Machina

Machina are elaborate iron constructs built to resemble particular creatures, with mechanisms that copy their abilities. Materials cost 10,000 GP for an iron horse, 15,000 for an iron cobra, 20,000 for an iron spider, 25,000 for a winged iron horse and 50,000 for an iron dragon, and each needs a fluid ounce of aqua vitae to animate it, a large workroom and a full set of metalworking tools. Building takes four months at a 55% chance; hiring an engineer, sculptor or scholar halves the time and adds 25%. No machina can be made without an alchemist or a scholar skilled in engineering and inventing.

Like golems they have no minds of their own, following up to three programmed commands or their master's spoken orders. All are immune to ordinary weapons, poison, heat and cold (lightning hurts them fully) and move as the creature they copy. The iron horse (30 hit points, armor as plate) runs like a heavy warhorse and hauls 5,000 lb easily, 10,000 at a walk or trot, but cannot fight. The iron cobra and iron spider (30 hit points, armor as chain, attack as 8th level) bite for 1-8 plus venom from a two-dose reservoir; the cobra also sprays venom 10 feet and the spider spins 100 square feet of metal web. Variants include the iron constrictor and the cheaper iron scorpion. The winged iron horse takes 40 points but is grounded at 30. The iron dragon (50 hit points, armor as plate, attacks as 12th level) bites for 2-20, claws four times for 1-8, and breathes fire three times for 10d6 from 120 gallons of pitch and oil; adding flight costs 10,000 GP more.