Homebrew Scareling (Scarecrow Folk) Species Details

### **Scarelings (The Scarecrow Folk)**

Born from magic and bound by purpose, scarelings are sentient constructs, animated from simple materials like straw, burlap, and wooden frames. They are a curious blend of life and artifice, given form by curses, divine intervention, or arcane rituals. Once tethered to fields as silent watchers, they are now free to roam, though the remnants of their original purpose often linger in their minds.

Scarelings are unsettling to behold. Their hollow eyes glimmer faintly, betraying a spark of life behind their stitched and weathered masks. The straw and cloth that make up their bodies often trail withered leaves or faint traces of ash, giving them a ghostly, weathered appearance. Some are adorned with the tools of their former station—rusty scythes, tattered cloaks, or broken wooden posts—while others have found ways to reinvent themselves entirely, crafting unique appearances from discarded objects or materials scavenged on their journeys.

Despite their eerie forms, scarelings are often more misunderstood than malevolent. Though their origins may be steeped in magic, many possess surprising depth, curiosity, and even compassion. They are beings without a past of their own, often struggling to define themselves in a world that sees them as little more than animated constructs. Some choose to embrace the role of protectors, guarding fields, forests, or communities as they once did, while others become wanderers, seeking meaning in a world that barely remembers their creation.

### **Scareling Origins**
The origin of a scareling often determines their perspective on the world:

- **Cursed Protectors:** Some scarelings were created by farmers desperate to protect their crops from supernatural threats. When the curse lingered beyond the harvest, these scarecrows gained sentience and began to walk the land, driven by memories of their forgotten duty.
- **Warden Constructs:** Created by druids or nature spirits, these scarelings were tasked with guarding sacred groves or balance in the natural world. Their connection to the wilds is strong, and they often feel a deep responsibility for nature's wellbeing.
- **Fell Rituals:** Some scarelings are the products of dark magic or necromancy, formed by witches, warlocks, or cultists for sinister purposes. While many of these constructs have escaped their creators, they carry a shadowy aura that makes others uneasy.
- **Divine Intervention:** Rarely, scarelings are animated by a god’s will, often as a vessel for a particular task. These scarelings feel a strong connection to their divine origin but must reconcile their purpose with their personal identity.

### **Life of a Scareling**
Scarelings are naturally introspective creatures, their lives shaped by questions of purpose and identity. They lack the biological instincts of other creatures, such as hunger, fatigue, or aging, and this detachment from mortal experience often makes them seem distant or alien. Yet, scarelings are deeply emotional beings, driven by a desire to belong and find meaning.

While many scarelings choose lives of service or solitude, others join adventuring parties out of a yearning for companionship or a chance to leave a mark on the world. They are resourceful and resilient, using their uncanny forms and magical resilience to overcome challenges that would overwhelm others.

### **Appearance**
Scarelings stand between 5 and 7 feet tall, with bodies crafted from straw, wood, cloth, and occasionally metal reinforcements. Their forms are patched and stitched, giving them a rustic and often unsettling appearance. Their heads are typically sackcloth masks, sometimes bearing painted or stitched expressions, though their glowing orbs of light in place of eyes betray their sentience. Scarelings are surprisingly lightweight, their frames built for endurance rather than brute strength.

Their outward appearance often reflects their personality or origin. Some scarelings cling to their rustic roots, adorned with farm tools or protective charms, while others take on a more adventurous look, modifying their patchwork bodies with scavenged armor, relics, or trinkets.

### **Personality**
A scareling’s personality is shaped by their origin and the circumstances of their awakening. Many retain fragments of their original purpose, such as a drive to protect, an instinct to ward off danger, or an obligation to serve. Others, however, rebel against these instincts, seeking to redefine themselves on their own terms.

Scarelings often feel a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world, exploring its complexities with childlike enthusiasm—or quiet dread. They form deep connections with those who treat them with respect and kindness, though many struggle to overcome the fear and prejudice their unsettling appearance inspires.

When adventuring, scarelings are steadfast allies, using their resilience and haunting presence to protect their companions. They tend to take practical approaches to challenges, often leveraging their unique construct nature and keen observational skills.

### **Role in the World**
Scarelings are rare beings, often seen as omens or curiosities by those who encounter them. Farmers might regard them with awe, while townsfolk may shun them as harbingers of dark magic. Druids, warlocks, and wizards may feel a kinship with them, recognizing the magic that sustains their existence.

Despite the world’s mixed reactions, scarelings carve out their own place. Some become silent defenders of villages or forests, while others journey far from their origins, seeking adventures that give their existence meaning. Whether as protectors, wanderers, or enigmatic strangers, scarelings leave an unforgettable impression on the world around them.

Scareling (Scarecrow Folk) Traits

Below are the following traits

Ability score increase

Your Constitution increases by 2, and your Charisma increases by 1.

Age

Scarelings don’t age in the traditional sense. They are created fully formed and exist until destroyed or their animating magic fades.

Alignment

Scarelings tend toward neutrality, embodying the purpose for which they were created. However, some develop their own personalities and moralities, aligning themselves with good or evil.

Size

Scarelings are usually between 5 and 7 feet tall but weigh very little due to their construction. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Constructed Resilience

You are a magical construct, giving you the following benefits:

• You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
• You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe.
• You are immune to disease.
• You do not sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Harvest Scythe

You gain proficiency with scythes (treated as glaives or a unique weapon for flavor).

Haunting Presence

You can use your unsettling appearance to frighten others. As an action, you can force a creature within 30 feet of you that can see you to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, the creature is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

• You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses after a long rest.

Straw Body

You have resistance to bludgeoning damage, but fire damage deals an extra 1d6 to you.

Patchwork Repair

You can spend 1 hour repairing yourself with mundane materials such as straw, cloth, and thread. At the end of the hour, you regain hit points equal to your level. This feature can be used once per long rest.

Language

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