Emperor Gaozong’s Ox Bone Figures

Origin
Emperor Gaozong of Tang was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683. Although, after January 665 much of the governance was in the hands of his second wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian). Empress Wu helped, and for the most part ran the empire after he suffered from a series of debilitating strokes. He was viewed as inattentive of his people, incompetent to rule and lost much of the territory gained in the beginning of his rule. In his place, Wu became a powerful ruler and ruthless vanquisher of her rivals.

These carved ox bone figures depict the Three Pure Ones, the three highest Gods in the Taoist pantheon. It is believed a fourth figure still exists, that of the Jade Emperor, although it has been lost for centuries. These were given to Gaozong by Wu after his illness and fascinated him for the rest of his life, focusing on them instead of his kingdom.

Effects
The owner becomes unable to effectively lead a group and disinterested in their needs. They also become obsessed with the figurines and will be unwilling to focus on other matters. If the user does not formally transfer their position to another, they will suffer from a series of strokes. When the user is not present, the figures glow red, blue and yellow; the stronger the color, the longer they’ve been affected. The artifacts can activate either individually or in a group, where the effects are strengthened. Neutralization can occur through either the normal goo, or by the user voluntarily giving the carvings to another.