Brazen Heads

If I'm going to include a magic item in a game, I want to make it interesting. To me, items that give flat bonuses to rolls are the most boring you can get. Ideally, any item should have some catch or some special condition to complicate its use - and what I like best of all are the utility items with no mechanical effects at all. With those, it's up to the players to figure out how to best use them - and this often leads to some of the most interesting stories at the table. D&D as a numbers game isn't fun - D&D as a puzzle game about logical thinking and problem solving is.

One of the items I'm most fond of using is the brazen head. This concept dates back to medieval mystic traditions, and I've used it in more than one campaign to memorable effect. They can be a fun way to drop information or point PCs in the right direction, as well as posing their own challenges to how to manage them - how is the party going to transport one, for instance, and how will they keep it from alerting hostiles to their presence? If you throw one of these into a campaign, it's sure to shake things up.

Brazen Head

Wondrous Item, Uncommon

The art of wizardry, as everyone knows, is one that requires many long hours of study and knowledge beyond the ken of the average man. One cannot simply toy with the fabric of reality without a keen understanding of how it's done. And even the most accomplished of archmages are always looking for more knowledge to refine their craft. Some wizards can't be bothered and take shortcuts to attain their knowledge. Some turn toward the summoning of demons in order to bargain with their souls for power. Others, however, prefer to take the safer path of the brazen head.

No one knows for sure when the first brazen head was constructed. Some scholars have posited an origin in the bygone Fedreline Empire, known for its magical constructions, while manuscripts detailing their creation and use are kept in some of the oldest archives of the Covered Path. Regardless, brazen heads can be found in the towers and studies of wizards all across the known world, whether as aids to their study, or merely a voice to talk to to pass the years of seclusion.

A brazen head resembles a bust of a man's head and shoulders, typically life-size but larger examples exist. In its inactive state, the head is indistinguishable from an ordinary bust. However, when addressed as though one would a partner in conversation, the bust comes to life, rising from its slumber and introducing itself. The head can then be asked any number of questions the user desires, and it will answer them truthfully (most of the time).

There is no limit to what can be asked a brazen head; it will even know of events that happened since its creation, even if it had no way to learn of them or perceive them. It cannot tell the future, however - for instance, "how do I reach the secret tunnel underneath the Luchsberg" will be answered to the best of the head's ability, but "where will Count Harkon be at precisely noon tomorrow" will not. However, the magic that animates a brazen head is of a fickle sort, and it can be frustratingly difficult to get answers from one. Every brazen head is different, and many have certain complicatons to their use - see the table below.

A brazen head can hold a conversation for as long as one wishes. Once a brazen head goes for more than five minutes or so without being engaged in active conversation, it falls back to rest. It will not wake up when spoken to until another 1d8 hours pass.

1d20 Brazen Head Complications

1. The head will only answer questions with a "yes" or a "no." It refuses to elaborate further. For instance, a brazen head with such a feature may answer "yes" if asked if a treasure hoard is buried under the standing stone on the moors, but will not answer what it contains, what guards it, or what must be done to obtain it. If asked a question that cannot be answered in such a way, it will instead say "I may only answer 'yes' or 'no.'"
2. The head will not give a straight answer. It speaks in riddles that allude to the answer, but will never directly answer the question posed to it.
3. The head only speaks a certain language. It understands any question posed to it, but will only answer in a certain tongue (for instance, a classical language used by scholars). A translator may be necessary. See also my post on languages.
4. The head only understands a specific language and will not answer questions unless they are spoken in it.
5. The head requires a specific password in order to activate; merely speaking to it will not do.
6. The head will answer any questions normally, but it speaks in a booming voice that can easily be heard by other nearby creatures.
7. The head is unusually chatty. Once it has spoken to someone, it will occasionally strike up conversations of its own, asking its owner about themselves, their life, their goals, and so on. It does so regardless of whether or not it is an opportune and safe time to do so, and it will not shut up if asked. If the head speaks on its own, it does not activate its timer between uses.
8. The head lags one question behind - that is, when spoken to, it answers the last question that was spoken to it rather than the one it was just asked. Those who stumble upon such a brazen head in the wild may be given an answer entirely without context to a question they didn't ask. If you're especially evil, you can combine this one with Number 1.
9. The head will only answer one question before falling asleep again.
10. The head has a mind of its own. It may talk back to the user, refuse to answer certain questions, or demand to be given a break, depending on its mood.
11. The head is a compulsive liar. It is under no obligation to tell the truth, and will never do so unless tricked into speaking truthfully.
12. The head is a slow thinker. It will not give its answer when addressed, but will blurt it out 1d4 minutes later regardless of what is going on around it. It will fall asleep after 10 minutes of inactivity instead of 5.
13. The head is huge (about 6 feet tall from crown to pedestal or more) and cannot easily be transported.
14. The head speaks rapidly and is difficult to hear properly.
15. The head alternates between telling the truth and lying with each question asked.
16. The head gives two answers to every question, one of which is the truth, and the other is an equally plausible lie. It may have two faces, one that speaks each answer.
17. The head is fiercely loyal to its master and will not obey anyone else, unless convinced that it was given to them willingly.
18. The head is linked to another brazen head as part of a matched pair. Any question asked to one head will be simultaneously answered by both - if one of them is held by an opposing party, the PCs will be able to listen in on their plans, but must be wary about how they utilize theirs.
19. The head answers in long, winding rants on the subject. The question it was asked will always be answered somewhere in there, but it may be lost in the details if one isn't listening closely.
20. The head will only function if an item is used to unlock its power, such as if asked a question by a user wearing a special amulet, or when a coin or gem is inserted in its mouth.