Homunculus
| Homunculus | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Size: | Tiny |
| Alignment: | Neutral, or varies by creator |
| Type: | Construct |
| First appearance: | Supplement I: Greyhawk (1975) |
A homunculus (pronounced: /hʌˈmʌŋkjuːlʌs/ hu-MUNK-yoo-lus;[1] pl: homunculi)[2]is a construct. They are tiny creatures created by mages (wizards) to act as servants in various tasks. They resemble small (ten inches long) yet bulbous humanoid beings, with gritty, gray, clay-like bodies and limp bat wings. Their creator determines their precise features.
Abilities
Any homunculus can telepathically transmit anything it sees or heard back to its creator. It also knows everything its creator knows, including the ability to understand and read any languages known by its creator. Although they possess a telepathic link to their masters, homunculi could not verbally speak.[3]
If a homunculus is slain, the blood donor will take damage. If the creator of a homunculus dies, the creature also perished[3][4] and its body melted away into a pool of ichor.[2]
Construction
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,[2] guarding the mage's study, providing company, and such. Though they can only do most of these tasks to a mediocre level, and the creature itself has little instinct and personality, there is a bond between them and whoever gave the blood to create them. The creature prefers not to go far (more than 1,500ft)[2] from the master, and if forced to do so, it will always do everything it can to return to its master.
A homunculus’s creator determines its precise features.[2]
Personality
Homunculi do whatever their master says without questioning and always try to return for more orders.
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
- David Cook, Cook, David, et al. MC1 Monstrous Compendium Volume One. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1989. Item code TSR2102.
- Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1977. Item code TSR2009.
- Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet and Skip Williams. Monster Manual v.3.5. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003. Item code 17756.
- Gygax, Gary and Rob Kuntz. Supplement I: Greyhawk. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1975. Item code TSR2003.
- Monstrous Manual. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993. Item code TSR2140.
- Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert and James Wyatt. Monster Manual. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2008. Item code 21720.
- Mearls, Mike, Jeremy Crawford and Christopher Perkins. Monster Manual. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2014. Item code A9218.
- Williams, Skip, Jonathan Tweet, and Monte Cook. Monster Manual. Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus, D&D 5e | 100, 201 |
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Dragon magazine #246 | 24-33 |
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Greyhawk: Supplement I, OD&D | 19, 67 |
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | MC1 - Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 | Insert (Homunculus) |
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 1, AD&D 1e | 53 |
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.5e (Premium Edition) | 154 |
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 4e (Deluxe Edition) | 156, 157 |
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 5e | 188 |
| Homunculus | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Oerth Journal #04 | 7 |