Automata

Automata are artificial creatures created by pre-andier civilizations using unknown means. They are shaped in the image of many different animals, though some common forms feature bulls, oversized hawks, and mountain cats.   Automata are formed from hunks of raw metal ore, stone, and sterea. Their hides are so tough that spears thrust by the strongest of soldiers does not pierce them. Their artificial movements are so strong that bones shatter with no effort.   They are mostly found broken and inactive deep beneath the ground, though there are some that emerge and wreak havoc. Unfortunate ruin divers sometimes find functioning automata lurking within ruins, which frequently result in corpses piling up in the decrepit structures.   Killing an Automata is difficult, though if you can avoid the powerful strikes and be accurate with your blows, it can be done. The weak points in the tough hides are the cracks and seams present in the stone. If able to hit those cracks in just the right way, the stone can shatter and cause the component parts of the Automata to separate.