Amalgous
Many a mage has created construct creatures to serve as either mindless or intelligent servants. One such creature is the homunculus, often used as a spy or messenger. Sometimes, however, a homunculus' master may decide that she wants more from her loyal servant. And for some, an option does exist to accomplish this. This option is a ritual known as the Binding, which permanently fuses a homunculus with a young child.
Freedom Through Death.
Upon completion of the Binding, the child becomes magically linked to his master. The two share a mental link, and the amalgous must carry out his master's wishes. However, once the master dies, the amalgous is freed, able to act as he wishes, even if his now former master is returned to life.
Unaging Existance.
Amalgous, as a result of the ritual used to bind them to a homunculus, permanently look like a young child of their original race. They do not age normally, and they do not undergo physical or mental degradation due to old age.
However, they are not truly immortal. An amalgous will live for the rest of his or her creator's lifetime, and then further for about a century more. An amalgous will often consider the number of years since gaining freedom as their age, while still keeping in mind the actual number of years they have been alive.
Never the Same Again.
During the Binding, the amalgous has most of his internal organs, part of his brain, and some of his outer body replaced by parts of the homunculus. This, along with his unaging nature and possibly years or decades of total enslavement, makes him into a completely different creature than he might otherwise have been. He no longer needs to eat or drink, nor is true sleep a requirement for him.
An amalgous who has been under enslavement for a long time is likely to have developed coping mechanisms to deal with the time spent not in control of himself. A dark sense of humor, apathy towards others situations, and adherence to ritualistic practices in everyday life are thus common among amalgous.
No Land to Call Home
Due to the nature of their creation, relatively few amalgous exist at any given time, and what few small communities have formed over the years have disappeared as the members died, unable to expand their population. As such, amalgous tend to live alone or in communities of their original race. They have no nations, or common culture, as other races do.
Amalgous often struggle to find a place within a community they settle in, because of their child-like appearance. They have trouble gaining respect from highly 'civilized' peoples, and more barbarous peoples usually come to distrust the clearly unnatural individual among their ranks. As a result, amalgous tend to live on the fringes of society, though occasionally one will manage to gain status, power, and respect through his or her accomplishments.
Amalgous Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age. Amalgous do not age as most races do, but they do have a maximum lifespan, which is about a century after gaining freedom. An amalgous generally only counts their time since gaining freedom when determining their age.
Alignment. The alignment of an Amalgous depends largely on how they react to their freedom from total enslavement. Many rebel against the lack of control they had, adopting a love of freedom, for themselves and others, and a hatred of overly restrictive rules of behavior. Some, though, find solace in rules and law, finding comfort in familiar restrictions. They tend toward neutral or evil as well, since they typically spend their formative years chiefly around such influences.
Size. Amalgous are between 3-4 feet tall and average about 50 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 ft.
Darkvision. Possessing the visual acuity of the homunculus, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Half-Construct Resistance. The amalgous has advantage on saving throws against poison and disease, as well as to resist being charmed.
Artificial Parts. Your homunculus mind and organs eliminate the need to carry out certain biological processes. You do not need to eat or drink, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish. You do not require sleep, instead you must rest, semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Memory of Wings. You can cast feather fall on yourself at will.
Natural Spy. You have proficiency with the Perception and Stealth skills.
Languages. You speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Amalgous typically pick up at least one other language that their former master knew during the time spent enslaved.
The Binding
The Binding is an inherently evil act. The ritual forever alters the child, and should the mage fail to successfully complete it, the child will die, his soul torn asunder by the magics involved. As such, no good person would ever attempt to perform it.
Timing is Everything. The full details of the ritual are not widely known, but the basic steps have been recorded. They are presented here to help adventurers properly time the rescue of child being used. First, the child is ritually cleansed, before being rubbed with alchemical oils. Then, the ritual itself can be carried out, replacing parts of the child's body with portions of the homunculus. Finally, the resulting amalgous is placed in darkness for a full day. If the ritual is already started, rescuers are recommended to kill the mage during the third step, so the amalgous may live, but not be able aid their master.
Amalgous, Enslaved
Amalgous serve as faithful servants to their master while they are enslaved. Just like the homunculus they are fused with, they can be capable spies, scouts, and messengers. However, they are also able to engage in combat much more readily, with their larger size and access to some of their master's spell selection.
Note on Spellcasting
The amalgous is a spellcaster of the same class as its creator, at half the level. It knows the same spells as its master, though it can only preparee and/or cast ones appropriate to its spellcaster level. The spellcasting trait below assumes creator is a 10th-level Cleric w/ the Trickery domain.
Linked for Life. An amalgous is magically linked to its master. The two share a mental link, and the amalgous must carry out its master's wishes. The link also keeps it alive for as long as its master lives, no matter what race it was originally. This link only persists as long as the master lives. Death of the master, no matter if it is temporary or not, will free the amalgous to live whatever life it may wish to.
Half-Construct Nature. Half-constructs do not require food, drink, or sleep.
Amalgous, enslaved
Small humanoid (half-construct, human), neutral evil
- Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
- Hit Points 24(5d6 + 0)
- Speed 25ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 8 (-1)
- Saving Throws Wis +6, Cha +2
- Skills Insight +5, Perception +5, Religion +4, Stealth +4
- Damage Resistances poison, necrotic, psychic
- Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened
- Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 16
- Languages knows the languages of its creator
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Half-Construct Resistance. The amalgous has advantage on saving throws against poison, as well as to resist being charmed.
Memory of Wings. The amalgous can cast feather fall on itself at will.
Telepathic Bond. While the amalgous is on the same plane of existence as its master, it can magically convey what it senses to its master, and the two can communicate telepathically.
Spellcasting. The amalgous is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The amalgous has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): guidance, mending, resistance, sacred flame
1st level (4 slots): bane, command, guiding bolt, inflict wounds, charm person, disguise self
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/ deafness, hold person
3rd level (2 slots): animate dead, bestow curse, mirror image, pass without trace
Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage or 4 (1d8+1) bludgeoning damage if wielded in two hands.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80 ft./320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1 d8+2) piercing damage.