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The Glyphstone
2005-02-14, 07:35 PM
Here’s my “Serious” entry into the contest. As opposed to the Weapons of the Fellowship, this is a (as far as I know) completely original concept and set of items. Here is the background for Ganamos the Gentle Golem and the magic armor he forged. I’ll add in the various items one by one, as I have time.

The Story of Ganamos, the Gentle Golem

There once lived a wizard of minor renown named Moriarty the Sculptor, who took his name from his incredible skill with constructs. Moriarty was a master at building and animating golems, and could be hired to craft a guardian of stone or clay. The golems he built were superior to those of other wizards, due to the special methods he used. One of his secret “ingredients” was a tiny fragment of his own intelligence, boosted beforehand through magic to avoid long-term effects. This boost made Moriarty’s creations unnaturally intelligent and active, while still unbreakably bonded to its owner. These improved golems were quite profitable, and made him rich. He purchased a small keep from which he lorded over the nearby peasants, built his golems, and conducted experiments.

His last experiment was the crafting of what he called a “super-golem”. Over many months, he sculpted a stone man far more detailed than any he had made before. Jointed limbs and fingers gave it unheard-of flexibility, and a carefully sculpted face and hinged jaw would grant it the ability to speak. But Moriarty did not stop there. He purchased thick plates of adamantine armor, and fused them to the golem’s body, arms, legs, and head. The construct completed, he began to speak the spells that would imbue his masterpiece with life. Moriarty’s purpose in forging this juggernaut is unknown: It may have been a commission from some secret customer; it may have been intended as a defender for his keep; or perhaps he was simply lonely, as evidenced by the capacity for speech in this golem. Everything went as planned until the final step, where he would pour that tiny drop of his boosted intellect into it.

There are no records of what happened next. Moriarty may have been distracted, or he may have mis-spoke a word of power. Whatever the cause, the magic went awry and the trickle of energy from his mind turned to a torrent. Every last fragment of his mind flooded out, and his body was engulfed in uncontrolled magic power. The shockwave ignited some of the more volatile materials stored in the keep, leveling it in a tremendous blast. When the smoke settled, the only thing left intact was Moriarty’s last legacy, the golem protected within its adamantine armor. Dazed, the construct dug itself out of the rubble to encounter a group of angry peasants from the nearby village. Faced with a monster from the hated Moriarty, the peasants attacked, and the golem slaughtered them all in self-defense. As the last of them bled to death, the stone man awoke from his stupor. And it was he, for the miscast magic had filled the golem with a sentience equal to any living creature. He was horrified to find his stony fists dripping with blood, and dozens of corpses lying at his feet. He had been granted life, and repaid it through death. The golem named himself Ganamos, and vowing to never again take an intelligent life intentionally, set off into the world. He soon discovered that he was not welcome in a realm where golems were mere slaves, animate statues of war and battle. Hated, feared, and misunderstood, village after village tested the limits of his restraint. Soon he began to avoid small towns altogether, and only occasionally venturing into larger cities where he would be more inconspicuous (that is, as close to inconspicuous as a nine-foot humanoid of stone can be).


The Gear of the Gentle Golem

As he travelled, Ganamos made it a habit to aid anyone he encounted who was in need. Injured travelers could easily be carried to safety, and hostile bandits frightened away. Nonetheless, Ganamos never forgot his oath of care towards all life. He began to worship Helm, god of protection, and was rewarded through divine magic. At some point, Ganamos realized that even though he was ageless, there would come a day when his stone body crumbled to dust, and he would no longer be able to serve as a guardian. Knowing adamantium as the most durable material in existence, he decided to forge a set of items that could withstand the ravages of time. To do this, he carefully pried off pieces of his own adamantium skin, forging it into pieces of armor. These he carried to powerful clerics, and bargained with them to enchant the items. Keeping only the ring for himself, he gave the entire set to the first noble adventurer he encountered, and disappeared into the wilderness once more.

