Eidolon

Eidolons were a form of undead construct that were designed for the sole purpose of protecting a site considered sacred or important to a deity or archdevil.

Description
Being undead spirits, eidolons had no concrete form. The statues that were specially prepared to house them were often humanoid in shape and constructed of stone that was magically treated to be purple.

These statues typically had faces that were blank, except for a crude symbol or rune that represented their deity. When a eidolon became rogue, any statue they possessed would leak a thick, viscous fluid resembling blood from these facial symbols. This fluid evaporated within minutes of hitting the ground, but left a red stain.



Behavior
Eidolons had no free will nor other purpose beyond guarding the place they were assigned to and could never leave. However, occasionally they were known to be corrupted by the divine spark within them or go insane over time. When this occurred their behavior was unpredictable. Often an eidolon would gain delusions of godhood and seek to kill their mortal creator, then either usurp their role as head of the local cult or outright destroy it.

Combat
In combat, eidolons showed fanatical zeal when protecting the holy site they were assigned to. At its core an eidolon was an incorporeal undead divine spirit that could fight either as a spirit, or by inhabiting sacred statues in the vicinity. Eidolons often invoked feelings of intense dread in opponents.

Eidolons created by kuo-toa had the ability to spew blood-red seawater with caustic properties, capable of burning the flesh of opponents and affecting their eyesight. The caustic seawater could harden to encase a victim in a compact coral dome covered in runes declaring them as a ritual sacrifice.

Construction
Eidolons were constructed by divinities and their servants to guard holy sites. According to research by the wizard Mordenkainen, they were often forged from the souls of those who had proven their unwavering devotion to their god.

Other sources claimed that they were created by means of a divine ritual, wherein the key component was embedding a crystal shard deep inside them that contained a small spark of a deity's divinity.

Relationships
Medusas and grimlocks were occasionally known to worship eidolons.

Notable Eidolons

 * During the Time of Troubles, Torm used the souls of his followers to create a giant lion-headed eidolon to battle Bane outside of Tantras.
 * Eidolons were created by kuo-toa priests in the likeness of Blibdoolpoolp. One such eidolon was located in Taunissik circa 1396 DR.
 * An eidolon was known to guard the inner sanctum of the Brotherhood of the Moon beneath the Icespear House in Deadsnows.

Appearances

 * Miniatures
 * Icons of the Realms
 * Novels
 * Plague of Spells
 * Circle of Skulls
 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter