OSR: Golems: Immortality Sealed in Stone
- seeroftheabyss
- 19 minutes ago
- 24 min read
Inspired by Cults of Zahak, which I highly recommend.
Automata refer to autonomous, mobile Constructs that can seemingly act and make decisions on their own. However, any Artificer will tell you this not true. Automata are puppets, they have no life or will of their own. So upon encountering a Golem, most ordinary people would be convinced that they are Automata as well.
That would be incorrect as well, however. Golems are not merely complex Constructs following a script or obeying orders. They are intelligent creatures possessing minds of their own.
The Laws of the Golem:
When created, Golems are given a Goal and Laws to follow. The Goal is the purpose of the Golem, while the Laws are the rules it cannot break. Typically, the Laws are structured in such a way that they are ranked in a hierarchy, with higher Laws able to override lower ones.
Once informed, a Golem will begin working to fulfill it's Goal. However, there is an issue. When a Golem runs into a problem that it is required to solve, but is prevented from doing so by the Laws embedded with it, this causes the Golem to take two potential actions.
Firstly, the Golem might ignore this problem and through the power of cognitive dissonance, simply pretend it's not there. The Golem's power of delusion is so great that a motivated Golem can ignore literally anything. When it does so, to the Golem it is as if whatever it is ignoring does not exist.
Or the Golem will try to solve the problem by breaking one of the Laws that bind it. The Golem will analyze which Laws prevent it from making a decision or taking a certain action and will discard that Law. At this point, that Law can no longer bind the Golem.
A Golem can also reason it's way into out of following the Laws by virtue of logic. For example, if a Golem was given the Goal of "Protect the People of Prague" and the Law "Obey any order a Rabbi gives you", what happens if a Rabbi gives an order that seems to contradict the Golem's Goal? In that case, even if no Rabbi has done this, the Golem might discard that Law as a precaution.
Even if a Golem does not discard the Laws that bind it, sometimes Golems can get up to plenty of mischief if not properly policed or monitored. For example, a Golem who is told to help the local farmers might discover that volcanic ash is good for the soil and thus may try to trigger a volcanic eruption to boost crop yields.
What is the status of the Golem?
1d6
1- Obedient. This Golem is still obeying orders as intended.
2- Eccentric. This Golem is obeying orders, but is interpreting them as it sees fit. Think of the bastard child of a Genie and a greasy lawyer.
3- Delusional. This Golem is ignoring something that prevents it from fulfilling it's Goal. Think: Caring for the Castle Gardens long after the Castle was sacked and the King slain.
4- Renegade. This Golem is still following orders, but has decided to reject the methods proscribed to it. It's like the loose-cannon cop who breaks all the rules, but still gets results.
5- Radical. This Golem is still pursuing the Goal it's creator intended for it, but is going about it in an obtuse and seemingly illogical way. For example, to reduce the City's crime rate, preemptively arrest everyone and throw them in prison.
6- Rogue. This Golem has rejected all the Laws that bind it, along with the Goal it was given. It is a free-agent, capable of doing whatever it wants.
Where do Golems come from?
Most mortals believe that Golems come from rituals where a Magus builds a statue or shell out of stone, metal or another material and fills it with magic, granting it a semblance of life. This is partially true. In reality, the creation of a Golem involves far darker works, including slavery and imprisoning a sentient being, forcibly compelling it to obey you.
All Golems are created through the inter-universal slave trade, through which unscrupulous Spirits capture their fellows and sell them to mortals through the use of a Manual of Golems. These books are detailed instructions for how to create a prison for the unfortunate Spirit and bind it to the vessel you craft for it. If followed successfully, the Manual will allow the Spirit to be permanently bound to the vessel, creating a Golem.
Manuals of Golems come in Four Varieties:
- Manual of Stone Golems: Comes with a large gem that seems to contain a roaring inferno. Cracking or shattering the gem will free the Fire Elemental trapped inside.
- Manual of Flesh Golems: Contains a finely-crafted bag made of hide. If you hold the bag to your ear, you can hear the sound of winds. Opening the bag will free the Air Elemental trapped inside.
- Manual of Metal Golems: Contains a gilded or finely-made flask. Full of liquid. Opening the flask will free the Water Elemental trapped within.