The Golem’s Plate
Peeled from Ganamos’s chest and back, two large plates of adamantine form this suit of armor. The enchantments bound grant the wearer safety from any who would try to hurt him.
The Golem’s Plate is considered to be an Adamantine Breastplate +3. 3 times/day, the wearer may activate one of the following abilities as a free action: Protections from Good, Protection from Evil. Also, the wearer may activate one of the following abilities 3 times/day as a free action: Protection from Law, Protection from Chaos. If an two abilities are use simultaneously, they stack (so, Protection from Evil and Protection from Chaos will grant a +4 bonus against Chaotic Evil enemies). All spells are considered to have been cast by a Level 5 Cleric.
(Weak Abjuration, CL 5th, Prerequisite: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Protection From Good, Protection from Evil, Protection from Law, Protection from Chaos. Market Price = 40,200 GP. To create = 20,100 GP, 1608 XP).

The Golem’s Fingers
Golems by nature are exaggerated imitations of humanoid bodies. Although Ganamos is more accurately proportioned than most, he is still quite massive. Any one finger is as thick as a man’s wrist, and it is from two of them that he fashioned these bracers. A humanoid who wears these finds themselves resistant to the elements, like Ganamos himself.
The Golem’s Fingers grant a +2 AC deflection bonus to their wearer. In addition, they grant Energy Resistance 10 against all types of energy (fire, cold, electricity, acid, sonic) as long as they are worn.
(Faint Abjuration, CL 5th, Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, Resist Energy. Market Price = 65,000 GP. To create = 32500 GP, 2600 XP).

The Golem’s Ring
This thick silver ring has no apparent adornments, and might seem to be of no value at all. It is the only item of the set that Ganamos kept for himself, and he uses it as a golem’s equivalent of a healing potion, for those cases that he must allow himself to be injured rather than kill another. He wears it strung on an admantine thread around his neck.
The Golem’s Ring allows its wearer to cast Transmute Mud to Rock 1 time/day.
(Moderate Transmutation, CL 12th, Prerequisites: Forge Ring, Transmute Mud to Rock. Market Price = 21600 GP. To create = 10,800 GP.)

The Golem’s Feet
Moriarty the Sculptor had spared no expense in armoring his super-golem. Even the ankles and feet were layered with adamantium, and Ganamos used portions of these to make a fine set of armored greaves. They are useful for escaping from dangerous situations, both to the wearer and those he is fighting.
While worn, the Golem’s Feet grant a +2 AC deflection bonus, add +10 feet to the wearer’s base land speed, and is never hindered in his movement as per the Freedom of Movement spell. 2 times per day, the wearer may increase their basic land speed by an additional 30 feet for 5 minutes as a free action.
(Moderate Abjuration, CL 5th, Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Freedom of Movement, Expeditious Retreat[/i]. Market Price = 58720 GP, To create = 29,360 GP, 2348 XP.)

The Golem’s Crown
It varies from belief to belief where one’s soul resides, most commonly the heart or head. Ganamos has no heart, and thus believes in the second philosophy. He kept this in mind when arranging for the forging of this helmet, imbuing it with abilities similar to those that he possesses.
The Golem’s Crown grants a +2 AC deflection bonus to its wearer, along with Spell Resistance 20. 3 times/day, the wearer may cast the Slow spell as a 5th level Sorcerer.
(Moderate Abjuration, Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Slow, Spell Resistance. market Price = 97600 GP. To create = 48880 GP, 3904 XP.)


NPC: Ganamos The Gentle Golem
This hulking figure stands just under 9 feet tall, and wears a thick brown garment like a cloak at all times. Both arms, legs, and hands, save for one finger on each hand, are covered with pieces of adamantium fused into his body. His exposed skin appears to be smooth and grey, and closer examination will reveal that it is actual stone. His face is very close to that of a human, with black onyx gemstones for eyes and a hinged mouth. His voice is deep and gravelly when he speaks, which is seldom.

