Clockwork Automaton

Created by an amitious master engineer who wanted to create life. The Engineer gave their all to birth such a creation, using clockwork prosthetics, the scientist had created a fully sentient automaton. At first they were mindless, blindly following machines but eventually grew consciousness, thoughts, emotion, they'd ask questions and wondered if they too were a living being. No such answer was known to be true or not, but the scientist died in the wake of his creations or so it is thought. The fate of these machines is unknown as not many were made to the complexity that the scientist create. All schematics, designs, plans, notes, everything was gone. Nothing was left behind for anyone to find, but a single note. The note told of a secret apprentice that would continue his work where no one could find him. Only a few automatons exist having a "soul" but more are thought to come when the apprentice rises from his hiding hole.

Physical Description

Made of gears, metal, and cogs held together by magic, the Clockwork Automaton are beings constructed out of thick porcelain, metal, and metal filaments around a skeletal frame of metal, and unknown fibers acting as a muscular system. A network of tubes run through the Automaton's body, filled with a blood-like fluid designed to lubricate and nourish their gears.
The Automaton are completely sexless and genderless, though their bodies may have been designed with masculine or feminine features, these are considered by the Automaton to be little more than aesthetic aspects. The Automaton are able to be repaired and modified by those with the know-how, which can give an endless array of possibilities to their appearances if the engineer is capable.
A Clockwork Automaton on average stands little taller than their creators race height and weighs in at 100 - 300 lbs. These numbers may vary among the Automaton specifics.

Personality

Clockwork Automatons can have unique personality traits, though, as they are constructs, those are restricted in some ways. They experience anger, pain, fear, and hatred like their human creators. All Automatons naturally seem reserved, stoic, and pensive, hiding an array of emotions behind their minorly inexpressive metallic faces. Their faces were not designed to display facial expressions merely replicate talking. So it can seem like they are distant to the conversation. Despite their lack of physical facial expressions, they're not completely without them, as their eyes tend to brighten when experiencing strong or specific emotions. Some automaton have their faces modified to be more expressive for their companion's comfort, but these expressions are learned rather than natural and often appear stilted and awkward.
Some Automaton can be incredibly naïve and lack a sense of introspection. However, many others are the opposite and question their existence, they wonder if, as constructs, they have souls, and ask what becomes of them in the afterlife. The more intelligent automaton create complex philosophies about what they perceive and learn. Though they can show loyalty to religions and organizations, typically they become loyal to a small group of comrades.
Automatons often have little life experience as they have spent most of their time working towards one specific duty. If there is one interest all Clockwork Automatons share it is their love of working and the satisfaction of a job well done. Many create endless lists of goals and chores to feed that feeling. They take pride in their work and can work incredibly hard, both traits that make them dislike idleness and failure. Automatons can excel at most tasks, having a single-minded efficiency, especially in combat related roles. But this same single-mindedness can often translate to a lack of creativity and they can be easily surprised or "outflanked."
Automatons built for war understand duty, the chain of command, and conflict. While automatons built for magic understand the arcane intricacies and dangers of an incorrect formula, and Automatons built for medicine understand the complexities of the body belonging to almost any given race.
Clockwork Automatons dislike being called "it" and usually accept the gendered pronoun that they most closely resemble. Some Automaton adopt names from the culture they were created in, though most of their names were assigned at construction and are straightforward and related to their job, abilities or rank. Many Automaton simply accept the nicknames given to them by their comrades while others seek more meaningful names that best describe them.

Steampunk Compendium

Clockwork Automaton

ability score increase: Choose one of: (a) Choose any +2; choose any other +1 (b) Choose three different +1

age: Automatons are created as adults; they have no childhood or adolescence. It is theorized that automatons may show signs of physical deterioration after about 150 to 200 years, but no further aging effects after that point and no maximum age.

alignment: Automatons tend toward lawful alignments, as they were constructed to be built for one purpose, usually to help.

Size: Medium

speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write common and your creator's native language

sub races:
Guardian Automaton
Dancer Automaton
Mystical Automaton
Medical Automaton

race features:
Living Construct. Even though you were constructed, you are a living creature. You are immune to disease. You do not need to eat or breath, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish.
Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each day. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.
Composite Plating. Your construction incorporates metal sheeting, granting you a +1 to Armor Class.
Electrical Conductivity. Lightning Attacks are a gamble when you're struck by them. When you take damage from a lightning source, you may make a Constitution Saving Throw. The DC is either 10 or half of the damage taken from the source rounded down. If you succeed, you can spend your reaction to flink some of the energy back, causing them to make a dexterity saving throw. The DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. If they fail the save, they take half of the damage you took. If they succeed, they take no damage and you have disadvantage on attacks until the end of your next turn.
Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Steampunk Compendium

Guardian Automaton

Guardian Automatons were built to protect and help others with safety. They are always wishing to make everything safe and jump to fend off those who would harm weaker beings.

ability score increase:

age:

Size: Medium

speed:

Languages:

parent race: Clockwork Automaton

race features:
Heavy Hitter. You can choose to gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Dexterity (Acrobatics), Strength (Athletics), or Charisma (Intimidation).
Imposing Stature. Once per day, you have advantage on Strength or Charisma (Intimidation) checks.

Steampunk Compendium

Dancer Automaton

Built to entertain, these Automaton are agile, small, and quick on their feet. Their purpose was to perform and make all those around them adore their performance, be it dancing or other things.

ability score increase:

age:

Size: Medium

speed:

Languages:

parent race: Clockwork Automaton

race features:
Center Stage. You can choose to gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Deception, Performance, or Slight of Hand.
Spotlight. Once per day, when you may roll with advantage when making a Charisma (Deception), Charisma (Performance), or Dexterity (Slight of Hand) check.

Steampunk Compendium

Mystical Automaton

Using the magic inside them to their full potential, they are built to assist and contain great magical powers and work with highly adept teachers.

ability score increase:

age:

Size: Medium

speed:

Languages:

parent race: Clockwork Automaton

race features:
Pushing the Limits. You can choose to gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Intelligence (Arcana), Intelligence (History), Wisdom (Perception), or Charisma (Persuasion).
Enhanced Concentration. You have advantage on concentration checks.

Steampunk Compendium

Medical Automaton

Made to help people who are injured they are well known for their medical application. They know how to fix many injuries but not any that are too severe.

ability score increase:

age:

Size: Medium

speed:

Languages:

parent race: Clockwork Automaton

race features:
Rest Easy. You gain proficiency in Wisdom (Medicine) checks.
Multilingual. You gain an additional language of your choice.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Clockwork Automatons usually either adopt their names from whatever race currently built them or they adopt a name for their purpose, rank, or field along with the surname of their creator.
Some adopt a "personal name," these are decided by the Automatons themselves and are usually determined after long periods of soul-searching. This is usually a special designation a Automaton has for its friends and carries a special meaning to them emotionally.