Homebrew Homunculus Species Details

"A sprig of Rosemary, a cut of Ginger root and, um, some pepper for flavour! They can't all be grouchy, surely?"

 

— Vivian Littlecap, attempting to change the personality of his next Homunculus.

2lbs of clay, a sprinkling of herbs and diced Mandrake root. Mix together and mould into the desired shape. Leave until dry, and repeat the incantation 'Lutum meum et vivet' . Then, the Homunculus will begin to form. Leave to rest for 8 hours in a warm, dry place.

Homunculi are the constructs of powerful Wizards, as a display of both aptitude and patience. The spell itself is difficult to master, and the form of the homunculus takes a long time to build correctly. Once created, however, the construct is both a loyal and useful companion, able to run errands and carry out instruction with relative ease.

Borne from Clay

 

Homunculi come in many shapes, each one a reflection of thier Master's work. Some of these constructs are blocky and fuctional, while some lean more toward the cute and whimsical. Some are deformed, some amorphus blobs, and some are so meticulously crafted that they are almost indistinguishable from a real creature. This creative freedom allows the Wizard to produce a form that can run, jump, climb, swim or even burrow and fly without issue. Homunculi do not have organs, and are thus immune to the effects of poison or disease, and do not need food, water or even air to function. However, they are susceptible to both extreme heat and cold.

 

Life as an Homunculus

Most Homunculi live as servants for their creators, spending their days delivering messages, running errands or any number of small tasks that would be asked of them. They only live as long as their Master, provided they are not broken beforehand. Once the creator dies, so to does the Homunculus, turning back into clay and crumbling into dust.

Constructive Criticism

On the off chance that two Homonculi should meet, they can instantly recognise each other as an Homunculus, regardless of shape or size. They are most often friendly with each other, and will usually put off their current duties in favour of a good chat instead. Sometimes, however, should one Homunculus be particularly snobbish, they will instead follow the other around, insulting its appearance until they either run away or fight back.

Inherited Personality

Homunculi, upon creation, form a telepathic bond with the Wizard that created them. This bond allows the Homunculus to communicate with its Master, as they are unable to speak. This bond also imparts a fraction of the Wizard's own personality onto the Homunculus, granting it independence in both thought and action. Most Homunculi will remain loyal to their creator, but some more radical personality traits will cause an Homunculus to act of its own accord instead.

Roleplaying an Homunculus

When you’re roleplaying an homunculus, the following tables contain possible inspiration. They suggest characteristics that an homunculus might have adopted from their creator.

Homunculus Personality Traits

d6	Personality Trait
1	I love to meet new people.
2	I welcome any chance to wander the forests around my home.
3	I always appear to be in a bad mood.
4	I love to read.
5	I often forget what I am doing midway through doing it.
6	I like to sing, dance and express myself

Homunculus Ideals

d6	Ideal
1	Determination. Getting the job done is worth any effort. (Any)
2	Patience. The time taken to get something right will pay dividends in the end. (Lawful)
3	Adaptability. I will try anything at least once. (Chaotic)
4	Inspiration. I want to make the people around me happy. (Good)
5	Curiosity. The more I can discover, the better I can be. (Neutral)
6	Wanderlust. I want to see what lies beyond the borders of my home. (Chaotic)

Homunculus Bonds

d6	Bond
1	I will defend my Master to the death.
2	Every choice I make must be weighed against the wishes of my creator.
3	I carry the love held by my creator, I long to see it requited.
4	To go forth without fear, like my Master before me.
5	I wish to explore the creative spirit my Master has given me.
6	My Master has ordered me to travel far in search of something greatly important.

Homunculus Flaws

d6	Flaw
1	I am fearful of things I haven't yet experienced.
2	I have inherited the superstitions of my Master.
3	I am slow to trust and quick to anger.
4	I cannot remember things to save my life.
5	I don’t ask for help.
6	I am often distracted by the sight of something new and interesting.

Homunculus Names

Homunculus names are usually simple and utilitarian, if they are given a name at all.

Homunculus Traits

Your homunculus character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity and Intelligence scores increase by 2 and your Constitution score decreases by 2.

Age

Homunculi are considered mature from the moment the spell cast to create them is completed. They do not age, and will die at the same time as their creator.

Size

Homunculi range in size from anywhere between squirrel- and cat-sized. Your size is Tiny.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 20 feet. Depending on your construction, you can also choose to have either a burrowing, flying, climbing or swimming speed of 20 feet.

Constructed Form

Your Body is that of a construct, and reacts differently to your living companions. You have immunity to Poison and Disease, but your clay form is left vulnerable to Fire and Cold Damage.

Clay Body

Your body, being magically constructed, needs no actual sustenance to survive. You can survive without food or water, and do not need air to function. Moreover, your body can be repaired using the Mending spell, but damage still needs to be healed normally.

For your form to maintain magical potency, you need to spend four hours a day in an unconscious state, which provides you with the benefits of a long rest.

Magical Nature

You gain one Cantrip from the Wizard Spell List. Intelligence is your casting modifier for this spell. This does not count toward the number of spells you can have attuned.

Languages

You can read and write Common and one other language your creator knows. You cannot speak normally.