Living String Creations The Fates are said to weave tapestries out of the untold number of lives throughout the planes, each creature a twisting thread intertwined with the ones around it. This forms the very fabric of the universe and is thought to be the ultimate source of power. Many creatures have tried to understand this tangle of life-force, either to decipher or unravel it, but few have ever come close. The only one who exists on the Material Plane is known simply as the Seamstress. Through unknown means she has learned how to siphon off the energy of life in the form of Living String drawn from a creature. This string sustains and rejuvenates the Seamstress as it drains her victims, but it can also be used to imbue and bind a kind of life to her creations. These constructs of Living String do the Seamstress' bidding and protect her from those who fear her abilities. Threads of Life. Every creature carries within them a connection to the grand tapestry of life. The strong and the smart have a greater presence in this tapestry, but as they age their thread grows fainter and more frayed. Those who are young and full of potential carry the richest Living String within them. After being collected, this thread can be wound and strung through intricate arcane contraptions in order to power them. These constructs move through the contraction and relaxation of this string throughout their bodies, not unlike how human muscle works. However, the movement is often unsettling to look at and reminiscent of a marionette. Seam Ripper Where brute force is required, the Seamstress sends her Seam Rippers. The garments of Living String, as well as the waxy remains of its victims, are meant to contain the tangled thread within. The unorganized mess of Living String is what gives this creation such great strength. Where most of the Seamstress' constructs are powered by the delicate movement of strings, Seam Rippers are driven by the knotted bundles of cable that the Living String forms inside it. When necessary, the Seam Ripper is also used to cull the weak and frayed constructs around it. In rare cases these constructs try to take on lives of their own. Emotions, desires, and thoughts of wasted potential can sometimes manifest; all of which require a Seam Ripper to put to an end. Seam Ripper Large construct (living string), unaligned Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

13 (natural armor) Hit Points 110 (13d10 + 39)

110 (13d10 + 39) Speed 25 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) Saving Throws Wis +4

Wis +4 Damage Immunities poison

poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11

darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak

understands the languages of its creator but can't speak Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Common Thread. If the seam ripper can see another living string construct, it has advantage on saving throws against being charmed. Regeneration. The seam ripper regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the seam ripper takes slashing or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the seam ripper's next turn. Actions Seam Ripper. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (3d12 + 5) slashing damage. Splitting the Stitch (Recharge 5-6). The seam ripper lashes out in all directions. Each creature within 10 feet of the seam ripper must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 19 (3d12) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Tangled Knight Sentries and guardians of the Seamstress' holdings, tangled knigts stand tireless sentry over their wards. While neither the strongest nor most capable constructs, they serve their purpose well. Their tightly laced armor and weapons allow them to move with suprising speed and alacrity. A tactic commonly used by tangled knights is to stitch a foe's arms and clothing together, or lash them to the terrain, in order to restrain the intruder. Often those who do not succeed in defeating or escaping from a tangled knight are carried away to the wax orchards to be drained of their Living String by the Seamstress.

Spools of Living String The thread that drives all the Seamstress' creations is fed from a spool, or series of spools. Most living string constructs carry them either inside their bodies or attached to them. Some, like the Seam Ripper, are too knotted and wild to be trusted with this and so their spools are kept by the Seamstress, to retain greater control. The strand connecting a distant spool to its owner can be detected with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. If this strand is severed (AC 10, 10 hit points, resistance to bludgeoning damage), the construct connected to it is affected as the confusion spell. Tangled Knight Medium construct (living string), unaligned Armor Class 15 (shield)

15 (shield) Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)

65 (10d8 + 20) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 7 (-2) 13 (+1) 11 (0) Saving Throws Dex +5, Cha +2

Dex +5, Cha +2 Skills Insight +3, Perception +3

Insight +3, Perception +3 Damage Immunities poison

poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, poisoned

exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13

darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak

understands the languages of its creator but can't speak Challenge 3 (700 XP) Common Thread. If the tangled knight can see another living string construct, it has advantage on saving throws against being charmed. Regeneration. The tangled knight regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the tangled knight takes slashing or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the tangled knight's next turn. Actions Multiattack. The tangled knight makes three attacks with its needle sword. Needle Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. Lockstitch (Recharge 5-6). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage. The target is restrained by threads woven around it. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 13 Strength check, escaping on a success. The effect ends if the thread is destroyed. The thread has AC 10, 5 hit points, and vulnerablity to slashing damage. Reactions Parry. The tangled knight adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the tangled knight must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.

