Valannor

Only a FOOL fears Slaanesh!

If you don't fix this font I'm going to put chemicals in the water to turn the frogs gay +1 for the barrow homies

In waters beyond, a slumbering beast awoke - and a floating fortress would let its cannons sing in jubilant praise of He from on high.

Hmm... Winds Howling.

If you're going to use AI writing then at least make it clear you used AI to begin with. Don't try and pass it off as purely your work, y'know? As a server we're going to have to tackle the issue of AI writing being used to make entire lore posts, applications, TAs, etc. and how we approach the issue of artistic integrity in that regard. These tools have the potential to do a lot of good, as you've said, but the potential avenues of malicious or simply lazy usage needs to be addressed, accounted for, and safeguards need to be put in place.

Animii are on a PK clause. Embrace the PK clause. Embrace the potential for your story to end.

the true solution is to put all atronachs on a PK clause, as all other constructs are. True balance.

Bugman.

It was something which ST on management did not wish to see carried over in the new lore; I had received similar feedback when I attempted to include a similar system for Animii.

I'll probs talk w/ squawk abt implementing smth for current anvils and cores to get grandfathered through if its passed works exactly as how WowJ described it. You get three slots, each slot takes three months individually to refresh. You either stagger your golems or make em all at once, dont really matter. Yeah given new golems are intended to actually have big brains i thought it best most of them be played, alongside the unique upgrades intended for golem players to make use of. Less NPC function is required when the CA is more appetizing to play and has more unique tools for problem solving when it comes to noncombative situations. Added that in, thanks for spotting it chief.

Nah, mainly a bunch of modern dwarves more than likely.

If Runesmithing actually gets posted before this is reviewed then I will have it delayed so its loremag takes place after the wunesniffing mag.

