Craftforged

The **Craftforged** are a race of sentient, intelligent constructs and are supposedly related to the Warforged, which both claim descent from the Forged. They are made of a combination of material that could include cloth, porcelain, glass, wood, mortar, metal, stone, and crystals. The Craftforged have no sovereign lands, nations, or settled cultures. Though this could be attributed to their limited number, the Craftforged claim that they do not want to build towns or nations for their people. They share this trait with their Warforged cousins. Unlike their Warforged cousins, Craftforged still travel in sizeable groups. Craftforged are mute across the board, and have learned to communicate to other races through sign language, dance, art, and rarely through magic. Craftforged are able to communicate to each other and Warforged through imperceptible vibrations. This has made the Craftforged excellent at communication in spite of their handicap.

### Society

Craftforged do not have any form of settled society, and defining what a Craftforged society can be is difficult. The Craftforged do not share the need to settle down, and do not age in the same way more organic creatures do. A Craftforged can rust, chip, and become worn away; however, a Craftforged is essentially immortal so long as their Core Crystal, or physical manifestation of their soul, is operating undamaged or at a proficient level.

Due to this perceived immortality, some people find Craftforged dangerous or subjects to experiments. The insatiable curiosity of those trying to discover the secrets of the Forged can lead to individuals attacking, kidnapping, and testing Craftforged. Due to this reality, Craftforged have developed a culture of avoiding towns and cities, only stopping in them for brief periods of time. Craftforged are more likely to stay near a small village for a slightly extended period of time due to the amount of people that need to be kept track of being far less than in a town or city.

Craftforged are sometimes seen as transients and vagabonds, but this only describes an isolated Craftforged rather than an entire group. A group of Craftforged is akin to a roaming caravan, where Craftforged of multiple material makes congregate to accomplish some form of community and fulfilling basic social needs.

Despite this roaming caravan community fulfilling many basic needs, the Craftforged still have three kinds of callings in their life. The first calling is a calling of Wanderlust. Craftforged are obsessed with travel and discovery, and want to see as much as the world has to offer. They hope their inability to age will keep this need realistic. The second calling is a calling of Craftsmanship. Craftforged were in some way made to make things. This has meant that Craftforged will build structures, create art, and make new tools. The third and final calling for a Craftforged is the calling of Socializing. Craftforged love to engage with other people, especially new people, and need gratification to be happy.

With these callings in mind, these caravans of Craftforged will create carnivals. They fulfill the need to explore, as they will create carnivals and explore the land surrounding the fairgrounds. They fulfill the need to create, as they are building and sewing tents, using and crafting tools, and making prizes for carnival games. They also fulfill the need to socialize, as the carnivals attract nearby locals for entertainment and the Craftforged can be given praise for their entertainment and work.

This sustains an economy of some kind with the Craftforged, and the Craftforged can pack up and leave wherever they were entertaining at any point.

Some Craftforged are known to become pirates.

### Alignment & Religion

Craftforged are rarely Lawful, as the rules that define their societies are always loosely defined. Craftforged usually only follow the laws of the place they are in out of necessity rather than some spiritual connection to the law. A Craftforged is far more likely to be Chaotic in nature, especially since they are so used to adapting to a new environment.

Though their expressive and communicative nature would imply that they are inherently Good, that is not necessarily the case. A Craftforged can absolutely hate whomever they communicate with, and may get express pleasure from swindling an innocent shopper or commoner. Some are merely indifferent, and have no need to help those in need or hurt those who harm others, and are more guided by their own philosophies.

Craftforged often worship deities that promote freedom, travel, entertainment, and craftsmanship; therefore, gods like Koga, Catacoma, and Sognar are popular choices for worship. Other deities can receive the prayers of a Craftforged, but Chaotic ones are the most popular.

### Physical Characteristics

There are multiple varieties of Craftforged, making them very unique in their own special ways; however, Craftforged do share a few traits universally.

