shadowrom detail (Shadowrom)

Gothix Construct ShadowROM (Cyberdeck Peripheral)

ShadowROM is a physical cyberdeck peripheral, not software -- it never
appears in your help directory, and there is no ``run ShadowROM``
or ``halt ShadowROM``.

Like any other physical peripheral (see help insert and
help eject), it must be physically carried and inserted into a
free peripheral slot on your deck:

    insert shadowrom in <deck>

Once installed, it continuously occupies a fixed amount of your deck's
RAM for as long as it stays plugged in -- exactly like an active
shield program, though it is never itself software and carries no
Shield Factor of its own.

While installed, ShadowROM automatically manifests a construct that
fights on your behalf against Hostile ICE Constructs (HICE) -- an
actively hostile guardian that can appear while you are connected to a
NET host. You never issue a command to make it attack:

    * the instant a HICE spawns because of your own intrusion attempt,
      ShadowROM immediately strikes it once, with no action from you;
    * every time that HICE attacks you back (for example, while you
      are also fighting it with help hand of god), ShadowROM
      strikes back again automatically, alongside your own attack.

A ShadowROM hit either wounds the construct (it survives) or, with
enough hits, destroys it outright.

Removing/unplugging ShadowROM removes this protection immediately --
it only ever helps against HICE encountered while it stays physically
installed and your deck stays active.

See also: help hand of god, help net nodes, help insert

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