Soulforged

"They make better weapons than even the dwarves, but the dwarves are much easier to talk to. Don't you dare tell any dwarves I said that. Or soulforged, for that matter" - Cadrim Undersunder, The Hart of the Storm

It is widely debated as to which race gave rise to the soulforged. Silver-eyed and grey skinned, they are an elegant and terrifying figure when faced in battle, but a mighty ally if one can gain their trust.

Forged in Flame

Whilst pregnant, a mother of the soulforged peoples will begin to infuse a steel ingot with the soul of her child, using her own blood as a medium.

The ingot and the child become linked. The metal shall never rust, so long as the child is alive and the child's soul is strengthened and made resilient.

The process is not without danger. If too much of the child's soul is infused into the metal, the link between their soul and body will be too weak, and it will be easy for a spirit to usurp their bodies. If too little is infused, they will not develop a link with the metal and will be shunned, or even killed, by their community.

If all goes well, the child will be born with silver eyes and swirling patterns on their skin, reminiscent of damascus steel. From this point on, their ingot is referred to as their Lifesteel.

Historically, soulforged children were taught blacksmithing from an early age, as they could not be considered adults until they had forged their Lifesteel into a weapon.

In recent years, the emphasis on weaponry has softened, with many choosing to forge tools associated with their trade, and the rich often forging their Lifesteel into ornaments or jewellery to be worn on their person.

Crafters first

The soulforged have long passed down stories of their ancestors forging the volcanic landscapes of their homeland; carving the mountains, hammering the plains and weaving the forests.

Regardless of how much truth these stories contain, they are often said to have crafting in their blood, as they prize creation and the pursuit of skill above all things.

From the chief of a village to the monarchy, every position of power is obtained through superior craftsmanship. Furthermore, it is believed that, among all the crafts one can turn their hands to, smithing is the most pure and sacred. As such, a great festival is thrown each year in the capital, in which a grand ritual is used to draw rare metals from the volcano which slumbers beneath the royal castle.

The monarch and any who wish to put themselves forward for the throne then forge the metals into crowns, which are placed on an altar dedicated to the many major and minor gods of craftsmanship who are worshipped by the soulforged.

The crowns which are found lacking melt and return to the magma, and the throne is occupied for another year.

Traits

Your bond with metal grants you a number of traits in common with all soulforged.

Ability Score Increase: your Constitution modifier increases by 1, your Wisdom modifier increases by 2.

Age: Soulforged age slowly. They are fully grown by the age of 24 and often live to 140.

Alignment: Most Soulforged respect tradition and convention. They tend toward lawful alignments.

Size: The average Soulforged is slightly smaller than the average human, but weighs about one and a half times as much. Your size is medium.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Resilient soul: you have resistance against psychic damage and your mind cannot be read if you are unwilling.

Resonance: you always know where your Lifesteel is, if it is on the same plane as you. You have blindsense 10ft centered on your Lifesteel. While you are using your blindsense, you cannot see through your eyes.

Well educated: you have proficiency with blacksmith's tools and one other set of tools of your choice.

Languages: You can speak, read and write Common and one extra language of your choice. The most commonly known second language is primordial, but soulforged communities have an extremely diverse range of spoken languages and primordial wins by only a hair's breadth.

Lifesteel: Your Lifesteel can be reforged almost indefinitely, but the process is arduous, taking a week of unbroken effort. The scope of reforging is also limited, as the first forging leaves a permanent imprint upon your soul. Choose one of the following subraces.

Traditionalist

As a traditionalist, you respect the ancient traditions that have allowed your nation to prosper. This nation was forged in fire and blood, and you are proud to become a part of the story.

Choose a weapon for your Lifesteel to have been forged into. You may reforge it only into other weapons.

Martially minded: You have expertise with whatever type of weapon your Lifesteel is. You may add half your proficiency bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this type of weapon, on top of the regular proficiency bonus. If you reforge your Lifesteel, your expertise changes to the new weapon.

Bladesoul: When you deal damage, you may also deal psychic damage equal to your Lifesteel weapon's damage dice, a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of one). You regain all uses of this ability on a long rest.

Armourer

Tradition is all well and good, but there needs to be some innovation to prevent stagnation. Your Lifesteel protects your mind, and you don't see any reason why it shouldn't protect your body too.

Choose a type of armour or a shield for your Lifesteel to have been forged into. You may reforge it only into other types of armour or a shield.

Guarded mind: You have proficiency with whatever type of armour your Lifesteel is. When you forge or reforge your Lifesteel, you may choose a damage type for your armour to be resistant to, until you next reforge your armour.