A Power Orb is a protective magical artifact created by the Obelisk of Strength. They are intended to be used by Morganem or his Council of Six if they are anticipating a difficult battle to ensure their victory.
Physical Description[]
Power Orbs are small, perfect spheres that glitter darkly with an inner light. They are composed entirely of solidified magical energy.
Properties[]
A Power Orb contains huge amounts of concentrated, solidified mana and healing energy. These energies are dormant until they are activated via a triggering chant ("Akar Des Khur Vitus").
Once activated, the Power Orb will disintegrate and suffuse the bearer with an immense amount of mana and healing energy. Only powerful beings, such as immortals, are able to make practical use of this energy. While it will eventually dissipate (as the large amounts of energy cannot remain bound to a single individual for very long), the bearer will be almost indestructible for as long as it remains - wounds they suffer will heal instantly, and they will be able to tap into a staggeringly massive pool of mana for casting magic without draining their own reserves.
However, Power Orbs are designed to be carried and used only one at a time. If two (or perhaps more) Power Orbs are in close proximity, then activating them will have unexpected effects. Rather than all of the stored energy immediately binding itself to the bearer of the Orb, the energies will interfere with each other and will be scattered widely over the nearby area. Over time the energies will re-coalesce into small motes of healing energy and mana that a capable individual can bind to themselves and that will expend their energies to restore them should they be badly injured. This is overall far less effective and of shorter duration than a lone Power Orb would have been. As such, the Warlords only ever carry one Power Orb at a time, and only when operating independently.
If they are not activated, a Power Orb will degrade over time - they will usually only last a few days before they disintegrate.
History[]
Prior to the events of To the Bitter End, Morganem's Warlords would sometimes prepare and use a Power Orb in battle against a particularly tenacious foe. This always proved decisive - no one ever managed to defeat a Warlord thus protected.
When the Warlords retreated to Khaal Spire ahead of the The Companions during the events of To the Bitter End, they visited the Obelisk of Strength and equipped themselves with one Power Orb each as a trump card in anticipation of facing one or more of The Companions in battle. Maelstrom then tried to destroy the Obelisk of Strength to prevent the Companions from getting Power Orbs of their own.
Fortunately for the Companions, Kurgah Ghar, in his dying breaths, informed the Companions of the Council's plans and alluded to the danger posed by the Power Orbs and their triggering ritual. The Companions proceeded to examine the damaged Obelisk of Strength and Soul Reaver successfully determined how it operated and managed to get it working. As a result, when the Companions split up to intercept the Warlords, each of them was carrying a Power Orb when they prepared to duel their chosen enemy.
As a result, when the Warlords spoke the triggering chant to activate their Power Orb, they inadvertently also activated the Power Orbs carried by their opponent. This resulted in the Orbs interfering with each other and the energies scattering throughout the battlefield.
This led to difficult, protracted battles as both sides drew on the re-coalescing, scattered power to heal and recharge themselves in the midst of the pitched battle. However, the companions out-fought their enemies and eventually exhausted their supply of recovery magics, defeating them for good.