Appearance of the Item: The Orb of the Astral Seraph is a delicate sphere about the size of an apple, intricately crafted from a substance resembling milky quartz. At its core, radiant arcs of blue and gold light move like captured auroras. Tiny, golden celestial runes are etched on its surface, and it is encased in a fine gold filigree stand adorned with sapphires.
Appearance of the Minion: Summoned from the Orb is an Astral Seraph, a majestic entity with feathery, iridescent wings that span about 10 feet. Their skin appears to be made of luminescent scales, which emit a soft, calming glow. Their eyes are like sapphires, and their form is androgynous. They wield a radiant lance and wear armor made of an astral material that shimmers between translucent and solid states.
Stat Modifiers:
- Strength: +2 (mirroring the summoner)
- Intelligence: +2
- Wisdom: +1
- Dexterity: +1
- Constitution: +0
- Charisma: +1
Skills:
- Arcana: High proficiency
- Insight: Moderate proficiency
- Athletics: Moderate proficiency
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet walking, 60 feet flying
Armor: Astral Plate Armor (AC equivalent to summoner’s tier level +2)
Gear:
- Radiant Lance: A weapon that mirrors the summoner’s main weapon, but deals radiant damage.
- Starlit Cloak: Grants temporary hit points equal to the summoner’s tier level.
Weapons: Radiant Lance: Can be used both as a melee and ranged weapon.
Tools: Astral Compass: Allows for minor divination abilities.
Tags:
- Ethereal: Can phase through physical objects for a short duration.
- Luminous: Emits light in a 30-foot radius.
Behavior: The Astral Seraph is highly autonomous and strategic, often taking the initiative to protect its summoner or allies. It has a noble demeanor, treating both friends and foes with a form of celestial courtesy unless they prove undeserving.
Magics:
- Healing Light: Can cast a healing spell equivalent to the summoner’s tier level.
- Astral Nova: A burst of radiant energy that deals area-of-effect damage to enemies and grants a buff to allies.
Roleplay Emphasis on Analyze: In the context of “analyze,” the Astral Seraph’s high intelligence and wisdom make it exceptionally analytical, able to quickly discern the motives, strengths, and weaknesses of both foes and allies. Its keen insight can be invaluable in complicated social or combat situations, where understanding nuances can make a significant difference. It might telepathically share its assessments with its summoner, providing an additional layer of strategy and knowledge to any encounter. While it serves its summoner loyally, its analytical nature might also make it more questioning of any actions or orders that seem morally or strategically unsound, offering a moment for the summoner to reconsider choices. This intricate behavior opens opportunities for rich role-playing interactions, challenging the summoner to think deeply about the ethics and implications of their actions and the utilization of Minion Magic.
Perception of Activation:
- Sight:
- What’s Perceived: A radiant burst of light emanating from the Orb of the Astral Seraph.
- Description: The light is initially a concentrated flash within the orb before expanding outward in a blinding, yet beautiful, burst.
- Positives: Illuminates dark areas; serves as a signal to allies.
- Negatives: Could potentially blind or attract unwanted attention.
- Sound:
- What’s Perceived: A celestial choral melody.
- Description: The sound is a harmonic convergence of multiple voices, ethereal and resounding.
- Positives: Calming and bolstering to allies, disorienting to foes.
- Negatives: Audible within a large radius, possibly alerting enemies.
- Smell:
- What’s Perceived: A scent of ozone and fresh rain.
- Description: The air changes, filling with the scent of a storm just passed or about to begin.
- Positives: Refreshing and invigorating.
- Negatives: Strong scent may not be to everyone’s liking.
- Taste:
- What’s Perceived: A metallic tang.
- Description: A slight taste as if you had touched your tongue to a nine-volt battery.
- Positives: Stimulates the senses, possibly heightening awareness.
- Negatives: Unpleasant for some; may be disorienting.
- Touch:
- What’s Perceived: A rush of warm air.
- Description: An immediate temperature change in the vicinity of the orb, causing a feeling of warmth.
