orbs. ORBS. ORBS!!!! A THOUSAND TIMES ORBS!!!!!!!!! (tuck in sandbox)

[MoonHunter]

This thread has been culled from some chats between Manfred and MoonHunter.  They have to do with Corvus and his Orbs.  

Yes, we are still working on those.

You see, I was contemplating making a Corvus supplement.  The Main Orbs are the "big movers" behind the scenes of any campaign they are included in.  All of human history for the last 1300 years has been the public face of the Main Orb's goals and actions.  So a supplement would require enough to fill in 32 or so pages of a PDF.  I need about 18 more good ORBs to make this work.  Here are some of the working ideas and conversations about them.  If you have ideas or comments upon the below, feel free to chime in... after all that is what it is here for.  


03:55:29 [manfred] You mentioned the magical numer of
"18" recently. Why 18?

03:58:01 [MoonHunter] To make a Net book of at least
32 pages. The Orbs, plus associated groups and places,
plus Corvus's write up needs 18 more pages of info.
Figure one orb per page

03:58:21 [MoonHunter] Figure every three orbs will
have an associated place and such...

03:58:57 [MoonHunter] Correction: to make a proper
PDF, possible print suppliment, you need at least 32
pages.

03:59:10 [manfred] Ahah. Well, how many have are there
already?

04:03:00 [manfred] (Can surely give one page to
'pointless', or less-powered orbs, that the GM can
insert at will or at need, particularly Orbs that
suddenly found another use... to surprise the
players.)

04:04:23 [MoonHunter] the existing orbs, plus Corvus,
plus Corvis, plus Asylum (add one orb), plus the
Temple of the Forgotten God and the Order of the
Forgotten... is 14 pages or so

04:05:12 [MoonHunter] There can be a page of pointless
orbs, that leaves us with 17 or so orbs

04:05:39 [MoonHunter] Orb of Clean clothes.. Orb of
insect destruction... and so on...

04:05:40 [manfred] So it needs... one more Orb?

04:08:17 [manfred] I was thinking about some kind of
musical Orb... that anyone can use intuitively... it
just needs THAT little quirk all Corvus' items should
have.

04:16:39 [MoonHunter] I am looking for "bigger" orbs,
mostly so they can promote Big Story Arcs in a
campaign. A list of cool magic items was not the
point. I was thinking about things that you could base
a campaign around.

04:16:44 [MoonHunter] or in and around.

04:17:25 [manfred] Well, it still needs that one more
Orb.

04:18:59 [manfred] And I have no idea what kind of...

04:20:03 [MoonHunter] Music orb... much like a skill
grant... like the Sword of the Warlord... and this one
is a musical style snob or is trying to shape music in
the known world....

04:20:45 [manfred] Well it would need some kind of
twist...

04:21:15 [manfred] Known bards get often to the rich
and powerful...

04:21:37 [manfred] Could do some manipulation... but
to what end?

04:22:02 [MoonHunter] An Orb that thinks its Elvis?
the Greatest Musician of all time?

04:22:25 [manfred] Elvis lives!

04:23:49 [manfred] Needs a short paragraph somewhere,
about Orbs gone crazy...

04:23:57 [MoonHunter] this orb has found its way into
the possession of every "great" musician since
Corvus's time....

04:24:19 [MoonHunter] Not only does it grant a
master's level of skill....

04:24:24 [MoonHunter] I can do this one....

04:24:37 [MoonHunter] let me tinker with it and I will
post it tommorow..

04:24:50 [MoonHunter] What was the name of that
book...

04:25:33 [MoonHunter] There was an magikal artist that
was trying to become the master limer for all time...
He kep possesing the bodies of young artists.

04:26:12 [manfred] Moment... This one will surely be
talkative among its peers...

04:26:50 [MoonHunter] And they will ignore him... as
he is a prattle...

04:27:19 [MoonHunter] I mean most of these Orbs are
"serious" about their field. This guy wants to deal
with music? I can see their attitude.

04:27:35 [manfred] "I had this great performance
yesterday for the WarDuke (tm), but he and his guests
talked only about some stupid war preparing... humans
are idiots..."

04:27:56 [manfred] Well, would they listen?

04:28:38 [MoonHunter] Maybe... but it would be like
pulling teeth to get anything useful out of him... and
who know he could be wrong...

04:29:01 [MoonHunter] The sword of the Warlord and
this one might get along....

04:29:09 [MoonHunter] But this one is a wild card...

04:29:48 [manfred] It is a source of potentially
important info...

04:29:57 [manfred] Boring most of the time.

04:31:05 [manfred] Wow, this one could do it.

04:32:08 [MoonHunter] Elvis has possibilities.

04:32:45 [MoonHunter] Another I was tinkering with was
a Garden Orb. This is in a castle garden, but it is
controlling the growths of every plant for a hundred
or two miles around it

04:33:25 [manfred] The relations between the Orbs
should be written down... and what kind of information
they exchange, if at all...

04:33:30 [MoonHunter] Sort of a Diameter/ Mother Earth
sort of Orb... She manipulates the nobles to support
the farms and vinyards. She makes sure the plants grow
well, despit the weather...

04:34:26 [manfred] Garden Orb? What's its relation to
that druidic 'god' one?

04:35:02 [manfred] Positive? Negative? Sometimes anger
one another?

04:35:56 [MoonHunter] It does weather, so she might be
allied with it. She might be making sure this kingdom
is supportive of Druids.

04:36:26 [manfred] That location needs a name too.
'Paradise Gardens' or 'Blessed Lands' or something.

04:38:14 [manfred] Might need other allies, so the
place is not overrun with immigrants..

04:38:37 [MoonHunter] It could just be a given
country/ county/ region. Known for being "Paradise on
Earth"

04:39:02 [MoonHunter] All orbs can manipulate minds
around them.. boost up her range and she can do it.

04:39:43 [manfred] Name or nickname, so be it.

