Full Description

A crude humanoid figure of black-grey asphalt, usually 7-8’ in height.  Asphalt Golems of this size generally weigh 700-800lbs.

Additional Information

The Asphalt Golem is a fair combatant, suited best to defensive actions, for it is slow moving. It is very strong - with a punch capable of shattering a man’s ribcage or staving in a breastplate, and its ability to absorb punishment is legendary.  Weapons tend to become imbedded within its body, requiring much effort to remove, a luxury not generally provided when fighting one.  Weapons that crush avail little - it simply deforms and then reforms when struck by such weapons.  Blows of sufficient violence to remove chunks of its body are required to cause telling damage.

Asphalt Golems are vulnerable to enchanted or elemental fire, igniting when struck by such and burning slowly for several minutes afterward. Mundane flames do not have this effect.  While aflame, the golem takes moderate damage but increases in speed. Mundane fire cannot overcome the magical forces which animate the golem. 

Magical cold has the opposite affect, slowing the golem down.  No damage is caused directly, but the golem loses some of its resiliency, and tends to shatter more under blows, and when frozen takes more damage from blunt weapons.

As mentioned before, it degrades when out of contact with tar - though by only a few pounds per year.  When back in contact with tar, it absorbs enough to affect repairs, healing any injury due to degradation or battle.  This absorbing ability is too slow to be of benefit during combat.

Optional extra powers

An asphalt golem can seek to grapple and envelop opponents, suffocating them with tar.

An asphalt golem can hurl portions of itself which will adhere and slow down a target unit removed. This attack damages the golem.

Creation

One of the easier Golems to create, all one needs to produce the body is a man-shaped mould, sand and tar. Of course, to infuse the golem with enchantment, a ritual of great length and expense must be prepared.  The exact nature of the ritual varies from culture to culture, and even from wizard to wizard.  A common theme is the inclusion of live beings to be enveloped by the mixture and suffocated.  The life force is absorbed into the golem, but the creation is not undead.  Asphalt golems made in this manner are tainted with darkness and though more intelligent then more humane methods, are also more willful and dangerous to all but their creator.

Helm of the Tar-pits
In the kingdom of Shelazair, known for its vast savannas, tar pits are common and a dangerous hazard to both man and beast.  The Helm of the Tar-pits, or the Crown of Kuhar’than, was created to draw upon this plentiful resource to help defend the kingdom from its many enemies.

The wearer is able to, once per moon, to cause a number of Asphalt Golems to arise from a tar pit up to 200’ distant.
Each Golem consumes a fair degree of the users concentration, with 25% per golem suggested.  Exceptionally low and high intellect should change these figures, with superior mental abilities taking less per Golem.

The Golems degrade more quickly then normal, and begin to settle after the 1st hour.  They lose 20% of their original mass each hour thereafter, growing smaller as time goes by and leaving a trail of asphalt behind.

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