Oracular Statues

Before him, on an altar of jet, was the dark, gigantic statue of Thasaidon which a devil-begotten sculptor had wrought in ancient days for an evil king of Tasuun, called Pharnoc. The archdemon was depicted in the guise of a full-armored warrior, lifting a spiky mace as if in heroic battle. Long had the statue lain in the desert-sunken palace of Pharnoc, whose very site was disputed by the nomads; and Namirrha, by his divination, had found it and had reared up the infernal image to abide with him always thereafter. And often, through the mouth of the statue, Thasaidon would utter oracles to Namirrha, or would answer interrogations.
-Clark Ashton Smith

Often great works depicting the Gods or the Lords of Hell are fashioned. On occasion the beings they represent will use their likenesses to communicate with mortals. Coveted by seekers of secrets and devoted priests, these statues are kept in warded sanctums, and sometimes are warded by the gods themselves.

These statues can be used to commune with the deities or powers that they represent by the faithful. Either through long devotion or sacrifice a supplicant can attempt to receive a message from their patrons. With a sacrifice of a nature suitable to the deity and the spending of healing surges the supplicant can ask questions of the statue as though they had cast a divination ritual such as Consult Mystic Sages or Consult Oracle, according to the DM's discretion.

If desicrated or disrespected, these statues often become the conduit of their original's wrath. Exploding, coming to life, pronouncing curses, or blasting with lightning and fire are all forms of vengance a powerful being may visit upon defilers through a statue of this type.

As heroes rise in power such a statue could come to be in their possession, and be used by the powers to give the heroes needful information. This could even be the foundation of an entire campaign, with the players doing the bidding of a god who communicates to them from a statue secured in a holy place.