Argile (5e Race)
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Argile[edit]
"Though it moves like a living thing, anyone can tell it lacks a soul... not to mention mercy." — Hollow Warrior, Magic the Gathering
Physical Description[edit]
Argiles are humanoid beings made from clay. Their material and method of construction are the same to that of golems, yet Argiles seem to have been built more closely to human proportion. Argiles are hollow and can break easily when putting under much force. The Hebrew letters carved into head read "emet", meaning "truth". Some legends have said that an Argile is killed by removing the first letter, making the word spell "met", meaning "dead". Otherwise, they may be able to live forever, though no one is certain. The mouth, nose, and eyes on an Argile are merely decoration, yet Argiles are still able to see, hear, smell, and speak. The mouth orifice never opens on its own without breaking the clay.
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| A male-based argile, Golem by Philippe Semeria under Wikipedia Commons. |
History[edit]
One of the first Argiles that can into existence was the ancient man simply known as Adam. Before he was known as the first human, he was but an empty husk created from the clay of the earth. Throughout history, many Argiles have been mistaken for golems. Rabbi Jacob Emden wrote about one in a book written in 1778.
"As an aside, I'll mention here what I heard from my father's holy mouth regarding the Golem created by his ancestor, the Gaon R. Eliyahu Ba'al Shem of blessed memory. When the Gaon saw that the Golem was growing larger and larger, he feared that the Golem would destroy the universe. He then removed the Holy Name that was embedded on his forehead, thus causing him to disintegrate and return to dust. Nonetheless, while he was engaged in extracting the Holy Name from him, the Golem injured him, scarring him on the face."
For most, Argiles and golems are difficult to distinguish, but a careful inspection of their proportions, build, detail, and even "personality" are the key features to be aware of. Most Argile were created as servants and protectors, similar to the purpose of golems, but to do so with a slightly more human touch. It is said that Adam, the first of the Argile, was created from the souls of a now extinct civilization and that this was done through a powerful stone, that anyone with knowledge of artefacts will be quick to name. Lesser rituals are used to create modern Argiles, but souls are still an important ingredient today. Artificial souls will work in the creation, but would be pointless, as the more human aspect Argiles are made for would be lost.
Making an Argile[edit]
When making an Argile, ask yourself a few questions... "Who was my creator? Are they still alive? How long ago was I created? Do I feel emotion, or am I just clay in the shape of a man?" These questions will help in figuring your class and background, as well as how you wish to roleplay this character.
Argile Names[edit]
The names of Argiles vary due to their creator, but most are similar to the names of golems.
Male: Khegme, Guhm, Gadla, Bhor
Female: Khauc, Gran, Vuggac, Dahn
Argile Traits[edit]
Clay men with the souls of a human, though they don't show them that much.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength increases by 2 and your Constitution increases by 1.
Age. Argile do not age.
Alignment. Argile are usually either very neutral in their alignment, or they have the same alignment as their creators.
Size. Argiles vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Darkvision. 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.
Living Construct. Even though you were constructed, you are a living creature. You are immune to diseases. You do not need to eat or breathe, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish. Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each day. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.
Partial Magic Resistance. You have advantage on all Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom saving throws against magic.
Languages. You can speak, read and write the languages of your creator.
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