Homebrew Vect Species Details

Very gradually, by degrees, pale blue hues invade the quiet of night, and Hammerer knows that only a few hours remain until dawn. Throughout the afternoon, evening, and night, he has meticulously inspected his tools, a wide array of mallets, sledges, and, of course, hammers, cleaning them, performing repairs, and organizing them by size and by color, only powering down for a few hours in the middle of the night. Through the walls of his workshop, Hammerer can see the heat signatures of people waking up and preparing breakfast; he performs a similar ritual, polishing his chassis and running diagnostics for the day ahead. Mentally, he has a checklist of duties and chores before he begins the day’s work. Finally, the clocks strike seven, and Hammerer leaves his home, a room barely ten feet square, and heads out into the town. Somewhere in the market, a child cries for his mother to buy him a toy, and Hammerer puzzles at this behavior; work, after all, is far more interesting than frivolity.

— A typical morning for Hammerer, a vect craftsman

Living constructs designed by dwarves as laborers, the vect are now free to search the ‘verse for meaning.

Evolved Golems

The vect were preceded by unthinking golems of various designs; unlike their predecessors, however, the vect are fully living beings. Underneath their armored exteriors lies an organically-influenced anatomy, with a circulatory system and a network of magical nerves. At the heart of each vect unit is an everlasting construct core, tinged with the influence of the Spark that awoke them.

Vect bodies are humanoid in shape, but unmistakably mechanical, with large air intakes, protective shoulder plates, toothless jaws, and glowing mechanical eyes. Though each of the Foundries which create them produce vect in slightly different proportions, the general shape is always the same and vect parts are always compatible. In fact, many vect choose to install specially-designed components to improve their bodies, up to and including replacing limbs with appropriate tools. When a vect readies for a dangerous journey, their preparation will likely include purchasing construct grafts as replacement parts.

Vect can work tirelessly and never need to sleep, instead entering a dreamless period of inactivation each day. Most vect create endless lists of goals and chores, allowing the monotonous sequence of tasks to break up. the march of days, weeks, and months. It is not uncommon to see a vect standing watch over their party, sharpening tools and repairing armor while the others sleep.

Mechanical Minds

Although vect units experience the same fear, anger, pain, loss, and other emotions that humanoids do, their expression of them is muted. A vect’s mechanical face and harsh, metallic voice does little to endear it to others, driving a wedge between vect and most other living things. Many vect, therefore, seek refuge in logical thinking. Some become emotionally distant and lack introspection, whereas others plumb the philosophies of existence and consider what it means to be alive. These become the two extremes, between vect who seek to embrace their status as living things, and those who wish to banish all within themselves that is not construct. The vast majority of vect exist between these extremes.

Vect are most comfortable existing within a small group of some kind, as long as it is dedicated to a purpose. Temples, adventuring parties, and voyages of exploration are deeply attractive to the vect.

Search for Meaning

All vect are keenly aware that they were once nonliving material which suddenly became a fully-formed living thing. And while there is no doubt that vect are alive, the destination of their souls upon death is another matter entirely. The philosophical implications of this aren't lost on them, and the questions of existence echo loudly inside some vect.

Though the Foundries which build them are intelligent beyond measure, they are wordless in their duties, and ascribe no grand meaning to their creations.

Some vect find comfort in faith, generally worshiping gods of arcana, smiths, and constructs. Others seek permanent distraction in quests and chores. Others still look to the 'verse for answers and hope to find meaning among understanding

 

Vect Names

The original vect were divided into working groups and given numbers by their dwarven keepers; nothing more was necessary. Now, however, all vect choose their own names, usually designations reflecting some function or purpose, though some vect choose to be identified by their serial number, or a nickname given to them by others.

Vect Names. 176, Armory, Bolts, Clunk, Crusher, Glitch, Hammerer, Keeper, Lifter, Null, Phong, Scarce, Three-Four-Three, Titan, Unit Seventeen, Watcher

Vect Traits

Your mechanical body is driven by an inexhaustible construct core, and has the following traits:

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Reconfigurable Ability Score Increase

One ability score of your choice increases by 1, and you can change this selection whenever you finish a long rest. You can't increase Constitution using this trait and you can't increase any ability score above 20.

Age

With the proper replacement parts and activities to occupy yourself, you can conceivably exist indefinitely. Vect are known to degrade and lose their sanity, however, if they live too long without an explicit purpose. It isn't known if this insanity visits all vect at old ages, or just those whose resolve wavers.

Alignment.

Vect possess mechanical minds, which find logic comforting. Generally, vect are lawful.

Size

As constructs built by massive forges, the vect could conceivably be perfectly uniform, like the golems that preceded them. However, the Foundries are either inherently flawed, or otherwise have a fondness for making diverse vect units, for each created vect is in some way unique. Vect units stand between 5 and 7 feet tall and average about 150 to 300 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed.

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Thermalsight

You gain thermalsight, which means you can see living creatures through darkness and heavily obscured conditions, such as fog, out to a range of 30 feet. You can also determine if a creature is living or dead though its body heat. However, you can't discern color, nor use this sense to see through illusions, invisibility, or magical darkness. This sense is blocked by one-inch of any solid barrier.

Construct Anatomy

Even though you were constructed, you are a living creature. You are immune to nonmagical diseases. You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish.    

You have advantage on saving throws you make against exhaustion.    

Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each day. You don't dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal. You can still be placed into a torpor by sleep-inducing magic.

Inflexible Mind

Your mechanical mind is inherently logical and not easily swayed. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.

Embedded Armor

You can install special armor plating directly onto your body. This embedded armor counts as a construct graft installed in the External slot.

At 1st level, you choose one of the following types of embedded armor, though you can install other types if you acquire them in the world.

Velocity Plating. Your movement speed increases by 5 feet and your long jump distance increases by 5 feet.

Composite Plating. Your Armor Class equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.

Juggernaut Plating. Your Armor Class equals 16. You can't wear conventional armor while you have this graft installed. You can only install this graft if you are proficient with heavy armor.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common.