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Orb of the Spirit Wind Alchemist 77

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by

Dale
in

Lore This unique artifact is the result of an unlikely collaboration between two masters of esoteric arts. Halime, the itinerant spirit medium renowned for creating the Zar 539 of the Spirit-Wind Navigator, encountered the research of the long-dead alchemist Thoerius. She found his notes on the Alchemist’s Resonating Orb and the summoning of sentient “help-spirits.” Intrigued, Halime sought not to merely replicate his work but to integrate it with her own. She believed a true spirit guide for navigating Saṃsāra’s treacherous landscapes should be more than just a whisper on the wind; it should be a tangible, skilled companion. Using her Zar rituals, she adapted Thoerius’s methods, binding the alchemical spirit known as Minion 37 into the matrix of her own navigator charm. The result is a singular artifact that does not just point the way, but summons a knowledgeable guide to assist on the journey.

Description The Orb of the Spirit-Wind Alchemist 77 is a transparent, fist-sized sphere encased in a web of polished silver. Instead of swirling liquids, the orb contains a miniature, perpetual sandstorm of fine desert sandstone dust. At the heart of this storm floats the milky opal from the original navigator, pulsing with a soft, internal glow that illuminates the spiraling sand patterns. A durable, woven hemp cord is attached to the silver framework, allowing the orb to be worn as an amulet. When passive, it is cool to the touch and silent. When activated, the sandstorm within intensifies, a low, rhythmic chant emanates from the opal, and the air fills with the scent of sage and strange alchemical reagents.

Stats

  • Rarity: Unique
  • Level Requirement: Tier 2
  • Magic Type: Alchemical Summoning / Spirit Navigation

Tags: Alchemist, Divination, Exploration, Minion Magic, Navigational, Spirit Detection, Stealthy, Utility, Worn, Neck, Wind Magic, Zar Rituals, Summoning, Spirit Guide, Alchemical Crafting, Environmental Control, Hybrid Magic, Sentient Artifact, Protective

Multiple Passives Magic

  • Spirit-Wind Guidance: The orb attunes the wearer to the spiritual geography of Saṃsāra. The wearer gains an intuitive advantage on checks to navigate or orient themselves, especially near spiritually significant landmarks like sacred groves, rivers, or ruins. The opal at the orb’s core glows brighter in proximity to these features.
  • Alchemical Resonance: The dormant spirit within the orb grants the wearer a fraction of its knowledge. The wearer gains a passive advantage on checks to identify unknown potions, poisons, reagents, or other alchemical substances.
  • Sage Breeze: The orb passively generates a faint, almost imperceptible breeze scented with sage and sand. This provides minor resistance to airborne toxins and spirit-induced environmental effects, such as magical fear or unnatural cold.

Multiple Active Magics

  • Invoke Alchemical Navigator: Once per day, the wearer can hold the orb and perform a one-minute Zar ritual of chanting and focus. This summons Minion 37 from the orb for a duration of one hour. The minion appears as described in its original lore, a calculating alchemical entity with alabaster skin and glowing yellow eyes, acting as a guide, scout, and field alchemist in the summoner’s best interest. The summoner can dismiss the minion at any time.
  • Spirit-Wind Artifice: Twice per day, the wearer can command the summoned minion to channel its alchemical knowledge through the orb’s Zar magic to create a specific, potent effect. This requires an action from both the wearer and the minion. They can create one of the following effects:
    • Revealing Mist: The minion creates an alchemical reaction that generates a thick, swirling mist in a 30-foot radius. To the wearer and their allies, this mist is infused with opal light, revealing all hidden paths, traps, and secret doors for ten minutes. To enemies, it is a dense, obscuring fog.
    • Levitational Fumes: The minion hurls a specially prepared flask at the ground, which releases a dense, shimmering vapor. The vapor forms a stable, invisible platform 10 feet in diameter that can lift up to three individuals 30 feet vertically and allow them to hover for one minute.
    • Zephyr’s Ward: The minion mixes reagents and releases them into the air, creating a swirling shield of wind infused with neutralizing compounds. For ten minutes, this shield orbits the wearer, automatically deflecting minor projectiles (both physical and magical) and granting significant resistance to gaseous attacks.

Specific Slot

  • Worn (Neck)

Item Durability and Disablement

The Orb of the Spirit-Wind Alchemist 77 is a unique artifact whose power comes from the delicate fusion of two different magical disciplines. While magically resilient, its physical form, a crystal orb containing fine sand, is more fragile than a solid weapon.

  • Item Hit Points: The orb has 50 Hit Points.
  • Damage Threshold: As a unique Tier 2 artifact, it has a damage threshold of 8. Any single source of damage that deals 8 or fewer points of damage is harmlessly absorbed by its protective silver framework and magical field.
  • Magic Suppression: If the orb’s Hit Points are reduced to 0, it does not shatter. Instead, the magical fusion that binds the alchemical spirit to the navigator’s charm breaks. The sandstorm within ceases, the milky opal goes dark and cold, and the connection to Minion 37 is severed. The orb becomes an inert, non-magical trinket, its powers suppressed until the complex bond can be restored.

Repairing the Orb

Repairing the Orb of the Spirit-Wind Alchemist 77 is a significant undertaking, as it requires re-establishing the unique harmony between two disparate types of magic. It is a quest for a specialist with a rare combination of skills.

  • Required Artisan: The repair must be performed by an artisan who is highly skilled in both Ritualistic Spirit Magic (specifically Zar or similar traditions) and Master-level Alchemy. This dual expertise is exceptionally rare.
  • Location: The repair ritual must take place in a location where spiritual and alchemical energies are both naturally present and in flux, such as a cave system with both a spiritual nexus and active geothermal vents suitable for alchemical work.
  • Materials & Process: The repair involves two critical stages:
    1. Physical Restoration: First, the orb’s physical form must be mended. A master jeweler must carefully repair the silver framework. The orb’s crystal surface, if cracked, must be sealed using a rare alchemical resin infused with powdered gemstones. This restores the item’s Hit Points but its magic remains dormant.
    2. Magical Re-Harmonization: Once the vessel is whole, the artisan must perform a day-long ritual to re-fuse the two magical essences. This requires two specific, rare components: a sample of pure, elemental air collected from a high-altitude windstorm to re-attune the navigator’s magic, and the distilled essence of a willing magical creature to serve as a new anchor for the alchemical minion’s spirit. The artisan must simultaneously perform a Zar invocation to guide the spirit-wind while conducting a delicate alchemical infusion to re-bind the minion. This process re-establishes the magical harmony, causing the internal sandstorm to swirl once more and the opal to reignite with its soft glow.

The Orb of the Spirit-Wind Alchemist 77 is a one-of-a-kind artifact, a fusion of two distinct magical disciplines. Its sale would be an exceptionally rare event, occurring only in specialized, high-tier locations where its unique combination of spirit navigation and alchemical summoning can be truly appreciated and afforded.

