Homebrew Arisen (2014) Species Details

Arisen
The arisen are spoken of in fearful whispers across Etharis, all too often proclaimed unnatural entities that can be neither trusted nor redeemed. For although they are humanoids, each arisen is a unique construct created by magic, mysterious science, or both. Arisen are never born in their current form. They are not undead, nor have they been raised from death by divine magic. Rather, each arisen is constructed and given the gift of life, usually by a creator. Arisen are people, to be sure. They have unique personalities, intellects, and experiences, as all humanoids. But do they possess souls? That is an existential question that all arisen must grapple with. Arisen are made from mostly organic matter. They are not machines, though many possess mechanical parts in small or large measures. One arisen may have a single mechanized limb, while another’s organs are held in a cluster of jars. An arisen may have wires protruding from their body that connect to an arcane power supply grafted into their back, while another appears entirely mundane save for some scars and the arcane gems held within their eye sockets.

Some arisen are entirely constructed, built according to some specification or plan. Others start out innocuously through experimentation to replace living limbs or organs, with repeated experiments inexorably pushing a creature to lose all connection to themself. Still others might be the result of a living creature who died or was grievously injured before being “reassembled.” But no matter the process that spawned them, the creation of an arisen is often traumatic, typically held as fractured memories of arcane laboratories and the first flickering of consciousness, or as the vague nightmares that are all that remains of a former life. Their rarity among the peoples of Etharis and the grim rumors that swirl around them most often leave arisen socially isolated. But not all arisen are driven to nihilism by the bleakness of their creation and their lives. For from that trauma, many develop a sense of introspection that drives an intense curiosity and a philosophical viewpoint on matters of life, mortality, and their own place in the world.

Key Traits for Arisen (Grim Hollow Player's Guide): Size/Speed: Medium or Small, 30 ft. speed. Creature Type: Humanoid, but also counts as a Construct. Magical Fortitude: Choose an ability score to gain advantage on saving throws against spells using that score. Tenaciousness: Advantage on death saving throws. Toughness: Maximum HP increases by 1, and increases by 1 again at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. Unnatural Composition: Immune to disease, and advantage on Con saves against extreme cold/heat. Construct Nature: No need to sleep, eat, or drink. Requires only 8 hours of rest. Skills: Proficiency in History (Embrace the Past) and Arcana (Magical Insight).

Arisen (2014) Traits

Key Traits for Arisen. A few of the traits give you a choice; consider how your choice reflects the purpose for which your character was built.

Ability Score Increase

You can Choose to increase your Constitution or Intelligence score by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

Some Arisen age slowly, the artificial nature of their bodies sloughing off the worst effects of age to leave them hale even into their second or third century. Others age more quickly, worn down by the unnatural magic that imbues them well before their sixtieth year.

 

Alignment

Most warforged take comfort in order and discipline, tending toward law and neutrality. But some have absorbed the morality, or lack thereof, of the beings with which they served.

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 × your size modifier)

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Magical Fortification

The more that magic threatens you, the more your resilience to it increases. Choose and ability score: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. You have advantage on saving throws using that ability score against spells and other magical effects.

Artificial Form

You were made, not born, and your unnatural origin forever marks you as different. You are a construct, but your enchanted form still benefits from healing spells. You can also still heal yourself using hit dice during short and long rests as normal.
You don't need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. You must still be inactive for 8 hours during a long rest to gain its benefits.

Teanacious

Your enemies might put you down, but. you are never down for long. You have Advantage of Death Saving throws.

Toughness

An intrinsic hardiness marks you as one born for battle. Your hit point maximum increases by one, and it increases by one every time you gain a level.

Inured to the elements

Even beneath scorching sun and in the freezing cold, you hold yourself strong. You have advantage of Constitution saving throws made to resist the effects of extreme cold or extreme heat.

Magical Insight

Magic is power in the right hands, and those hands are yours. You have Proficiency in the Arcana Skill.

Languages

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