Cannoin's Ember

The Ember appears as a small lump of gray, black, and blue stone. It leaks wisps of blue magical smoke, and is still very much alive despite the eons since its creation. Cannoin's Ember is thought to either be the first ever artificial soul- a truly feeling, thinking, experiencing being that was not drawn from beyond the veil where the things that haven't yet been made wait to live. Some think the Ember is made of parts from ancient gods; as true creation is only in their business and only possible through them, but others believe a soul could be found at the bottom of a flask. If the Ember is a product of mere alchemy, that it is truly impressive alchemy indeed.

It should be stated here that the Ember is absolutely indestructible. Any attempts to damage or split the Ember have failed and will always fail. You can smelt a magic ring with the ember placed in the liquid gold, then someone can smash it with a hammer for an hour only to come out with a damaged hammer, a pancaked bit of metal, and the Ember perfectly intact.

The Held Ember

The Ember is always stirring, pulsing, alive. To hold the Ember or to have it be a part of you gives you its first power- you can do this by simply wearing the Ember, such as embedding it in a ring or amulet, socketing it into armor, sticking it to your skin, or even ingesting it. By having the Ember equipped as such; you can create false life. Use sticks and rocks and form them into animal and humanoid shapes with your hands; the Ember will make them move and come to life. These constructs are of limited intelligence but can follow orders, and can be created up to 3 HD with abilities equivalent to a 2^nd level spell or less in ability. Creating anything with the Ember costs some of limited energy supply- the Ember produces about enough energy to create 6 HD worth of golem-creations per day. Its energy will restore in the time between night and morning or dusk and nightfall- the Ember will never run out of power, it just needs time to recharge itself. The golems themselves can stay together and act with limited intelligence for up to 30 minutes each, then they fall apart.

The Liquid Ember

There is an exception to the above. The Ember cannot be destroyed, but it can be changed in form. There is a method to make the Ember from how it is, a physical object, into a fluid. The magic required to do this is not easy, and it can only be done in a proper vessel- a golem inscribed with holy names, an automaton with gears and flywheels of exact alignment, or a flesh vessel of stitched together parts and interlinked veins and cords. Once the vessel is prepared, the Ember is turned to liquid form and stored internally, used as engine lubrication, or runs through the body as blood.

The vessel will come to life as an incredible creation. It will be intelligent and fully aware of the world; as though an adult person was born as truly as any flesh and blood child. It will know the speech of its creators, and can be taught whatever they wish- it is a being with true and free will, whatever it is. No matter what form it is, or what name it is given, the being born of Cannoin's Ember is a living person and seeks what all people do- a purpose and meaning to its life.

This being will being at 1^st level or 1 HD, but will rapidly grow in power if given training and motivation. It advances as any class most fitting its form and self-image, but gains experience at +30% faster rate, due to its uncanny intelligence and ability to learn. The Cannoin's Ember creation is also a magically gifted and accelerated being; a being created by the liquid ember is capable of turning the undead regardless of its class, and turns undead as though it was one level higher. This functions even if the Ember vessel itself is technically a corpse, or collection of corpses, as it is now 'alive'.

If an when this form is destroyed, the liquid in its body will drain away and reform back into the physical, stored Ember again. The religious among those who have interacted with the Ember say they pity it- a doomed soul trapped in the mortal realm, where as those outside of religion believe it to be something special- an immortal rebirthed one million times, again and again- never taken by the harsh ending of death.