Golem

Cybernetic & Nanotech

These automatons, created by powerful spellcasters, differ from most robots in that each has an elemental spirit bound within. Properly binding this spirit, which is usually from an earth elemental, is the most important part of creating a golem. As the spirit is only semiconscious, the golem exists in a mindless state and acts only to defend itself or to follow orders from its creator. In some golems, injury causes the elemental spirit to stir in its artificial shell. As it gains awareness, it rages at its imprisonment.

Abysium

These golems are crafted from Abysium, the blue-green glowing starmetal also known as feverstone. They are dangerous not only for their strength and ferocity, but also because of the radiation they emit at all times. Some believe that abysium—and the golems made of it—are connected to the Abyss, the nightmarish home of all Demonkind.

Neutronium

Neutronium, the material found in the heart of a neutron star, is one of the densest substances in existence. Just a spoonful of it would weigh billions of tons and, if dropped onto the surface of a planet, would simply puncture the planet’s crust until it reached the core. Further, neutronium possesses some unusual properties; because it has no electrons, it does not interact with light. Scientists have studied neutronium for centuries, with many of them pursuing the practical goal of weaponizing the substance. Recently, a group of Drow mystics and technomancers made a breakthrough while working to decode ancient texts supposedly written by Eloritu. After decades of work, they managed to temporarily bind an elemental spirit to a neutron star. The elemental, working from within the star, was able to remove a tiny piece of super-dense neutronium, which the drow then isolated with force magic. The team experimented on this rare sample for months on end, until they finally perfected a technomagical process that reduced the density of the neutronium enough to make it more workable, while simultaneously shaping the now enormous object into a vaguely humanoid form. They moved the bound elemental spirit out of its star and into this new vessel, and the first neutronium golem was created. Since then, the method of crafting neutronium golems has spread through the Pact Worlds. The drow creators of the technique have even begun to industrialize the process, producing neutronium golems in the dozens and charging exorbitant sums for them. Unfortunately, their work has angered some of the drow’s demon lord patrons, which has led some elements of Apostae's ruling class to call for their expulsion from drow society, if not outright execution. House Brevak in particular has spent a great deal of resources to eliminate these “rogue elements” from drow society and take over the production of neutronium golems—for the good of all drow, naturally. A neutronium golem is invisible in light but pitch black in darkness; this quality makes it both a deadly assassin and a useful guardian. Species with natural darkvision— like drow—can easily see and interact with these golems in the darkness that is their natural environment. But when intruders trespass into the lightless chambers where a golem is stationed, any illumination they bring with them only serves to make the neutronium golem more dangerous. In addition, the incredible density and neutral charge of neutronium grants the construct a number of immunities even beyond those normally associated with a golem. However, a neutronium golem does have weaknesses. By delivering a charge to the neutronium that makes up the golem’s body, its immunity to light is temporarily negated, causing it to become visible. The magical forces which give the neutronium a humanoid form are also precariously balanced, so rapid fluctuations in gravity can disrupt the golem’s body. Finally, like many golems, it has a tendency to fly into an uncontrollable rage when damaged. Although the process for creating neutronium golems is a relatively recent development in The Pact Worlds, rumors persist that older neutronium golems exist elsewhere in the galaxy. Based on the writings studied by the drow scientists, it may be that Eloritu—or his priests—originally created neutronium golems to guard sites sacred to the Hidden Truth. Numerous alien cultures venerated Eloritu long before the Pact Worlds discovered his faith, and some of these cultures may have made use of neutronium golems. An alternative theory is that Eloritu meant to keep the knowledge of creating neutronium golems a mystery from the mortal species of the galaxy, and the reappearance of the technique in the present risks attracting the wrath of the god of secrets.