“The most basic application of Runeforging is just carvin’ the rune on somethin’.” Lox said as Gilgamesh listened silently. His piercing eyes that seemed redder than normal.

  “Rune of Power on a hammer will enhance the impact. Same rune on a shield will make it more durable, and on a sword, it’ll make the blade sharper. Nothin’ special needed here, just carve ‘em right and the runes will take care of the rest.”

  “But the effect of a plain rune is meager and simple. For more particular effects, they need ta be formed into words which we call Sigils. Think of the basic runes as letters, and there’s a specific combination of runes in a specific arrangement for each Sigil.”

  “For instance, the Sigil for Fire is Power-Creation-Destruction-Destruction, in that order and like this.”

  Lox took out a yellow slip of paper and carved a Rune of Power, then a Rune of Destruction on each side, and finally a Rune of Creation at the top.

  All four runes shone upon completion, but they did not simply settle like the lone runes he had drawn before. Instead, they melded together into a simple but dignified outline of a flame.

  “Proficiency in Runeforging ain’t just in the number of words ya can carve, but in the quality of those words. Mastery and ingenuity in the divine language are essential to becoming a Runeforger worth his awl. More powerful wording leads to more powerful effects, and more specific wording makes ‘em more precise.”

  “It’s the difference between ‘Warm’ and ‘Hot’. ‘Course, even Runeforging has its limits and not everything is possible. Writing ‘Inferno’ on an ordinary piece of paper will just cause it to burn right up. Paper just can't bear the weight of those words. Incompatible words also won’t take. Writing ‘Sharp’ on a perfectly round stone does nothing for it.”

  “But… merely carving the right words ain’t enough either. A Rune of Power on a sword works just fine because the Basic Runes hold the will of their force, but Sigils have no such luxury. Ya need Glyphs, too.”

  Lox carved the sigil for ‘Sharp’ on a sword and added a swirl of intricate lines and shapes around it.

  “Glyphs control the flow of a rune’s power and give it guidance. This here formation of Glyphs directs the Sigil of ‘Sharp’ solely to the edge of the blade. Without it, most of the potency would be wasted.”

  “This…” He pointed to the patterns on the sword. “...is an Array. Just two components, the Runes themselves are the source of power and the Glyphs guide and alter their effects.”

  Lox threw up the yellow slip of paper with the ‘Fire’ sigil and it burst into a small flame that lingered in the air for a few moments before flickering out.

  “Just the runic inscription of ‘Fire’ on a Talisman will cause the Talisman to combust when activated. But adding Glyphs in the right way can make the fire shoot straight ahead, or…”

  He carved another sigil of fire, but this time added a mesh of glyphs to it. When he threw this talisman up, the flame spun around in a circle before exhausting all its power.

  “Talismans?” Gilgamesh asked. “Are Talismans part of Runeforging?”

  “Course. To be specific, they’re part of one of the four branches.” Lox was about to move on with his lesson, but he saw the desire for more learning in Gilgamesh and sighed.

  “Enchantment bestows a magical effect onto somethin’. This includes everything from Artifacts to Runestones to Talismans and Scrolls and anything else of the like.”

  “Warding creates a magical effect by itself within a designated area. Things like Seals, Barriers, Teleportation Gates, Runic Traps, etc.”

  “Brands are tattoos that augment living beings. Sort of like an enchantment for people and other critters, which artificially gives them a Talent or Trait. Can be temporary or permanent. Dangerous branch that one…”

  “And lastly, Golemcrafting creates golems. Mindless and soulless constructs to be directed and controlled to achieve whatever task they were created for. Not as esteemed as Enchanters and Warders, but… we golemcrafters are closest to the divine.”

  Gilgamesh saw the zealotry in his eyes again.

  “Ya can dabble in the others if ya want, but you’ll have to learn that somewhere else.”

  “They seem useful…” Gilgamesh thought. “But I’ll have to learn them later.”

  “Now… First step to making a golem is getting one of these.” Lox held out a perfectly round red gemstone. “All Golem Cores are made from jewels, rid of impurities and cut into a perfectly round shape. Ya can get a little fancy with it, but it’s a lot harder and there’s no benefit.”

  Lox placed out a jewel cut with many flat sides into something almost a sphere, as well as a more egg-shaped one to compare to the first perfect jewel.

  “...why a sphere?” Gilgamesh asked.

