Necroji

Necroji are a playable race in the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition setting Mists of Akuma. Products of foul necromantic magitek called "necroscience", necroji are blanched human skeletons interwoven with mechanical components and granted an unnatural life by combining slivers of the soul of the body's original occupant with further soul-slivers taken from eight of that soul's ancestors. Created and used by the distant continent of Ropaeo as soldiers, infiltrators and saboteurs, they have outlived their now-fallen masters and have begun to surface in Soburin. Cursed by their descendants with an unlife that can only be cut short through a violent end, these walking abominations of foreign ancestry are as much a mystery to the people of Soburin as they are yet another heretical horror left by their defeated enemies.

It is immediately apparent what necroji are when seen in the light of day or within a lightning lantern’s radiance—undead empowered by science and infused with technology that animates their skeletal form. As inhuman as their appearance suggests, most necroji easily fit into the shadows of society in Soburin and are very at home waiting in the darkness with their blades drawn. Rarely taught morality, they are incredibly pragmatic and do whatever is required of them to survive in a world predicated to fear and despise them.

Formerly human (though there is some debate on that matter), necroji are as tall as they were in life and though far thinner weigh more due to the technology woven throughout their bodies. Aware of the fear that most of Soburin has for both science and the unnatural, the undead automatons hide themselves beneath many layers of clothing or armor, exposing as little of their grotesque forms as possible (though the violet energy seeping from their metallic parts and their burning crimson eyes are difficult to conceal). It is difficult to mistake necroji for simple skeletons; in addition to cables and wiring snaking through their bones, magical runes inscribed on their skulls lock away the souls enabling the the machinery that animates them.

Each necroji's amalgamated artificial soul is a unique conglomeration of its nine constituent soul fragments, creating a unique blend of traditions, rites and personality aspects. A necroji's sense of culture is a pastiche of a foreign past, but at the same time, they cling to it with great fervor. Perhaps because they already have such a hard time disguising their physical differences, necroji rarely adopt to Soburin customs or mannerisms without being forced to. Likewise, they are highly disinclined to unite with other necroji; no band of more than a dozen of these techno-arcane undead has ever been seen, and the concept of a "necroji settlement" is laughable at best. Instead, they carve out an existence for themselves in the shadows and back alleys of civilization, or else in the distant wilderness. Their resilient construction and extreme patience makes them naturally adept as guerillas, bandits and even shinobi - in fact, the shinobi clans of Soburin have been the one branch of Soburin culture to practically welcome necroji with open arms, since they excel at infiltrating and sabotating locales too hazardous for conventional ninja to penetrate.

It is a rare thing for a necroji to embrace anything but maliciousness; most of their ropaeo ancestors eschewed kindness and the very nature of the necroscience that animates them is predicated towards evil. More than any other reason is the races’ weakness to holy powers—their vulnerability instills in them a revulsion for the forces that most consider to be distilled manifestations of good. Coupled with the roles society so often thrusts upon them, walking the path of the righteous it is an almost insurmountable task for the undead automatons.

PC Stats

Ability Score Increase: +1 Constitution

Size: Medium

Speed: 25 feet

Darkvision 60 feet

Hated: You gain the Hated condition - see below.

Vulnerability: Radiant

Undead Abomination: You gain resistance to cold, lightning, necrotic, poison, and piercing damage. You do not need to eat, drink water, or breathe, and you are immune to the poisoned condition. You still require a resting period that emulates sleep in order to recharge your inner workings.

Condition: Hated

You have disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks against any humanoid that doesn’t also have the hated condition but you never have disadvantage on Charisma (Intimidation) or Haitoku (Intimidation) checks.