In addition to the idea:
8. The resulting eq would have at least one slot, possibly more - for
example, if you forge an sbs with an o-yoroi, it'd still be a battlesuit (hard
to fit that one into one slot).
9. Also, the quests for the statues could be personal and the statue got
from each could be random, to prevent it being to easy and to prevent abuse by
some higher level players.
10. An example: A magic cloak with +4spr can be gotten quite easily.
However, a player would like a +4spr belt instead, so he goes and forges a
ruby ring, an ice belt and a rainbow cloak, for a total of +4spr (max for any
eq). Getting that +4spr belt would be way harder than getting a +4spr magic
cloak, since it involves quests, gold and risk. But it would at least be
possible.
11. The bonus of this would be to further improve player-merchant
interaction, and to actually make people buy /make eq. This eq would in turn
be used up for new personal eq (which would give MUCH more variety to gameplay
- consider everyone running around with marion axes vs. many people having
their own personal axe).
12. Feel free to vote, flame, praise, whatever