Fleshwarp
Fleshwarps are people whose forms were created or radically transformed by magic, alchemy, or unnatural energies. Their unorthodox appearance can make it difficult for them to find a place for themselves in the world.
Magic and science that can warp bone and twist sinew are all rare, and largely outlawed, but do exist. Fleshwarps are those who have been permanently altered by such methods—sometimes a sapient being created whole cloth from inanimate flesh, but often a victim unwillingly transformed by strange energies or sadistic creators.
The ancestry name “fleshwarp” is an umbrella term, since the actual fleshwarping process is more infamously well-known than are alterations caused by uncontrolled magic, technology, or fringe science. Whether practiced by wizards, Illegal fleshcrafters, or the Dark creatures of the Deeplands, fleshwarping is the craft of reshaping flesh and mind in vats of foul magical reagents. This has led some scholars of monsters to argue that only those beings created by traditional fleshwarping should be considered fleshwarps. Regardless of the source of their altered forms, fleshwarps bear their new shape forever, transformed beings living a wild and strange existence beyond what was possible for their original ancestry. Although fleshwarps are humanoid, no two look the same. One might possess limbs in unusual places and skin as smooth as glass, while another might have a thick matting of spiny fur. Some might have animalistic features, like a boar snout, scales, or cloven hooves. Others have entirely alien appearances, such as bulging eyes on the backs of their hands. Some may have only subtly uncanny features that differentiate them, such as glowing teeth, smoking eyes, or fingernails made of bone. The only commonality among fleshwarps is their mismatched nature. Let your imagination run wild when creating a fleshwarp character! If you want a character who is tough and hardy, can change their form as they grow, and can use their wholly unique appearance to inspire awe or fear in others, you should play a fleshwarp.
You Might...
Embrace your unusual appearance to inspire respect or fear. Be used to relying on yourself. Distrust large groups of people, particularly mobs, based on past experiences.
Others Probably...
Find your physiology fascinating or terrifying. Assume you are an expert on strange creatures or occult phenomena. Consider you an enigmatic and unpredictable—and perhaps even dangerous—outsider.
Fleshwarps are humanoids, ranging from 5 to 7 feet tall and from just under 100 pounds to more than 300 pounds. The proportion and appearance of their limbs and features differ widely, but fleshwarps functionally have two legs, two arms, and a single head; a fleshwarp with more limbs than this should consider an appropriate ancestry feat to reflect this variance, or one of their limbs might be vestigial and mostly nonfunctional. Fleshwarps differ widely in their appearance due to the unique circumstances of their creation. Even fleshwarp siblings or two people transformed through the same procedure might look wildly different.
Fleshwarps are so few in number that congregations of them are rare. They most often live on their own, with a small family group, or at the outskirts of a community. Some thrive in cities, however, where they can remain anonymous among the crowds while pursuing careers that allow them to avoid contact with people who might fear or persecute them. Fleshwarps value endurance and are quick to learn from others, so those who come into contact with others of their kind usually share stories that help each other survive, hide, or thrive more effectively. How a fleshwarp formed can be a painful or horrifying subject, one they consider rude to discuss with anyone besides close friends or loved ones.
Fleshwarps have little to gain from the broader society, and therefore rarely work to support society in turn, beyond perhaps helping other fleshwarps. They need to be able to adapt quickly to survive on their own. Although bigoted or short-sighted people view fleshwarps as monsters, fleshwarps are no more or less prone to evil than any other people, and most seek only to live their lives without trouble. This is especially true for fleshwarps living in the societies that gave birth to their traumatic transformation. Fleshwarps aren't often casually religious; most either have little to do with faith at all (viewing themselves as scorned by the gods or simply seeing faith as impractical for survival) or are exceptionally devout. Religious fleshwarps often revere Morwyn , Terak , Tinel, or Zheenkeef.