04:40:50 [manfred] So, what is missing yet? Where are
the holes to fill?

04:41:21 [MoonHunter] Well.. I am still cooking the
Green Orb and Elvis (man that name is going to be hard
to loose)

04:41:29 [MoonHunter] And the Land the Green Orb is
in.

04:41:55 [MoonHunter] 15 more to go and 2 more extras

04:44:10 [MoonHunter] Elvis just needs a better twist.
I am still working on green orb... she is bouncing
around in my head....

04:44:31 [MoonHunter] Think up ideas...

04:44:57 [MoonHunter] I can chug out orbs.. I just
want good ones...

04:45:16 [manfred] Won't be easy...

04:45:21 [MoonHunter] Maybe I should put up a page for
people to enter Tiny orbs...those 1600 other ones...

04:45:27 [MoonHunter] Nothing worth doing is easy.

04:45:35 [MoonHunter] I am also very, very picky. I
know that.

04:45:41 [MoonHunter] <---Gaming snob

04:46:43 [manfred] Just wait till that +5 vorpal Orb
arrives...

04:47:05 [manfred] Insert into any weapon of your
choosing.

04:47:32 [MoonHunter] Ack

04:48:12 [MoonHunter] Orb of Sharpness. It was a
kitchen item, keeping all the blades sharp in the
kitchen. Somebody mounted the bauble in a blade...

04:48:14 [manfred] Maybe we could return to Corvus...
what would a near immortal, crazy mad wizard need?

04:48:53 [MoonHunter] Most of the items would be to
make his life easier... hence the domestically useful
ones (though not as useful once they are taken out of
their envrionment)

04:49:10 [MoonHunter] Then there are the traditional
commissioned items...

04:49:38 [MoonHunter] or the wierd ass ones... like
the Orb of Skeleton control...

04:50:01 [manfred] What does that do?!

04:50:34 [MoonHunter] Skeleton control, probably
allows you to animate and control skeletons around
you.

04:51:05 [MoonHunter] That gets in the right hands...
it is okay. That gets in the wrong hands... it goes
bad. Kind of like Charlie's marble.

04:49:26 [manfred] Why is he obsessed with Orbs
anyway?
04:50:14 [MoonHunter] He was insane. (The only real
explanation... I made like six orbs and Corvus became
the mage of Orbs (despite that I wrote up a ring and a sword)

04:51:12 [manfred] Of course, it could need just a
little rationale...

04:51:31 [manfred] If it's 1618 Orbs.

04:51:50 [manfred] Rationale enough for a Madman, I
mean.

04:52:17 [manfred] Is it the perfectness of shape or
something?

04:54:18 [manfred] Some story the players may find in
a dusty tome... so they never know if it is right...
but can have now suspicions towards all round
objects...

04:55:27 [MoonHunter] Tesla had an issue with orbs. He
was amazed by their shape and they frightened him for
some reason. Nearly married a Rockafeller I think it
was, except she wore a pearl neckless to their first
meeting.

[MoonHunter]

The previous lost part of the Log has to do with how orbs manipulate people.  

04:24:24 [manfred] Back to 'Dreams'.

04:24:41 [manfred] Is it a way of manipulation?

04:26:03 [MoonHunter] It easily could be.

04:26:21 [MoonHunter] Manipulates the subconcious...
that could have effects in the waking world

04:26:21 [manfred] Would solve many problems for Orbs.

04:27:01 [manfred] 'Manipulating humans fast&easy!'

04:27:23 [MoonHunter] well not as fast as simple mind
control... which is how some of the orbs are doing
it...

04:27:56 [MoonHunter] force of their immortal will vs
the weak minds of transient humans

04:28:50 [manfred] But that gets problematic once they
'wake up'. Why did I come here?

04:28:54 [MoonHunter] but certainly longer lasting...

04:29:01 [manfred] Dreams are better.

04:29:22 [MoonHunter] Depends on how you control
them... send a passing thought and have them believe
it is theirs

04:29:30 [MoonHunter] Dreams are good.

04:29:54 [manfred] We argue a bit? Makes for a fine
point of dispute between Orbs!

04:30:29 [manfred] What is Evil and what they humans
deserve.

04:30:57 [MoonHunter] Some Orbs are "Good" or so they
believe

04:31:07 [manfred] So the 'good' Orbs won't use mind
control as often... voila.

04:31:28 [MoonHunter] Some are Evil (well one) and the
rest are just interested in thier own affairs.

04:32:10 [manfred] We already had Motives, now we have
Principles.

04:32:20 [MoonHunter] The Orb of Bones (Skeleton
control) imagine a glass globe inside a bone formed
dodecahedron (d12)

04:32:43 [manfred] Heyyy... that's nice!

04:33:17 [MoonHunter] It is not evil.. it is not good.
It just controls bones. I think its "twist" is that it
is trying to make

04:33:46 [MoonHunter] the world safe for undead. It
will control an army for you, but not let you waste
the poor skeletons in a senseless battle...

04:34:05 [MoonHunter] oh god. Liches? They are just
Skeletons with magical power.

04:34:16 [MoonHunter] Litches... How do you spell that

04:34:27 [MoonHunter] Lichs?

04:34:35 [manfred] Cool... I just meant this to be
another item...

04:34:43 [manfred] Now it is an Orb.

04:34:50 [manfred] I think Liches.

04:35:01 [MoonHunter] When it popped up in my head...
I thought of that image

04:35:13 [MoonHunter] now I just need to make it as
cool as its description.

04:35:42 [MoonHunter] So this thing will let you
control liches... oh there are a few liches who would
make sure that this magic orb is lost.

04:35:45 [MoonHunter] or in their hands

04:36:11 [MoonHunter] Perhaps the orb will promote the
cause of Skeletons... teaching people how to make
them...

04:36:40 [manfred] Or, the liches are in the Orbs
hands? (metaphorically?)

