Living Idol

A living idol is a huge statue of a beast, monster, human or demihuman, pitted and cracked by ages of wind and sand; many have lost limbs and the oldest are little more than standing stones. With two or more limbs it moves at 6, with one it drags itself at 3. Hit Dice range from 9 for a shapeless lump to 18 for one barely touched by time.

Dimly aware but fiercely self-protective, idols ignore weapons below +3 and nearly all spells, with a few exceptions. Rock to mud deals 6d6 damage (save for half), while its reverse heals 6d6 and has a 50% chance to regrow a missing limb. Stone to flesh leaves the idol open to ordinary attacks and damaging spells for one round. Disintegrate deals 10d10 with no save. The magic persists in the largest surviving piece until the statue is reduced to rubble.

Every idol can charm those nearby in a way set by its cult; one with a thriving, well-fed following adds a further -4 to these saves. With at least one limb it can also pound foes for 4d8 per round, fighting like an automaton.

Idols exist to be worshipped as gods and draw strength from offerings. They signal through empathy whether a gift pleases them. At least one sacrifice a week keeps an idol content and produces a lasting side effect around it; a second sacrifice is needed to call on its major power. The kindest powers carry the steepest price. Four broad kinds are known; a game master can invent others.

Animal idols are lawful neutral images of vermin such as rats or scorpions. They charm anyone within 100 feet into worship, accept trinkets worth up to 25 gp, ward a one-mile radius against their animal, and once a day use a related major power (a rat idol can cure disease). The most common type, they gather 20-200 villagers who hide the boon from outsiders and fight anyone who threatens the statue.

Death idols are neutral evil carvings of skeletons or man-eaters such as a great ghul. They charm only those who touch them, but their grip is terrible (save at -4). Members stop aging while it is fed; each week it takes a human or demihuman victim, usually an outsider, otherwise a lowly member. Once a week the cult's 'priest', who need not be a cleric, can cast resurrection, regeneration or restoration, or the reverse of one. Hunted by every civilized faith and ruler, these cults survive in the wilds by raiding caravans and villages. Large ones (200-500+) attract intelligent undead, often vampires, who seize the priesthood and feed on the faithful.

Elemental idols are chaotic neutral, faceless human figures. Sensing emotions within 30 feet, they try to charm (save at -2) only those who mean them harm. A 100 gp offering suited to the element earns a one-mile protective aura: gems for earth (earthquakes), rare woods for fire (wildfires), aromatic oils for water (floods and tidal waves) and exotic perfumes for air (whirlwinds and sandstorms). Once a week the idol summons a 12 HD elemental of its type to serve whoever made the offering, with no risk of it turning on them. They build no cults but breed strife: chieftains feud over them for generations, and elemental wizards destroy them to guard their monopoly.

Healing idols are neutral good statues of gentle figures, most often young girls or old men, and like elemental idols they charm (save at -2) only the hostile. Fed by beauty, praise and thanks, they ward a 100-foot radius with protection from evil and once a day can heal (maidens) or control weather (old men, usually for rain).

Living idols have no role beyond their cults. Most people see their worship as primitive, even desert soothsayers of the oldest idol faiths. Organized religions loathe their mind control, and ethical and moralist priests destroy them on sight, though a pragmatic priest may tolerate a healing idol. Priests call them rare, but nomads keep finding them in ruins bared by sandstorms and believe many more lie under the dunes.