Fleshwrought

From Tearsofblood

Current revision as of 23:32, 4 August 2007

This article is currently under revision due to work in progress.

Most of my family had already died from the Weeping when they came. My father and three sisters had all been lost and my mother was showing the first signs. They offered a means of protecting me from infection and my mother jumped at the chance not to have her entire family stricken down. It was an ordeal, they said, but one with great rewards and protection against the painful death. They did not lie about the death part, but the rest... I remember awaking after their magical ministrations and feeling...not myself. And they were gone. They had not even sought gold for the 'cure'.

Mother's condition worsened, but true enough, my body appeared to be resisting the disease. But something entirely other was happening and finally, the day after my mother became bedridden, I collapsed in a fit of convulsion. It was clearly not the Weeping, that I could be sure of, having seen case after case in my own family succumb to the death throes. But, I was wracked by pain right down to my bones. My muscles felt as if to split apart and my skin did in places, tear asunder. Blood did not drain from my body and as I gathered my wits, I found enough needle and thread to stitch the wounds closed. At last, the pain subsided, but my body felt entirely different. I lifted myself to a mirror and nearly fainted from shock. My face was distorted and one side had the appearance of clay that had been slapped about with abandon and pressed into place. My torso and one arm, from the shoulder to the hand had lengthened and twisted so that I looked maimed, hunched, and practically dragging my fingers on the floor. My mother gasped in horror at the sight of me and fell unconscious. That was her last vision in life before her eyes bled and she passed from this life.

Longshanks on becoming Fleshwrought

We found Longshanks just as our wizard crew had said, in the lonely town by himself by his mother's bed, dealing with his new adjustments. We dealt with his rage as we do with the others and introduced him to those like himself, bound for Port Conastinium to work in the quarantine section of town. He was still young but would be valuable in dealing with the sick there. He consented to join us and we helped him bury his mother. The Feldarin paid us well for him but what became of him in years that followed after the Weeping I know not, but that is not my problem now.

Baziel Durmshlof, Assistant Indoctrinator of Fleshwrought Field Team

Personality

The Fleshwrought past is not a pretty one and saying that transformations are painful is putting it nicely. Like their bodies, all Fleshwrought are warped mentally and emotionally. Some fare better than others and deal with the loss of their old lives while others are driven mad from the torture. Most now resort to secrecy and routinely deal with other unsavory characters. They succumb to morosity, anger, resentment and rage.

Physical Description

No two Fleshwrought undergo their transformations in exactly the same manner. But they all have one thing in common. They are not pretty afterwards. To what extent they become hideous is a matter of luck, I suppose. When able to choose a replacement appendage they start to have a choice in the matter, but again, what each chooses is an individual thing. Some try to keep some semblance of humanoid appearance and are only distinguished by what looks like melted skin, deformed bone structure and well healed scars. Others embrace the monstrosity in them and gain powerful, clawed arms or legs, or jaws. See below for details.

Relations

Fleshwrought have obvious disadvantages when dealing with others not of their kind. Plaguetouched are considerably more understanding than the unafflicted, but, depending on the nature and extent of their transformations, Fleshwrought are treated coolly at best. It sometimes takes getting over a fair amount of revulsion to get past the surface qualities and deal with the resentment and anger that so often lies beneath.

Yet, somehow, a fair number of Fleshwrought find a path that suits their learned skills at healing themselves and they become healers of others. Perhaps they also learned something while subjected to working with the sick from the Weeping and have compassion for the sick. So, it is not uncommon for a town to have hidden away, somewhere, a Fleshwrought that they seek out when medical help is needed.

Most do not know how the Fleshwrought came to be. Many Fleshwrought were approached to be "cured" but learned nothing about their "saviors". Their stories are often alike, but there are more questions than answers.

Alignment

Fleshwrought can be of any alignment but tend to veer away from the lawful alignments out of resentment for their treatment in the past, which, above or beneath the law, was apparently justified and supported by those who make the laws.

