Golem
Golems are creatures of hewn stone or sheets of metal animated with a spark of lyrium. The process involves dressing a volunteer in armor the size of the golem, then pouring molten lyrium through the eye holes, mouth hole, and joints of the armor. Before it cools, the armor is hammered and shaped to perfection. A magical, not mechanical, process animates the golem, making it more of a living "steel/stone creature". Most golems are made of rock and they rarely speak. Enchanted control rods are used to turn the golems into perfectly obedient soldiers, at the cost of their free will. However if a golem lacks a control rod it retains its free will and perhaps its former personality returns as well.
Paragon Caridin first created golems in -225 Ancient, when the First Blight was threatening the very existence of the dwarven race. Paragon Hirol later improved the golem design. Because the golems led to incredible victories against the darkspawn, who were steadily destroying the dwarven civilization, many dwarves gladly volunteered. Eventually however King Valtor began forcing criminals, casteless, and political dissidents to become golems.
Eventually however King Valtor began forcing criminals, casteless, and political dissidents to become golems. Caridin refused to create any more golems after six years of continuous production. In response to his dissidence, King Valtor ordered for Caridin to be turned into a golem and be as compliant as the rest of them. But Caridin's apprentices did not know how to properly create a control rod, so Caridin kept his own mind and free will and fled with his loyalists and the Anvil into the Deep Roads.
Playing a Golem
If you choose to play a Golem, modify your character as follows:
- Add 2 to your Strength ability and subtract 2 from your Dexterity ability. Your Golem physique may be strong and sturdy, but your overall mobility is severely hindered.
- Pick one of the following ability focuses: Strength (Might), or Dexterity (Brawling).
- You have Magic Resistance. You gain a +3 bonus on ability tests to resist the effects of spells and other magical attacks.
- You have Natural Armor. Your base Armor Rating is 7.
- You can speak and read Dwarven and the Trade Tongue.
- Calculate your starting speed as 5 + Dexterity. You cannot equip armor.
- Take the warrior class.
Golem
2d6 Roll
Benefit
2
+1 Constitution
3-4
Focus: Willpower (Morale)
5
Focus: Strength (Intimidation)
6
Focus: Perception (Searching)
7-8
+1 Cunning
9
+1 Armor Rating
10-11
Focus: Cunning (Evaluation)
12
+1 Willpower
Golems are also able to select the following talent:
Stone Golem
Classes: Warrior
Requirement: You must be a Golem.
You make use of your pedigree in order to turn the tides of combat. Golems may choose the novice level of this talent at 1st level in place of one of the normal talents from which starting warriors typically get to choose.
Novice: The ground bucks and rolls in an a 6-yard radius around you. Anyone caught in the area suffers a –2 penalty to Defense and a –5 penalty to Speed for one round. They must also succeed on a Dexterity (Acrobatics) test vs. your Strength (Might) or fall prone.
Journeyman: You hurl a rock at a visible enemy up to 20 yards away. The rock inflicts 1d6 + Strength (Might) damage and the target is knocked prone. If the target makes a successful Constitution (Stamina) test vs. your Strength (Might), the attack only inflicts 1d6 damage and remains standing.
Master: You can shrug off the worst damage through force of will alone. Gain a bonus to your Armor Rating equal to half your Willpower (rounded up).
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