D&D General Statue of Sending - How would you describe it?

[LordEntrails]

So in the next couple of sessions I am planning on rewarding my players with a statue of sending. This works similar to other sending items, but is part of a network and is something like an answering machine and can store some inbound messages. This will be a reward from Waterdeep and the Open Lord. In part for killing Victoro Cassalanter after he escaped prison and reeked havoc as a devil. Originally I was thinking of a devil skull, but that would appear to evil, especially when the eyes light up indicating messages.

So, what cool way would you describe such a magical device?

Bonus points for link to a usable image!

 

[jgsugden]

I'd make there be 8 of them and model them on the Walking Statues of Waterdeep. The one that the PCs get would be a copy of the Swordmaiden (the Walking Swordmaiden has been destroyed). It seems to function a little differently, which is tied to the destruction of the Walking Statue. As the PCs continue to adventure, they discover that these communication statues have a double purpose - one to be there for communication, the other as a failsafe should the Walking Statues be destroyed...

 

[Guest User]

 

[Eltab]

A sapling with a few birds on its branches. If one turns pretty colors (like a macaw or parrot or cardinal) and begins to chirp / squawk, a message has arrived. Pick up the bird and hold it near your ear. "A little birdie told me." When the message is delivered, the bird goes back to bland coloring again. Put it back on the branch to wait, while you go do whatever needs done.

If the bird turns colors like a hawk or eagle, it is an official message from the Open Lord (or somebody working in her office).

 

[EzekielRaiden]

This statuette of sending takes the form of a jungle cat, presumably a panther, in a crouched hunting pose. It appears to be carved from basalt, or perhaps some kind of magically-enhanced volcanic glass. Atypical for a statuette of its kind, this one is not rendered in highly realistic detail, but is rather composed of many flat faces intersecting at straight lines, giving a very distinctive and stylized look. When activated, a ghostly panther appears and listens to the message to be sent, before wandering off--it disappears into the closest large shadow it can find. If it has a message to deliver to its owner, the rubies in its eye sockets flash and sparkle unusually brightly for the given light conditions, and if more than one hour passes without listening to the message, it begins to vibrate slightly until the message is heard.

Spoiler: Images

First image: overall style

Second image: the pose the statue takes

 

[Unwise]

What about a statue of a messenger god, like Hermes? You say a little prayer and put the message in his satchel. It appears at the other statue of your choice.

 

[Richards]

Aren't mephits traditionally used for delivering messages throughout the planes? Maybe a statue that looks like a mephit.

Johnathan

 

[LordEntrails]

Lots of ideas already! Awesome, can't wait to see what others think up

 

[not-so-newguy]

How about a scribe statue where the message appears in writing on a tablet. This is just an image I picked up of the net. I'm sure there are better ones

Spoiler

 

[prabe]