[A to Z April] F is for Fel Column (item)

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In the city of Orcweepmere there is a street known as the Way of Gods. Similar streets exist in many cities: it is a place where every conceivable religion--practiced or forgotten--maintains a place of worship. The entrances to and exits from the Way of Gods are always in the same place; however, the distances between the entrances and exits vary from day to day and from traveler to traveler. If asked how big is the Way of Gods, those who know the best invariably answer, “As big as it needs to be.”

In one secluded corner is a square, or town commons. Various temples and places of worship dedicated to minor, forgotten deities fill the buildings surrounding the square. In the center of the square sits a column known as the Fel Column.

The column is 113 feet tall; it is 11 feet wide at the rounded tip and 13 feet wide at the base. Mages and scholars make a great deal out of these numbers; those who best understand divine power understand that these numbers have incredible unholy power. Despite its great height and relative narrowness, the column has no surrounding structure or visible support at the base; it is a free-standing column.

A free-standing column of bile.

The column is a liquid in a constant state of movement, fluid swirling and spinning, seemingly spiraling ever upwards towards the top. It never splashes or sprays outside of the column, even in the strongest winds or tempests. It never varies in size or shape. It never varies in color, it is an unearthly greenish-yellow. No one knows from whence it came or exactly when it first appeared. Everyone who claims to know cites a different date. No one knows what it represents, whether it is a tribute to a deity or a deific being itself.

One thing is certain, however: the bile is incredibly toxic; any who come in contact with the column suffer both physical damage and physical weakness. (In game terms, any creature that touches the Fel Column instantly suffers 1d2 points of permanent CON damage and 1d2 points of permanent CHA damage. Because of the nature of the fluid, there is no save and the damage cannot be cured, reversed, or restored by any means short of divine intercession by means of a miracle spell.) Even creatures who are resistant to or immune from the effects of acid receive damage from the Fel Column.

In addition, the smell which emanates from the Fel Column is disgusting--overwhelmingly so. The stench causes any living creature that comes within 10 feet of the Column to make a Fortitude save (DC 15, Charisma based). Failure causes the creature to be sickened for 2d6 minutes. If the creature is successful with his save, he cannot be affected again by the odor for 24 hours. The sickened effect can be removed by either a delay poison or neutralize poison spell. If the creature is immune to poison, it is unaffected by the smell; creatures who are resistant to poison receive all normal saving throw bonuses.

If any creature attempts to bottle or store the bile or remove any portion of the fluid from the column, in addition to the creature taking the aforementioned damage from both the acid and the smell (as applicable), the bile instantly becomes inert and harmless upon removal from the column.


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Previous "F"s:
2014: F is for Flying Frost (spell)
2013: F is for Frost Wound Patch (locale)
2012: F is for Flesh Alliance (spell)
2011: F is for Found Items