Lands

The Fleshwrought have no lands of their own. They operate within the borders of others, either known or unknown.

Culture

There are two parts to being a Fleshwrought, before and after. There are surely cases where their life before holds the stronger grip and they attempt to re-integrate into their former society, albeit in a different role, in disguise even. The less beastly of the Fleshwrought may fall into this category. Igor the Lame may have been chased out of his hometown when he became Fleshwrought, but he now operates a smithy, 3 towns over, taking orders through his apprentice and leaving the finished work outside when the money is dropped off, never facing his customer directly.

The other side of the coin is that some Fleshwrought have chosen to forget, or forgetten through torment, their past lives. They are more likely to roam from place to place, eeking out an existance; or to search for enclaves of their own kind. The local acceptance of these types ranges anywhere from "live and let live" to "light the torches, there's a lynching tonight". The larger cities are bound to have clusters of Fleshwrought supporting each other in hiding, you just have to know where to look, protecting themselves through fear mostly. They take up living in the quarters nobody wants to visit, for fear of the lives.

Religion

Fleshwrought do not have a religion of their own. This has more to do with their base race than does being a Fleshwrought. However, transformation may have affected their beliefs, whether they lose their faith, or change their favored god because of their new life.

Plague Casualties

Fleshwrought were born out of a mock cure to the Weeping and are thereby made immune.

Language

Most Fleshwrought would retain at least a certain level of speech and this would be based on their base race. With replacements, however, may come unnatural speech impediments.

Names

Fleshwrought names can be carried over from their previous lives but some individuals choose to change or forget their former names. Typical assumed names are short and simple since some but not all transformations affect an individuals speech formation. It is not uncommon for a name to have come from the taunting a Fleshwrought has received or include a mock title, embracing their differences.

Male Names: Groog, Beast, Dom the Butcher, Slasher, Mudface, Ape, Hobnail, Boar, Bogger, Oaf, Wart the Wild, Scar.

Female Names: Hekla, Witch, Fang, Dorma, Dho, Goat, Skullina, Dirty Mol, Gara, Dogga, Kar the Claw, Shorn the Smelly.

Adventurers

The path of the Fleshwrought is not an easy one, but the role playing rewards may be enticing. Typically, a Fleshwrought has an immediate disadvantage when dealing with others, but they also have an obvious reason for seeking their fortune on the go. They are not likely to stay in one place for too long or set down roots and make strong friendships. They may travel in disguise or concealment, looking for opportunities to use their talents which get more unique with advancement.

Traits

Technically, Fleshwrought is a Bloodline. They retain racial traits of their race before acquiring the bloodline.

Special Abilities

Surgeon
At 1st level, due to experience gained replacing and manipulating his/her own anatomy, Heal becomes a class skill for any character with the Fleshwrought bloodline.

Sleeplessness
Beginning at 2nd level, a character with the Fleshwrought bloodline no longer needs to sleep. A spell caster with the Fleshwrought bloodline still needs 8 hours of rest to prepare spells. Additionally, a Fleshwrought is immune to Sleep effects.

Lesser Replacement
At 4th level and again at 8th level, a character with the Fleshwrought bloodline begins to replace parts of his/her body with the flesh of others. The character gains 3 Replacement Points (RP), which the character can use to replace parts of his/her body. A character may only make one replacement at a time, and any RP unused are held over until the character’s next opportunity to make a replacement. Unless otherwise stated, multiple uses of the same replacement do not stack. Replacements are chosen from the list below. Due to the unique nature of Fleshwrought physiology as well as the surgical skill they acquire over time, making a replacement deals no damage to a Fleshwrought, nor does it impose any penalties on the Fleshwrought.

Fleshwrought Affinity
At 5th level, a character with the Fleshwrought bloodline gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Perform checks when dealing with Fleshwrought and Plaguetouched. This bonus increases to +4 at 11th level and +6 at 17th level.

