The Dreaming Vessel

Deep below The House of Dreams lies the cave where The Order of Augurers saw its inception. At the very heart of that cave sits the Dreaming Vessel, an artefact of unknown origin kept safe by the Augurers.

Appearance

Sitting upon a pedestal seemingly risen out of the earth, the Dreaming Vessel appears to be made of limestone. It is filled with water that stays crystal clear, no matter how long it stays untouched, to a depth of about 20 cm.
The rim of the bowl is decorated with a vine-like pattern, which has been carved into the stone. The inside of the bowl, as well as the parts of the rim without carvings, are completely smooth as if polished by the sea for thousands of years. The sides of the vessel slope toward the base, which is about 30-35 cm in diameter depending on where the measurement is taken. The sides are decorated with a fine pattern of lines and circles, thought to be deliberately laid out, however, no interpretation is available.

Purpose

The bowl is used in a few of the Order of Augurers' rituals, most notably their initiation rituals for the ranks of Sister, Mater and Prime Mater. The bowl carries deep meaning for the Order as it is believed to have been created by The First Augurer.
It is thought that the water held by the bowl acts as an extension of an augurer's ability to view dreams. While in contact with the bowl, the augurer can "pour" their mind into it for others to see. This requires both trust and skill, which goes some way toward explaining the close bond between the augurers.

I saw my mind spill out into the bowl before me and prayed nothing damning came out. - Sister Elize, 1252

Speculation

Speculation, however, goes much further than this. If the legend is to be believed, The First Augurer's abilities stretched much further than those of her successors - even as far as seeing the future, entering waking minds and communicating with other augurers through the Dream Vessel over great distances. It is said this is how she was able to locate others that possessed the ability to augur and compel them to seek her out.
These skills have been lost over the years, perhaps with the demise of many of the deities of yore, perhaps for other reasons. All that is known is that current augurers are unable to perform the feats mentioned above.

Rarity

Only one such vessel is known to exist in the world.

Weight

62 kg

Dimensions

60x50x30 cm