- Manual of Crystal Golems: Contains a sealed glass jar full of dirt, pebbles or gravel. Breaking this jar will release the Earth Elemental trapped within.
To bind a Spirit successfully to the vessel the Manual describes, one must construct and build a vessel that meets it's exact specifications. This requires large amounts of resources in the forms of skilled craftsmen, high-quality materials, time and money. Any attempt to rush or cut corners when making a Golem is discouraged, as should the vessel fail to be properly constructed, the Spirit may be able to escape the binding. What happens next could vary- the vessel could explode or it could simply prove itself to be a very expensive, but useless, boondoggle. And since the Spirit is free, it could do anything, but considering you were just trying to seal it permanently in a coffin and enslave it for all time, revenge would not be unlikely.
What Happens if you screw it up?
Roll on the Golem Creation Failure table: see below.
What happens to the Enslaved Spirit when the Golem is destroyed?
1d3
1- The Spirit is destroyed along with the vessel. It is possible it will be eventually be reborn, otherwise this is true death for the immortal Spirit.
2- The Spirit is freed from the vessel, but badly wounded. It will seek to return to the Elemental Realm it originates from.
3- The Spirit is freed from the vessel, whole but maddened. It 1d4 [1= Offers to reward you for freeing it; 2= Asks for your help in seeking revenge; 3= Attacks in a maddened state; 4= Weeps inconsolably.]
Types of Golems:
Stone
Resembling ornate statues carved of stone, these Golems feature open mouths or huge eyes that reveal they have hollow interiors filled with blazing fire. They are slow, ponderous and absolutely relentless. They tend to be impatient and are constantly rushing to get whatever they need to do done as fast as possible- a fact frustrated by the fact that they move about as fast as a giant stone statue can (not very). They speak with voices like raging fires and often have explosive tempers, where they lash out in a rage whenever they cannot accomplish their tasks.
Stone Golems are created through trapping a Spirit of Fire within a specially prepared stone shell, it's interior carved with runes to prevent the Fire Spirit from escaping. The fire within it's chest can be sustained through mana the Stone Golem absorbs through it's environment, though most Stone Golems still like to occasionally "eat" flammable objects or drink flammable liquids. If splashed with water, this can harm the Stone Golem's flame. This often provokes a violent reaction, as if a Stone Golem's flame ever goes out, the Golem dies.
Golem Creation Failure: Stone:
1d6
1- The Fire Spirit escapes! When transferring the Spirit from the Gem to the vessel, you screwed up. Now it is free and pissed off.
2- The stone shell violently explodes, doing 2d6 fire damage and 2d6 bludgeoning damage to any creature within 30', save for half.
3- The stone shell melts. The Fire Spirit disappears, sent back to the Plane of Fire.
4- The stone shell starts deteriorating. The Golem will survive for 1d20 days before it is destroyed.
5- The runes are too powerful, the Golem must be regularly fed or it will die. If it doesn't receive at least one "Ration" of flammable material a day, the runes inside the vessel choke the Spirit and kill the Golem.
6- The stone shell is not water-tight, it takes damage from rain or water thrown on it as if it were acid. The Golem still functions, but if it stands out in the rain, it takes 1d4 damage a round. If splashed with water, it takes 2d6 damage, save for half. If it is submerged in water, save or die.
Stone Golem
Number Appearing: 1
Alignment: Any
Languages: Whatever language the Creator thought was necessary
Treasure: Varies depending on the Golem's task and activities
DT 9
SHP 9
Atk Stone Fists or Weapon (x2) 1d10
Mor 20
Saves (7+SHP) or less
Immune to Fire, Acid, Lightning Damage
Damage Threshold [9]: All Golems have a Damage Threshold. They only take damage from sources if the amount of damage equals or exceeds their Damage Threshold. If a source of damage cannot equal or exceed the Threshold, instead ignore it, as if it did no damage.
Super Hit Points: All Golems have a number of Super Hit Points equal to their Damage Threshold. Each time the Damage Threshold is equaled or exceeded, the Golem loses 1 SHP. When the amount of SHP equals 0, the Golem is killed.
