The Modern Wizard: Golem Witch

Golem making, the broad term used to encompass the creation and programming of golems, gargoyles, and homunculi, is much more technical than most people realize. Of course you need to be an expert craftswoman, as a golem made and programmed by different people would be of horrible quality, but you must have the focus, precision of mind, and thoroughness to program them in a way that will make them more than simple computers. And the time. You spend more time working on a complex golem than an animator spends on a Disney film. And while the majority of the world views your work as a whole lot of mystic mumbo-jumbo, the computer programmers think that your work is just like theirs. A whole lot more heart and soul goes into your work. You see, to make a true, proper, thinking being, it has to be more than just "situation x = reaction y". You start by teaching them the magics behind their movement and speech, then you teach them how speech works (even if they aren't capable of it themselves), and during this process you have to teach them the basics of how the world works, like the difference between up and down, and hot and cold, and then you have to instil in them a moral code, along with contingency words for if something fails and they become dangerous, and then you must teach them loyalty (but of course make sure that who they are loyal to is left empty, else you will have a very unsatisfied customer) and finally you give them time to simply explore your workroom and get a sense of who they are, which is often called fermentation, as throwing them out into the world prematurely can shock them, and cause them to shut down, like a small child. And finally, when they are ready, you and them off to their contractor, probably never to see them again.

It is a difficult job, but one you love immensely. Today you are going to hand off your latest "project", a messenger homunculus for a very rich man who wants something easier than the old-fashioned bell-ringing, but doesn't want to use pagers or cellphone users either. You aren't all that fond of this man, but you have had to keep that very hidden, otherwise the homunculus might catch on.

The doorbell rang. "That'll be Mr. Janson, Malachi." You said. His owner didn't care enough to name him, so it fell to you. Because the prophet's name meant "My messenger", you thought it was appropriate. "Let's go to meet him."

Malachi nodded and floated after you. He was the thin kind of homunculus, looking like a cross between a scarecrow and puppet. Because he was so light, is was simplest just to make him float, rather than him having to jump and climb on everything. (Homunculi rarely were taller than a foot and a half, and Malachi was only eight inches.) He didn't give any other response, as he wasn't able to speak.

After you had exchanged Malachi for the other half of the money, another customer came in.

-He wanted a golem.

-He wanted a gargoyle.

-He wanted a homunculus.

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