Golem, Garbage

The garbage golem appears as a vaguely humanoid figure without any facial features, composed of rotting garbage. These golems are mindless, as are most typical golems, but their alignment is always evil, even when not controlled by Malus. These golems delight, if an autonomaton can delight, in the destruction of the land.

Combat: The garbage golem is a straightforward combatant. When ordered to attack it will simply keep coming until destroyed. When ordered to defend a place, it will stand its ground and attack anyone who approaches. The golem's fists inflict 1d8 points of damage and force a saving throw vs. poison. Failure to save means that the victim has caught a fatal disease; the victim loses 1 point of Constitution per day until his death. The disease manifests as painful cramps. During its course it will cramp random muscles of the body and eventually kill the afflicted person (when the Constitution reaches 0). The disease can be cured by a cure disease spell, and a victim who does nothing but rest quietly all day will not lose a point of Constitution that day. Every day spent in complete rest prevents the Constitution loss, but if any physical activity is undertaken, however minimal, then the disease will run its course. After the cure disease is cast the recovering victim remains bedridden for two days, as the cure is not instantaneous.

The golem despoils the land it walks upon. Nothing will grow in its path unless care is taken to clean the land, something that it is not done in Nosos. The golem can also assume a non-humanoid form. It can discorporate itself and pass as one of the piles of refuse so common in Nosos. When in this form it can reform and attack with surprise in the same round. The golem can only be hit only with +1 or better magical weapons and is immune to all spells, except those that use fire. Fire magic inflicts full damage, and normal fire causes half damage. Even a heated nonmagical weapon can be used to strike a golem, but it only inflicts half damage.

While in contact with garbage, the usual state of affairs in Nosos, the golem regenerates 1 hit point per round and can even regenerate fire damage. A garbage golem is destroyed if it is brought to -10 hit points and burned; otherwise it will regenerate back to full hit points if left in contact with garbage. If the golem is brought to negative hit points, but not to -10, it is incapacitated but not destroyed. If it is brought to an area with lots of garbage it will start regenerating. If a garbage golem is destroyed it will explode and rain refuse on its destroyers (10% chance that rot grubs are in the garbage).

As stated, garbage golems are mindless, but Malus can control them at will; thus at times it may appear that the mindless golem can exhibit great intelligence and formulate complicated plans. This can came to a great shock for the party battling one.

Habitat/Society: All garbage golems - which fortunately number only ten - were created by a wizard at the request of Malus Sceleris. Malus desired some personal bodyguards that could also spread his “gift” of devastation through whatever little unspoiled land remained in Nosos. The golems are all under the control of Malus and will never attack him. He can see what they see and can direct the action of a golem as if he was in its body. They are usually scattered throughout Nosos so Malus can monitor his domain. If Malus is attacked all garbage golems will rush to his defense. The golems also share his curse: they cannot leave Nosos, frustrating Malus with his inability to spread his “gift” to other lands.

Ecology: Garbage golems are not natural creatures and actually disrupt the ecology of the places they are in. Druids cannot tolerate the presence of these monsters, but druids seldom travel through Nosos. The wizard who created these golems for Malus was killed shortly thereafter, and no attempt to duplicate his work has been made.