Palimpsest

Varden works with the numenera, the strange relics left over from the world's prior civilizations. Always seeking new finds, Varden has recently found something quite extraordinary that he calls the Arthenac. This discovery is the source of incredible energies, enough to power a whole city. Even though he can't stay at the discovery site, he knows that he can't just leave the Arthenac unprotected. So he quickly assembles an automaton from some parts that he's gathered to watch over it.

It doesn't take long for the automaton to show that she's far more than he suspected, however-she's intelligent, and has free will. Varden names her Palimpsest. Over the years, Varden visits his "daughter" Palim from time to time, each time discovering that she's grown in personality and understanding. Meanwhile, Palim gains a far greater awareness of the Arthenac and its true nature.

Varden's early efforts to learn more about the Arthenac and what he can do with it trigger events that impact both he and Palim later in their lives. The story that unfolds over decades leads to a confrontation with a power-hungry castoff of the Changing God and the ties that bind parent and child-creator and creation-together no matter how much time has passed.