Illustrious

Illustrious are humanoid sentient creatures made of solid gemstones. They are a rare asexual species, with what are believed to be numbers only in the low thousands. Despite this, they are an energetic and social race, often living in cities or in small communities where they thrive in the limelight.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Most Illustrious are almost identical in height and build, appearing thin, slender and almost exclusively feminine.

Genetics and Reproduction

When examining Illustrious, researchers have been unable to identify any differences between them and non living gemstones.
The quandary of what the difference between an Illustrious and regular gemstones becomes even more blurred when examining their method of reproduction. Illustrious can build new Illustrious from gemstones of the same type. It can be difficult and expensive to get enough gemstones to completely build a new Illustrious, and it is difficult work to properly shape the gemstones into a flawless humanoid form. It is a major event whenever a new Illustrious is born.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Illustrious have no need to eat. However, when damaged they sometimes consume rocks matching their gemstone type in order compact that material and heal themselves.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Illustrious are often named after the gemestone they are made out of. This can include names like Diamond, Jade, and Beryl.

Beauty Ideals

Most Illustrious greatly value their personal appearance and use a sort of thick white paste made from calcium to paint over their bodies, only letting their gemstone hair and eyes keep its natural gem color. This makeup is specifically designed to interlock with the Illustrious's gemstone lattice and can last a very long time as long as it isn't washed off. This has led to some outsiders thinking that Illustrious have skin just like many other mortal races due to how smooth the paste can look when applied properly.

Gender Ideals

Illustrious have no gender or sex. Although their figures have been called 'feminine' by many. Some may appear and act more masculine and others more feminine, but it is purely a choice based on personality.

Common Dress Code

Most Illustrious wear simple light form fitting outfits. Since they have no sexual organs, they oft dress this way more for the sake of other races and to save on makeup rather than out of any sense of dignity.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

When a new Illustrious is about to be born, many Illustrious gather together for the celebration and to help teach the newborn about the world.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Given they are immortal, the Illustrious are often viewed with jealousy by the other races. And given their near immortality, the Illustrious often struggle to understand the concept of death and how it may effect the other races.
Furthermore, given they are composed of precious stones, they are often targeted by thieves guilds seeking to smash their bodies apart and sell the remains for large profits.