All Craftforged have lenses for eyes made of a very fine crystalline substance, and they emanate a very dim glow to signify if they are "awake." Craftforged also have a Core Crystal, often located in the chest or head, which is the physical manifestation of their soul and thoughts. Craftforged almost universally are composed of an outer shell of defining material with metal underneath to create their skeleton and joints. These are very complex mechanisms, and breaking a joint can be extremely debilitating. Where these joints are depends on the make of the Craftforged and their purpose.

Since Craftforged are artificial, their means of reproduction are unknown. How a Porcelain or Wood Craftforged is made is a closely guarded secret of all Craftforged, and a non-Craftforged has never seen the act of creating a Craftforged or their "births."

Aside from general personality, what separates a Craftforged from a Warforged is how fragile and weak a Craftforged is. Craftforged are skilled in many different ways, but the art of martial combat is almost foreign to them. Further, a Craftforged can evidently feel physical pain, leading them to avoid physical confrontations.

#### Porcelainkind

A Porcelainkind, often shortened to a Porcelain or Glass, is considered the most beautiful manifestation of a Craftforged, and they are often the face of a Craftforged caravan. They are intricately made, and though they are obviously their own race they are also physically appealing to most races on Ladiris. Their outer shell is made of smooth porcelain, as the name implies, and is often covered in intricate designs to accentuate their features and personality. They often find success as dancers in some way, but their fragile shell means that they are very delicate. They are the rarest of their people.

#### Logkind

Woodkind, often called a Wood, is a roughly shaped Craftforged made of strong wooden material. These Craftforged are usually plodding, but this is due to a thoughtful nature that makes them valuable members of a Craftforged caravan. They are also natural builders, and maintain a consistent quality of work with rapid turnover time, and can build a basic structure very quickly. Woodkind rely on more innovative Craftforged to survive, but keep the communities grounded and provide wisdom when needed. They are also extremely artistic.

#### Brickkind

Brickind, sometimes called Mortars and Bricks, are blocky and are made of claylike materials. Despite the nickname, Brickind are not made of mortar and only use it as temporary solvent. Brickind have a very mathematical mind, and are constantly measuring their surroundings and forming hypotheses. They constantly come up with the new ideas and concepts for a caravan, and are constantly seeking approval for a new project. Brickind are also the most likely to be blessed with innate magical talent.

#### Clothkind

A Clothkind, or a Textile, is the smallest physically compared to their cousins, but are able to encompass more space than their kin as well. Clothkind don't have an all encompassing outer shell like the others, and seeing a Textile's joints and 'skeleton' is common. They are swathed in cloth and textiles, which acts as their skin. They have a strange magical property that allows them to change the color and pattern of their cloth parts by pushing a design onto their face, and replacing their pattern through some strange form of magical osmosis. These Craftforged are the most likely to be isolated, as their wanderlust calling is often greater than any of the other Craftforged. Textiles are also the most populous of their people, so there are plenty of Clothkind in a caravan just based on variation and sheer number. They are often the acrobats of their carnivals, and sew the many colors and patterns of tents, clothing, and much more.

### Standard Racial Traits

**Ability Score Modifiers:** +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength. A standard Craftforged is gregarious in spite of their lack of voice, and are very lithe; however, they are extremely weak as the materials that they are made of can be quite fragile. Craftforged are Constructs, and therefore do not have Constitution scores.

**Type:** Craftforged are Constructs. (+20 RP)

**Normal Speed:** Craftforged have a base speed of 30 feet.

**Low-Light Vision:** Craftforged have low-light vision.

**Darkvision:** Craftforged have Darkvision out to 60 ft..

**Repair Magic:** Craftforged have developed magic to keep them more self-sufficient. They can use make whole as a spell-like ability once per day. Craftforged of specific materials (see below) gain a different spell-like ability as indicated

**Emotional:** A Craftforged possesses emotions. A Craftforged that desires to make use of or benefit from a class feature that provides morale bonuses (such as the barbarian’s rage ability or the wilder’s euphoric surge ability) requires this racial trait. A Craftforged is not immune to mind-affecting effects.