Ganamos: Stone Golem Cleric 4; CR 12; Large Construct; HD 12D10+30 + 4D6 + 10; HP 165; Init 0; Spd 25 ft (5 squares), AC 32 (-1 Size, +18 Natural, +5 Armor), touch 9, Flat-footed 30; Base Atk +12; Grp +24; Attack +18 Melee (2D10+8 Slam); Full Attack +18 melee (2D10 +8 Slam) and +18 Melee (2D10 +8 Slam); Space/Reach 10 ft/10 ft; SA slow, spells; SQ Construct traits, Improved Damage reduction 3+10/adamantine, Darkvision 60ft, immunity to magic, low-light vision; AL TN, SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +6; Str 27, Dex 10, Con Ø, Int 10, Wis 16, Char 9.

Skills and Feats: Concentration +6, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Spot +8, Listen +6, Disguise +6; Craft Construct (self), Improved Unarmed Strike, Run, Stunning Fist, Skill Focus: Disguise, Iron Will.

Slow (Su)
A stone golem can use a slow effect, as the spell, as a free action once every 2 rounds. The effect has a range of 10 feet and a duration of 7 rounds, requiring a DC 17 Will save to negate. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Immunity to Magic (Ex)
A stone golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
A transmute rock to mud spell slows a stone golem (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw, while transmute mud to rock heals all of its lost hit points.
A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the golem’s structure but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1 full round.

Improved Damage Reduction: Adamantine is the bane of most constructs. Ganamos fears it less than other golems, because of the adamantine plates that line much of his body. He has Damage Reduction 15, which is reduced to Damage Reduction 5 if struck with an adamantine weapon.

Spells: Ganamos casts spells as a 4th level cleric with access to the Protection domain.

Cleric Spells Prepared5/4/3; caster level 4th): 0 – Resistance (3), Virtue, Mending; 1st – Obscuring Mist(2), Sanctuary (2) ; 2nd – [i]Enthrall, Hold Person, Shield Other.

Possessions: The Golem’s Ring (see above), large traveling cloak, small pouch holding 6D6 GP.

Languages Known: Common.

The Glyphstone
2005-02-21, 09:27 AM
Edited and prepped for entry. Vote for Ganamos! ;D

Ikkitosen
2005-03-11, 08:12 AM
This is excellent work! Nicely done.

The Glyphstone
2005-03-11, 06:11 PM
Thanks, greatly! Feel free to include it in any campaign you run (or suggest it to the Dm if you're a player). I'd be honored.

Sneak
2005-04-24, 12:58 PM
Ganamos kinda reminds of Karn from Magic: The Gathering in some ways.

The Glyphstone
2005-04-24, 07:26 PM
Thanks, but who's Karn? I'm guessing some sort of intelligent, peaceful construct?

kakita
2005-04-24, 07:36 PM
Karn, Silver Golem

Maintaining his vow to never harm another living being, Karn offers no resistance as the goblins surround him and haul him back to the Predator.

He's a pacifist.

Beelzebub1111
2005-04-24, 08:46 PM
Also, he was made purely by artifice, not magic

RandomNPC
2005-04-26, 10:45 PM
from what i remember karn was an inteligent silver golem, one day he was surprised by something and killed it. he was so shocked to have taken a life that he reflexively freezes up and prettymuch turns into a statue in combat.

i think

Beelzebub1111
2005-04-28, 06:42 AM
I think that this golem should have taken the vow of pacifism/vow of nonviolence. It would suit him.

The Glyphstone
2005-04-28, 06:53 AM
I've heard of the vow, I think. Book of Exalted Deeds, right? I would have added it, but I don't own the book and have no intention of buying it.

Drizzt_Fanboy_74
2005-05-22, 05:32 PM
Ganamos kinda reminds of Karn from Magic: The Gathering in some ways.

My thoughts exactly. Though Karn eventually became a planeswalker and created Mirrodin (Argentum) ;) His body was destroyed when some gigantic magical bomb (or something) that was created to destroy the Phyrexian plague went off. His soul contained the "spark", got a new body of quicksilver, etc, etc.

The Glyphstone
2005-05-22, 06:06 PM
Er....night of the living thread?

Wait, golems can't be ressurrected...