Origamar

Origin & Overview

Origamars are creatures crafted from kraft paper, inspired by origami, taking on a humanoid shape (arms, legs, head) with visible folds, stylized patterns, and most notably, a luminescent core nestled within their chest, visible through a lacy pattern of the paper. This core pulses with a faint glow and constitutes their vital essence. They were born in the magical forges of artisan mages or in the workshops of artifact makers, likely long forgotten, absorbing various sources of magic over time. Their paper bodies give them an appearance that is both light and fragile, but their magic makes them far more resilient than they seem.

A Paper Existence

Origamars are not born of flesh but of intention. Each individual is the result of a complex ritual where sacred geometry meets arcane magic. Originally simple servants or living archives created by master calligraphers and artisan mages, they eventually developed their own consciousness. Their bodies, though made of rigid kraft paper, possess a surprising fluidity. The folds that traverse their skin are not scars but the joints of their being, allowing for delicate expressiveness despite the absence of mobile facial features.

Social Relationships

Origamars are often perceived with curiosity or suspicion. People tend to treat them as fragile objects, a mistake that the Origamar quickly dispels with their magical resilience. They particularly get along well with Gnomes (due to their love of craftsmanship) and Forgelings (with whom they share an artificial nature), but find "wet" and "messy" races somewhat difficult to understand.

Personality and Culture

Each Origamar views their body as a work of art: each fold represents a lesson, each pattern a memory. Some redraw their patterns as they evolve, much like others change their clothing. The "long folds" are often the builders and protectors of their people, while the "short folds" excel in exploration, creation, and stealth. Their voice has a slight rustle, like a delicate crumpling when they speak.

Origamar Names

The names of Origamars are often based on sounds of texture, geometric shapes, or concepts related to writing and structure. They generally do not distinguish gender in their names.

Names: Plis, Grimoire, Scribe, Angle, Kraft, Bruisse, Sceau, Fibre, Trame, Verso, Orig, Cise, Point-Sèche, Ambre-Cœur.

They may also be named based on the environment in which they come to life or a name they heard during their awakening.

Racial Traits

You have the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 2, and another ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age. Origamars complete their initial folding around the age of 5, reach their full size by 20, and can live up to 150 years or more, as long as their core remains intact.

Size & Weight. Your size depends on your folding:

• Long folds, called Origamara, are Medium size (between 5 feet and 6 feet 3 inches).
• Short folds, called Origamari, are Small size (between 2 feet and 3 feet).

Your weight varies between 2 to 11 pounds, depending on your size and magical density.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Your flying speed is 20 feet.

Creature Type. You are an Artificial and a living creature. Your body is supple, light, and imbued with magic. You are resistant to poison effects and immune to disease. You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe. Instead of sleeping, you enter a state of immobile rest for 4 hours, during which you remain aware of your surroundings. However, you can still be affected by magical sleep. For all other gameplay effects, you are considered a Humanoid.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one additional exotic language of your choice.

Darkvision. Thanks to the soft glow emitted by your core, you can see in darkness up to 60 feet. In complete darkness, you can only perceive shades of gray.

Light Body. Your natural lightness allows you to glide slowly when falling. You take no falling damage, and it takes you twice as long as a creature of the same size to reach the ground. If the distance of the fall is equal to or greater than your walking speed, you can move horizontally while gliding.

Paper Body. As an action, you can flatten and refold your body, reducing your size by one category (Medium > Small for Origamara; Small > Tiny for Origamari). You become as thin as a sheet of kraft paper. In this form, you cannot take actions or bonus actions, but you can move normally. For 1 minute, you gain advantage on Athletics and Acrobatics checks to climb, crawl, or squeeze through extremely tight spaces.

Armor Absorption. An Origamar cannot wear armor conventionally. Instead, you can absorb the essence of an armor (or wearable equipment) that you touch and that belongs to you. You then gain the armor class (AC) and associated effects of that equipment as if you were wearing it. Changing absorbed armor causes the previous one to reappear, intact, at your feet. If your core is destroyed, all absorbed items materialize again but may be damaged depending on the severity of the destruction.