D&D 5E Help me brainstorm a kingdom ruled by a golem

[BookTenTiger]

I've had an image in my head for a while of an Iron Golem sitting on a throne.

What could be fun and interesting about a kingdom ruled by a Golem? What would be some fun adventuring hooks? How would the towns, the politics, the economy be different?

Here's what I've go so far:

Centuries ago, the ruling family (King and Queen Morovahn and their adult children) went off to a distant realm for some act of politics or war. They left behind their loyal Iron Golem, guardian of the family bloodline, to guard the throne until their return. They never returned.

For hundreds of years now, the Iron Golem known as Heartless has been sitting on the throne.

And that's about all the solid ideas I have. But here are some loose thoughts:

A kingdom ruled by a golem may instead be ruled by its advisors. I could see petty squabbling among the golem's advisors, maybe even leading to war between the various towns of the kingdom?

Maybe the golem has developed a personality over the centuries, based on its observations of court politics? I like the idea of a huge iron golem caring very much about what the latest style of hat is.

Or what if the golem does have its own priorities, choosing to elevate other animated objects to seats of power? Shield Guardian barons, constructs running mines where peasants work to provide coal and other fuel...

So what do you think would be the most fun for adventurers? What other ideas do you have for a kingdom ruled by a golem?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

A golem would clearly decide that all the nation's problems are caused by humanoids, and therefore exterminate them. It would create special flesh-covered golems in order to infiltrate it's humanoid enemies, and to send back in time should anyone try to prevent it's creation.

 

[Older Beholder]

He has a pet Gorgon

Also, the campaign will have a different feel if the players all pick Warforged, Auto-gnomes and rogue Modron characters.

 

[Delazar]

Makes me think of the Emperor of Mankind (WH40K) for some reason. So maybe the realms is indeed ruled by a mob of advisors and nobles, and the golem sits there silent and still for most of the time. Only sometimes, something happens that "wakes him up', and he lops off the head of one of the counselors. The other counselors have no idea why that happened. But the dead noble knew what he did...

Or maybe not even the victim saw it coming, and everyone leaves in fear of the judgement of their silent iron king.

 

[Grantypants]

You could lean into the golem's silence. Maybe the advisors constantly try to justify their actions by claiming that whatever movement or gesture by the golem was actually an order to do something. Or, if you're using more intelligent golems ala Discworld, maybe the golem can't speak but can write, and so all court business (maybe all the business in the kingdom) can only be done in writing.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You need to address this: why do people obey the golem? How does it maintain control? Why hasn't someone thrown it in the trashcan?

 

[aco175]

I could see the political ambitions of several houses not aligning with a golem. Hate is certainly stirred with rumors of mom-humans, non-caring, non-whatever that needs to be said to get the people thinking the golem is not with them. The golem is not in the bloodline- it is only a servant and do we want a servant on the throne. We need new blood on the throne for the new times. All the current political rhetoric will fit.

There can also be some wishing to keep the golem in power. Perhaps the slow, logical, thoughts of the golem have kept the kingdom safe and prosperous.

Another idea is that over time the golem will attract a cult of its own and be worshiped. Perhaps a splinter cult of a god of time or metal. People having spend several generations under its rule may see it as inevitable. I think the infighting and will to overthrow it would have happened very early in its rule though. But, maybe it had and the golem defeated the usurpers.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I love all these ideas!

For some reason I really like the image of the Golem as a hero of the people. Maybe when monsters have threatened the kingdom, Heartless has come out and beat them down? No counselor or advisor dares to try to remove him from the throne because they know either the Golem will kill them, or the people will.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Clearly his subjects, especially courtiers and other sycophants, would adopt dress and speech patterns similar to their monarch.

Golem dolls would be especially popular in the toy stores. Rich kids get magically animated ones.

 

[TheSword]

The golem is un-bribable, utterly even handed, unmoved by threats and treats commoner and noble alike. A selfless guardian against corruption and personal interest. Of course the people love it.

The Golem still follows orders as though the king and its subjects will return, and wont entertain suggestions otherwise.

Secret: the golem has started to become more biased towards good after watching the nobility/merchants/criminal enterprises try to circumvent its authority even though it maintains its appearance of absolute neutrality and logic to the court. If the PCs prove themselves honest servants of the kingdom the golem reveals itself secretly and sets them partisan quests. Maybe even to try and recover the original royal bloodline because the golem has started to doubt.