Homebrew Autonoma Species Details

"Something felt off about the young lady who came in with that group of adventurers. She didn't eat, she didn't drink, her skin was extremely pale and appeared to be made of solid ceramic, she moved with the precision of a fine timepiece and her voice had a slightly metalic tone to it. It was unsettling to say the least. What was more unsettling was when I found her just sitting in a corner, unmoving but wide awake, in the middle of the night, rather than sleeping. It was like she was some sort of machine or something."

"Of course, it turned out she was a machine. The group headed out early the next morning, returning a few hours later with noticeable wounds. The young lady came in without any 'skin' on her left arm, exposing gears, linkages and rods where there should have been muscle and bone. That seemed to shock a lot of people."

-Attributed to an innkeeper in the Sword Coast area.

 

Physical Description:

Autonoma are a race of machine-people, artificial humanoids seemingly made to mimic organic beings as closely as possible. Their "skin" is a white, glossy ceramic, much like a doll's, which can often be a bit disturbing to some people. They are generally human- or elf-like in form, although some also possess some animal-like or even monstrous features such as ears, horns or tails, and their hair and eye colors can vary by quite a lot. Male and female Autonoma both exist, however they are incapable of reproducing - these differences exist only in aesthetics and personality.

Under the ceramic "skin", an Autonoma's body is an almost incomprehensible mess of gears, linkages, shafts, springs, hinges, joints and structural framework. Even the most skilled artificers known would at best be able to conduct simple repairs. An Autonoma's brain is a magically charged rune-covered crystal located within the head.

History:

The history of Autonoma is an enigma. Very little is known about who made them, why they were made, or how. Perhaps they were made by some sort of reclusive mad artificer, or they're from another plain entirely. They also only started to appear very recently, within the last 30 or so years. As a result, Autonoma have very little history and are not well known among the other races.

Society:

There are too few Autonoma in the world to form their own society. They generally tend to adopt the culture of the societies they live among.

Names:

Autonoma are not given names upon coming into the world and instead either pick their own names or are given names by the people around them. Names picked by Autonoma themselves tend to be names they simply like the sound of or feel just "fit" them.

Autonoma Traits

Artificial humanoids, with springs and gears for a heart and enchanted crystal for a brain, but with every bit as much of a soul as their fleshy counterparts.

Ability Score Modifier

As a highly-advanced machine, you are capable of extremely precise motion and possess greater durability than the average individual. Your Dexterity score is increased by +2 and your Constitution score is increased by +1

Size

Autonoma are roughly the same height as humans, however due to their metallic composition they weigh noticeably more. Your height is between 5-7' tall. Your weight is between 200 and 400lbs. Your size is medium.

Age

As a machine, you do not age.

Speed

Autonoma are capable of moving at similar speeds to their organic counterparts. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Color Darkvision

The eyes of an Autonoma function much differently from those of organic races, utilizing a combination of passive and active sensing. You can see in dim light as if you were in bright light for up to 60 feet, and in total darkness as if you were in dim light for that same distance. You can see color in total darkness.

Humanoid Construct

Autonoma are artificial humanoid beings. Your creature type is both construct and humanoid.

Hard Metal

Autonoma are made of ceramic and metal, rather than flesh and bone, and thus bladed weapons do not have quite the same effect on your body. You are resistant to slashing and piercing damage

Dense

Autonoma are too dense to be able to float in water. You are unable to swim. You can walk on the bottom of a body of water at half your base walking speed.

Living Machine

Autonoma are entirely mechanical and do not have the same needs or ability to self-heal. You do not need to eat, drink, breath or sleep, and are unaffected by exhaustion. You do not benefit from healing potions or magic. You can be healed by the Mending spell, treating it as though it was Cure Wounds. You still require air to speak. You require regular maintenance once every three days. This takes 1 hour if done alone, or 30 minutes if assisted by an artificer. Every day after the third spent without maintenance temporarily reduces your Constitution score by -1 for each day. If your Constitution score reaches 0, you fall unconscious but are stable. You do not become unstable if damaged while rendered unconscious in this manner.

System Failure

An Autonoma's soul does not inhabit its body normally, and instead is bound to it by magical energies. These energies disperse upon the Autonoma's death, and without them the body can never be inhabited by a soul again, even if it has been physically repaired. If you die, you cannot be resurrected with the Revivify, Resurrection, Raise Dead or True Resurrection spells. You can still be brought back through the Reincarnate spell, but not as an Autonoma. You can be revived using the Wish spell.

Bound Soul

An Autonoma's soul is bound to its body by powerful magic that actively resists any attempt to remove it. You are immune to any effects that would remove your soul. You cannot cast spells which would remove your soul.

Language

You can speak Common and one language of your choice.