Automatons

In the year 2712 3E, Automatons were originally constructed as weapons of war, mindless soldiers that would fight endlessly. Their creator, a reclusive inventor, sold his machines to kings and tyrants and warlords the world over, prized for their skill with firearms. This deadly accuracy with firearms made the first wave an almost unstoppable machine of war. Their absolute obedience also made them desirable to those hungry for power. Eventually, the faults of the first design began to show, and many were decommissioned. While deadly, the automatons proved to be very fragile machines in need of constant maintenance. Nearly a dozen years passed before the world would see automatons again.
The inventor, after many iterations, hit the world with a vastly improve version. Faster, deadlier, and more durable, they were quickly sold to eager warlords by the hundreds from the inventors mountain workshop. A stark difference to the first wave, the second iteration could speak and communicate. They had personalities of their own, though very crude personalities. The most visible change was the addition of an exposed power core, a brilliant red gem glowing the middle of their chest. The inventor made clear, that the gem must be protected at all costs and to never remove the chains that held it in place. The buyers adhered to this order -- for a time. Eventually a curious nobleman from Carthaos would uncover the importance of the inventors command.
After the nobleman's personal favorite automaton was near totally destroyed in battle, he had the automaton taken in for study, to see if there was any way to repair the machine he'd grown to enjoy. He removed the broken limbs and detached the chains that held a damaged power core. A spark of red lightning shot out from the core and the low hum of gears turning spurred into action. When the automaton awoke, it screamed with such pure fear, much unlike a mindless doll. It looked to the nobleman, "Where am I? Why can't I move my legs?". The nobleman spent many hours with this newly awoken automaton and learned a horrifying secret of their design. Within the power core was a capture soul of someone lost long ago. Many of the soul's memories have eroded over time, and perhaps the power core contributed to this. The only thing that remains is the personality of the what the person once was.
Outraged, the nobleman removed the chains from the automatons in his possession. He led his newly freed army to the inventors workshop, and burned it to the ground. He spent the next decade freeing as many automatons has he could, though met heavy resistance from the many kings and warlords. A hundred years has passed since the automatons liberation, and now they roam the world in search of meaning, or maybe just who they once were.