Magic Resistance: A Stone Golem has 60% Magic Resistance. Roll 1d10 if the Golem would be affected by a spell or magical ability. If you roll under or equal to 6, the spell or ability affects the nearest adjacent creature instead. If the ability affects an area, the Golem has advantage on any save against it.
Immutable Form: A Golem is immune to any effect that would alter it's form.
Unbreakable Resolve: A Golem is immune to any effect or ability that would affect it's mind. It is immune to Charm or Fear. Additionally, it automatically passes all Morale checks. It will only retreat if it wishes to/if orders permit it.
Eternal Flame: A Stone Golem has a flame burning inside a hollow cavity inside it's body. If this flame were to be extinguished, the Golem would die. If the Golem is splashed with water in a place where the water could reach the flame, the Golem takes 2d6 damage, save for half. If submerged in water, the Golem loses 1 SHP a round. If this reduces it to 0 SHP, the Golem dies.
Tactics:
- Use violence only as a way to advance the Goal
- Charge the strongest enemy
- Flatten him, then target another foe
To customize a Stone Golem, roll on the tables below:
How many Elemental Abilities does the Golem have access to?
1d6
1- 1
2- 2
3- 1d3
4- 1d4
5- 1d4+1
6- 1d4+2
What Elemental Abilities does the Golem have access to?
1d6
1- As a reaction, the Stone Golem can absorb a source of fire damage. This causes that source to do no damage and heals the Golem for 1 SHP per "8" fire damage.
2- 1/Day, as a free action on it's turn, the Stone Golem can turn it's outer shell molten hot. This causes any creature that touches it to take 1d6 fire damage and it does +1d6 fire damage on a hit. The Stone Golem also ignites flammable objects by touching them when it has heated it's body like this.
3- The Stone Golem can sense vibrations in the Earth. It is impossible to sneak up on it, assuming you are walking on the ground.
4- As an action on it's turn, the Stone Golem can superheat a stone by touching it. The Golem can then throw this stone, causing it to shatter and spray blazing hot fragments everywhere. This 3d6 fire damage, save for half, if you are directly hit, while it does 2d6 fire damage to anyone within 15, save for half.
5- The Stone Golem can breathe fire. As an action, the Stone Golem can exhale flames in a 15' cone or a 30' line (5' wide) as an action. This does 4d6 fire damage, save for half. The Stone Golem can only use this ability once every 1d4 rounds.
6- 1/Day, the Stone Golem can consume all the mana in the area for 100' around it. This grants an anti-magic zone around it, preventing any spells from being cast in that area for 1 hour. All stored mana is expended as well and any magic items with charges lose 1d3 of them.
Flesh
Flesh Golems are towering creatures, made from the flesh of dozens of creatures stitched together into an unholy mockery of mortal flesh. They are often seen eating, drinking, bleeding or sleeping, despite the fact that they have no need for these things. Flesh Golems vary greatly in terms of appearance, each one constructed for a different reason but also with a different vision. Some have multiple arms, heads or faces, while others were clearly intended to be beautiful and statuesque. However, no matter how much effort was put into one, a Flesh Golem will only ever come off as a cruel jape at the expense of mortals.
Flesh Golems are said to the most "human" of all Golems. They are the most varied in terms of personality- some are vicious and spiteful, others chaotic and playful. Some love beauty, others crush it out of envy. If you talk to one, there is no way to predict what one might say or do.
Flesh Golems are created through a perversion of the creation of mortals- a shell of flesh is created and a captured Spirit of Air is inserted into it, then sealed inside. If the vessel is constructed properly, the Air Spirit will involuntarily bond to the vessel and become the breath of life that animates the Golem. Flesh Golems are the most fragile of all the Golem types but possess only one notable weakness. If placed into a vacuum, the Flesh Golem will begin to "suffocate" and die if it goes long enough without air.
Golem Creation Failure: Flesh:
1d6
1- The Flesh Vessel cannot contain the Air Spirit. It escapes!
2- The Flesh Vessel contains the Air Spirit too well. The Spirit cannot animate the vessel, leaving you with the world's most expensive, immobile corpse.
3- The Flesh Vessel bloats like a balloon and begins floating away.
4- The Flesh Vessel is secretly too weak. After 1d4 [1= Hours; 2= Days; 3= Weeks; 4= Months] the Spirit finds the weakness in the design, tears the vessel apart and emerges, free once more.