A Titanic Golem marching alongside a Throng of Urguan's Sons into battle. In times of yore, when first Urguan walked the stone halls of his sons, dwarven masonry would meld with esoteric magicks to birth the first constructs to grace Descendantkind; Golems. Stone given life through sorcery, through the ancient arts of Runesmithing first, and later, through the more modern dialect of Sigilcraft, which held no need for the elusive and rare crystal known as Thanhium. Many of the renowned clans among the Dwedmar would be touched by this art in some way or another, though it was crude and simplistic in due time, stagnant and still much as the stone it worked with. In time however, dwarven hands grasped the fires of innovation, and through decades and centuries of toil, what once was lost would be restored anew. Forged not by steel and fire… But through Rock, and Stone. Functionally, Golemancy is the art of weaving mana and soul essence into complex Sigils to imbue life and magick into mundane stone, an independent dialect of the Material Alphabet which functions as an independent lexicon which directs the functions of its subsidiary creations, golems and golemantic prosthetics. It is a fundamentally basic and simple method of magickal artifice, which while easy to learn, can indeed be hard to master. It requires the use of a Golem Anvil to create Golem Cores and empower Sigils, and a degree of competency with masonry is required to work the stone used for making golems. Golemancy is able to be practiced by a wide variety of creatures and individuals, requiring only a Greater Soul capable of producing untainted Anima, or Soul Essence, and mana. Golemancy requires one to possess a Greater Soul capable of producing Anima and Mana to perform, alongside a valid Golemancy FA to practice. This means that all forms of Inferi are ineligible to practice Golemancy, alongside any CA or individual who lacks a Greater Soul. One may apply for a [TA] in Golemancy after [3] months, assuming they know all facets of the feat and are capable of performing the magick. One must learn Golemancy from an individual with a valid [TA] in the feat, with the only exceptions being ST sponsored eventlines intended to inject more users into the magic should it begin to die out. Any one Golemancer only possesses [3] slots to produce golems, with a slot refreshing 3 months after the creation of the golem which filled it. All facets of Golemancy are not innate, and must be learned from one’s teacher. One may voluntarily rescind the feat at their leisure, effectively self-disconnecting themselves from the magic. THE GOLEM ANVIL In the days of antiquity, Thanhic Steel was required to craft the nexi of golemcraft that the art relies upon. In time, however, an innovation by a young and maddened dwarf inventor would see the rare metal no longer required; and instead, it would soon turn to an anvil of hewn stone, laden with sigils with which to activate Golem Cores - the centerpiece of which being dubbed the ‘Heart of Stone,’ or ‘Golem Heart’ sigil, developed by a practiced and renowned Golemancer firstly for use upon metal anvils. It would be carved directly upon the striking face of the anvil where one would hammer and mold their core, and when one would channel their mana and anima through the core and the sigil, the sigil would channel it back, resulting in a cycle to and fro which would rapidly cool the core similar to what the Thanhic anvils of old were capable of. This principle would later become known as the Kor’baraz in honor of those who had perfected it. To craft a Golem Anvil requires at least [5] emotes of carving the Golem Heart sigil into the center of the anvil, and imbuing it with one’s anima and mana. This must be done uninterrupted, and cannot be done in a combative setting. The anvil must be made of solid hewn stone, such as marble, andesite, granite, or any other form of mundane rock. It will be inscribed with a litany of sigils which aid in the processes of Golem Core creation. Without a Golem Anvil, Golem Cores, Core Sigils, Auxiliary sigils, and Golem Limbs cannot be made. Golem Anvils must be stationary structures and signed by the ST. GOLEM PROSTHETICS Far from the hulking constructs birthed by the art, it was soon found that crude prosthetics could be fashioned with the necessary sigils for movement drawing upon the bearer’s soul directly, allowing new function for discarded crafts and smaller cuts of stone in restoring function and capability to those who would otherwise be left crippled and incapable of contributing to society. These are only capable of being things such as arms, legs, or eyes, with organs being far beyond the reach of this form of magick. Limbs are the most harrowing to install, and the pain of their acquisition is often enough to render one unconscious from the sheer agony. A tapered spike carven with connecting Sigils is to be inserted directly into the bone of where the limb has been lost, which then shocks the descendant by linking directly to their soul. Feeding anima from the soul to the spike, the larger limb is then directly affixed to the spike via a socket, graced only with the sigils necessary for basic movement ‘lest the descendant be turned to an early grave from their soul’s overtaxation. It is functional, yet lacking in sensory feedback and the ability to feel touch or sensation, and often those who acquire them will find them wanting in comparison to what they had lost. They are wrought of solid stone, and thus may sustain [5] direct strikes from a sharp object before their sigils are too damaged to continue functioning, or up to [3] direct hits from a blunt weapon before shattering, breaking, and sustaining heavy damage which renders them nonfunctional. Golem Limbs are capable of hosting [1] Auxiliary sigil, so long as the Sigil is compatible. Compatible sigils are the Illumination Sigil, Compass Sigil, Disruption Sigil, & Dowsing Sigil. Unless the limb houses a sigil, Golem Limbs do not require an ST signature. If the limb houses a sigil, the Golem Limb requires an ST signature. Only [1] Sigilled limb can be held on one’s person at a time. If the spike of the limb is destroyed, it will take the portion of the body it was driven into with it, necessitating a new spike to be implanted further along the limb. Golem Limbs will always be able to be replaced from the base of the shoulder/thigh. Golem Limbs are not any stronger outright than