Gearkeeper Construct

Rolling, deadly whirlwinds of metal plates and curving blades, these clockwork automatons were initially designed by tinkerers and mage engineers to be sentries and guardians in the deepest of vaults during the Age of Arcanum. While most of these majestic and deadly curiosities have fallen to rust and ruin, forgotten along with their long-destroyed and buried societies, some continue to patrol the tunnels and pathways of forgotten tombs and dungeons, following their original operations and directives to protect the contents of their domain.

Resembling a rolling ball of shield-like plates, a gearkeeper construct can rapidly travel through corridors to seek intruders. Upon discovering an unrecognized creature, the shields expand to reveal gaps where numerous metallic legs emerge for precision movement. Bladed appendages whir around the construct, threatening any unlucky delvers who wander too close, while heavy spears of steel can be fired from within the construct's core, impaling unwanted guests. If overwhelmed, the construct can discharge a spray of heated, jagged metal fragments to subdue groups of intruders.

Reverse engineering from the recovered shells and scraps of excavated gearkeeper constructs, a number of modern tinkerers have developed updated variations of these sentinels. Such designs are only recently seeing use in select prisons, or by wealthy collectors seeking to keep their collections safe.