Runedolls

Runedolls were a project created by the Svaldic government in the 2290s as an attempt to blur the lines between technology and magic in a unique and powerful way. Originally they were designed as unmanned vehicles, but seeing as vehicles do not exist, that idea was shelved. In their actual created form, Runedolls are giant constructs formed out of heavy minerals and powered by the souls of ancient heroes or beasts.

Runedolls are rare because their creation process is so different from other simular items. Unlike Golems or Droids, it takes the combined efforts of a master level Engineer, Enchanter, and a Scribe. The Engineer builds the 'Shell', the mechanized form of the runedoll, while the Enchanter has to harvest and enslave the soul that will form the heart of the beast, and then the Scribe forms the runes that bind the soul to the body, forming the spirit which is controlled by Contractors.

Contractors are the 'pilots' or partners of the Runedolls, and without them the Runedoll goes berzerk. Contractors usually gain soulbound items which store the spirit of the runedoll, allowing them to summon the shell and control the soul. The item is most commonly a weapon, and can be in the form of any weapon in the game. It makes sense that the stronger the contractor, the more power they can pull from their Runedoll. Runedolls themselves have taken many forms, generally the vague shapes of various gods (Norse being the most common), mythical heroes, or mythical beasts. Even if a runedoll has wings, it often can't fly because of the weight of its shell, and at most can hover over land and water.

The project was abandoned when Prince Sigurd Magnusson ordered it shut down in the early 2300s. However, in 2322 and 2323, Professor Ajoita Olta attempted to revive the project with his idea of "Blanks", where Runedolls could be created without any free will of their own. As he attempted to do this against the Prince's orders, and freed an ancient demon to do so, the Blank project was ended, and Olta was fired.