Post by Mizagium on Dec 2, 2011 19:42:12 GMT -5
...I'll stick it here. Tell me what you think. It's kind of rambling and I made it up as I went, so if I contradict myself...yeah...
This a description of a race made out of various metals. I use the terms Golem and Automaton interchangeably.
Steelmen
Ironmen
Bronzemen
Tinmen
Brassmen
-----
Golem society is stratified into castes based upon what materials the individuals are composed of. Steelmen function as the military and religious leaders - Templars and Zealots - as well as possessing "more" of the collective consciousness. Ironmen are next down, acting as the primary military might, while Bronzemen function as the majority of the workforce. Tinmen serve as the miners of metal ore, ensuring a steady supply of new automatons. Occupying the bottom rung social ladder are the Brassmen, who perform the menial jobs and are used by Ironmen as swarm troops.
Golem religion is so entwined in their everyday lives, that they do not (or cannot) distinguish between the two. It was a powerful alchemist who bound the first golem soul to a humanoid form. However, these early golems were servants to the humans. The first ironmen eventually banded together and escaped their servitude, fleeing to unclaimed lands. As they wandered for years, one of their number was struck by a vision: they were to become the proginators of a new metallic race of people. He claimed to gave been granted this vision by a figure he called the Diamond of Life; he himself was transformed into Platinum and granted the knoweldge of forging more of his people. He lead his fellows to where the Diamond instructed. There the Platinum Prophet transformed those who came with him into Steel, proclaiming them the new leaders of the Automatons - he was just the messenger - and gave them his knowledge and life force, whereupon he rusted and fell away to dust, baptizing the land with his body. The Steelmen built great forges and created the Ironmen to be the defenders of their new civilization; they made the Bronzemen to be the forgers of the new civilization; they made the Tinmen to be the miners of the new civilization; they created the Brassmen to be the keepers of the new civilization. In order to animate the autonomatons, the Steelmen gave each created form a piece of the Prophet's soul. Thus, the entire golem race shares a single consciousness. Once a day, the communities of golems gather in prayer, where they sing the message of the Prophet and the Diamond of Life. For those moments, the gathered souls truly unite together. Once a year, all of the golems in the world gather together in one great mass in worship of the Prophet.
The unification of souls for those moments, in effect synchronize the souls of the gathered, which prevents individual personalities from developing, keeping the castes in working order. As one travels down the caste levels, from Steel to Brass, the amount of "consciousness" present in an individual decreases. The Prophet had decreed that each caste would be equal, performing equally vital tasks to the survival of the society, but the Steelmen have not exactly followed through on this promise, although their society is functioning quite well. While it was not a promise of the Prophet, the Steelmen preach that the ultimate goal of their society is to convert everyone into diamond and join with the Diamond of Life, granting them eternal life.
Golems are not "born" in the sense of traditional lifeforms, rather, new Golems are created in the Forges. Appropriate materials are assembled and smelted before being molded into the proper shape. Only a small amount of magic is used in the process - in order to assure the proper percentages of the metals - because it is considered better for the materials to have been naturally forged.
Heaven, as it is, is not considered to be in the sky, as with other religions. Rather, the Earth is sacred to the Golems, as it is from the earth that they are created, and to the earth that they return. The Diamond of Life is said to reside at the center of the world, earning another title: the Heart of the World. Since it is from the earth that they are created, they in turn take care of the land they call home. Even though they do not require food, they still maintain gardens out of respect for their original home; most communities maintain large central gardens which are tended by Brassmen. Despite having been once enslaved by humans, the Golems do not unilaterally hate them, nor biological creatures. All are children of the Earth, and thus all are kin - but the Steelmen DO preach that as they are taken directly from the earth, they are closer to heaven, and thus, a more holy people, a chosen people. They do however, see industrialization without respect for the land as somethign fo a personal affront.
As far as magic goes, the Golems feel a particular affinity for Alchemy, since it is through that process that they were (and to an extent still are) created. Alchemy was the art passed to the Golems through the Platinum Prophet, so many have regarded the practice of other forms heretical. Indeed, the Steelmen encourage Alchemy and discourage other forms, though they do not specifically ban their practice.
Automaton homes are simple in design, allowing many to be constructed in small spaces, and several stories high. They do not require food or drink, and true sleep is unknown to them, however, they do require periods of rest equivilent to sleep. During this sleep, their souls are said to leave their frames and temporarily join with the Heart of the World, for rejuvination. The ritual joining in the morning is said to help to reground the soul in their bodies.