- Positives: Comforting and possibly healing.
- Negatives: Could be uncomfortably warm for some.
- Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
- Sense of Time:
- What’s Perceived: A momentary pause.
- Description: Feels like time briefly stands still during the activation.
- Positives: Allows a moment for mental preparation.
- Negatives: Disorienting, may cause a loss of focus.
- Telepathic Resonance:
- What’s Perceived: A brief connection to the summoned Astral Seraph.
- Description: A flicker of emotions and images, imbuing a sense of urgency or purpose.
- Positives: Provides a better understanding of the minion’s capabilities and intentions.
- Negatives: The sudden influx of foreign thoughts can be overwhelming.
- Sense of Time:
By understanding the full sensory and extra-sensory experience of the item’s activation, the summoner gains a more profound connection to both the item and the being it calls forth. This adds layers of depth and strategy to the act of summoning, requiring the summoner to consider the environment, the current situation, and the potential risks and rewards.
Crafting Recipe for the Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Materials Needed:
- Celestial Quartz – 1 large piece, around 4 inches in diameter
- Astral Silver – 3 ounces
- Essence of Light – 5 vials
- Wisp of Time – 1 captured wisp
- Angel Feather – 1 (ethically sourced)
- Eldritch Resin – 1 cup
- Runed Parchment – 3 sheets
- Moonwater – 1 liter
- Tools Required:
- Arcane Forge
- Enchanter’s Chisel
- Celestial Crucible
- Ethereal Tweezers
- Resonance Chamber
- Elementalist’s Cauldron
- Timekeeper’s Hourglass
- Skill Requirements:
- Elemental Alchemy – Expert Level
- Astral Navigation – Advanced Level
- Enchanting – Expert Level
- Time Manipulation – Intermediate Level
- Light Channeling – Advanced Level
- Crafting Steps:
- Purification of Celestial Quartz:
- Place the Celestial Quartz into the Celestial Crucible and pour Moonwater over it.
- Chant a purification incantation.
- Preparation of Astral Silver:
- Melt the Astral Silver in the Arcane Forge.
- While still molten, add 2 vials of Essence of Light and mix until radiant.
- Infusion of Light and Time:
- Use the Resonance Chamber to infuse the Wisp of Time and the remaining Essence of Light into the Angel Feather.
- Alchemical Bonding:
- In the Elementalist’s Cauldron, mix Eldritch Resin with the infused Angel Feather.
- Stir continuously while chanting an alchemical bonding spell until the mixture turns golden.
- Carving of Runes:
- Using the Enchanter’s Chisel, carve binding and summoning runes onto the Runed Parchment.
- Apply a thin layer of the golden mixture from step 4 onto the runes to activate them.
- Assembly:
- Place the purified Celestial Quartz in the Arcane Forge.
- Pour the radiant Astral Silver over it, covering it completely.
- With Ethereal Tweezers, carefully place the activated Runed Parchment around the quartz.
- Final Enchanting:
- Place the partially assembled Orb in the Timekeeper’s Hourglass.
- Chant the final incantation to bind all elements together.
- Solidification:
- Remove the item from the Timekeeper’s Hourglass and place it in the Elementalist’s Cauldron filled with Moonwater to solidify its form.
- Activation:
- To activate the Orb, channel your energy through it while focusing on your intent.
- If done correctly, the Orb will hum to life, indicating the crafting process is successfully completed.
- Purification of Celestial Quartz:
This recipe assumes that the avatar crafting the Orb of the Astral Seraph possesses the required skills and tools. Proper care should be taken at each step, and crafting this powerful summoning item should not be attempted lightly due to the complex and dangerous nature of the materials and skills involved.
Legend of the Sky-Angel Orb
Long-ago time, sky full of twinkle stars, but one star different. This star, people call Astral Seraph. Wisest old-beings say Astral Seraph is home of Guardian Angels. They have orb, very special, call it Orb of the Astral Seraph.