Replacement
At 12th, 16th, and 20th level, a character with the Fleshwrought bloodline continues to replace parts of his/her body with the flesh of others. He/she gains 5 RP. This ability otherwise functions identically to the Lesser Replacement ability.

Tirelessness
Beginning at 18th level, a character with the Fleshwrought bloodline does not become Fatigued when he/she otherwise would. The character does, however, become Fatigued when subject to an effect that would otherwise cause Exhaustion.

Replacements

• Webbed limbs (1 RP) – “It looks like the Creature wins another round.” The Feldarin captain had her men pull the corpse aboard. “It moves like a fish, but kills like a man…” she ran her fingers over the telltale knife wounds on the bloated body. “I may know what we're up against, but I surely hope I'm wrong.” Some Fleshwrought gain access to the more exotic limbs of aquatic races. Fleshwrought gains two webbed limbs, granting a +10 racial bonus to swim checks.
• +1 Natural Armor (2 RP) – The Fleshwrought replaces strategic portions of their skin with tougher hide, increasing his/her natural ability to resist blows. The AC bonuses granted by multiple uses of this replacement stack.
• Lesser Killing Limb (2 RP) – The Fleshwrought gains a claw attack that deals 1d6 + strength damage (for a medium Fleshwrought). Unlike normal natural attacks, this claw counts as a manufactured weapon for the purpose of magical enhancement (though it will likely be difficult to find a caster willing to make your severed arm into a severed arm +1) and is considered of masterwork quality. A Fleshwrought may not have more claw attacks than he/she has natural limbs (4 for humanoid creatures).
• Killing Limb (4 RP) – The Fleshwrought gains a claw attack that deals 1d8 + strength damage (for a medium Fleshwrought). Unlike normal natural attacks, this claw counts as a manufactured weapon for the purpose of magical enhancement (though it will likely be difficult to find a caster willing to make your severed arm into a severed arm +1). A Fleshwrought with the Lesser Killing Limb, Slamming Limb, or Fang replacements may maintain that replacement (and any magical enhancements thereto), increasing the damage dealt by that attack. A Fleshwrought may not have more claw attacks than he/she has natural limbs (4 for humanoid creatures).
• Slamming Limb (2 RP) – The Fleshwrought gains a slam attack that deals 1d6 + strength damage (for a medium Fleshwrought). This replacement is otherwise identical to the Killing Limb replacement.
• Reaching Limb (4 RP) – The Fleshwrought’s natural attacks count has reach weapons. Unlike other reach weapons, the Fleshwrought can still attack adjacent foes with his/her natural weapons. Prerequisite – At least one natural weapon.
• Strong Stomach (2 RP) – The Fleshwrought gains a +2 bonus on saves against poison and (non-magial) diseases.
• Fangs (2 RP) – The Fleshwrought gains a vicious bite attack that deals piercing damage dependent on its size: Small 1d4, Medium-size 1d6, Large 1d8. If you get multiple attacks in a round, you can bite multiple times. Your bite is treated as a natural weapon and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Unlike normal natural attacks, this bite counts as a manufactured weapon for the purpose of magical enhancement and is considered of masterwork quality.
• Darkvision (3 RP) – The Fleshwrought can see in total darkness out to a range of 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only but is otherwise like normal sight.
• Leaper (1 RP) – The Fleshwrought has strengthen his/her legs to increase his/her jumping ability. He/she gains a +10 racial bonus to Jump checks.
• Greater Killing Limb (6 RP)[/b] –The Fleshwrought gains a claw attack that deals 1d10 + strength damage (for a medium Fleshwrought). Unlike normal natural attacks, this claw counts as a manufactured weapon for the purpose of magical enhancement (though it will likely be difficult to find a caster willing to make your severed arm into a severed arm +1). A Fleshwrought with the Lesser Killing Limb replacement or the Killing Limb replacement may maintain that replacement (and any magical enhancements thereto), increasing the damage dealt by the original claw attack. A Fleshwrought may not have more claw attacks than he/she has natural limbs (4 for humanoid creatures). A Fleshwrought with the Slamming Limb or Fang replacements may take this replacement to increase the damage of that attack.
• Grabbing Limb (6 RP) – The Fleshwrought gains the Improved Grab special ability.
• Rending Limbs (6RP) – If the Fleshwrought hits with at least two natural attacks, he/she may make a rend attack that deals 2d6 + 1.5 times his/her strength modifier damage. Prerequisite – At least 2 natural weapons.
• Enlarged Form (6 RP) – The Fleshwrought gains the Powerful Build ability.
• Nimble Fingers (2 RP) –”Not all of us choose to outfit ourselves as killing machines...” the warped figure said to the halfling, looking up from its work sewing up the field dressing. “Some Fleshwrought prefer the smaller, more dextrous limbs of the little races to aid them in certain subtler tasks.” and it wiggled its miniscule digits gleefully, its nightmare visage all gruesome grin.
  Fleshwrought gains a +5 racial bonus to Open Lock and appropriate Craft, Profession, and Perform checks. (ex: Profession(surgery) is acceptable, but Perform(singer) is not.)
• Muscle Memory (2 RP) – “Some call us sick graverobbers, twisted maniacs,” the wizened skinmaster said to his pupils. “But the truth is, every part of us has had a life and a history, and we are simply continuing the story.”
  Fleshwrought purchases Muscle Memory with another replacement and gains a +5 bonus to specified skill, when the previous owner of the replacement had substantial experience with that skill.
• Abnormal Anatomy (2 RP) – “Gurrk!” The adventuring party watched in horror as the irregular and gaunt frame of their cleric was suddenly shot through with arrows from the leafy darkness. “S'okay...” the Fleshwrought choked out while plucking the shafts from his chest, “I don't keep my heart up there anymore.”
  Some Fleshwrought have altered themselves enough that their weak points are often very difficult to judge. Fleshwrought is considered to have Light Fortification.
• Improved Abnormal Anatomy (4 RP) – The wheezing, hulking thing before Peregrin was only remotely humanoid. It shambled down the path toward him with a disquietingly swift gait. To his disgust and horror, its twisted, dripping maw began to speak, “Excuse me, is this the road to Palewood?”
  For some Fleshwrought, modification continues until they are anatomically bizarre enough to foil most attempts to exploit weak points. Fleshwrought is considered to have Moderate Fortification. (prereq. Abnormal Anatomy)