RPG Datasheet

5e:
Illustrious Traits
Due to their unique anatomy, Illustrious have several notable traits:
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age: Illustrious are immortal unless their soul is destroyed
Alignment: Given their lack of home or overarching culture, most Illustrious tend to be chaotic.
Size: Illustrious rarely vary much in size or build, usually standing around 1.7 meters tall and having a slender build. Your size is medium.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30ft.
Bodies of Living Stone: Illustrious are immune to disease do not need to eat, breath, or drink and are, in-fact, incapable of doing so as they have no stomach or internal organs.
Natural Armor: As to be expected of a living gemstone, Illustrious can be difficult to damage. Their AC when not wearing armor is increased to 12+dex. If wearing light or medium armor or benefiting from an unarmored defense trait, they get a flat +1 to their AC.
Dense Bodies: Even if they are not heavy, the density of their gemstone bodies makes it so they cannot swim effectively, they have disadvantage on Athletics checks made while swimming.
True Immortality: Illustrious cannot die. When reduced to 0 hp, they make death saving throws as usual, but instead of dying once they reach three failures, their body shatters and they cannot be returned to consciousness until someone spends 1d4+1 days and 250gp worth of the appropriate type of gemstone rebuilding them. Once they have been rebuilt, they suffer the usual debuffs to having been resurrected. Furthermore, because they cannot truly die, Illustrious cannot be targeted by any form of resurrection spell or even Reincarnate.
Languages: You can speak and read Common and one other language of your choice.
Subspecies:
There are a number of subspecies of Illustrious made from different types of gemstones.
Diamond:
Ability Increase: Diamonds gain a +1 to their Charisma
Brittle Cleavage: Diamonds gain resistance to non magical slashing damage, but when struck with a critical hit, they take 3x the normal damage, rather than the usual 2x the amount of die rolled is effected by brutal critical or similar skills.
Bornite:
Ability Score Improvement: Bornites gain a +1 to their Strength
Microscopic Crystallization: Your crystalline form is comprised of microscopic interconnecting gemstones. This makes it significantly harder for you to crack or fracture. As such you have advantage on Constitution saving throws and Death Saving throws.
Quartz:
Ability Score Improvement: A Quartz's Wisdom improves by +1
Crystallin Blessing: Quartz have a limited ability to absorb toxic energy. They have a pool of points equal to their level. As a standard action, you can touch a friendly unit and heal it up to the number of points you have in your pool. Alternatively, at 10th level, you can choose to end one negative effect on an ally. Once used, this skill cannot be used again until the end of a long rest.
Beryl:
Ability Score Improvement: A Beryl’s mind shines as brightly as its body. Your Intelligence increases by +1.
Multifaceted Mind: A Beryl has advantage when making saving throws against mind altering effects such as illusions, charming spells, or attacks that deal psychic damage. Additionally, if someone attempts to read a Beryl’s mind, even at surface level, the Beryl may make their saving throw to prevent it.
Starfinder:
Racial Traits: Ability Score Improvements: +2 Con Hit Points: 6
Size and Type: Illustrious are Medium Humanoids with the Illustrious subtype.
Movement: Illustrious have a movespeed of 30ft
Senses: Illustrious have no special senses and are not blind so they are not immune to gaze attacks.
Languages: Illustrious speak Common. Illustrious with high Intelligence can choose from the following; Aklo, Sylvian, Aurellian, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Manu, or Pasimachus.
Bodies of Living Stone: Illustrious are immune to disease do not need to eat, breath, or drink and are, in-fact, incapable of doing so as they have no stomach or internal organs.
Natural Armor: As to be expected of a living gemstone, Illustrious can be difficult to damage. They have a +1 natural armor bonus to their AC.
Dense Bodies: Even if they are not heavy, the density of their gemstone bodies makes it so they cannot swim effectively, they a -8 to swim checks.
True Immortality: Illustrious cannot die. When reduced to negative their CON modifier, their body shatters and they cannot be returned to consciousness until someone spends 1d4+1 days and 500 credits worth of the appropriate type of gemstone rebuilding them. Once they have been rebuilt, they suffer the usual debuffs to having been resurrected. Furthermore, because they cannot truly die, Illustrious cannot be targeted by any form of resurrection spell or even Reincarnate.
Diamond: Ability Increase: Diamonds gain a +1 to their Charisma
Brittle Cleavage: Diamonds gain dr 5/energy, but when struck with a melee critical hit, they take one extra die of damage.
Bornite:
Ability Score Improvement: Bornites gain a +1 to their Strength
Microscopic Crystallization: Your crystalline form is comprised of microscopic interconnecting gemstones. This makes it significantly harder for you to crack or fracture. As such you have advantage on Fortitude saving throws.
Quartz:
Ability Score Improvement: A Quartz's Wisdom improves by +1
Crystallin Blessing: Quartz have a limited ability to absorb toxic energy. They have a pool of points equal to their level. As a standard action, you can touch a friendly unit and heal it up to the number of points you have in your pool. Alternatively, at 10th level, you can choose to end one negative effect on an ally including a poison effect or 1d4 of ability score damage. Once used, this skill cannot be used again until the end of a long rest.
Beryl:
Ability Score Improvement: A Beryl’s mind shines as brightly as its body. Your Intelligence increases by +1.
Multifaceted Mind: A Beryl has a +2 to will saves when making saving throws against mind altering effects such as illusions, charming spells, or attacks that deal psychic damage. Additionally, if someone attempts to read a Beryl’s mind, even at surface level, the Beryl may make their saving throw to prevent it.

The Illustrious were made by Atlus to help serve him during the Celestial Divine war. Unlike their father, the Illustrious rarely exhibit extreme emotions such as greed or jealousy. Traits probably lacking to reduce the chances of attempting to steal from their Father.
Due to their extremely low numbers, the Illustrious do not have any major cities or kingdoms of their own. Rather many travel the world as merchants, adventurers, or entertainers.

Scientific Name

lapide viventem

Lifespan

Illustrious are the one 'true immortal' of the mortal races. Even if their bodies are shattered, they can be repaired and return to life. However, if their souls are directly attacked, they can be permanently killed.

Average Height

1.7 meters

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

An Illustrious's entire form is made from a single type of gemstone, usually all of the same color as well. This includes a formation at the top of the Illustrious's head that resembles hair and can be carefully sculpted into different styles by experts.

Creating an Illustrious:
The creation of an Illustrious is an expensive and time consuming process that can only be carried out by the hands of another Illustrious. The body of the new Illustrious must be made completely out of flawless gemstones of the same type carefully crafted to interlock with each other, regardless of coloration. This means that since both Emeralds and Aquamarines are types of Beryls, they can be used together in the construction of an Illustrious. The average cost of making an Illustrious can vary dependent on the chosen gemstone. But it usually costs around 500,000GP to secure enough of the raw materials and can take up to 1d20+30 weeks to properly cut and connect every gemstone into the perfect shape. The instant the last gemstone is locked in place, the Illustrious awakens. A new born Illustrious is a blank slate and must be taught how to read, write, and talk. It usually takes around 20 years for an Illustrious to learn everything that is considered essential to be considered an adult in most societies and will likely venture off on its own at that time.