THE CREATED
(Golems)

The Created are lives born in the minds of mad alchemists.  Although they can be created of almost any substance, most are made of flesh as they most readily accept a life force.

In Inzeladun, few golems are the automatons presented in the Monstrous Manual.  They are clever and intelligent monsters that are true abominations of life.  "Van Richten's Guide to the Created" is the primary source for the stats given for the golems of Inzeladun. 

As "Frankenstein" is my favorite novel of all time, golems occupy a special place in my heart.  I was very pleased when the Van Richten's book came out and made golems more like Mary Shelley's creation than the non-thinking robots of the Monstrous Manual.

To properly create a golem, you must first create the Creator.  The creator may or may not be alive, but for the golem to really become 'real', it must have a background history.

One of the most famous monster creators of Inzeladun is Zaius Rathe of Ingara.  He created five Flesh Golems, several of which still haunt the world.

Flesh golems can also be created out of strange parts, which can give the monster interesting powers - wings can impart flight, animal teeth, troll arms, Ogre torsos, paladin hearts, whatever.

Flesh golems can also gain powers and weaknesses based on their creators.  If the creator likes to play music, for example, then music may have an effect on the monster, either calming or enraging. 

Golems are relentless when pursuing their goals.  The raw intensity of these creatures are one of their most terrifying aspects.  They are nigh unstoppable, often rising again after apparent destruction.

The best and most memorable villains are not mindless beasts.  Adding history, goals, and personality to your monsters (human or otherwise) will create far more interesting foes to challenge your players.

There are four basic elements of importance to a golem adventure: Obsession, terror, intimacy, and tragedy.

The Created (Flesh Golem by Obsession)
Large Construct
Hit Dice: 9d10 +45 (94 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft
AC: 23 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +10 natural)
Attacks: 2 slams +10 melee
Damage: slam 2d8+5
Face/Reach:  5 ft x 5ft/ 10 ft
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Construct, magic immunity, damage reduction 15/+1, poison immunity
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will -1
Abilities: Str 21 (+5) Dex 18 (+4), Con 20 (+5), Int 10 (0), Wis 2 (-4), Cha 6 (-2)
Skills:
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Cleave

Climate/Terrain: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating:
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Advancement: Like Frankenstein's Monster, the Created can learn.  Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue, Warrior, Expert, and Commoner are the most likely classes, although those with a high enough Intelligence could become wizards.

Big or small, all golems are strong.  However the size of a golem does affect its physical prowess.  The average Created flesh golem is large, but what about the golem built with a hill giant's torso?  Or a dwarf's bandy legs?

Strength/Hit Dice  Modifier:  Colossal  +8, Gargantuan +4, Huge +2, Large +0, Medium -2, Small -4, Tiny -8
Damage by Size: Tiny 2d4, Small 2d6, Medium/Large 2d8, Huge/Gargantuan 3d8, Colossal 3d10.

Odd Parts and Basic Traits
                    Torsos                               Arms                                          Legs
Hill Giant      +6 Str                             +4 Str, -4 Dex                        None
Ogre             +4 Str                               +2 Str                                     MV 20, +2 str
Bugbear        +2 Str                               None                                      None
Dwarf           +2 Con                              None                                      None
Owlbear        None                                +2 Str, +2 damage (claws)   None
Elf                  None                                +2 Dex                                   +8 move silently
Gnoll             None                                +2 Str                                    None
Horse            +2 Con, +2 Str                 None                                     MV 60, 2 extra attacks (hooves 1d4 damage)

Miscellaneous:  Elf Eyes (Darkvision, +2 Cha)
                         Giant Fly Eyes (360 degree vision, never caught flatfooted)
                          Heart of a Lion    +1 Hit Dice
                          Heart of a Paladin   +2 Hit Dice, +4 Charisma
                          Blood of a Bard  +2 Cha
                          Gargoyle Wings: Fly 30 ft
                          Baboon Tail: Arboreal 30 ft
                          Giant Scorpion Tail:  Additional attack, 1d4 damage, poison does 2d4 damage (DC 12)
                          Mage's Brain: Can cast one 1st level spell per day
                          Basilisk's eyes: Will save (DC 24) or be unable to attack for 1 round
                          Blood of a Cheetah:  Triple movement rate for 1d4 rounds 1/day

Extraordinary Abilities

All Created Flesh Golems have at least two of the following abilities:

Animate Dead (Su): Animate and control a number of corpses equal to twice its Hit Dice

Cause Despair (Su): 3/day, will save DC 17

Cause Horror (Su): Will save vs DC 17

Spider Climb (Su): As the spell.

Diseased Touch (Su): Victim makes Fort save vs DC 25 or lose 25% of hitponts per hour.  After all hitpoints are lost, victim falls unconscious and loses 1 Con per day until cured (or until Con=0, then death).

Energy Drain (Su): Drains 1d6 hitpoints.  1/2 are lost permanently.  3/day.

Hyper-Regeneration (Su): When killed, the golem will instantly regenerate back to full power.  The only way to kill a golem with this power is to disassemble him.

Spell like abilities (Su): Such as Stench of Decay (stinking cloud)

Transferable Telepathy (Su): The created have a telepathic/empathic bond with their creators.  Some created have the power to transfer this bond to other persons after the creator is dead

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