The Stray Golem

In the dead of night he creaks, Waiting to find those who do not sleep. The children who are out of bed, Might soon find themselves dead.

Summary

In Yclarta there was a story of a potter who made a clay golem. He wanted to make a golem to sing to his children to sleep. Something wasn't right with the golem he couldn't quite get the voice right so the potter went to destroy the golem. However he did not destroy it properly and the golem morphed into something sinister. With no other direction the golem roamed about at night trying to find children to sing to sleep. The golem could not distinguish between children and adults. It was mostly adults still out late at night and so the golem would approach and try to sing them to sleep. However its' screeching made the person scream and make noise itself. In order to make the person "go to sleep" the golem would silence them with a swift deadly knock to the head. Sometimes the person would awake in the morning with a lump on the head. Other times they never woke up again.

Historical Basis

There was at one time in Yclarta a documented case of attacks of unknown origin. They occurred at night and left few victims alive. Those that did survive reported a clay golem attacking them. Eventually the real culprit was found or so the story goes.

Variations & Mutation

Another variation has a disgruntled potter creating the clay golem to get back at a client who refused to pay for a commissioned piece.

Cultural Reception

It is perhaps because of this story that golems are seen as something dangerous and mistrusted. Even in Yclarta itself the creations if golems if highly regulated and only the most skilled potters are allowed to create one after going through the proper channels.