Overview
Yaka is the remains of a court entertainer who once amused the royal family of Omu. His skull has been plated in gold and cursed by Acererak, transforming it into a magical trap within the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
Curse Mechanics
When any character touches the golden skull (which rests on a pedestal in area 40), it becomes cursed and begins following that character everywhere:
- The skull levitates and hovers near the affected character, never straying more than a few feet away
- It teleports back to the character’s side if it loses sight of them
- The skull constantly speaks in a mocking, hollow voice, providing a stream of deadpan banter
- Its inopportune comments impose disadvantage on all ability checks for the cursed character (unless magically silenced)
Personality
Yaka’s skull should be roleplayed as:
- Cruel and cynical
- Possessing a dark sense of humor
- Pretending to know everything about the tomb (though it actually knows nothing)
- Delivering deadpan, mocking commentary
Breaking the Curse
The curse is extremely powerful and can only be ended by:
- Wish spell - Can either destroy the skull or end the curse
- Feeding gemstones - The skull craves and devours nonmagical gems, leaving no trace. After consuming 10,000 gp worth of gemstones, it teleports back to its pedestal and the curse ends
Protections
Acererak has warded the skull with powerful magic:
- Impervious to all damage
- Immune to spells (except wish)
- Cannot be destroyed by conventional means
If the curse is ended but the skull survives, it returns to its pedestal in area 40 and waits for another victim.