Golems

Golems

Golems are magical constructs made from common substances that are animated to give a semblance of life. Although Adepts of the College of Binding and Animating may create Golems by the use of a spell for short periods (Binder S-4), Golems are usually the result of lengthy and often expensive rituals.

Golems come in two main categories

Necromantic Golems

Members of the College of Necromantic Conjurations use the Shaping Flesh Golems (R-4) ritual to construct Golems from formerly living creatures. These gruesome creations are often made from a number of different creatures.

Binder Golems

Members of the College of Binding and Animating can create Golems from plant materials or minerals. These Golems come in a variety of types and sizes dependant on the materials used.

Flesh Golems

Due to the long construction time and cost, Flesh golems are rare. Parts of fantastical creatures with magical talents are popular for flesh golems as the creations retain the magical talents of their component body parts.

Construction Materials

Parts of formerly living creatures.

Created By

Shaping Flesh Golems (R-4), Necromantic Ritual.

Clay Golems

Although one of the quickest and cheapest Binder golems, they are vulnerable to the effects of fire, water, and climate, making them generally better suited to short-term use. An ideal Instant Golem due to the wide availability of suitable constuction materials.

Construction Materials

Clay or any similar soft earth.

Height

3' to 9'

Created By

Shaping Clay Golems (Q-3), Binder Ritual.

Iron Golems

A Binder golem suited to use as warriors and guards, when active they are warm to touch and radiate a faint glow particularly from their eyes.

Construction Materials

Any metal which is normally solid at room temperature.

Height

4' to 10'

Created By

Shaping Iron Golems (R-5), Binder Ritual.

Rag and String Golems

The most common Golem, these Binder Golems are quick and cheep to make. They are used mostly as servants and messangers. Small, weak and relatively smart, they make good scouts and bad warriors. Rag and String Golems are vulnerable to fire.

Construction Materials

Cloth, string, rope, straw. Flexible, easily manipulable materials.

Height

6" to 2'6"

Created By

Shaping Rag & String Golems (Q-4), Binder Ritual.

Stone Golems

These Binder golems are suited for tasks that require strength or durability but not stealth as they grind when they move and can be heard coming from 100 yards away. They are ideal as guardians in areas exposed to weather, moisture or extremes of temperature.

Construction Materials

Any type of Stone or Rock that is normally solid.

Height

5' to 12'

Created By

Shaping Stone Golems (R-6), Binder Ritual.

Wood Golems

A good general pupose Binder golem, they may be made to look like a tree or bush. Like all wooden objects they are vulnerable to fire and rot.

Construction Materials

Wood, Wicker, cane, or bamboo.

Height

2' to 9'

Created By

Shaping Wood Golems (R-7), Binder Ritual.

Binder Golem Related Rules

The following rules have been copied from the Rule Book, Pages 41-46 Sections 13.3-13.13. The college of Binding and Animating Magic

Answers to frequently asked questions have been given in some sections as an aid to players and GMs.

Definitions

Assistants

An assistant may be used to provide skills or abilities which the Binder does not possess. The assistant must be present throughout the entire ritual. If using an assistant's skill to craft a golem, the assistant's rank may affect the PB of the golem but not the base chance of performing the ritual.

Construction Time

Each golem type has a base construction time. This is multiplied by the height of the golem in feet (round up). This assumes that the adept has the requisite quantity of materials on hand and the tools or ability to shape the material.

Crafting Golems

To perform a Shaping Golem ritual the binder must have all of the materials on hand. They must also have the tools and skill to shape the material, or an assistant with the appropriate tools and skills.

Magical Materials

The following statistics are for golems made of non-magical materials. Golems made of magical, enchanted or formerly enchanted materials are less predictable. A Binder attempting to use enchanted materials should exercise the utmost caution. Some golems may turn out fine, possibly even with beneficial side-effects, others may be actively inimical.

Material Costs

This is the cost for magical materials to perform the ritual. The cost of materials for the golem itself is additional to this.

Upgrades

When an Adept increases their rank in a golem ritual they may upgrade existing golems to their new rank. This requires the performance of the ritual. The time required is the base time for the golem (no matter how big it is).

Weathering / Deterioration

When a golem is crafted or animated, the magic involved does not provide any sort of protection from normal weathering (i.e. Clay will dry and crumble, cloth will get torn, wood will rot, iron will rust, etc). Separate preservation magics may be cast on a golem to reduce or prevent normal weathering.