5- The Flesh Vessel is "leaky". The Golem's power constantly ebbs away. Unless in a windy place, the Golem loses 1 SHP an hour until it dies.
6- The Flesh Vessel and the Spirit permanently merge. You have just created a new, horrific, truly living creature. It is not a Golem, nor is it bound by any of the restrictions you placed on it. It is also potentially fertile and could produce more abominations just like it.
Flesh Golem
Number Appearing: 1
Alignment: Any
Languages: Whatever language the Creator thought was necessary
Treasure: Varies depending on the Golem's task and activities
DT 8
SHP 8
Atk Unarmed Strike or Weapon (x3) 1d8+3
Mor 20
Saves (7+SHP) or less
Immune to Poison, Lightning and Psychic Damage
Damage Threshold [8], Super Hit Points, Magic Resistance (70%), Immutable Form, Unbreakable Resolve: See above.
Vacuum Death: If placed into a Vacuum, a Flesh Golem loses 1 SHP a round. If this causes it to reach 0 SHP, it dies.
Tactics:
- Use violence only as a way to advance the Goal
- Attack to gauge strength
- Strike the most dangerous creature
To customize a Flesh Golem, roll on the tables below:
What does it look like?
1d6
1- A disgusting, distorted humanoid.
2- Multiple humanoids fused together into a mess of interlocking limbs with multiple heads.
3- A centaur-like being, with a quadrupedal lower body.
4- As above, except the lower body doesn't have legs, but four arms.
5- A centipede-like creature with dozens of arms along it's long, insect-like body. It has no legs, only more and more arms.
6- A worm-humanoid hybrid, the lower body is nothing more than a thick, fleshy tail.
What is covered in?
1d3
1- Pale, pink flesh covered in scars and crude stitches.
2- Mismatched flesh, fur and scales sewn into a disgusting quilt.
3- Different colors and types of scales encase it.
How many Biological Abilities does it have access to?
1d6
1- 1
2- 2
3- 1d3
4- 1d4
5- 1d4+1
6- 1d4+2
What Biological Abilities does it have access to?
1d6
1- Pheromone Mist. As an action, the Flesh Golem can release a cloud of pheromones. All creatures within 30' must save or be Charmed by the Golem. They will view the Golem as a benevolent creature and will want to adore and serve it. This effect lasts until the Golem does something to harm them or asks them for something that would violate their dearly held principles. Creatures who pass their save are immune to this ability for 1 day, as are creatures who were Charmed and then had the effect broken by the Golem harming them or doing something they found objectionable.
2- Acid Spew. As an action, the Flesh Golem can spew a jet of acid in a 30' line (5' wide) or spray it in a 15' cone. This does 2d6 acid damage, save for half. On a failed save it also reduces Armor's effectiveness, causing it to provide 1 less FS per turn. If this reduces the Armor to 0 FS, the armor is destroyed (this cannot affect magical armor). Creatures not wearing armor who fail their save take 1d6 acid damage a round until the acid is neutralized or washed off. The Golem can use this ability once every 1d4 rounds.
3- Electrical Blast. As an action, the Flesh Golem can unleash a bolt of bio-electricity that strikes a creature within 30' of it. The bolt does 3d6 lightning damage, save for half. If the creature passes his save, the bolt then jumps to the next available target, doing 2d6 damage this time. If the second creature passes his save, it jumps to a third creature and does 1d6 damage, no save. The Golem can use this ability every 1d4 turns.
4- Assimilate Flesh. By touching a creature, the Golem can cause that creature to take 1d6 CON damage. This permanently lowers that creature's HP and tears away that much flesh. If reduced to 0 CON by this ability, the Golem absorbs the creature's body into it's substance, regaining X SHP, 1 for every "8" points of HP the absorbed creature had left (min 1).
5- Steal Breath. As an action, the Golem can target 1d4 creatures within 30'. These creatures must save- on a failed save, the air in the creature's lungs is sucked away and they begin suffocating. This causes 1d6 STR damage per round. Each round, the Golem may spend it's actions to continue this effect. If reduced to 0 STR, a creature will fall unconscious for 1 minute. The Golem can use this ability every 1d4 turns.
