Homebrew Awakened Skeleton Species Details
In most stories and epics, skeletons are one of the most common villians, whether it's guarding treasures of old or serving a dark master, they're always seen in dark, evil places like catacombs, desecrated graveyards and dungeons. Something was different in your beginning though, something that made you unlike your mindless brethren, and that’s why you have chosen to prove that to others. Whatever drives you, it is what separates you from the common skeleton.
An Uneasy Sight
As with most skeletons, flesh is not a normal feature. However, skeletons still possess features from their living origins; bone size and density, skull shape or teeth formation will, in part, reflect what you once were. It may have been Orcish, Dwarvish or Human in nature, so there might be a small hint or an obvious sign as to what you were in your past life. Some races may feel very uneasy about it though, seeing one of their own dead walking about may have that effect on some, if not most beings.
Skeletal Life
Skeletons are the most physically adaptable beings. They have an innate ability to replace missing pieces of themselves with parts from most beings, and can gain abilities depending on the origin of those parts. This leads an awakened skeleton to have a jumbled, mismatched assortment of limbs and can often be very off-putting to most strangers. This can lead to awkward encounters in daily activities, or more commonly, an automatic shunning from townsfolk and expulsion from many settlements. Knowing what you are though gives you an understanding as to why this is the case, but just because you're a skeleton doesn't mean it hurts any less, but it does make you emotionally hardened, and when someone does see past your appearance, it makes it just that little bit more bearable.
Awkward interactions and slow friendships
Just because you're a skeleton, the fleshed ones seem to judge you very quickly. It may take time for them to warm up to your rickety bones and clattering joints, but those who can look past all that tend to become the most steadfast of friends
Dwarf. “Seen enough of 'em around the mines and such, most times not movin' keep in mind, and when they do move they want to run you through with a pointy thing more times than not. This'n seems different though.”
Elf. “It’s unnatural is what it is. Must be some foul magic, and you’ll as likely be murdered in your sleep. Although, if I could get past that damned clickity clackity, I guess they could be half alright, I mean, the poor sod doesn't remember his living life and he seems normal enough.”
Human. “It’s hard to see past the bones, not physically I mean, really easy to actually see past them. The poor fella can't remember anything from before he 'awoke' so I guess it's a fresh start... in a manner of speaking.”
The downsides of the Dead
While being the living dead may have its upsides, like not being dead, it also has shortcomings. The fact that you can't sleep means you cannot dream, and dreaming is a way of remembering the past, a past that will probably always elude you. Waking up with no normal body, no memories and no name may be the reason why most skeletons tend to be mindless killers in a dungeon or sewer, and having at least a sliver of consciousness is all that has separated you from that same fate.
Awakened Skeleton Traits
Being a skeleton means you retain none of your Living Life's traits, however, years of decay have given you these insteadSkeletal Jigsaw
You can reattach a bone that has become lost or destroyed by simply finding a suitable replacement, then using an action to attach it. By unknown means or magics, the limb will resize itself to accommodate your physique but will not change its physical shape. Instead, limbs will more often than not, float in the space where they would normally reside. If a limb is taken from a recently killed being, it will take time for the flesh to rend from bone.
Instant attunement of bones aged 7+ days since death.
1 day attunement for bones aged 4 days since death.
2 days attunement for bones aged 3 days since death.
3 days attunement for bones aged 1 day since death.
4 days attunement for bones taken from a freshly slain enemy.
You may also gain slight boons or detriments depending on the origin of the new bone (speak with your DM to determine the outcome)
False Appearance
You may, as an action, collapse your form into a pile of bones. While you remain in a heap, you are indistinguishable from a normal pile of bones. In this state, you are prone and your speed is reduced to 0. If the action was unseen, you have advantage to stealth checks, even if wearing armour which would otherwise impose disadvantage to a stealth check.
You can recollect yourself into your normal skeletal form as an action and gain advantage to all attack rolls on enemies within melee weapon range, however you cannot move until the start of your next turn.
Skeletal Nature
You are immune to disease, and being poisoned, and have resistance to poison and piercing damage but are vulnerable to bludgeoning damage.
You also do not need to eat or breathe.
Instead of sleeping, you enter your False Appearance state for 4 hours. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice events as normal
Ability Score Increase
Your Construction score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age
Not knowing who you were or when you died makes age an unknown factor to you. However if you can visit an archaeologist or archivist they may be able to give you an estimate as to your natural age before you awoke. Confer with your DM and determine an age for your bones, it may have been a few years or it could be a millennia.
Size
Most physical beings have a skeleton, and most races differ in height and breadth. The optional language you may have chosen will also determine your size. In any case however, your size will be either small or medium, dependent on that choice
Speed
Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
No eyes, No problem
You have Skeletal Blindsight to a distance of 35 feet, and have Skeletal Echolocation to a distance of 100 feet, beyond which you cannot see. You perceive the world with a spherical view
Skeletal Blindsight
You create a living image of the world around you within your being, regardless of the amount of light in the area. You can see in darkness and are able to perceive invisible creatures, illusions do not appear for you. However, being charmed may alter your perception of reality if the desired outcome is such.
Skeletal Echolocation
You can perceive the world with the creaks and groans of your bones and listening to their echoes. The echo-producing noises can be used to detect creatures in full cover or that are not in line of sight, so long as there is a direct, open path, between you and the creature. You cannot use this ability if you are deafened or in an area of silence.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. This extra language, if one is chosen, will represent the physical characteristics of your starting skeleton.
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