Solo A Stranger's Gift

[Thomas Cosa]

25th of Winter, 512AV
LAB 15

Thomas had always found the idea of anonymity, especially regarding gift giving, suspicious.

A villain, an enemy, a competitor. These were the types of people who used anonymity, these where the type of people who clung to the shadows, in a desperate attempt to keep themselves, and their plans, hidden.

Type of people Thomas needed to avoid.

Unfortunately, today, the young mage had woken up to anonymity. To a secret. Perhaps, something dangerous. A simple package, wrapped snugly in brown gift paper, had been waiting by his side as he woke -- not the ideal scenario for the young apprentice. Surprisingly, the mysterious and generous stranger had see it appropriate to leave Thomas a letter indicating the contents and correct usage of the latter.

Apprentice Cosa,

Enclosed you will find a functioning follower golem, with a few adjustments to the regular model. There are 5 available slots, two on both the left and right sides and a larger slot on the back, but I will describe those more to you later.
As for your instructions, you have one. You are, to the best of your ability, correctly animate the golem. This is of the upmost importance, as this is the only golem you will be receiving should you decide to muck this one up. So animate wisely, as you've only one go. Once animated successfully, this golem will be able to guide you anywhere in the CItadel and through the lower twenty levels of the Caverns. As you live on the fifteenth level, I hope you will find that useful.
You will also find a small gem, blue in color, that when attached to one of the four smaller slots, will allow the golem to answer simple 'yes' and 'no' questions.

All the best, and good luck.

The letter had annoyed the young mage, and along with the brown wrapping paper, was now in a collective heap at the far end of the small sleeping area. Perhaps he could make a fire with it, should he find any matches.

But for now, he had a task. A goal.

Animate the follower golem, and see what it knows.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas quietly prepped the area for animation, gently sweeping the small space clean. Then, the young mage slowly traced over a faded animation circle, the last remnants of chalk stubbornly attached to the hard ground. Placing himself in the center, he arched his arm, scraping the chalk against the cavern floor. Then, placing the empty golem a good six feet away, he quickly circled the follower in chalk, and then attached the two circles with a strong line.

Thomas passed over his chalk drawing quickly, rounding a few hard edges with his fingers, retracing his own work. Any break in the animation circles would leave his golem ruined, and broken.

Thomas crouched down, slowly detailing the circle with glyphs.

"Pechi," he whispered 'unity' in the ancient tongue, slowly drawing the form. Two crescents opposed the other, intersecting at the half. The tops connecting, forming a small segment, but leaving two ends untied. Thomas then carefully attached the two with a third crescent, fully connecting the image. He would place three of these glyphs, surronding the golem, inside the circle. This would encourage a much faster binding, allowing everything Thomas wished to fully connect with the soulcore, and then to the golem.

"Pond,", again whispering in the ancient tongue, drawing two perpindicular lines over the line. 'Balance' or 'Pond' in the ancient tongue would encourage the Djed to move smoothly, balancing each end and an even flow, something easier for the young mage to control.

"Yaq," or round in the ancient tongue. Thomas quickly drew arched lines, surrounding both circles, hoping to curve any lost of Djed. The more djed, the quicker the animation.

Careful to check everything, Thomas smiled as it was satisfactory.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas breathed in deeply as he pierced his palm, his hand clenching against the metal's burn.

Blood dripped freely, and Thomas flinched, weak. While the sudden illness that had overtaking the young mage had considerably weakened, Thomas still felt sluggish and tired most days, his skin remaining a sickly grey. Thomas delicately sat himself in the center of the larger circle, opposite the dead golem, careful not to disturb the glyphs or animation circles.

Clenching his cut hand, Thomas watched as the warm liquid fell from his wound to the floor, chalk dust catching the given sacrifice.

A whirling energy filled the space, the invisible power alining itself with the chalk boundaries. Power swirled around the young mage, screaming for command, for instruction.

And so it began.

The soul. His soul. Thomas reached to his uttermost core, as he had done several times before, focusing on what defined him. What made him human. His breath, his pulse. All fused momentarily. His memories, his persona. Everything whole, that made him, Thomas Cosa of Syliras.

Focusing on his most inner self, Thomas gasped soundlessly as he forced the whirling power, instructing it to form a copy of his soul. Power and Energy pulsed throughout his body, pulling and tugging at his very core, almost ripping out his soul.

But Thomas knew that wouldn't happen. Never. Unless he wanted it too.

