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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ultramyth" data-source="post: 3106731" data-attributes="member: 16417">Flash Golems and FrankensteinPerhaps a tangent to the discussion, but on the topic of the Flesh Golem possibly being inspired from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, although this might seem quite apparent based on the pop culture image of the monster, Shelley's actual monster was not mindless - in fact, the entire basis of the creature's concept in the novel was a being that was a monster trying to be human, being rejected by humanity and thus rejecting its own humanity. It was not inherently evil - it was Victor's rejection of it that lead it to become evil.D&D Golems are much like the Golems of Jewish folklore and mysticism. They are mindless servants that are instructed in tasks and have an element of unpredictability, especially as they grow in size and power. The explaination for this in D&D is that the elemental spirit bound to the Golem takes temporary control over the golem's body and it goes berserk.At the moment, I'm working on a supplement that focuses on flesh golems, golem sentience and automata, which is why the mentioning of golems pricked my ears.In any case, Golems as constructs are not inherently evil. Even though flesh golems are reanimated flesh, they are not animated by negative energy like the undead - it is the elemental spirit which moves them.</blockquote>