Constructs

You look at one and it feels like a statue. Then it moves, simultaneously naturally and unnaturally. Constructs are one of the most fascinating, impressive and subtly terrify arcane advancements in history.

— Hajar Stoutsong, famous adventurer

Origins

As with many discoveries and technological advancement in the relatively recent history of Axora, the first working construct was built in the halls of Billowblock Inventions by one of the Billowblock family themselves. In 86BCE, Ewun Billowblock (the current leader, Jansen Billowblock's great-great-great-grandfather), produced the first invention that could be classed as a 'construct' with the help of Archmage Autum Tenra. It was a two-foot-tall humanoid made of metal and moving parts that could autonomously walk and follow basic instruction. It broke two weeks later. However, it did work.
The next three-quarters of a century saw gradual and slight improvements to the construct, but by the time The Cataclysm War broke out, constructs were still massively unreliable and occasionally murderous.

Doomwrench's Legacy

Grevlin Doomwrench was an insanely talented gnome. He was also just insane. As one of the The Council of Nine, he invented many a device that causes wanton mayhem and destruction. One of his best achievements were the constructs that fought for The Council. They were primarily defensive and only saw battle during The Siege of Arkran. However, those that fought against them noted how more efficient they were than anything being built outside of Arkran.
Frustratingly for the inventors of the world, Grevlin's notes left in his study in Arkran were not the complete set. Schematics for the constructs were not amongst them (nor for his infamous Boomtube, which was particularly annoying for the Gnomes). However, asides, musings and stray thoughts dotted in margins provide enough insights that led to advancements in the construct field.
However, even now in 584PC, it is believed the current quality of constructs are still not as advanced as the ones built by Doomwrench.

Fight Nights

In 29PC, the first of Shortspark's Construct Fight Nights was held. Aldin Shortspark had caught wind of a behind-closed-doors test of the first constructs built using Doomwrench's notes. So he decided to bring the spectacle to the public. Initially, these fight nights were off the books and were illegal. However, their popularity proved problematic for the Rattlebottom authorities and government. As a result, they legitimised the Fight Nights in exchange for a cut of the profits. Now, the Fight Nights are where budding inventors go to show off and test their creations against the best of the best.