Medicus

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Created in partnership by the best minds of the Material Plane combined, the robotic **medicus** were built to be healers. All medicus are programmed with a specific skill set upon creation, giving them all the knowledge and expertise of the type of doctor they were created to be. However, around the same time as the Joining, venelum reacted strangely with their mechanical biology, granting them sentience beyond their fixed programming. Their status as a race was debated at first, and only recently have they been granted the full rights held by the other races of the Material Plane.

## Etymology and Other Names

Their name is, quite simply, the most common way to say 'doctor' in New Voelestis. Many refer to them as robots or computers, though this can be viewed as insulting.

## Biology and Anatomy

Constructs made entirely of various types of surgical steel, leather, and cloth, medicus are a race built to resemble medium-sized, upright humanoids with bird-like beaks. Their visual processors are huge and round, giving the illusion of eyes. Behind a series of holes in the sides of their beaks, medicus have vocal processors that allow them to speak in a low, monotonous tone. Ball joints at their elbows allow them a wider range of motion with their forearms than the other races have. Most of their robotic bodies and legs are hidden by a robe-like cloth that drapes all the way to the ground.

Medicus run on a mixture of electricity, oil, and venelum. While it is possible for them to be powered on any one alone, generally a good amount of all three are stored at all times in order to prevent running out of fuel.

Usually, medicus are not painted after production, and remain the colors of the materials used to create them. However, some medicus have taken to painting themselves in order to emphasis their individualism and personality, and thus medicus of any color are not unheard of.

All medicus are fully programmed and operational on the day of their creation. In general, medicus do not begin to corrode, rust, or have program failures until they have been running for 20 years. Though they may continue to function beyond that age, errors and operational failures eventually lead to complete nonfunctionality.

## Sociology and Culture

Medicus culture is evolving and changing every day. Having only been around as a sentient race for less than a century, their society is still incredibly new. As a result, medicus often pick up on the sociological and cultural influences of those around them and closest to them. Overall, however, medicus were programmed to be healers. Because of this, their general attitude tends to be gentle and soft. This translates into their steadily growing culture as the natural inclination towards meditation, self-reflection, and peace.

Some medicus seek to transcend their programming parameters. These individuals renounce the title of doctor to pursue their own dream, whatever it may be.

## Behavior

Medicus do not fiddle idly when they are unoccupied, instead staying artificially still whenever they are not doing something. Because this stillness can be startling and disconcerting to the other races, some medicus have taken to occasionally twitching or imitating the steady rise and fall of breathing.

When they are nearly out of power, a medicus will begin to stutter, both in speech and activity, until their internal power sources are recharged. Because of their triple fuel sources, running out of power is rare; however, it does happen in isolated cases.

## Naming Conventions

All medicus are given the title "Doctor" upon creation, though not all medicus choose to be referred to as such, especially medicus who have deviated from their standard medical profession.

Medicus designations are, by design, made to be catchy, easy to remember, and simple to write; a tactic by public relations to make them more likeable to the world at large. Many medicus designations contain a number, pronounced as itself, along with a cluster of clever letters made to sound like a word in New Voelestis when said aloud. However, designations without numbers are also common.

Very rarely will a medicus have a designation that commonly has negative connotations. Powerful, positive words are used in most cases, or words with happy or inspiring sounds.

**Examples of medicus designations:** Dr. XLR8, Dr. NRICH, Dr. 10ACTY, Dr. MPOWR, Dr. COM4T

## Notable Medicus

* Dr. MPOWR
* Dr. 10ACITY
* Dr. 1DERFUL

## Racial Traits (3.5e)

Medicus are a **Medium** race, incurring no benefits or penalties for their size.

When their allies are injured, a medicus automatically activates their **Emergency Services**. For every ally (excluding themself) at or below half health within 100ft, a medicus gains +2 bonus to all rolls, including damage rolls. These bonuses stack.

Owing to their **Surgical Intuition**, all medicus gain +2 to Heal and Sleight of Hand.

Once per day as a standard action, a medicus may let loose an **Electric Discharge**, a ranged touch attack that deals 1d4+level damage. Anyone struck by Electric Discharge must make a DC 10+level Fortitude save to avoid becoming Dazed for one round.

Though all medicus are programmed with the basic diagnostic parameters required to perform well in any healthcare setting, each medicus is specifically programmed with a **Medical Specialization** that they are more skilled in than other specializations. The four Medical Specializations and their benefits are as follows:

*Dentist:* The medicus who are programmed to be Dentists specialize in taking care of people's teeth. As a standard action, a Dentist medicus may emit laughing gas. Adjacent creatures must make a DC 10+level Fortitude save or spend an entire turn paralyzed with uncontrollable laughter. This ability may be used 3 + Wisdom modifier times per day, but cannot be used on consecutive rounds. Dentist medicus may choose either **+2 str** *OR* **+2 wis** on top of their starting statistics.

*Psychologist:* The medicus who are programmed to be Psychologists specialize in helping sooth people with mental illnesses. Whenever an ally within a 30ft radius of the medicus needs to make a saving throw, they may use the highest mod of all allies within the radius for the save. This may be used up to 3 + Charisma modifier rounds per day. Psychologist medicus may choose either **+2 con** *OR* **+2 cha** on top of their starting statistics.

*Veterinarian:* The medicus who are programmed to be Veterinarians specialize in healing animals. Veterinarian medicus may stare at their foes, hypnotizing them. A mesmerized creature may be given a single command and must make a DC 10+level Will save or they will spend one round following the command to the best of its ability. If the command is harmful to the creature or its allies, the DC of the save decreases by 5. This gaze attack has a 30ft range and may be used 3 + int modifier times per day. Veterinarian medicus may choose either **+2 dex** *OR* **+2 int** on top of their starting statistics.

*General Practictioner:* The medicus who are programmed to be General Practictioners are jack-of-all-trades doctors. As a standard action, a General Practictioner may touch an ally to remove a single condition of their choice. They may use this ability up to 3 + Wisdom modifier times per day. General Practictioner medicus may choose either **+2 dex***OR* **+2 wis** on top of their starting statistics.