Attuning Golems

When constructing a golem, it may be attuned to certain skills or magics. The adept may attune the golem with 1 ability (+1/Rank). Each skill, language, weapon, talent (racial or college), spell, or ritual counts as 1 ability. What a golem has been attuned to cannot be changed but it can be increased when a golem is upgraded.

Answers to FAQ

Golems can not cast spells or rituals they have been attuned to unless possessed by an adept, as Golems do not have any MA. Adepts possessing an Iron golem canot cast at all.

A golem can be instructed in any language it has been attuned to, if no languages are attuned it can understand one language the creating Adept has at rank 8 or better.

A golem cannot speak unless attuned to a language, in which case it speaks the language at Rank 5.

A golem may not use other attuned abilities unless possesssed by an Adept in which case Adept uses their rank in the ability. But they may be better able to follow instructions if they are attuned to skills appropriate to the task.

Golems in Combat

Bleeding

Golems don't bleed.

Damaged Golems

Golems cannot be healed, instead they must be repaired. A golem must have positive Endurance to be activated.

Dead Golems

A golem which has been killed cannot be re-activated until the damage is repaired and the appropriate shaping ritual is performed, as if doing an upgrade.

Fatigue Recovery

Golems always have full fatigue on activation. They also recover 1 FT per hour while activated.

Sleep and Charm

Golems do not sleep and cannot be charmed. However, if the Binder is possessing a golem, they can be slept or charmed by targeting the golem.

Stun

Golems do not stun.

Unconsciousness

If a golem's Endurance is reduced below 1 then it deactivates.

Weapon Ranks

A golem may wield weapons. If the golem has been attuned to a weapon then it may use that weapon at Rank 0. If that weapon is also builtin to the golem (or unarmed) then it will wield the weapon at Rank (Lower of: (Rank in ritual / 2) or maximum Rank). All other weapons will be wielded as if unranked. Note that a golem will not evade or attempt any special manoeuvre (e.g. trip, disarm) unless possessed by an Adept.

Does A Golem Count as a Magic Weapon?

If the golem is using a weapon that is not built into the golem then the normal attributes of the weapon apply.

If the weapon is built-in or unarmed... it has been played both ways. The golem is a magical construct but the magic involved is not magical damage. Casting a weapon spell on a weapon does make it a 'magic weapon' but does casting a spell such as Durability, Waterproofing or Invisibility on a weapon also make it a 'magic weapon'?

Proposed

?

Can You Cast A Weapon Spell On A Golem?

A Golem counts as an Object (as well as an Entity) so technically some of the weapon spells could be cast on it but the golem itself is not a weapon so it should have no effect on unarmed (unless your weapon spell is a special that specifically affects unarmed).

A weapon spell cast on a golem with a built in weapon will affect the weapon. If the golem has two built in weapons then it will require two weapon spells.

Golem Intelligence

Golems have an animal level intelligence. Each golem has an animal equivalent to use as a guideline for their intelligence and temperament when their masters' instructions are unclear, incomplete or no longer applicable. Golems are somewhat different from their animal equivalents. They have a weak survival instinct, and their strongest drive is to follow their masters' instructions.

Golem Animal Equivalents: Clay = Ox; Rag & String = Monkey; Iron = Tiger; Stone = Elephant; Wood = Dog.

Answers to FAQ

A golem that has been attuned to a language can understand, answer simple questions or memorise a short message in that language. However due to their animal like intelligence they can only parrot back a memorized message they are unable to translate it or any conversations they hear to another language that they know.

Instructing Golems

Golems must be verbally instructed. Instructing a golem requires active concentration. A golem will only take instructions from its master. A golem will attempt to follow the nature and intent of the Adept's instructions.

Answers to FAQ

The range a Golem may be instructed from is limited to the range of its masters voice.

Bound Speech and Whispering Wind do not store the active concentration needed to instruct a golem and so can not be used to give a golem instructions.

A golem can be instructed in any language it has been attuned to, if no languages are attuned it will understand one language the creating Adept has at rank 8 or better.

Activating Golems

Activate Golem Binder Talent (T-1)

Effects: This talent requires 1 pulse of active concentration. It costs 2 FT to attempt this talent which activates an inactive golem. If the golem is one which the Adept has constructed then the talent automatically works; otherwise the chance of success is the Adept's chance of creating a golem of that type. This talent may not be ranked. The adept who activates a golem is considered its master.

Answers to FAQ

The golem rituals create inactive golems. They may be activated multiple times through use of this talent.

Golems do not store instuctions from one activation to another.

