Golems bodies are generally reusable. If a golem isn’t severely damaged in battle, it’s feasible that the golem owner can invite or bind a new host into his golem after the first vacates.
By far the most popular host/power source is an elemental. Sometimes a spirit of the Nine is put in a golem. Rarest of all, a ghost can be used to power a golem. An elemental powered golem can only perform very simple tasks, following all commands to the letter, but the odds of the golem rebelling are almost negligible. A golem powered by a ghost is very versatile but has a fairly high chance of rebelling. Spirit powered golems fall in between these two extremes.
Elemental Powered Golems
Elemental hosts are the most common power source for golems because they will follow all orders to the letter without questions unless they go on a random killing spree (but that seldom happens). In theory, a golem can run forever on a single elemental.
An elemental powered golem normally does not go on a random killing spree unless an outside force deliberately dispels the binding of the golem. Elemental powered golems only slip the leash by accident if the golem binder is very sloppy or very lazy.
An elemental golem that is mystically unbound may or may not go on a random killing spree. Sometimes it just forces the elemental out of the golem leaving an empty shell, sometimes it renders the golem temporarily inert, sometimes attempts to unbind a golem do nothing. To outside observers, this appears to be random. Really it’s all about the elemental inside. Some elementals find powering a golem enjoyable, others find it torturous.
An elemental powered golem that breaks free of its control has a chance of going into a berserk which is bad, but it’s still better than if spirit or ghost powered golem breaks free. A rogue ghost or spirit that breaks free will rebel against its former master in a pre-mediated and tactical manner.
Very few golem crafters bother creating golems that can talk. Golems can only talk if they have a ghost or spirit powering them.
Spirit Powered Golems
It is generally considered a grave blasphemy to bind a spirit of the Nine into a golem against its will, so it's a great way to get on the Naughty List of one of the Nine.
Fortunately it is not that hard to convince a spirit of the Nine to inhabit a golem of it's own free will as long as you set a finite duration. Many spirits find controlling a golem to be enjoyable in the short term. It’s common that a spirit’s period of joining with a Golem is 99 days, a year a day, nine years, eighty-one years. If the golem binder is a good negotiator, he could even make the term of service “my natural lifetime.”
Naturally, most golem makers who use spirits of the Nine to power their golems are
theurgists , not mages. It’s not impossible for a mage to convince a spirit to willingly enter a golem, but the golem is probably going to insist on a short term of service and probably put in other stipulations such as refusal to act against fellow servants of its deity. A theurgist in good standing with his patron deity may not give any stipulations on the spirit at all. Why would a priestess of
Mera need to limit the actions of a golem powered by a spirit of Mera? In these situations, every command is really a request, but the spirit and the theurgist are so in sync that the spirit treats every request like a command.
It’s pretty common for important temples and shrines to have spirit powered golems guarding them. Some temples have empty golems in their temple. In theory if the spirits are watching, a random friendly spirit can hop into an empty golem if the temple falls under attack.
It’s even more common for temples and shrines to have fake golems guarding them. Priests who cannot afford a golem love to fill their temples with sculptures that sort of look like golems to potentially ward off superstitious thieves.
Before creating a golem with a spirit behind the driver’s seat, the golem builder and the spirit need to negotiate what the golem will or won’t do. In most cases the golem will follow both the spirit and letter of their agreements but golem creators need to be careful if the spirit is deceptive by nature or has goals opposed to the golem owner.
If a golem owner manages to offend one of the Nine, their golem will probably rebel. If the golem stays in good faith with the divine patron that’s spirit is powering the golem, the golem will probably not rebel. In theory, it’s possible to offend the spirit without offending the associated god or goddess, but this is unlikely. The types of spirits that consent to powering golems are usually very simple minded beings with only a single dot of Intelligence and very little creativity.
Ghost Powered Golems
Ghosts have some serious limitations when it comes to golems. First, the golem has to be anatomically similar to the ghost. A humanoid Ghost can only occupy a humanoid golem. A dragon ghost can only occupy a draconic golem. Therefore, it is common if a golem builder plans to leave his golem empty for long periods of time, to make sure it’s not humanoids. Another precaution against ghosts stealing your golem is to give a golem detachable parts. A ghost can only possess a whole golem. Golems can always be warded against unwanted possession with relatively simple Necromancy or Abjuration spells.
A second limitation is that a ghost powered golem has complete free will. Sometimes this is an asset if you want your golem to be able to engage in creative problem solving, but most golem binders prize golems for their lack of free will. There is nothing to stop a golem binder from using necromantic magic to force a ghost to obey the golem binder, but this is rare. Most necromancers who have the power to command rarely bother studying golem magic and visa versa. A necromancer powerful enough to fully command a ghost is powerful enough to raise corporeal undead servants that are as strong as most golems, and for a fraction of the cost.
The third limitation is that ghosts do not have a very strong Animus (which is a mystical way of describing "kinetic energy"). A ghost can only animate a golem for short periods of time as this drains their reserve of willpower unless a mortal mage or @theurgist feeds the golem with magical energy for the ghost to use.
There are two ways a golem binder can mitigate this. First, they can bind an elemental and a ghost into a golem. To use a modern metaphor, the elemental provides the engine and the ghost is in the driver’s seat. Enchanting a golem to utilize two hosts raises the cost of a building golem a fair bit.
Another way to mitigate a ghost’s lack of Animus is to personalize a golem to a specific ghost. If the golem is a lifelike statue or carving of the ghost’s former living self, the ghost can operate the golem much easier than a regular golem. A flesh golem made primarily of the ghost’s own corpse is going to be very easy for a ghost to operate than a flesh golem made out of strangers. Even a few locks of hair can make a golem a little bit easier for a ghost to operate.
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