Description: Each false idol is unique but all are about the size of an adult human hand and all have vaguely humanoid designs with rough carved hands, legs, and heads. Some have been coated in silver and gold and some are encased in stone but all of the original false idols are made from wood and feature an unreadable sigil carved into their stomachs.

False Idols: Each false idol is possessed by a sentient neutral-evil spirit with its own unique personality, name, and specific goals. The idols pretend to be gods and will seek out and surround themselves with weak-minded followers to obey and serve them. They are ruthless, cunning, and can be particularly charming and friendly. The idols themselves have no real power on the material plane. What makes them dangerous are the cults that they cultivate. Some are happy with temples and prayers while others demand war and blood sacrifices. However, all will require complete obedience from their followers and their cults inevitably lead to self-destruction. False idols have ruined many people’s lives and destroyed many communities. 

The idols follow a very predictable pattern. They will seek out an individual to serve as a chief priest. They will appear in dreams to this person and will pretend to be a deity. They will promise the intended victim power, wealth, or whatever the victim desires. The idols possess extensive arcane knowledge and ritual magic and will share this information in exchange for services. All of the false idols are opportunistic liars. If anything good happens, they claim to have given it as a blessing. If anything bad happens, it is because the idol is displeased. Any individual who listens to an idol will gradually bend to the idols will and become a mere puppet for it.

Attuning to the Idol: A victim must call the idol’s name while holding it in order to attune to the idol. Once attuned, the victim can speak to the idol telepathically whenever the victim is within 30 feet of it. In addition, the idol can speak through the victim, using the idol’s voice, to command other cult members. An attuned victim cannot willingly disobey the idol. Any attempt to disobey or break the attunement requires a Wisdom saving throw DC 30 if the victim is holding the idol or DC 25 if the victim is not holding it. The victim will kill family members or even slit their own throat if the idol demands it. If the idol is destroyed while attuned, the victim suffers 10d6 psychic damage. If this damage results in the victim’s hitpoints falling to or below 0, the victim will remain alive but their Intelligence is reduced to 1 permanently.

Destroying a false idol: False idols are easy to break having a hardness of 5 and only 2 hit points. One must merely snap the idol in half breaking the sigil on its stomach. The challenge is finding one especially if it has attracted a cult of followers who will protect the idol to their deaths.