Forgesoul (5e Race)

Forgesoul

"A burial mound cracks, with light seeping from outside of it. Jet-black, stone-clad hands dig themselves free, unearthing a humanoid figure. The obsidian bends and flexes as flesh, melting and shaping as the newly born Forgesoul familiarizes itself with it's surroundings. The pyre it lost it's first life on still smolders as the revenant looks at it's own form in disgust, weeping magma tears."

"A body slung onto a pyre falls, nearly shattering. With deft hands, the undead begins grabs a nearby rock and starts scribbling it's ravings onto it's flesh. Healing and scraping, healing and scraping, all until the tomes are recorded in deep scars spanning their whole form. The pain was inconsequential, for the greatest loss would be that of the scholar's knowledge wasting away on that cross. The magma dripping from their eyes is their first indication of how truly close it came to being lost forever."

"A mass grave smolders pitifully, and a child - stained black with soot and stone - crawls from the pile. The obsidian tears crack and fall free from their face, as they've cried over the corpses of their friends and family. It is then that they resolve themselves to avenge them. Was such a vow made of anger, or fear of the same fate?"

Forge souls are beings born from tragic deaths, and they lament their existence as such. They find no comfort in the afterlife nor in this renewed false-life, due to the ores that form within them being highly prized - not least of which is an obsidian tear that forms as they weep at their loss for the first time.

Physical Description

Forgesouls are lava elementals, born in tragedy. They may emerge from their shallow graves moments or millennia later. Covered in shards of obsidian, the Forgesoul's anatomy is that of a protected molten core, the only direct holes to the core are the eyes, mouth, and a gaping hole in the abdomen, from which dim light shines forth. This light changes intensity with emotion, and it's color is often a warm red - though it is not uncommon for it to take other colors if the being was felled by magical flames. Bizarrely, their anatomy still mirrors their past life in many ways; a core resembling a brain is found in the head, sediment forms bones, and organs prove just as vital as usual. The main difference is that the obsidian provides extra strength and durability, as well as extra weight. The Forgesoul does not need to eat in a traditional sense; they consume heat. Substantial energy for daily activities can be gained from standing in direct sunlight for a few minutes. Their unique anatomy lets them consume stones and ores through their forge, which while not providing energy, provides small pleasure. Racial features (such as an elf's ears) still appear, but they do lose their function. Both due to the rarity of the minerals within them and the general distaste most hold for them, they tend to don heavy armor to hide their appearance. This, however, is often betrayed by their glow shining through in emotional moments.

History

Witch hunts, framings, and mass village fires are all common events known to spawn the cursed Forgesoul. Thus, the history of this race is that of the race they hail from, even if they forget their memories on this rebirth. Intertwined in the darkest moments of these races history, Forgesouls are oft pursued and killed on sight. This in turn leads to very little being known about why they are created, and the accomplishments of notable Forgesouls being manually erased from texts.

Society

Forgesouls occasionally find solace among their kind in shared misery and strength. However, this is not to say communities are common: most forgesouls tend to strike out on their own in order to seek out second death or further purpose. If a society were to take hold, it would likely be in a place of extreme heat, far from any water.

Forgesoul Names

Forgesoul names tend to mimic the original race's. Though, in the cases of Forgesouls being born without any indicator of their race, they'll adopt descriptive words of the Ignan language as their names. These names are self-given, and may change as they learn about themselves. They typically find no need of a last name. Listed below are examples of names without the knowledge of an original race. I recommend using https://lingojam.com/D%26DIgnan as an Ignan translator for more names.

Examples: Firre, Hadssitiin, Skharrkshet, Darrn, Isssh, Greham...

