Story
The storm rattled the shutters, and the tower shook with each gust. Sorceress Elanwe hunched over her table, ink smearing on the parchment as her hands trembled. The mixture had to be completed before dawn or all her work would be wasted.
At her feet, her homunculus, Liri, clutched a heavy book and struggled to lift it high enough to place on the desk. Its small arms shook, its crooked back straining, but still it climbed, eyes fixed on her face with desperate devotion.
"Not now, Liri," Elanwe whispered, voice raw. "The formula is wrong. I can't-" She stopped, closing her eyes. She had been coughing blood for weeks, and the sickness was winning.
Liri tugged at her sleeve, offering the book, the only help it knew to give. Elanwe looked down at the warped little face, the too-large eyes shimmering with fear. She had created Liri as an assistant, nothing more, but in the long nights of work, the creature had become her constant companion. The thought of leaving it alone gnawed at her worse than the illness.
She reached down, took the book, and rested her hand on Liri's head. "I won't finish it," she said softly. "But you'll remember me, won't you?"
The homunculus tilted its head, not understanding, but pressed closer, clutching her robe. It would never grow older, never learn what death was, never know why its mistress no longer stirred when the dawn came.
When the storm passed, the tower was silent. Liri sat by her chair, small hands folded in her lap, waiting for a command that would never come.

Homunculi are among the oldest curiosities of magical craft, whispered of in the same breath as alchemy and forbidden rites. Shaped from a magician's own essence, blood, seed, or other bodily humors, they are infused with power and made to live. Though they bear some resemblance to golems, they are different in every essential way. A golem is an animated construct, a puppet of stone or flesh given motion. A homunculus is a living creature, fragile and strange, but undeniably alive.

They rarely grow taller than knee height, with warped features that never quite resemble a true human face. Some are hunched, some pot-bellied, others thin and birdlike. Their eyes often mark them as unnatural, too large, too bright, or oddly colored. Still, a resemblance to their creator usually lingers, as if the magician's essence impressed itself upon the flesh.

Nature and Lifespan

A homunculus breathes, bleeds, hungers, and sleeps. It can feel the sting of cold, be broken by disease, or starve if neglected. Unlike golems, they cannot endure centuries. Most live but thirty to fifty years, and even then their bodies begin to twist further as they age, until death takes them.

Their minds are peculiar. They can speak, reason, and follow orders with uncanny precision, yet their thinking never matures beyond that of a clever child. They are curious, playful, and often troublesome if left idle. Though obedient to their master, they sometimes test boundaries with a child's stubbornness. Some magicians find this endearing. Others see it as proof of their imperfection.

Uses and Roles

Most magicians employ their homunculi as helpers, fetching tools, mixing powders, or keeping watch over wards. Yet they are often tasked with less savory errands: slipping through a window to steal a scroll, poisoning a cup unnoticed, or sowing chaos in the workshops of rivals. Their small stature and agility make them perfect for such work.

Legends tell of some who trained their homunculi to read or calculate, or even to copy their own voice in ritual chant. None, however, are known to have surpassed their childish limits.

Lore and Beliefs

The oldest treatises claim that homunculi are not mere creations but children of the magician, bound to them by blood. Some philosophers insist that each homunculus bears a fragment of its master's soul, which explains why magicians often weaken or fall ill if their creation perishes violently. This has never been proven, but the rumor clings stubbornly.

Alchemy speaks of the "true homunculus," a perfect being that could be raised from seed sealed in a flask of glass and nourished with human blood until it grows. Such a creature, it is said, would be the size of a man and immortal. No one has ever proven such a feat, though grim tales whisper of attempts.

Society and Views

The common folk view homunculi with unease. To many, they are abominations, mockeries of the human form, and symbols of hubris. Villagers sometimes speak of them as changelings or ill-born sprites, and tales abound of homunculi sneaking into homes at night to sour milk, spoil bread, or steal children's toys.

Nobles are more pragmatic. Some appreciate their usefulness as spies or thieves, others keep them as curiosities in menageries of the exotic. Priests often condemn them as sinful, born of blood magic and the arrogance of men who would play god.

Among magicians themselves, opinions vary. Some cherish them as beloved helpers, almost family. Others treat them as disposable tools, to be discarded when their bodies break. In cities where magic is common, homunculi are sometimes recognized as servants and left alone, though always watched with suspicion.

Possible Secrets

Soul Fragments

A homunculus may carry a shard of its creator's soul. If it dies violently, the magician might weaken, lose memories, or even go mad.

Dream-Whisperers

Homunculi sometimes speak aloud in their sleep, repeating private thoughts or buried fears of their master.

The Severed Bond

If a magician dies, a homunculus may linger. Some wither quickly, others become wild things, whispering secrets of their master's magic to anyone who listens.

Alchemical Catalyst

Their blood is said to be a potent ingredient in certain potions, especially those concerning longevity or control of the will. Some unscrupulous alchemists breed them only to harvest it.

Resentment

Despite their childlike minds, some homunculi grow bitter over time, knowing they are unloved tools. Such resentment can twist them into betraying their master at a crucial moment.

The False Child

A magician may pour so much essence into a homunculus that it resembles their true child, sharing features, voice, and mannerisms. This has led to chilling confusions, with families unsure who is flesh and who is created.

Adventure Hooks

The Missing Errand-Runner

A local magician's homunculus was sent to deliver a sealed letter, but it never arrived. The party is hired to track it down, only to find it caught in the middle of a thieves' turf war.

The Mischief Maker

A town is plagued by petty thefts, spoiled food, and strange laughter at night. The villagers blame faeries, but the culprits are a pair of bored homunculi running wild while their master is away.

The Homunculus Fair

In a city of learning, an eccentric guild hosts contests where magicians pit their homunculi against each other in games of wit, skill, and agility. Rivalries turn violent, and the players are drawn into intrigue surrounding sabotage.

A Master's Legacy

A dying magician asks the adventurers to take his homunculus to a safe place, fearing it will be mistreated after his death. But others covet the creature, hoping to pry knowledge or favors from it.

The Small Spy

A noble suspects that his court is being spied on, but no human agent can be caught. The adventurers are tasked to root out the intruder and must realize that it is no bigger than a child and can slip through cracks.

The Broken Bond

A homunculus has fled into the wild, pursued by hunters who see it as vermin. The creature is harmless, but its master has vanished. The party must decide whether to protect it, capture it, or uncover its strange errand.

The Plague Helper

During an outbreak of disease in a village, a kindly magician offers the services of his homunculus to help fetch water, food, and firewood for the sick. When the creature begins to spread panic among the superstitious townsfolk, the players are called in to mediate.

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