Sugar Mountain (Stand)

Sugar Mountain's Spring (シュガー・マウンテンの泉) is the Stand of the large tree that has trapped Sugar Mountain featured in Steel Ball Run.

Appearance
Sugar Mountain's Spring is a Stand bound to the body of an extremely large tree with a small spring lying between its roots. Fused within the trunk are its human victims, most of which display expressions of pain and grimace. Within the tree is a hollow space, with drawings of horses and oxen skulls on the walls. In the space is a wooden chest used by the current guardian to present new victims with their gifts.

Abilities
The Stand attached to the great tree functions as a trial for those who discover the tree and its current guardian. Although seemingly easy to pass, the test becomes more difficult as it goes on and will push a person's will to its limits.

The Guardian
The tree appoints one of those who failed the second trial as its guardian, charged with interacting with passing people and given full disclosure about the tests. Their appearance is preserved despite the passing time, thus Sugar Mountain retains her youthful appearance although she has been the tree's guardian for many years (around 50 years).

When several people fail the test, they become one with the tree; a limited number of persons can be absorbed, and when one is absorbed, the first in line is released and becomes the guardian.

Trial of Avidity
This Stand affects a large area around the tree and activates when a person drops an object in one of the ponds and springs near the tree.

Then a guardian (i.e. Sugar Mountain) presents said dropped object and several much more valuable versions of it, asking what it is they dropped in the water. For instance, Sugar Mountain asked whether Gyro dropped a Steel Ball, a diamond or a great gold nugget into the water.

If a person succumbs to their greediness and lies, the tree punishes the offender, and several vines will embed himself into his tongue then pull his innards out.

If a person tells the truth, they can keep the valuable object along with the original.

The trial is very straighforward and someone can even obtain the Saint Corpse Parts the tree is guarding easily by dropping animal body parts into the ponds and answer truthfully. If the person chooses to end it and leave with his riches, the second part of the test begins.

Trial of Avarice
Before sunset, the person who has obtained riches through the first trial must "use them up". If they fail, they are absorbed into the bark and must wait in line until they become the guardians of the tree.

Through lawful exchanges such as trades agreed between parties, selling the riches, or losing them at a gamble, the person must get rid of everything they have obtained, even the money given in exchange for the riches. To Johnny's dismay, even the Corpse Parts must be traded away. Giving away the riches, throwing them away, having them stolen or losing them because of cheating counts as not rightfully using them and thus the tree will begin to absorb the offender until they get back the lost item.

The trial may be suprisingly hard to complete. If one accumulates too many riches, the administrative ordeal of trading great sums of money, the mistrust of potential traders, or the threat of being stolen from can make someone lose time and fail the test.

Trivia

 * Its power is based on The Golden Axe, one of Aesop's Fables.
 * Its name was unknown until revealed in the JOJOVELLER artbook.