Other golems are brutes; caryatid columns are sculptures. They are also more likely to be found in large groups (called colonnades). Though weaker than most true golems, their presence indicates that what they guard is not just valued; it is loved.
Eight caryatid columns line the cliffside tombs of a forgotten kingdom. Studying the columns carefully may reveal how to keep them from animating, as well as which of the eight doors they guard are safe to open.
Not all caryatid columns are created by commission. The columns of the House of Winged Wisdom were unremarkable at the time of their carving, but when a division of horsemen would have sacked the temple, the swordmaidens animated to protect the House’s human and oriole charges.
The bankers of Ulm are known for their distinctive blue cloaks. What is not widely known is the reason: they wear blue so that the caryatid columns that line the vault do not animate and attack them. The building that houses the state bank was once a palace, and the rich blue color was a sign of rank to the gynarchy which ruled there.
—Pathfinder Bonus Bestiary 8
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