Aeormaton

Aeormaton
Fan art of Devexian, an Aeormaton, by Lap Pun Cheung.
Biological Information
Type	Humanoid
Physical Characteristics
Eye color	Glowing and sometimes alternating: blue, red, green, orange
Distinctions	Metallic body (may also have stone and rubbery material) Crystalline power core
Sociocultural Information
Also known as	Arcane guardian
Planes	Material Plane (Exandria)
Locations	Aeor
Language	Aeorian
Notable members	Devexian Fresh Cut Grass F.R.I.D.A. Frog

Aeormatons are artificial humanoid constructs created by the people of Aeor during the Age of Arcanum.

Physical description

Some Aeormatons from the time of Aeor's fall are humanoid in shape. The first one the Mighty Nein found was just under seven feet tall, had joints as seemingly natural and maneuverable as a human's, and was made of stone, metals enchanted with grooves and runes, and strange rubber-like materials. This individual had a smooth head and an articulated jaw. Others share the smooth head and jaw, and have decorative etchings and filigree engraved into their body, but apparently have bodies made of metal exclusively. Aeormatons have eyes that glow a dull hue when they're powered on. Inside their chest cavity or head is a red crystal which plugs into a socket. The gem appears to be the central power unit for an Aeormaton.

At least one Aeormaton, awakened after the re-emergence of Aeor's "arcane guardians", was built much smaller and with a wheel instead of two legs.

Aeormatons' eyes take different colors, and may alternate colors depending on their emotional state. The glow of the eyes can dim slightly when the Aeormaton is engaged in introspection and lost in thought. Some have eyes that have only been seen glowing one color: a dull blue, or green. One Aeormaton ordinarily had blue eyes, but they could turn red when the Aeormaton was highly distressed. One had orange eyes that changed to glow green on occasion.

Internally, Aeormatons have a fluid that mechanically enables their movement, and that fluid can be manipulated with hemocraft (blood magic).

History

“

The process of creation is different between purely organic creatures and those of artifice. Much like two of you might create a child, I was indeed created, but through intellect, through power.

”

– 

Devexian

[!h]

Fan art of FCG and FRIDA, two aeormatons of different kind, by Sabira Langevin.

Although automatons of all kinds were common during the Age of Arcanum, only the Aeorians were able to give them true sentience. Although there was a long period of Aeorian history in which they were just considered servants, many of the Aeormatons of that time worked and fought hard for their freedom and to establish themselves as equals among their creators, and were eventually recognized as citizens. Even then, and until the fall of the city, the issue of whether or not they had souls remained controversial.

At some point after their creation and before the Calamity (although the exact period is currently unknown), Aeorian politicians gave several of their Aeormatons to different people around Exandria, as some sort of a peace offering or reaching for collaboration. Those automatons worked as caretakers or helpful companions until they tried to kill those to whom they were gifted; not all of them succeeded, and some even survived that rebellion. The event, known in history as The Care and Culling, created a precedent from which it was very rare to see Aeorian technology outside of said city, and thus it is now rare to find remnants of it far from its ruins in Eiselcross.

Official art of Frog the aeormaton, by Elaine Tipping.

In 836 PD, the Mighty Nein encountered a number of destroyed Aeormatons in their exploration of Aeorian ruins. At the A2 crash site, the first Aeormaton they found was unpowered and trapped in stone rubble. In the main Aeorian ruins, in the Praesidis Ward, they partially repaired an Aeormaton and named him "Charlie". They later brought this Aeormaton to a repair terminal in the Genesis Ward, where they were fully restored. The Aeormaton, whose true designation was Devexian, parted ways from the Mighty Nein to find his associates.

Since Devexian was brought back online, he went about reactivating many other Aeormatons, who began to leave their ruined home city and find their way in an Exandria much different than the one they remembered. According to Imahara Joe, between 838 PD and 843 PD Aeormatons began widely "waking up" and became much more common in Marquet, with presence in other continents like Issylra. By 843 PD, "arcane guardians" had been seen by those as far away as Jrusar in Marquet.

Harmonious Aeormatons

Harmonious Aeormatons were designed as peacekeepers and diplomatic associates, and used as guides and communicators. During The Care and Culling event several of them were used as gifts to Aeorian political rivals or enemies before being triggered to assassinate their hosts. Fresh Cut Grass was one such Harmonious Aeormaton.

Far Ranging Integrated Defense Aeormaton

The history of these Aeormatons is unknown. After awakening, an Aeormaton named themselves F.R.I.D.A. after reading the text inside their face plate. They have shown the ability to record sound and play the sounds they've recorded.

Traits and abilities

Aeormatons are the Exandrian equivalent of the warforged from the Eberron setting, and seem to have roughly the same base traits.

• Constructed Resilience
  • Resistant to poison damage and advantage on saves against the poisoned condition
  • Doesn't require air, food, or drink
  • Doesn't require sleep and can't be put to sleep by magic. Rather than sleep, FCG enters "Stasis Mode".
  • Immune to disease
• Integrated Protection: +1 AC, must spend 1 hour to integrate armor onto their body, integrated armor can't be removed unwillingly
  • In at least one case, an Aeormaton received help with integrating magical armor
• Specialized Design: Proficiency in one skill and one tool

Special

Aeormatons have additional traits and abilities, some of which are based on the Aeormaton's intended role.

Fan art of FCG and his core, by Kaw.

The arcane core of an Aeormaton is filled with energy, and if the core is damaged in a particular way, it can result in an explosion that not only destroys the Aeormaton's body but also creates significant damage in a narrow but very destructive blast radius with its own gravitational pull.

One Aeormaton, who had a companion role, reported having been engineered without the ability to feel pain.

Harmonious Aeormatons can innately cast Calm Emotions once per day.

Far Ranging Integrated Defense Aeormatons have an ability called Living Shield: when an attack is made against a creature within 5 feet of the Aeormaton, the Aeormaton can use their reaction to impose disadvantage on that attack.

Known Aeormatons

• Dweomer: A clockwork sorcerer who worked for Laerryn Coramar-Seelie.
• S.I.L.A.H.A.: A mortal incarnation of the Arch Heart, created in Aeor itself, and the owner of the Ars Elysia in the Ars Ward.
• Devexian: Found and repaired by the Mighty Nein in the Praesidis Ward.
• Frog: A monk (formerly librarian) living in Issylra.
• Fresh Cut Grass: A Harmonious Aeormaton cleric who lived in Marquet in 843 PD and a member of the Bells Hells until his auto-destruction in Ruidus.
• F.R.I.D.A.: A fighter/rogue/cleric living in Uthodurn.

Trivia

• Doty, a humanoid mechanical construct created by Taryon Darrington, is not an Aeormaton, although he shares several features with them. Doty acts more like a computer programmed to do specific tasks and responds to commands, rather than having free will, like Devexian or Fresh Cut Grass exhibited.
• The knowledge of Aeormaton creation has been lost to time, and Devexian is doing research about the subject.
• Reactivated Aeormatons, even when they don't remember their past lives, retain some aspects of their former behavior and taste: thus, a former librarian will still have an appreciation for books and learning.

References

Art: