Faience Idols

Wondrous item, rarity by idol

Made of a blue-green ceramic, these idols stand a foot tall on average and are sculpted in the image of wildlife commonly associated with the lands of ancient desert empires. Similar to figurines of wondrous power these precursor idols lack the ability to animate real life figures, but instead change into similarly sized construct versions of the imitated creature. When an idol is tossed down and the correct command word spoken, it becomes a creature of normal size (except when noted otherwise). The summoned creature retains the base statistics of the creature but is a construct. The creature obeys and serves its owner. Unless stated otherwise, the creature understands Common but does not speak.

If a faience idol is broken or destroyed in its statuette form, it is forever ruined. All magic is lost, its power departed. If slain in animal form, the figurine simply reverts to a statuette that can be used again at a later time.

Delta Crocodile (rare): This beautiful crocodile figurine’s back is covered in hieroglyphic script detailing the paths of several prominent waterways. When animated, the idol takes on the form of a buoyant faience crocodile with a sculpted seat on its back for a rider. The crocodile can act as a mount for a single medium sized creature, but can only be used in such a manner when the crocodile moves on water—the summoned creature refuses to transport riders while on land. While transformed, the crocodile gains resistance to slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine. The crocodile idol can be used once per week for 2 hours when summoned on land, or three times per week for 6 hours when summoned in water.

Desert Frog (very rare): On command, this idol transforms into a large toad with an affinity for the desert. This creature is treated as a giant toad with resistance to fire damage. In addition, the frog gains resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine. The frog idol can be used every 3 days for no more than 8 continuous hours each day it is summoned.

Grand Tortoise (very rare): Weighing 10 pounds instead of the typical 5-pound idol weight, this imitation tortoise has a shell made of a lighter hued ceramic. When summoned, this idol balloons into an immense tortoise composed of the same faience material (see sidebar). When transformed, the tortoise gains resistance to slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine. While it understands its owner, the tortoise cannot speak and only has an 80% chance of following received orders that require it to move or attack. When it ignores an order, the tortoise retreats into its shell for 1d4 rounds. The tortoise idol can be used four times per month for up to 24 hours at a time.

Raging Hippopotamus (very rare): Posed with a comically smiling face, this model hippopotamus is midstride. When summoned, the owner must designate one creature or object within 70 feet to be the immediate recipient of a charge attack from the hippo (treat as a rhinoceros). The summoned hippo ignores all instructions from the owner and targets the item or target until it is destroyed, at which point it returns to its idol form. While summoned, the gains resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine, but cannot communicate with or receive commands from its owner. The hippopotamus idol can be used once per week and lasts for 1 hour, or the more likely result of its target being slain.

Soaring Hawk (rare): On command, this idol transforms into a hawk. When transformed, the hawk gains resistance to slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine, and communicates with its owner by telepathic means, informing them of all it sees and hears. The hawk idol can be used once per day from sunrise to sunset and cannot be used in areas where the sun is not visible.