Appearance of the Summoning Item: The Orb of Aetherial Echoes is a spherical crystal about the size of an apple. Its core emits a soft, ethereal glow that oscillates between shades of azure and violet. Mysterious runes float beneath the surface of the orb, shifting gently like schools of fish in an underwater ballet.
Appearance of the Minion: Summoned from the orb, Minion #42 manifests as a humanoid entity with translucent skin that shimmers like moonlight on water. The minion’s eyes are glowing orbs that mirror the colors of the summoning orb. Within its form, one can see a skeletal structure made of intricate magical circuits, filled with flowing arcane energy.
Stat Modifiers:
- Strength: +2
- Dexterity: +3
- Constitution: +1
- Intelligence: +4
- Wisdom: +2
- Charisma: +0
Skills:
- Arcana: Trained, with expertise in identifying magical objects and auras.
- Acrobatics: Trained, emphasizing its agile movement and nimbleness.
- Perception: Trained, particularly keen on sensing magical disturbances.
Size: Medium, roughly the same as an average human.
Speed: 30 feet, mirroring its summoner’s usual speed.
Armor: Wearing a suit of ethereal mail, it provides an Armor Class (AC) that is equivalent to its summoner’s.
Gear:
- Ethereal Blade: A short sword made of the same arcane energy that composes its body.
- Arcane Talisman: An accessory that aids in the casting of spells and can be used as a focus.
Weapons: Ethereal Blade: This weapon has a magical edge, making it effective against both corporeal and incorporeal foes.
Tools: Runed Parchment: For inscribing temporary sigils or scrolls during battle or other activities.
Tags: Summoned, Ethereal, Arcane, Intelligent
Behavior: Minion #42 possesses a calm, focused demeanor. Once summoned, it assesses the situation and prioritizes its actions according to its summoner’s immediate needs, whether that be combat, defense, or utility. It can communicate telepathically with its summoner within a 100-foot radius and will vocalize only if it deems necessary for the situation.
Magics:
- Arcane Shield: Can cast a protective barrier around its summoner or allies.
- Ethereal Step: Has the ability to phase through solid objects for a short duration.
- Echoing Resonance: Can amplify the effects of spells cast near it, essentially serving as a magical conduit.
Roleplay Emphasis on Anatomy: The relationship between Minion #42 and its summoner delves into profound metaphysical and ethical territory. The summoner, witnessing the minion’s intricate magical circuitry and arcane anatomy, might question the essence of life and being. Is the minion an extension of themselves, a separate sentient entity, or something in between? This invites a consideration of the responsibilities tied to harnessing such a being’s abilities. The minion’s arcane anatomy also presents intriguing possibilities for interactions, as the summoner or other sentient beings may wish to study it to better understand the magical realms and their own magical potential. Given that Minion #42 possesses knowledge and abilities that mirror those of its summoner, its very existence could be seen as a corporeal manifestation of its summoner’s own skills, knowledge, and ethical standing.
Perception of Activation:
- Sight:
- What’s Perceived: A radiant glow emanates from the Orb of Aetherial Echoes, illuminating the surrounding area.
- Description: The once subtle glow inside the orb intensifies, radiating light in undulating waves of azure and violet.
- Positives: The illumination can serve as a guide in dark environments, aiding in navigation and the identification of objects or creatures.
- Negatives: The light may draw attention to the summoner’s position, which could be detrimental in situations requiring stealth.
- Hearing:
- What’s Perceived: A harmonic resonance fills the air.
- Description: The sound is akin to a celestial choir, producing intricate harmonies that hang in the air.
- Positives: The sound can have a calming or focusing effect on the summoner and allies, potentially aiding in concentration.
- Negatives: Like the light, the sound may alert enemies to the summoner’s location.
- Touch:
- What’s Perceived: A tingling sensation at the point of contact with the orb.
- Description: The sensation spreads from the fingers upward through the arm, imbuing a sense of heightened awareness and readiness.
- Positives: This tingling feeling may amplify the summoner’s tactile senses, enhancing their dexterity for a brief moment.
- Negatives: The tingling might be distracting or uncomfortable to those unaccustomed to such intense magical sensations.
- Taste:
- What’s Perceived: A fleeting taste of ozone fills the mouth.
- Description: The sensation is like capturing the essence of a thunderstorm, tinged with a metallic flavor.
- Positives: The taste serves as a confirmation that the activation was successful and a connection to another realm has been established.
- Negatives: Some may find the taste unpleasant or disorienting.
- Smell:
- What’s Perceived: An aroma of burnt lavender and sandalwood.
