Figurine, Crystal

Crystal figurines are delicate statuettes created by the finest craftsmen and imbued with life by magical means. They are often employed as guards or assassins by those who manufacture them.

Figurines of this sort are made entirely of clear or colored crystal. Those that are clear are usually made from rock crystal (an especially clear type of quartz) or from diamond. Colored crystal figurines are usually made of emerald, amethyst, or garnet, though rose quartz is sometimes used. Most are shaped like spiders, though crystal ants, scorpions, and other insectoid shapes are not unknown. All crystal figurines are beautiful, though most are highly stylized due to the flat faces and regular angles of the crystals used in their construction.

These creatures do not speak, although they understand the language spoken by their creator. They will generally ignore anyone but their master.

Combat: Like all figurines, these automatons enter combat only at the bidding of their masters. When fighting, they slash with the sharp edges of their many facets to inflict 1d8 points of damage in melee combat.

The magical nature of these creatures makes them difficult to destroy. Not only are they immune to harm from weapons of less than +1 enchantment, but all edged weapons do only half damage to them.

Crystal figurines are impervious to mind- or life-affecting spells as well as electrical attacks. They can be harmed by fire and cold, although such attacks do only half damage to them. A shatter, shout, or crystalbrittle spell will destroy the figurine unless it makes a saving throw vs. spell.

Because of the vibrational properties of crystals, figurines resonate to certain energies, making them highly suited for spellcasting. All such creatures can cast the chromatic orb, hypnotic pattern, and rainbow pattern spells once per day. In addition, any spell associated with light (continual light, dancing lights, color spray, prismatic spray, etc.) that is cast upon the figurine is reflected back upon the caster.

Habitat/Society: Crystal figurines are usually used to guard important or valuable things or places. They are most useful when placed in a spot where they will reflect sunlight or torchlight into the eyes of approaching creatures.

These figurines are often left among jewelry caches, hidden in treasure rooms, or given as presents to someone their creator dislikes. Commanded to remain still until their new owner sleeps, the figurine then attacks. Once the victim is dead, the figurine makes its way back to its creator, often bringing along whatever valuables it might find on the body.

Ecology: Because they are somewhat intelligent, crystal figurines not only utilize basic tactics when fighting, but are capable of understanding and acting upon fairly complex instructions (a few sentences or up to 50 words). If their orders do not cover a specific situation, crystal figurines default to their own thinking capacity and try to improvise.

A crystal figurine must be carved from a single stone by an expert craftsman. In general, the process takes two months to complete and requires an outlay of 10,000 gold pieces. Once the figurine is completed, it must be enchanted with the following spells: polymorph any object, limited wish, chromatic orb, hypnotic pattern, and rainbow pattern.

Diamond Figurines

It is possible, although quite difficult, to craft these figurines from diamond rather than lesser crystals. Automatons of this type require twice the time and cost to create. A diamond figurine has an Armor Class of 2, takes no damage from edged weapons, and suffers only half damage from all other melee attacks.

Diamond figurines have a 20% chance of breaking any weapons that strike them. This chance is reduced by 5% for each plus of the weapon, while nonmagical weapons shatter automatically on a successful attack roll.