What are Automaton?

I've yet to find any lore on them or I must have missed it and nothing turns up from searching the net. What are the Automaton droids? I thought they were essentially lorekeepers from an age long past with the limited functionality of those skill teachers in Soltown, but it would seem some like Gus from Bloodriver Outskirts are capable of self-driven sentience.

 

Automaton and clockworks are creations of kobold technology. Strangely, the Oracle also seems to be the product of this type of technology, although it the result of knowledge possessed by the Titans. How self-aware they are is unknown; Gus certainly seems sentient, but he could also be short circuited.

 

Are the Oracle and Automaton connected in the way the Oracle Eye constructs are or are they individually programmed? Gus displays too much emotion to be a product of an accident and seems to have a deep understanding of the forest. While you might say his circuits are fried like Johnny-5 'programming' doesn't work that way if all the Automaton are designed the same and even in a fantasy setting seems unbelievable.

He may have been reprogrammed this way, most likely an old assistant to the 'you know who' druid only he seems to know about.

 

Would that I could find that darn Gus. hehe, also no clue on the Hand of the Anti- Druid.

 

To find Gus, follow the trail until you find 2 carts with a dog nearby. Gus' cave is not far from that. You will see mushroom baddies outside his grato.