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Eldacar
Senior Scribe
438 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Aug 2009 : 04:34:31
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So as things go, I'm trying to track down just where exactly the various Orbs of Dragonkind are in Faerun. Thus far, I've found the locations of two from Dragons of Faerun - the red Orb is with Tchazzar, and the blue Orb is with Alasklerbanbastos (the "Great Bone Wyrm"). I have yet, however, to find where the other Orbs are (I'm working on a vague outline where they'll be used in an adventure relating to the Rage of Dragons, involving various individuals attempting to gain control of the Orbs).
Besides those two Orbs, where would I find information on the locations (and possessors, if that happens to be the case) of the other eight? Or are they "lost to history" and free to be placed where I need them for the adventure?
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"The Wild Mages I have met exhibit a startling disregard for common sense, and are often meddling with powers far beyond their own control." ~Volo
"Not unlike a certain travelogue author with whom I am unfortunately acquainted." ~Elminster |
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Lady Kazandra
Senior Scribe
Australia
921 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2009 : 05:41:06
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You might want to search the Candlekeep archives El. I think a few scribes once plotted out the locations for most of the Orbs. (Faraer maybe?)
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"Once upon a time the plural of 'wizard' was 'war'." -- The Last Continent, by Terry Pratchett |
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coach
Senior Scribe
USA
479 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2009 : 23:06:46
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there are a bunch of 'em on Krynn hehe
seriously, I would be interested in this also |
Bloodstone Lands Sage |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2009 : 23:52:40
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| I always figured the dragonorbs only existed in the Realms if a DM specifically wanted them. Book of Artifacts was generic D&D, aside from things explicitly placed in one setting or another, and the orbs weren't. Are there actually canon references to them in FR? |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31777 Posts |
Posted - 05 Aug 2009 : 01:16:31
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The orbs of dragonkind were originally detailed in the first Dungeon Masters Guide [or was it Eldritch Wizardry?]. They're basically connected with the GREYHAWK setting, and we've seen variations on the concept throughout the long published history of DRAGONLANCE.
I don't recall any of this being further detailed in the Realmslore however.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Eldacar
Senior Scribe
438 Posts |
Posted - 05 Aug 2009 : 14:00:27
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quote:
Are there actually canon references to them in FR?
Beyond the statblock for Tchazzar and the listing for Alasklerbanbastos' hoard saying that the two of them possess some of the orbs, I have yet to find any reference. |
"The Wild Mages I have met exhibit a startling disregard for common sense, and are often meddling with powers far beyond their own control." ~Volo
"Not unlike a certain travelogue author with whom I am unfortunately acquainted." ~Elminster |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 05 Aug 2009 : 16:16:26
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| Not having read Dragons of Faerun in a while, and being afb, this may be a foolish question, but do the write-ups explicitly state that the orbs they're referencing are the same as the orbs in the 2e Book of Artifacts? For that matter, did the 2e BoA orbs ever get a 3e conversion? It's possible that we have a "Fake Imaskarcana" situation, with powerful magical items taking the name of something else, but not actually being the more-famous artifacts. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 05 Aug 2009 : 22:56:52
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I got curious, so I did some research. There are, as far as I can tell, four sets of items called the "Orbs of Dragonkind."
1) The Orbs of Dragonlance, detailed in that setting, and its early novels.
2 and 3) The Orbs of Greyhawk, introduced in Eldritch Wizardry (reprinted in the Encyclopedia Magica) and updated and rewritten in Dragon #230, and
4) The Orbs of the Book of Artifacts.
All of these references are either 1e or 2e. I have been completely unable to find a 3e reference of any kind to artifacts or magic items called "orbs of dragonkind."
Of the four options, the author of Dragons of Faerun almost certainly meant the Book of Artifacts version, since that's the only version that subdivides by color (the Orbs of Greyhawk divide loosely by age category). But since they don't seem to have been updated to 3e, and there's no mention of them in Dragon beyond #230, I'm at a loss to explain what they're doing in the book.
