Creator’s Crucible

Artifact

Thousands of years ago, a powerful alkemancer constructed an enormous crucible in his quest to create the perfect organism. He hoped it would bring forth an immortal being that could surpass the limitations imposed by human flesh and surpass even the gods. The crucible was used to create so many monstrosities that eventually the local deities had to take action against him. The alkemancer was destroyed for his impertinence, and his crucible was sealed away at the bottom of a mighty chasm.

Creator’s crucible is an enormous object fashioned from white clay and engraved with mystical symbols chased with burnished copper and electrum. The crucible is large enough to hold a single Huge creature, two Large creatures, four Medium creatures, or eight Small ones.

If one or more creatures are placed in the crucible and the crucible is heated over an intense, magical flame, each creature must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw against the crucible’s powerful transmutation magic. If this saving throw fails, the creature’s body liquefies and the creature is blinded, deafened, and paralyzed until the transformation is complete. The creature’s equipment doesn’t dissolve; as a result, most creatures are stripped naked before being placed in the crucible. Over the course of 10 minutes, the liquefied creature transforms into another creature.

If this transformation is interrupted, the transforming creature is slain. It can be brought back to life in its original form by a resurrection spell or comparable magic.

If the process reaches completion, the creature transforms into another creature as if affected by a shapechange spell. The transformed creature must make a successful DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or lose its memory and all its previous abilities, traits, and features, which are replaced by the blank mind of a newly born version of the creature it transformed into. Whether or not a creature retains its mental faculties, the newly assumed form is permanent. At that point, the creature can regain its former form (and memories and abilities) only through a wish spell or comparable magic.

Constructs and undead are immune to the crucible’s power, as is any creature that can change its shape at will, such as a doppelganger.

To determine what a creature transforms into, roll a d20.

d20	Creature
01	Cat
02	Ape
03	Camel
04	Dire wolf
05	Giant fly
06	Giant lizard
07	Giant toad
08	Mastiff
09	Tiger
10	Basilisk
11	Chimera
12	Girallon
13	Harpy
14	Lamia
15	Manticore
16	Spirit naga
17	Aboleth
18	Gibbering mouther
19	Nothic
20	New life form

Destroying the Crucible. Creator’s crucible can be destroyed if a celestial and a fiend, both of at least challenge rating 15, willingly allow themselves to be transformed at the same time. If this happens, the crucible can’t take the burden of transforming both creatures and shatters in a spectacular explosion that deals 20d6 piercing damage to all creatures in a 60-foot radius, or half as much damage with a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw.