A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Monk and Robot #1

What do people need, really?

Long ago, the robots of Panga awoke to self-awareness—and walked away. Into the wilderness they went, choosing solitude over servitude, vanishing into legend.

Now, centuries later, a kind-hearted tea monk named Sibling Dex seeks purpose in a world that seems to have no urgent need. When a curious robot named Mosscap suddenly reappears with one simple question—“What do people need?”—their quiet life takes an unexpected turn.

Together, they embark on a journey through the human world, searching for meaning, connection, and the quiet truths that thrive between the cracks of a contented society. In this warm and philosophical sci-fi fable, Becky Chambers explores the nature of purpose in a world that has stopped striving—and the beauty of asking the question anyway.