I must say I've always wanted to use the idol on the cover of the AD&D 1e Players Handbook in a campaign. The current sandbox campaign in Blackmoor provided me with the perfect excuse. I'm using a slightly modified version of The Hidden Serpent from Faster Monkey Games where the party is trying to recover a stolen statue (you can read Grognardia's review here).
So, as I commented here something may happen when the PCs try to take the ruby eyes from the idol's statue. It was something commented by Tamryn the thief but the group hasn't decided on the matter yet. They'll probably do so next session.
I'd like to ask my fellow gamers for ideas about what could happen if they remove those rubies...
Back in the day I thought either the stature would come to life, or the fire in the bowl would flare up and cremate the thieves.
ReplyDeleteI guess a more subtle approach would be that the gems are cursed in some way (they shatter if removed, or create problems for the owner, perhaps even attracting increasingly dangerous imps and demons that try to recover the gems.
Or they are just bad luck to have.
Or how about the whole stature starts sinking into the ground, straight to hell?
I'd always thought the rubies acted as a stopper for some flammable oil or something would leak out into the brazier and flambé the party.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, great rubies = great risks!
I'd like to think that cultists would hound those who stole the rubies for the rest of their days. Perhaps the are attuned to the gems, and can find them wherever they may be.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input guys! I like all the ideas: the flames (magic or oil) from the bowl, the cursed gems, the imps, the attunement. I'll chew on them and see what happens. I have a couple of weeks before next session.
ReplyDeleteSaludos!
Hmmm. What if the being represented by the statue is sympathetically blinded and comes to the campaign world (minutes/hours/days later) to both seek retribution and get its sight back?
ReplyDeleteHaving an angry (or possibly wryly amused) blind demi-god to deal with would certainly drive a session or six.
If I'm correct, Otherworld Miniatures has made a fig representing the idol, right? That would be such an awesome compliment to your adventure. :)
ReplyDeleteAi, ai ai, forget what I wrote. I scrolled further down your blog and saw a pic of the miniature. ;)
ReplyDelete@rain: A blind demi-god! That could be fun, or deadly for a 1st level party... ;)
ReplyDelete@chris: Totally non-RPG related comment: your Cook and Destroy blog rocks!