04:36:48 [MoonHunter] It might not be able to animate
them, but perhaps it can heal them..

04:37:02 [MoonHunter] (yes.. metaphorically)

04:37:07 [manfred] Cause of Skeletons ~ ... no.

04:37:41 [manfred] Healing would be possible.

04:39:21 [manfred] Hmmm... something in the afterworld
business.

04:40:03 [manfred] Making people respect their
ancestors? No, not really.

04:40:40 [manfred] *digging in Undead World for
something*

04:41:12 [MoonHunter] be back in jsut a moment...
First lets ask why he made the damm thing?

04:41:28 [MoonHunter] Did he want clerical turn undead
when a cleric friend was not around?

04:42:01 [MoonHunter] Did he build it for a
necromancer? (unlikely). Did he make it for a
historian which was digging up bones of ancient
animals?

04:42:19 [manfred] Maybe only for entertainment, to
let bones dance?

04:43:20 [manfred] As I mentioned before, there must
be a size limit against munchkins.

04:44:33 [manfred] Maybe he was at some point under
siege, and he scared the attackers with their dead
companions?

04:45:07 [manfred] But not all ancient animals need to
be large, of course...

04:45:31 [manfred] Wait... historian... limit on
humanoids...

04:46:09 [manfred] There is one power that could be
very useful...

04:46:34 [MoonHunter] Yes and we have not addressed if
it can effect the bones of a living thing.

04:46:40 [MoonHunter] shudder

04:46:41 [manfred] And may stay unidentified (or the
Orb may leave it that way...)

04:46:59 [manfred] Speak With Dead.

04:47:28 [MoonHunter] And the Orb actually controls
the power, not the wielder... so it does what you
ask...most of the time and gives you mostly what you
want

04:47:37 [manfred] I was thinking about living, but...
no.

04:48:10 [manfred] So if you can't control the skelet
the right way, your fault!

04:48:22 [MoonHunter] That Gives the GM the Munchkin
control. All the Orbs are like Ego 20 to use the D&D
terms... nobody really tells them what to do.. they
are NPCs in their own right

04:48:28 [manfred] Ahah! Another Orb is born!

04:48:42 [MoonHunter] Did I miss one?

04:49:06 [manfred] THIS one is it.

04:49:15 [MoonHunter] We have the Green Orb, Elivs
(have to figure out a better name), Orb of Bones, and
...?

04:49:39 [manfred] Just a moment, a snippet out of
Undead World...

04:50:00 [MoonHunter] (That was a great thread by the
way)

04:50:01 [manfred] ...a god of Death had moral qualms:
the Undead are an unnatural deformity to the process
of death and birth. Since they are from parts of
souls, they can be unique. And once created, they are
self-suficient entities, in very rare cases able to
turn to good. Simply destroying them may not be right.

04:50:27 [manfred] So this could be a guardien of
Undead of sorts.

04:50:46 [MoonHunter] Ah. this item has given itself a
purpose...

04:50:57 [manfred] (thanks for liking... it sadly is
dead now...)

04:50:59 [MoonHunter] after all... who knows undead
better than it.

04:51:28 [manfred] Yes. Protect undead and make them
in a way useful, or something.

04:51:35 [MoonHunter] (we could resurrect it... after
all it is not dead, just mostly dead...)

04:52:19 [MoonHunter] I should read that thread
through... it might inspire the Orb of Bones...

04:52:21 [manfred] How is its view on Necromancers and
those Liches and similar?

04:52:43 [MoonHunter] yet to be determined.

04:52:54 [MoonHunter] Liches are just another type of
skeleton to it.

04:53:09 [MoonHunter] Smart skeletons, but skeletons.

04:53:26 [MoonHunter] oooohh what if the Orb could
grant intelligence to the mindless skeletons.

04:53:33 [manfred] Do the Bone Dance.

04:54:08 [manfred] It may not be able to control
them... as it is not its power.

04:54:11 [MoonHunter] They may not be really smart,
but they would have their own soul fragment...

04:54:15 [manfred] But yes!

04:54:53 [manfred] It could even break control from
its owner/creator!

04:54:55 [MoonHunter] Maybe the item was originally
designed for a funerary device... to help someone do
last rites on people

04:55:26 [MoonHunter] thus able to manipulate the soul
(or whats left) and trying to give the remains of the
bodies a sembleance of life?

04:55:50 [MoonHunter] Creating undead in an attempt to
"save" people from death.

04:56:29 [MoonHunter] And the Orb of bones could be
the sponsor of your world of undead.

04:56:42 [manfred] Does not fit to me with Corvus...
although, if he created the first undead...

04:56:56 [manfred] That man makes history.

04:57:03 [MoonHunter] By its twisted logic, it is
doing good by saving some small bit of life... while
it is actually creating undead

04:57:14 [MoonHunter] Lets say some religion
commissioned the item.

04:57:39 [MoonHunter] Religion gets killed off (I mean
it was 2100 to 1300 years ago he made it.)

04:57:43 [manfred] there is still the historian that
researched the past...

04:57:57 [MoonHunter] Item bounces around... like the
marble...

04:58:01 [MoonHunter] I like that part.

04:58:09 [MoonHunter] The historian

04:58:13 [MoonHunter] hmmmmmm

04:58:31 [manfred] talking with long dead themselves!

[MoonHunter]

This thread follows up that an ORB could be in charge of Assylum or some prison city.

An Orb of Keeping: It runs a magikal prison somewhere (or maybe even inside of it). Very cool. The upper levels of the prision could be a dungeon of sorts. The Lower level could be the bizzare prison based society where their every basic need is met by the ORB of Keeping.

It probably started as a tool for the warden. It learned its strong lawful properties then. When the disease broke out, it took up the responsibilities. Now it is a LAWFUL dictator of this bizzare little society.

