Warforged, The Moldborn

In the past decade, there has been a marked increase in reports of animated constructs bearing the likeness and function of living beings. These entities, composed of metal, petrified wood, and other hybridized materials, have been encountered primarily in the borderlands between Läeril and Teorcas, though scattered accounts exist farther afield.   Locals, particularly those in the high passes, have dubbed them “Moldborn,” though more formally they are known to scholars as Warforged. Unlike golems, which are bound to a singular spell or command, these constructs exhibit an unsettling degree of autonomy, self-awareness, and even personality.  

Physical description

  The warforged are humanoid in shape, typically ranging between 6 and 7 feet in height. Their bodies consist of:

• Metallic plating: Primarily bronze- and iron-like alloys, though no forge-smith has successfully reproduced these metals with the same resilience.
• Plant matter integration: Reinforcing joints, sinew, or in some cases entire limbs. This wood appears neither wholly alive nor dead, retaining flexibility without decay.
• Arcane conduits: Crystalline cores or lattice-like structures embedded within, which pulse faintly with residual magical energy.

Unlike golems, they lack a central glyph of command or master rune. Instead, their forms are marked with partial inscriptions, resembling fragments of ancient divine script. Most are incomplete, damaged, or nonsensical, though several of my colleagues hypothesize these fragments once encoded directives of higher purpose.

 

Behaviour & Psychology

  The warforged display an unsettling awareness of self and surroundings. They respond to speech, learn languages, and demonstrate curiosity. However, their minds are marked by:  

• Confusion and Disorientation: Many awaken with no memory of their “birth” or purpose, and wander aimlessly until they encounter others.
• Residual Directives: Some warforged speak of “orders,” though often these are contradictory or fragmentary (“hold the line,” “protect the gate,” “silence the heretic”).
• Emulation of Mortals: In prolonged company with mortals, they adopt habits, speech, and even social structures, as if learning how to exist by imitation.
• Dream Phenomena: A handful of cases report that warforged experience something akin to dreams, recounting visions of vast forges, burning skies, or legions marching without end.

The consistency of such accounts across otherwise unconnected individuals has fueled much speculation.

 

Additionnal information

Theories of Origin

  The question most pressing to the learned is how such beings came into existence. The prevailing theories include:   The Divine Relic Hypothesis That the warforged were first fashioned by an artifact of divine provenance, a “mold” or “cradle” that imprinted fragments of celestial will into inert vessels. This view is supported by their inscribed fragments of scripture, but raises troubling theological implications: why would a god create such beings, and why have they been left abandoned?   The Lost Civilization Hypothesis That the warforged are remnants of an ancient pre-Draconic civilization, whose mastery of both metallurgy and biomancy surpassed our own. Their reawakening could be the result of dormant mechanisms or rituals we do not yet comprehend.   The Natural Philosopher’s Hypothesis That the warforged are not constructs at all, but a unique form of life born of Aurora’s magical saturation. By this view, they are a form of elemental life or emergent arcane being, using wood and metal as flesh in the way mortals use blood and bone.   The Border Wound Hypothesis That the wars of the past left scars upon the land, and the Moldborn are the embodiment of that trauma. In this perspective, they are not made but grown from the earth itself where the blood of wars soaked deepest.  

Current Observations

  Resurgence Patterns: Reports are clustered around the eastern mountain passes separating Laeril from Teorcas, suggesting the origin-point is localized.   Numbers: Sightings remain rare, though increasing. Single individuals or small groups are most common, but stories of larger gatherings persist.   Disposition: Not uniformly hostile. Some warforged flee from contact, others defend themselves violently, and a few attempt communication.   Durability: Conventional arms are effective, though they are significantly more resistant to fatigue and hardship than mortals.  

Speculations on Purpose

  Though their origin is uncertain, many researchers agree that warforged appear to have been created for conflict. Their forms are optimized for battle, their fragmentary orders evoke military purpose, and their 'dreams' recall armies in endless march.   Some hold that their resurgence signals a rekindling of ancient mechanisms, whether divine or mortal in nature. Others whisper that they are harbingers, scouts for some greater awakening yet to come.  

...they challenge our understanding of life, magic, and history. Whatever their origins, their presence cannot be ignored. Should their numbers continue to swell, they will not remain curiosities of scholars, but actors upon the stage of nations.   What awakens them now remains unknown. Perhaps the land itself remembers wars long past, and calls its soldiers back to arms.