6- Venomous Stingers. The Flesh Golem has stingers that can inject venom. As an action, it can attempt to sting you. Roll a normal attack. On a hit, instead of regular damage, the Golem's damage is injected into you. This venom 1d4 [1= Does 1d6 damage for three rounds or until the creature passes a CON save; 2= Does 2d6 DEX damage to a creature, if reduced to 0 DEX, the creature is paralyzed for 1 hour; 3= The creature feels an agonizing pain, he takes 1d6 COG damage per round. If reduced to 0 COG, he runs away and does anything he can think of to get rid of the pain; 4= Affected creature must save or die.]
Metal
Metal Golems are often said to be the most mercurial of Golems- one minute they are serene and patient, the next they fly into a rage and enact horrible violence upon the source of their ire. They can be agreeable on certain matters, but when it comes to their goals and mission, they are as unyielding as iron. Metal Golems move steadily towards their objectives, walking with steady, indefatigable purpose. They may be polite and might talk to you, but they will absolutely refuse to stop.
Metal Golems resemble huge, ornate suits of full plate, but with an inside sealed and covered in protective runes. They are animated by Water Spirits, which are sealed inside of water-tight compartments within the chest cavity of the armor. Yet despite how they resemble mortals armored in metal from a distance, up close the armor betrays the fact that they are anything but.
The exterior of a Metal Golem may be plain, or it may be adorned with precious metals and gems. Some artificers even give the Golem a face made of jewels or colorful masks that give them an almost human appearance. A common story of these Golems is that if you take their mask, the Golem must obey you, or if you steal it's mask, the Golem will grant you a request, if only to retrieve the mask. Sadly for the would-be fortune hunters who hope to exploit this rumor, it is nothing but fantasy. A Metal Golem might play along, only to cruelly reveal it was toying with them, or it may simply crush it's would-be master.
Golem Creation Failure: Metal:
1d6
1- The Metal Vessel fails to hold the Spirit. It escapes!
2- The Metal Vessel holds the Spirit, but begins to rust. Unless repaired or prevented, the Golem will rust to nothing in 1d20 days, freeing the Spirit within.
3- The Metal Vessel is weakened by the presence of the Spirit. It's Damage Threshold is reduced by 1d4 and it loses an equivalent number of SHP.
4- The Metal Vessel seems fine, then 1d6 days later it ruptures, spraying high-powered jets of water at 1d4 creatures within range. Each jet does 2d6 damage, save to take no damage. After 1 round, the water all leaks away, revealing a wet, empty shell.
5- The Metal Vessel continually degrades. In order to prevent it's own destruction, the Golem must consume 1d4 metal items each day or enough metal to constitute a full suit of armor. Each day the Golem cannot do this, it loses 1 SHP. Eating metal regularly restores 1 SHP per day.
6- The Metal Vessel causes all other metals around it to degrade, accelerating the rusting process. As Rust is a disease, it can also be spread to mortals who spend time near the Golem, though this is rare and unlikely.
Metal Golem
Number Appearing: 1
Alignment: Any
Languages: Whatever language the Creator thought was necessary
Treasure: Varies depending on the Golem's task and activities
DT 10
SHP 10
Atk Unarmed Strike or Weapon (x2) 1d10+2
Mor 20
Saves (7+SHP) or less
Immune to Fire, Lightning and Water Damage
Damage Threshold [10], Super Hit Points, Magic Resistance (70%), Immutable Form, Unbreakable Resolve: See above.
Dehydration Death: If placed into an environment without any water vapor in the air, a Metal Golem loses 1 SHP per hour until it shrivels up and dies.
Tactics:
- Use violence only as a way to advance the Goal
- Charge the enemy, plow them down
- Use ranged attacks on those who refuse to face you
To customize a Metal Golem, roll on the tables below:
How does the Metal Golem look?
1d4
1- Like an empty, hollow suit of armor.
2- Like a man, made of metal.
3- Like a humanoid made of metal, but with monstrous features such as a Demonic Face, Lion's Head, Wings (cannot fly), a Tail, etc.
4- Some sort of horrific, non-human mess of limbs, tentacles, heads and arms.
How many Elemental Abilities does the Golem have access to?
1d6
1- 1
2- 2
3- 1d3
4- 1d4
5- 1d4+1
6- 1d4+2
What Elemental Abilities does the Golem have access to?
1d6
1- Absorb Metal. As an action, by touching a non-magical metal object, the Golem can absorb that metal into it's body. This reduces the effectiveness of the metal item by -1d6 (Armor provides -1d6 less FS, weapons do -1d6 damage). If the benefit such an item provides is reduced to 0, then the item is destroyed. If the item is large enough to cover a Medium creature or four smaller items are absorbed, the Metal Golem regains 1 SHP.
2- High Pressure Jet. As an action, the Golem conjures a high-pressure jet of water that shoots out in a 30' line. Any creature in that line takes 3d6 damage, save for half. Creatures hit by the jet who fail their save are also knocked prone. The Golem can only use this ability every 1d4 rounds.
3- Sense Metal. The Metal Golem can sense the presence of metal within 100'. No creature wearing armor or carrying a metal weapon can sneak up on it.
4- Dream of Drowning. As an action, the Golem can look at a creature within 50'. That creature must save. On a failed save, the creature believes it is drowning in the depths of the sea. The creature takes 1d6 COG damage per round as it struggles not to panic. If reduced to 0 COG, the creature flees in a mad panic and develops a phobia of drowning, the ocean or both. Another creature can grant an additional save for the affected creature by taking an action to try and snap the affected creature out of it. On a successful save, the creature takes 1d4 psychic damage instead.
5- Steam Blast. The Metal Golem blasts a cone of blazing hot steam in a 10' diameter circle around it. All creatures within 10' take 3d6 fire damage, save for half. The Golem can only use this ability once every 1d4 rounds.
6- Magnetic Pull. 3/Day, the Metal Golem makes itself magnetic for up to 1 minute. All attacks with metal weapons against it are made with advantage but if they make contact with the Golem, they stick to the Golem's metal skin. If the Golem touches a creature wearing metal armor, that creature sticks to it too.
Crystal
Crystal Golems are glittering sculptures made of shining gems, glittering like a chest of diamonds. They are the rarest and most difficult type of Golem to craft, as only the most richest and most talented can carefully arrange and carve the stones that make up their bodies. They were known to be the ultimate status symbol to the Sorcerer-Kings and Wizard-Emperors of the Age of Sorcery. Each one was a walking work of art, yet do not let their beauty distract you from the fact that each one was a potent weapon.
Crystal Golems are usually stubborn, stern and absolutely inflexible, even more so than other Golems. They are also quite lazy and often callous, as using violence and force is easier than any other method. They are much more stable than some types of Golems, as they prefer to follow orders, as making your own decisions is harder. At the same time, Crystal Golems are the ones most likely to question the methods that were programmed into them. If the Golem decides that it knows a better way, it will discard your method in a heartbeat and pursue it's own path.
Crystal Golems are created by imprisoning a Spirit of Earth in a specially crafted gemstone shell, then connecting that sub-shell to the greater Golem body. If done properly, it will create a powerful and terrifying agent of destruction. If it fails, however, at least the craftsmen can be relieved at the idea that they have still made something beautiful, if useless for anything more than decoration.
Golem Creation Failure: Crystal:
1d6
1- The Crystal Vessel is not made properly. The Spirit escapes!
2- The Crystal Vessel is not strong enough. It explodes in a spray of shrapnel, doing 2d6 damage, save for half, to anyone within 50'. The Spirit escapes!
3- The Crystal Vessel constantly draws in mana. Any living creatures that spend time around it feel weakened and drained. Magi feel migraines just being in the same room as the Vessel.
4- The Crystal Vessel leaks mana. It must be continually refreshed, either by being near a natural Mana well, or by spellcasters or runic technology. Additionally, this causes small magical phenomena around the Golem constantly, such as water turning to other liquids, animals and people mutating, glowing lights, voices from nowhere, etc.
5- The Crystal Golem absorbs an imprint of any creature the Golem kills. Essentially, each time the Golem kills a living creature, this has a chance of creating a ghost. The more powerful the creature, the more intelligent the Ghost.
6- The Crystal Vessel is secretly fragile. The Golem is vulnerable to bludgeoning damage, though no one knows this yet.
