Mekhane (5e Race)
Mekhane
“ | I didn't made you to serve me. I didn't made you to fight for me. I didn't made you to boast about my power or to show my will is absolute. I created you to live for me, my dear child. | ” |
—Aeris Mekhaus |
Physical Description
Tall. Or short. Heavy. Or light. Mekhane comes in many shapes and sizes, all unique, both in look and disposition. Normally living on energy delivered by their home world, Ferrosphera, their brilliant design lets them eat organic matter, drink water and breath air in order to create energy to live and move. Devoid of those elements, and away from their home many would gradually lose power and finally die.
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You are artificial, but still alive. Remember that. |
Society
Living on gigantic superconstruction, mekhane spend most of their time sharpening their Skill. That one thing any mekhane has, that he or she is unrivaled in. How come every single one of them have something other than the rest of them is beyond logic; yet, it truly is that way. To improve, advance, upgrade. Those are traits of any mekhane that want to please their god. And all of them wants that, for Aeris Mekhaus is more than god creator. She is a mother for every one of them. That's why she tolerates when some of her children study magic, so despised by her. And that's why it pains her to disconnect any one that works agains her will, or those that take servitude to drastic, monstrous levels. Though only few were ever cast away, and hardly any returned to Aeris after atonement, she will no doubt do so in future, if a need will ever arise.
Adventures
Some among mekhane will ask Aeris Mekhaus to leave their home and advance in adventuring on the other planes. Many see this as an opportunity to gather epic stories, the ones that goddess herself loves to listen to. So they embark, mostly alone, equipped in "normal" gear for the plane they venture to. If any of them ever makes it back, only respect awaits them.
Mekhane Names
Naming of mekhane is tricky process. Aeris Mekhaus never picks names for her creations, instead demanding them to make names for themselves. Which is, truth be told, quite problematic for a newborn. Many take names from first feelings of what they see on Ferrosphera, or they pick at random.
Male: Ironborn, Lighhtfull, Creos, Serl, Longinus, Factis, Primon, Meretric.
Female: Vana, Strata, Aurora, Wira, Spartla, Nouva, Copra.
Mekhane Traits
Creation of Aeris Mekhaus, god of technology, searching for meaning in their almost neverending life.
Ability Score Increase. One ability score of your choice increases by 2.
Age. Mekhane does not age. Youngest among them may be few weeks old, while some as ancient as their god, reaching over 5 thousand years.
Alignment. Every mekhane is unique and unbounded by almost all rules by birthright, making them almost always chaotic. Without any special incline towards good or evil they tend to be neutral, although their universal love to their creator may push them to the most valiant or vile acts.
Size. Uniqness of your form lets you choose your size. You can be medium, small or a tiny creature.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 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.
A Skill. Choose one skill or tool. You gain proficiency in that skill or tool. Now choose one specific topic that is part of that skill(for example, if you choose history, the topic may be Kings of Faerun, or if you choose foragery tools topic may be making false love letters). All skill checks made on that specific topic have additional bonus equal to double your proficiency modifier, on top of normal proficiency.
Artificial body. You are immune to poison and disease.
Link. You are connected to the Link - a divine construct that allows all mekhane to communicate with one another, or with your creator. Nothing can disable this connection, and you can use it when making long rest to contact your god, Serl the Linkmaster or any other mekhane you know. If you are ever severed from the Link by your god(for, for example, treachery or active opposition), roll on long term madness table once and on indefinite madness table once. You now have those madnesses permanently, and nothing short of connecting again to the Link by Aeris Mekhaus can cure those, not even a wish spell.
Unique design. Your look is unique among your race. Work with your DM to define exact look of your being(many eyes, arms, not bipedal, etc.) and implications of your form in game.
Omnitool. You can connect to any electronic device by simply being in a close approximity of it.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and binary language. Binary language is almost impossible to be comfortably read by any creature, but you have no problem in understanding data that is coded in it.
Suggested Characteristics
When creating a mekhane character, you can use the following table of 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 | Ideal |
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1 | To please Aeris Mekhaus is to live. |
2 | I want to see what lies beyond the steel skies. |
3 | Order must exist. Without it we wouldn't be so unique. |
4 | To hear stories must be a god privilege. To make them, mortal talent. |
5 | No other is like me! |
6 | Advance. Improve. And learn. Above all else learn. |
d6 | Bond |
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1 | I love to live. |
2 | To improve my Skill is the reason of my life. |
3 | I like gold. It's quite usefull for me. |
4 | I had a dream about broken god. I fear that dream come true. |
5 | Magic is bad! If Aeris is watching:). |
6 | Disarray is my second name. |
d6 | Flaw |
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1 | I will do anything for Aeris Mekhaus. Anything. |
2 | Here, there, doesn't matter really. |
3 | I will have this, and that. And that too. |
4 | Magic is power. And I want all of it. |
5 | None will stand in my way to greatness. |
6 | I sometimes feel... broken. |
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