I really like the general concept and how it's supported by the various bespoke mechanics. A cool bit of design. I do wonder why these all-important beads are just laying about, but a little suspension of disbelief never goes amiss.
Yeah, the explanation is a bit hidden and condensed... the extended version is that they have a magical fail-safe that lets them merge with a nearby object for protection. That's why you can find them embedded inside treasure or traps.
