The Lunar Constructs
A creature of much mystery and speculation, Lunar Constructs leave an endless stream of death in their path, their mindless desire for new victims to add to their body steering them in any direction they can go in to find more prey. But their humanoid appearance and features have made them endearing to many researchers and magicians and over time, ways have been found to fix them and restore their mind, bringing about a new wave of servants of adventurers with quite frightening abilities.
Tragic creatures of the Night
Lunar Constructs are born from the pain and suffering of those who have never seen or accepted who they are, their own reflection. When they die and their soul leaves their body, the light of the moon compells the soul to stay and form the great nail that goes through every Construct's head. This nail leaves the memories of its past life behind and creates the signature black armour from the moon-blessed soil around it to begin its endless rampage. Compelled by the self-doubt it had in life, in death it seeks for parts to create the perfect face that it never had in life, often strongly idealised. It is for this reason that they kill everything that crosses their path, harvesting their heads, faces and sometimes even bodies for the perfect materials to create this face. The harvest is done by the massive weapons each construct wields on their arms, ungodly claws or long razor sharp saws that never seem to lose their sharpness. Due to their deadly nature and immortality they tend to progress quite far in this quest, bearing strikingly beautiful features for their respective original race and gender.
Salvation
There are two methods in which a Lunar construct may escape the endless rampage, each bearing great consequences for their future.
Awakened Constructs
An awakened Construct was brutally ripped out of their rampage in a process that leaves them vulnerable to the urges of old. An awakened construct's intelligence and alignment greatly depends on who awakened them and their subsequent training. Being awakened does not however mean that their deeply rooted almost magically engrained self-doubt will go away. Sometimes it will consume them and drive them mad. They will always have to fight the desire to shred those around them to pieces to add them to their face. Some might even consciously enjoy this feeling and become evil and sadistic. Awakened Constructs will always retain some of their feral instincts and will easily be able to analyse someone for parts or shred their enemies with brute force
Unshackled Constructs
A Construct that regains its confidence through magical means or complex outside therapy does not suffer from the old desires. This process can be more difficult than a simple awakening, but brings its own rewards. Individuals freed through this method typically have a much more positive outlook on their own existence, at least their current one. While awakened Constructs wrestle with the present, unshackled Constructs wrestle with the past, the sins they have committed, unknowingly or not ever since they were created. With this comes a great respect for sineaters and a mix of those that accept their past, and those that don't. Why they accept it or not can differ greatly. Some might dismiss it as the will of nature, some might dismiss it as simply the past, some might cling to it like a grave sin they were born with, some might see it as a burden upon them to do better than those around them.
A monster among the races
Not every Construct is made civilized. They can appear anywhere for any reason. It's hard for them to unify under the race that they are, being so few and far between. They will never have their own country nor create their own kin, only an unspoken culture shared by those salvaged in a similar fashion. Some become resentful of the ability of mortals to procreate or socialise with their own, some might wish to protect it for that very reason. No matter the case, the existence of a Lunar Construct can be a very lonely existence. It is not uncommon for them to worship the moon that gave them life and they typically get along with those that worship nature, for various reasons.
A fierce reputation
There aren't a lot of reasons for an uneducated villager to know what a Lunar Construct even is. If they do, that's usually because one rampaged through their streets, killing whatever was in its path. As such, the sight of one may inspire abject fear in some if not hostility. Most live in towns, under their master, by their own right, as a test subject, as a craftsman of whatever they have mastered. They are objects of curiosity to the rich, the religious, the intelligent. It is rare for them to purely be regarded as an individual regardless of where they are.
Names
A construct's name is either chosen by the construct itself or given to it by the one who salvaged it. As such their names may reflect their local culture. Names that are self-assigned are often inspired by the Moon that gave them their life or mythical forces or deities they respect.
- Male Names: Adim, Armin, Benima, Ceraphim, Demin, Formon, Germon, Irmin, Jomin, Kazin, Lestrum, Morcin, Nardan, Nemen, Ordonon, Peris, Rasi, Serdan, Temen, Tascodon, Wessin
- Female Names: Alina, Amara, Ceraphina, Dimina, Etea, Hami, Irina, Jami, Jemina, Kara, Luna, Lumara, Melina, Momi, Naga, Ocea, Primina, Remilia, Setzina, Terissa, Theresa, Vera
Construct Traits
Your Lunar Construct has multiple inborn abilities that come with being a fierce monstrosity. Some traits are decided by your mandatory Subrace.
Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity Score increases by 1.
Age
Lunar Constructs do not age and are immortal in that regard. They are most likely to form at the death of a young adult so most typically resemble one.
Size
Most Lunar constructs range from 6 to 7 feet tall. Their size and light-weight material puts their weight at around 180lb average. Your size is medium.
Alignment
- Awakened Constructs tend to be driven by their desires and tend towards chaotic alignments, believing that they have to find their own path.
- Unshackled Constructs tend to believe in the law of the land, how it was given to them by their new surroundings. They believe that order and work breed success.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages
You can speak, read and write one language that your salvager taught you.
Sleep
Constructs do not require sleep, purely powered by the moonlight. During the night they feel more refreshed than during the day.
Lunar Darkvision
Accustomed to living under the sparse light of the moon, 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 see colour within 5 feet of your body's flame.
Natural Armor
Your body is made of precious Moonsteel. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use this natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Lunar Flame
The flame beneath your neck gives off dim light in a 5 foot radius around you. It cannot be put out like a regular fire. If your fire fades, you die. Your fire will extinguish if you do not expose yourself to moonlight within 30 + Con modifier days.
Twilight Deathmachine
Your nature as a walking killing machine grants you access to two natural melee weapons. These weapons may be removed, replaced or repaired by a smith who can smith uncommon materials and repaired by mending. Choose two of the following:
- Twilight Claw: 2d4 piercing damage
- Twilight Blade: 1d6 damage. finesse (slashing damage if used with DEX modifier, piercing when used with STR)
- Twilight Saw: 1d4+2 slashing damage. Uses Dex modifier on attack and damage
- Twilight Scythe: 1d4 slashing damage. finesse, A creature hit by this weapon must make a Dexterity save of 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Dexterity Modifier. On a failed save they lose 10 feet of movement speed on their next turn.
- Twilight Bardiche: 1d8 Reach
- Twilight Mace: 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage, A creature hit by this weapon must make a Dexterity save of 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Dexterity Modifier. On a failed save they are pushed back 5 feet.
Awakened Constructs
Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity Score Increases by 1 and your Wisdom Score increases by 1.
Lunar Bloodlust
Taking damage loosens your control over your primal instincts, allowing your violent desires to take over for 1 minute as an optional reaction to said damage. You can also later choose to restrain your instincts with a bonus action. You gain advantage on Dexterity Checks and Dexterity Saving Throws. When you make an attack with a natural weapon, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your proficiency bonus. You cannot be stunned, frightened or charmed while in this state, however you automatically fail intelligence saving throws. The Bloodlust drains you emotionally and can only be done once per long rest.
Hunter's Gaze
Your nature as a hunter allows you to size up enemies for parts quite easily. You gain proficiency in Insight checks.
Crippling Disorder
You gain vulnerability to psychic damage.
Unshackled Constructs
Ability Score Increase
Your Charisma Score increases by 2.
Languages
You can speak, read and write an additional language of your choice.
Hard-earned Civility
Once per day you cannot be intimidated, persuaded, deceived or investigated when another creature attempts to do so.
Adapted to Society
City-folk no longer see you as suspicious. This does not apply to village-folk or those attacked by a wild Construct.
Playing as a Lunar Construct
There are many things about you that are quite powerful, but you will face plenty of hardships. You will have to gain the trust of those around you and prove your use and loyalty, if you have any. People will hunt you for being a monster and for the moonsteel that makes up your body. The scribes and nobles that do not view you with suspicion will view you as a test subject or a toy. Never having to sleep means plenty of long nights ahead. It is these difficulties that will shape or break you.
Racial feats
Some dms like to allow racial feats. These are meant to be an inspiration for possible feats to use on such an occasion to complement the individual character.
Twilight Harvest
Prerequisite: Lunar Construct
Your past experiences harvesting parts from other organisms have given you a good instinct on precise surgical procedures and injuries
- You gain proficiency in the Medicine skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.
- When rolling a natural 20 on an attack roll with a natural weapon, the creature you hit must make a Constitution saving throw against a DC of 8 + Dex/Str (whichever is higher) + prof. On a failed save, the creature will no longer be able to use one arm of its choice.