1. The Wayfinder’s Conclave Headquarters

Description: Located in a bustling port metropolis, the Wayfinder’s Conclave is the most prestigious and well-funded explorer’s guild in the known islands. Their headquarters is a grand, steam-powered edifice of polished wood and gleaming brass, filled with maps of uncharted territories, trophies from legendary expeditions, and laboratories for testing new equipment. The Conclave’s clientele are seasoned geographers, wealthy patrons financing expeditions, and veteran adventurers. They value practical, reliable, and powerful tools above all else. How it Might be Sold: The Orb would not be on a public shelf. It would be kept in the “Vault of Unique Discoveries,” a high-security chamber accessible only to the guild’s board of directors and its most trusted quartermaster. A potential buyer would need to be a member in high standing or a contractor with a mission of paramount importance. The sale would be a formal negotiation in a private office, involving detailed contracts. The quartermaster, a seasoned explorer themselves, would demonstrate the Orb’s functions, emphasizing the summoned minion’s utility as an expert field guide and alchemist for long, perilous journeys. Cost: The Conclave deals in straightforward, high-value transactions. They would ask for a firm price of 3,000 gold pieces. They would not be interested in barter, but might be willing to finance the purchase in exchange for exclusive rights to any maps or discoveries made using the Orb on the buyer’s next major expedition.

2. The Alchemist’s Shadow Exchange

Description: This is not a formal shop but a clandestine, invitation-only gathering that takes place in the underbelly of a city known for its powerful alchemical guilds. The Exchange is held in a different, magically-secured laboratory or hidden warehouse each time. The atmosphere is thick with the smell of exotic reagents and paranoia. Attendees are master alchemists, poisoners, information brokers, and those who seek power without moral scruple. Here, the focus is less on the Orb’s navigational properties and entirely on the value of a summonable, sentient, and highly skilled alchemist. How it Might be Sold: The Orb would be the centerpiece of the night’s offerings. It would be presented by a shadowy figure who would activate it, summoning Minion 37 for a brief, silent demonstration of its alchemical prowess (perhaps transmuting a common metal or brewing a complex potion in seconds). Bidding would be silent and conducted through coded gestures or telepathic messages to the host. The transaction would be anonymous, with the Orb exchanged for payment in a warded, untraceable container. Cost: The price would be unpredictable and likely not just in gold. The bidding might start at 1,500 gold pieces, but would quickly escalate into offers of rare and forbidden goods. A likely final price would be 2,000 gold pieces, plus a liter of freshly harvested Basilisk venom and the complete alchemical notes of a rival master.

3. Halime’s Grotto of Winds

Description: This is the secluded, sacred cave sanctuary where the item’s creator, Halime, or her chosen successor, resides. The grotto is a place of spiritual power, illuminated by bioluminescent fungi and filled with the gentle hum of wind spirits and the rhythmic bubbling of alchemical apparatuses. It is a place of balance, not commerce. Halime (or her successor) is not a merchant, but a spiritual guardian and master artisan who would only part with such a unique creation for a profound purpose. How it Might be Sold: The Orb cannot be “bought” here. A seeker would first have to find the hidden grotto, a quest in itself. They would then have to present their case to the guardian, explaining why they need the Orb and what great, world-balancing task they hope to accomplish with it. The guardian would test the seeker’s spirit, mind, and skills, perhaps through a series of riddles, a spiritual journey, or a complex alchemical challenge. The Orb would only be relinquished if the seeker proves themselves worthy of wielding an artifact that commands a sentient spirit. Cost: There is no monetary cost. The price is the successful completion of the guardian’s trials and a solemn vow to uphold the balance the Orb represents: to use the navigator’s guidance for exploration, not exploitation, and to treat the summoned minion not as a slave, but as a respected (if temporary) partner. The seeker might also be tasked with a geas, a magically bound quest they must fulfill in return for the gift, such as mapping a cursed, spirit-haunted archipelago.

The Orb of the Spirit-Wind Alchemist 77 offers a unique and complex roleplaying experience. The character is not just a wielder of magic, but a director, a guide, and a partner to the sentient alchemical spirit, Minion 37. The core of the roleplay is this symbiotic relationship: the character provides the intent and the spiritual connection to the land, while the minion provides the silent, tactical, and alchemical expertise.

1. Environment: A Cursed, Uncharted Mangrove Swamp

Offense: The party’s goal is not to fight, but to navigate the treacherous swamp to find a Sunken Temple before a rival crew. The swamp is a confusing maze of magical fog and shifting waterways, with no reliable landmarks.

  • Roleplay: The character holds the Orb, its internal sandstorm swirling lazily. They begin the Zar chant, the rhythmic sounds cutting through the swamp’s oppressive silence. As the summoning completes, Minion 37 appears on a solid patch of ground, its glowing yellow eyes surveying the area. The character points into the fog. “The spirits of this place hide their path. Reveal it.” They command the minion to use Spirit-Wind Artifice to create the Revealing Mist. The minion nods, pulls out several vials, and mixes a clear liquid with a pinch of glowing moss. It throws the vial into the air, where it bursts into a shimmering, sage-scented fog. For the party, the mist is illuminated by the Orb’s opal light, revealing a single, ethereal path of solid ground winding through the bog. The character becomes the confident guide, leading the party along a path only they can now see, a tactical “offense” against the environment itself.

Defense: While following the spirit path, the party enters a grove of giant, toxic fungi. One of them bursts, releasing a cloud of poisonous, debilitating spores.

  • Roleplay: The character’s passive Sage Breeze offers a slight buffer, the scent of sage momentarily cutting through the foulness. But the cloud is too thick. The character shouts, “Minion, a ward against this plague!” and commands it to use Spirit-Wind Artifice to create the Zephyr’s Ward. Minion 37 is already moving, crushing crystals into a fine powder and releasing them into the air. The resulting swirl of wind doesn’t just block the spores, it visibly neutralizes them, the toxic cloud dissolving as the clean, sage-scented wind passes through it. The character and minion act in perfect sync—the character as the commander with spiritual authority, the minion as the silent, efficient alchemist providing a sophisticated, non-violent defense that purifies the threat rather than just blocking it.

2. Environment: An Abandoned Dwarven Steam-Foundry

Offense: The party is blocked by a massive, sealed adamantine door, rusted shut and immune to brute force or simple magic. Faint steam still hisses from its complex locking mechanism.

  • Roleplay: The character summons Minion 37. “I need this relic opened. Analyze its weakness.” The minion, with its clawed but delicate hands, runs its fingers along the door’s seams. The character’s passive Alchemical Resonance gives them an intuitive sense of what the minion is detecting: a faint impurity in the solder used around the primary gear lock. The character nods. “The alloy is flawed. A focused corrosive.” The minion produces its alchemist’s kit and, using a drop of liquid from a black vial and some metal filings, concocts a potent, bubbling acid. It doesn’t splash the acid wildly, but uses a glass pipette to apply it with surgical precision to the weak point. Within moments, the locking mechanism dissolves, and the massive door groans open. The offensive action is one of intellect and precision, a silent, tactical dismantling of an obstacle.

