The Palantir

You walk into the small alcove, and the room seems to seal itself behind you. Tiny pinpricks of light are scattered about the dark walls of the alcove, but it is the dull red light of the orb itself that draws your attention... you look closer into the sphere, and you seem to pick out movement...

Before you could examine the peculiar movement, a voice rasps out from the shadows, "What dost thou require of the Keeper of the Palantir? What is thy purpose here?"

You can now see the speaker more clearly... He looks human, and is leaning on a gnarly wooden staff topped with some animals skull. He is draped with voluminous black robes emblazoned with sigils of death, destruction, and.... communication?

As he gazes at you, you feel a tingling underneath your scalp as he seems to delve into your innermost secrets. He snorts in apparent satisfaction, "Good, at least ye're not assassins...", he looks mildly disappointed, "I see now that th'art guests o'Mandolf's... Then I must render whatever aid you need..."

He sighs in apparent disgust, "As ye know, I be the Keeper of the Palantir. What be a Palantir, y'ask? In thy realm, ye'd call such a marvelous device a "crystal ball." He snorts again, this time in disgust at your ignorance.

"The Palantir allows skilled magi like myself to view into the various Planes of Existence... Be it the Plane of Mortals, like thine, or the Plane of Dragons, like mine... Planes of Light and Darkness, Earth and Stone, Fire and Water..... all Planes but the Homes o' the Gods... but ye can visit that in the Temple of Kala." He grimaces, then looks forlorn, "Ye willn't find the gods o' magic out there..."

"But enough of an old man's reveries... you wish to know how to use the Palantir, yes?" You nod your head. "Good, it be only those who want to know that gain the greatest power. First, ye place thy hand on the Orb... The Orb will give ye a list o' destinations based both on the strength of thy will and the power of the Imperanon itself... Power that can but grow with time... You select thy destination, and ye'll find thyself instantly translocated to that position."

"Luck to you, insignificant one, and if you think ye've mastered the Palantir, I may have another Orb for ye to try thy hand at...." The wizard gives you a twisted, evil smile, "Just let me know when thou darest to find more power..... I'll always be here..... waiting......"

You touch your hand to the Palantir, and small bolts of lightning race from the orb to your hand... the Orb flashes, and the room disappears, leaving in its place a list of runes hanging in the air... the air has a hushed charge to it, as if the world is awaiting your decision