their natural fleshy counterparts, but are still made of solid rock, meaning strikes made with them will likely do a tad bit more damage than usual - akin to a gauntleted punch. Golem Limbs cannot be ‘stolen’ as they are a part of the individual’s body, requiring to be severed or detached at great harm to the bearer. Golem limbs must be made of stone. Auric Oil treated weapons would disable the sigils and render them inert in [2] strikes until the end of the encounter. One may only possess up to [2] Golemantic Prosthetics at once. Eyes are a simpler, and gentler, affair. Sigils of sight are engraved into gemstones cut into spheres, with diamonds often being the most preferred for this due to the clarity they offer. A spike is attached, small and miniature akin to their limb-bound cousins, to simulate the nerves of the lost eye. Installation then follows as expected, with the spike being carefully inserted with great precision into the empty socket it is meant to replace. Golem Eyes do not prompt the normal response of blinking, and instead, one can expect their light to wink in and out as the bearer refreshes their vision. Sight through these eyes is a curious experience, for though there is some desaturation of color and the world perhaps seeming a touch more dull, many who bear them have often stated them to be a boon in crafting and smithing, for their eyes do not tire and while they may have some difficulty making out fine details at long distances, the clarity of sight up close is most desirable for gemcutters, smiths, stoneworkers and other fine artificers. Golem eyes do not require an ST signature, and cannot be treated with alchemical concoctions to allow different forms of sight. They possess no sigil slots. Golem Eyes must be made from crystals or gemstones. They lack much in the way of color perception, and are close-sighted. Golem Eyes cannot be ‘stolen’, as they are part of the individual’s body. Follow similar guidelines to limbs in regards to destruction or forceful severance. They may be destroyed in [1] blunt strike directly to the eye. GOLEMCRAFT [CA/NPC Golems] Golems themselves are simplistic in their construction and form, yet always bearing traits intrinsic of their make. For aeons, they have remained much the same - great hulking constructs of stone given life through esoteric sigils and runework upon their surface. However, as the art has advanced, so too has the configuration of the cores which animate them, and much of their nature has changed, as will be detailed below. All Golems possess similar banes and methods with which they may be combatted or destroyed. First among which would be their core, a six sided shape wrought finely of aurum, encasing a diamond or other precious gemstone within to denote its type, and its surface emblazoned with the requisite sigils which beget a Golem’s function; memory, activation, sight, touch, and hearing. Always within the central body of the Golem and surrounded by solid rock, if the core were to be exposed via the destruction of the Golem’s torso which surrounds it, it would begin rapidly venting anima over the course of [3] emotes, thereafter causing a mildly hazardous explosion of rock to shoot out in a [5] meter radius. The secondary method by which they may be combatted is through targeting the external sigils along their body which grant them movement, the durability of which is determined by the type of golem. CREATION & GOLEM CORES The creation of a Golem is done in two parts; that of the core, and that of the body. The Core takes great toil and effort to craft, a six-sided geometric shape fashioned of aurum around a core of solid gemstone, with each side needing the Sigils carved upon it in a painstakingly precise manner. If any Sigil were to hold an error in its scribing, it would fail to function, and the core would sputter out and die. The Core must be forged at a Golem Anvil, and as the core is chilled, mana and anima are cycled through it - imbuing it with a self-sustaining store of energy, which makes the core incredibly cold to the touch, constantly exuding mana-charged mists. The creation of the Golem Core, overall, should be done over multiple well-written emotes, with around [5] or [6] being a good number. CORE SIGILS It is the make of the body, however, that has advanced alongside the mind of the golem. Golemancers have two avenues to pursue this step; they can either sculpt a body over many long hours of labor to their personal desires, and so carve the sigils to permit movement upon its limbs. To secure the core, it is important to carve a cavity into its center, so that the core may rest within, and thereafter seal it with more stone and adhesive - upon which point a surge of mana will activate the Golem. Alternatively, one can let the Golem craft its own form. By depositing the core into a pile of loose rubble, they can send a surge of their own mana into the core, granting it a wealth of power - and it will rapidly begin to coalesce and accumulate mass as stones and boulders come together to form a crude, though decidedly more natural body for itself. Golems crafted with exacting precision will often take on more refined mannerisms, while those who have been allowed to shape their own bodies are more crude and brazen. APPEARANCE Golems are always wrought of some form of stone, though crystal with similar durability would also suffice. As their Sigils cannot conduct mana through anything as dense as, or as durable as metal, their bodies cannot be crafted of it - they would simply fail to function. However, the durability of their bodies would always remain the same. Golems are always humanoid in nature, and while they may possess slight feminine or masculine leanings, are unable to possess genitalia of any sort. Their height and stature shifts depending on the type of Golem they are, but broadly speaking, they all take the form of hulking stone constructs built in the image of mortal men. The creative possibilities for how they can look, to the whims of their maker, are truly limitless. MENTALITY | Stonewrought Eternal By far the most dizzying and astounding advancement of the ancient art of Golemancy has been the innovations made in the mental capacities of Golems. Where before they were unthinking brutes, unable to conceive of a single original thought, a new breed of sapience has been endowed upon these magnificent creations of Dwarvenkind. These will be covered and