Homebrew Temple Golem Species Details

"They sat at the same table they always did, after every adventure, drinking and boasting about the riches they'd looted.

They held this gem, sparkling in the tavern's dim light, high above the table, going on and on about how the Stone Golem they had taken it from never activated.

Distracted by the rest of the riches they'd laid out on the table, they never saw the gem start to glow, brighter and brighter. But I saw. And I ran. Straight out the tavern door.

And straight into it. It's stone body was cold to the touch, and it gently moved me out of the way as though I were a feather. It moved through the door-frame beyond with ease. I never saw what it did, I didn't want to. All I did was hear their screams, and see the Golem leave, gem firmly in its chest, and its crafted body spoiled with gore.

So what ever we do, no matter what else we steal, do not take the gem from a Temple Golem. I SAID DON-"

- An unknown, but wise, adventurer's last words

 

To wander the planes in search of holy relics, to defend pilgrims and protect temples of their God, this is the life of a Temple Golem. With their Temples long turned to ruin, they have little left to do but remove the specificity of which Temple they belong to and keep following the rest of their commands.

Guardians of Rubble

As time passes, buildings becomes ruins and their contents forgotten. A few temples throughout history harboured specialised Golems, designed to guard holy relics from bandits. Imbued with a gem that links them to their God, the Golem would stalk the halls searching for thieves. But once those Temples became ruins, the Golems would horde relics in a single room, and sleep in the doorway, hoping that would stop intrepid adventurers. But as walls fall down, adventurers find new ways in to take the artefacts. A brave few of these raiders decide to take the Golem's gem, awakening it and bringing about its wrath. After a few days of easing its joints back into motion, the Golem follows its innate senses to the gem, killing the current owner if they resist. It then stalks the world, searching for its relics to return to a Temple of the God it follows, even if none exist anymore. Sometimes during, but typically after it has succeeded, they join Guilds or Adventurers that wonder the world also, so they find relics from other ruins and continue their mission.

Wanderers and Sentinels

Now lacking their original homes, but not needing a roof and a bed to sleep, Golems that haven't found a group to work with either wander the earth searching, or take up paid work as guards in cities and noble houses. Whilst getting a Golem to work with you is difficult, once it does it becomes fatally loyal, as long as you don't blaspheme its God or stray too far from it's God's domain (So if the Golem's God is in the Domain of Death, sparing too many people will annoy it).

Temple Golems lack full sentience, and as such do not think of others as having emotions, typically making decisions it believes to be right with no regard for anyone's feelings. This can make them difficult to work with, and so many are asked to be in separate accommodation (Such as a nearby well or arch in a city wall) or simply sleep until the next adventure (Typically placed in cupboards). However, they're incapable of understanding what is that they have done wrong, and as such are viewed as unreasonable.

Golem Names

Some clerics and priest can get attached to Golems, giving them pet names, whilst others simply give them a job name. Either way, a stonemason etches the name into the Golem's back, helping to differentiate the Golems from one another. Golems respond to these names, and their gem brightens when this name is stated, letting people know which Golem is which. A Golem cannot be renamed, and so parties of adventurers must learn the Golem's name if they wish to communicate with it.

Pet Names: Crusher, Big Guy, Stone Maiden, Juggernaut, Destroyer, Stone Heart, Mason's Legacy, Colossus, Piledriver, Demon's Bane

Job Names: Eldath's Peacekeeper, Erythnul's Berserker, Sentinel of Paladine, Light of Dol Arrah, Goibhniu's Anvil, Conduit for Hecate, Anubis's Executioner, Rock of Skadi.

Updates

Update notes [05/07/2019]:

• Tooltips
• Snippets
• Added Gem effects to work with Beyond (Where possible)
• Made all gems act as a special Arcane Focus to counteract the inability to use Verbal or Somantic components (Balancing)
• Made the gem act as a standard Arcane Focus when removed from the golem (Balancing)
• Made walking through water Difficult Terrain (Balancing)
• Reduced Dexerity (To fit with styling)
• Allowed attunement to Armblades (To fit with styling, requires "Wayfinders Guide to Eberron" for use)

Temple Golem Traits

Whilst the Domain of their God does make some difference, there are a few things that are consistent throughout each Golem.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 1, and your Strength score increases by 2.

Age

Temple Golems are created mature, and would of lived for at least 300 years before having started wandering. As they are constructs, they are unaffected by ageing and so can be old as you wish.

Alignment

Whilst Temple Golems are created with the same alignment as the God they are attached to, their limited sentience allows them to stray as time passes. For every 300 years the Golem has lived, it can move to a bordering Alignment on the table (e.g. if a Golem attached to Loki has lived 300 years, it can be CN, CE or NE. After another 300 years, it can move to another bordering Alignment. Therefore, if the Golem starts older than 600 years, it can be any Alignment except LG).

Size

Temple Golems are the same size as most Medium creatures, but are built with broader chests and thicker arms, typically being wider as a result.

Speed

Your walking speed is 20, but your limited dexterity hampers you climbing speed to 10 and stops you from swimming.

Construct

As a Golem, you count as a Construct. Also, when entering water you sink rather than swim, and so you use your walking speed rather than any swimming speed. Moving in water counts as difficult terrain. Finally, you can be attuned to an Armblade.

Design Flaws

You have -2 Dexterity Score, and cannot give Verbal or Somatic components to a Spell, nor can you verbally communicate. Finally, you cannot use Instruments or write through non-magical means.

Naturally Magic

Your gem acts as an Arcane Focus that also provides the Verbal and Somantic components for [Tooltip Not Found], and you know the cantrip Message. The gem can be removed, and acts as a standard Arcane Focus for whomever wields it. However, the Golem will always try to remain within 100 Feet of its gem, moving as close as it can every turn when it exceeds this distance (although it need not take the Dash Action if it can use another action that would either bring it closer to the gem, bring the gem closer to it, or stop the gem from moving/being moved). When the Golem's name is verbally called whilst it wields its own gem, the Gem will produce Dim Light over 1 Feet in front of the Golem for 30 seconds.

God's Domain

Each of the 7 Domains affects the Golem's gem differently. Your gem never changes Domain, even if you renounce your God.

Knowledge: Your gem may store information, which can be accessed at anytime by anyone wielding your gem.

Life: Your gem provides Hit Points back to the wielder on when your turn starts.

Light: Your gem allows wielders to deal Fire Damage to melee attackers as a Reaction.

Nature: Your gem allows the wielder to converse with animals.

Tempest: Your gem damages around itself when its wielder is in mortal danger.

Trickery: Your gem plunges its wielder into madness.

War: Your gem grants Strength when it is needed most.

Languages

You can think, read and write Common, Primordial and 1 Standard Language (The language of their creator).