Homebrew Dwarf Automated Mechanism Against the Elves (D.A.M.A.T.E) Species Details

D.A.M.A.T.E Lore: Origins and Purpose

In a time of escalating tensions between the Dwarves and the Elves, the D.A.M.A.T.E project emerged as a marvel of Dwarven engineering and magic. Created by a coalition of skilled Dwarven artisans, artificers, and wizards, the D.A.M.A.T.Es were designed to counter the Elven threat while embodying the indomitable spirit and craftsmanship of the Dwarven race.

The project aimed to fuse Dwarven tradition with innovative technology. The D.A.M.A.T.Es were constructed using enchanted metals, rare gems, and intricate runic inscriptions, combining the mystic arts with Dwarven craftsmanship. These living constructs were envisioned as a last line of defense, capable of resisting the formidable Elven warriors and sorcerers.

Construction and Enchantment

Each D.A.M.A.T.E's construction was a painstaking process that required a collaborative effort among Dwarven artisans and artificers. The constructs were built to mimic the anatomy of Dwarves, albeit with a unique blend of machinery and enchanted components. Gears, pulleys, and intricate clockwork mechanisms were woven into their bodies, granting them strength, agility, and resilience.

Powerful Dwarven runes were etched onto the constructs' bodies, bestowing them with magical properties that enhanced their combat prowess and resistance to harmful effects. Some D.A.M.A.T.Es even bore runic designs that channeled the power of the earth itself, allowing them to manipulate stone and metal.

Integration into Society

Initially, D.A.M.A.T.Es were designed solely for war, but as the Dwarven creators recognized their potential, they sought to integrate them into Dwarven society. Over time, some D.A.M.A.T.Es developed distinct personalities, preferences, and even emotions. This evolution led to a greater acceptance of them within Dwarven communities, as they became artisans, guards, and skilled laborers.

However, not all Dwarves were comfortable with these living constructs, fearing their impact on traditional Dwarven values and culture. Debates emerged about the ethical implications of creating sentient beings to serve Dwarven interests.

Elven Reactions

The Elves were alarmed by the emergence of the D.A.M.A.T.Es, viewing them as a perversion of nature and an affront to their magical traditions. Conflicts escalated as D.A.M.A.T.Es clashed with Elven forces, resulting in battles that further fueled animosity between the two races.

Elven scholars and druids argued that D.A.M.A.T.Es were a reckless disruption of the natural order, and they sought ways to counteract their mechanical advantages using magic and strategy.

Current Status

The majority of D.A.M.A.T.Es now lie in a state of deactivation, their precise locations lost to the annals of time. These once-mighty constructs, symbols of Dwarven ingenuity and defiance, have become relics of a bygone era. Though dormant and forgotten, their potential for reawakening remains shrouded in mystery.

Operating D.A.M.A.T.Es are a rarity, their mechanisms humming with a semblance of life in a world that has evolved since their creation. While it is exceedingly uncommon to encounter an active D.A.M.A.T.E, it is not an outright impossibility. These awakened constructs carry with them the weight of history and the hopes of their creators, standing as a testament to the enduring legacy of Dwarven craftsmanship.

As the Dwarves continue to navigate their complex relationship with these mechanical beings, the dormant D.A.M.A.T.Es serve as silent reminders of a time when necessity led to their creation. Meanwhile, the few active D.A.M.A.T.Es tread a precarious path, forging their identities and destinies in a world that has moved beyond the conflicts that birthed them. The interplay between deactivated relics and the occasional sparks of reawakening underscores the delicate balance between preservation and progress in a realm touched by both magic and machine.

Dwarf Automated Mechanism Against the Elves (D.A.M.A.T.E) Traits

Your D.A.M.A.T.E character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of D.A.M.A.T.E nature.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

A typical D.A.M.A.T.E is between two and thirty years old. The maximum lifespan of the D.A.M.A.T.E remains a mystery; so far, D.A.M.A.T.E have shown no signs of deterioration due to age. You are immune to magical aging effects.

Size

Your size is Medium. To set your height and weight randomly, start with rolling a size modifier.

• Size modifier = 2d6
• Height = 5 feet + 10 inches + your size modifier in inches
• Weight in pounds = 270 + (4 x your size modifier)

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Constructed Resilience

You were created to have remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits:

• You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in the “Combat” section).
• You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.
• You are immune to disease.
• You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep.

Sentry's Rest

When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear inert, but it doesn’t render you unconscious, and you can see and hear as normal.

Integrated Protection

Your body has built-in defensive layers, which can be enhanced with armor.

• You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
• You can don only armor with which you have proficiency. To don armor, you must incorporate it into your body over the course of 1 hour, during which you must remain in contact with the armor. To doff armor, you must spend 1 hour removing it. You can rest while donning or doffing armor in this way.
• While you live, your armor can't be removed from your body against your will.

Specialized Design

You gain one skill proficiency and one tool proficiency of your choice.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.