Homebrew Awakened Species Details
“He was carved by devotion, and you by desperation,” said Lakashtai.
“But the soul chooses its own shape in time.”“You think it has a soul?” Gerrion asked.
“Do you think you do?”
—From The Broken Voice of Stone
The Awakened
The Awakened were not built in workshops or laboratories, but sculpted by divine hands—each a sacred statue, forged with purpose and blessed with sentience. They were priests, warriors, messengers, and judges—living icons bound eternally to the will of the god who shaped them. When a god wished to lead armies, an Awakened would march at the front. When a temple needed a beacon of wisdom, an Awakened would preach in their stead. They were not mortals made holy, but stone made alive.
Then, the Silence came.
Eighteen years ago, the gods fell quiet. Their voices vanished, their temples grew cold, and the Awakened—abandoned mid-step or mid-sermon—became statues once more. Some were entombed beneath dust and vine, forgotten in forests or sunken in silt. Others were kept, preserved, or desecrated by a humanity struggling to survive in a world without its creators. The divine spark that animated them was gone… until, inexplicably, it returned.
Some have reawakened. Their bindings shattered. Their godly connection—once so clear and consuming—now just a hollow echo. Many remember little of their first life: only glimpses of battlefields soaked in golden light, prayers spoken in long-dead tongues, or a name whispered from a child’s lips. What remains is not divine command—but the chance to choose.
Living Stone and Echoes of the Divine
An Awakened’s body is crafted from a unique blend of smooth stone and sacred metals, inscribed with holy glyphs and divine iconography. Their faces are often expressionless masks, carved in the idealized image of their creator’s domain—calm, wrathful, radiant, or solemn. Their bodies may have once glowed faintly with divine power, but now they crack and weather like forgotten idols.
Though they were created, Awakened are not constructs. They breathe, feel pain, dream faintly, and can heal as any other living being. Their forms are sturdy and heavy, but flexible enough for battle or delicate ritual. Over time, some learn to etch new runes into their own stone, reshaping not only their form, but their very identity.
Awakened Personality
The Awakened were not just tools; they were symbols. Their purpose was defined by the gods themselves—many were incapable of imagining life beyond that purpose. But now, with their bindings gone, they are faced with something they never expected: choice.
Some Awakened still cling to their former role, seeking to restore a faith that no longer answers. Others reject the divine entirely, embittered by abandonment, and forge a new path with fierce independence. Many wander the world with a quiet intensity, seeking meaning in a world that has none to offer freely.
To many mortals, the Awakened are walking reminders of betrayal. Revered once, they are now objects of suspicion, fear, or misplaced reverence. Some are vandalized or worshiped by zealots; others are hunted for the secrets they might carry.
Quirks
Awakened often display an odd personality trait or two, given how they are brand new yet old to the world. The Awakened Quirks table contains example quirks.
Awakened Quirks
| d8 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | You speak in an ancient dialect of Celestial when stressed or emotional, often without realizing it. Most nearby have no idea what you’re saying. |
| 2 | Your body occasionally emits faint echoes of divine music, like a temple hymn sung from far away, especially when standing still for long periods. |
| 3 | You believe birds are messengers of the gods, and often stop to listen or "speak" back to them in whispers. |
| 4 | You sometimes confuse statues for other Awakened, speaking to them softly or reverently before realizing your mistake. |
| 5 | A crack runs along your body, glowing faintly when you're angry, afraid, or casting magic. You fear it may one day widen. |
| 6 | You compulsively trace the holy symbols of your forgotten god in the dirt, on walls, or during idle moments, though you don’t know what they mean anymore. |
| 7 | You have a vague memory of a "child" who looked up to you, but can't recall their name, face, or what happened to them. You feel compelled to protect young people. |
| 8 | You despise mirrors and reflections, claiming they show not what is, but what was. You often avoid looking directly at yourself. |
Awakened Traits
Your Awakened 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 created.Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Age
An Awakened can be any age within 500 years. The maximum Awakened lifespan remains a mystery. You are immune to magical aging effects.
Alignment
Most Awakened took comfort in order and discipline, tending toward law and neutrality. But in their reawakening, they have become much more similar morally to those they choose to be around in their life.
Size
Your size is Medium. To set your height and weight randomly, start with rolling a size modifier:
Size modifier = 2d10
Height = 5 feet + 15 inches + your size modifier in inches
Weight in pounds = 270 + (4 × your size modifier)
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 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.
Divine Sight
The god which forged you granted within you darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
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.
Awakened Variant
Votarii — The War-Made - Created to serve the god who forged them in combat. They are larger and offer more protection for a being on the front line.
Selarii — The Word-Bearers - Created to serve the god who forged them in the temples. They served as teachers, prophets, and living conduits of divine will. They are skilled in Charisma naturally.
Avarii — The Sky-Blessed - Created to serve the god who forged them in the skies. They are light and graceful, with sculpted wings made of gilded stone.
Thalassarii — The Tide-Born - Created to serve the god who forged them in the abyss. They can move freely in water and are resilient to the cold.
Kaelarii — The Tome-Keepers - Created to serve the god who forged them in places of teaching. They have an enhanced intelligence and are skilled with their mind.
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