Golems do not have gender or sex in their society, and only have a theoretical knowledge of the differnces by studying living organisms. As such, bonds of friendship and comraderie are very important.
This a description of a race made out of various metals. I use the terms Golem and Automaton interchangeably.
Steelmen
Ironmen
Bronzemen
Tinmen
Brassmen
-----
Golem society is stratified into castes based upon what materials the individuals are composed of. Steelmen function as the military and religious leaders - Templars and Zealots - as well as possessing "more" of the collective consciousness. Ironmen are next down, acting as the primary military might, while Bronzemen function as the majority of the workforce. Tinmen serve as the miners of metal ore, ensuring a steady supply of new automatons. Occupying the bottom rung social ladder are the Brassmen, who perform the menial jobs and are used by Ironmen as swarm troops.
Golem religion is so entwined in their everyday lives, that they do not (or cannot) distinguish between the two. It was a powerful alchemist who bound the first golem soul to a humanoid form. However, these early golems were servants to the humans. The first ironmen eventually banded together and escaped their servitude, fleeing to unclaimed lands. As they wandered for years, one of their number was struck by a vision: they were to become the proginators of a new metallic race of people. He claimed to gave been granted this vision by a figure he called the Diamond of Life; he himself was transformed into Platinum and granted the knoweldge of forging more of his people. He lead his fellows to where the Diamond instructed. There the Platinum Prophet transformed those who came with him into Steel, proclaiming them the new leaders of the Automatons - he was just the messenger - and gave them his knowledge and life force, whereupon he rusted and fell away to dust, baptizing the land with his body. The Steelmen built great forges and created the Ironmen to be the defenders of their new civilization; they made the Bronzemen to be the forgers of the new civilization; they made the Tinmen to be the miners of the new civilization; they created the Brassmen to be the keepers of the new civilization. In order to animate the autonomatons, the Steelmen gave each created form a piece of the Prophet's soul. Thus, the entire golem race shares a single consciousness. Once a day, the communities of golems gather in prayer, where they sing the message of the Prophet and the Diamond of Life. For those moments, the gathered souls truly unite together. Once a year, all of the golems in the world gather together in one great mass in worship of the Prophet.
The unification of souls for those moments, in effect synchronize the souls of the gathered, which prevents individual personalities from developing, keeping the castes in working order. As one travels down the caste levels, from Steel to Brass, the amount of "consciousness" present in an individual decreases. The Prophet had decreed that each caste would be equal, performing equally vital tasks to the survival of the society, but the Steelmen have not exactly followed through on this promise, although their society is functioning quite well. While it was not a promise of the Prophet, the Steelmen preach that the ultimate goal of their society is to convert everyone into diamond and join with the Diamond of Life, granting them eternal life.
Golems are not "born" in the sense of traditional lifeforms, rather, new Golems are created in the Forges. Appropriate materials are assembled and smelted before being molded into the proper shape. Only a small amount of magic is used in the process - in order to assure the proper percentages of the metals - because it is considered better for the materials to have been naturally forged.
Heaven, as it is, is not considered to be in the sky, as with other religions. Rather, the Earth is sacred to the Golems, as it is from the earth that they are created, and to the earth that they return. The Diamond of Life is said to reside at the center of the world, earning another title: the Heart of the World. Since it is from the earth that they are created, they in turn take care of the land they call home. Even though they do not require food, they still maintain gardens out of respect for their original home; most communities maintain large central gardens which are tended by Brassmen. Despite having been once enslaved by humans, the Golems do not unilaterally hate them, nor biological creatures. All are children of the Earth, and thus all are kin - but the Steelmen DO preach that as they are taken directly from the earth, they are closer to heaven, and thus, a more holy people, a chosen people. They do however, see industrialization without respect for the land as somethign fo a personal affront.
As far as magic goes, the Golems feel a particular affinity for Alchemy, since it is through that process that they were (and to an extent still are) created. Alchemy was the art passed to the Golems through the Platinum Prophet, so many have regarded the practice of other forms heretical. Indeed, the Steelmen encourage Alchemy and discourage other forms, though they do not specifically ban their practice.
Automaton homes are simple in design, allowing many to be constructed in small spaces, and several stories high. They do not require food or drink, and true sleep is unknown to them, however, they do require periods of rest equivilent to sleep. During this sleep, their souls are said to leave their frames and temporarily join with the Heart of the World, for rejuvination. The ritual joining in the morning is said to help to reground the soul in their bodies.
Golems do not have gender or sex in their society, and only have a theoretical knowledge of the differnces by studying living organisms. As such, bonds of friendship and comraderie are very important.