Another orb idea to go with Mother Green, Elvis, and Orb of Bones is The Orb of Body: This one started as a healing tool. It allows you to look through the body, and fix things. It can heal any disease. It can also cause any disease and inflict any harm it so it desires on a living thing.

Do no harm was one of its original rules. However, now it thinks that Do No Harm in the end is the real rule. A little disease or injury (removing something negative like a tumor) can be good for the body of society as a whole. So now it sees nothing of keeping Orcish and Elvish populations down because it does less harm to all involved in the end... Hmmm. Seems intersting. More things to do.



07:23:27 [manfred] A warden that goes a bit too far... that is the
idea. Now I ask myself, wouldn't the inhabitants look a bit strange, some
deformed or with rare diseases, due to interbreeding? I think the
'Newcomers' might fix it. Hooo... special customs in the sexual field. The
Newcomers get all the babes, really.

07:24:04 [MoonHunter] oh... so true. The Orb might now have any power
to make the inbreeding better...

07:24:53 [manfred] The more docile ones are chosen... wow what a
tyranny.

07:25:27 [manfred] Evolving the 'No Harm' principle? Oh my... the
nicest form might be spreading non-terminal but weakening diseases might be one form. Needs a few more examples, and some location, or travelling
guise.

07:25:53 [MoonHunter] Oh it could be more fun. He could make the
prisioners did and expand the prision population.

07:26:38 [MoonHunter] And the orb of body (need a better name...) It is
the most powerful orb as it is shaping the world's society in its
image.

07:27:43 [manfred] The Orb of Healing is deeply twisted... "You need to
be healed."

07:28:11 [MoonHunter] "Society needs to be healed of your cancerous
presence"

07:28:53 [MoonHunter] It could of been responsible for the destruction
of the Empire that built the Prision

07:29:19 [manfred] For the removing of the unrecoverable parts?

07:28:35 [manfred] Oh...

07:28:46 [manfred] Has it some cult at hand?


07:29:20 [MoonHunter] Oh.. A cult .. good call. They are immortal as
long as they serve their Lord Orb

07:29:56 [MoonHunter] I could see the Orb of Corvus and the Dark Eye
teaming up to stop this Orb's mad plans...

07:30:01 [manfred] Ohmygod... the combination of a Healer and Assassin.

07:30:41 [manfred] Immortal Assassins... not so good.

07:30:49 [MoonHunter] Assasins are mere the blades of statecraft....
extend that to they are its scalpel and we have near immortal, nearly
impossible to kill assasins

07:31:16 [MoonHunter] (PCs should never be Assasins anyways...)

07:31:36 [manfred] (definitively)

07:31:55 [manfred] Plus the nice public image of healers.

07:32:22 [manfred] How would you fight against that?!

07:32:43 [MoonHunter] Carefully

07:33:00 [manfred]

07:33:26 [MoonHunter] Assasin's day jobs are healing clerics or non
magical healers... but in the night they simply put on their stealth suits
and go for it...

07:33:37 [MoonHunter] For those they can't poison directly in their
role of healer

07:34:24 [manfred] To Do List: History (The Real Orb-Included History)

07:34:32 [MoonHunter] Or one runs around as an Ninja like assasin
creating a diversion while the real killer, the healer... does the dead)

07:34:49 [MoonHunter] the deed... which is dead... but you get the idea

07:36:21 [manfred] Gathering info in the field... poisons, but also
cures, and drugs to make them stronger and faster when needed...

07:36:31 [MoonHunter] Now you see why the Orbs make a great suppliment.
Layer the orbs into your campaign and you get instant depth.

07:37:23 [MoonHunter] And the orbs struggle against each other. This
orb could be opposed by any of the other orbs at any given time.

07:37:40 [manfred] ... also a minor conflict with the Library ones...
hoards this knowledge and wants to keep it private.

07:38:43 [manfred] Would make a network of relations: good, bad,
neutral, ...

07:38:47 [MoonHunter] They are easily bribed by telling them the truth
about any historical situation...

07:39:11 [MoonHunter] Oh yes. The Orbs are one big dysfunctional
family.

07:39:27 [manfred]

07:40:10 [MoonHunter] On each orb write up, it should include their
opinion and relationship with the other active orbs.

07:40:22 [manfred] So, want The Prison Orb? (or The Warden or
whatever?)

07:42:58 [MoonHunter] It is The Warden... Now. Even though it was
originally the orb of warden companionship (allowing them to look over their
charages and create luxary items the warden would need)

07:43:23 [manfred] Heh, makes yet another 'place-of-no-return'.

07:43:34 [manfred] Create what items?

07:44:13 [MoonHunter] figure The Warden Orb now makes the food and
water for the place... that being the real source of its power.

07:44:49 [MoonHunter] Originally it was making nice food and occasional
nice things for the poor noble stuck inthe middle of nowhere at this
post of Warden

07:44:49 [manfred] One of the things I don't especially like is
creating things out of nowhere... even with magic.

07:45:13 [MoonHunter] So have them be 'ported in.. or pulled from a
parralell dimension

07:45:27 [MoonHunter] maybe the food and water is transmuted rock

07:45:42 [MoonHunter] The Dark Eye Orb does that.

07:45:47 [manfred] It could run the show with some punishing non-lethal
attack...

07:46:08 [manfred] They care of themselves.

07:46:16 [manfred] They grow the food.

07:46:58 [manfred] Makes a connection to other Orbs! (Weather & Green
ones)

07:47:30 [manfred] But sugar and whip conditioning... hmmm.

07:47:39 [manfred] Might work.

07:48:56 [manfred] With the little manipulation here and there of
course.

07:49:14 [MoonHunter] it has the power of mental punishment... that and
the food reward....

07:49:51 [manfred] The classical 'sudden horrible pain in the head'?

07:50:06 [MoonHunter] ala Star Trek Original Series

07:50:21 [MoonHunter] You immediatly suffer from a moment of bad
acting...

