Lore:Dwemer Animunculi

(also known as Dwemer Constructs, Dwarven Automatons, Dwemer Centurions, and Dwarven Robots) are mechanical  s created by the  . Made out of  , animunculi were used as war machines and guards. Many of them continue to protect the underground ruins of Dwemer cities long after the disappearance of their creators in  . They are commonly encountered by scholars and adventurers who venture into the ruins; the animunculi perceive them as invaders, and even worker constructs will attack trespassers on sight.  

Dwemer constructs are made with a variety of Dwarven Metals, with Dwarven brass being the most common. Even rarer are constructs forged with alloys of Adamant , Glass , and Ebon Steel.  Constructs made within the Infernium Forge are especially unusual, and are thought to be crafted by a single Dwarven artisan. 
 

Function
Dwemer animunculi function on steam power, magic and tonal architecture. Constructs around  , such as in   and  , are equipped with individual soul gems or dynamo cores.  It is not clear if they are powered directly by the energy of the soul or by some kind of harmonic resonance with the energies contained in the soul gem.    Constructs from   that are removed from the region are unable to function in other parts of  . Returning the animunculus to the region's vicinity somehow restores its functionality.  

Research in the   suggested the animunculi found in much of western Tamriel were powered by soul gems. They only deactivated when removed from a ruin as a security measure, but with specialized tools and knowledge it was possible to reprogram them to perform other tasks. 

Some researchers, such as   and  , have managed to control automatons by reverse-engineering and readjusting them. The Tribunal god Sotha Sil was also known to have tinkered with Dwemer constructs, beyond the capabilities of even the most talented individuals.   His mechanical creations, known as   and  s, are similar, but not considered animunculi.

thumb|right|A blue glow can indicate the use of lightning
Some Dwemer animunculi have the interesting ability to power up, emitting a colored glow from the runes engraved on their metal plating that seem to indicate a function. Dwemer Spiders can emit a small electric barrier which they can use to charge up, turning their runes blue. The creation of such a barrier alerts other nearby constructs to absorb power as well. Constructs charged in such a manner can fire off bursts of electricity to attack invaders. When powered constructs are destroyed, they violently explode, releasing their stored electricity.  Sometime in  , Undaunted adventurers journeyed into Darkshade Caverns beneath Deshaan, discovering the Dwemer ruins of Rkugamz. It was guarded by the Sentinel of Rkugamz, which was unique in that it could change color without assistance from other constructs. Its coloration signaled its functions. Green indicated that the Sentinel was calling Dwarven Spiders with regenerative functions, blue signaled that the Guardian was about to fire off electric blasts, and red signaled to the adventurers that the Sentinel was about to spin its blades around wildly in pursuit of its target. 

Later that year, the Undaunted explored Rkugamz, where they discovered a Dwemer machine known as the Great Engine with the aid of a member of the Mages Guild. The Engine Guardian, a giant dwarven spider constructed to protect the Great Engine, hindered the Undaunted's efforts to disable the machine so Rkugamz could be explored further. The Engine Guardian shared the Sentinel's lightning-based properties when it glowed blue. However, its functions while glowing red and green differed from the Sentinel of Rkugamz. Instead of providing a means to regenerate itself, the Guardian emitted poisonous gas when it glowed green. Its red glow was a signal that the Engine Guardian had activated fire cannons that were installed below its mantle.  The Sentinel of Rkugamz and the Engine Guardian are two notable examples of how the runes engraved on a construct can glow to indicate different functions. While some colors, like blue, can maintain some semblance of uniformity in what they represent, others aren't always as easily predictable.

Not all glowing runes exist to signal that a combative function is being performed. Some construct colors exist for cosmetic purposes. For example, there exists rare ebony constructs which possess a golden double crescent known as a "Solar Arc," which some scholars believe gives tribute to the sun. This iconography isn't seen in many of the Dwemer's other works.  
 

Varieties
There are many types of animunculi found in Dwemer ruins all over Tamriel.

Architon
Dwarven Architons are humanoid automatons located in Blackreach, mostly within The Reach. They protect the ancient dwemer ruins. They are imbued with aetherium crystals. 
 
 

Dynastor
Dwarven Dynastors are massive Dwemer Constructs which resemble stag beetles.
 
 

Ballistae
 

Centurion
 

Colossus
 

Delver
 

Drone Fly
 

Numidium
 

Scarab
 

Sentry
 

Sphere
 

Spider
 

Steam Constructor
 
 

Turtle
 
 

Vamidium
 
 

Books


Gallery
 

References