In old land, human named Elandrial, much wise but also much lonesome. He hear whispers about Orb, a circle-glow that can summon Sky-Angel servant. Elandrial decide, “I must find Orb. Sky-Angel will end lonesomeness.”
Journey many days, many nights. Cross dangerous mountains, wide rivers, deep forests. But not scared, Elandrial. He feel call of Orb, stronger each step.
Finally arrive in silver cave. Cave glowing, but also dark shadow. Elandrial feel both happy and fear. In middle, he see it. Orb, glowing like morning sun. He reach, touch it, Orb shines more. In eye-mind, he see Sky-Angel, like mirror of himself but made of star-light.
“Who summon me?” Sky-Angel ask.
“I, Elandrial, call you. Be my companion, end my alone-time,” Elandrial answer.
“Agree, but remember, I am not servant. We are same-same, like two sides of leaf,” say Sky-Angel.
Years pass, Elandrial not alone anymore. He and Sky-Angel do many greats. Help people, fight monsters, discover hidden truths. But also learn from each other. Sky-Angel teach about sky and stars, Elandrial teach about earth and rivers.
Then one day, dark cloud come. Sky-Angel say, “I must go. Dark force attack my home-star. Must protect.”
Elandrial sad but understand. He touch Orb and Sky-Angel vanish in star-flash. Orb not shine now, like sleeping. Elandrial not alone anymore, in heart, Sky-Angel always with him.
Moral of Story: Powerful object can bring friends, but true bond is in heart, not in object. Use power wisely, respect all beings. We all like stars in sky, alone but also together.
Suggested conversion to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Type: Artifact
- Properties:
- Summon Guardian: Once per day, allows the user to summon an otherworldly Guardian, POW equals user’s POW.
- Bonding: The summoner feels emotionally connected to the Guardian, providing a temporary +10% to Psychology rolls when interacting with it.
Blades in the Dark
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Tier: 3
- Effect:
- Summon: Create a Cohort (Guardian Angel) with Quality equal to Tier+1.
- Ethereal Bond: Gain +1d to Consort when communicating with the Guardian.
Dungeons & Dragons 5E
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Wondrous Item, legendary (requires attunement)
- You can use an action to summon a Celestial servant (CR equal to 1/3 your level). Lasts 1 minute.
- Ethereal Bond: While attuned, gain advantage on Insight checks regarding the servant.
Knave
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Type: Object
- Summon a Guardian of equal HD to the user once per day for 3 rounds.
- Provides emotional connection; the summoner feels what the Guardian feels.
Fate Core
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Type: Magical Artifact
- Aspects:
- “Summoner of the Astral Guardian”
- Skills: Empathy +2 when communicating with the summoned Guardian.
Numenera & Cypher System
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Level: 1d6+2
- Allows the user to summon a being from another realm once per day. Level of the summoned creature equals the artifact’s level.
- Grants an Asset to Intellect-based checks when interacting with the creature.
Pathfinder
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Wondrous Item, Artifact
- Once per day, summon a celestial being with CR up to 1/2 your level.
- Ethereal Bond: +2 Insight bonus on Sense Motive checks concerning the summoned creature.
Savage Worlds
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Artifact
- Summons an Extra with similar stats to the user for 3 rounds.
- Provides a +1 bonus to Spirit rolls when interacting with the summoned creature.
Shadowrun
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Type: Magical Artifact
- Once per day, summon a Spirit with Force equal to the user’s Magic attribute.
- +2 dice pool modifier for Assensing tests related to the Spirit.
Starfinder
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Type: Artifact
- Once per day, summon a celestial being (CR up to 1/3 your level) for 1 minute.
- Ethereal Bond: +2 Insight bonus to Sense Motive checks relating to the summoned creature.
Traveller
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Type: Ancient Artifact
- Summons an otherworldly creature with stats mirroring the user.
- Provides +1 DM to Social interactions with the summoned entity.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Orb of the Astral Seraph
- Type: Arcane Object
- Allows the summoning of a celestial creature for 3 rounds once per day.
- Grants a +10 bonus to Fellowship Tests made in relation to the summoned entity.