07:50:27 [MoonHunter] and melodramatic pain

07:50:51 [manfred] Yes, that one.

07:52:25 [manfred] Man, this has to be saved somewhere...

[MoonHunter]

I added one orb that could make it. And just for you some...

Pointless orbs

(Some ideas on orbs that are not so world-shattering. Don't know what they could be useful for. They may inspire you, or you could give at least one 'useless' orb into the mix.)

- Orb that is obsessed into all kinds of movement. Because it cannot move itself, it seeks ways to fly, swim, run, etc. It also enjoys the feelings living creatures have when they move. Very good at manipulating animals.

- Voyeur Orb. (Well, it had to be added. Or maybe not?)

- The Companion Orb. An experiment in reducing loneliness was quickly abandoned. Master of small talk, pointless chatter and mindless weather re-evaluation. Sadly, it is indestructible. It has the lowest intelligence of all orbs. If the 'world-secret' shall be unveiled, this one could give a few hints, although at a painfully slow rate.

- The Hearing Orbs. Because Corvus was not only getting more and more mad throughout the centuries, but also a bit deaf, these tiny orbs will make hearing easier, once you place them in your ear(s). They could protect the wearer from too-loud noises, and even sonic attacks. Neat, but needs some quirk yet. Perhaps they make you hear even from large distances what people say about you? (Or something else, or sounds that don't exist at all, or things you would like to hear...) Can have any flavour from comic to downright horror.

The Depilat-Orb
A very small one, attached to a stick, it can disintegrate any bodily hair it is touched with. If you get older, some hair you may loose, but some grows in a disturbing (particularly on places like nose and ears). Bushy eyebrows are OK for a mage, but what if this one (however crazy) valued his appearence to some degree?

Probably still in use. Can be a surprisingly effective weapon against the Hair Beast.


Orb of Elvis again
(seems like a plot hook)
Say the Orbs current 'owner' is an old deaf bard. The WarDuke(tm) likes to be seen as a lover of fine music, so keeps the poor man at all times near. He even keeps him near in very private talks with spies, secret messengers, conspirators, etc. He claims that the old man is deaf anyway, and his music overshadows the whispering.

Minor Twist First: The bard travelled the lands all his life as a trusty servant of the WarDuke's family, working as a spy or even an assasin. Now his service continues, and works as a potential bodyguard, should the guest be a killer.

Major Twist: The Orb wants on a great bardic contest (it created some 500 years ago), but the old bard won't leave its instrument, and the lord won't leave his trusted servant. As the Orb is not entirely stupid (well after 1300 years should even the dumbest rocker learn something...), it will exchange everything it learned from the Duke, for a small service from another Orb:
a) Arrange for Elvis some way to get on the contest
b) Ensure that it is better than last year (and after a few 'favours' like this, that contest would be a great show already!)


Note: as a 'campaign-in-campaign', or just one different session, the players could get to play the Orbs themselves. How will you arrange something, if you are powerful, but have no hands and few ways to handle things directly. This should be only done, if the players know the world's background, and if they can keep the knowledge separate (almost impossible). Alternatively, if the players intervene in the Orbs' plans too much, the Orbs could together create a way to hinder them, or punish, or even kill. Let the players take care of this, with some Orbs still not trusting the others, suspicions of plans hidden in other plans, etc. Only for groups with certain rare tastes.


The Default High-Level World-Shattering Campaign:
Find out who is managing the world. Join or oppose, or even destroy it if possible.


Manipulating people:
How does it work? I can well imagine a slight 'Suggestion'-like effect they can use indefinitely, but this won't help always. Sometimes the Orb needs to communicate more directly. Very few can really speak, and fewer would unless absolutely necessary. What about...

Dreams.

Yes, dreams. Can they enter the dreams of mortals? It is a powerful tool, you can tell directly what you want, or use any kind of metaphor. Mortals will often follow them, or you can confuse them nicely. I think one particular Orb might be using dreams as one of his basic tools (the one in Asylum).

[MoonHunter]

He is a Genius in my opinion.

Answer to the "Why Orbs?" question:

Why? Because a perfect round shape is the best for enchanting purposes! No wonder these items survived working for so long. He was crazy, but he was also the greatest mage ever. And once you discover the best way for doing something, why abandon it? Orbs are then inserted into the item they shall empower, and off it goes. So it is the Orbs that make the trick (their 'casing' is often indestructible, so you can't always use them for your needs).

But he could be obsessive about that anyway.  

CONTINUATIONS

Orb of Bones

So we have two options:
1. The Good Necromancer
Created for certain funerary rituals, it now tries to make people alive even after death, in a way of course, and take care of undead. It needs limits, so the world is not overrun through Undead:
a) It cannot create Undead iteself (a built-in limit). It needs to support those that can, or teach new ones.
b) It understands that the Living have a right to live, so it tries to separate them. It also sees who creates Undead for Power, not some greater good.
c) Other Orbs and anyone that dislikes Undead would intervene if there are too many too visible.


2. The Historian
Created for a certain friend, its purpose was to help with archeological research. What is better to learn about history, than to talk with the people of old?


Secret: This Orb actually could Animate Undead, and was the first that did in the world. The Dead said what they could, and were left aside, other things were then more interesting. In the state of undying, they slowly began to hate all living, and eventually turned on it. Maybe the friend died too, in the old days when Corvus was not yet so mad (but this was one of the reasons). Corvus changed the Orb, so it could not Animate anymore. But somebody was able to repeat it, and Necromancers are now a part of the world.

NOTES:
- it may be some kind of historian too, learning about past and letting it not be forgotten
- The very existence of Undead happened because of it. It simply tries to be responsible for its acts/creations.
- Most of the First Undead were killed, but some could survive... THEY could be the Liches, or simply ancient creatures of uncertain abilities
- Undead may not be automatically Evil, when created, but most are driven to it.
- First Undead were not harmed by the Sun, and may not be even now. But all Undead from then on are, for the mighty gods cursed them..


