Statuette of the Eternal Watcher (3.5e Equipment)

Statuette of the Eternal Watcher


This is a small statuette of a random animal, such as a squirrel or a cat, stylized to appear "cute" and "cartoony". However its proportions are just off enough to cause unease at its appearance. Nowhere is this more apparent than its blank ever-staring eyes which seem to follow you out of the corner of your eye. Its eternal gaze haunts the mind, and even when nowhere near the object it continues to trouble others.

When a creature makes eye contact with the statuette within 60 feet they may make a Will save, DC 25, each round they remain in the area. Those that fail are secretly cursed, though the subjects don't notice it, and merely get a feeling of unease from the statuette with no mechanical effects. At this point, each day at random times those affected must make perception checks as they begin hallucinating and feeling as if someone or something horrible is watching them. It seems to aim these times just enough to provoke suspicion and paranoia, or make them not suspect an actual incoming threat.

After 1 week, the curse progresses to the point of creating illusions akin to major image, entire scenes which include an image of the statuette somewhere within the illusion (Will DC 25 against the illusions), even creating illusory enemies in the midst of actual enemies. Those that see the illusion-statuettes will often report it seems distorted, bloated, or made of "the wrong materials".

But the most insidious part of it all isn't its attempt to unnerve or kill its victims, but the fact the curse is difficult to lift. Attempting to remove the curse on the afflicted themselves fails. Rather, curse breaking attempts must be cast on the statuette itself. Few parties choose to pick up and carry the statue, for it seems to have little to no value and is kinda creepy, and so by the time they discover it the statuette has often moved, been sold, or otherwise is difficult to find.

In the off chance they do have access to the statuette, the curse may be lifted in two ways. They can cast remove curse of at least 11th caster level, break enchantment, limited wish, wish, or miracle which will remove the effect from one subject of their choice and render them immune to further machinations for 24 hours. They may also break the curse by giving the statuette to a willing non-cursed buyer for a value of at least 1000 gp. Of course, few people want to buy such a thing for such a price.

Though it appears to be made out of simple materials like wood, plastic, or stone the statuette is indestructible. It is under a constant nondetection effect (DC 26). The statuette may be sentient, as it seems to choose targets who are subject to its gaze attack and its subsequent illusions and hauntings. If so, the thing is undeniably sinister...

Faint necromancy; CL 15th; Craft Wondrous Item, bestow curse, fear, major image; Price Cost::1000 gp.