Living Idol
Large Construct

Hit Dice: 9d10 (50 hit points)
Initiative: +0
Speed: Varies
AC: 16 (-1 size, +7 natural armor)
Attacks: Slam +13
Damage: Slam 2d8 + 8
Face/Reach: 5 ft/ 10 ft
Special Attacks: Dominate
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/+3; Empathy, Weathering, Movement, Sacrificial Powers; Superior Enchantment Retention; Movement
Saves:   Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +4
Abilities: Str 27 (+8) Dex 10 Con – Int 4  Wis 4  Cha 26 (+8)
Skills: None
Feats: None

Living idols are moving stone statues, remnants of ancient, forgotten empires and religions.  They often inspire strange cults which are opposed by even the most pragmatic of modern faiths.

Living idols appear to be very large stone statues, usually representing some animal, death, elemental spirit, or healer.  All show signs of heavy weathering and erosion, their once smooth surface riddled with small cracks, pock marks, and holes.  Some living idols are no longer completely intact, missing an arm, leg or other appendage.  A few are so ancient as to be little more than weathered standing stones.

Living idols exist for one purpose and that is to be worshipped as a deity in their own right.  They draw power from the number of sacrifices made in their honor and can perform a potentially beneficial side effect in return for a weekly sacrifice.

Combat
While not entirely sentient, all living idols are imbued with a strong instinct for self preservation.  They fight as automatons, with little strategy beyond eliminating any opponents capable of harming them.  Those with at least one appendage get a slam attack.

Domination (Sp): The idol charms those that approach (Will save, DC 10 + ½ HD + Cha modifier) and force them to do their bidding and worship them.  If a cult is currently worshipping the idol and providing weekly sacrifices, the DC is +4.  Animal type idols charm those who come within 100'.  Death type idols charm those who touch them (DC +4), Elemental idols charm those intent on harming it that come within 30'.  Healing idols only attempt to dominate those with harmful or destructive intentions (DC +2).

Empathy (Su): All living idols can communicate using empathy.  They make it immediately clear to worshippers whether or not they find a particular sacrifice pleasing and appropriate.

Weathering (Ex): Depending on weathering, living idols’ hit dice modifier varies from –8 (a featureless hunk of rock) to +8 (hardly affected by the ravages of time). 

Movement (Su): Idols with two or more appendages still intact are capable of moving at a rate of 15 ft.; those with one appendage drag themselves along at a rate of 5 ft. 

Sacrificial Powers (Sp): Long-forgotten, ancient religions are thought to be responsible for the creation of living idols.  Now these religions are reduced to small cults, existing only because of the idols' ability to charm passers-by.  In the most general of terms, cults are known to worship either animals, death, elemental forces, or healing.  The DM should feel free to create personalized cults for his campaign.  These are sample powers.
           Animal Cults: Usually vermin or pest type animals.  The alignment of these idols is Lawful Neutral.  These idols require a small and slightly valuable sacrifice of gold, gems or jewelry (usually of no more than 25 gp value).  The side effect is an aura of protection against the type of animal depicted by the idol for up to a one mile radius.  The major power also relates to the type of animal depicted by the idol (rat idols will cure disease, scorpion idols will cure poison, etc).  Living animal idols cannot use its powers more than once per day.  These foster small to medium sized cults of 20-200 worshipers.  The major power of the idol is considered to be a boon to the followers, and not to be shared with outsiders.
           Death Cults: These cults are centered around a horrible and grotesque idol, usually in the form of a man-eating monster or undead.  The alignment of these idols is neutral evil.  Outsiders are sacrificed to this idol, however low-ranking members of the cult will do.   The side effect of joining the cult is that all members cease aging for as long as the idol is satisfied.  The major power of these idols is to endow the cult "priest" (not necessarily a cleric) with the ability to cast a powerful necromantic spell once per week.  Large, established cults (200-500+ members) often attract sentient undead, especially vampires, who quickly rise to the "priest" status and use the cult members to feed their own, and the idol's, appetite.
           Elemental Cults: These idols are often in the form of a faceless man.  The alignment of these idols is Chaotic Neutral.   The substance of the sacrifice (100 gp value) and the idol's protective side effect depends on the element represented by the idol.  Earth idols require gems and offer protection from earthquakes.  Fire idols require rare woods and protect from uncontrolled fires.  Water elemental idols require aromatic oils and offer protection from tidal waves and flooding.  Air idols require exotic perfumes, and offer protection from whirlwinds and sandstorms.  The major power of these statues is to summon a 12 HD elemental of the appropriate planes, one per week, to perform a specific task for the individual who made the sacrifice.  These types do not generally generate charmed cults.
            Healing cults: The idols are neutral good and represent a kind, gentle figure.  These idols thrive on a sacrifice of beauty, praise, and thanksgiving, feeding on the positive energy generating in worship.  As a side effect, these statues radiate protection from evil in a 100' radius.  The maiden statues are known to heal, while the old man statues can control weather, bringing rain in times of drought usually.  A living idol of this type can use its major power once per day.

Al Qadim Monsters | Monsters of Inzeladun | Inzeladun Updates | The World of Inzeladun | About Vincent N. Darlage | Conan the Barbarian for Third Edition D&D | Short Stories of Inzeladun | Artwork of Inzeladun | http://arabianadventures.org

Trademarks and copyrights are cited on this page without permission. This usage is not meant in any way  to challenge the rightful ownership of said trademarks/copyrights. AD&D is a trademark of TSR; reach TSR's parent company at Wizards of the Coast, Inc.©. All copyrights are acknowledged and remain the  property of the owners. "Inzeladun" and related characters © 1984, 2000 Vincent N. Darlage. All rights  reserved by their respective owners. This page is for entertainment only.

Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, AD&D, the D&D logo, the AD&D logo, the d20 System logo and d20 are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and are used with permission.  All titles, and all proper nouns, including character names, locations, and named items are considered Product Identity per Section 1 of the Open Game License v1.0a and are exclusively owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

©2002 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 

Compliance of Conversion Policy, Open Game License and the d20 System Trademark License:

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.

  1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

  5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

  6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

  10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.

  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

  12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

  13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

  14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

  15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.