Part 11 “Test”

“Sure, wouldn't be very good if I couldn't get the magic to do what it's supposed to.”

Syl takes me through to the back area of the store. A few apprentices are working at weapons, not nearly as crowded as the Dwarven smithy. Also, the air is notably cooler, more open windows and ventilation chimneys. In one corner is a small clearing and a mechanical man composed of wood and metal. Near the pel golem is a neat rack of fine looking weapons, some of which emit magical glows of various intensities, and a messy pile of weapons also of various makes and levels of magical aura.

“Oh, let me pull that out of the way.” Syl takes a broken axe from the small clearing around the pel golem, on closer inspection it seems somewhat burnt around the break. He unceremoniously tosses the axe onto the pile, must be the rejects. “Using the wrong ingredients can cause catastrophic failure of the imbued magic.”

The golem is smaller than most I've seen. Some of the richer nobles have one or two in their armed forces. Perhaps it becomes easier to make and control a smaller golem, I've seen the big ones go berserk. It's best to keep your distance when that happens. This one seems to be mimicking the armor style of the city watch with wooden components where plate armor isn't present. Where a normal persons hands would be are sacks filled with something. Probably a soft filling, unless whoever usually tests these is used to taking blows, I don't see anyone that has that look in here though.

Syl brings my attention to a small circle on the floor. “Once I activate it, it will fight with anyone who brings a weapon into this circle. It will deactivate if you force it out of the circle or if you tell it 'stop'. Don't worry about breaking it. We keep a supply of replacement parts. Well, except for the head, that's where the magic inscriptions are. It's a tough piece, just don't try too hard to smash it open.”

He steps over to the pel golem and places his hand over it's 'face'. He whispers “It's time to fight.”

It stands erect, and brings one 'fist' to its chest in salute, and then assumes a pugalistic stance. I step inside of the ring with the mace held at the ready, no shield, but this thing probably won't do any damage with those pad hands.

I side step its first punch. The swings are pretty quick, nothing beyond what I've seen before though. I drop a vertical stroke on its shoulder, I can't feel any wind off of it, beyond the normal. Dodging two more punches, I land a pair of horizontal swings on the chest plate, leaving sizable dents. Both swings kick up the dust from the floor and walls.

After a little more experimentation, and gaining a nice bruise from a score to my shoulder (the gloves are padded, but also seem to be weighted), I find that horizontal swings generate the small gusts of wind, regardless of whether or not they hit. The closer they are to being perfectly horizontal the stronger the gust. With diagonal strokes being barely noticeable.

One swing that seemed to be a failure on my end, grazed slightly across the chest plate. Right at the apex of the swing, though, with the sharpened tip of the mace scraping along, a noise like thunder boomed. The golem was pushed back several feet out of the circle, as air rushed around the both of us. Once out of the circle, the golem goes limp. It then stands slowly and, slouching, slowly hobbles its way back into the circle. Syl goes over to it again and reactivates it. It salutes once more, and we have at it once more. We have a few rounds. It doesn't seem to change tactic at all, and all of the bouts end in just about the same way.

By the time I'm done with the thing, it looks like it's been stepped on by a giant once or twice, and I have a few more bruises. The mace is well enchanted, but I'm still in the dark about how to trigger that air blast. My only guess is that it has to be an unintentional near miss, I can't seem to trigger it by attempting the graze myself. But, from the what I've seen, it is worth the money I'll be spending on it. Not an amazing opponent, I don't think anyone would actually get much better fighting one of these, I'd say it was more of an amusing opponent. The final Bout ends with an air blast tossing the golem onto the reject pile. I turn to, Syl. I think I'm done

“Satisfied?” Syl looks somewhat disheartened at the state of the golem. He moves over to the pile and whispers to the golem to go back to its corner. I don't have time to answer before my attention is drawn by a flash and a loud clatter. The golem stands violently with several reject weapons clinging to it. Casually, it tosses Syl off to the side. Syl lands on an apprentice knocking them both over. I look at the golem, I don't think it's going to salute this time...

“Not supposed to do that, is it?” Must be asking myself, most everyone else in the room is running.