Forgesoul Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Age. The Forgesoul springs into existence at the maturity it perished at. The lifespan however, adjusts to aging as 10x slower. Most live to around 800, though it is rare for most to achieve this.
Alignment. Typically true nuetral, Forgesouls keep to themselves more often than not. Some however descend into chaotic mania when confronted with their first life.
Size. This matches the past races' range of size and build. Most tend to be of human stature, varying in height and build from 5 feet to well over 6 feet. In this case, your size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You are unable to swim, instantly becoming petrified if attempted.
Living Lava. The cracks in your form emit faint light up to 15 feet in normal circumstance. This light brightens to 60 feet (of bright light) in the case of your character being emotionally aroused, and can be done through active concentration (see concentration for spell casting). You have disadvantage on stealth checks.
Hollow Forge. Forging with their very core, the Forgesoul can produce an obsidian replica of a weapon they are proficient with. To do so requires a full action, and a sacrifice of the weapon's full damage without modifiers. For example, attempting to produce a 1d8 Longsword will require the Forgesoul to sacrifice 8 hp. This cannot be done if the Forgesoul does not have enough HP to pay for it. The forge soul can reabsorb their weapon to heal using an action, gaining the weapons damage die in health. For example, if reabsorbing the same longsword, the player would roll 1d8 and heal for that much. If the Forgesoul releases or drops the weapon, it immediately melts into magma and is effectively lost. It can still be reabsorbed for the same healing, however this takes a full turn.
Flame body. The Forgesoul is immune to fire damage, and vulnerable to cold. If cold damage exceeds 50 hit points, the character is petrified until sufficient heat is restored, or 10 minutes pass.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Ignan and one other language of your choice from your past life. If you lack knowledge of your past life, you may speak common.

Loreforge

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Obsidian Grimoire. You are desperate to preserve the teachings that got you executed, and have carved them into your very flesh. Gain proficiency in history or religion. You may choose one additional language to learn.
Fervent Extinguish. Once per long rest while not wearing armor, you may quell your inner flame and attempt to hide as stones. Hiding this way can only be maintained for 1 minute - for every minute after, take 1d4 cold damage.

Skillforge

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Tool Proficiency. You have proficiency with the artisan tool of you choice: Cook's Utensils, Glassblower's tools, Jeweler's tools, Potter's tools, Smith's tools. You may use yourself as a station at which to practice your craft.
Careful Craft. Your forge now extends to any item that you are relatively familiar with; the item may be created using the same rules as Hollow Forge. In order to determine damage dealt, use a weapon of comparable size. For example, a key might require a 1d4 dagger.

Fallenforge

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Reinforced Form. In desperation to avoid an untimely second death, you have melded obsidian into your weak points. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Relentless. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest. Note, this does not save you from being petrified by being submerged in water or hit with sufficient cold damage.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 0''	+2d8	100 (or original weight) lb.	× (x1d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Suggested Characteristics

When creating a Forgesoul character, you can use the following table of traits, ideals, bonds and flaws to help flesh out your character. Use these tables in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.

d6	Personality Trait
1	I make it a point to not draw excess attention, following rules to a t.
2	I may be the last devotee of a lost religion
3	I have devoted several religious texts to memory.
4	I still flinch at fire.
5	Artisan tools are art and should be treated as such; hence why I collect them.
6	I use my forge as an avenue for invention.

d6	Ideal
1	I will become stronger; I refuse to die again.
2	I will avenge myself.
3	A suitable final death is worth fighting for.
4	Others like me suffer, I wish to start a haven for them.
5	I will see my war that ended me down to the final soldier.
6	I wish to be reborn as I was.

d6	Bond
1	My past makes me who I am, even if my memories are fractured.
2	My life is one forged from the sacrifice of another; I fight in their name.
3	I live to serve my village, even if they hate me.
4	I hail from a village that protects my kind in secret.
5	My family in life is affluent, and they seek to reject me.
6	My religion must be spread, even though preaching it proved to be my end.

d6	Flaw
1	I am overzealous in my search for an identity; it hardly needs to be my own.
2	I hate all who did this to me; they are unforgivable.
3	I will pursue minerals for my forge at most any cost.
4	I am sensitive to my own flame: I find it difficult to calm down once it gets bright.
5	I refuse to be seen outside of my armor.
6	In order to hide myself, I refuse to get close to anyone.

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