Idol of Mammon (3.5e Equipment)
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Idle of Mammon[edit]
This unassuming statue, hewn of solid red jasper, of a fat, horned man depicts Mammon, the Demon God of Greed. The statue's large mouth is open wide, as though it expects to be fed. While few would consort with such vile creatures openly, the Idol of Mammon is not dangerous if used properly, and not cursed. Using the idol is also not an evil act. The few who 'deal' with this statue discover that its services could be considered useful for a variety of purposes.
The Idol of Mammon appears in a sitting position, with steps hewn within its lap that stop within reach of its massive open mouth. The full Idol is 20 feet tall, and weighs approximately 400 tons of solid red jasper.
The magic of this statue is activated by feeding it items, and can be used to exchange for different items or components in return. The statue, upon being queried, will inform creatures nearby in the Abyssal language of how it can be used. The Idol's voice is an effective magic mouth spell that responds to any queries directed at the statue in any known tongue, though the only thing it is capable of speaking is its own instruction manual. Translation of this programmed instruction is written below in italics.
Trading Items[edit]
"Place two objects that hold magic within my mouth, and in trade shall ye receive one of two gifts. Choose, wisely, for the avaricious will suffer my bite."
If you put two magic items in the Idol's mouth and wait for 1 minute, the mouth will close and the items will be eaten. When the mouth opens again, two new magic items lay on its tongue. The items are drawn from a random table of the particular item type that was offered. If a ring and a magic weapon were offered, the statue will return a ring and a magic weapon. If two wondrous items were offered, the statue will return two wondrous items. One may safely remove any items placed into the mouth oneself before it closes and starts the trade.
Once the idol reopens its mouth, you may choose one of the two returned items to take. The idol automatically identifies all items that it returns as trade. Upon retrieving one of the items from the idol's mouth, it will immediately close again, swallowing the other item back up. The price range of the randomly chosen items that are returned is:
- Greater than or equal to the value in gp of the least valuable item offered.
- Lesser than or equal to the value in gp of the most valuable item offered.
- Lesser than or equal to twice the value in gp of the least valuable item offered.
Example 1: A +1 holy longsword (value 18,000 gp) and greater bracers of archery (value 25,000 gp) are offered to the Idol of Mammon. 1 minute later, the Idol will return, randomly rolled, one magic weapon, and one wondrous item, both with a value between 18,000 and 25,000 gp.
Example 2: A flesh golem manual (value 8,000 gp) and a ring of blinking (value 27,000 gp) are offered to the Idol of Mammon. 1 minute later, the Idol will return, randomly rolled, one wondrous item, and one magic ring, both with a value between 8,000 and 16,000 gp.
Touching both items at once causes the mouth to instantly close and forces the person attempting to take the items to make a DC 30 Reflex save or take 20% of his maximum hit points in damage as his hands are severed at the wrist. If the hands touching both items belong to two people, they instead take 10% of their maximum hit points in damage each and only lose the appropriate hand upon failing their save. In either case, once the mechanism is sprung, it is impossible to retrieve either of the items before the mouth closes. If the mouth of the Idol closes due to transgression, it will remain closed for 1 month. Limbs lost to the Idol can only be recovered with spells that regenerate flesh, such as regenerate.
Breaking Down Items[edit]
"Place but one object that holds magic within my mouth, and you shall be returned a portion of its power."
If you put one magic item in the Idol's mouth and wait for 1 minute, the mouth will close and the item will be eaten. When the mouth opens again, glowing gemstones of solidified magic and spirit essence lay on its tongue. One large gemstone looking like a white shard called a spirit stone will contain 20% of the experience channeled into the creation of the item, and if applicable, smaller coloured gemstones called spell stones will contain the magical power of the spells used in the creation of the item. These stones can be used by magical crafters as surrogates for their own experience points and spells during the creation of a magical item. All the stones offered by the Idol in return for the item may be taken.
When a spirit stone is used to help craft a magic item, it shatters, and any experience not used in that particular crafting is lost.
If a spell stone contains the energy of a spell with one or more specific descriptors, it may also be used to emulate lower level spell that has any combination of those descriptors.
A spell stone can be considered the same as a scroll of the spell imbued within. It may be activated as a scroll by a spellcaster capable of casting spells of the appropriate type, school and level.
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