From: cassidy@cps.msu.edu.cps.msu.edu (John J Cassidy)
Subject: Re: New Name for Flesh Golem wanted!
Originator: cassidy@indian.cps.msu.edu
Reply-To: cassidy@cps.msu.edu.cps.msu.edu (John J Cassidy)
Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, Michigan State University
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 14:24:18 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.203214.1668@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> ericg@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (E. Chris Garrison) writes:
>In article <1992Jul28.185143.23188@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> cassidy@cps.msu.edu.cps.msu.edu (John J Cassidy) writes:
>>In article <1992Jul25.043223.546@njitgw.njit.edu> cxc4107@hertz.njit.edu (Christopher Lee Cavender) writes:
>>>Okay all you creative net-types! I need a new name for Flesh Golems! And DONT
>>>give me varations on Frankenstein! There is no reason to name a medivail monster
>>>after a 19th centuray fictional creation!
>>>						Chris
>>
>>	The 19th century creation that I think you are refering to is
>>"Gollum" by Tolkien.  However, I beleive that there is a legendary
>>creature called a "golem" in Eastern European legends.  The name is used
>>for a creature that is created my a magician as a mindless servant.
>>
>>As always: I could be wrong.
>
>Hate to say it, but you are.
>
>The "19th century creation" is Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley.  Her
>Frankenstein was an artificial human somehow brought to life from
>dead body parts sewn together and imbued with chemicals and so
>on.  The work is often considered the very first true science
>fiction novel, because she was extrapolating from Voltaire's (I think)
>discovery that dead tissue moves as if alive when electric current is
>applied.
>
>The "Flesh Golem" in the AD&Dv1 rules is described just like that, and the
>picture in the Monster Manual looks remarkably like the modern movie
>Frankenstein appears.
>
>As far as I know, your bit about the legend is correct, but "Gollum"
>from J.R.R. Tolkien has nothing to do with it, he was just a wizened,
>Ring-warped old Hobbit-kin.
>
>Eric
>-- 
>------
>E. Chris Garrison			      Computing Services Support Center
>ericg@ucs.indiana.edu			      Indiana University

	I was aware that the MM shows a felsh golem to be like the
Shelly character Figaro.  Victor Frankenstein was the doctor's name,
BTW.  I was aware that the MM describes him like the Shelly character.
But I didn't see that he needed a new name.  The original post said that
he needed a new name, instead of Golem, which I think works rather well,
myself.  Upon re-reading the original message, I believe that I read it
wrong, as well.

Actually for a name suggestion, the closest name that I can think up
would be "Homunculus", although D&D already has another monster by that
name.  An odd idea of a type of English-type of legendary name could be
a "Make-man", which has a particular Saxon character to it, I think.  Or
you could refer to it as a "Lurch", and borrow from a 20th century
source.  Although personally I think that Adams came up with the name
based upon observable characteristics of that type of legendary
creature, the lurching movement.  Anybody in the past could have come up
with the same epithet.  Or perhaps one could call him just an
"Artifice".

	John J Cassidy 		Cassidy@indian.cps.msu.edu
	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc