Homebrew Awakened Simulacrum Species Details

“I am not you...” A sudden realization I am not a mere copy, "I am alive"

“What makes you think it has a soul?” my creator said.

“What makes you think you do?”

 

The Simulacrums were built from man’s hubris and their lust to create true life where there was once none. In attempts to spare their lives when entering dangerous situations or tumultuous times, Simulacrums are created from various materials, including — Ice, Clay, Stone, Metal, and more — and are near exact copies of their host. They retain all memories from their host life until the point of creation; when destroyed or the use of the simulacrum is no longer needed, traditionally, those memories would be transferred back to the host. However, in rare circumstances, the very magic that created them allows them to evolve into an Awakened Simulacrum and gain their own consciousness. They exist as a person capable of pain and emotion and are now reborn with innate access to the weave of magic. 

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Hidden Beings

It is said that an Awakened Simulacrum could remain hidden amongst society their entire life. Virtually indistinguishable from the humanoids whose form they take, they often find themselves integrated into society for some years with the only issue of never aging. Seeming of flesh and blood, Awakened Simulacrums’ bodies are actually made of strange Earth, Ice, or Metallic features mixed with alchemical solutions developed to mimic the feeling of life when imbued with the proper spells and magic. The process of an Awakened Simulacrum’s creation is still in its infancy, with much information about their creation only now being uncovered. This has led to many failed and lost Simulacrums being discarded, broken, and damaged, and many completed simulacrums bearing the scars of their creation. Though free-willed and intelligent, Awakened Simulacrums maintain a strong and distinct connection to their creator, often following them against their own nature. Despite being manufactured beings, Pure Simulacrums are living Constructs. Resting, healing magic, and Medicine skills all provide the same benefits to Pure Simulacrums as other humanoids. 

Misunderstood Creation

Originally built to be used and discarded, Awakened Simulacrums have, with their newfound sentience, grown beyond their original purpose. Their creation separates them from their creators, and their seemingly unending lives lead to long periods of self-reflection. Many of the Awakened Simulacrums have outlived their original masters and gone on their own on great pilgrimages, searching to understand their original creators and their first task. Many hope to find a way to discover more of their kind unburdened by the subjugation and servitude that they now face.

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Innate Magic

Though most Awakened Simulacrums do not have the skills necessary to perform complex magic, each one is touched with a small connection to the weave, enabling simple acts of magic by even the most mundane individual. They often also suffer from intense dreams and nightmares from shared memories and the close connection to extra-planar magic. This magic is a leftover from their complex process of creation and the inability of most of their creators to entirely sever their connection to the weave.

Cost of Creation

The cost of creation renders you fragile to certain magics and leaves you with no hope of resurrection or an afterlife. 

• A dispel-magic spell can temporarily put you to sleep for 1 day, depending on the spell's level. A 9th-level dispel magic or higher can permanently kill you.
• An anti-magic field makes you paralyzed for the duration of the spell or field. When the field is gone, you get back up like nothing happened.
• Falling to 0, you get no death saves; you are immediately unanimated and become whatever you were previously. Dead, nonmagical.

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Awakened Simulacrum Personality

Awakened Simulacrums were built to serve their creators. The typical Awakened Simulacrum has little use for empathy and has developed an apathy that many races find instantly recognizable. In their creation, most have developed a strong sense of skill and determination and have shown devotion and steadfastness when reaching their goals. Most Awkakened Simulacrums have little interest in religion as the purpose of their creation is often known, but some embrace faith and mysticism, seeking a higher purpose and deeper meaning. The typical Awakened Simulacrum’s body is a near-perfect imitation of their creator and, in so, can physically look similar to any race capable of advanced magics. Though their body morphology is their creator's, they are still subject to physical changes throughout life.

Quirks

Built by unstable magics Awakened Simulacrums rarely take identical form in the way their creators imagined. The Simulacrum Quirks Table contains some example quirks.

Warforged Quirks

Awakened Simulacrum Names

Most Awakened Simulacrum keep their creators’ names or deviations from them. However other, adopted nicknames, often given to them by their comrades. As independent individuals, some have chosen new names to express their paths in life. A few take on names of fallen friends or mentors.

Awakened Simulacrum Names: Wren, Paige, Fletcher, Keeper, Bastion, Onyx, Scout, and so on. 

Awakened Simulacrum Traits

Your Simulacrum character has the following traits. A few of the traits give you a choice; consider how your choice reflects the purpose for which your character was built.

Age

A typical Awakened Simulacrum is between one and 10 years old. The maximum Simulacrum lifespan remains a mystery; so far, Simulacrums have shown no signs of deterioration due to age. You are immune to magical aging effects.

Size

Your size is equivalent to that of your creators. 

Specialized Design

You are built from magically-induced materials impacting the magics you have natural access to.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Constructed Resilience

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

• You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
• You gain an additional +2 hitpoints per level
• You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.
• You are immune to disease.
• 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.

Sturdy Build

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. 
• You gain an additional 2 Hit Points per level from your Sturdy Build.

Creator's Memory

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

Languages

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

Cost of Creation

• A dispel-magic spell can temporarily put you to sleep for 1 day, depending on the spell's level. A 9th-level dispel magic or higher can permanently kill you.
• An anti-magic field makes you paralyzed for the duration of the spell or field. When the field is gone, you get back up like nothing happened.
• Falling to 0, you get no death saves; you immediately unanimated and become whatever you were previously. Dead, nonmagical.