Lorekeeper Orb

Synopsis
A Lorekeeper Orb is a sentient magical item, which contains specialized information about a narrow academic subject.

Properties
A lorekeeper orb is a smooth, solid, 5-pound sphere of smoky gray quartz about the size of a grapefruit. Close examination reveals two pinpricks of silver light deep inside the sphere.

The orb has a programmed magical sentience. When activated, the orb speaks, reads, and understands four languages, and can see and hear normally out to a range of 60 feet. Each lorekeeper orb has extensive knowledge of one narrow academic subject. A lorekeeper orb is incapable of learning new information after its creation, so its knowledge is limited to what it knew when it was created.

A lorekeeper orb’s creator can program it to limit access to its information. This can be done by programming the orb only to divulge information to specific individuals, to require a password before divulging information, or other similar security measures. An identify spell cast on a lorekeeper orb reveals the nature and function of lorekeeper orbs in general, but not a particular lorekeeper orb’s specialization, languages, or security measures. When identify is cast on a lorekeeper orb, the caster can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a success, the lorekeeper orb reveals its specialization, its languages, and any security measures protecting its information - although the information needed to bypass these measures is not revealed (for example, the lorekeeper orb will reveal that it is protected by a password, but it will not reveal the password). On a failure, the caster cannot make this check again until they complete a long rest.

Lorekeeper Golu
One particular Lorekeeper Orb, which identifies itself as Lorekeeper Golu, was obtained by the Free Arcanists Lodge, delivered to them by Jack for pay. Lorekeeper Golu speaks, reads, and understands common, elvish, celestial, and primordial. It has extensive academic knowledge of the ancient elven kingdom of Ayn Sitael. It was created toward the end of the Age of Arcana, and it is incapable of learning new information, so its information is about a thousand years out of date. Golu's programming forbids it from divulging information to anyone other than noble elvish bloodlines of Ayn Sitael.