone level; what happens here depends on edition. In some editions one Monodrone actually splits in two like a unicellular organism (in 4e any modron higher in rank than a monodrone would actually split into four monodrones on death), but in other editions a new monodrone simply walks out of this thing called the Creation Pool that Primus sits in. Because Mechanus is infinite in size like all planes, this happens so often that a constant stream of monodrones is perpetually marching out of the pool 24/7.

The lowest five castes are the "base" modrons, with animal up to moron intelligence.

'''Monodrones''' are responsible for general labor. Appearing as small metal spheres with a single eye, a pair of spindly metal legs, and either a pair of arms or a pair of wings, these single-task Modrons are virtually mindless, capable of undertaking only a single task at a time. Order them to fight, and they mechanically attack whatever they see, even one another if they are not ordered to stop first. These form the vast bulk of the Modrons numbers. They cannot speak, though they can understand orders. These are the type of Modron that would be the janitors at a fast food restaurant.

'''Duodrones''' are charged with performing complex tasks that a monodrone is too stupid to handle, up to and including directing monodrones. Appearing as rectangular shapes with four spindly metal limbs, duodrones are bi-functional, capable of handling two tasks simultaneously. This gives them slightly greater intelligence than monodrones; for example, a duodrone who was ordered to fight would kill all enemies in sight and then go in search of new enemies, rather than simply attack other nearby Modrons. Duodrones can speak, but only in a limited fashion; about all they're capable of is clearly reporting their operations and observations. These are the type of Modron that would prepare the food at a fast food restaurant.

'''Tridrones''' are capable of performing multiple tasks simultaneously and are also minor supervisors; these are the Modrons who command the duodrones. They resemble walking pyramids, pointy side down, with a single-eyed face on each side of their body, three legs and three arms. They are usually given a single general directive, which they then subdivide into simpler tasks and assign to their duodrone underlings. They are even capable of planning limited objectives on their own. These are the type of Modron that would run the drive-through at a fast food restaurant.

'''Quadrones''' are capable of performing multiple complex tasks simultaneously, which also makes them the supervisors of Base Modronkind. Appearing as mechanical cubes with a face on one side, two legs, two arms and either a pair of wings or a second pair of arms, they are the first caste to approach human-grade sapience, being "four-function" creatures that can report actions and observations, make plans, react to unexpected occurrences and act to remedy them. This type of Modron would run the cash registers at a fast food restaurant.

'''Pentadrones''' form the lesser police officers of the Modron race, being charged with law enforcement. Their primary task is the prevention of Modrons going rogue. As the borderline between Base and Hierarch Modrons, these outsiders are five-function beings that can communicate, operate, monitor, plan and manage. They resemble mechanical five-legged starfish with a face on each "arm" and five spindly mechanical legs growing underneath them, which are used to walk. These modrons would be the manager at a fast-food restaurant.
[[File:Hierarch Modrons from MM2.png|thumb|right]]
The castes above this level are "hierarch" modrons of average up to godlike intelligence, and each caste requires a strictly regimented number that should exist at each caste level at any time -- no more ''and'' no less.  They each have telepathy for communication at increasingly crazy distances, for the purpose of the hivemind mesh.  They are so hyper-OCD organized that they never roll for initiative but choose their place in turn order.  Every hierarch modron has the following at-will abilities: clairaudience, clairvoyance, command word, dimension hop, teleport (with 0% mis-jump), and forcewall.  Hierarch modrons slain in Mechanus will self-resurrect in a few days; slain elsewhere, their souls return to their god, and a promotion chain is automatically triggered to fill the absent position.  Hierarch modrons will never willingly leave Mechanus unless commanded by Primus.

'''Decatons''' are charged with overseeing the physical welfare of the base Modrons. There are one-hundred in existence at any given time; one for each Sector and one for each army. They resemble metal spheres with ten tentacles around their bodies standing on stumpy legs. They have access to a variety of curative spells that only affect Modrons, and can also levitate at will. This modron would be the area manager at a fast-food business.

