Alchemical Golem Construction
The research that will be presented was inspired, in part, by Cordor's Sewermaster Magus Bilmfrick. His golem, which he has dubbed a “Sewer Golem,” is an interpretation of Alchemist Whitestone's famed Alchemical golem. However it has a few important distinctions that will be laid out.
The Sewer Golem is made using discarded humanoid parts that have been collected in the Cordor sewers from vagrants and lunatics. This is similar to a Flesh Golem; necromancy has been employed to slow the rate of decay which is common practise in organic based golems using the spell “Gentle Repose”.
The Sewer Golem is not animated using negative energy which is used, at times, for Flesh Golems. The majority of golems use manipulation of souls or 'spirits' (please note that this term is used to describe creatures that Primers wouldn't consider sentient or likely to pass into the Afterlife and not as an alternative to 'soul') or the manipulation of life energy or ki. While the Magus did not want to admit to doing such, he was adamant that he was sanctioned by the Palace to protect the sewers from kobold incursion using whatever 'materials' were found in the sewers. This suggests to me that he may be using those from which the body parts were sourced. Alternatively, he may be using himself. Its reckless but not uncommon.
The Sewer Golem strays from a Flesh Golem by emulating the elements of an Alchemical Golem. The Magus does this by filling the chest cavity with an alchemical mixture. His mixture contained mostly refuse and his own special, untold blend.
It is truly inspired to combine the models of these two golems. On one hand, you have the quick and dirty nature of Flesh Golem construction. Within the sewers, you would have plenty of cheap materials to work with that allow for high production.
To add to causalities, the alchemical component was included. Instead of using the most notable method of brewing aggressive solvents, the Magus opted to use a refuse concoction. It would be dangerous when spilled upon assailants, to poison or disease, while still being mild enough not to overcome the magic already protection the flesh from decay. Frankly, its ingenious, especially for a budget.
That is not to say that it is without its drawbacks. Like most Flesh Golems, the Sewer Golem is susceptible to fire, losing control (this has also been documented in Alchemical Golems) and decay. It has the added issue of losing all of its alchemical materials if properly injured, while still retaining function, due to its improper vessel.
I believe that this can be improved upon however it would not adhere to Magus Bilmfrick's budget. For the purposes of this research, I will exclude the need for a budget because, as often is the case, financial constraints are an unwarranted burden on the pursuit of knowledge.
All formulas will be stricken from this paper with only broad strokes provided. In order to avoid the problem of decay, I would recommend avoiding using flesh as the primary structural material. Instead I propose a dual, inorganic membrane. The inner portion would consist of a porous membrane; this would be done for two reasons: 1) these types of membranes are hardy enough to endure acidic or aggressive solvents and 2) it would allow for gas to ease through, as it builds up, which would alleviate any undue pressure on the structure.
In addition to that, this type of membrane has considerable thermal stability (due to the method of its construction) which would overcome the dire susceptibility to fire. Its drawback is mobility due to both the weight of the material and the inflexibility; the golem would be slow and laborious but it would be strong.
Before presenting the outer layer it is important to note the problem of active skin which most golems that store liquids are subject to. On most humanoid flesh of the Prime, skin is an active process. We know this because of extensive Ilmateri documentation on scurvy during which victims of the disease find that their wounds open anew, even on those that have scarred over.
This active process cannot be replicated in golems because of their very nature. A common example of this problem is within Blood Golems. When a healthy, Prime humanoid is cut, the active process of the skin works to close that cut as quickly as possible or as much as possible if the size is overwhelming. In a Blood Golem, there is no such fail-safe, even on a tiny cut. Instead the golem needs to be replenished or outright replaced over time.
This would also be the case in an Alchemical Golem. To overcome this issue is where the outer layer comes in. This layer is specifically designed to react with the alchemical contents that will 'bleed' out. Once the connection is made, the chemical reaction would transform the affected area into a patch of the inner layer, sealing it shut.
The drawbacks are that this can only be done once; after the reaction occurs, the patches affected will be susceptible to damage with no recourse. It also opens the problem to spillage because the reaction isn't instantaneous. For example, if the golem is damaged higher up on its structure then excess component might spill to unaffected areas removing their fail-safe.
Unlike a living body, the contents are not replenished over time. Even if the fail-safe works swimmingly, the golem could lose a considerable amount of its liquids. Additionally due to the inorganic structure of the membranes, the golem would be susceptible to electrical damage which tends to make these reactions unpredictable.
I will not go into too much detail about the alchemical mixture. I will only say that it is quite damaging to unprotected skin and can be tainted with any manner of poison or disease, with sufficient preparation. All golems have their issues just like any summon, undead or solider. Nevertheless this golem is hardy, strong and can be used to spread pestilence.
Written by: Magus Willowgrave