The Ward of the Pyramid

Made of solid gold, this strange artifact appears to be only part of a large decorative inlay, made up of bizarre right angles and squared-off spirals. The surface is imprinted with a series of non-repeating geometric shapes, mostly squares and rectangles, with no obvious meaning to them. None of these shapes resemble any known form of writing.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The ward formed by the golden inlay around the base of the pyramid (The Pyramid’s Base, page 80, Peru) functions in a similar manner to an Elder Sign (Call of Cthulhu Rulebook, page 255). Entities imbued with the essence of Nyarlathotep, including his avatars and the kharisiri, are unable to touch or damage the ward or pass over or through it.
Physically, the ward is a single worked length of gold that stretches all the way around the base of the pyramid, in the tunnels below. It is largely a straight band, with some sections bending off at right angles into short spurs or squared-off spirals. The surface is imprinted with a series of non-repeating geometric shapes, mostly squares and rectangles, with no obvious meaning to them. None of these shapes resemble any known form of writing.
The section of the ward removed by the conquistadors (Museo de Arqueología y Antropología, page 65, Peru) is less powerful, although entities like the kharisiri are still unable to touch it without being hurt (taking 1D3 damage per round) or spend more than a few seconds in its immediate proximity even carrying it in a crate or bag would be impossible for them. This section of the ward is around 2 feet (60 cm) in length, 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide, and a third of an inch deep (1 cm). It weighs a little under 25 pounds (11 kg), making it too heavy for most people to wield in combat situations.
The spell used to create the ward is lost to time. The builders of the pyramid left no written records behind and there are no clues in the design of the artifact itself. It may be possible to recreate it through spontaneous use of the Cthulhu Mythos skill, in which case the Keeper should look to the Elder Sign spell for inspiration.

Weight

25 lbs

Dimensions

2 feet in length, 3 inches wide, and a third of an inch deep.

Base Price

$5000 if melted down, but truly priceless