Homunculus (Dungeons & Dragons)

(For other terms, see: Homunculus)

In the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Homunculus is a Construct. They are tiny creatures created by mages to act as servants in various tasks. They resemble small (10 inches long) yet bulbous humanoid beings, with gritty grey, clay-like bodies, and limp bat wings. Their creator determines their precise features.

Homunculi are constructed from clay, ashes, mandrake root, spring water, and one pint of the creator's own blood. The mage can either construct them himself, or have someone do it for them. The resulting minion is used to do such things as spying, messenging, scouting, guarding the mage's study, providing company, and such. Though they can only do most of these tasks to a medicore level, and the creature itself has little instinct and personality, there seems to be a bond between them and whoever gave the blood to create them. The creature prefers not to go more than a few miles from the blood donor, knows anything that they know, both see and hear anything which the other does, and so on. If a Homunculus is slain, the blood donor will take damage. If the master is slain, the Homunculus dies. Homunculi do whatever their master says without questioning and always try to return for more orders.

Homunculi cannot speak, but share a psionic bond with their master.

They are of whatever alignment their master/creator/blood donor is of.