Living Proof

Tiny construct, neutral

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 22 (5d4 + 10)
Speed 20 ft., fly 20 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
5 (-3)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)	5 (-3)

Skills Arcana +5
Damage Vulnerabilities fire, slashing
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages understands Common but can’t speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Constructed Nature. The proof doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
• Execute the Formula! The proof can spend 10 minutes to create an alchemical liquid with a cost under 100 gp, such as acid, alchemists’ fire, antitoxin, basic poison, or a potion of healing, without expending any resources. Once it has done so, its speed is halved for 1 hour and it cannot use this trait again during this period. The item becomes inert 1 hour after creation.
• Innate Spellcasting. The proof’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
  • At will: detect magic, prestidigitation
• Sudden Infusion. When the proof dies, the alchemical and mathematical knowledge animating it becomes unstable and is released in an explosive burst. Any unattended alchemical liquids within 20 feet of the proof become inert. A creature of the proof’s choice within 20 feet gains 22 (4d10) temporary hit points.

ACTIONS

• Paper. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
• Math Bomb (Recharge 5-6). The proof manifests a physical form for the mathematical symbols on its page to create a powerful bomb. Each creature in a 5-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the proof can see within 60 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) piercing damage.

ABOUT

Alchemists have been known to spend countless hours and days working on new formulae in order to expand their repertoire of elixirs and explore the frontiers of alchemical knowledge. Under certain conditions, this devotion to the study of math, science, and transmutation can take on a life all its own.

When a potentially powerful recipe or formula is left on the crafting table half-finished, it can manifest the will to pick up where its creator left off. Overnight, the composition feverishly works itself into completion and beyond, forming an incomprehensible proof that has a mind of its own. Alchemists have come to lovingly call these mathematically animated pages living proofs.

Physically, living proofs are usually composed of nothing more than parchment and ink. They mobilize by folding and re-folding themselves like origami. Though this talent allows living proofs to take on just about any shape, they tend to choose forms that resemble miniature versions of their creators or, rarely, some other creature important to the proof. Similarly, a living proof whose first sight upon animating is that of a caged specimen such as a chimera or owlbear might model itself after such a monster.

Although most living proofs dedicate themselves to one particular area of study, the occasional specimen might become a polymath if they were designed by a particularly genius alchemist. If abandoned or forgotten, a living proof may wander from its laboratory to seek a new master to inspire and aid, though they are otherwise loyal assistants. Sometimes this loyalty goes a bit too far-more than one alchemist apprentice has wound up injured after dawdling in their master’s lab after hours and stumbling upon a seemingly mundane sheet of parchment come to life.