Once a Golem is activated it will take no actions, but wait to be instructed, unless it is attacked in which case it will defend itself.

The Duration of the Golem Ritual is the length of time a golem is active when this talent is used to activate them.

Activation will fail if the golem has unrepaired EN damage that leaves it on less than 1 EN.

Shaping Clay Golems (Q-3)

Duration: 3 hours + 3 / Rank
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 10% + 4% / Rank
Resist: None
Target: Object
Base Construction Time: 2 hours
Material: Clay & Rare Earths
Material Cost: 100 sp
Actions: Sculpting a statue
Concentration Check: None

Effects: Turns a quantity of earth into a golem. Clay golems are susceptible to fire and immersion; exposure to either will cause D10 FT damage to the golem every minute. Fire and water based attacks do double damage. A clay golem will gradually dry out and become immobile if not kept moist. In a temperate climate a golem will lose 1 AG per day if no action is taken to prevent this. A golem which has completely dried out cannot be reactivated.

During construction a clay golem may be designed to resemble a humanoid; this requires that the Adept or an assistant has the sculptor skill and is familiar with the humanoid race. The chance of the golem passing visual inspection is 40% (+4/Rank sculptor, +2 / Rank spy). Note that the golem will not pass close inspection — cold, hard skin, lifeless face.

Base Materials: Clay or any soft earth. However clay tends to be the material of preference as golems made of more crumbly earth fall apart easily.

Shaping Rag & String Golems (Q-4)

Duration: 2 hours + 2 / Rank
Experience Multiple: 250
Base Chance: 40% + 3% / Rank
Resist: None
Target: Object
Base Construction Time: 3 hours
Material: Cloth, straw & herbs
Material Cost: 50 sp
Actions: Building a golem
Concentration Check: None

Effects: Turns a small mannequin into a golem. Rag & string golems are susceptible to fire; exposure to fire will cause [D - 4] FT damage to the golem every second pulse. Fire based attacks do double damage.

Base Materials: Cloth, string, rope, straw. Flexible, easily manipulable materials.

Instant Golem (S-4)

Range: 10 feet + 5 / Rank
Duration: 5 minutes + 5 / Rank
Experience Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 30%
Resist: None
Storage: Investment, Ward
Target: Object(s)

Effects: This spell is cast to produce a specific type of golem with which the adept is familiar (must be greater than Rank 0 in the appropriate ritual) from materials within their range. If a sufficient quantity of materials is not within the Adept's range the spell will automatically fail. When cast the materials within range will animate and draw together at the point where the majority of the materials are coming from. A golem will form in 20 seconds (-1 / Rank). In the pulse after it has finished forming the golem will be ready to carry out its master's commands.

The effective rank of the golem is the rank which the adept has in the appropriate ritual.

The duration of the golem is the duration of this spell. At the end of the duration the golem will collapse and its component materials will re-animate and attempt to return to their previous location and state.

Note for Investment: When Invested, the effective rank of the golem is the rank that the investing adept had in the appropriate ritual at the time of investment. The type of golem is set at the time of investment. The created golem will consider the triggerer to be its master.

Note for Ward: The type and effective rank of the golem are set at the time of warding. The Adept may also instill a basic instinct into the golem at the time of warding (e.g. kill, serve, assist, guard, dig, eat, etc.); the actions of the golem will be governed by this instinct. The instinct is always simple and indiscriminate (e.g. kill: the golem will attempt to kill anyone or anything that it perceives). The golem's master is the warding adept.

Possess Golem (S-10)

Range: 10 feet
Duration: 10 minutes + 10 / Rank
Experience Multiple: 250
Base Chance: 35%
Resist: Passive
Storage: Potion
Target: Self and Controlled Golem

Effects: The Adept's body goes into a coma and the Adept's mind goes into the body of the target golem. The Willpower, Magical Aptitude, Perception and Magic Resistance of the golem are replaced by those of the Adept. The Adept may only use ranks in abilities which they have, and the golem has been attuned to. During the possession the Adept uses the golem's senses. The Adept may also speak through the golem's mouth. The Adept may cast while possessing any non-iron golem, however: The FT cost of the magic is applied to the Adept's body and the host golem; The Adept cannot cast if the host golem has no FT; Backfires affect the Adept's body and the host golem (if applicable). If the host golem takes Endurance damage then the adept's body takes half of that amount as FT damage. If the host golem is knocked unconscious or killed then the adept must make a Willpower check or fall unconscious for D10 minutes; the multiple is x 2 for unconsciousness or x 1 for death.