Replacement Mechanics

Fleshwrought characters use the Heal skill to determine whether or not they have successfully made a replacement. With a successful DC 15 Heal check, a Fleshwrought character can make a functional but noticeable replacement of a basic, relatively easy-to-replace body part (hands, feet, fingers, skin, etc). In order to alter facial features, bone structure, and other more difficult replacements, the Heal DC increase to 20. Fleshwrought characters can make cosmetic replacements in addition to the replacements resulting from bloodline special abilities. Additionally, a Fleshwrought can attempt to disguise replacements by accepting a -10 circumstance penalty to his/her Heal check. If successful, observers have difficulty noticing the replacement, but can notice the replacement with a Spot check. The DC for this check is 15 + the amount by which the Fleshwrought exceeded the replacement DC. Furthermore, a Fleshwrought successful at disguising his/her replacements can use them as a disguise, gaining a +5 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks when using replacements to aid the disguise. A Fleshwrought only needs to make a Heal check when making a cosmetic replacement, not when using Replacement Points to make a replacement.

In order to make a replacement, the Fleshwrought must have access to body parts that would allow the replacement. In most cases, this simply means the Fleshwrought needs access to any humanoid body parts, which he/she can alter to the specifications desired (sharpening claws and teeth, etc). In some cases (for example, the Darkvision replacement), characters may need body parts from specific types of humanoids. Whether the character needs special body parts is up the DM.