CRYSTAL CAMPAIGN

<<< KOBOLDS

CONSTRUCTS

Since the dawn of time--or at least, as far back as we can reckon--man has created constructs to aid him in his toil. Cave paintings from the Second Astral Era reflect maroliths, those crude soulkin sometimes mistaken for elementals, tilling fields. (1) And in every era since, great civilizations have turned to vivimancy to craft tools and even companions for our lives and livelihoods.

Misfortunately, as the cycle of the death and birth of nations spins on, their works linger on, ruins and tools alike. A blessing or a curse upon the hapless, ignorant of history, who come after! For those who come upon such things, this work will hopefully shed light on the means to eliminate their threat.

(1) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 293

INTRODUCTION

CONTENTS

1) CONSTRUCTS IN GENERAL
2) FIFTH ASTRAL ERA
3) MODERN MONSTERS: GOLEMS AND DOBLYNS

This paper is meant to assist the expedition in discerning what sort of construct they face--one born of kobold alchemy--but all constructs have a few things in common: They were shaped by the hand of man, they were shaped to a purpose, and their form and function answer to the laws of magic and corporeal physics. Understanding the essential nature of the construct sheds light even on the most outlandish, radical varieties.

1: CONSTRUCTS IN GENERAL

Apart from those basics, constructs vary wildly in their self-will, awareness, and ability to function. For ensample, both the egi of Allag summoning and the faerie of Nym are beings of pure aether, but while the egi is little more than an empty projection of its master's will (2), the faerie makes her own decisions and even shows preference for some over others (3). Golems such as the Living Rock go on carrying out the commands given them, even centuries later (4), but witnesses tell that the Mother Porxie awoke with her own mind made up, invented an entire range of spells in that moment of first life, and had to be subdued to her purpose by force (5). In short, one can only guess at the properties and abilities of a construct until they have seen with their own eyes.

Little will be gained by diving headlong into the finer details of vivimancy--the practice of imbuing unliving things with life--throughout the ages; the expedition's concerns are foremost with alchemical constructs, and in particular, those that kobolds are likely to be able to fashion. To that end, this paper will politely bypass Allag's history with alchemy and aetherochemistry, and instead begin with that work with which kobolds may be familiar: Amdapor, which they would have encountered through their trade with Nym, and Mhach, who made inroads to O'Ghomoro during the War of the Magi.

(2) Mechanics
(3) Quest: The Consequences of Anger
(4) FATE: Sisyphus Cooling
(5) Dungeon Boss: Mother Porxie (Matoya's Relict)

Carbuncles, constructs of pure aether, are often tasked
with inspecting cargo for contraband.

2: THE FIFTH ASTRAL ERA

The War of the Magi brought an end to the great nations of the Fifth Astral Era, and it is noteworthy here, due to the kobolds' friendly relations with the Nymian Empire. Having established themselves among the city-states of Eorzea through vigorous trade, Nym found common ground with their mountain-dwelling neighbors as well: the worshippers of the god of mountains, Oschon, with those who reverence O'Ghomoro as a gift from Titan. (6)

And it was through trade that Mhach made its first assault on Nym: an amphora containing a Voidsent, which worked upon all those around it to make Lalafell into tonberry. This would not be the last otherworldly fiend sent to Vylbrand, either--nor would it be the only sort. Even recently, a gargoyle was unearthed within O'Ghomoro itself; these creatures are statues made into vessels for Voidsent, and thus living stone. (7)(8)

Amdapor, nation of white magic, invented its own answer to Mhach's "consorting with ye powers of darkness": ever more sophisticated golems, promising that any attack upon them would be naught but a waste of resources for Mhach's invading army. (6) A testimony to the skill of the Amdapori mages is that these golems awoke when the Voidsent escaped that they had been set to guard so many centuries ago.

At the pinnacle of their soulkin creation stand the Demon Wall, the Winged Lion, and Kuribu.

(6) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 33
(7) Quest: Bridging the Rift
(8) FATEs: Spandy Balidet (removed) and Making the Rounds (scripted event prior to the FATE's commencement)

DEMON WALLS

Demon Walls are not, in fact, demonic in the least; the design was conceived for the purpose of terrifying intruders with the visage of a Voidsent. Demon Walls are given life by inscribing blood onto a perfectly normal wall, forming its arcane geometries. While not as sophisticated as Amdapor's later constructs, the Walls have proven to be quite serviceable through the ages, terrorizing adventurers who enter the ruins to which they are bound. (1)

(1) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 293

WINGED LION

The Winged Lion, crowned and pure in its marble whiteness, was another construct meant to visit fear upon Mhachi invaders. (9) Bathed in white magics to the point of overaspecting, it was capable not only of great feats of physical strength, but also sophisticated spells of its own. (10)

(9) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 294
(10) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 32

KURIBU

As mighty as beautiful, Kuribu was carved in the form of an otherworldly guardian, and into its chest and hands were embedded the gems that gave it life. (9)(11) More powerful yet than the Winged Lion in terms of spellcasting, the sword and shield were also no idle decoration, for Kuribu wielded the skill of fell warriors.

(9) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 294
(11) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 150

All of these and more may have come before the eyes, or at least the imaginations, of the kobolds--and safe in their mountain home, they were preserved from the flood that was the Sixth Umbral Calamity.