Fleshwarps often live on the margins of society. The need to defend themselves leads many fleshwarps to become barbarians, fighters, rogues, or rangers. champions and druids are common callings among fleshwarps who seek to defend and better the lot of others of their kind.
Fleshwarps can come from—and thus have names from—any culture or ancestry, but some give themselves new names after being transformed, whether to celebrate the change, recognize a new phase of their lives, or conceal their past identity. Many fleshwarps also carry a descriptive nickname granted to them by others, such as “Triple Handed,” “Barkfoot,” or “Many-Mouth.” Fleshwarps don't keep nicknames they find personally offensive, but they tend to keep ones that describe their distinctive appearances or that are given by people they care about. Sample Names Borble, Dag, Feff, Hurn, Kemp, Omber, Ostro, Shurni, Surm, Wumpin
Magic and science that can warp bone and twist sinew are all rare, and largely outlawed, but do exist. Fleshwarps are those who have been permanently altered by such methods—sometimes a sapient being created whole cloth from inanimate flesh, but often a victim unwillingly transformed by strange energies or sadistic creators.
The ancestry name “fleshwarp” is an umbrella term, since the actual fleshwarping process is more infamously well-known than are alterations caused by uncontrolled magic, technology, or fringe science. Whether practiced by wizards, Illegal fleshcrafters, or the Dark creatures of the Deeplands, fleshwarping is the craft of reshaping flesh and mind in vats of foul magical reagents. This has led some scholars of monsters to argue that only those beings created by traditional fleshwarping should be considered fleshwarps. Regardless of the source of their altered forms, fleshwarps bear their new shape forever, transformed beings living a wild and strange existence beyond what was possible for their original ancestry. Although fleshwarps are humanoid, no two look the same. One might possess limbs in unusual places and skin as smooth as glass, while another might have a thick matting of spiny fur. Some might have animalistic features, like a boar snout, scales, or cloven hooves. Others have entirely alien appearances, such as bulging eyes on the backs of their hands. Some may have only subtly uncanny features that differentiate them, such as glowing teeth, smoking eyes, or fingernails made of bone. The only commonality among fleshwarps is their mismatched nature. Let your imagination run wild when creating a fleshwarp character! If you want a character who is tough and hardy, can change their form as they grow, and can use their wholly unique appearance to inspire awe or fear in others, you should play a fleshwarp.
You Might...
Embrace your unusual appearance to inspire respect or fear. Be used to relying on yourself. Distrust large groups of people, particularly mobs, based on past experiences.
Others Probably...
Find your physiology fascinating or terrifying. Assume you are an expert on strange creatures or occult phenomena. Consider you an enigmatic and unpredictable—and perhaps even dangerous—outsider.
Physical Description
Fleshwarps are humanoids, ranging from 5 to 7 feet tall and from just under 100 pounds to more than 300 pounds. The proportion and appearance of their limbs and features differ widely, but fleshwarps functionally have two legs, two arms, and a single head; a fleshwarp with more limbs than this should consider an appropriate ancestry feat to reflect this variance, or one of their limbs might be vestigial and mostly nonfunctional. Fleshwarps differ widely in their appearance due to the unique circumstances of their creation. Even fleshwarp siblings or two people transformed through the same procedure might look wildly different.
Society
Fleshwarps are so few in number that congregations of them are rare. They most often live on their own, with a small family group, or at the outskirts of a community. Some thrive in cities, however, where they can remain anonymous among the crowds while pursuing careers that allow them to avoid contact with people who might fear or persecute them. Fleshwarps value endurance and are quick to learn from others, so those who come into contact with others of their kind usually share stories that help each other survive, hide, or thrive more effectively. How a fleshwarp formed can be a painful or horrifying subject, one they consider rude to discuss with anyone besides close friends or loved ones.