SOME POWERS:
- Can give a certain degree of intelligence to ordinary skeletons, or even other Undead. This should not be some immediate power, but slow "waking up".
- Can break the control of a Necromancer over his Undead slave, maybe with the above process. (What if the undead is free from then, hard to control?) Uses rarely.
- Enables one to 'Speak With Dead' even with ancient skeletons and corpses, but it keeps this ability most probably a secret.
- Can heal skeletal Undead to a certain degree.

Note: Hey! Undocumented commands!  We must not forget powers the Orbs have, but do not make available to the public.


World-Changing Update:
Why is there nobody like Corvus anymore? In the old times could people grow without limits, and some grew powerful enough to rival the gods. The gods could have changed the world in some way, and it cannot happen anymore. And after being threatened through mortals, they do not meddle in the affairs of the world that much.

(The Voop might be the event where gods killed Corvus and destroyed his seat.)


Orb Of Skeletal Control

This Orb allows you to control skelets, but not animate them. The only simple built-in function is to put the bones into a skelet together, from then on you must control it with your mind through the Orb. If you do not control a skelet, it falls apart again.

For example, a particularly smart would-be-necromancer could make twenty skeletons stand up and perform a dance (maybe even a complicated one). Sadly, this is not very useful for combative purposes, for against an opponent that acts and thinks for himself, you can't expect to fight with more than one (rarely two) skelets.

In right hands, the skelets may perform monotonous simple tasks, like carrying a pillar, or something like that, and be useful, if people accept this kind of help.

It could scare or delay opponents. If twenty skelets advance towards you, with weapons raised, few would ignore them.

In wrong hands, heroes may be pushed into a trap/pit/abyss instead. Get creative.

Limited only on human(oid) skelets of ordinary size, before some munchkin digs out a giant, elephant or T-Rex.

Note: As those are not really undead, the bony puppets are 'immune' to the sun and holy water. This is be another dangerous item Corvis created just for fun.
(Do you want me to post this one to the Citadel, Items? It certainly has possibilities.)


Man, this Pointless Orbs could get _really_ numerous. I guess that very few of them should make it into that NetBook. A page could be set up with the stuff we create, and others can add... Or not? I fear the +5 Vorpal Orbs could start to appear then... A link would be handy, to 'Additional Material HERE' or so.

We could make it in the forums, if you like of course...

[Ria Hawk]

Just some random thoughts, in the order that they occured:

It seems like somewhere there were a pair of intelligent swords whose only purpose was to start wars.  Are they Orbs?  Might they have alliances with some of the Orbs?  In particular the Orb of the Undead.
Another thought:  I know that the Orbs have various relationships with each other.  But What about other intelligent items that aren't necessarily Orbs?  Would they have relationships with them?  Work for them?  Work with them?  Ignore them?
In theory, the Orbs could be treated as gems.  What if one allowed itself to be cut apart for some greater purpose?  Ex my Stones of Sinnameron.  They were all cut from the same parent gem, and find their way into the possession of those destined to be heroes.  Could make sure that the heroes find each other, do what thier supposed to do.  Limited ability to see the future.  The Hero Maker or something.  (If you decide it's worthy, you have my permission to use the Stones)

[MoonHunter]

Many of the items have small glass orbs in their hilts or guards or rings.  Those are the "items of powers", the staff/ sword is just a holder for the item.  You could "break the item", but if you don't break the ORB, it still around (See Charlie's Marble).  

You could use gems instead of enchanted glass orbs in your campaign. I just like the crystal ball look and the "fan jewelry" that have those crystal marbles attached to them.  

Galawea (the End of Conflict/War) is not an orb item, but it was made by Corvis.  It has its own agenda.  The ORBs would interact with any immortal, intelligent, item (or being).  The advantage they have with their siblings, is that they can communicate across any distance to each other- when they choose to.  Other items require them to be "within range" for both items to communicate.

[Strolen]

I think Ria might be thinking of this.

http://www.strolen.com/items/viewitem.php?item_id=45

And a couple small ideas as I get ready for work.

Weather Orb. What great mage wouldn't want to control the weather for travel or the convenience of those he rules even. Could be combined with the gardening orb that was already mentioned or created to complement that one as they could work together to make their 'Eden.'

Orb of Order perhaps. Not sure if you have one already but a crazy mage might slowly lose all their company and even crazy people might finally get sick of a pigsty. Orb of Order will be able to clean up, and during the creation maybe it can also find the natural order of things including setting right magical diseases, lycanthropy, and other unnatural occurances...or something like that.

Do you have one of far seeing yet? One to view the goings on of those around above and beyond the connection between the main orbs. Maybe one as simple as to see who is knocking on your door to viewing the king's council room who is contemplating attacking Courvis because his orbs are starting to cause great disturbances in the area.

[manfred]

How many people actually know?

It is a long time, those 1000 years or so. Inevitably, someone must recognize what happens in this world. If the 'Detect Magic' spell is easily available, or similar abilities, someone may found a shocking high amount of magic inside these items. Someone could see by chance a person possessed by an Orb, doing things unlikely. As was mentioned before, someone could be born with an ability to hear the Orbs talk. A person could become so strong of will (or be born that way), that at attempted "control" the surprised Orb finds a mortal resistant, and be knowledgeable about the fact! A previous victim may through dreams or some shock suddenly remember what it did during the possession. And the mental "sighting" of an alien vast intelligence can mark many, just read some Lovecraft. Some could just go mad.

A wise man can discover a part of the true history by accident, or through deep research of an unclear spot. An expert on magical items could find that certain items often show up where history is made. Some even share certain distinct qualities, beginning with their Orb, something always present...


Orbs, on the other hand, have quite improved in their mastery of the humankind. What was done wrong before, can be repaired during the centuries. Some evidence is already destroyed, anything else will be one day.

