Stone Idol Creature (CR +3)[3pp]

Hidden beneath a silken cloth and carried on the shoulders of priests, a stone idol can send a frisson of fear through an audience with its mere presence. When the cloth is removed, those nearby rush to worship it, feeling its power in their very souls. When at last its gaze has turned all their fear into love, the stone idol speaks, answering the high priest’s questions about what its people must do. Finally, when the moment is right, the idol moves upon the high priest’s command, to the rapturous joy of the congregation.

Stone idols are constructs that grant their creators power, prestige, and control over others. Crafted to resemble gods, monstrous creatures, or even heroic individuals, stone idols are used in worship services and to gather cults of both the faithful and the fanatical. The idols’ masters must be forever wary since the worship of others sometimes leads stone idols to share their masters’ hunger for power.

Creating a Stone Idol

Stone idol” is an inherited template that can be added to any living corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A stone idol uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +3.

Alignment: Always evil.

Type: The creature’s type changes to construct.

Aura: A stone idol gains the following.

Stone Fear (Su)

At will as a free action, a stone idol can project a continuous aura of fear. Every creature within 60 feet must succeed on a Will saving throw or be shaken for 1 hour. Creatures charmed, dominated, or summoned by the stone idol are immune to this effect. The stone idol can suppress its aura at will. This is a fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Armor Class: The stone idol natural armor bonus improves by +3 over that of the base creature.

Hit Dice: Change all of the base creature’s racial HD to d10s. The stone idol loses bonus hit points due to Constitution but gains bonus hit points as a construct of its size.

Defensive Abilities: A stone idol gains all the defensive abilities and immunities of a construct, hardness 8 and takes half damage from energy and ranged attacks.

Weaknesses: A stone idol gains sonic vulnerability.

Special Attacks: A stone idol retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains those described here.

Charming Gaze (Su)

Any creature within 10 feet of the stone idol must succeed on a Will saving throw or be affected as though by the charm monster spell. So long as the stone idol’s creator retains control of it, creatures thus charmed are considered charmed by both the stone idol and its creator. This is a gaze effect and the caster level for this effect is equal to the stone idol’s total Hit Dice. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Abilities: Str +4, Dex –2 (minimum 1), Wis –2 (minimum 1), Cha –4 (minimum 1). In addition, the stone idol’s Intelligence score becomes 6, regardless of its previous value. As a construct, a stone idol has no Constitution score.

Skills: Redistribute the base creature’s skill ranks according to new its new Intelligence.

Special Qualities: A stone idol retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described here.

Creator’s Failsafe (Su)

The creator is immune to all the stone idol’s special attacks (both those granted by this template and retained from the base creature) so long as control of the stone idol is retained. Normal physical attacks still affect the creator. Thus, the creator could stand unharmed in the midst of the stone idol’s breath weapon, but a melee attack from the stone idol would affect the creator normally.

Power from Worship (Ex)

For every ten creatures with Intelligence scores of 6 or higher that are currently charmed by the stone idol’s charming gaze, the stone idol gains 5 temporary hit points and a +2 bonus on Perception checks. Temporary hit points lost due to damage cannot be regained, but new temporary hit points can be acquired by charming additional creatures. The creator shares the benefits of this ability so long as control is retained.

Restless Spirit (Ex)

A stone idol has a will of its own that remains sublimated to its creator’s so long as the latter retains control. While controlled, the stone idol follows its creator’s commands and acts in that creature’s best interests. The stone idol recognizes its creator because of their linked spirits, so no deception can allow another to command the stone idol.

If the stone idol’s Charisma score exceeds its creator’s, or it uses its charming gaze to charm more creatures of Intelligence 6 or higher than its creator’s character level × 10, the creator and the stone idol must immediately make an opposed Charisma check. If the stone idol loses, the creator retains control for 1 full day, regardless of circumstances that would normally require additional opposed Charisma checks. Thereafter, the process begins anew the next time conditions would require such a check. If the creator loses the opposed Charisma check, the stone idol is forever freed from its creator’s control. A free-willed stone idol often seeks to destroy its creator before pursuing any other activities. Thereafter, it seeks to keep as many intelligent creatures charmed by its gaze as it can while pursuing its own agenda.

Stone Idol Variants

A stone idol doesn’t have to be made of stone. Materials such as iron, gold, obsidian, or any other solid material can be used. In this case, the stone idol’s hardness is equal to that of the material is made of. See hardness values of various materials.

Stone Idol Creation

Stone idols are created in the same manner as golems. Because a stone idol is composed of stone, it weighs three times what the base creature does. Creating the stone idol costs 1,500 gp × the stone idol’s CR. Assembling the body requires successful DC 20 Craft (sculpting or masonry) check and the Craft Construct feat.

The creator must have a character level that equals or exceeds 4 + stone idol’s CR and be able to cast either arcane or divine spells. Completing the ritual requires the spells charm monster, cause fear, geas/quest, limited wish, polymorph any object, and resist elements.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Advanced Bestiary, Copyright 2014, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Author Jeff Hersh, Developer Owen K.C. Stephens

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