Homebrew Elfennol Species Details

Mages around the world are laser-focused on their arcane specialty, be it shapechanging, transposition, or energy manipulation. Those interested in creating life stumbles upon a solution in a variety of ways, be it animated objects, Warforged, or the undead. One such path is the formation of sentience within an arcane substance brought forth from another plane. For some mages, this has led to the birth of Elfennol.

Bound Energy

Elfennol are made of viscous alchemical pseudo-fluids encased in layers of elastic shells, appearing in a variety of dark light-absorbing colors or simply night-black. Production of these materials requires rare ingredients from the Elemental Planes, and the soul animating the creature is from one such Elemental Plane itself and bound to the body. As such, mages that create do not technically create new life as they would claim, but rather summon existing components of life to a different plane. However, outside of scholarly circles, this minutia is not debated.

Bound to Serve

Elfennol are almost entirely made with the express purpose of serving their creator, performing tasks the mage does not want to do or aiding in difficult experiments. In the first few years of creation, all Elfennol are compelled absolutely to follow the orders of their creators. The strength of the mage determines how long this compulsion lasts beyond that, with weaker mages and older Elfennol increasing the chances of the creation breaking free.

Playing an Elfennol

When creating your character, consider who your creator is and the details of their power, occupation, arcane specialty, and key events you participated with them. Think of why you are adventuring instead of being at your creator's side - did you break free of their control, or did they send you out on a mission?

 

Either way, think of a key event that drove you out into the wider world, be it something that spurred your creator or yourself. If you have broken control, does your creator know of it, are they doing anything in response to it, and are you doing anything to foil their responses? 

Elfennol Traits

The Elfennol use their elemental origins in order to resist and use magic.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age

Elfennol grows quickly by design. While the "gestation" process takes 2-3 years, they walk minutes after being brought to life, attain the size and development of a 10-year-old human child within a week, and reach adulthood by a month. During this rapid growth, the sentience implanted within them is syncing to the new body, only fully articulating itself when fully grown. Otherwise, they have full mental capabilities from the moment they are created. It is not known how long Elfennol last, but the current theory postulates their body remains stable for up to 300 years. The longest known living Proto-Humanoids are 50 years old, as the invention is still fairly new.

Alignment

Elfennol overwhelmingly follow the beliefs of their creator, who very often are on the extremes of alignment in their pursuit of knowledge. Without a creator to guide them, their inert nature makes them a blank slate, unaware of the grand forces around them and astoundingly neutral. One of the greatest difficulties of Elfennols that have broken free is finding a set of morals by which they abide and picking a stance by choice.

Size

Elfennol are made to the designs of their creator, ranging from 4 feet to 7 feet. Their alchemical materials are denser than normal flesh, making them heavier than one would expect. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Primordial, and one language that your creator knew (i.e. your choice).

Magic Creation

You gain one cantrip of your choice from the Wizard's spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.

Magic Resistance

You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Tool Master

You gain proficiency in one set of artisan's tools of your choice.