A critical piece of information is of course Corvus. One of the topics of heated arguments between Orbs, shall the memory of him be erased, if he was their creator, and greatest mage ever? After that small eternity, few know about him anyway, is he to be forgotten?


So, are there any traces left? Sages write their knowledge down, some victims of possession inscribe it on the walls of their apartment, and later of the prison or madhouse. Secret locations would be the place to hide it. So if the characters find a hidden cache, or even a secret chamber, they can find the ramblings of a madman... that strangely seem to point to something logical.

While I don't think that secret societies opposed to the Orbs would survive long, it is possible they exist. What kind of measures they would have against an Orb taking control of a member, I do not know. That they could actually have ways to oppose them or hinder them, is quite improbable. Needs more reconsidering.

[MoonHunter]

It is really hard to think like a mad man and figure out what he would make.

05:22:01 [MoonHunter] I thought about the Orb of Sharpness. Originally designed to keep all the knives in Corvus's kitchen sharp, it has now been installed upon a pomel

05:22:04 [manfred] What about those 3 Orbs?

05:22:13 [MoonHunter] of a sword...

05:22:41 [MoonHunter] Now, it has changed from a humble little kitchen item to being an intrical part of a famous magical weapon

05:22:49 [manfred] Fine. What then?

05:22:58 [MoonHunter] (Imagine the personality shift this thing has taken on)

05:23:25 [MoonHunter] It is hard to think like a crazy man and think about what he might of done

05:23:43 [manfred] I am GREAT!

05:23:58 [MoonHunter] Orb of Body... the orb that spawned the healer/assassins

05:24:02 [manfred] Does it have a name, the weapon?

05:24:45 [MoonHunter] It should...

05:24:52 [MoonHunter] Something mythic...

05:25:23 [MoonHunter] Dragon's fang or

05:25:52 [MoonHunter] Eversharp, the magic sword that can cut through anything.

05:26:04 [manfred]

05:26:11 [MoonHunter] (well given enough elbow grease and strength)

05:26:29 [manfred] And stays always clean and quick...

05:26:56 [MoonHunter] Nods

05:27:27 [MoonHunter] (and grants the wielder great prowess in the kitchen, though the bards seldom sing about that...)

05:27:46 [manfred] hehehehehe...

05:28:06 [MoonHunter] (I could imagine this whining voice telling the heroes that they should not do anything to hasty or risk themselves...

05:28:23 [MoonHunter] or that they should fillet this monster, as it makes good grilling

05:28:32 [MoonHunter] with a picante salsa

05:28:46 [manfred] And eat healthy stuff only.

05:29:16 [MoonHunter] (Critisizes the food at various inns along the way...)

05:29:17 [manfred] "What?" asks Conan... "Not so much meat?"

05:30:11 [MoonHunter] Also, every companion with the hero has an incredibly sharp blade as well... Allowing them to help the hero do great deeds... enhancing the reputation (undeserved) of this weapon.

[manfred]

Another chat:

...

06:56:32 [MoonHunter] Hey an Orb running a Golem

06:56:53 [MoonHunter] Or an Orb that manipulated an MU to incorporating it into a golem so it could move around on its own.

06:56:58 [manfred] What?!

06:57:23 [MoonHunter] Imagine an orb who is sick and tired of having to have humans and other people move it around.

06:57:33 [manfred] ..there was one obsessed into all kinds of movements I think...

06:57:51 [MoonHunter] Perhaps it is the orb of speedy movement or of language translation or maybe even something trivial

06:58:14 [manfred] I am dead sure there was one...

06:58:19 [MoonHunter] It manipulates a wizard to add it to a Golem, (The wizard thinks it will add huge power to it)

06:58:36 [MoonHunter] The Orb simply takes over the Golem and runs away from its creator

06:58:44 [MoonHunter] Now we have this golem who is "free"

06:59:26 [manfred] Cool.

06:59:54 [manfred] If he is obsessed into movement, he will want to fly at times.

07:00:06 [manfred] a) control birds

07:00:26 [manfred] b) do a favour to the bird folk

07:01:14 [manfred] Wait a second... *ponder*

07:01:37 [manfred] Why could there simply not be an Orb that can levitate?

07:02:42 [manfred] Or can it give this power to its casing, but is unable to fly on its own?

07:03:26 [manfred] And as it flies wildly, it has this annoying tendency to break its casing...

07:03:45 [manfred] "...d**n, in a wasteland again..."

07:04:58 [manfred] Pretty stupid, unless a band of adventurers comes around and takes care he gets another... casing (needs other word).

07:05:03 [MoonHunter] hmmm

07:05:15 [manfred] Or he can't levitate...

07:05:33 [manfred] But can use the casing to its full potential...

07:05:35 [MoonHunter] Or maybe it is an orb that enhances movement. So if you can fly, you can now fly faster with it. the same for running, swimming, etc

07:05:43 [MoonHunter] Orb of Nike

07:05:44 [manfred] If it has wings it can fly!

07:05:53 [manfred]

07:06:24 [manfred] Does it have that little streak across it?

07:07:36 [manfred] Well, not all Orbs need to run the world.

07:07:58 [manfred] Some explore, some are artists, some simply enjoy it.

07:09:41 [MoonHunter] True

07:09:59 [MoonHunter] Charle's Marble does not want to rule the world...

07:12:43 [MoonHunter] It simply has enough power to allow someone else to rule the world

07:12:52 [MoonHunter] making it a very sought after item...

07:13:07 [MoonHunter] Elvis does not want to take over the world

07:13:14 [manfred] So, how are its relations to another Orbs? This one is a freak absolute...

07:13:32 [MoonHunter] This Golem Orb can be obsessed with Freedom.

07:13:40 [MoonHunter] A true Chaotic

07:13:46 [manfred] ...gets little 'respect' from the others...

07:13:56 [manfred] Freedom? Hmmmm...

