The Primordial Spheres
The Primordial Spheres are ten potent magic
items, one for each of the great elder gods called primordials. It is said
that each sphere was a gift forged from the primordial darkness, an embodiment
of the sacred power and knowledge of the old gods. The primordials coveted
these spheres, and kept within them the essence of their might, their magic and
their secrets.
When the Enkanneth, the first men, rose up
against the primordials and their chaoskin followers they did so with
deliberate action, seeking out the hidden places in the Outworld where the
primordials kept their spheres. Each Enkanneth stole the power from the
spheres, taking all of the energy and lore contained within into themselves.
When they were done, the spheres were cast aside, drained of the cosmic energy
that had granted true divinity to the elder gods.
The legends say these spheres were discarded as
useless, but useless to an Enkanneth...a man-made god....is a decidedly
different connotation than useless to mere mortals. The spheres have appeared
in various regions of the world, often coveted by those who find them, as each
one, despite being drained of most power, still contain significant magical abilities
that mere men can readily exploit.
Each sphere is about the size of a crystal ball
(think a bowling ball) and exhibits a miasma of swirling colors characteristic
of its title. The sphere cannot be used without first being attuned to the
user: this requires one day of quiet meditation with the orb, after which the
user is irrevocably connected to the orb until death or a remove curse breaks
the attunement. To invoke the power of the sphere, one need only hold it firmly
in both hands and concentrate. Unfortunately such power is also corrupting:
each sphere has side-effects if possessed for too long. The side effects appear
in three stages; the first stage can be stripped away with the remove curse
that breaks the attunement. The second and third stages are more complex, and
only a wish can remove their effects.
Here then are a few of the Primordial Spheres
known in existence today:
The Cerulean Sphere of Trigaril
The sphere of the primordial of the seas is a
deep blue in color, seemingly as if it were a hollowed glass ball with a slice
of the deep ocean poured inside. The bearer of this sphere is able to breath
water and can swim at his normal movement rate without problem, or suffer any
encumbering effects of armor while in the water. The bearer of the sphere gains
the following:
Magic
Reservoir: equal to user’s MP
Spells: Bounty of the Sea (4), Breath of Life (1)
Corruption: After 1D6 weeks the bearer of the sphere begins to develop gills
and webbed feet and toes. After another 1D4 months the bearer can no longer
survive out of water for more than 12 hours. After 1D4 years the bearer loses
the ability to breath air entirely. These effects transpire regardless of any
shape-changing or transmogrification.
The Vermillion Sphere of Verethax
The sphere appears to be a glass portal into a smoldering
inferno, and is always searing hot to the touch; it deals 1D6 fire damage to
any who hold it, except for the one who is attuned to its use. The Vermillion
Sphere allows the bearer the following:
Magic
Reservoir: equal to user’s MP
Spells: Flame Walking (4), Flames of the Sun (4), Guide Fire (4),
Sorcerer’s Sharp Flame (4); note that the sphere itself counts as a source of
fire for spells like guide fire.
Other
Traits: In addition the bearer of
the sphere is immune to fire damage, and can speak the language of fire
elementals with innate ability at 100% skill (this is lost if the attunement is
broken).
Corruption: after 1D6 weeks the bearer of the stone develops elemental traits
from the plane of fire, and finds that anything he or she comes into contact
with that can burn will ignite (1D6 fire damage). After 1D4 additional months
the bearer of the stone develops the ability to migrate to and from the
elemental plane of fire at will. After 1D4 years the bearer of the stone
assumes the full properties of a fire elemental of equivalent skill and power.
The Ebon Sphere of Yoka Vataras
This sphere is made of pure darkness, a swirling
nothingness that all but disappears when the lights are out. The bearer of the
sphere immediately gains the power of darksense, a unique trait which allows
the bearer of the stone to "see" in total darkness as if it were day,
albeit in shades of gray. The bearer of the sphere may cast the following
spells:
Magic
Reservoir: equal to the attuned
user’s MP.
Spells: Midnight (1), Summon Demon (1),
Sorcerer’s Soul (3), Sorcerer’s Weakness (3), Undo Sorcery (4).
Corruption: The quintessence of the void suffuses the attuned bearer with dark
energy, and within 1D6 weeks the bearer takes on the outward appearance of a spirit
shade, with skin of shadow and murky darkness wreathing his form wherever he
goes. In another 1D4 months the bearer loses his corporeal body, becoming
incorporeal, though still able to manipulate the orb. After 1D4 years the
bearer becomes an Intellect Spirit. While in this form the bearer is beyond
human understanding, but some form of great magic such as a wish or the power
of a demiurge removing the curse will restore him to his old life.
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