Steel-Bound
Steel-Bound are individuals who have had their souls forcibly bound into suits of armor.
Forced to become a facimile of their lives, those that choose or are forced to sacrifice their flesh for metal are on a path not many could dream of. While death can be the end for many creatures, some souls can be forced into specialized suits of armor meant to contain the soul and allow it to keep existing. Not many would doom themselves in this way willingly, but not many are given a choice in the matter.
Causes
When a person is on the verge of bleeding out or when they need to enter a place uninhabitable by organic beings, the person's soul can be transferred to create a new Steel-Bound.
The ritual to make a Steel-Bound takes 1 hour (which can be done in a long rest but not a short rest) and requires 4 participants (three to perform the ritual, plus the person actually being transformed), as well as a suit of armour for the soul to move to. The participant cannot move, the armour must be engraved with sigils to conserve the soul, and the subject must be either willing or unconscious for the ritual to be successful.
The sigils only need to be carved for the transformation; donning armour doesn't require this, although the same sigils are scorched on any armour that a Steel-Bound dons after their transformation.
During the ritual, the three performing it must trace the helm of the armour onto the subject's body with ink and then channel magic into it, beginning the transfer process. Once one hour has passed, the subject awakens as a Steel-Bound, and must modify its ability scores and abilities as such.
History
Davorus performed this ritual en masse when preparing for a siege, as metal soldiers are immune to pain, and therefore cowardice. Luckily, his army was almost entirely made of soldiers, rather then spellcasters, as the original incarnation of Steel-Bound were faced with a difficult choice if they were able to use magic.
Because the armour is not the original vessel for the subject's soul, it cannot properly contain the power inside, causing it to leak out and slowly kill any Steel-Bound that was not sealed during their transformation. This sealing also cut off magical ability, as the soul and body were disconnected. And so they were either left unsealed, giving a slow and agonising demise that was accelerated by using magic, or were left defenceless and forced to learn a new form of combat.
Luckily, this is no longer an issue, as symbols have been created that better integrate the soul and metal. Some of the older ones may exist, though they are unlikely to be in a chatty mood. Referred to as "Coffins", these almost-deranged remnants are pitied and loathed by any that know their history.
Type
Magical
Rarity
Extremely Rare