Defense: While crossing a rickety gantry, a steam pipe ruptures below, filling the chasm with scalding, high-pressure steam and making a retreat impossible. The gantry ahead is collapsed.

  • Roleplay: The party is trapped. The character looks at the 30-foot gap to the next platform. “We go up. Minion, an ascent!” They command the minion to use Spirit-Wind Artifice to create the Levitational Fumes. Minion 37 pulls out a specially prepared flask, cracks it like a glowstick, and hurls it into the chasm below. The flask releases a thick, shimmering vapor that instantly solidifies into a stable, invisible platform of energy. The platform gently rises, lifting the party out of the scalding steam and allowing them to safely cross to the other side. The roleplay is about quick, creative problem-solving, using the Orb’s unique abilities to create an escape route where none existed.

3. Environment: A Crowded, High-Stakes Urban Race

Offense: The character is participating in a grand race through a megacity, a parkour-style event that involves navigating rooftops and crowded market squares. A key rival is just ahead, about to win.

  • Roleplay: The character can’t just attack their rival. They need an edge. They summon Minion 37 in a secluded alleyway. “You are faster. Create an obstacle. Do not harm him, only hinder.” The minion gives a slight nod and disappears into the crowd. A moment later, as the rival sprints through a market, the minion, from a rooftop above, drops a flask of non-lethal but incredibly sticky goo in the rival’s path. Simultaneously, it hurls an alchemical pellet that releases a dense, disorienting but harmless smoke. The rival is stuck and confused for precious seconds. The character, guided by the Orb’s Spirit-Wind Guidance to find the most efficient path, sprints past to take the lead. It’s a strategic, non-violent “offense” that showcases the minion’s stealth, intelligence, and alchemical versatility.

Defense: The character has won the race, but the infuriated rival has hired thugs to corner them in a dead-end alley to reclaim the prize money.

  • Roleplay: The thugs block the only exit. The character calmly holds the Orb. “A diversion. Then our exit.” Minion 37, already summoned, understands. It hurls a flash-pot at the thugs’ feet, momentarily blinding them. In that instant, the character commands it to create the Levitational Fumes. The platform of energy forms, and the character and minion are lifted silently to the rooftops. By the time the thugs recover their sight, their target has vanished into the night sky. The defense is a coordinated, tactical escape, using the minion’s disruptive alchemy and the Orb’s levitation magic to turn a hopeless situation into a clean getaway.

Perception of Activation:

Activation Method: Invoke Alchemical Navigator (Summoning Minion 37)

Sight

  • User’s Perspective: As you begin the Zar chant, the sandstorm inside the orb accelerates into a furious, silent vortex. The milky opal at its center flares with a brilliant, focused pulse of light that illuminates the swirling sand, creating incredibly complex, shifting patterns of light and shadow within the sphere. The light escapes the orb, projecting these faint, dancing hieroglyphs onto your hands and the immediate ground as the minion takes form.
  • Observer’s Perspective: The orb in the user’s hand suddenly flashes with a bright inner light. An intense, miniature sandstorm becomes visible within the glass, looking like a captured whirlwind. The light projects faint, swirling patterns onto the ground around the user as a humanoid figure with alabaster skin coalesces from the energized air.
  • Positives: The visual is a clear and impressive confirmation that a powerful summoning is underway. The projected light can be a useful, if temporary, light source in dark environments.
  • Negatives: The flash of light is impossible to conceal, making it a beacon for any unwanted attention. It will ruin the user’s night vision for several moments and makes any attempt at a stealthy summoning impossible.

Sound

  • User’s Perspective: The low, rhythmic chant you initiate is echoed back to you, not from the room, but from within your own mind. The orb itself emits a deep, resonant hum that vibrates in your bones, harmonizing perfectly with your chant. You hear the faint sound of grinding sand from within the orb, a sound only you can perceive.
  • Observer’s Perspective: A clear, melodic, and otherworldly chant emanates from the orb the user is holding. The sound is quiet but carries an unnatural resonance that makes it stand out from ambient noise.
  • Positives: The sound is deeply focusing for the user, helping to maintain the one-minute ritual. For observers, it is a clear auditory cue that a spiritual or magical act is taking place.
  • Negatives: The sound, while not loud, is distinct and will alert any creature nearby to the user’s activity. The full minute of chanting makes the user a stationary and audibly traceable target.

Touch

  • User’s Perspective: The normally cool orb grows intensely warm, the silver framework heating up as you channel the summoning. You feel a powerful, rhythmic vibration pulsing from the orb into your hand, synchronized with your chant. The woven hemp cord feels light and seems to tug gently, as if eager to be airborne.
  • Observer’s Perspective: N/A
  • Positives: The warmth and vibration provide powerful, continuous tactile feedback, confirming the ritual is proceeding correctly and making the connection to the magic feel tangible.
  • Negatives: The intense vibration could be distracting, making it difficult to perform any other action with the hand holding the orb. The heat could be uncomfortable over the full minute of summoning.

Smell

  • User’sPerspective: A strange and distinct scent floods the air, a perfect fusion of the orb’s dual natures. You smell the clean, sacred aroma of desert sage and dry sand, immediately followed by the sharp, metallic, and herbaceous tang of a master alchemist’s laboratory.
  • Observer’s Perspective: Anyone standing near the user will notice a very unusual scent, a mixture of spiritual incense and volatile chemicals.
  • Positives: The aroma is a unique sensory confirmation of the specific magic being used. For a user familiar with it, the scent can be grounding and focusing.
  • Negatives: The smell is bizarre and highly memorable, leaving a “scent signature” that could be used to track the user. It can be overwhelming or unpleasant to those not accustomed to it.

Taste

  • User’s Perspective: A dry, gritty taste, like fine dust, coats your tongue, followed by the sharp, electric tang of ozone.
  • Observer’s Perspective: N/A
  • Positives: Adds to the multi-sensory richness and immersion of the magical act.
  • Negatives: The sensation is generally unpleasant.