  “Ah, because golemcrafting is rather special. Ya see, we don’t carve on a flat surface. Not enough space for all the words, so we have to get creative. We carve lines that wind around themselves like a ball of yarn. That way, we can fit all the runes we need into this small area.”

  “Why gemstones?”

  “It’s just convenient.” Lox shrugged. “They hold runes in a three-dimensional way better than anything, and they can hold a great deal of mana very stably. Could be anything that meets those requirements, really. Pearls, amber, glass, even heard about ice being used. But gemstones are best.”

  “Now, there are four Components to a golem core’s array. Form, Function, Guidance, and Empowerment.

  “Form is the appearance of the golem, and more importantly, its Material. Golems will maintain this form and reform from damage in the exact same way and with the exact same material every time.”

  “Maintaining structure requires mana and a lot of runes, so lower grade golems can only have fairly simple shapes.”

  “As for the material, ya got two choices. Ya can either use Inferior Grade stuff. That's your common clay, wood, stone, and of course, iron. Or you can use something actually worth the runes."

  “There is the option to make Embedded Golem Cores and merge them with some already sculpted form, like a statue. Easier to make than self-forming golems but a lot more inconvenient. If its body totally breaks down, it’ll need a brand new one. Plus, it can’t just be collapsed and reformed on command like self-forming golems. But it is an option.”

  “Function is the innate magical abilities of a golem. We call ‘em Features. Magic and Traits for golems, essentially. There’s just as wide a range of Features as there are Talents for Heroes. How many runes it takes and what kinds depends on the specific feature.”

  “Only one feature is possible for Low Grade, though. But there are also three Basic Functions all golems need; Activation, Deactivation, and Maintenance. Can’t use a golem if it doesn’t work, after all.”

  “Guidance is the chain of commands that golems obey. Golems don’t possess intelligence. They simply act according to commands within a framework of artificial understanding.”

  “There’s six Basic Actions. Fight, Guard, Move, Stop, Target, Ignore. Together, those cover just about everything you need it to do, with some combination and extrapolation of the six."

  "And then ya got everything else. ‘Stand guard.’ ‘Attack all intruders.’ ‘Protect this item.’ ‘Prevent entry.’ The higher the grade, the more intricate and detailed the commands can be.”

  “Empowerment is the final piece, the part that brings ‘life’ to a golem. It allows the core to gather and harness mana, and it binds the other components together. Mana Recovery is the main aspect for this one.”

  “Ya see, a golem’s Expenditure is its Consumption minus Recovery. Most Low Grade golems cost about 5 motes per minute to stay active, and the base Recovery is half of whatever its Consumption is. That’d make Expenditure 2.5 motes per minute, which means a golem with 15 Spirit can remain active for an hour before it runs out of mana and shuts down.”

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  “But most importantly, it allows a being to connect their soul to them so that the breath of life flows into the core.”

  “Golems need a soul to work?” Gilgamesh recalled something.

  “Obviously? How else are they going to wield mana?” Lox asked bluntly.

  “...I encountered a wild Boulder Ape in the Second Trial. How was that operating on its own?” Gilgamesh asked.

  “Ya did, did ya?” Lox rubbed his chin. “Well, ordinarily I would say it was bound to a Command Array, but it’s probably more likely that it was just connected to the Tower.”

  Something flickered in Gilgamesh’s eyes. “I took control of it. Does that mean I usurped control from the Tower?”

  Lox broke into laughter.

  “Wasn’t nothing that grand, lad. The Trial likely just allowed the golem to move on its own. If ya were able to take something from the Tower, then it was because it allowed ya to. Usurp control, yer a conceited one, ain’t ya?” Lox’s amusement wasn’t ill-spirited, but it grated on Gilgamesh all the same.

  [ Some gods mock your arrogance. ]

  [ Handsome Monkey King ] tells you not to let your head grow too big.

  Hatred flickered just a little bit more within Gilgamesh, when it otherwise would not have. “...what is a Command Array? From what you said, it sounds as though it can serve as a replacement for a wielder.”

  “Aye.” Lox finished laughing. “It’s a skill of Golemcrafting, but closer to a Ward, really. It can bind a golem to it and give it a core of directions. But as it is an Array, naturally there are limitations. It can only establish simple commands. ‘Guard this place’. ‘Kill anyone that enters this area.’ Things like that.”