Beliefs
Fleshwarps have little to gain from the broader society, and therefore rarely work to support society in turn, beyond perhaps helping other fleshwarps. They need to be able to adapt quickly to survive on their own. Although bigoted or short-sighted people view fleshwarps as monsters, fleshwarps are no more or less prone to evil than any other people, and most seek only to live their lives without trouble. This is especially true for fleshwarps living in the societies that gave birth to their traumatic transformation. Fleshwarps aren't often casually religious; most either have little to do with faith at all (viewing themselves as scorned by the gods or simply seeing faith as impractical for survival) or are exceptionally devout. Religious fleshwarps often revere Morwyn , Terak , Tinel, or Zheenkeef.
Adventurers
Fleshwarps often live on the margins of society. The need to defend themselves leads many fleshwarps to become barbarians, fighters, rogues, or rangers. champions and druids are common callings among fleshwarps who seek to defend and better the lot of others of their kind.
Names
Fleshwarps can come from—and thus have names from—any culture or ancestry, but some give themselves new names after being transformed, whether to celebrate the change, recognize a new phase of their lives, or conceal their past identity. Many fleshwarps also carry a descriptive nickname granted to them by others, such as “Triple Handed,” “Barkfoot,” or “Many-Mouth.” Fleshwarps don't keep nicknames they find personally offensive, but they tend to keep ones that describe their distinctive appearances or that are given by people they care about. Sample Names Borble, Dag, Feff, Hurn, Kemp, Omber, Ostro, Shurni, Surm, Wumpin
Heritages
Cataphract Fleshwarp
Source Impossible Lands pg. 28
Your battle-hardened skeleton is laced with additional cartilage and muscle to help bear armor across vast areas of operation, and your skin is bedecked with tiny spurs of pliable, resilient keratin to optimize the grip and weight distribution of your armor. You gain the Armor Proficiency feat. If your class makes you trained in all types of armor, you instead become trained in Athletics (or a skill of your choice if you're already trained in Athletics) and gain the Armor Assist skill feat.
Created Fleshwarp
Source Ancestry Guide pg. 91 2.0
You were created through occult or alchemical processes, such as being grown in a vat or stitched together from the body parts of other creatures by a scientist. Your manufactured body is durable; you don't need to eat and can't starve. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to saving throws against diseases.
Discarded Fleshwarp
Source Impossible Lands pg. 28
The biomancers and mutagenists who warped your form labeled you a “discard on discovery”—a euphemism for destroying you on sight. An anomaly among anomalies, your body stubbornly repudiates the efforts of fleshcrafters seeking to mold you to their grandiose visions, and your immune responses blunt the worst effects of unwanted fleshwarping attempts. If you roll a success on a saving throw against a transmutation effect, you get a critical success instead.
Mutated Fleshwarp
Source Ancestry Guide pg. 91 2.0
Transformed by uncontrolled magic, you originated in a region similarly devastated by uncontrolled magic. Due to your toughened or redundant organs, the DC for your checks to recover from persistent bleed damage is 10 instead of 15, and it's reduced to 5 instead of 10 if you have particularly effective assistance recovering from the persistent damage.
Shapewrought Fleshwarp
Source Ancestry Guide pg. 91 2.0
A victim of fleshwarping, you likely bear loose flesh, bony spurs, or features of inhuman creatures sprouting from your skin. You have nevertheless turned the psychic toll of your transformation into a strength. You gain resistance to mental damage equal to half your level (minimum 1).
Surgewise Fleshwarp
Source Impossible Lands pg. 28
The undulations of your body's cilia are hyper-attuned to wellsprings of magic; they trill and thrum with insights into occult energies, and their vibrations alert you to the presence of secrets. You gain the trained proficiency rank in Occultism. If you're trained in Occultism, you instead become trained in another skill of your choice. You also gain the Oddity Identification skill feat.
Technological Fleshwarp
Source Ancestry Guide pg. 91 2.0
Your transformation is due to manipulation by advanced technology. Your emotions are dulled and hard to influence. When you roll a success on a saving throw against an emotion effect, you get a critical success instead.
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