Golems

Golems are magical constructs created out of basic elements. They appear in Ultima VII, VIII and IX as well as in the Ultima Underworld series.

Description
Golems are mighty humanoids crafted out of basic materials such as earth, stone, ice or metal. Summoned to life by magicians and artificers, such creatures typically prove more than a match for even the most seasoned of warriors, and are exceedingly difficult to destroy.

Some golems are capable of speech and may be employed to perform rudimentary tasks for their creators, serving as guards, soldiers and workmen. On Anodunos, one such worker golem could be found guarding the remnants of the city-state's water system, even centuries after the kingdom had fallen, and on Pagan, necromancers frequently summoned such constructs to fight alongside them.

On the remote Isle of Fire, one could even find golems capable of empathy and love. Crafted by the sage Astelleron, these twin beings had been imbued with living hearts fashioned from the Stone of Castambre, and were able to learn, form friendships and grasp such concepts as compassion and self sacrifice.

Lore




Notable Examples

 * Golem of Valor: a creature native to the Stygian Abyss who served as a trial for those seeking the Shield of Valor in Ultima Underworld
 * Sentinel 868: an ice golem who guarded the dam controls to the city of Anodunos in Ultima Underworld II
 * Bollux and Adjhar: two brother golems created by Asterellon on the Isle of Fire; their struggle to save one another comprises the Test of Love in Forge of Virtue

Trivia

 * Golems have their origins in real world Jewish folklore. The most tale featuring a golem is that of Judah Loew ben Bezalel's Golem of Prague - a clay creature which was brought to life to defend the persecuted Jews of the city's ghetto before it became unmanageably violent and had to be destroyed.