  Lox carved a complex layered circle of runes and glyphs on the wooden floor, then placed a core within it. The core formed into a tiny clay golem that looked more like a doll, and it stood silently within the flowing Command Array.

  Lox then activated another clay doll and commanded it to walk straight ahead. As soon as it entered the glowing region, the array-bound doll attacked with brutal aggression until the other was destroyed.

  “That’s just a simple guard one. It can get a lot more intricate and complicated with the higher grades.”

  Gilgamesh’s gaze was fixated on the array. “Is there a limitation on the number of Command Arrays as there is with active golems?”

  “None.” Lox gave him the answer he wanted. “Main disadvantage is that the golems can’t be too far from the array. Might not be able to move the arrays either. Depends on what ya carve them on. Oh, and if the array is damaged, naturally the bound golem loses its source of power.”

  Gilgamesh’s steely interest swelled with the knowledge that one of his limitations could be solved.

  “Now, about the classifications of golems.” Lox continued. “There are five main Classes of golems, which depends on what component is prioritized. Lancers, Dragoons, Automatons, Juggernauts, and Sentinels. All models of golems can be sorted into these five.”

  “Lancers have the bulk of their runes concerning their Form, which means they can be made of higher grade Materials. Physical powerhouses, all around. That Boulder Ape is a Lancer, one of the best physical ones at this grade.”

  “Dragoons have the bulk of their runes concerning Function. They have the strongest or largest number of Features. That’s yer Bombers.”

  “Automatons have the highest amount of artificial intelligence. They’re inscribed with an extensive chain of commands to enable a much more intricate and precise response to the situation. The best automatons are practically indistinguishable from people. That’s the power of Guidance. Don’t think you’ve bought any of these yet, though that’s to be expected. They’re more servants than soldiers half the time.”

  “Juggernauts are designed so that they can remain active forever. Like I said before, bring that Recovery up to its Consumption and it never runs out of mana. Lacks the magical depth of Dragoons and the might of Lancers, but they never have to stop. Empowerment isn't the flashiest component, but you can see the potential of it.”

  “Sentinels are just golems with two or more favored Components. Some may be more favored than others, but as long as there’s at least two, it’s a Sentinel. Sentries are the gold standard. Reliable things.”

  “For reasons beyond what I can explain here, a golem must have at least one of its Components at Low Grade. Otherwise the whole array doesn’t work. Now, here’s the real kicker. Each Component has a corresponding Attribute that needs to be at least 25 for the Low Grade version of the Component to work.”

  “For Form, that Attribute is Vitality, which allows the golem to have Low Grade Material.”

  “For Function, that Attribute is Control, which allows the golem to have a Bronze Tier Feature.”

  “For Guidance, that Attribute is Perception, which allows the golem to better understand the world around it and follow more complex commands.”

  “For Empowerment, that Attribute is Spirit, which allows the golem to have a base Recovery that equals its Consumption, so the golem can fight forever. Although, bear in mind that doesn’t take any Features into consideration.”

  “As I thought.” Gilgamesh finally received confirmation for what he had deduced from himself and his golems.

  “10 is the absolute minimum for all four of these Components.” Lox continued. “That’s for Vitality, Perception, Spirit, and Control. Well, technically, you can drop ‘em down to 5, but you won’t end up with much of a golem.”

  “If a golem doesn’t have enough Control, then its Features miscast and its Basic Functions won’t work right. Perception lacking? Then it goes a bit stupid. Gets real clumsy and doesn’t do what you tell it to. Not enough Spirit? Mana recovery slows to a trickle. Low Vitality and it crumbles too easily.”

  Gilgamesh took note of the last part.

  "Attribute Points don't make the Components work on their own. They're for giving power to what does."

  "Each Component is held together by a Foundational Sigil. This desiginates the Tier of the golem. Those Sigils are 'Common' for the standard base and 'Lesser' for Low Grade. If you don't have them, then no matter how perfect the Array is, it won't work."

  “Aside from the requirements, ya can assign Attributes however ya like. Keep in mind the limit for Low Grade golems is 150 total no matter what type it is, so you really need to pick and choose what’s important.”

  “The dilemma all Golemcrafters face is the tradeoff between Attribute Points and Components.”

