Golems are beings whose power is derived from the element of earth, whose magic is deadly to djinn (and other spirits), who are referred to as "beings of fire and air" (or water, or earth: see Elementals). Because they are able to counter the magic of conventional spirits, they are powerful weapons when employed in battle against magicians, as demonstrated in Prague.
Creation[]
Lovelace's watch-eye
While the golem itself is simply a roughly man-shaped piece of animated clay, there are 2 magical components to it that are necessary in order for it to work:
- Watch-eye: A magical eye fashioned from hardened mud, through which the controlling magician is able to see "through the golem's eyes" and give the golem commands. One such eye was known to be in the collection of Simon Lovelace; it was later stolen and used by Henry Duvall.
- Animating parchment: A special scroll inscribed with a spell of Czech origin, the secret of which was thought to be lost for centuries. The writing of the spell requires equal parts blood and ink, so it can be dangerous to the one creating the scroll. The person who is going to control the golem signs his name in a box at the bottom of the parchment.
Appearance[]
The golem that was summoned in London, as well as presumably all golems, was 8 feet in height, being shaped from mud in to a roughly human-like shape, with basic features. It was cloaked in an inky black cloud that was difficult to penetrate.
Powers and weaknesses[]
Although not very fast, golems are extremely strong, able to easily plow through walls and other obstacles. Because they draw their power from the earth rather than the Other Place, their touch is dangerous and potentially lethal to spirits; even being close to them can severely weaken a demon. In essence, golems' potency lies in the their massive physical strength and durability, and the danger they pose to demons.
On the other hand, golems have no peripheral vision; since they are not sentient and are controlled by a magician, they cannot detect someone creeping up behind them, jumping on their back, etc. If such a person were to manage to remove the animating parchment from the golem's mouth, the golem's magic would be nullified, and it would return to its master, where it "dies".
History[]
The first golem was created by the great Jewish sorcerer Loew, in order to protect the Jews of Prague from "human and djinn alike", and from then on the tradition of creating golems became firmly rooted in Prague magic culture. These golems were used to combat the British Empire, but their power was insufficient to prevent Czech defeat (though they acted as a powerful deterrent for some time).