- Description: The scent is complex, combining the earthen smell of herbs with the smoky undertone of burnt offerings.
- Positives: The scent can act as an additional layer of sensory confirmation that the magic is in effect.
- Negatives: As with sound and light, the aroma may reveal the summoner’s presence to keen-nosed foes.
- Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
- Magical Resonance:
- What’s Perceived: A surge of arcane energy.
- Description: This feels like an invisible thread connecting the summoner to the magical realms, anchoring them to the source of the minion’s power.
- Positives: Provides a sense of control and unity with the summoned minion.
- Negatives: Too much awareness of this connection can be overwhelming, requiring mental discipline to manage.
- Emotional Echo:
- What’s Perceived: A brief emotional resonance with the summoned minion.
- Description: The summoner might feel a flicker of the minion’s emotional state at the time of summoning, whether it’s curiosity, readiness, or an inscrutable calm.
- Positives: Provides a deeper, albeit transient, connection with the minion that can aid in coordinated actions.
- Negatives: If the minion’s emotional state is turbulent or conflicted, it might momentarily disorient the summoner.
- Magical Resonance:
These perceptual effects serve as a multifaceted sensory guide to the summoning process, each offering its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Understanding and harnessing these can make the difference between a successful or failed summoning, and also deepen the experiential aspect of wielding such powerful arcane magic.
Crafting Recipe for the Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Materials Needed:
- Arcane Crystal Core: A palm-sized, naturally occurring crystal imbued with latent magical energy.
- Eclipsed Moonwater: A vial of water collected during a lunar eclipse, infused with elemental water energy.
- Stardust: A pinch, gathered from meteorites or fallen celestial bodies.
- Eldritch Runes: Fragments of parchment inscribed with ancient magical runes.
- Elemental Fire and Water Essences: Small, concentrated vials of pure elemental energy.
- Tools Required:
- Arcanist’s Chisel: For inscribing runes onto the crystal core.
- Elemental Crucible: A specially made crucible that can withstand and contain elemental reactions.
- Astral Mortar and Pestle: For grinding stardust and melding it with other ingredients.
- Enchanter’s Quill: A magical writing implement for inscribing runes.
- Aetherial Weave Gloves: Protective handgear to handle magical materials without contamination.
- Skill Requirements:
- Arcana Mastery: Proficient level required for understanding and channeling arcane energy.
- Elemental Manipulation: Intermediate level to properly handle and combine elemental essences.
- Rune Inscription: Basic level to correctly inscribe the eldritch runes onto the crystal and parchment.
- Astral Awareness: Basic level to attune the crafting process to celestial energies.
- Crafting Steps:
- Purification of Arcane Crystal Core:
- Place the Arcane Crystal Core in a bowl filled with Eclipsed Moonwater.
- Perform an incantation to cleanse the crystal of any residual energies.
- Remove the crystal and pat it dry with a cloth imbued with elemental water essence.
- Runic Inscription:
- Don the Aetherial Weave Gloves.
- Use the Arcanist’s Chisel to carefully inscribe the Eldritch Runes onto the cleansed crystal core.
- Stardust Infusion:
- Grind the Stardust using the Astral Mortar and Pestle until it reaches a powdery consistency.
- Sprinkle the powdered Stardust over the runic inscriptions, channeling astral energy into the core to bind the stardust to it.
- Elemental Essence Combination:
- In the Elemental Crucible, carefully mix the Elemental Fire and Water Essences.
- Chant an incantation to fuse the elements without causing a volatile reaction.
- Final Enchantment:
- Use the Enchanter’s Quill to inscribe the final set of runes on parchment fragments.
- Place the inscribed fragments in a circle around the Arcane Crystal Core.
- Slowly pour the combined elemental essence over the core while reciting the final incantation.
- Sealing the Orb:
- With a focused mind, channel your arcane energies through the Enchanter’s Quill to seal all the magical energies into the Arcane Crystal Core.
- The core should begin to glow softly, signifying the successful creation of the Orb of Aetherial Echoes.
- Purification of Arcane Crystal Core:
After completing these steps, you should have a functional Orb of Aetherial Echoes, capable of facilitating the summoning of potent minions from various magical realms. Handle with care, for the orb is not just a powerful magical artifact but also a conduit to realms unknown.
Legend of the First Echoing Aether-Orb
In days long stretched and folded within veils of forgetting, there was curious orb, name of Orb of Aetherial Echoes. This not mere jewel, but prison and door of realms invisible. Held by Magus Elionor, wise and ancient, some say even immortal. But wisdom not his only quality, for ambition also crept in heart of Elionor.
