Fleshwrought

In the center of each Fleshwrought there is an obsidian jewel, a black soul gem, stitched into a sack of flesh where their heart should be. This could be seen as a metaphor for their very existence. Fleshwrought are humanoid creatures stitched together from the parts of the recently-deceased, mixed and matched to create an optimal being, and animated with strange arcane science. Theirs is a cruel existence, shunned by the masses for their necrotic, zombie-like visage, but in truth most Fleshwrought are more afraid of the pitch-fork wielding villagers than the villagers are of them.

Science and Alchemy

First created by a mad artificer by the name of Victoria Maxxenkeg, the process of creating a Fleshwrought is grim. The parts of recently dead corpses, deceased for no longer than a week, must be embalmed in a special alchemical solution that fortifies them against time and duress. Then these parts are stitched together, the obsidian soul gem placed in the center of the newly built body, and stimulated with electricity, such as from a thunderstorm or a lightning bolt spell. Some wizards have speculated that the electricity causes the soul gem to attract ambient shards of mortal souls which have been shattered by evil throughout history; others believe that the less intricate and powerful souls of plants and animals are drawn into the gem like iron filings to a magnet.

Whatever the case, the creature born from this process is a new and unique living being, not a reincarnation, evil spirit, or flesh-machine. They may have occasional flashes of memory from the repurposed brain in their skulls, but each Fleshwrought is his or her own person.

Naïve Prodigies

Fleshwrought are strong and capable, born as fully formed adults with adult levels of comprehension, but without the experiences of youth that most adventurers possess. Consequently, while Fleshwrought are masters of many skills and can excel at whatever they set their minds to, they are often naïve and easily duped. They may understand complex theories and solve devious puzzles, yet fall for a common grifter that same day. The world is new to them, and though they learn the details and facts quickly, the nuances of life come slow, if at all.

Unwelcome Visitors

Though Fleshwrought are no more likely to be evil than any other race, their fearsome visage and the acrid odors that emanate from their alchemy-infused flesh set many commoners on edge. They’re often mistaken for zombies or flesh golems, leading the ignorant to taking up arms against them. Many have been driven to violence in rage or self-defense, further stigmatizing their presence. Consequently, Fleshwrought tend to disguise themselves and hide their tell-tail signs: make-up to conceal their pallid flesh, long clothing to cover the stitches that hold them together, and scented oils to hide the whiff of formaldehyde that accompanies them. Those that can cast magic often further disguise themselves with illusions, allowing them to pass undetected even upon closer inspection. Still, any trip into a civilized area is fraught with danger for a Fleshwrought, for they never know what might accidentally spark an angry mob to chase them.

It’s for this reason that many Fleshwrought become adventurers in the first place, seeking solitude from the masses or perhaps some great artifact that can conceal them permanently from detection. This lonely existence will lead Fleshwrought into joining any adventuring group willing to accept them, and becoming their fast and loyal friends—something evil parties may be willing to exploit, given the naïve nature of the Fleshwrought.

Fleshwrought Racial Traits

Fleshwrought have the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase: Your Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence increase by 1. Your Wisdom decreases by 2.

Age: Fleshwrought are constructed as fully formed adults and do not visibly age.

Alignment: Fleshwrought tend towards no particular alignment, but due to their horrific construction often find themselves at odds with the laws of mortal creatures, which frown on necromancy.

Size: Fleshwrought can be constructed from the parts of any mortal race. Your size is small or medium.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 25 feet if your are small and 30 if your are medium.

Fleshwrought Endurance: You were created to have remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits.

• You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe.

• You have resistance to cold damage and do not need to make constitution saving throws when surviving in frigid environments.

• When you take a long rest, you do not need to sleep.

Uncanny Density: You are much denser than you appear to be. Forced movement is reduced by five feet. However, you cannot swim and will immediately sink to the bottom of any body of water.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Additionally, if you listen to conversation in any language over the course of a long rest, you gain a rudimentary grasp of that language that allows you to speak and understand it for 24 hours. After one week knowing a language in this manner, you permanently learn to speak and understand the language. You cannot learn to read or write a language in this manner.