Wax Men The wax men were some of the earliest creations by the Seamstress. In an attempt to recreate humanity through the Living String, she shaped forms of wax and infused them with the raw energy contained within the harvested thread. The result of these experiments was ghastly and lacked any of the finer control, physical and mental, of any real human. Their faces were constantly twisted in pain and horror at the memories the Living String filled them with, so the Seamstress replaced them with simple orafices to collect the thread they required for sustenance. Their waxy hands and the mechanisms controlling these constructs were too crude for any sensitive work so they were given large blades to simply shear thread away from constructs slated for destruction. Over time the wax men were discarded as the Seamstress fashioned better constructs to do her bidding. Those that escaped destruction by seam rippers are left to wander her holdings and scavenge for Living String whereever they can. Some have been driven feral and will even attack living creatures in the hope of siphoning off their life force. Embroiderer These constructs are the overseers of the Seamstress' domain. They manage the harvesting of Living String from victims in the wax orchards, distributing fresh spools, and checking for imperfections in the thread. Some work within the Loom itself, helping to craft the constructs they oversee. Embroiderers also coordinate the defense of their mistress' holdings, putting to use their powerful magical abilities to defeat intruders. Each embroiderer is given much more autonomy than any of the Seamstress' other creations and they are one of the few that can communicate directly with other creatures through telepathy. This is a necessary trade-off, as the Seamstress requires aides in order to supervise her growing collection. There have been remarkably few instances of embroiderers losing their focus like other, lesser constructs do. This could be due to their more direct and regular contact with the Seamstress, or because they find more purpose in their grim duties. Scissor Men The least of all the Living String constructs are also the most numerous. Scissor men scour the wax orchard collecting Living String as it is extruded from imprisoned victims. Creatures that wind up trapped within the Seamstress' wax are always alive, there would be little use for them if they weren't. Once properly secured somewhere in the orchard, a scissor man will make a small cut on their victim with their harvesting shears which triggers the Living String to begin manifesting. With their tiny hands they will pull and wind the thread around empty spools and then use their shears again to cut the thread off. This process is repeated until the creature dies, their body appearing to rapidly age all the while. Wax Man Medium construct (living string), unaligned Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

14 (natural armor) Hit Points 55(10d8 + 10)

55(10d8 + 10) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 9 (-1) 15 (+2) 8 (-1) Damage Immunities poison

poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

exhaustion, poisoned Senses passive Perception 12

passive Perception 12 Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak

understands the languages of its creator but can't speak Challenge 2 (450 XP) Aggressive. As a bonus action, the wax man can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see. Actions Multiattack. The wax man makes three attacks with its blade hands. Blade Hand. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.













Scissor man Small construct (living string), unaligned Armor Class 13

13 Hit Points 40 (9d6 + 9)

40 (9d6 + 9) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 6 (-2) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 7 (-2) 5 (-3) Damage Immunities poison

poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8

darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak

understands the languages of its creator but can't speak Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Common Thread. If the scissor man can see another living string construct, it has advantage on saving throws against being charmed. Actions Harvesting Shears. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage. Embroiderer Medium construct (living string), unaligned Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

17 (natural armor) Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)

66 (12d8 + 12) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (-1) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 11 (0) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +4

Dex +6, Int +4 Damage Immunities poison

poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, poisoned

exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak, telepathy 120 ft

understands the languages of its creator but can't speak, telepathy 120 ft Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Common Thread. If the embroiderer can see another living string construct, it has advantage on saving throws against being charmed. Regeneration. The embroiderer regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the embroiderer takes slashing or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the embroiderer's next turn. Spellcasting. The embroiderer is a 6th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The embroiderer knows the following bard spells: Cantrips (at will): blade ward, mage hand, mending 1st level (4 slots): healing word, sleep, unseen servant 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, see invisibility, shatter 3rd level (3 slots): glyph of warding, plant growth Actions Needle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. Pull Some Strings (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute, the embroiderer can communicate a special command or warning whenever an ally that it can see within 30 feet of it makes an attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it can understand the embroiderer. A creature can benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. This effect ends if the embroiderer is incapacitated.