Extra-Sensory Perceptions

  • The Summoning Link:
    • User’s Perspective: As you complete the chant, you feel a second consciousness touch your own. It is not an emotional or invasive contact, but a clean, cold, and logical connection. You feel a non-verbal impression of acknowledgment, readiness, and tactical assessment from Minion 37, like a key perfectly fitting a lock.
    • Observer’s Perspective: A psionically or magically sensitive individual would perceive a sudden manifestation of a new, disciplined mind in the user’s vicinity. They would feel the “ping” of the psychic link being established between summoner and summoned.
    • Positives: This creates an immediate, silent understanding and rapport with the minion, allowing for efficient, non-verbal communication of basic intent.
    • Negatives: The initial contact with a sentient, non-human mind can be disorienting. If the user is emotionally turbulent, the minion’s cold logic might feel jarring or apathetic.
  • Geographical Attunement:
    • User’s Perspective: The moment the summoning is complete, your sense of place becomes preternaturally sharp. It’s more than just direction; you gain an intuitive “feel” for the surrounding landscape. You can sense the flow of a nearby stream, the spiritual weight of an ancient cliff face, or the subtle wrongness of a magically concealed path.
    • Observer’s Perspective: An observer with magical sight might see the user’s aura briefly expand in a faint, shimmering wave, pulsing back with information as it touches significant geographical and spiritual features in the area.
    • Positives: This provides an unparalleled advantage for navigation and exploration, giving the user an immediate and intuitive understanding of their environment.
    • Negatives: In a place with overwhelmingly chaotic spiritual energy (like a cursed battlefield or a nexus of overlapping realms), this sudden influx of sensory data could be disorienting, causing a momentary headache or vertigo.

The Ritual of the Alchemical Guide

This exacting and perilous ritual describes the process of fusing the spiritual attunement of the Zar 539 of the Spirit-Wind Navigator with the sentient entity bound within the Minion 37 of Alchemists Resonating Orb. The goal is not merely to combine their powers, but to re-purpose the navigator’s magic to house and channel the alchemical minion, transforming it from a simple locator of spirits into a vessel for a specific, skilled spirit guide. Failure at the critical transference stage will result in the permanent dissolution of Minion 37’s spirit and the overload of the navigator, rendering both artifacts inert.

Items Merged

Additional Materials Needed

  • Alchemical Soul-Salt (1 Pinch): A rare crystalline reagent created by distilling the residual magical essence left behind after a powerful, sentient creature has been magically banished or dismissed. It is used to create a sympathetic link to Minion 37’s spiritual signature.
  • Breath of a High-Altitude Storm (1 Sealed Vial): Pure, elemental air captured from the heart of a storm at the world’s highest peaks. This potent essence is required to purge the navigator of its connection to lesser, ambient wind spirits, preparing it for a more powerful singular entity.
  • The Halime Concordance Scroll: A unique arcane document penned by the creator of the Zar Navigator, detailing the theoretical application of Zar rituals to bind and guide artificial or summoned spirits rather than natural ones.
  • Opaline Spirit-Vessel: A flawless, fist-sized milky opal that has been magically hollowed out and inscribed with internal runes of containment. It is used to temporarily house the essence of Minion 37.
  • Silver Framework of the Original Orb: The silver web-like framework from the Alchemist’s Resonating Orb must be preserved during the ritual.

Tools Required

  • Harmonic Resonance Chamber: A specially constructed room, often lined with lead and sound-dampening crystals, that allows a crafter to magically tune the ambient frequency of the space to match the components of a ritual, ensuring magical stability.
  • Alchemical Deconstruction Array: A complex apparatus of enchanted glass retorts, mana-infused tubes, and psychic filters designed to carefully dissolve the physical shell of a magical artifact without harming the sentient spirit bound within.
  • Zar Ritual Drum: A masterwork drum, typically made from the hide of a desert sand-wyrm stretched over a frame of enchanted sandstone, essential for performing the complex rhythms of the spirit-binding ritual.
  • Spirit-Lens Calipers: Delicate instruments made of crystal and silver, used to measure the precise frequency and signature of a spiritual essence, allowing for perfect magical attunement.

Skill Requirements

  • Mastery of Spirit Magic (Zar Rituals): The crafter must be an expert in Zar traditions, capable of performing the complex drumming and chanting required to cleanse, re-attune, and bind a spirit.
  • Mastery of Alchemy: A deep understanding of alchemy is required to safely operate the Deconstruction Array and handle the Alchemical Soul-Salt without causing a volatile reaction.
  • Artifact Lore: Essential for deciphering the complex theories within the Halime Concordance Scroll.
  • Unflinching Mental Fortitude: The crafter must directly handle the consciousness of Minion 37. This requires immense psychic discipline to guide the sentient spirit without being overwhelmed by its alien thought processes.

Crafting Steps

  1. Stage 1: Preparation of the Sanctum. The crafter prepares the Harmonic Resonance Chamber, using tuning forks and minor incantations to create a perfectly neutral magical environment. The Zar Ritual Drum is placed at the center.
  2. Stage 2: Spirit Extraction. The Alchemist’s Resonating Orb is placed within the Alchemical Deconstruction Array. The crafter begins the slow, delicate process of dissolving the orb’s enchanted glass shell. Simultaneously, the Opaline Spirit-Vessel is used as a focal point to draw in and safely contain the now-unbound essence of Minion 37. The original glass orb is destroyed, but its silver framework is carefully extracted and preserved.
  3. Stage 3: Cleansing the Vessel. The Zar 539 of the Spirit-Wind Navigator is placed upon the ritual drum. The crafter begins a steady, rhythmic drumming while unsealing the Breath of a High-Altitude Storm. The potent elemental air washes over the navigator, purging its connection to common wind spirits and turning it into a pristine, empty vessel ready to be re-attuned.
  4. Stage 4: Signature Attunement. The crafter consults the Halime Concordance Scroll. Using the Spirit-Lens Calipers, they measure the exact spiritual frequency of Minion 37’s essence, which swirls within the Opaline Spirit-Vessel. They must then perform a complex Zar chant, using the calipers to guide their magic as they meticulously retune the milky opal at the heart of the navigator to match the minion’s signature. The navigator’s faint glow will flicker and die, signifying it is ready for the new bond.
  5. Stage 5: The Transference. This is the ritual’s climax. The Opaline Spirit-Vessel is placed directly on top of the re-tuned navigator. The crafter sprinkles the pinch of Alchemical Soul-Salt onto the two items, creating a bridge. They then begin the final, powerful Zar drumming and invocation. This opens a direct conduit between the vessel and the navigator, and the crafter must use their own willpower to guide Minion 37’s consciousness across the bridge and into its new home.
  6. Stage 6: The Final Fusion. As the minion’s spirit enters the navigator, a magical reaction occurs. The navigator’s sandstone form liquefies for a moment, flowing into and around the preserved silver framework from the original orb, before re-solidifying into the new, larger spherical shape. A final, booming strike on the Zar Ritual Drum seals the fusion. A miniature sandstorm erupts within the newly formed orb, and the central opal flares to life with a steady, knowing light, signifying the successful creation of the Orb of the Spirit-Wind Alchemist.

Chronicle of Orb that Breathes

In the age before the counting of ages, when the islands were still cooling from the Maker’s forge, there was a sickness upon the land. It was not a fever of the body, nor a madness of the mind. It was a grayness, a fog of spirit that seeped from the earth. It made the paths to wander, and the rivers to forget their way to the sea. A traveler could walk a straight line for a day and end in the place he began. The land had lost its knowing. The people called this the Great Confusion.

In this time, there were two masters of great power, but their powers were as different as the sun and the moon. The first was Halime, the Wind-Talker. She knew the language of spirits. She would beat her Zar drum, and the whispers of the cliffs and the souls of the rivers would tell her their secrets. She made a charm of sandstone and opal, a navigator that could hear the true path, for the spirits always knew the way. She held it high, and a wind would show her a direction. But the wind was only a finger pointing. It could not move the fallen rock that blocked the path, nor could it tell if the air on the path was poison. Her knowing was true, but her hand was empty.

The second master was Thoerius, the Stone-Breaker. He was an alchemist who did not speak to spirits, but commanded them. He believed the world was a great engine, and he knew its gears. He made a sphere of glass and silver, an orb that could call forth a help-spirit, a minion. This minion was not a whisper, but a solid thing. It had hands to build and break, and a mind of cold numbers. It could mix the potions to cure a poison, or unmake a rock with acid. But the minion was blind to the spirit world. It could walk only where it was told. It could cure the poison only if it was brought to it. Its hand was strong, but its eyes were closed to the true path.

Both masters tried to end the Great Confusion. Halime found the secret paths, but her people could not walk them, for they were blocked by the sickness of the land. Thoerius sent his minion to clear the sickness, but the minion would become lost in the wandering paths, for it could not hear the land’s spirit. Both were wise. Both were powerful. Both did fail.

The old tellings say they met on a high plateau where the winds howled and the ground steamed with the earth’s strange breath. Halime said to Thoerius, “Your minion is a body with no soul to guide it.” Thoerius said to Halime, “Your spirit-wind is a voice with no hands to act.” For a day and a night they argued, their magic shaking the stones.

But then Halime, in her wisdom, began to beat her drum. And Thoerius, in his logic, began to mix his potions. The sound and the smell, they did mix in the air. A new thought came to them, a thought that was both of their minds. They would not make a better navigator, nor a better minion. They would make a new thing.

They took the Alchemist’s Orb, and Thoerius did the great unmaking, drawing the minion’s spirit out and holding it in a crystal flask. They took Halime’s Navigator, and she did the great emptying, singing the wind-spirits away until the sandstone was a quiet house with no one home. Then, with a new ritual that was both a Zar chant and an alchemical formula, they put the strong hand of the minion’s spirit into the quiet house of the navigator. The glass and the sandstone became one. The silver web and the hemp cord became one. The orb was now made of sand and spirit, and inside it, a thinking mind did wait.

The new orb they held. When they held it, they heard the wind, and the wind whispered the true path. And when they spoke a word of command, a solid form did step from the air beside them. It was the minion, the help-spirit. But now, its glowing eyes did not look empty. They looked upon the path the wind had shown, and they understood.

Together, the new masters and their new creation walked the land. The Orb would find the way, and the Minion would clear it. Where a poison spring bubbled, the Orb would feel its sickness, and the Minion would pour a potion to make it clean. Where a cliff was haunted by confusing spirits, the Orb would hear a safe path, and the Minion would climb it to fix a rope for others. They did not end the Great Confusion by shouting at it, or by breaking it. They ended it by walking it, step by step, with a seeing eye and a working hand. Their work done, the orb was placed in a high sanctuary, and the masters were seen no more.

Moral of the Story: A map that shows the way is a great treasure. A strong friend to walk the way with you is a greater one. The greatest treasure of all is the one that is both.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

The Geode of the Silent Companion Mythos Artifact

An anomalous crystalline sphere encased in a silver lattice, attached to a hempen cord. Within the sphere, fine desert sand swirls in a perpetual, miniature storm around a milky opal. It is said to be a fusion of a spiritual navigational tool and a vessel for a summoned, non-human entity. Its purpose is unknown, but its power to call forth a silent, skilled assistant is undeniable. Meddling with such artifacts often invites scrutiny from forces best left undisturbed.

Game Mechanics:

  • Attunement: To use the Geode, an investigator must study it intently for 24 hours and make a successful Hard Cthulhu Mythos roll. On a success, they understand its functions but lose 1d4 Sanity points as the logic of binding a sentient being into a navigational tool impresses itself upon their mind. On a failure, the attempt is unsuccessful, and they lose 1 Sanity.
  • Passive: Alchemical Acuity. While wearing the Geode, the investigator gains one Bonus Die on any Science (Alchemy or Pharmacy) or Spot Hidden roll to identify chemical substances, poisons, or potions.
  • Passive: Unseen Guidance. The investigator gains one Bonus Die on Navigate rolls when in wilderness or uncharted areas. The opal at the Geode’s core glows faintly when they are on a “correct” or significant path.
  • Action: Summon Alchemical Assistant (Costs 1d4 Sanity and 4 Magic Points). Once per day, the investigator may perform a one-minute ritualistic chant. This summons a silent, humanoid entity of alabaster skin and glowing yellow eyes (Minion 37). The minion lasts for one hour or until dismissed. It is not a combatant but an expert assistant. While the minion is active, the investigator gains the following benefits:
    • Field Alchemist: The minion can produce one Potion of Healing (heals 1d4+1 HP), three Poison Darts for a blowgun (Potency 25), or one Smoke Bomb (creates a 15-foot radius of thick smoke). The minion has the necessary components.
    • Expert Aide: The investigator gains two Bonus Dice on one Craft, Repair, or Science (Alchemy) roll, as the minion provides silent, perfect assistance.
  • Action: Spirit-Wind Artifice (Minion must be summoned). Twice per day, the investigator can command the minion to perform a specialized task. This requires a full round from both investigator and minion. Choose one:
    • Revealing Mist: The minion creates a mist in a 30-foot radius. For the investigator, the mist reveals hidden objects or secret doors as if they had rolled an Extreme Success on a Spot Hidden check.
    • Levitational Fumes: The minion creates an invisible platform of force that can lift the investigator and up to two others 30 feet into the air for one minute.

Blades in the Dark

The Alchemist’s Homing Stone Artifact, Exceptional (Tier IV)

A curious sphere of silver and crystal containing a swirling storm of enchanted sand. Legends from beyond the Shattered Isles speak of it as both a guide for lost souls and the prison of a skilled, silent spirit. For a scoundrel, it is a versatile tool that offers an expert on-call, perfect for jobs requiring both a keen eye and a delicate touch.