Magus Elionor, many years seeking otherworldly allies, come across language old, older than elders’ memories. Words twisted and folded, yet promise much power. With great endeavor, unweave words, unravel spell for make Aether-Orb. For many moons, in tower sealed, Elionor work, and orb at last complete.
First use of orb, astonishment. Minion emerge, form like shadow but solid, eyes of burning stars. Did tasks, follow orders, return whence came, all as planned. Elionor happy, think found ultimate solution for worldly problems. But forgot essential element, essence of all magics—balance.
More use orb, more realms touch. Not just pull, but push, exchange energies imbalanced. Minions restless, Elionor himself starts hear echo of realms in mind’s corners. Wisdom and ambition blurred, actions erratic. People around him, once in awe, now in fear.
Then come day, orb itself pulse, light strange, resonance unnerving. Minion summoned, but not like before. This one mirror of Elionor, in every way, but twisted, malevolent. Fought they did, energies clashing, tower trembling. Elionor, realizing grave mistake, chanted words, not to command but to plead. Orb flickered, both minions and magus consumed, leaving only orb behind.
Orb found later by others, though none dared use, sensing energies too volatile, origins unknown, and consequences unpredictable. Became legend, cautionary tale, hidden but never forgotten.
Moral of the Story: Heed balance in all pursuits magical, for disruption in one realm echoes in all others, and echoes can become roars that consume the unwary.
Suggested conversion to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Artifact
- Sanity Loss: 1D4/1D8 (when activated)
- Special Rules:
- Summon Minion: Once per day, the artifact allows the user to summon a cosmic entity that will serve them for a number of rounds equal to the user’s POW divided by 5.
Blades in the Dark
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Arcane Implement
- Quality: Tier 4
- Effects:
- Conjure Minion: During downtime, you may use this implement to summon a ghostly minion. The minion lasts until the end of the score and obeys simple commands.
Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Wondrous item (orb), Legendary (requires attunement by a spellcaster)
- Attributes:
- Summon Minion: You can use an action to activate the orb and summon a minion (use stats for Homunculus, MM page 188). The minion remains for 1 minute or until dismissed as a bonus action. Once used, this ability can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Knave
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Magical Item
- Weight: 1 slot
- Rarity: Very rare
- Properties:
- Summon Entity: As an action, the user can summon a servile creature (use Goblin stats) that will fight for the user for 1D6 rounds. Can be used once per day.
Fate Core System
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Magical Artifact
- Aspect: “Bound to Other Realms”
- Skills: Lore +4, Will +3
- Stunts:
- Call Forth Minion: Once per session, summon a minion with skills and stunts mirroring the owner’s, lasting for 3 exchanges.
Numenera & Cypher System
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Artifact
- Level: 1d6+2
- Effect:
- Summon Otherworldly Minion: As an action, the user can activate the artifact to summon a minion (Level 3, 9 Health) that can perform tasks and assist in combat for 28 hours (one day).
Pathfinder (2nd Edition)
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Wondrous Item (Artifact)
- Rarity: Unique
- Usage: Held in 1 hand; Bulk: 1
- Activation: Cast a Spell (one action)
- Summon Minion: Once per day, you can activate the orb to summon a minion that has the same level as you. The minion stays for 1 minute or until dismissed.
Savage Worlds
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Magical Artifact
- Rarity: Legendary
- Weight: 1 lb
- Special Rules:
- Summon Minion: Once per day, you can summon a minion that mimics your own traits and abilities. The minion lasts for 3 rounds.
Shadowrun (6th Edition)
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Magical Focus
- Force: 6
- Availability: 16R
- Cost: ¥300,000
- Summon Minion: Once per day, you can use the orb to summon an Astral Entity. The entity has the same skills as the user, and it lasts for Combat Turns equal to the user’s Magic attribute.
Starfinder
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Mystical Relic
- Level: 10
- Bulk: L
- Price: 25,000 credits
- Usage: 1/day
- Summon Minion: Activate the orb to summon a minion with the same class and level as you. It remains for 1 minute or until dismissed.
Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Ancient Artifact
- TL: N/A
- Weight: 1 kg
- Special Rules:
- Summon Minion: Once per day, the orb allows the user to summon a Psionic Entity that will perform tasks for them for a duration of 10 minutes.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)
Orb of Aetherial Echoes
- Type: Arcane Item
- Rarity: Unique
- Encumbrance: 1
- Rules:
- Summon Minion: Once per day, the orb can be used to summon a Daemonic minion. The minion will obey the summoner’s commands for a number of rounds equal to the user’s Will Power bonus.