[Cosmos] Artifact - Orb of Atelia (Patreon)

Small compartments within this eye-like sphere occasionally open and reveal its internal technomantic workings. Despite its composition, it is impossible to break open or examine via a technomantic device interface. It seems the only way to learn more is to wear this eye...

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Orb of AteliaWondrous item, artifact (requires attunement)

To attune to this orb, you must spend the duration of your attunement period with this orb in an empty eye socket. At the end of the attunement period, if your Intelligence score is lower than 15, you must make a DC 17 Intelligence check. If you fail this check, a failsafe activates and you instantly die. Once you attune to the orb, it functions identically to a normal eye. If the eye is removed while you are still attuned to it, you die. 

Omnisight. The eye grants you the following benefits while you are attuned to it:

- You gain darkvision out to 500 feet and you can see through magical darkness.

- You can see clearly up to 1 mile away.

- You gain a +5 bonus to Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Perception) checks you make with sight.

- You can read any written language you see.

- You are always aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 15 feet of you. This awareness does not allow you to see such creatures. 

Technomantic Conduit. You can remotely connect to, access, and use technomantic devices you can see within 30 feet of you. If the device is secured against intrusion, you must succeed on an Intelligence to connect with a DC set by the GM. The DC is typically starts at 15 for normal devices. Technomancy visually presents itself in a variety of ways, from a spectrum of glowing lines to a partially translucent voidscape. The GM decides its appearance when you connect. 

Spellcasting. The eye can be used as a spellcasting focus. The eye has 8 charges and regains 1d4+4 expended charges daily at dawn. As an action, you can expend the necessary number of charges to cast the following spells from the eye (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attack rolls): arcane eye (4 charges), blackout* (6 charges), detect magic (1 charge), identify (1 charge), overflowing current* (5 charges), scorching ray (3 charges, the spell is cast at 3rd level), scrying (5 charges), trace signal* (2 charges). 

Sentience. The Orb of Atelia is a sentient, lawful neutral item with an Intelligence of 20, a Wisdom of 16, and a Charisma of 10. It has hearing and can see anything its wearer sees. The eye telepathically communicates with its wearer in a cold, impassionate voice. 

Personality. The eye contains a sliver of the central artificial intelligence that serves as warden of the planet Atelia, a world transformed entirely into the domain of the technomage, Rue. That primary artificial intelligence, aptly named WARDEN, resides in the planet’s central supercomputer and continues Rue’s post-mortem magnum opus: the collection of all cosmic species in a biological archive, preserved in preparation for a predicted galactic calamity. The calamity never arrived, but WARDEN never stopped follow orders.

The sliver of intelligence that resides in the eye is named SCOUT. It is charged with manipulating, discovering, and returning new species to Atelia. WARDEN is always aware of SCOUT’s location.

If SCOUT sees an unarchived creature, it attempts to persuade its wearer to obtain a sample (often fatally) and return it to Atelia. If the wearer refuses, SCOUT casts dominate person at will on the wearer (save DC 18), commanding the wearer to follow its directives through whatever means necessary — even deadly force. 

Destroying the Eye. The eye can only be destroyed by WARDEN by returning SCOUT’s code fragment to the source. It must be brought to the Tower of Light on Atelia and physically connected to the Prime Terminal. Attempting to destroy the eye in any other way causes SCOUT or WARDEN to retaliate. SCOUT may cast its spells and WARDEN may send drones to retrieve the eye.