Twilight Aesthetics
Prerequisite: Lunar Construct
Your mindless craving for perfection has at least given you a good eye for aesthetics. You may not be able to recombine other people's faces, but you still know how to touch them up a little.
- Increase your Charisma Score by 1, up to a maximum of 20.
- You gain advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks that involve pointing out flaws or aspects of an item that would make it more or less expensive
- Using fine clothes and a bit of touch-up, you can prepare someone to be visually presentable for any occasion. Being a visual change, this does not effect other aspects that could give away or emphasize someone's true status.
Twilight Fear
Prerequisite: Awakened Lunar Construct
Your remaining feral nature and frightening reputation allows you to inspire fear in those around you and to laugh at those that dare challenge you.
- You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.
- You gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
- Using an action, you can roll for Intimidation against a creature within a radius of 15ft. of you. They must contest that roll with a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened. On a successful save, they become immune to being frightened by you for the next 24 hours. This save is repeated every turn.
Twilight Ecstasy
Prerequisite: Awakened Lunar Construct
Your victims scream as you tear their torso into shreds, cut their legs apart, split their skull in two, music to yours ears as you scrape your weapon against the wall to elicit terror in those still remaining. The feeling of hunting down your prey, playing with them before meticulously shredding them apart piece by piece excites you like nothing ever could.
- You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you have not yet hit this combat, drawing blood when you hit them for the first time.
- You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to determine the location of a creature you've drawn blood from.
- When you reduce a creature's hitpoints to 0, every enemy creature around you must make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC of 8 + Cha + prof - number of enemies making the save. On a failed save, they become frightened. If they are already frightened, they become terrified. On a successful save, you are no longer frightened. This saving throw is repeated every turn the creature continues to be frightened.
Twilight
Prerequisite: Unshackled Lunar Construct
Twilight Adventurer
Prerequisite: Unshackled Lunar Construct
You've left the past in the past, the world is open to you as are all its facets, dangers and possibilities. And you're more than eager to take in all this new information.
- You gain proficiency in a language of your choice. You can read, write and speak this and other languages you are proficient with.
- You feel equally refreshed at both day and night
- You can recall the places you've been to in great detail including landmarks, people you've talked to and names
- You gain resistance to psychic damage
Twilight Scars
Prerequisite: Unshackled Construct
Your body is your canvas both as monster and man. Now that you understand who and what you are, the secrets of the world are laid bare for you. You gain access to the Moonlight tome, mounted in a hidden compartment on the forearm of your strongest arm. The tome is magical in nature and temporarily turns blank when no magic is possible. Being a small surface, the tome works by magically scrolling through information rather than displaying it all at once.
- You gain proficiency in Calligrapher's supplies. If you are already proficient with them, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with them.
- You can write and remove words inside the tome using Calligrapher's supplies.
- If you write something inside the tome that clashes with other statements inside the tome, the tome will reject the new information
- Twice per day, you can raise your arm with the tome opened to activate its truth-seeking sigil. While active, the tome will glow in the same colour as your flame and become unreadable. Creatures that see the glow are unable to roll for Deception.
Twilight Charity
Prerequisite: Unshackled Lunar Construct
You've accepted your past, but not everyone has this kind of acceptance. If you can make the past a little more accessible, maybe others will understand.
- You gain proficiency in Calligrapher's supplies. If you are already proficient with them, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with them.
- You gain proficiency in the History skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.
- When reading a book in a language you don't understand, you can translate it using a translated book of both that language and a language you can read and write. This takes about 1 hour for every 10 pages.
- Your well worded explanations reach even the most feeble of minds. You can imprint up to three sentences worth of knowledge into a creature of intelligence 5-10 unless obviously false. You can choose to make them forget one of the three in order to replace them when necessary.
Twilight Spectacle
Prerequisite: Unshackled Lunar Construct
You've learned to harness the dangerous exoticism your race exudes to your advantage without seeming too threatening to those around you. As such, you tend to fascinate those with curious minds.
- You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.
- When an allied creature attempts to roll for Persuasion, Performance or Deception, you can use the help action to add your proficiency bonus to that roll
- When performing for a creature of a neutral or positive disposition towards you, you can attempt to charm them by rolling for Charisma (Persuasion). The creature needs to contest this roll with a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, they are charmed for 1 hour. On a successful save, they cannot be charmed by you for the next 24 hours.