Manikin

***With a touch of gold, a breath of lightning, and hours of meticulous welding and articulation, a manikin is ‘born’. Often called ‘marionettes’ or ‘living dolls’, these creatures were originally the creations of the Scions, a Luyarnhian sect who seek to craft a force capable of protecting the city. Though each manikin looks different—indeed, they can resemble any race— the thin golden stitching that joins the plates of their artificial skin is a giveaway that the creature is a man- made creation.***

***Inscribed on human eyes inside their skulls are the instructions which all manikin obey. More often than not, this includes a safety system that ensures adherence to the law and prevents a manikin turning on their master. In some cases, a crafter might even cause the manikin to feel love for their creator. Conceived as animate objects capable of carrying out the instructions, manikin who express thoughts of self- liberation are often disposed of before these thoughts turn into acts. Though the Scions intentions were initially noble, playing god has given them a taste for power and they have no intention of granting free will to their animated servants.***

## Manikin Traits:

**Creature Type:** Yharnamite

**Size:** Medium (about 5-7 feet tall) or Small (about 3-5 feet tall)

**Speed:** 30 feet

**Life Span:** It is unknown how long a Manikin lives before the magic powering them runs out

**Born to Serve:** Manikins are made to be unable to hate or resent their creators. This lapse in judgment affects you in all circumstances. You have disadvantage on Insight checks.

**Lightning Heart:** You have resistance to Lightning damage.

**Living Material:** Manikins don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe and are immune to the Poisoned condition. In addition their metallic mind is incorruptible, they have advantage on saving throws against Madness.

**Modular Gold Plating:** Your body has built-in defensive layers, which determine your armor class. You gain no AC benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a Shield, you apply its bonus as normal. Through 8 hours of work in a specialized workshop, you can alter your defensive layers to the Medium Armor or Heavy Armor options below, or back into your Unarmored state.

* Prerequisite: Unarmored; AC = 11 + your Dexterity modifier

* Prerequisite: Medium Armor proficiency; 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of 2) or Strength modifier (maximum of 3). Choose which modifier when you gain this state.

* Prerequisite: Heavy Armor proficiency; AC = 16 + your Strength modifier (maximum of 2). If you use your Strength modifier for AC, you have disadvantage on Stealth checks.

**Manikin Lineage:** Manikins can be created for a variety of purposes, but they are mostly divided into three Lineages: Custodian, Handler, and Thespian. Choose one of these Lineages:

 Handler
 Thespian
**Ethereal Strings:** As a Bonus Action, you can attach yourself to a willing creature you can see within 30 feet of you via a set of immaterial strings for 1 hour. If the creature you’re attached to doesn’t use all of its movement on its turn (if it has multiple movement speeds, pick the highest one), you can use your Reaction at the end of the turn to move a number of feet equal to its remaining movement. Once you attach yourself to a creature in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.