07:14:22 [manfred] Does it advance beyond his own needs?

07:14:53 [manfred] For example, toppling strong governments? (hint)

07:15:27 [manfred] ...if it finds time between the extreme sports...

07:15:34 [MoonHunter] That would make it political..

07:15:53 [manfred] I think it is not extremely big...

07:15:55 [MoonHunter] of course, if it had a short attention span and not very bright...

07:16:10 [manfred] ...fist-sized or even less.

07:16:31 [MoonHunter] A political activist for Golem rights one day, a snowboarder the next, a rapid anti-slaver the next

07:17:08 [manfred] "Great. Now we have an activist between us."

07:18:33 [manfred] And it wants to get everywhere FIRST.

07:19:00 [manfred] If there is Everest in that world... it would be there first.

07:20:15 [manfred] Other Orbs may seek to manipulate him... get his help before his short attention span expires...

07:20:39 [MoonHunter] True

07:20:50 [MoonHunter] His ability to enhance motion... could make him invaluable

07:21:01 [MoonHunter] So this orb is probably a little insane

07:21:05 [manfred] So it was likely ally to all of them at some point...

07:21:16 [manfred] probably?

07:21:43 [manfred] which Orb is 'sane' again? at least to some degree?

07:21:46 [MoonHunter] Yep

07:22:26 [manfred] "I bet no one can get this message to the King's Court in under three days!"

07:23:18 [manfred] Easy to manipulate this way.

07:23:57 [MoonHunter] Pretty much all the political ones

07:24:06 [MoonHunter] one or two are sleezy, but sane

07:24:13 [MoonHunter] (Storm Orb)

07:24:33 [manfred] The one playing god?

[MoonHunter]

I have once again turned my mind to ORBs. *cue insane laughter*

Things to Do, that must be done:

GreenLady and (insert name for fertile valley):  This is an orb with a mother complex.  Her powers are to control plant growth and fertility. It has extended into the animal kingdom.  This is the world's bread basket, an idellyic piece of the world that nobody wants to disturb as they trade food stuffs with everyones.

SilverStar: Orb of Body. It is a healing. medical knowledge orb.  It has an agenda as well, to make the world better.  The Silver's are the public healing arm.  The Black Hand are their legendary assassins. Nobody thinks the two are releated.  (See previous discussion)


Elvis (God this Orb needs a new name):  This is an orb of musical skill, to augment the skill of anyone who uses it. (Like all items, they grant skill up to a level, so it will make anyone upto an expert, so it will add nothing to an expert or master). Master bards through out the ages have had possession of this little good luck charm.  Other Orbs listen to this one's innane prattle because it tends to hold important gossip and occasional secrets (I was at King So-n-So's banquet the other day and they were talking about war with .....).  

Click: This is Corvus's key fob. It was used to lock and unlock things, so he would not have to carry keys around.  It can casually open and close mage locked doors.  This item has fallen into the adventuring population.  Over the centuries, Click found the that it enjoyed the various challanges of new locks and eventually traps.  It honed its skills, looking for new things to challange itself against.  Now click can open anything... litterally.  Need a portal open to another realm? *click* Need to unlock the binding wards of a elder God? *click* "No problem". Need to bind a Celestrial to your needs? *click/ clack* done.

Click is now one of the most sought after items in the multiverse. People want it to open things. People want it to prevent it from opening certain things. People need a key for X.  This orb has become the most fought after commedity.  

Orb of Eversharp... now part of a mythical weapon. Unfortunately its kitchen roots show through.  

Oh and Order of the Forgotten needs to be expanded.

[Shadoweagle]

Wow, never saw this thread :]

as I was reading snippits out of all the above, I was thinking about other orbs. Heres a few which may be of interest, and that I hope have not been made already, that i've missed :

Orb of metallic manipulation: This orb seems to be like a glass bead filled with mercury, about 4 centimetres in diameter. The orbs ability is bieng able to draw any metal element to it. It is able to extract and process iron-ore with ease, and is able to shape that iron into any form it desires. The quirk? Anything manipulated by this orb seems to decompose and crumble apart within a month - as though it were pieced together with bad glue.
This in the hands of a warlord, however, would be quite valuable - quick and easy creation of temporary/disposable weapons and armour for his army - expertly made.

Orb of Corvus: This crystalline orb is instilled with the creativity (and mad taint) of Corvus's inventive mind. It is capable of enchanting any item it desires. The problem is? Nobody can control what enchantment is put on an item it chooses, and nobody can decide when or what to enchant. This can be a good mischief item if a party finds it.
Party finds this orb. "Oooh, what a nice bauble - will sell for quite a lot!" During the night, whilst the adventurers slumber, the orb begins to glow a luminous aqua. The next morning they are surrounded by goblins. The Warrior swings his huge sword then *FLASH!* The blade of the sword glows a brilliant white, bright as the sun, blinding both goblins and unsuspecting party members!
Hmmm... I think I'll expand on this orb and make another item out of it

[Fiona]

Maybe you already know, but to get a good example of how orbs could work together with people and swords, reading the Mallorean series by David Eddings would be good.

There are two stones in that world (one is called the Orb actually) and one of them is set on a sword. It has a certain personality, it can be angry or sulky or anything. The owner of the orb and his family or line of heirs are the only ones that can touch the orb without doing serious damage to themselves. The orb won't allow anyone else to touch it. The owner can communicate in a way with the orb and ask it to do things for him, but the orb is always overly enthusiastic so you have to look out what you ask for.

Maybe it is some help for your ideas.

[MoonHunter]

http://www.strolen.com/items/viewitem.php?item_id=362&offset=0&order=updated&dir=Desc&index=1

Was Click worth it?  He is not as "cool" as many of the Orbs and Corvus items. Yet, he should exist.  Perhaps he should of landed at the bottom of the ocean, but if he didn't he would of eventually entered the adventuring community and followed much the same path.

What do you think?