Orb

"I want the Orb for my collection very much. It is such a deliciously potent object."

- Taneleer Tivan The Orb is a powerful artifact believed to be one of the six Infinity Stones. Created millions of years ago by the Celestials, the Orb is a powerful weapon capable of granting a person great cosmic power. It was coveted by the Kree admiral Ronan, only to be taken by Peter Quill on Morag, prompting a galaxy-wide manhunt.

History
The Orb was created by the Celestials to act as a containment device for an Infinity Stone resembling a purple gem. The was incredibly powerful, capable of annihilating an entire planet, and was used by the Celestials as a means of placing judgment upon worlds and their populaces. However, the gem was just as dangerous to its handler as it was to the societies it was used against, as its handlers were even destroyed by its power. Eventually, the Celestials hid the Orb, with the gem stored inside, on the planet Morag, storing in a secret tomb that was hidden beneath the planet's vast ocean. The ocean would recede every 300 years, making the tomb accessible.

Centuries later, the Orb became the desired object of various different parties. Thanos and his ally, the Kree admiral Ronan, had been seeking it for some time, and traveled to Praxius IX under false leads. Taneleer Tivan also sought to add the Orb to his collection, and hired Gamora to obtain it. Peter Quill, a member of the Ravagers discovered the Orb's location on Morag, but just as he recovered it from the tomb, he was attacked by minions of Ronan. Barely escaping from the attackers, Quill took the Orb to Xandar where he attempted to sell it to a vendor. However, the vendor was aware of the importance of the object to the Kree and refused the offer.

Quill was then attacked by Gamora and the criminal duo of Rocket Raccoon and Groot, who also sought to obtain the Orb as part of a contract. A chase ensued, after which the four were detained by the Nova Corps and taken to the Kyln, where they were imprisoned and the Orb was confiscated. Joining up with criminal Drax, they re-obtained the Orb and escaped from the prison. They then traveled to Knowhere, where they handed the Orb to Taneleer Tivan, who explained the Orb's history and capabilities. The museum was suddenly attacked by Ronan, who took the Orb from Tivan and channeled its power into his hammer, the Universal Weapon, using it to wreck most of the installation. In the confusion, Ronan escaped with the Orb