Inspired by Eberron’s Warforged a bit, Monster Burning, Mouseguard’s chargen and toss it into a pot of MoBu City and we’ve got Wheel-forged:
People have been creating constructs in their own image for centuries, just ask the Golem. It wasn't until recently, with MoBu City bringing together human sorcery, elven spell-songs, dwarven craftsmanship, orc blood magic, roden bomb-making, wolf spirit magic and great spider weaving in the midst of one urban sprawl that the Wheel-forged could be born.
Someone stamped a five-spoked wheel on the first Wheel-forged and from that connection to the Burning Wheel's eternal fire, it gained beliefs, instincts and life and transcended its inanimate components.
There are only four artisans who can create Wheel-forged, though it is said that Wyrd Weavers from the Spider stock and orcish Gate Forgers are close to putting their own spin on this newfound art.
For those burning up a Wheel-forged character, you will answer the following questions and then look to the answer below that will tell you the stats, skills and trait, imbuing it with life.
Who made you?
What was your maker’s purpose in crafting you?
What is your citizenship status within MoBu City?
What fascinates you about life that is outside of your maker’s purpose?
Maker: ___________________
Purpose: ___________________ Specialty: ___________________
Citizenship: ___________________
Fascination: ___________________
All Wheel-forged have the following Common Traits:
Cogs-blood
Coal Eater
Cogs-blood
Unlike creatures of flesh and blood, Wheel-forged do not heal with time. When they are hurt, they have to be healed via Enchanting, appropriate Elven craft-skills or appropriate Dwarven artifice skills. Mending is the equivalent of Field Dressing.
The Health obstacle for healing a Wheel-forged is the obstacle of the wound. If the obstacle is not met the character can take an appropriate trait to show its damage or can have an appropriate spell cast from a stock decided by the GM in order to complete the healing. Because the Wheel-forged were made through a blending of every stock’s magic and technology, the healing could take the character towards stocks unknown to them or their Maker in order to find fixing
Example: My Wheel-forged takes a midi during a burglary. He promises to spy on his master for his Maker in return for fixing. The Maker fails her healing roll, so the GM states that I need to have Wyrd Shield cast in order to fix the knife wounds in my character’s frame. The Maker proclaims, “Only a web wyrding could fix this mess you’ve made of my fine creation… Begone!”
Once my master’s family is asleep, I venture into the upper-reaches of the tower district, where the Orb Weavers live, hoping to cut a deal.
Coal Eater
The Wheel-forged needs coal as a person needs food. When they don’t get the proper amount of coal, as in a Resource lifestyle test, they take Health damage just as a human would.
Who was your maker?
• Elven Artisan:
Leathery Skin (Mobu 331): No, you don’t really have leathery skin but that’s what the armor stands in as.
Has an Elven Cloak sewed on to frame (ChaBu 113)
• Dwarven Master of Forges
Hammer Hands (Mobu, 327)
Brute (Mobu, 320):
• Human Court Enchanter
Family Heirloom (ChaBu, 276) – an item of great power was built into you
Dreamer (ChaBu, 274)
• Demented Inventor
Hands of Iron (ChaBu, 278)
Second Sight (ChaBu, 285)
What was your maker’s purpose in crafting you?
War: Some generals use these models as the first into the worst situations; others are used as personal body-guards for important figures on the battlefield. Few know what to do when they return home and have a trained and honed war machine with no blood left to spill.
Wi: B3, Pe: B3, Po: B4, Fo: B4, Ag: B4, Sp: B5, Speed Mult.: x4.5
Skills (one skill at 3, three at 2, two at 1)
Axe
Bow
Brawling
Conspicuous
Field Dressing
Hammer
Intimidation
Knives
Lance
Mace
Polearm
Spear
Staff
Sword
Throwing
Soldier-wise
Armor-wise
Traits (Choose 3)
Aches and Pains
Batshit
Boaster
Brave
Brutal
Callous
Confident
Devout
Disciplined
Curses like a Sailor
Honored
Idealistic
Mercenary
Murderous
No Nonsense
Predatory
Ornery
Regal Bearing
Restless
Seen It All
Unbeliever
Xenophobic
Domestic Service
Wi: B2, Pe: G4, Po: B2, Fo: B2, Ag: B4, Sp: B3, Speed Mult.: x4.5
Were you used to be seen and not heard or entertain the guests?
Seen, not heard: These models are often kept under the stairs, only allowed out when everyone else is asleep. These Wheel-forged often believe the world to be quiet and lonely.
