Sandorn

The Sandorn are ideal for players who want a total blank slate, one of the Stolen has no memories of anything and awaken from the sands of the Scar Desert with nothing. Alternatively, those who want to play someone who has endured the weight of ages and comes out to see the world far different than what it once was. To have to learn of this new world while also trying to aid your fellow Sandorn still on their vigil. Those are just a few ideas for the Sandorn it is by no means the only ones available. While magic is rare among them as a worse fate was often assigned to them, some Sandorn managed to slip through the cracks or had magic awaken in them over the long ages exposed to the lingering power of the Golden King locked away in his tomb. A Sandorn artificer who desires to make more like them would be seen as a villain by the Sandorn, but one trying to undo the work of the Golden King could be great hope to some.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Sandorn have two forms to them, their armored forms which include fusing armor to their bodies that can be replaced or repaired. Their armor is considered a skin of sorts, for their true body has none. Their true body is the skeleton of their species where the bone has been turned into metal with a golden coloration to it.

Genetics and Reproduction

The Sandorn can't reproduce on their own, and most would never want to.

Dietary Needs and Habits

My Glanadair shall want not for food or water, no sleep shall they take to hinder their work. Not even a breath shall they require as they bring order to this chaotic world. -Golden King

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Most reside in the Sephelcur of Silence within the Scar Desert

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They have no sense of taste, smell and feel no pain. They still have a sense of sight, sound, and touch.

Civilization and Culture

Gender Ideals

The Sandorn often retain the gender they had in their previous life, those that have forgotten their original can pick whatever they want. In truth, though the Sandorn doesn't have much use for gender it is something that they maintain from their former lives.

Common Taboos

Aiding in the construction of more Sandorn.

History

The unfortunate fate of those who distinguished themselves in battle against the forces of the Golden King, the Sandorn are creations of Golemancy a unique blending of necromancy, golem creation, and transmutation. The fallen champions were made to fight against their former allies, their souls and minds twisted by the Golden King, at least for a time. The Sandorn were hated and feared for their ability, but they were also the turning point of the war against the Golden King, when they began to remember who they were what was a perfect engine of war faltered. One of the most famous examples was when a former prince named Adrian Morvheir found his betrothed Hilda Von Sydow of Rhyderia on the battlefield set on avenging her fallen beloved. Regardless of the truth of the story when the Sandorn began to remember who they were they sided with their former comrades once more and opened the way to a direct strike against the Golden King who never even comprehended that his perfect engines of war were capable of slipping their yoke and betraying him. When it became clear that the Golden King couldn't be destroyed, he was instead sealed with the Sandorn stating that they would remain to ensure that their charge would never again threaten the world.
The Sandorn are drawn from any of the other races, humans are the most numerous because they were the majority in the war. They were created by the Golden King, their souls pulled partially out of their bodies, the flesh and organs wilted away, and their bones transmuted into metal that has a golden sheen to it but is far stronger. The soul is then allowed to snap back into the body where the final bits of magic are woven to bind the soul and mind to the Golden King's orders. Originally they were called Glanadair, Cleansers as their purpose was to lead the armies of mindless drones to cleanse the world of chaos. The true process is something those that remember it never wish to speak of, and was only truly known to the Golden King and is thankfully sealed away.

Historical Figures

Adrian Morvheir was the first of the Glanadair to free himself from the bonds of the Golden King and helped the others free themselves. He is seen as their defacto leader for having saved them.

Common Myths and Legends

Adrian and Hilda

The tale focuses on Hilda seeing the armored machine adorned in her beloved's armor wielding his once pristine glaive now befouled by the blood of innocents. That in the final moment before the machine delivered death to Hilda it stopped, and spoke her name tentatively as if having forgotten. Adrian had begun to retake control of himself, he issued the order to fallback, the first time the golem army of the Golden King had ever done so. He soon became overwhelmed by his former life returning to him and realization of what happened. He ordered the mindless drones of his army to the south away from the tower of the Golden King. He took the other Sandorn under the pretense of a mission requiring stealth with him and all the while he used the knowledge of his former life to place them in a fallback position he knew about where Hilda used for her troops. He ordered his followers into hibernation near what he said would be their ambush point, with orders to capture the best of the fighters. Adrian himself moved to the camp after ensuring the rest had entered hibernation. When the guards saw him and began to sound the alarm he continued to approach his weapon not drawn he instead stated his name which stopped the camp in its tracks for a moment before surprised turned to anger that this monster claimed to be one of their former champions. The retelling varies a great deal at this point with some saying that Adrian barehanded fought his way to Hilda to tell her the truth of what happened, while others say he threw himself on her mercy. At this point, only Adrian himself knows the truth but the important part of history is when the mages within the camp divined the nature of the manipulation that was done to Adrian who was still struggling with the commands of the Golden King in his mind and soul. The mages were able to break the spells binding Adrian to the Golden King but could do nothing to return his body to what it was. Armed with this knowledge they turned to his followers, making them think it was the time to attack only to be ambushed themselves, the mages working to quickly break the magical bonds on their minds and souls causing the attackers to suddenly lurch back to who they were. This was the turning point in the war, and many bards and storytellers love to recreate this story as a romantic moment where love turned a hopeless war on its head.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The Sandorn are quite rare to see in the world, often mistaken for golems until they talk or exhibit their free will. Most don't know of them at all, and those that do often thought they were just myths of a long lost age.

Lifespan

No known limit

Average Height

Varies depending on the original species

Average Weight

Varies depending on the original species but a few hundred pounds is normal

Geographic Distribution

• Scar Desert

Background options

Stolen

Your first memory is waking up and emerging from the sands of the scar desert you recall one language you knew from your life before but know nothing else of who or what you were. When you rest you can hear a voice that fills your mind with an unknown dread a chant you don't understand and the words 'Bring order to chaos my Glanadair'

Eternal sentry

You survived the final battle against the Golden King, you are one of the originals who rebelled and then locked away their former master in the sepulcher of silence. For the last seven thousand years, you have maintained a vigil on any attempt to free the Golden King. The world of the living has changed so much that what you once knew is but a pale shadow, you are a relic of a time long lost. When the Arcane shuddered with its new awakening magic changed and the eternal sentries know not why, you are dispatched to learn about how the world has changed, to find out what is happening with magic, and to gathered resources to aid in securing the seal on the Golden King.
Sub-option: Mid to high-level play requires no alteration based on level. Low-level characters of the Sandorn can attribute their lack of skill to having given up or lost their memory during long years or faults in hibernation.