A metal man

Bronze Protector

Tags: magical, fragile

A bronze statue, but not really a statue, more like bits of armor cleverly joined around a skeleton of interlocking pipes. And the "chest" is less a breastplate than a little potbelly stove. Intricate runes are barely visible under the thing's patina. It's dented, cracked, and torn apart, but a careful search will turn up all the pieces.

This is clearly no mere statue, but to unlock it you need to…

• repair the body, taking a full season for an exceptional smith (Value 3);
• spend a few weeks repairing the runes, risking a mistake that makes them ineffective or unstable;
• convince your own hearth's spirit to inhabit the stove and animate the construct.

Bronze Protector

Readiness: ☐ ☐ ☐

As long as fire burns in the stove-like chest, the hearth spirit will animate the construct. Treat it as a follower.

Bronze protector — construct, spirit, durable, vigilant, overbearing, mute, gullible HP 13 · Armor 3 (metal) Damage pummel 1d8 (hand) Special qualities fireproof; holds +1 Readiness on a success to Defend; requires a smithy and tools to regain HP Instinct to be overzealous in guarding you

• Loom menacingly, belching smoke
• Start fires, cause collateral damage
• Run low on fuel

Cost profuse gratitude (Loyalty ☐ ☐ ☐)