Seamstress No one knows where she gained the powers that she now has, or any of the details of her life before, but legends of kidnapped children and puppet-like constructs go back at least a few centuries. There's no way to guess how many years she has added to her life through the grim harvest she collects. Over all this time, the Seamstress has amassed a large holding that she works to keep secreted away, either through its remoteness or via magical means. Across these holdings are orchards, as she calls them, where victims are collected and stored to be harvested. The bodies, encased in translucent wax, are often strewn about haphazardly with their Living String slowly being pulled away and toward the Seamstress' larger projects. At the center of the Seamstress' work is the massive Loom. Most who get far enough to glimpse it do not remain long enough to understand it, but it is clearly the most important creation to its master. Through her manipulations of the Living String, the Seamstress has come to understand some of the intricate weave that the fates create. Through the Loom, she hopes to manipulate the universe around her and control her own fate. Living Weave The Seamstress has been infusing herself with Living String to channel it's power and extend her life. This process has slowly begun to replace her natural body as the magical strands are woven throughout her. Thread now makes up as much of her body as blood and muscle, and through these threads she connects herself to her largest construct the Serger. Serger The massive machine that the Seamstress uses to move about her holding, as well as build her most personal creations, is fasioned to look like her from her younger and fairer days. This apparent call to her vanity is lost on her visitors as it bristles with needles and mecahnisms for moving thread throughout the intertwined bodies of the Seamstress and her Serger. Magic of the Living String Some of the constructs listed here, as well as the Seamstress herself, are capable magic users. While mechanically this magic works as it would from any other magic user, it is mainfested from the manipulation of the power within the Living String. Certain spell effects can therefore be described with some liberty; plant growth can instead be thought of as commanding bundles of thread to coalesce or blade ward might be loose strings circling in the air where they might confound attackers.



































































Types of Victims The people trapped in the orchards are most often alive, and those that aren't are usually soon to be disposed of. If broken free of their waxy prisons they can usually be quickly brought back to consciousness. The preferred types of creatures to harvest for their Living String are children of long lived races, but that is not always what can be captured by the Seamstress' constructs. If those being harvested in the orchards are investigated, or freed, roll 2d6 to determine what kind of victim is present. Harvested Victim Result Type 2 Dead 3-4 Elderly human 5 Friendly beast 6 Middle aged elf or dwarf 7-8 Human child 9 Elf or Dwarf child 10-11 Middle aged human 12 Hostile beast

Combined Creature The Seamstress and her Serger might be thought of as two separate entities, but they are so thoroughly woven together at this point that they are inseparable. They are presented here as a combined creature with the strengths and abilities of both combined. Some abilities mention the Seamstress, while others mention the Serger, mechanically they are the same creature and should be treated as such. The distinction is primarily for narrative flavor. Seamstress and Serger Large construct (living string), lawful evil Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

13 (natural armor) Hit Points 160 (20d10 + 40)

160 (20d10 + 40) Speed 30ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) Saving Throws Str +8, Con +6, Int +9, Wis +5

Str +8, Con +6, Int +9, Wis +5 Skills Arcana +9, Deception +6, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +6

Arcana +9, Deception +6, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +6 Damage Immunities poison

poison Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned

charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15

darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Common, Infernal, plus any two languages, telepathy 120 ft

Common, Infernal, plus any two languages, telepathy 120 ft Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) Regeneration. The Seamstress and Serger regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the Seamstress and Serger takes slashing or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the seamstress and serger's next turn. Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the Seamstress and Serger fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Spellcasting. The Seamstress is a 10th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The Seamstress has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): blade ward, chill touch, mending, minor illusion 1st level (4 slots): false life, magic missile, sleep 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, ray of enfeeblement 3rd level (3 slots): hypnotic pattern, vampiric touch 4th level (3 slots): black tentacles, blight 5th level (2 slots): cloudkill Actions Multiattack. The Serger makes three slam attacks. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Spindle of Slumber. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or fall uncoscious for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Legendary Actions The seamstress and serger can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The seamstress and serger regains spent legendary actions at the start of their turn. Detect. The seamstress makes a Wisdom (Perception) check. Slam. The serger makes one slam attack. Draw Thread of Life (Costs 2 Actions). One incapacitated creature within 10 feet of the serger takes 11 (2d10) necrotic damage, and the seamstress and serger regain hit points equal to the damage taken.