detailed below. Built for Eternity The mind of a Golem is unlike any other, for theirs is not a conscience born of the womb, of flesh and blood and soul, but of unyielding rock. And thus, given the tools to perceive the world around them, and even the concept of space, time, and other such fundamentals of reality itself, they are granted unique perspectives and approaches to the world at large. Now cognizant of the world around them, the Golem’s mind is fundamentally built to withstand the ages, just as they are - grounded in the reality that they will exist for centuries, and able to prepare for the eventualities that come with such longevity. Fundamentally, Golems are rock and stone given life, and they experience the world through that lens of existence, lacking many Descendant feelings and sensations, living an existence entirely unique to they, and they alone. They are stoic, slow to move and change, but prize wisdom and knowledge - and indeed, they will keep such for an eternity, carrying it with them into the long decades ahead. They do not feel anger, or sorrow, like Descendants do - but emotions on a spectrum entirely out of tune with that of a mortal’s, feeling things like loss far more acutely. They value stability, and they will often react negatively to harsh change such as the death of an ally or the upending of a kingdom. By virtue of their make, they will often speak slowly, but such is not because they lack intelligence; but rather that Golems place great value in communicating efficiently, saying as much as they can in as few words as possible. They are greatly adherent to tradition and traditional values, and they are slow to innovate upon what they believe to work unless given sufficient cause to adapt to these new techniques or ideals. Golems lack conventional emotions and the descendant lens of viewing reality, and are instead entirely alien in their approach to life and the world. They do not feel conventional emotions, are slow to change or shift their mind, and relentlessly efficient in their manner of speech and expression. They are stoic, and so will likely speak slowly, but their voices may possess inflection in some slight manner. They are able to learn, and though uncommon, they can conceive of their own ideas. They are ultimately Stone given life, and experience life through that point of view. The Impera Directive Even with their advancements mentally, the concept of an ‘Impera’ remains ingrained into the false psyche of the Golem. They will naturally seek purpose, and they will often find this purpose in a Descendant they choose for themselves - be it their maker, or another - and dub them ‘Impera.’ While not as strictly binding as the bonds of old, it has turned to a far more fulfilling relationship akin to that between a parent and child, the journeyman and the apprentice, providing a steady source of companionship and direction to the Golem in exchange for its own actions in service to its Impera. The eventual goal of any Golem is for it alone to decide, but once set to a task, Golems will relentlessly seek its completion until such either proves untenable, or their Impera gives them cause to abandon it. Should a Golem grow unsatisfied with its current Impera, it is entirely free to wander off, and find an Impera anew to seek the purpose it so craves. Golems are not bound to follow the orders of their Impera and by no means can be ‘controlled’ any more than a normal mortal can. In this, they now experience a sense of free will, though the dynamic of Golem and Impera remains. Hearts of Stone The hue of a Golem’s sigils will often naturally be a warmer, bright color - such as blue, yellow, white, etc. to signify its default mood of passivity and calm. However, Golems are not incapable of falling to madness or blind rage, and when they are driven to these negative emotional extremes, their sigils will always turn a stark hue of crimson - signifying this state of negativity. Often this will occur when a Golem has had their core damaged but not shattered, or when they have experienced incredibly negative circumstances such as their Impera being slain in front of them. In this state, the Golem’s emotional state can be summarized to have turned from the stoic nature of a rock to the aggressive and disastrous likeness of an avalanche. This state can last however long the Golem’s player wishes before they may recover, but at minimum, it will always last until the end of the encounter in which this state of madness was incurred. Such Golems may be driven berserk and mad, or they may be driven to inconsolable sadness and anguish. Golems normally exist in a passive state which for simplicity’s sake shall be referred to as ‘Blue’ - stoic, calm, and in control of their emotions and conduct. When a Golem has incurred serious but nonfatal damage to their Core, or experienced an immensely negative event, they may be driven into a ‘Red’ state where they may act berserk and attack those around them, or they may seek isolation to sulk in a state of abject depression and despair. This state may be mended by the ministrations of a Golemancer in fixing the Golem’s core, or it can end naturally over time, but it will always last until the end of the encounter in which it was incurred at a minimum. CORES/TYPES OF GOLEMS Mundus Core [CA] Servus Core [NPC Only] Brutus Core [CA] Titanicus Core [ET Only] Antecessor Core [NPC/Player] Soulbinding [CA] THE SIGILS Capable of being installed onto select Golems or Golem Prosthetics, Auxiliary Sigils are the utilitarian invention of the practical Golemancer, serving as primarily non-combative additions and tools which aid in performing various tasks or accomplishing unique functions. Illumination Sigil [C/NC] Emblazoned and carved upon the palm of one’s hand, this sigil would be capable of, over the course of [1] emote of activation, providing a ray of luminance equivalent to an oil lantern - lasting until deactivated. This bears no combative application, no heat is produced from its activation, etc. Once per combative encounter, it may be charged over [3] emotes, releasing on the third a powerful burst of light in a [3] meter cone in front of oneself - capable of blinding those who did not avert their gaze or cover their eyes for [1] emote. After this is utilized, the Sigil falls inert for the rest of the encounter, unable to be utilized whatsoever. Compass Sigil [NC] This Sigil is carved upon a stone tablet