  “A Lancer can be turned into Sentinel by favoring Spirit as well so that it becomes mana efficient. But those 15 points need to come from Strength or Agility, meaning it'll be a bit weaker in combat. 15 isn't a lot but what if you also want to add a Feature? Now it's 30 Attribute Points you need to redistribute.”

  “But it’s not much of a dilemma if you ask me. Sentinels are the way to go, every time.”

  “You’ll find that most things which could have just been Dragoons are made into Sentinels. Otherwise, mana that could be spent on Features gets drained just by having them out and about. Sacrificing a few Attributes Points from Force is worth it so the golems don’t collapse just by standing around. Clay Salamanders and Bolt Vipers serve as examples of that.”

  “It’s not all demands, though. Don’t need any Force unless the golem’s got a Feature to make use of it. No need for Willpower either, since it doesn’t have a mind.”

  “I needed Vitality to maintain my golem body, but why did I not need to meet these requirements for the other Attributes?” Gilgamesh asked. His Perception, Control, and Especially Spirit were also lacking at the start, but none of them ever gave his golem body any problems.

  “Cause you’re a Living Golem.” Lox answered plainly.

  “What is the difference between a Golem and a Living Golem?” Gilgamesh asked with a burgeoning intensity. After all, it concerned the nature of himself.

  But Lox merely stared back. The Tower had once again restricted information.

  “...Is there anything else to know about this craft?” Gilgamesh moved on.

  “That about covers the basics. Got some tips for ya, it yer interested.” Lox saw that he was. “Physical-moving golems need a certain amount of Strength to fully maximize speed. How much that is depends on how heavy they are. Regular human-sized one made of Clay or Wood just needs 5. But a one-ton human made of Steel? Now it's 15.”

  Gilgamesh’s eyes glinted. “Is that true for Heroes as well?”

  “True as the sky is blue.” Lox said. “Control also needs to be at least a twentieth of a Feature’s Potency. Potency is just Force multiplied by a spell’s Magnitude. Or just a set Potency in some cases. Ya don’t really need to worry about that for Low Grade since you can’t raise Force high enough for that to matter.”

  "Perception's important beyond giving a golem its smarts. Also need it to see, if that wasn't obvious. On a general rule, ya need Perception to be a fifth of something's speed to track it clearly, and a tenth to track it at all."

  “Also…” Lox leaned in. “Don’t get fixated on maximizing flashy Attributes like Strength or Force. They have a strong lure to ‘em for sure, but a solid foundation is usually better. Giving a Lancer a Feature or a Dragoon efficient mana recovery goes a long way to preventing the worst from happening. That’s why Sentinels are best!”

  “Ah, but…” Lox settled back down. “Keep in mind that the larger and greater a golem is, the higher its Consumption. Forest Hand is made of Inferior material and its design is on the moderate side, so its Expenditure is 4 per minute. Boulder Ape is larger and made of Low Grader Material so its Consumption is 10 mana per minute, which makes its Expenditure 5 motes per minute.”

  “Schema doesn’t recognize it, but we’ve long categorized golems by size, based on how much it’s Consumption is. Small, Medium, Large, and Huge. 3, 4, 5, and 6 motes per minute for their Consumption, respectively. Having a Low Grade Material doubles it.”

  “In general, a golem the size of a man made of Inferior Grade material has an Expenditure of 4 motes per minute. Take that into consideration when you’re designing golems.”

  Gilgamesh had already stored every last word the crystal-eyed gnome said to him. He did not want to miss a single shred of information that could lead him towards greater power.

  “Well, that’s about it, really. Ya got yer learning, now you need practice. Fair warning, lad, even the simplest Low Grade golems require at least 50 runes and the accompanying Glyphs. The good ones need double that.”

  “100 at once…” Gilgamesh’s eyes narrowed. His Control had near tripled since his practice, but this would still prove difficult. He wondered how many golems he’d be able to make before the trial ended.

  “First things first. Ya need to familiarize yerself with what the finished product looks like. Here, hold this.” Lox handed Gilgamesh a golem core. “Reading a golem core is simple, really. Just desire to read it. Speak with yer soul, just like when ya carve a rune. Start from the outside and read the lines right down to the center. Once ya can recall the whole array by heart, then ya can try to make one.”

  Gilgamesh gazed deep within the core and all its runes. He had only one goal, and he would not move from where he stood until it was carved into his mind.

  New Golemcrafting System post for a more condensed Summary.