Both Eric Boyd and Eytan Bernstein post here, maybe we should ask them. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31777 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2009 : 00:56:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
All of these references are either 1e or 2e. I have been completely unable to find a 3e reference of any kind to artifacts or magic items called "orbs of dragonkind."
The 'dragon orbs' of the DRAGONLANCE setting were updated to 3e in Towers of High Sorcery.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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freyar
Learned Scribe
Canada
220 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2009 : 13:56:17
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I don't know their origin, but the "orbs of dragonkind" discussed in Dragons of Faerun are most certainly the ones from the 3.X DMG/system reference document. From the SRD:
quote:
The Orbs of Dragonkind: Each of these fabled orbs contains the essence and personality of an ancient dragon of a different variety (one for each of the major ten different chromatic and metallic dragons). The bearer of an Orb can dominate dragons of its particular variety within 500 feet (as dominate monster), the dragon being forced to make a DC 25 Will save to resist. (Spell resistance is not useful against this effect.) Each Orb of Dragonkind bestows upon the wielder the AC and saving throw bonuses of the dragon within. These values replace whatever values the character would otherwise have, whether they are better or worse. These values cannot be modified by any means short of ridding the character of the Orb. A character possessing an Orb of Dragonkind is immune to the breath weapon—but only the breath weapon—of the dragon variety keyed to the Orb. Finally, a character possessing an Orb can herself use the breath weapon of the dragon in the Orb three times per day.
All Orbs of Dragonkind can be used to communicate verbally and visually with the possessors of the other Orbs. The owner of an Orb knows whether there are dragons within 10 miles at all times. For dragons of the Orb’s particular variety, the range is 100 miles. If within 1 mile of a dragon of the Orb’s variety, the wielder can determine the exact location and age of the creature. The bearer of one of these Orbs earns the enmity forever of all dragonkind for profiting by the enslavement of one of their kin, even if she later loses the item.
Each Orb also has an individual power that can be invoked once per round at 10th caster level.
*Black Dragon Orb: Fly (Will DC 17 negates).
*Blue Dragon Orb: Haste (Fortitude DC 17 negates).
*Brass Dragon Orb: Teleport (Will DC 19 negates).
*Bronze Dragon Orb: Scrying (Will DC 18 negates).
*Copper Dragon Orb: Suggestion (Will DC 17 negates).
*Gold Dragon Orb: The owner of the gold Orb can call upon any power possessed by one of the other Orbs—including the dominate and breath weapon abilities but not AC, save bonuses, or breath weapon immunity—but can only use an individual power once per day. She can use dominate on any other possessor of an Orb within 1 mile (Will DC 23 negates).
*Green Dragon Orb: Spectral hand.
*Red Dragon Orb: Wall of fire.
*Silver Dragon Orb: Cure critical wounds (Will DC 18 half ).
*White Dragon Orb: Protection from energy (cold) (Fortitude DC 17 negates).
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dhahn
Acolyte
USA
1 Posts |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2067 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2021 : 19:23:16
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[quote]Originally posted by freyar
I don't know their origin, but the "orbs of dragonkind" discussed in Dragons of Faerun are most certainly the ones from the 3.X DMG/system reference document. From the SRD:
[quote]
Yes. I don't recall ever placing the rest of them. |
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http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
Edited by - ericlboyd on 10 Aug 2021 19:30:28 |
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Thane of Fife
Acolyte
5 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2021 : 14:31:25
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| This is about as far as you can get from canon while still being in the same ballpark, but the AD&D First Quest adventure The Tomb of Damara features an Orb of Dragonkind and is set in a dungeon about 15 miles south of Shadowdale. Nothing else about the adventure matches any kind of Realmslore, but it is placed on a map of the Realms and mentions an Orb of Dragonkind. |
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Orbs of Dragonkind - location?