**Mute:** Craftforged are capable of comprehending and communicating through language, but are mute and therefore cannot speak without magical assistance. Without a magic item or enchantment to grant a Craftforged a voice, they cannot use verbal components to cast spells, nor speak audibly or make Perform (Sing) checks. (-3 RP)

**Not Buoyant:** Craftforged take a -4 penalty to all Swim checks. Though they do not need to breathe, severe pressure can cause a Craftforged to start breaking down. (-1 RP)

**Skilled:** Craftforged have a +2 racial bonus on Craft and Profession checks. Craftforged of specific materials (see below) gain a +2 bonus on different skill checks as indicated.

**Languages:** Craftforged can speak Common Sign and Craftforged Interpretive (a form of sign language that is primarily spoken and understood by Craftforged). A Craftforged with high intelligence scores can learn any language, and any sign language equivalent if it’s applicable.

**Subraces**

 Spell-like Ability: Loses this trait. Modifies Mute to be able to cast spells with verbal components, and can use Perform (Sing) checks.

 Spell-like Ability: Blend. Further, a Clothkind can change the appearance of the fabric that make up their body through osmosis of another fabric once a day.

 Spell-like Ability: Prestidigitation

 Spell-like Ability: Shield Other

### Character Creation and Adventurers

Craftforged adventurers are not uncommon amongst their people. The Three Callings of the Craftforged do not have to be fulfilled through a caravan, it is just most often preferred for safety. A Craftforged will almost always have a deep connection to their parents and caravan, regardless of how far away they are. Being born as a Craftforged is never an accident, and is a planned and laborious process. Because of this, it is extremely difficult to find a Craftforged who does not have a meaningful connection to their families. Many Craftforged will leave the caravan or group they travel with for the caravan's or the group's sake.

Craftforged can practice nearly any adventurer's craft; however, practicing to become a Paladin is extremely unlikely for a Craftforged due to their lack of a considerable monastic tradition and unlawful tendencies.

Craftforged outside of the Porcelainkin are extremely unlikely to become Bards, as they are unable to produce noise without an instrument due to their lack of a voice. Porcelainkin are the exception because they are able to produce a melodious sound through considerable practice.

Craftforged are not without teachers and educators. Craftforged love to pick up new skills and pass them down to the next generation; thus, Craftforged wizards and magi have obtained considerable power. An Alchemist can also be raised from the Craftforged quite easily, as selling potions and reagents, as well as other concoctions, are integral to running a shop in a Craftforged carnival.

Craftforged caravans are some of the few places where witches are not treated with caution or fear unless they outright deserve it. The superstitions of witchcraft are almost entirely foreign to a Craftforged.

**Names:** Though a Craftforged is in essence sexless, they can still assign a gender to themselves should they choose to, whether that is male, female, non-binary, agender, or fluid. Even the Porcelainfolk, who are the most humanlike of all the Craftforged, will not necessarily gender themselves based on their appearance, nor are they expected to. A Craftforged does not have gendered names, and rarely will assign themselves one. More often, they follow similar guidelines as their cousins, the Warforged. For a list of example names and how names work in a Craftforged society, copy and paste this link: nameandnames.com/warforged-names/

### Trivia/Designer Commentary

When I came up with the concept for Craftforged in college, it is because I was scrolling through D&D Instagram and stumbled across a post of art that someone made. As much as I wish I could say I came up with the Craftforged, it's simply not true. Instead, this artist who barely had a couple dozen likes on her post made (what I think was called) Craftfolk. They reminded me heavily of the Warforged, but they seemed a lot softer, more human, and a lot happier than the heavy militaristic constructs of D&D settings. That post contained what would become the Porcelainkin and the Woodkin in this setting, and I eventually added Textilekin and Brickin. I allow my players to vary what kind of material their Craftforged is made of if they choose to make one, so long as they follow those subtypes and it's realistic.

If anyone ever finds that piece of art depicting the Craftforged, please send it my way. I really want to look at it and remember how excellent an idea it was, then personally thank the artist.

In terms of rules... Yeah, it's a lot to keep track of. It's hard making a sentient construct not overpowered! I copied a good chunk of rules from the Pathfinder-2-Eberron conversion, but a lot is inherently my own. When playing a Craftforged, remember that it will be difficult to roleplay *and* to play mechanically. If you are up to the challenge, it is a rewarding experience.