‘G’ is for ‘Golems.’
Allegedly invented by servants of the
Jade Empress about 270 years ago, they are classified as non-sentient
constructs with no internal source of motion or determination. The most common
kinds of golems are ‘clay’ and ‘hair,’ though there are allegedly more
intricate golems in the Cloud Hills, including legends of gargoyles and walking
suits of armor.
In the early period of the Human Age, golems were essential
replacements for beasts of burden, in clearing rubble and toxic materials
spilled by exploded demons. Even today they are used primarily as sentries and
transport, and appear exclusively in the east, serving The Empire of Gold and
Jade.
Only human wizards and all-chemists have yet figured out how
to construct golems. Three of the four inventors of the original golems were
slain by their creations, giving us the popular legend: if a golem consumes the
body of its creator, it is granted free will. Not possessing minds of their
own, golems tend to go insane upon achieving this free will. The most notorious
case was 120 years ago, when The Golem King attempted a revolution against
humanity. It and its movement were driven into the World-Ocean and destroyed by
the Empire of Gold and Jade (see 'E'). This is considered the first potential apocalypse
that the Empire stopped.
Many people, human and non-human, are uncomfortable with
golems because of their similarities to the gremlins’ mechanical Automatons.
Even though golems are magical in nature, the stereotype of the
biological-consuming monster persists. The Empire of Gold and Jade has a policy
of destroying any golems exhibiting free-will, though there are rumors that
some are collected for study at The Lonely Giant, a prison designed to hold and
study monsters (see ‘L’).
Counter est. March 2, 2008
More golems, please!
ReplyDeleteIf I do it right, there ought to be a flash endorsing them on one of these Fridays...
DeleteA fascinating post. Golems have always interested me.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you and your mother are doing better tonight.
We're working on it. Thank you muchly for the well-wishes.
DeleteThese servants have a way of turning against their creators. They should have learned. :)
ReplyDeleteRinelle Grey
But if a golem decides to consume its creator, isn't that decision itself an act of free will? Wheels within wheels!
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying these so far!
They're generally industrial accidents. You know how dozens of people drown in grain every year, and are sucked into cleaning machines and turbines? It's a shame when people don't practice appropriate care around golems.
DeleteThese are like WMDs!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to use this theme for your A-Z, John - especially for a Fantasy newbie like myself. Interesting posts.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see these guys in action. ;) They sound like they could be kind of scary.
ReplyDeleteIt must be hard for the golems to struggle between the options of being non-feeling creatures and going insane. I wonder if there's any comfortable in-between state of mind they can fall to.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they realize if they are crazy. It is perhaps impossible for them to judge, as they have no "normal" to gauge crazy to. What do you think?
DeleteI like this, reminds me of the clay Shabti in ancient Egyptian lore :)
ReplyDeleteAbout Google plus, if you don't want could only choose between it and Facebook I would pick Facebook every time :)
I have spent my childhood reading myths and fairy tales, and studying ancient cultures. It is wonderful to read your posts, as they are so real and exhilarating. Just perfect in length to have a great deal of impace, as well!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jean Yates A to Z
I don't want to study Golems or anything else that might consume me.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting creatures.
ReplyDeleteFascinating - I never knew the background of golems. Outside of D&D of course.
ReplyDeleteOh dear me, I love it! It's so full of details! Just a question: how long have you been working on this for?
ReplyDeleteI've been writing novels in this world for about three years, with general planning going back several more before it. There have been plenty of revisions to how it all works as I figured out what kinds of stories I'd ultimately want to tell.
DeleteSo glad you're enjoying it!
I think you can tell that from the tons of details you put in! I thought I was getting too long because after 5/6 years I haven't finished my world building yet! I wrote a couple of draft but I feel I have to work more on the background!
ReplyDeleteBefore I decided to interview my characters I wanted to do something alike on my blog for the A to Z but then I realized it's not ready yet! Or I think so anyway! Of course I liked your idea, couldn’t have been otherwise!
I'm glad to hear this land has Golems.
ReplyDeleteMy son had a mod for Minecraft that would generate random Golems. I think he uninstalled it after the first one beat him to a pulp. :)