Wayfinder Sphere (Patreon)

Wondrous item, rare

This spinning metal sphere is 6 inches across and weighs 5 pounds. You can tap the orb twice as an action to activate it. While activated, the orb records basic details about the space that it can see within 100 feet. The orb has darkvision out to 100 feet, but can't see through heavily obscured areas or illusions. Tapping it twice again deactivates the orb.

The activated globe can display its recorded maps. If you are within 30 feet of it, you can speak its first command word, followed by a description of a location it's mapped. For example, you can command the orb to recall the entrance to a series of catacombs you explored 2 days ago, or the path you took to get through a twisting labyrinth. When you do, an illusory map appears in a 5-foot sphere centered on the globe that shows basic details about the recorded area, such as buildings, pathways, roads, signs, topography, and trees. While you're within 5 feet of the map, you can use a series of intuitive gestures to change the map's rotation, displayed location, or scale: showing as little of the recorded area as a 25-foot radius, or as much as a 1-mile radius. Speaking the command word again causes the map to vanish.

If you are within 30 feet of it, you can speak a second command word as an action to make the orb rise into the air and float no more than 5 feet off the ground. The globe hovers in this way until you or another creature grasps it. If you move more than 30 feet from the hovering globe, it follows you until it is within 30 feet of you. It takes the shortest route to do so. If prevented from moving, the globe sinks gently to the ground and becomes inactive.

You can speak a third command word as an action, followed by a location name, while within 30 feet of the floating globe to cause it to move on its own. If the named location has been recorded by the globe and is within 1 mile of you, the sphere moves on its own and floats up to 10 feet ahead of you, guiding you to the named location using any of its recorded maps of the area to guide you. Once you reach your destination or speak the command word again, the globe begins to follow you again.

"I hate asking for directions."