Skills (one skill at 3, three at 2, two at 1)
Inconspicuous
Cooking
Etiquette
Soothing Platitudes
Mending
Bureaucracy
Appraisal
Traits (choose 3)
Insightful
Stern Demeanor
Abused
Dour
Curious
Aloof
Grumbling
Humble Before My Master
Inscrutable
Night Owl
Obedient
Remote
Romantic
Sleep
Stinky
Stutter
Trusting
Entertain the guests: These models are often turned on only for parties and social gatherings. They are often quite idiosyncratic and gain odd little quirks from the people they meet and entertain.
Skills (one skill at 3, three at 2, two at 1)
Singing
Dance
Orate
Etiquette
Musical Instrument
Poetry
Games of Chance
Observation
Theatrics
Philosophy
Traits (choose 3)
Urbane
Adorable
Aggressive
Agreeable
Ambitious
Arrogant
Callous
Confident
Cruel
Domineering
Flamboyant
Flatterer
Insightful
Jealous
Maudlin
Misanthropic
Passionate
Solipsistic
Temperamental
Heavy Labor: These models are set to hard labor and have the highest rate of damage, destruction and running away from their lot in life. Some are set to brawling, fighting other models from other work camps or tough fleshy stock who want to try their strength against a Wheel-forged brute.
Wi: B2, Pe: B2, Po: B6, Fo: B6, Ag: B4, Sp: B3 Speed Mult.: x4.5
What do you haul? Choose one: Stone-wise, Lumber-wise, Corpse-wise
Skills (4 skills at 2)
Hauling
Rider Training
Foraging
Inconspicuous
Horse-wise
Mending
Ditch Digging
Brawling
Traits (choose 2 with two more trait points to spend for any trait)
Abused
Bitter
Brave
Callous
Grim
Humility
Patient
Overworked
Proud
Scarred
Veneer of Obedience
Vitriolic
Arcane Service: These models were made to serve wizards and are the most skilled and often were treated either as trusted confidants or brutalized as tools to be used up.
There is only one model of Arcane Service.
Wi: B4, Pe: B3, Po: B3, Fo: B3, Ag: B3, Sp: B3
Skills (one skill at 3, three at 2, two at 1)
Astrology
Ancient History
Calligraphy
Demonology
History
Illuminations
Inconspicuous
Philosophy
Persuasion
Reading
Research
Rhetoric
Write
Library-wise
Sorcerer-wise
Traits (choose 3)
Ambitious
Arrogant
Callous
Confident
Corrupt
Curious
Determined
Diligent
Haunted
Humble Before my Master
Ink-stained Hands
Skeptical
Strange
Superstitious
Timid
Worldly
Your citizen status is that of a:
Slave
0 Resources
20 resource points to buy gear relating to your design specifications.
Relationships:
Owner (Hateful, Significant or important role)
Abolitionist Contact (Significant or important role, Forbidden)
Fellow Construct, same Maker, different series (Minor role, Family)
Affiliations:
1D, constructs, slaves
Reputation(take 2D in one rep and 1D in the others):
What do people say of the constructs your Maker created? Write a reputation based on that.
What do humans say about the brothers and sisters in your series? Are they known for rebelling, for being good workers, efficient killers, runaways? Write a reputation based on that.
Indentured Servant
1 Resources
20 resource points to buy gear.
Master (Hateful, Significant or important role)
Fellow Construct, same Maker, different series (Minor role, Family)
Lawyer in charge of indenturing contract (Minor role )
Reputation: (take 2D in one rep and 1D in the others)
What do people say of the constructs your Maker created? Write a reputation based on that.
What do humans say about the brothers and sisters in your series? Are they known for rebelling, for being good workers, efficient killers, runaways? Write a reputation based on that.
Bonded Servant
2 Resources
25 resources points to buy gear.
Relationships:
Maker (Family)
Construct still a slaver or indentured (minor)
Reputation: (take 2D in one rep and 1D in the others)
What do people say of the constructs your Maker created? Write a reputation based on that.
What do humans say about the brothers and sisters in your series? Are they known for rebelling, for being good workers, efficient killers, runaways? Write a reputation based on that.
What do your neighbors think of you? Write a 1D reputation based on that.
Fascination
A part of flesh society not related to your design specifications fascinates you. Take 1 skill from the list below and open that skill with the appropriate stat. Write an instinct or belief about this fascination.
Religion
Burning Wheel-wise
Cellar-wise
Orc-wise
Elf-wise
Great Spider-wise
Great Wolf-wise
Troll-wise
Dwarf-wise
Roden-wise
Demonology
Reading
Writing
Gun-wise
Lock Pick
Stealth
Cat-wise
Streetwise
Criminal-wise
Wheel-forged Abolition-wise
Law
Thoughts, criticism appreciated. Thanks.