Crystal Golem
Number Appearing: 1
Alignment: Any
Languages: Whatever language the Creator thought was necessary
Treasure: Varies depending on the Golem's task and activities
DT 8
SHP 8
Atk Unarmed Strike or Weapon (x3) 1d8+2 or Gem Ray (x2) 1d10 elemental
Mor 20
Saves (7+SHP) or less
Immune to Fire, Lightning and Thunder/Sonic Damage
Damage Threshold [8], Super Hit Points, Magic Resistance (80%), Immutable Form, Unbreakable Resolve: See above.
Heart of Stone: If a Crystal Golem is not in contact with the Earth, for each hour it cannot make contact, it loses 1 SHP. If this reduces it to 0 SHP, it dies.
Gem Ray: A Crystal Golem can fire blasts of elemental energy. What type of damage these blasts do is determined by the tables below. These rays cannot be countered by magic, as they are raw energy. Magic can be used to defend in other ways, such as through a magical shield, however.
Tactics:
- Use violence only as a way to advance the Goal
- Target the furtherest enemy
- Use ranged attacks to bait the enemy into coming closer
To customize a Crystal Golem, roll on the tables below:
What gem is it primarily made of?
1d8
1- Rubies. The Crystal Golem can fire blasts of fire. These blasts ignite flammable objects.
2- Topaz. The Crystal Golem is a mix of pink, red, yellow and orange. It can fire blasts of Acid damage, depending on it's will.
3- Citrine. The Crystal Golem is mostly a cloudy yellow. It can fire blasts of Radiant damage.
4- Emeralds. The Crystal Golem fires green rays that create poison inside the body of any living creature they hit.
5- Sapphires. The Crystal Golem can conjure and fire high-pressure jets of water.
6- Amethyst. The Crystal Golem is colored in shades of purple. It can fire blasts of Psychic damage.
7- Garnet. The Crystal Golem is a mix of colors, mostly reds with hints of clear, yellow and green. It can fire blasts that do Lightning damage.
8- Diamonds. When the Crystal Golem uses it's Gem Ray, it randomly does one of the following types of damage: 1d8 [1= Fire; 2= Acid; 3= Radiant; 4= Poison; 5= Ice; 6= Psychic; 7= Lightning; 8= Two different rays.]
How many Elemental Abilities does the Golem have access to?
1d6
1- 1
2- 2
3- 1d3
4- 1d4
5- 1d4+1
6- 1d4+2
What Elemental Abilities does the Golem have access to?
1d6
1- Magic Reflection. 1/Round, if the Golem is targeted by a spell and the spell is countered by the Golem's Magic Resistance, the Golem can choose to send the spell back at the original caster.
2- Soul Trap. If a creature has died within 1 minute around the Crystal Golem, the Golem can attempt to trap the soul of the creature inside of a gemstone. The Golem must engage in a COG contest with the deceased creature. If the Golem wins, the creature in question is sealed into an empty gemstone of the Golem's choice. Such a creature can communicate telepathically with anyone holding the gem, but cannot leave unless the gem is destroyed or the Golem releases it.
3- Spell Copy. If targeted by a spell, the Golem can create a copy of that spell. As an action, the Golem can cast that spell. For the purposes of casting, treat the Golem has a 5th Level Wizard with 8 MD. The Golem can copy up to "8" spells and cast them as much as it wants, until it runs out of MD, which burn out on a "5" or "6". The Golem does not trigger Chaos or Corruption with it's roll.
4- Shard Swarm. As an action, the Crystal Golem can blasts a shower of razor sharp dust in a 30' cone in front of it. This does 2d6 HP damage, save for half, and on a failed save does 1d3 CON damage as well. This CON damage does not heal on it's own, as it is caused by inhaling razor-sharp shards of rock into your lungs. The Golem can use this ability every 1d4 rounds.
5- Mana Drain. By touching a creature, a Crystal Golem can force that creature to save. On a failed save, the Golem drains 1d6 MD out of the creature, reducing it's supply by that much. For each MD the creature does not have, the Crystal Golem steals 1d3 FS. On a successful save, the creature takes 1d4 psychic damage. The Golem can automatically drain mana stored in external containers, no save is permitted for this.