3: MODERN MONSTERS: GOLEMS AND DOBLYNS

The lessons of the past were not lost upon the kobolds, and they are no less men than we. Any adventurer who has had more than a headlong sprint through the reaches of Outer La Noscea has seen the evidence thereof, in the constructs and contrivances of the mining tribe.

Kobolds are well known for their skill at mining, but their alchemy runs it a close second. Not only have they pioneered the cultivation of voidsent bombs, but they have also made strides in mass-producing golems and even altering living things.

DOBLYNS

Doblyns were treated in a separate document, but are immediately relevant to the subject at hand. There is scholarly debate as to whether doblyns are constructs from the beginning, or merely living things that have adopted certain qualities of soulkin (1), but in either case, they have been altered by kobold alchemy. Synthetic doblyns roam the tunnels of U'Ghamaro Mines (12), and some have been fed asbestos in an effort to make them fireproof. (13) Their shells can be quite hard, depending on their diets, and therefore should be worked around in attempting to slay one. (14)

(1) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 293
(12) Mob placement as of 6.1
(13) FATE: Full Metal Alchemist
(14) Quest: Ba Go's Behest

COMMON GOLEMS

When one thinks of golems, one thinks of the bipedal hulks of stone found everywhere. Ancient tomes reflect that the creation of this sort of construct is possible only when the aetheric balance is disturbed enough by an impending Calamity--but those same ancient tomes also tell tales of Archons who commanded golems during the Sixth Umbral Era, after a Calamity had already passed. Whatever the case, the "life" of such a golem is temporary. (1)

Being only artificial life, the typical golem has no soul, and therefore is driven by a central core, or soulstone; even naturally-occurring golems will possess one. In order finally to defeat a golem, one must destroy that core. (15)

These constructs have proven quite a headache to the Maelstrom posted in Outer La Noscea; crafted and commanded by kobolds, basalt golems roam the ruins of Nym (12), and sometimes overrun the Long Climb, blocking access to Camp Overlook (16). Within U'Ghamaro, similar golems guard the inner passages (12).

(1) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 293
(12) Mob placement as of 6.1
(15) Standard mechanic for non-trash golems, such as Temple Guardian in Sunken Temple of Qarn (Normal)
(16) FATE: The Only Way Is Up

CONSTRUCT 8

Unimaginatively named, but direct to the point, Construct 8 is precisely a construct: to wit, a stone golem clad and overlaid with metal plating in the shape of armor, and given an axe. Its behavior mimics that of a cyclops, including many of its attack patterns. These Soulkin--not Forgekin--were oft seen patrolling the tunnels below Pharos Sirius during the kobold invasion thereof. (1)

(1) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 293

SLIME

Slimes are not strictly constructs; indeed, they are counted Ashkin, because some were observed to form naturally from the spilled blood and fluids of living things, which then took up earth-aspected aether and began moving of their own accord. (17)

The Allagans cultivated "precultured biomass" with similar properties (18)--though these are still counted Ashkin, due to their deriving from living things--but all can be easily infused with aspected aether, and manipulated and commanded via charm spells. (17)

(17) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 292
(18) Mob: Precultured Biomass, Aetherochemical Research Facility

It is not strictly correct to refer to Voidsent bombs as constructs; while altered in some manners by kobold alchemy, they are less like Allagan chimeras and more like the humble sheep, in that they remain the same in nature and function as their ancestors. (Fortunately, that is the limit of their similarity; sheep are not prone to explosion.) (19)

A more thorough treatment of bombs is in a previous publication, but it should be noted that they have a complex social system in which they tend to elect and serve a queen. Be wary of large, female-identifying bombs and kin thereto, for they may have servants. (20)

(19) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 297
(20) Guildhest: Long Live the Queen

BOMBS

PROGENITRIX

In the foundation levels of Pharos Sirius, the kobolds yearned to dig ever deeper, thinking that they were undermining the foundations of Limsa Lominsa herself. To the end of speeding their excavation, they brought their most powerful bomb variant yet: the Progenitrix.

The Progenitrix was born in a specialized furnace--cobalt, for additional heat resistance--to which it retreated when sufficiently injured, and from which it emerged hotter than before. It was far more volatile than its smaller cousins, which came to its command as bombs do, but the kobolds were willing to risk a fiery death in order to achieve their goal that much faster. (21)

(21) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 2, p. 149

The entirety of this paper has been to shed light on the nature of constructs that kobolds may have encountered and be able to replicate through their smithing and alchemy. But as the urgent matter at hand is the destruction of an ancient kobold construct of unknown type, this writing will close with the following advice for accomplishing such a feat:

(1) Bombs should be quenched as rapidly as possible. Punctures should be administered delicately, so as to vent the internal gas accumulation without bursting the bomb, and any attempt by it to detonate should be checked. Suppress open flame as best you can. An eye must be kept out for any "servitors" that may have adopted it as queen.

(2) The elemental aspect of a slime-type entity should be identified, the element that conquers it be deployed against it, and the slime rapidly divided until it is unable to maintain its structure. Slimes may also be controlled by charm spells, on a limited level.

(3) More traditional golems are constructed around a central core. Destruction of the core will immediately end the threat, so all attacks should be focused on it when it is made vulnerable. Consider using spells and attacks aspected to the conquering element.

That being said, it is quite possible that the expedition is about to encounter something entirely different from all prior experience. In that case, as in all others, your best defenses are alertness, creativity, and solidarity. May the Divine go with you as you face the darkness.