Game Mechanics:

  • Load: 1
  • Feature: Expert Attunement. Your connection to the spirit within the stone gives you an edge. When you Survey a location or Tinker with an alchemical device, you gain +1 Effect.
  • Feature: Summon Alchemical Expert. Once per score, you may spend 2 Stress to summon the spirit from the stone. It takes the form of a silent, humanoid figure with alabaster skin and glowing eyes. You gain a temporary Cohort (Expert: Alchemist, Scout) for the remainder of the score. This cohort does not engage in combat but can perform complex alchemical tasks, scout ahead with supernatural stealth, and create diversions.
  • Feature: Alchemical Solution (Requires Cohort). Twice per score, while your Alchemical Expert cohort is active, you can have it perform a miraculous feat of artifice by taking 1 Stress. Choose one:
    • Mist of Revelation: The cohort fills an area with a mist that reveals hidden passages or secrets, allowing you to Create an Advantage with +1d.
    • Unseen Ascent: The cohort creates a temporary platform of solidified air, allowing the crew to bypass a dangerous obstacle or reach an inaccessible area.
    • Warding Zephyr: The cohort creates a swirling wind that protects one crew member, giving them Armor against a non-physical threat (e.g., psychic assault, gas).

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Orb of the Alchemical Navigator Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

This fist-sized sphere of silver and crystal contains a miniature sandstorm swirling around a milky opal. A woven cord allows it to be worn as a necklace. This artifact is a unique fusion of divination magic and planar binding, housing a skilled alchemical spirit that can be called forth to serve as a guide.

  • Spiritual Guidance. While wearing this orb, you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to navigate and cannot become lost except by magical means. The opal glows when you are within 100 feet of a hidden passage or a significant spiritual landmark (such as a desecrated altar or a fey crossing).
  • Alchemical Acuity. You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to identify potions, poisons, and other alchemical substances.
  • Summon Alchemical Guide. Once per day, you can use an action to perform a 1-minute ritual to summon the alchemical spirit from the orb. The spirit appears in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you. It uses the Alchemical Homunculus stat block. It is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. It remains for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, or until you dismiss it as an action.
  • Spirit-Wind Artifice. While the Alchemical Homunculus is summoned, you can use your action to command it to perform a special task. It can perform each of these tasks once per summoning:
    • Revealing Mist: The homunculus creates a 30-foot-radius sphere of mist centered on a point you choose within 60 feet. The mist spreads around corners. You and your allies can see through it clearly, and it reveals the exact location of any secret doors or traps within the area. The mist lasts for 10 minutes.
    • Levitational Fumes: The homunculus creates a 10-foot-square, invisible platform of force at a point you can see within 30 feet. The platform can lift up to 1,000 pounds and can be moved up to 30 feet on your turn (no action required). It lasts for 1 minute.

Alchemical Homunculus Medium construct, neutral

Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14) Speed 30 ft.

STR 14 (+2), DEX 16 (+3), INT 18 (+4), WIS 14 (+2), CON 12 (+1), CHA 8 (-1)

Skills Arcana +7, Investigation +7, Perception +5, Stealth +6 Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t speak

Innate Alchemical Casting. The homunculus’s casting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only material components it produces itself:

  • At will: acid splash, poison spray, prestidigitation (flavored as minor alchemical effects)
  • 3/day each: cure wounds (as a healing salve), fog cloud (as a smoke bomb), grease

Actions

Silvered Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.

Knave (2nd Edition)

The Shaitan’s Orb Takes up 2 inventory slots.

A strange, fist-sized glass sphere in a silver web. A constant sandstorm swirls inside around a glowing opal. It is said to house a skilled but silent genie.

  • Property: The Unseen Path. You cannot become lost in the wilderness. You have advantage on saves made to find hidden things.
  • Property: Alchemist’s Nose. You have advantage on saves made to identify potions or poisons.
  • Ability: Summon the Silent One (Once per day). You can spend 1 minute chanting to summon the spirit from the orb. It is a humanoid with white skin and yellow eyes. It lasts for 1 hour or until dismissed. It obeys your orders.
    • The Silent One: Quality 4, HP 6, Armor 1, Morale 12. Attacks with a silver dagger (d6). It is an expert alchemist and scout. It can create any one of the following items on your command (takes 1 round):
      • A potion that heals 1d8 HP.
      • An acid flask that deals 2d6 damage.
      • A smoke bomb that fills a room with smoke.
      • A levitating platform (10ft square) that can lift the party up to 30 ft and lasts for 10 minutes.

Fate (Core/Accelerated)

Orb of the Whispering Sand Artifact with Aspects: Alchemical Spirit Bound in Sandstone, A Guide’s Eye and a Maker’s Hand

This strange, fist-sized sphere holds a swirling vortex of desert sand around a glowing opal. It is a vessel for a silent, sentient entity—a skilled alchemist and navigator bound to serve the orb’s bearer. The relationship is symbiotic, offering profound guidance and utility, but the spirit’s cold, calculating logic can sometimes be a hindrance.

Game Mechanics:

  • Stunt: Artificer’s Guidance. Because you are linked to a master alchemist and navigator, you get a +2 bonus to Investigate when you try to navigate a perilous environment or identify an unknown alchemical substance.
  • Stunt: Summon Alchemical Guide. Once per session, you can spend a Fate Point to perform a one-minute ritual and summon the spirit from the orb. It appears as a humanoid figure with alabaster skin and glowing yellow eyes. Create a temporary ally character with the aspect Silent Alchemical Expert and skills: Fair (+2) in Stealth and Notice, and Good (+3) in Crafts (Alchemy). The ally remains for the rest of the scene or until you dismiss it.
  • Stunt: Spirit-Wind Artifice (Requires Summoned Guide). While your Alchemical Guide is present, once per scene, you can command it to create a powerful effect by creating an advantage.
    • Revealing Mist: The guide creates a thick fog. You automatically succeed at creating the situation aspect Revealing Opal Haze with two free invocations for you and your allies to use for finding hidden things within it.
    • Levitational Fumes: The guide creates an invisible platform. You automatically succeed at creating the situation aspect Solid Plume of Vapor with two free invocations for you and your allies to use for overcoming gaps or reaching high places.

Numenera & Cypher System

The Alchemist’s Geode Artifact

A fist-sized crystalline sphere encased in a silver lattice, worn as a pendant. A perpetual storm of fine sand swirls inside, centered on a milky opal that pulses with soft light. The geode is a psycho-reactive vessel that houses a semi-sentient, synthetic entity capable of advanced alchemical and navigational tasks.

  • Level: 6
  • Form: A fist-sized sphere of silver and crystal containing a swirling sandstorm.
  • Effect: The geode has several functions:
    • Passive: While wearing the geode, all tasks involving navigation in the wilderness and identifying alchemical or chemical substances are eased.
    • Action: Summon Alchemical Aide. Once per day, the user can concentrate for one minute to summon a level 4 entity from the geode. This entity (the Alchemical Aide) is an NPC that acts on the user’s turn and follows their commands. It is trained in stealth, perception, and all tasks involving alchemy. It remains for one hour or until it is destroyed or dismissed.
    • Enabler: Coordinated Artifice. While the Alchemical Aide is active, the user can command it to perform a special task. This can be done twice per summoning. The user spends 3 Intellect points, and the Aide takes an action to create one of the following effects:
      • Revealing Mist: The Aide creates a cloud of mist in a short-range radius that lasts for ten minutes. For the user and their allies, the mist reveals the location of all secret doors, traps, and hidden objects.
      • Levitational Platform: The Aide creates an invisible, stable platform of force up to immediate range away. The platform is 3 meters by 3 meters and can lift up to five creatures. It lasts for one minute.
  • Depletion: 1-2 on a d20 (check after each summoning).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Orb of the Alchemical Guide Item 9 Traits Unique Alchemical Conjuration Divination Invested Magical Price 650 gp Usage worn amulet; Bulk L

This fist-sized sphere of silver and crystal contains a miniature sandstorm swirling around a milky opal. This artifact is a unique fusion of divination magic and planar binding, housing a skilled alchemical spirit that can be called forth to serve as a guide.