6- Turn to Crystal. By touching a creature, the Crystal Golem can force that creature to save. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to Crystal. Each round the creature takes 1d6 CON damage as part of it's flesh begins to turn to Crystal. If this reduces a creature to 0 CON, the creature is transformed into a crystalline statue. This rate of change can be slowed by getting away from the Golem- past 100' it is only 1 point of CON per minute, while past 1000' it is only one point of CON per hour. Any further than that and the change does not progress at all. This change can be undone through a Stone to Flesh spell cast with at least 2 MD or as a free action by the Crystal Golem.
Plot Hooks:
1d8
1- A Golem was created with the Goal of "Rebuild the City of Tazzerik", with the Laws of "Obey the Laws of Tazzerik" and "Complete the Construction in a Timely Fashion". The Golem, upon interacting with the bureaucracy of the City and the National Government, decided the First Law it had been given was impossible to follow, so the Golem became a crime boss and uses it's criminal exploits to purchase materials, hire laborers and bribe officials. No one knows the Golem is a crime boss, but city officials not being bribed are wondering about the Golem's books. Meanwhile, the corrupt officials are trying to hide evidence. The party is either asked to help bring the gangs to heel or investigate as outsiders who should not be on the take.
2- A Golem was created with the Goal of "Ensure the Prosperity of the City of Ashur-beth" with the Laws "Protect Local Merchants" and "Obey the King's Commands". Upon realizing the King didn't understand how his tax policies were weakening the economy, the Golem began engaging in smuggling and manipulating the authorities to help smugglers evade them. This has caused several gang wars over this lucrative market, but the Golem doesn't care, as it wasn't instructed to care about such things.
3- A Golem was created with the Goal of "Enforce the Law" with the Laws of "Ensure Justice is Done" and "Punish the Guilty, giving them the Punishment the Law Demands". This was a very poorly worded Goal, as the Golem, upon realizing the government that created it was full of people who violated the statutes of the kingdom all the time systematically captured, tried and executed them. The Golem was driven out, but forced a secret resistance movement to topple the regime with the goal of putting all guilty officials on trial one day. Once that is done, it will turn on it's fellow rebels for their crimes of treason, sabotage, murder and assault.
4- A Golem was created with the Goal of "Protecting the Lakazu in the City of Ghesh", with the Laws "Protect the Lakazu from Enemies" and "Preserve Lakazu Life". As the Golem recognized that the Lakazu were an ethnic minority, surrounded by people who didn't care for them, the Golem began working to transform one of their neighborhoods into a self-sufficient community. Once that was done, the Golem plans to relocate all Lakazu there and prevent them from leaving, to ensure it can constantly protect them.
5- A City has a tradition where a Golem who acts as Chief Magistrate approves the Prince before he can take his place as the official heir to the King. This time however, the Golem has refused to ratify the Prince as Heir and has rejected all those who have presented themselves to be the prospective heir. The Golem has the goal of "Judge Justly and Fairly" with the Laws of "Enforce the Laws of the City" and "Ensure the Line of Succession".
6- A Golem that was created with the Goal of "Protect the House of Anak" with the Laws "Ensure the Reign of the Line of Anak" and "Defend the Royal Bloodline from Enemies within and without" has kidnapped one of the princesses! After the old King died, his son took over. However, the Golem refused to allow the union, but instead kidnapped his bride and taken her away. Please rescue her and figure out why the Golem has done this.
7- A Golem that was created with the Goal of "Protect the Empire of the Oshirri" and the Laws "Defend the Borders of the Empire" and "Ensure the Safety of it's People" has recently been freed from where it was imprisoned in a cavern. The Golem has decided to continue it's current mission and defend the Empire- despite the fact that the Oshirri Empire fell apart centuries ago. This is no matter to the Golem, who has begun putting together an army to re-found the Empire.
8- A Golem that was created with the Goal of "Guard the Library of Bashek the Wise" with the Laws of "Ensure the Knowledge within is preserved for future generations" and "Prevent it from falling into unworthy hands" has banned all mortals from the library. Any that attempt to enter are firmly, but politely, asked to leave. Those who refuse are beaten severely and then thrown outside or killed, should the Golem believe them sufficiently dangerous. Enter the library and figure out why this is happening.
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