Artificial Life

Artificial Life is an umbrella term in the Clarkwoods Literary Universe, used to describe any synthetic sapient being—regardless of the specific magic or technology used to create said being. But while the phrase was originally created for the purposes of dispassionate scientific classification, an abbreviation—“artie”—has come to be used as pejorative in some iterations of reality and in the purgatorial paradise of Eden. That said, synthetic beings in Eden have sought to reclaim the epithet in recent years and many proclaim themselves as “arties” with great pride.

Notable Examples

Androids

Ranging from the vaguely person-shaped to individuals indistinguishable from the species they were designed to simulate, androids are self-powered and self-sustaining artificial intelligences. Many begin life as disembodied beings confined by the computers and networks where they were programmed, and most delight in being given a physical form—relishing the experience.

Most, but not all.

Automatons

Automatons are similar to androids, but they do not possess as self-sustaining fuel source. As such, they are far more dependent upon the whims of their creators or other friendly lifeforms. Whether they are coin-operated, cranked on, or wound up, automatons need help to get going and keep going.

Golems

Golems are sculpted from clay or stone and given life when the name of a deity is etched onto the underside of their tongues. You can read a whole article about them here.

Puppets

Also called Stringless, living puppets are created by a pact between a fairy and another sapient being. They are each characterized by a so-called “fatal flaw,” introduced as part of the fairy’s bargain. Famous examples of these flaws include noses which grow under stress, insatiable cravings for chocolate chip cookies, or an obsession with counting things.

Scarecrows

Living scarecrows are the accidental byproducts of strange Munchkin ritual where mundane, lifeless scarecrows are covered in blood to keep vampires away from inhabited areas.