When you invest this item, you gain a +1 item bonus to Survival checks to Sense Direction and to Crafting checks to Identify Alchemy. The opal glows when you are within 100 feet of a hidden passage or an area of strong spiritual significance.

Activate [three-actions] command, envision, interact; Frequency once per day; Effect You perform a 1-minute ritual to summon the alchemical spirit from the orb. It appears in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you. The spirit uses the statistics for a Homunculus Crafter, but it has an alabaster appearance with glowing yellow eyes, and its master is you. It remains for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 Hit Points, or until you dismiss it (a single action, which has the concentrate trait).

Activate [two-actions] command; Requirements Your summoned alchemical spirit is within 30 feet of you; Frequency twice per day; Effect You command the spirit to perform a task of spirit-wind artifice, creating one of the following effects:

  • Revealing Mist: The spirit creates a 30-foot burst of mist centered on a point within 60 feet. For you and your allies, this mist functions as if you are using see invisibility to perceive everything within it, and it reveals the outlines of all traps and secret doors. The mist lasts for 10 minutes.
  • Levitational Fumes: The spirit creates a 10-foot-square, horizontal platform of solidified, invisible force at a point within 30 feet. It can be created at any height and can hold up to 50 Bulk. It lasts for 1 minute.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

The Shaitan’s Orb Arcane Device Requirements: Seasoned, Arcane Background, Spirit d6+

This fist-sized orb of silver and crystal contains a perpetual sandstorm. It houses a minor genie, or “shaitan,” a skilled alchemist and navigator bound to the orb’s wearer.

  • Passive: The Guide’s Eye. The wearer gains a +1 bonus to Survival rolls for navigation and a +1 bonus to Occult or Repair rolls to identify alchemical items or strange devices.
  • Power: Summon Alchemical Shaitan (Action). Once per day, the user can activate the orb with a successful Spirit roll to summon the shaitan, which appears adjacent to them. The shaitan is a unique Wild Card ally that remains for 1 hour or until dismissed. It uses the stats below.
  • Power: Coordinated Artifice (Action). Twice per day while the shaitan is summoned, the user may command it to perform a special task. This requires a successful Spellcasting roll from the user.
    • Revealing Mist: Replicates the detect arcana power with the Lingering and Area of Effect (Large Burst Template) modifiers. It also reveals mundane traps and secret doors within the template.
    • Levitational Fumes: Replicates the fly power, but it creates a 10″ (20-yard) square platform that can carry up to five individuals. It can be moved with the user’s action and lasts for 10 minutes.
    • Zephyr’s Ward: Replicates the protection power with the Area of Effect (Large Burst Template) and Lingering modifiers, granting +2 Armor to all allies within the template for 10 minutes.

Alchemical Shaitan Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d4, Repair d8, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d8, Survival d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 Hindrances: Mute, Servitude, Vow (Major: Must obey the wearer of the orb) Edges: Alchemist, Alertness Powers: Bolt (acid flask), boost/lower Trait (alchemical concoction), obscure (smoke bomb). Power Points: 15

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Halime’s Alchemical Servitor Artifact, Magical Focus (Power, Force 7)

This artifact is a singular piece of pre-Awakening magic, a fist-sized crystalline sphere encased in a silver lattice and worn as an amulet. Within it, a storm of enchanted sand swirls around a glowing opal. It is a powerful spirit fetish that does not bind a natural spirit, but instead calls forth a unique, artificially crafted spirit—a homunculus of magical force with an innate understanding of alchemy and navigation. Bonding with it requires the user to harmonize their own aura with the complex, dual-natured magic within.

Game Mechanics:

  • Bonding: Requires 14 Karma to bond.
  • Passive Focus: While the focus is active, the bearer gains a dice pool bonus equal to half the focus’s Force (rounded down, 3) to all Outdoors (Navigation) and Alchemy skill tests. The bearer also gains a +2 dice pool bonus to resist toxins and gas-based attacks.
  • Summon Alchemical Servitor (Complex Action): Once per day, the user may perform a 1-minute ritual chant to summon the servitor. This calls forth a unique Force 7 Spirit of Man with the appearance of Minion 37. It remains in service for a number of hours equal to its Force (7) or until dismissed. It is a bound spirit and cannot be banished by others. In place of standard spirit powers, it has the following unique abilities and skills:
    • Skills: Alchemy 7, Assensing 5, Exotic Weapon (Blowgun) 5, Perception 7, Stealth 7
    • Powers: Alchemical Preparation (see below), Concealment, Magical Guard, Vanish
  • Alchemical Preparation (Spirit Power): As a Complex Action, the servitor can use its innate knowledge to produce one of the following alchemical effects without needing physical reagents. Each use of this power costs one of its services for the day.
    • Revealing Mist: The spirit creates a specialized fog equivalent to the Thermal Smoke spell at Force 7. For the summoner and those they designate, this fog is a shimmering mist that reveals hidden objects, traps, and astral signatures within it.
    • Levitational Fumes: The spirit creates a platform of solidified, energized gas equivalent to the Levitate spell at Force 7, capable of lifting a group of people.
    • Zephyr’s Ward: The spirit creates a swirling shield of wind around the summoner that functions as the Deflection spell at Force 7, providing a defensive bonus against ranged attacks.
  • Availability: 22F; Cost: Priceless (would sell for no less than 750,000¥ on the black market)

Starfinder

The Alchemist’s Animus Geode Magic Item, Level 15 Price 125,000 credits; Bulk L

A relic of a forgotten culture that fused spirit-binding with alchemical science, this fist-sized crystalline sphere contains a swirling sandstorm around a milky opal. Worn as an amulet, it acts as a vessel for a sentient, extraplanar entity with expertise in navigation and alchemy, which can be called forth to serve its master.

