Orbs

The Orbs, also referred to as the Symbises or simply the "Houses of the Gods," are spherical objects that hang in the skies of Meridia and periodically come and go depending on unknown forces that many point to the Gods as being responsible. They range from being smaller than the size of the moon to filling up more than half the sky, come in a variety of colors, and have a seemingly random pattern of occurrence; one day some may be there, and the next they may not.

History
There are many conflicting reports on the history of the Orbs, specifically regarding how long they have been around. The account of Barnascian astronomer Orbis Tishomin (1391 - 1468 2E), for which they were originally named, claims they have existed for as long as humankind itself. However, several cultural accounts, specifically those of the ancient Astarians dating back as early as the First Era, suggests that they were not always existent, or at least not a common occurrence. In the Tale of Po, they slowly grew larger and larger as if they were "approaching" the world, before freezing into place and beginning their periodic cycle of disappearing and reappearing. The same tale says that the arrival of the Symbises were a cause of turmoil initially, resulting in a winter that lasted one hundred years. The tale also claims that painful childbirth and the withering of trees during autumn were non-existent prior to the appearance Symbises, and that human lifespan was ten times the length it is now (though no evidence of such a claim has ever been found). This has since been a topic of debate among Meridian scholars, though most commonspeople either believe they've been around since the beginning of time or they do not have the effort to care one way or the other.

Cultural Significance
The Orbs have a significant role to play in most Meridian cultures, but that role varies depending on location.
 * The Northernlands (Ciricia, Barnascia, Snofairn, Bysnar and the Freylands) generally accept the Orbs as being the dwellings of the Gods, and their appearance signifies which God is watching over them, thus telling them which God praying to will be most likely to get a response from. The more religious peoples, namely those with shrines in their household, will light a candle for whatever Gods are currently residing over Meridia at any given time. This does not interrupt the Cention, where four times a year every candle is lit to celebrate the changing of the season.
 * To be expanded