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Golems
201 -- A Historical Reference
Part Four Before we begin today’s review, I would like to announce that it is Tod’s birthday. He is seventy years old today. That is part of the reason that I have chosen him as your final research assignment. You may make appointments with me after class as part of your research if you wish. I have other news that relates to today’s review of the Watchers. During your research, one of your classmates actually uncovered the location of the tomb where it is rumored that these golems still stand guard. The academy has sent a team of explorers and excavation has begun. I will read you the paper of that student. The Watchers Three hundred forty years ago, a young woman named Vispera gave birth to twin boys, Baston and Capaz. They were brilliant children, far ahead of others their age. As they grew into adulthood, Baston studied the magical arts while Capaz felt a divine calling. Eventually, the brothers left their studies to put their knowledge into practice. It is speculated that the two of them collaborated to create nearly forty golems in the unprecedented span of only 10 years. The twins amassed quite a fortune; their mother took care of the family estate until she died at the age of 52 from an unknown ailment. Upon her death, the brothers took all of their belongings from the estate and simply disappeared. This could easily be the end of the story, as further research yielded no clues as to the later history of the brothers. Just as I was about to give up any hope of finding further information buried deep in the ancient tomes of the academy library, I uncovered some notes on the construction of clay golems. These notes bore the signature of Capaz himself. It seems that two years before their mother's death, the brothers traveled by boat to an island many days south from the mainland. Here, they spent quite a bit of time crafting two golems from clay that they found on the island. Their notes say that the clay exhibited magical properties, remaining cool and moist to the touch even when placed in a fire for several hours. The notes go on to say that the ritual for the creation of the golems took place in an ancient crypt on the island, near the waterfall where they first discovered the clay. As an aside, it turns out that considerable funding for this very academy came from the estate of the brothers. This institution also inherited over a hundred volumes of research about the construction and enchantment of golems.
The Watchers spend most of their time in statue form, waiting for intruders. When a target moves to within 10 feet of them, they return to their normal form and attack. When in statue form they appear as the brothers Baston and Capaz. Combat Clay golems are fairly effective combatants, thanks to their immunities and their haste ability. Berserk (Ex): When a clay golem enters combat, there is a cumulative 1% chance each round that its elemental spirit breaks free and goes berserk. The uncontrolled golem goes on a rampage, attacking the nearest living creature (or smashing some object smaller than itself if no creature is within reach), then moving on to spread more destruction. Once the golem goes berserk, no known method can reestablish control. Wound (Ex): The damage a clay golem deals doesn’t heal naturally. Only a heal spell or a Healing spell of 6th level or higher can heal it. Immune to Slashing and Piercing (Ex): Slashing and piercing weapons, even enchanted ones, deal no damage to a clay golem. Magic Immunity (Ex): Clay golems are immune to all spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural effects, except as follows. A move earth spell drives the golem back 120 feet and deals 3d12 points of damage to it. A disintegrate spell slows the golem (as the slow spell) for 1d6 rounds and deals 1d12 points of damage. An earthquake cast directly at a clay golem stops it from moving that round and deals 5d10 points of damage. The golem gets no saving throw against any of these effects. Haste (Su): After it has engaged in at least 1 round of combat, a clay golem can haste itself once per day as a free action. The effect lasts 3 rounds and is otherwise the same as the spell. Statue (Su): The Watchers spend most of their time in statue form, waiting for intruders. When a target moves to within 10 feet of them they return to their normal form and attack.
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Having
been asked by a friend to fill in for him as DM of his weekly campaign
for a session, I grabbed my trusty gaming backpack and headed out the
door. The party was itchin' for a good old dungeon crawl. I quickly sketched
up some floor plans and dug through my notes for monsters while they prepared
themselves for adventure. The pizza delivery arrived and off they went
into the depths of an unknown crypt. 