Game Mechanics:

  • Passive Benefits: While wearing the geode, you gain a +3 insight bonus to Mysticism and Survival checks. The opal glows brightly when you are within 120 feet of a powerful source of magic or a significant natural hazard.
  • Summon Alchemical Guide (1 minute, concentration): Once per day, you can perform a ritual to summon the alchemical guide from the geode. It appears in an unoccupied space within 15 feet. The guide is a unique creature (use the Alchemical Eidolon stat block). It is loyal to you and follows your commands to the best of its ability. It remains for 1 hour, until its Hit Points are reduced to 0, or until you dismiss it as a standard action.
  • Coordinated Artifice (Standard Action): While the Alchemical Eidolon is summoned, you can command it to perform a special task. It can use each of the following abilities once per summoning.
    • Revealing Mist: The eidolon creates a 30-foot radius of shimmering mist that lasts for 10 minutes. For you and your allies, this mist functions as see invisibility and automatically reveals the presence of any non-magical traps or secret doors.
    • Levitational Fumes: The eidolon creates a 10-foot-square, horizontal platform of invisible force that lasts for 1 minute. It can hold 1,500 pounds and can be moved 30 feet as a move action.
    • Zephyr’s Ward: The eidolon creates a swirling shield of wind around a creature you choose (including yourself) within 60 feet. For 10 minutes, the target gains a +2 insight bonus to AC against ranged attacks and resistance 10 against acid and poison.

Alchemical Eidolon CR 8 N Medium outsider (elemental) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16 HP 115; EAC 20; KAC 21 Fort +7; Ref +7; Will +11 Immunities elemental immunities (poison, paralysis, sleep) Skills Acrobatics +16, Mysticism +21, Stealth +21, Survival +16 Speed 30 ft. Melee silvered claw +15 (2d6+8 S) Offense Alchemical Creations (can create and throw a vial of acid, fire, or cold as a ranged attack at +17, dealing 4d6 damage of the chosen type).

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

The Shaper’s Orb Ancient Artifact (Tech Level 18)

A fist-sized sphere of an unknown, transparent crystal held in a silver lattice. Inside, a miniature storm of nanites mimics swirling sand around a glowing power source. This device is a marvel of Precursor technology, a combination of a sophisticated navigational computer and a portable fabricator capable of deploying a sentient, holographic assistant.

Game Mechanics:

  • Passive Effects: The orb’s passive sensor suite grants the user DM+2 on all Survival (navigation) and Science (chemistry) checks. It also provides a warning buzz when it detects hazardous airborne chemicals, granting DM+1 on Endurance checks to resist them.
  • Active Effect: Deploy Holographic Aide (1 minute). Once per day, the user may activate the orb to project a stable, solid-light hologram of a humanoid figure with alabaster skin and glowing eyes. This Aide is an advanced AI (use Robot stats with all skills at level 2, with Science (chemistry) and Survival at level 3). It is not designed for combat but can interact with physical objects. It remains active for one hour.
  • Active Effect: Coordinated Fabrication (Minor Action). While the Holographic Aide is active, the user can command it to use the orb’s internal fabricator to create a specific effect. This may be done twice per day.
    • Sensor Mist: The Aide deploys a cloud of sensor-baffling nanites in a 10-meter radius. To the user’s comms system, this mist reveals a detailed schematic of the area, highlighting structural weaknesses, hidden compartments, and active energy signatures.
    • Gravitic Platform: The Aide projects a powerful, invisible gravitic field, 3 meters square, capable of lifting up to 500 kg. The platform can be moved up to 10 meters per round and lasts for 10 minutes.
    • Kinetic Deflection Field: The Aide creates a swirling field of kinetic energy around the user, granting them an effect equivalent to Armour 4 against ranged attacks for 10 minutes.

Warhammer

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

The Geode of the Arabyan Alchemist Magical Artifact Encumbrance: 10

A rare and potent artifact brought back from the Crusades in Araby, this crystalline sphere holds a swirling desert storm in miniature. It is said to house a bound Djinn, a spirit of wind and cunning artifice. The chanting and rituals required to command it are strange and foreign, making it a dangerous tool for an unprepared wizard.

  • Passive: The Djinn’s Counsel. While carrying the Geode, the wielder gains a +15 bonus to their Lore (Alchemy) and Navigate Tests.
  • Property: Summon Alchemical Djinn. Once per week, the wielder can perform a 10-minute ritual of chanting to summon the Djinn from the Geode. It appears as a humanoid figure of pale skin and glowing eyes, bound to the wielder’s will. It uses the profile of a Minor Elemental of Chamon, but it cannot be dispelled and is automatically friendly. It remains for one hour.
  • Property: Command the Storm’s Artifice. While the Djinn is summoned, the wielder can use a Full Action to command it to perform a feat of alchemy. The wielder must make a Challenging (+0) Lore (Alchemy) Test. If successful, the Djinn creates one of the following effects. This may be done twice per summoning.
    • Mist of Revelation: The Djinn breathes a thick fog in a 10-yard radius. The wielder and their allies can see through it perfectly, and it reveals the presence of all hidden mechanisms, doors, or magical traps.
    • Sorcerer’s Carpet: The Djinn weaves the winds into a solid, invisible platform (4 yards square) that can lift up to five people into the air. It can fly at the wielder’s normal Pace and lasts for one hour.
    • Desert Ward: The Djinn creates a swirling shield of wind around the wielder. For one hour, any non-magical missile fired at the wielder is automatically deflected and misses.

Warhammer 40,000 (Rogue Trader)

The Navigator’s Animus Sphere Archeotech Artifact of the Dark Age of Technology

A relic of unparalleled sophistication, this crystalline sphere contains what appears to be a swirling storm of particulate matter. In reality, it is a complex psycho-reactive vessel housing an advanced and sentient Machine Spirit (AI). When activated by a worthy user, it deploys a “Man of Stone,” a synthetic humanoid aide with a vast repository of alchemical and navigational lore. The Adeptus Mechanicus would declare this Abominable Intelligence, but for a Rogue Trader, it is a tool of immense value.

  • Passive: Integrated Cogitator. The sphere’s passive analysis grants the user a +15 bonus on all Navigation (Surface) and Tech-Use tests to identify or craft chemical compounds.
  • Effect: Awaken the Man of Stone. Once per week, the user may perform a one-minute litany of activation. This causes the sphere to deploy a humanoid construct of alabaster skin and glowing yellow eyes. This “Man of Stone” is a unique ally (use the stats for a Praetorian Servitor, but with Intelligence 45 and forbidden lore skills). It is completely loyal and remains for one hour.
  • Effect: Command Artifice. While the Man of Stone is active, the user may use a Full Action to command it to perform one of the following tasks. Each may be used once per deployment.
    • Sensor-Baffling Fog: The construct deploys a cloud of nanites in a 30-meter radius that blocks all technological sensors and auspex scans. For the user and their allies, their personal cogitators display a full tactical schematic of the area.
    • Gravitic Lift: The construct emits a powerful anti-gravitic field, creating an invisible platform (10m x 10m) that can lift several tons and moves at a rate of 20m per round under the user’s direction. It lasts for 10 minutes.
    • Kinetic Ward: The construct projects a defensive field around the user, granting them a Force Field with a Protection Rating of 35 for one hour.