Instead, a cool blast blew over him, signaling the Djed as it surged through the chalk borders, refusing to stray from the drawn lines.

He felt everything as the Djed made copy fused with the Follower Golem, pure magic energizing the automaton with a copied soul.

And the soulcore was complete.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas' body shook violently; despite his use of the pond glyph, the Djed still bucked against his artificial current, fighting to be freed. Djed willed pulsating around the the young animator, pulling at his memories, his emotions, the soulcore wanting more, to be more.

Gently, and as controlled as Thomas could allow it, he fed the Djed stream bits and pieces of emotion tied to specific memories, directing them towards the the opposing circle, willing them to bond with the soulcore, with the unfinished golem.

Emotions dominated the young human's mind, joy and depression bashing, for ever in conflict. A hatred for the Nuit, unwillingly let to flourish in the golem's mind, and try as he might, more and more of what Thomas knew and felt was swept away in the speeding magical current. He clenched his jaw, once more forcing control of the animation process, mentally willing the Djed to slow, to give in to his direction.

A sigh escape his lips, and relief blushed over his body.

Slowly, Thomas released bits of the relief towards the golem, memorizing the exact moment for future use, and then sending a copy of towards the golem.

[Thomas Cosa]

Directive One: Loyalty
Thomas breathed himself into the automaton, birthing it to his will. Memories of his face and voice leaked from his mind, flowing freely towards the automaton.

They were bonding.

He voice, and his alone would command this automaton, only under Thomas' personal allowance, given in front of the follower golem, would allow someone else to control his creation. Slowly, he issued various commands vocally, embedding the golem with them and their intended meaning.

His will would be the golem's and His wish would the it's command.

Directive Two: Self-Preservation
As much as he breathed of himself, it was only natural to allow the golem to understand the dangers of Sahova, and the ones to avoid.

Fire, Magic, Bigger Golem, Stronger Golems, Nuit, Other Pulsers -- these and more, were all things to be avoided. Unless Thomas specifically commanded it, the follower golem would make itself scarce around others.

Don't invite danger where it isn't wanted. Avoid all things that could harm you.

Thomas assumed it's physical capabilities, teaching the golem about the various dangers of the lab via memory -- heavy hammers, awkward wizards, and angry masters all made for a bad time. As long as Thomas hadn't commanded anything, it was wiser to stay hidden, but still remain close to Thomas.

He will protect you.

Directive Three: Killphrases

Wadajmistosot was to be uttered for a temporary shut down, the word only needed to be repeated to be restored.

Finosod was to be said to end the golem, in case things ever got messy.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas' eyes opened up to the astral plane, a glimpse only animation truly aloud.

The world dimmed around the animation circle, vibrant lines of Djed, before invisible to the young animator, glistened and shone, spinning wildly around the golem, now as dark as the outside world.

Slowly, Thomas weaved the Djed to the golem, attaching memories and emotions, filling the emptiness with color and artificial life.

He molded the soulcore, filling the golem, a residual aura folding around the almost completed automaton.

Slowly, Thomas folded the aura to the correct parts, attaching the memory of hearing to two leather strips, and the memory of sight to a large glass bulb in the middle. Emotions and directives, he attached the metal memory, the knowledge of wheels and how they work to the golem as well.

Finished, Thomas named the creation, Stranger, and cut off the connection, and the whirl of Djed died, signaling the successful creation of Stranger.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas' eyes opened up to the astral plane, a glimpse only animation truly aloud.

The world dimmed around the animation circle, vibrant lines of Djed, before invisible to the young animator, glistened and shone, spinning wildly around the golem, now as dark as the outside world.

Slowly, Thomas weaved the Djed to the golem, attaching memories and emotions, filling the emptiness with color and artificial life.

He molded the soulcore, filling the golem, a residual aura folding around the almost completed automaton.

Slowly, Thomas folded the aura to the correct parts, attaching the memory of hearing to two leather strips, and the memory of sight to a large glass bulb in the middle. Emotions and directives, he attached the metal memory, the knowledge of wheels and how they work to the golem as well.

Finished, Thomas named the creation, Stranger, and cut off the connection, and the whirl of Djed died, signaling the successful creation of Stranger.

[Mirage]

Character Name

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Animation	5
Glyphing	2

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Animation: Soulcore from ones own Soul
•	Animation: Bringing to life a Follower Golem
•	Animation: Giving Creations Purpose
•	Animation: Giving Creations Directives

It's Not What You Think...

Great first start! I can't wait to see what Thomas does next