Willingly or unwillingly, you are the result of a twisted combination of arcane and mechanical experimentation. Your body was manipulated by a mad scientist or shadowy organisation as the powers of trial and error were pushed to the limit within forgotten dungeons, hidden laboratories, or inescapable towers.
You have endured extraordinary events of inhumane science which have hardened you both mentally and physically, and through a mix of alchemical, arcane, and merchanical experimentation, you have been remade into something new.
- Skill Proficiencies: Two of your choice.
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: A staff, a hunting trap, a trophy from an animal you killed, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
There are many who seek knowledge through the suffering of others. There are well meaning wizards and clerics, who seek only to gain knowledge for the sake of others, and usually take evil test subjects. There are demon worshippers, interested only in new ways of inflicting pain. There are necromancers, alchemists, and arcanists who value new knowledge beyond the comfort of others. Choose or roll for what manner of circumstance brought you to the table, on the table below.
| d6 | Origin |
|---|---|
| 1 | To wreak a terrible vengeance on my or my creator's enemies. |
| 2 | To be the replacement child my creator could not have or had lost. |
| 3 | To satisfy the intellectual curiosity of my creator. |
| 4 | As punishment for my or my or my family's misdeeds. |
| 5 | To be the first of a new race. |
| 6 | As a terrible mistake that should never been made. |
You have some physical feature/deformity that marks you out as a result of arcane or physiological anatomization. This abnormality is the result of a signature operation that identifies the group or individual that worked on you. This can be recognized by other victims of your master; and by scientists, wizards, and students familiar with your master's work. Deformities might include a hunched back, digitigrade legs, cranial vivisection scars, protruding bone or metal, grafted parts, elemental veins visible through your skin, or any other dramatic, visibly distinctive disfiguration.
In addition, you are familiar with the layout of laboratories in the most general sense, and know the function (if not the names) of laboratory equipment such as athanors, alembics, pressure chambers, electric baths, blood transfusion machines, or exotic arcane surgery tools.
Suggested Characteristics
You have experienced countless days of mental, physical, and spiritual agony and this has shaped you into who you are.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I find everything to be whimsical and interesting. Everything is so new and wonderful! |
| 2 | I’m always picking things up, absently fiddling with them, and sometimes accidentally breaking them. |
| 3 | I deserved my treatment. I am worth less than other people. |
| 4 | My captors learned much from my suffering. I see nothing wrong with harsh means for great gains. |
| 5 | My traumatic experience left me anxious of contact. I react badly to physical contact. |
| 6 | I deal with my nightmares through humor. There is no joke too dark for me. |
| 7 | Some good may come of my experience. I can use my knowledge to make sure none suffer the same fate |
| 8 | I am special. Others should fear my power. |
| d4 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. No one should be held captive, through force or intimidation. Freedom is the ultimate good. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Retribution. Vengeance should be claimed however it can be. Those who cause suffering should suffer, as should anyone around them. (Neutral) |
| 3 | Knowledge. The value of knowledge is without bounds. It must be preserved at any cost. (Lawful) |
| 4 | Experimentation. The thrill of exploring another’s body and soul is a pleasure I crave and deserve. (Evil) |
| d4 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My master set me free with a purpose. I must fulfil it. |
| 2 | My captor is still looking for me, and will kill me to preserve their secrets. I must kill them before they kill me. |
| 3 | I found a friend in a fellow captive. They are still there and I have to free them. |
| 4 | I was freed by the intervention of others. I owe them my freedom, and whatever remains of my sanity. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | All I remember is the life of a subject. I am sometimes clueless to the ways of the world. |
| 2 | I am addicted to, and seek pain; sometimes to the detriment of myself and my friends. |
| 3 | The experiments left my mind scattered. I often get distracted or derailed. |
| 4 | I am slow to trust and distrust kindness. Affection equates underlying motive. |
| 5 | I constantly look over my shoulder. Some people call me paranoid, I call it cautious. |
| 6 | Even when I mean well, I find it hard to keep cruelty at bay. |