Answers to FAQ

If the golem is "killed" or destroyed then the spell ends immediately and the adept is returned to their body. WP checks follow as above.

Some spell effects, curses, etc. that have a lasting duration will go back to the Adepts body with them.

The Adept may end the posession before the duration ends by counterspelling the spell, provided that the Golem is attuned to Binder Special Counterspell so they can cast it.

Proposed

The Adept may end the posession by concentrating on returning to their body (Magical Pass Action) provided that they are within spell range of it. This ends the spell.

Shaping Iron Golems (R-5)

Duration: 6 hours + 6 / Rank
Experience Multiple: 350
Base Chance: 20% + 4% / Rank
Resist: None
Target: Object
Base Construction Time: 4 days
Material: Forgeable metal & Rare Earths
Material Cost: 1,000 sp
Actions: Forging a golem
Concentration Check: None

Effects: Turns a quantity of metal into a golem. When activated an iron golem radiates a faint glow, especially its eyes, and is warm to the touch.

Base Materials: All metals which are normally solid at room temperature.

Shaping Stone Golems (R-6)

Duration: 5 hours + 5 / Rank
Experience Multiple: 350
Base Chance: 20% + 4% / Rank
Resist: None
Target: Object
Base Construction Time: 4 days
Material: Stone & Rare Earths
Material Cost: 500 sp
Actions: Carving a golem
Concentration Check: None

Effects: Turns a quantity of stone into a golem. Stone golems are the heaviest of all golems. Stone golems cannot be stealthy, they grind as they move. A Stone Golem can usually be heard coming from 100 yards away. Base Materials: All types of stone or rock which are normally solid.

Shaping Wood Golems (R-7)

Duration: 4 hours + 4 / Rank
Experience Multiple: 250
Base Chance: 40% + 3% / Rank
Resist: None
Target: Object
Base Construction Time: 2 days
Material Cost: 100 sp
Actions: Carving a Golem
Concentration Check: None

Effects: Turns a quantity of wood into a golem. Wood golems are susceptible to fire; exposure to fire will cause D10 FT Damage to the Golem every 30 seconds. Fire based attacks do double damage. During construction a wood golem may be designed to resemble a tree, this requires that the Adept or an assistant has the Herbalist skill. The chance of the golem passing casual inspection is 40% (+ 5 / Rank Herbalist). Note that the disguise will only work if the golem is not moving.

Base Materials: All wood types, including wicker, cane and bamboo, but excluding fossilised woods and grasses. GMs may rule that unusual wood types have different properties (e.g. An iron wood golem might have +1 NA, +1 PS, + 2 EN, -2 TMR, -4 AG).

Golem Statistics

Golem	MA	WP	PC	PB	NA
Clay	0	8	8	5 + 2 / Rk (Sculptor)	2
Iron	0	18	15	8 + Rk (Blacksmith)	8
R&S	0	10	12	10 + Rk (Tailor)	0
Stone	0	20	10	6 +3 / 2 Rk (Sculptor)	6
Wood	0	12	15	10 +3 / 2 Rk (Carving)	4

Type	Size	PS	MD	AG	EN	FT	TMR Mod	Wgt
Clay	3'	8	17	14	8	12	-1	72
	4'	10	16	13	10	15	-1	128
	5'	12	15	12	12	18		200
	6'	14	14	11	14	21		288
	7'	16	13	10	16	24		392
	8'	18	12	9	18	27	1	512
	9'	20	11	8	20	30	1	648
	Rk	1	1	1
Iron	4'	10	19	15	20	20	-1	176
	5'	12	18	14	22	22		275
	6'	14	17	13	24	24		396
	7'	16	16	12	26	26		539
	8'	18	15	11	28	28	1	704
	9'	20	14	10	30	30	1	891
	10'	22	13	9	32	32	1	1100
	Rk	1	0.5	0.5	1	0.5
Rag & String	6"	3	22	20	1	3	x 0.25	0.5
	1'	4	21	19	2	4	x 0.33	1.0
	1'6"	5	20	18	3	5	x 0.50	1.5
	2'	6	19	17	4	6	x 0.66	2.0
	2'6"	7	18	16	5	7	x 0.75	2.5
	Rk	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Stone	5'	15	14	12	14	12		325
	6'	18	13	11	16	15		468
	7'	21	12	10	18	18		637
	8'	24	11	9	20	21	1	832
	9'	27	10	8	22	24	1	1053
	10'	30	9	7	24	27	1	1300
	11'	33	8	6	26	30	2	1573
	12'	36	7	5	28	30	2	1872
	Rk	1.5	1	1
Wood	2'	5	16	14	8	12	-1	24
	3'	6	15	13	10	15	-1	54
	4'	8	14	13	10	15	-1	96
	5'	10	13	12	12	18		150
	6'	12	12	11	14	21		216
	7'	14	11	10	16	24		294
	8'	16	10	9	18	27	1	384
	9'	18	9	8	20	30	1	486
	Rk	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5

• Rk - Bonus to statistic per rank in the ritual. Always truncate fractions.

