City of Spells: Animate Object

 Line Art: Jesse Robidas

Colorist : Brittney Lezon

I, Owain Northway can tell you that the spell animate object sees a good bit of use in my hometown city of Questhaven especially in conjunction with the permanency spell. Popular items created by the Hornorable Order of Theurgic Master Craftsmen include a good number of animated and self-propelled vehicles. I have ridden in an animated carriage, heavy chariot, sleigh, heavy wagon, row boat, a few small sailing ships like cutters and sloops plus a very rare animated rare glider. 

Mathena the Maker, Child of Tituk of the line of Tu;  a female gargoyle and Artisan of Hallowed Vessels in service to Our Grand Wright in Heaven is extremely well known for creating some of the most interesting animated objects in the whole of the Protectorate. She often grants her objects the ability to burrow, fly, climb or swim so as to surprise trespassing members of the Questor’s Society such as myself. Some of the more knowledgeable folk I have consulted on this matter say she has also learned the art of creating life-spark constructs and given her creations free will and sentience, while others simply follow instructions of those who know the proper command words while others fallow intricate or simple preset directives

There are however a few problems holding back the more widespread use of animated objects. Their their ability to follow only limited commands, the unreliability of sentient constructs and the cultural considerations of slavery of sentient creatures especially amongst the ironborn. However many of the rich favor them as modes of transportation due to their continuous function and their lack of the need to feed an animated object, some have started recently to use them in milling and other repetitive tasks, though theft of objects is common once the command words are learned, so the expense causes further issues.  

The following list below is formed from some of the more interesting animated objects I have encountered in my journeys:

1. Altar
2. Archway
3. Armchair
4. Armoire
5. Armor (what type)
6. Ashtray
7. Astrolabe
8. Bardic Instruments
9. Basket
10. Bed
11. Bench
12. Book
13. Bookcase
14. Boots (slippers, shoes; swarms)
15. Bowls (swarm)
16. Bouncing Ball
17. Brazier
18. Broom
19. Bucket
20. Caltrops (swarm)
21. Cage
22. Cauldron
23. Chair
24. Chains (metal type)
25. Chamber Pot
26. Chandelier
27. Chest
28. Church Bell
29. Cloak
30. Closet
31. Coffin (normal, ornate)
32. Coins (swarm, metal type)
33. Crystal Skull
34. Curtains
35. Desk (simple, ornate, rolltop)
36. Dog House
37. Dog Choker Chain
38. Door (Iron, Stone, Wooden)
39. Drinkware (glass, stein, cup, flask etc; swarm)
40. Fireplace
41. Floor
42. Floor Tiles (Material Type)
43. Floor Grating (Metal Type)
44. Footstool
45. Forgefire
46. Fountain
47. Grindstone
48. Guillotine
49. Hammer and Anvil
50. Hangman’s Scaffold
51. Haystack (Swarm)
52. Holy Symbol (Huge or Smaller, choose material)
53. Incense Burner
54. Iron Maiden
55. Logs (small kindling to massive yule log)
56. Marbles (swarm)
57. Mirror
58. Net
59. Obelisk
60. Pallet
61. Pants
62. Painting
63. Pedal Harp
64. Petrified Creature
65. Piano
66. Pillars
67. Pillory
68. Pillow
69. Pipe Organ
70. Pipe (Smoking)
71. Pitchfork
72. Portcullis
73. Potbellied stove
74. Printing Press
75. Plates (swarm)
76. Rack (torture)
77. Railing
78. Rags (swarm)
79. Rugs
80. Sack
81. Shield (type and material type)
82. Sofa
83. Spittoon
84. Spirits (cask, keg, barrel)
85. Statue (huge or smaller, metal or stone)
86. Stairs
87. Stuffed Animal (kids toy, or taxidermy)
88. Table (banquet or small)
89. Tapestry
90. Throne
91. Torch
92. Trap (Mechanical)
93. Tub
94. Utensils (metal type, swarm)
95. Vise (torture)
96. Wall (material type)
97. Weapon (melee/ range, type, and material type)
98. Wheel (torture)
99. Wine Press
100. Workbench