which is affixed to the forearm most commonly, but can be installed anywhere on the body. Its effect is passive and constantly active, allowing one to know which cardinal direction they are facing at all times via a subtle pull northwards. Disruption Sigil [C] A Sigil intended to cow or control unruly or berserk Golems. When carved upon the palm of a Golem Arm, be it prosthetic or not, it may be activated over [2] emotes - allowing one to strike an active Golem with it on the second emote. Should the Sigil make contact with another Golem, it would briefly stun it for [3] continuous emotes with a surge of foreign mana and anima, short-circuiting its core for a brief few moments before it would reawaken as normal. This sigil can only affect a Golem once per combative encounter. Notably, Golemancers may possess a large golden hammer with this Sigil carved upon it, and utilize it through such a manner. Dowsing Sigil [NC] Installed upon the forearm, this Sigil activates when the bearer delves underground or into cave systems. Passively, it would always offer a subtle tug back the way one came - allowing many an unfortunate miner to escape potential death in the deep if they were to become lost. Laborer’s Sigil [Golem Only] [NC] Placed upon the base of each of the Golem’s limbs, this Sigil is mainly utilized for Golems expecting to perform challenging feats of physical strength such as hauling siege equipment, unblocking caves, or otherwise. When activated over the course of [3] emotes, wherein obvious tells of the sigils exuding mists are displayed, the Golem may non-combatively grant itself a great boost by expelling a great quantity of mana - tripling its strength and carrying capacity when performing the basic actions of pulling, pushing, lifting, or hauling. Should combat occur during this period, which lasts until the end of a given RP session, this Sigil would automatically fade - requiring too much focus to maintain in the throes of combat. Tremorsense Sigil [Golem Only] [C] Placed upon the back of the head, this Sigil allows a Golem to utilize its nature as a being of stone and earth to experience a second sort of vision if its normal methods of sight are found wanting; passively, within a [10] meter radius around the golem, it would be able to sense vibrations in the earth in a form of tremorsense - its own hulking steps enabling it to perceive a crude sense of the world around it. This is prone to being fooled or avoided in combat if one is not careless or garbed in heavy armor, as one could, for example, throw stones to trick the Golem’s sight - or one could tread lightly, and avoid its senses entirely. Stonevoice Sigil [Golem Only] [NC/C] Installed upon the neck or what would constitute the collarbone region of the Golem, this Sigil would passively enable it to communicate with other golems through an odd language of hums, groans, clicking noises, and Sigil chimes - effectively enabling Golems to share information with one another without fear of being overheard. This speech is nonverbal, and thus unable to be understood save by other Golems. Sigil of Recollection [NC] This Sigil can be carved into an aurum surface no larger than a palm, which may then be pressed against a Golem's Sigil of Memory in order to create a copy of their existing memories from that point. Provided it is not cracked or damaged, and the Golem whose memories are stored has perished, it may then be activated by a Golemancer and pressed against a new core's Sigil of Memory to transfer over the stored information. Both the 'backup' and 'restore' function of the Sigil take [2] emotes. One to activate, one to backup/restore. Once used, the Sigil will crack, and be rendered useless. Golemancy lacks any form of conventional tier progression, and requires only that all facets and capabilities of the feat are known in order to apply for a [TA]. Credits: Sybbyl & the Previous Team of the Golemancy Rewrite - Rewriting the prior iteration of this magic so that it could return to begin with Valannor - Writing Werew0lf, xxEnderKing, TheBlackBobRoss, etc. - Moral Support & Consultation Dwarves - Diggy Hole. Overall, I did this rewrite over the course of roughly three days after many months of examining the lore, and hearing many complaints over it being eclipsed by newer and grander construct feats such as Sorvian, Animii, Tawkin, etc. I, among many, many others, saw the potential of the lore and thought it best that it was finally fulfilled in some part - with this particular iteration seeing many improvements to the niche and the concepts employed for Golems, and Golemancy at large. Sybbyl’s work laid the foundation for what was to come, and their idea of Sigils is being maintained as the current status quo given the lack of a successful Runesmithing write with which to base it upon Runes once more. I cannot thank her and Keefy enough for the groundwork they laid out. This rewrite is what I would personally deem a vast improvement on the initial status quo which Sybbyl upheld, as I strived to turn Golems from slave constructs to being able to become compelling characters in their own right while maintaining that sense of otherness and alien psychology that they should hold, alongside implementing time-long classics such as the Impera dynamic. As well, some things have been removed, and some have been added, to hopefully benefit the magic further overall. I hope this rewrite can fulfill its purpose as an intended modernization of the classic Dwarven flavor of construct and artifice roleplay.

Lore has been shelved and moved to the appropriate subforum. If you have questions about why this specific lore has been shelved, please contact an ST Manager or the ST Administrator.

This Lore has been accepted. Moved to Implemented Lore, it will be sorted to it's appropriate category soon. Please note that if this is playable lore, such as a magic or CA, you will need to write a guide for this piece. You will be contacted regarding the guide (or implementation if it isn’t needed) shortly.

I say we replace the Azdrazi with Wonks.

With some refinement, this could be a really funny and productive addition to our current lineup. I like the vibes you've got going here.

Waaaagh, Mr Bond. Waaaagh.

What's that, Dingo? You want us to rewrite the Ascended next? Okay!

Golemancy limbs are fine

Third times a charm, BABYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

See you when you get back, homie