Editing Animated Object

'''Animated Objects''' are... well, exactly what they say on the tin! They are ordinary household objects that have been given the ability to move about under their own power; sometimes this is a result of demonic possession, other times its because they are transformed people, but mostly this is because of a [[wizard]] casting spells on them.

Animated objects range drastically in scale from curious novelties like self-pouring teapots or self-sweeping brooms and [[All the Little Things| all manner of little things]], to grandiose displays of power - imagine a ''house'' that can move its own furnishings around for your convenience, will defend itself against burglars, and may even be capable of moving on its own - to surprisingly lethal disguised defenses. The sword that springs to life as if wielded by an invisible hand, or the suit of armor that animates itself to defend its home, are both classic examples.

Such items are perhaps best considered a branch of the [[golem]] family tree; wizards interested in crafting constructs are often inclined to begin with simple animated objects as a less expensive (and dangerous) way to practice the arts of animating inanimate matter before they move onto creating true golems.

Animated objects have a long history in [[Dungeons & Dragons]] (and thus in [[Pathfinder]]). They truly came into their own in 3rd edition/PF, where "Animated Object" became a handy template that Dungeon Masters could use to craft any sort of animated object they wanted. In 5th edition, they went back to being a general type of Construct, with three examples presented in the first Monster Manual; the lesser golem-like Animated Armor, the Flying Sword (which carries itself into battle and attacks trespassers), and the Rug of Smothering (a carpet that attempts to envelop and suffocate anyone other than its owner who steps on it).

A creature called an ''Animator'', a malevolent spirit that possesses items to use them as its way to interact with the world, was introduced in 2nd edition [[Ravenloft]].

[[Tsukumogami]] are a similar sort of creature hailing from Japanese mythology.

These items are mostly associated with reclusive, isolationist and/or eccentric casters, making them particularly common in the lairs of [[witch]]es and [[hag]]s.

[[Pathfinder]] also has the ''Taxidermic Creature'' template, which is basically a [[necromancer]]'s take on the idea; taxidermied creatures (you know, those creepy ass "statues" people make out of stuffed and preserved dead animals?) that've been brought to life in the same way as your standard animated object, sitting somewhere between [[undead]] and [[golem]] on the "what the fuck is that thing?" meter (although, officially, they're Construct type monsters).
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Animated object.jpg
Rug.jpg
animated object B1.png
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==Monstergirls==
{{Monstergirls}}

Much like the [[golem]], it's not unheard of for animated objects to get the sexy girlification treatment; after all, if you're going to the trouble of making something do your work for you, why not make it good looking and capable of easing your loneliness, too? That said, this is an uncommon form of monstergirl to say the least - animated objects that already look human, such as armor or dolls, are the most likely recipients of such treatment.

Three such monstergirls can be found in the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]]:
* The Cursed Sword is a living sword that manifests its own female body to pursue a "master" (or takes over the body & mind of a female wielder for such purposes). 
* The Living Armor is a phantasmal monstergirl that uses an imposing suit of armor to serve as a protector of its master.
* The Living Doll is an elegant female doll brought to life as a kind of stealthy golem, with the same "find a master to bang" mentality as a normal wandering golem, but sneakier.

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MGE Cursed Sword.jpg
MGE Living Armor.jpg
MGE Living Doll.jpg
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[[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Pathfinder]]