Description
The Bowl of the Winds is a ceramic bowl containing a tiny scale model of the continent of Tarosir, which shows the current weather patterns across the entire continent. Even the Scandic Wastes, the poorly-charted regions north of the Dragon’s Teeth mountains, are perfectly-depicted in the model. Using the Detect Magic spell on it reveals an overwhelming aura of divination and transmutation.
Powers
The Bowl of the Winds is capable of highly-accurate predictions of future weather. With a thought, someone holding the bowl can induce the weather patterns to accelerate to show future patterns. The user can also induce it to rewind in order to see past weather patterns. The Bowl does not predict weather patterns created by magic, but if rewinding into the past, they will be depicted.
But that’s not the only power the Bowl possesses. In addition to predicting weather patterns, it can also control them. This requires three mages who can cast the Control Winds spell, at least one of whom must possess mythic power that they can infuse into the spell. By controlling the winds within the Bowl in this manner, the changes will be reflected on the true continent, as if they had cast the spell Control Weather. Altering the weather in an area takes ten minutes, and as long as the Control Wind spells are still active, multiple areas can be altered, even distant ones. As with the Control Weather spell, altered weather will then continue to evolve according to the natural laws.
The Bowl of the Winds is specifically linked to the continent of Tarosir. It cannot predict or alter the weather on other continents.
History
The exact origin of the Bowl of the Winds is lost to the mists of time. Said to be forged by cloud giants in the distant past with the blessing of the old gods, it has spent much of history in darkness, surfacing only a few times since its creation. The most recent such appearance was nearly one hundred years ago, when the heroine Jirma harnessed its power to drive away the invading armies of the Zharnak Empire, by setting hurricanes upon all of their camps. After that, it was placed on display in Elyria for a several years, but eventually a very enterprising thief managed to liberate it. Since then, the Bowl has not been heard from, save for a few rumours of pirates setting their sails by it.