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Golems were several types of magically created constructs. They were mindless, emotionless creations that only knew how to fulfill the orders of their creators.
Biology[]
Golems generally did not age, did not require air or food (though were capable of breathing and eating), lacked any fixed activity cycle, and were immune to all forms of poison and disease (including magical ones).
Many golems possessed an immunity to spells and certain weapons, while some displayed a vulnerability to certain spells and weapons. They were especially immune to any spells that involved bending their mind's will, such as charming and illusions, though the spell invisibility seemed to be the exception to the latter category.
Behavior[]
Intelligence varied wildly among golems. Some displayed unique mental characteristics, but generally they were less intelligent than their creators.
Abilities[]
The abilities of each type of golems varied significantly by type. Many were known to have innate abilities that mimicked certain spells.[citation needed] However, all golems shared an immunity to diseases, poisons, and toxins.[1]
Creation[]
In the realm of Ravenloft, construction or research into any golem required the constructor to make a mystical pact with the Dark Powers. The material used to construct a golem could theoretically be anything.
There were also a number of special magical tomes, known as a Manual of Golems, that each described in great detail how to construct one type of golem.
History[]
Golems came about in the realm of Ravenloft relatively early in its existence. One day, long before he became a dark lord, the lich Azalin was practicing medicine in Barovia under the guidance of Strahd von Zarovich. He was examining the bodies of his lord's undead minions, who had died in mysterious ways, and during that investigation discovered an essence of life still remained in the corpses. He studied this phenomenon for many weeks and eventually created the first two known golems in Ravenloft, the bone and zombie golems.
Varieties[]
- Dread golems: A distinct type that could be applied to almost any form of golem. Rather than being mindless creatures, dread golems had some degree of both consciousness and self-consciousness.
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Golem article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
- Golem article at Mistipedia, a wiki for the Ravenloft campaign setting run by The Fraternity of Shadows.
References[]
- ↑ Bruce Nesmith, Andria Hayday, William W. Connors (1994). Realm of Terror (Revised). (TSR, Inc.), pp. 155–156. ISBN 1-56076-942-4.
Sources[]
- William W. Connors (1996). Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendices I & II. Edited by C. Terry Phillips, John D. Rateliff, Karen Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 20. ISBN 0786903929.
- Peter Adkison, William W. Connors, Dave Gross, Miranda Horner, Harold Johnson, John W. Mangrum, Steve Miller, Thomas M. Reid, Cindi Rice, Lucien Soulban, Stan!, Ed Stark, David Wise (May 11, 1999). Children of the Night: The Created. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 4–5. ISBN 0-7869-1360-6.
- Teeuwynn Woodruff (1994). Van Richten's Guide to the Created. Edited by Andria Hayday. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 4, 33–34, 56–57. ISBN 1-56076-819-3.