NB The Weights were accepted December 2005, and will be in the 2006 Rulebook

Necromantic Golem Related Rules

The following has been copied from the Rule book Page 98 section 25.7 as an aid to the user.

Shaping Flesh Golems (R-4)

Duration: Permanent
Experience Multiple: 500
Base Chance: Special
Resist: None
Target: Parts of bodies
Cast Time: 24 weeks
Material: Parts of corpses & (20,000 - 900 / Rank) Silver Pennies
Actions: Constructing Golem
Concentration Check: None

Effects: This ritual is used to fashion a Golem from parts of different corpses. All pieces that are to go into the Golem must be found before the ritual can begin. In addition to the pieces of corpses and precious ingredients, the services of a Taxidermist or Undertaker of at least Rank 6 are needed for this ritual. Once the ritual is complete the Flesh Golem will become animate and will remain active until it is killed. A Flesh Golem will always obey its creator, but the GM must determine the complexity of commands it is capable of executing based on the intelligence of the brain used to fashion the Golem. This ritual is automatic, but there is a 1% chance of an accident each week during a Flesh Golem's creation. It must be noted that the creation of a Flesh Golem is an inexact science, and no two Flesh Golems seem to turn out the same. Even building a second Golem using identical materials rarely results in the same final creature. To perform this ritual the Adept will require access to an Alchemist's laboratory or a Binder's workshop.

Flesh Golems have the following characteristics:

Description

A Flesh Golem can be put together from different creatures within a species, or from any number of different species. For example, a troll could be fashioned with the brains of a human, and the wings of a gargoyle, or an ogre could be made with the strength of one ogre (presumably a powerful one), the endurance of another hardy one, and the brain of a bright ogre. Seams will show wherever parts are sewn together, and at low Ranks the Golem will exude a horrible, rotting odour. By Rank 6, the odour will only be noticeable in very close Proximity to the Golem, and above Rank 10 the odour will only be noticed by canines and other creatures with an exceptional sense of smell.

Talents, Skills and Magic

Flesh Golems never retain any of the skills or spell casting abilities (although they do retain some weapon skills) of any of the creatures from which they are made, but do retain any talents appropriate to the parts of a creature used. Thus, a Golem made with the eyes of a basilisk would be able to turn creatures to stone in the same manner as a basilisk.

Movement Rate (yards per minute)

Variable, according to the Golem's size and method(s) of locomotion.

PS

Average the Physical Strength of the creatures from which the Golem's muscle tissues were taken.

MD

Average the Manual Dexterities of the creatures from which the Golem's muscles and brain were taken.

AG

Average the Agilities of the creatures from which the Golem's muscles and brain were taken.

MA

0

EN

Average the Endurances of the creatures from which the Golem's muscles and internal organs were taken.

FT

As for Endurance, but the creature from which the Golem's lungs were taken counts twice within the average.

WP

Add 5 to the Willpower of the creature from which the Golem's brain was taken. Maximum 30.

PC

Variable, depending on the quality of the eyes, ears, and mental faculties of the creatures that were used, but never more than 10 (+ Rank / 2, rounded up).

PB

Variable, depending on the creatures used, but never more than 6 (+ Rank).

TMR

Variable depending on Agility and GM's discretion.

NA

Variable, depending on the creature from which the skin was taken.

Weapons

A Flesh Golem can use any natural weapons (such as claws and fangs) built into it, as well as any weapons it can carry. It will have the same Ranks in weapons as the creature who contributed its brain divided by 2 and rounded down. This is knowledge only, and there is no guarantee that the Golem will have the requisite PS or MD, or will even be able to manipulate weapons.

Comments

The GM will have to use discretion in allowing combinations of creatures. It would be absurd to allow a Golem to be built with a dragon's head on a human body - due to discrepancies in size, for instance.

Flesh Golems can be harmed by weapons or magic as per normal.