'''Nonatons''' make up the police supervision of the Modrons. Their numbers are kept at eighty-one. Nine serve the octons by carrying their orders, sixty-four monitor the decatons of the realm, and the remaining eight monitor the decatons of the armies. They appear as, depending on edition, one-eyed cylinders with a ring of tentacles or giant caterpillar things with a monodrone-like face.

'''Octons''' are the governors of the Sectors, meaning there are only sixty-four octons in all of Mechanus. Octons are distinguished by the metallic collar that grows around their neck, from which sprouts eight tentacle arms. They are provided levitation by these collars, which enables them to move through air and water with equal ease and grace.

'''Septons''' are governmental inspectors, forty-nine in number, responsible for ensuring that each octon is performing its duties satisfactorily. They resemble humanoids with large, bald heads, and smaller versions of the same collars that grow from an octon's shoulders; septons cannot fly like octons, but they can move perfectly through water.

'''Hextons''' are the generals of the Modron armies. There are thirty-six of them. Hextons resemble six-armed humanoids, having two large human-like arms, each of which ends in a six-fingered hand, and four claw-tipped tentacles, as well as a pair of fan-like wings that join at their shoulders.

'''Quintons''' are bureau chiefs and record keepers for Modron territory. They number twenty-five. These Modrons have the appearance of tall, stockily built humanoids with two pairs of arms, a prehensile tail, and fanlike wings similar to those of a Hexton. 

'''Quartons''' are the governors of the Regions, meaning there are only sixteen of these Modrons in existence at any one time. They have the appearance of 12ft-tall humanoids with four jointed arms and the same fan-like wings as the Hextons and Quintons.

'''Tertions''' are the judges of the Modron race. There are only nine, with two assigned to each Secundi and one reporting directly to Primus. They resemble 12ft tall, bald humans with long horns jutting from the sides of their head and long, prehensile-tails that end in a ball like a mace's head.

'''Secundi''' are the governors of the four Quarters, meaning there are only four of them. They answer directly to Primus. They appear as incredibly tall and thin humanoids with deep-set eyes. These modrons would be the board of directors in a fast food company.
[[File:Primus Dragon 341.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Primus, the One and the Prime, as portrayed in [[3.5e]]. Note that he looks different than what he is described like - this is because this is a picture of him after being reintroduced in Dragon Magazine as a [[Vestige]].]]
The highest caste has only one occupant, and it is the only god-type modron.  It has telepathy that extends to all modrons in the same plane, along with the usual benefits of immortality and divine power.  All modron clerics pray to the occupant of the highest caste, who responds efficiently and grants their divine spells for the day.

'''Primus''' is the One and the Prime, the god-like entity that is the ultimate source of the Modron race. He is their overarching will, their mind, their soul. All that they do ultimately stems from him. If seen in person, this entity manifests as the upper torso of an enormous androgynous humanoid rising from a pool of incandescent energy - the life essence of the Modron race - with its right hand obscured by rainbow-hued light and its left hand obscured by ink-black shadows.  Primus does not create avatars, and Primus never leaves Mechanus.  Primus's first concern is always the well-being of the modron species as a whole.  Unlike other gods who will resurrect from the plane's quintessence if slain, Primus is "resurrected" by the immediate promotion of a Secundus, which triggers a highly organized civil war to determine which secudus is ascended, and which will in turn trigger a chain of promotions.  Since modrons are a hive-mind, this new Primus will know everything the previous Primus knew. This Modron would be the almighty God-CEO of a fast food company.

In canon, Primus got killed before the start of the AD&D adventure-line "The Great Modron March", when Orcus (in his undead incarnation as Tenebrous) snuck into Mechanus and killed him, then stole his identity and set the March off early to look for his precious Wand so he could use it to restore himself to life. Though Orcus canonically got his Wand back, revived himself and left, allowing the Modrons to generate a new Primus, Dragon Magazine #341 states that the Primus that Tenebrous killed ended up becoming a Vestige. As a Vestige, Primus will not manifest to a [[Binder]] already binding Tenebrous, and grants bonuses for acting in a mechanical manner (that is, doing the same set of actions in multiple rounds), Lawful aligned attacks, and the ability to issue a Command spell once every 6 rounds.